Pancake Circus

Such a cute restaurant with such a wonderful theming and decor! The food is wonderful, if a little salty for my personal tastes, and the staff are very friendly and personable. They're even planning on adding a vegan veggie burger!

Pancake Circus has been around for over 50 years. And it's been a good 50. Much of the interior decor came from that era and though it is a little tired, it's a step back in time when you enter and are greeted by the fun standing clown sign. The food is prepared quickly and served promptly. The staff is accommodating and professional. It's no wonder pancake is in the name; they are delicious. Try Pancake Circus. It is a fun adventure to the bygone days.

It's like stepping back in time. Everything is old. Not for those scared of clowns. Food isn't mind blowing. Some of our plates were cold BUT pancakes are worth trying. Service is ok. Our server did not check on us for refills. I dont think she checked on any table. I think this place is worth a visit for it's age.

Pancake Circus does not have much ambiance! But want comfort food? I had the Pancake Circus special $13.99 and a cup of coffee (which was excellent)! Surprisingly, it was: 2 eggs (your way), 2 sausage or bacon, potatoes (country style was recommended and did not disappoint! Huge chunks of potatoe perfectly cooked), and surprisingly cinnamon french toast (not pancakes?). *Now how a place called Pancake Circus, could have a special without pancakes is dumb founding. However the french toast is shaped like a pancake! See photo. The service was great, so was the coffee. Plenty of parking, handicap accessed. Did not see many families, however this was a Monday morning, not the weekend. In addition, what kid does not love pancakes! The decorations inside child friendly! See photos.

I'm old enough to remember when restaurants still had smoking sections and the "time capsule" experience I read about in other reviews persists with the nicotine-stained walls, ceiling, and carpet at Pancake Circus. On a scale of one to five, the smell is about a 1.5, so if you avoid bars because of smoke, the second-hand smoke smell here may bother you as well; it persisted in my sinuses until the food arrived. The water was not filtered and the coffee wasn't great. Now that you've lived past that, the food itself was EXCEPTIONALLY tasty. My buddy got the chorizo and it was flavorful without being overpowering. My lemon méringue pancakes were beautifully fluffy and with heated syrup were next-level. My chicken-fried steak was perfection and the eggs with cheese were scrumptious. I got some extra crisp hash browns and they did not disappoint. They were spread a bit thin for staff so don't be shy about getting up and telling them what you need. They did a fine job. I'd say either bring your own beverages or use this for delivery because the food is completely comfortable and delicious. Avoid if you have the least bit hesitation about clowns because they are all over the place. I used the gender-neutral bathroom and it was clean, so that's good.

You go to a greasy spoon for exactly that, a greasy spoon. Expect charming service, vintage atmosphere, and very classic American greasy spoon diner offerings. The staff is kind and the prices are very reasonable.

This place looks like it's from a horror movie. Old school zoo / circus vibe, and starting to show its age. I got the early bird special and it was worth it. Can't say that it was amazing but it was pretty good. There was only one server for the entire restaurant so service was not the high point.

The service was decent but not majorly attentive. Has the Denver Omelet w/cheese and Country Potatoes. The extra cost for a sprinkle of cheese was not worth the extra almost $3, there was barely any ham in it and the eggs tasted like they were from a box but, the potatoes were on point and the coffee was fresh. I did notice the, I'm guessing, owner was very personal with his customers, which is always a plus. The old fashion charm of the classic diner was very whimsical and nostalgic.

Not a fan of clowns but I am a fan of Pancake Circus, and diners in general. Conveniently, they serve breakfast and lunch. Busy during the early brekkie hours, but if you come in late morning it's usually not as slammed. I've had many yummy breakfasts here over the years, and the eccentric diner feel combined with good food at a decent price (though it's steeper these days) pleases guests we bring here as well. I like to order the dollar pancakes with hash and eggs or the eggs bennie. There aren't many vegan options to speak of, but I do okay as a vegetarian. Their black coffee is yummy. Last time I was in, with my Swedish friend Pocki who desired American style pancakes, I saw a sign that advertised the buckwheat pancakes are back! Then promptly forgot to order them, oops. She did enjoy her American pancakes. Service is impressive. They tackle busy times well. You can buy lotto here or various wares at the front desk where you also pay the bill. I saw an essential oil that was labeled Barack Obama. Not sure what that means, but there you go. Ambiance is....weird. Full of clowns. Kitsch. Tchotchkes. And that is part of the fun of dining here. Open 7 am to 2 pm 7 days a week. There is a parking lot. Bathroom report: an adventure, clean, watch out for clowns

I am not a fan of clowns and the moment we walked in you're overwhelmed with all things clowns so be prepared. It looks like the owner wanted to keep the old charm because it literally looks like a diner from another century or needs a deep dive cleaning. The seat in the booth was sticky and so was the table. We ordered the corn beef hash with a side of sausages and the big top. The scrambled eggs were overcooked and dry. However the pancakes were fluffy and big! Our food arrived cold and we had to wave someone down because our side add ons were forgotten and no maple syrup for our pancakes. It took a few minutes to wave someone down.

Love this place ! Came here as a kid and just now move back to Sacramento and love coming here as an adult. I'd recommend sitting up at the bar and counter with all the locals and regulars. You get to watch all the food come out and hear some fun stories.

This place has been around forever and the decor remains the same! Stopped in while having my car worked on across the street, was greeted and seated right away by Celia/Cecelia? She was very nice! The place was fairly empty, but started to get busy as I sat there. I ordered toast, eggs, bacon and hot tea! Everything came out fast and was good, no complaints from me.

Been coming here for years. One of the best mom and pops restaurant. We've always felt welcome here. The food is delicious and at a very reasonable price. I'd definitely recommend their pancake . It's soft and fluffy. The place is decorated with clowns on their walls. Of course, you can tell by the name of the restaurant. It's family friendly and kids will enjoy the decoration.

I love a good throwback, but this place just isn't one. Trust me, I'm nostalgic. I can be more than nostalgic. The food was lackluster. I did my usual corned beef and hash. Just very uninspiring. Food was served on a cheap dish like the $1 ones. The corned beef hash tasted like it was from a Hormel's can. I don't have much report about with the hash browns. Eggs are eggs. Everyone is nice. It did take a minute, but I was pretty frustrated with the food. Ambiance wise, the placed open decades ago and it's stuck there. I think it's due for an update IMO. Perhaps, it's just not my style, but It's the pancake circus! There's so much you can do with it. Just wasn't a fab of the old decor and circus wallpaper. Probably just a one and done if you want a piece of Sac history, but may not be repeat for me.

The pancakes are delicious and eggs cooked just right. Sat at the bar and service was great. Very clean ambiance.

Driven by this spot most of my life snd never tried. Decided what the heck ill give it a shot. Place is a blast from the past. Old dingy diner setting. Most folks seemed like regulars. Menu seemed limited for breakfast but i opted of the 1egg bacon hash brown and dry sourdough w coffee. Was greeted promptly (no smile) and ordered coffee while i perused the menu Coffee came quickly. Prices seemed ok. Steak and eggs was pricey. Food: poached egg was over done kinda rubbery, hash browns were not hot and seemed old. Bacon was cool and very thin sliced. Sourdough bread had loads of butter. Normally id send back but based on temp of food i decided to eat it and get out. Very disappointing experience. I cannot see the allure of this place when there are way better options out there. Sorry but i have to vote pass on this one.

It's a classic Sacramento establishment, and by that all I can really say is it is old? Firstly, I did not find the restaurant too clean at all (on an early Monday morning the bathroom was not the cleanest, indicating it perhaps stays that way chronically). Service was friendly and food was fine as well. Oddly, the prices were not as cheap as I expected (besides their decent deal of a weekday morning special). Even with that, coffees were over $3 each. Overall, it wouldn't be my first recommendation for brunch in the city. Again service was friendly and probably the highlight.

Pancake Circus has been around for over 50 years. And it's been a good 50. Much of the interior decor came from that era and though it is a little tired, it's a step back in time when you enter and are greeted by the fun standing clown sign. The food is prepared quickly and served promptly. The staff is accommodating and professional. It's no wonder pancake is in the name; they are delicious. Try Pancake Circus. It is a fun adventure to the bygone days.

I use to come here as a kid and I thought it was good lol But it seems kinda nasty now .. the menu is so simple The food came out and it looked so unappetizing My family hardly ate their food too We ordered a grilled cheese for my niece and it was literally and uncooked piece of cheese in some toasted bread Menu looked so original I didn't even wanna order anything so I got a pancake and even that was gross

Horrible experience not worth it. I brought my wife to breakfast this morning as soon as we got there the waitress gave us a dirty look from across the room she had a sit in the waiting area after three other customers came in and were seated before us she finally took us to our booth she asked us what do we want which was pretty rude for the start my wife ordered steak and eggs I ordered country fried steak. I was surprised and kind of embarrassed when lupe out server just stood there insisted of getting us our beverages she loudlyask me to pay my bill right then and there while everyone in the restaurant is looking I reach in my pocket pull out my cash and pay for the money she says it was $52 and then she comes back with $2 change with no receipt then she brings our drinks cold coffee and a tiny cup of orange juice then she brings our food which was cold was actually undercooked we did not say anything we just accepted it began eating and then she stops me while I'm eating my food to ask me how many to go boxes need for my food I literally took two bites from it and she's already trying to get us to leave at this point we're just uncomfortable sitting there while everybody's continually watching us keeping his eyes all on us like we did something wrong we were sitting there quiet the whole time so after I was done eating my food I get up to use the restroom I seen my wife's small cup of orange juice was empty was not ever checked on to see if we wanted another drink or anything Lupe just ignored us so I said to her order another orange juice if you want I'll be right back went to the bathroom came back and instead of orange juice on the table that was a cup of water no ice just water and I asked what happened Lupe said no free refills on orange juice well nobody asked for or refill we asked for another orange juice she says you have to pay for it up front so I asked her why is it that you're making me pay for my order first and no one else in this restaurant is getting the same treatment they all get to pay after they eat and you're refusing to sell me an orange juice she says it's policy that you have to pay steak upfrontso people won't walk out without paying wow I ordered an orange juice and she's going into all of this detail loudly everybody's watching so embarrassing I saidcan we please order another orange juice she says there are no free refill sir I said I have cash in my hand I'll show her the money she was standing at the register there's no reason why she couldn't sell me an orange juice and an orange juice is not steak that doesn't require me to pay first so she was just doing that to be rude then she asked me to leave like I did something wrong I was quiet she was loud I didn't argue with her she did all the arguing my poor wife was sitting there embarrassed looking at like she was going to cry so I said let's just go and walk her out we had just got treated like criminals we just went there for breakfast I had more than enough money to pay for everyone's meals and the restaurant had no problem paying my for my food got treated like garbage and stereotyped and forced to leave shame on Lupe who turned out to be the restaurant manager as well so couldn't file a complaint and she charged us for a tip that I did not give permission to charge us for so in reality she stole from me as well and did not give you receipt so that I was not able to prove it but I asked for receipt and she had to give me one which was hand written

My family and I had a great experience at Pancake Circus! The staff was really friendly and welcoming from the moment we walked in. I ordered the veggie omelette, and it was delicious. Not to mention the fluffy, and flavorful french toast and pancakes. We will definitely be returning. Shout out to Lupe who took care of us.

As of 2024, I've lived in the Sacramento since 2001, that's close to half my life if you do the math correctly, lol. And never have I visited "Pancake Circus" in that entire stretch. I've passed by it on numerous occasions (by car & bike) but never had the chance to eat here. Well, on the morning of Sunday 1/14/2024, that changed instantly. Located directly at the corner of Broadway and 21st St., this place has been a Sacramento staple dating back to the 1970's. Parking can get quite packed, primarily during those busy weekend mornings. I arrived with my lady around 10:25am as we met with two friends for our traditional Sunday brunch. Upon entering, all four of us were seated immediately and given menus. As far as the interior goes, this place is a straight time capsule. Everything from the booths, carpet, windows, and even the menus look like they're from a different point in history. And one thing that makes this place unique is the amount of circus/carnival items and even miniature toy clowns holding balloons by the ceiling throughout the entire restaurant. But the main focal point everyone wants to know about is the food. Here you will find your standard greasy spoon breakfast items including eggs, bacon, sausage, French toasts, omelets, Benedicts, waffles, and of course, pancakes. I ended up ordering their "French Toast" (four 1/2 slices w/powdered sugar, butter, & syrup) complete with one egg (scrambled), one sausage link, and one bacon strip. My lady went with hash browns, eggs, & toast while my friends did pancakes, and biscuits & gravy. After placing our orders, all four of our plates came out simultaneously in just under 10 minutes. I will say that the service was attentive and quick but the food was just alright for me. I think eating classic diner food can be too predictable and not inspiring. Not that I'm putting this place down but the food is just average at-best. Especially these days where people are all about the more trendy elaborate dishes. As far as my French toast, it was decent but my bacon and sausage is easily something that I could easily cook from home. Even the coffee my lady had was below average as it was too watered down. If breakfast isn't your thing, they also carry sandwiches, hot lunch items, burgers, salads, and even dedicated menu items for kids and seniors. They are open for business seven days a week from 7:00am to 2:00pm. I am not sure if this is a place I would come back to again. With so many options where restaurants have multiplied over the past few decades, Pancake Circus still gets its dedicated regulars that frequent this dive restaurant. With that said and done, I am giving "Pancake Circus" just an average three-star rating.

I had a wonderful experience where the waitress asked the chef to make a special cinnamon pancake batter so I could have cinnamon pancakes. Not only were they both accommodating but very friendly as well.

Think old school diner meets clowns and circus theme decor. Excellent service. Come for the clowns stay for the pancakes and waffles! Best in the business.

Ordered on DoorDash, I always wanted to give this place a try. The pancakes were great! I wish they came with syrup though but I guess they didn't really need it. Denver omelette was also really good. I'd order again, really good value for the amount of food you get.

This place is old school and a little run down. I ordered an omelette with bacon, sausage, onion and American cheese with hash browns on the side. It did not have much flavor, I didn't taste any bacon, I tasted cheese maybe in 2 bites, but I could see the sausage, and it did not have much flavor. I did not taste onions at all. My previous trip here was better.

Service was friendly. The food was not good. In fact the potatoe salad was sour and expires. I'm afraid to ever eat here again. Outdated decor.

The food & coffee/tea are good. They never have enough wait staff and service is extremely slow. That's the only thing that keeps me away.

Ok. I admit it I've never been here. Not technically being someone who grew up in sacramento I have never wanted to admit I haven't tried out this local icon of a breakfast diner.. And to be very honest I was worried it would disappoint and I'd have to roll my eyes every time someone mentioned this place, but let me tell you - DELICIOUS PANCAKES ! The decor and whole entire style of this place is so late 70s or early 80s. To the cute homage to clowns and the circus with artwork and clown dolls at the front entrance, to the yellow and Orange Brady bunch color palette. Not to mention the old school swivel counter chairs overlooking all the decades old cooking equipment. It makes you feel like you stepped into an old cozy antique store that also just so happens to serve pancakes. I got the country biscuit and gravy with a pancake on the side and the biscuits and gravy were good. No sausage in the sauce and ok biscuits but still good flavor. And the pancakes! Absolutely delicious. I only had one after my meal and it felt like a dessert after breakfast. So thick and the right amount of firmness to the almost spongey texture. Also when the pancake absorbed the syrup it didn't just start falling apart but still maintained that seared outer exterior. So GOOD. Not the mention the amazing staff! The cook behind the counter was an older gentleman and talked to me and my friend during our meal sliding us silly off the wall dad jokes. The waitress chatting with us but still maintaining a large crowd with ease. You can tell the people who work here are happy and it just makes you feel like you are a customer who has been here forever. Look forward to coming again and again to this place. I only take away minus one star because besides the pancakes everything else was just mediocre (but still flavorful). Safe to say for people who have never tried this place you will come for the antiquity, but you'll come back for the pancakes.

What can one expect from the greasy spoon of greasy spoons? This place is well past its heyday but does provide lots of positive energy from yesteryear. The food is consistent and you can expect any breakfast menu item from a traditional diner. The service is dependable. It's the only place I know where you can order buckwheat pancakes and all the fixins from the heyday of mid-century Americana.

It was ok food pancakes were fluffy and delicious,the eggs not so much,it's like an old style diner lots of booths ,understaffed ,Waited 14 minutes to get order taken and coffee .Everything was good after that .Plenty of parking.I love clown decorations and animal fixtures.Staff is friendly and helpful.

Our server Andres was amazing. The service overall was great. The food was ok. Pancakes were fluffy and malty the way I like them. Large portions, decent price.

Nostalgic atmosphere like your from the 70s. Loved everything about the old decor reminded me as a child growing up eating with my parents in the 70s. Flavorful. Really good breakfast and their pancakes were good as well. This is an old gem

The service was good, as was the food. The restaurant itself is kitschy, but you know that going in. The bathroom was clean. I'd eat here again.

I've been coming here for years and it is always as I expect. Decent food. Decent prices. Crazy, dated decor. I had a party melt with onions on my most recent visit and I have to say, it was really tasty! The fries were hot and crispy! Our server was kind and she kept our drinks full!

Service is quick and friendly and the pancakes are really good. We ordered blueberry pancakes, buckwheat and pecan pancakes, corn beef hash and eggs. The eggs were perfectly cooked. And then there are the clowns and circus animals. Which are funny and perhaps unsettling. Pancake Circus is an old fashioned and quirky place. It could only be better if the wait staff dressed up as circus performers.

Basic reliable diner food. Place is straight out of the 70s. Love that the new owners cut down on the amount of clowns but kept a couple.

Sadly, the lemonade was not green. The portions were massive. Definitely for your buck. Circus burger was scary massive. Vintage decor. Bathroom review: clean, nice, and welcoming. Staff were all friendly and dont order the bagel. Overall I would say this is definitely a place for all to go to, when going to Sacramento. Cult classic status.

I really did not intend to go here. The wait at the Tower Cafe was over an hour so I thought I Would try Pancake Circus. I got the Circus Big Top with Sausage, Scrambled eggs and hash browns with 2 pancakes. The eggs, sausages and hash browns we're actually pretty good. Too my amazement the pancakes were hard as a rock and almost inedible. If the namesake of the restaurant is it's worst dish it has too make you wonder.

Do not go here. The inside is covered in dusty clown decor. Terrible diner coffee and food was inedible

Generic diner with great food! Service was pretty good for what seemed to be a minimal amount of staff. Best pancakes I've had in a while but they weren't as hot as I prefer. Had them warmed up & they were perfect. I plan to return to try their "pigs in a blanket". I recommend.

Pancake Circus offered up quick breakfast and friendly staff with a much to be desired décor and interior. But overall it's breakfast folks so if you can get past the antiquated circus theme and scary clowns starring at ya while you eating in both from the 1970s well you may enjoy your meal. Nothing fancy or special here just your slap it on the plate eggs, bacon or sausage, pancakes or waffles added bonus fresh fruit atop the aforementioned waffles and slather on the syrup then scarf down your meal to head out for whatever you have planned for your day. Listed as an iconic location, this was just someplace for us to grab a quick warm meal early in the morning before we went sightseeing in the area. Overall like a shared above interior along with exterior style are reminiscent of traveling back in to a 1970s circus vibe from the moment you pull in the parking lot, enter the door and get handed the menu. Ehhh I digress, stomach's full, we conquered our day and this fit the bill of what we needed that morning.

Once you get past the clowns and 1960's motif you realize it's all part of the charm. I have lived in Sacramento for a few decades and this place hasn't changed but in the best possible way. The staff is polite and friendly and the food is dependently delicious and more affordable than most fast food. Even though the place is not brand new, it is very clean, no matter what time of day. This place is a Sacramento treasure where the patrons are the real winners just checkout the Lottery winners history in the area. I took my niece here before her first day of college. It's just good vibes

4 stars cause the bus girl was all off . That waitress was the best . The food was very good . It was clean , service was good , food was excellent , hopefully your not scared of clowns if so might not enjoy this establishment. . They were very busy while I was here . And the waitress did more then anyone besides the owner who I personally thought was awesome! Price is perfect . Location was good .

FANTASTIC friendly service, classic diner vibe, good pancakes, omelets, and steady stream of coffee. My kid is not big on the clown decor, but I find it strange and charming. It's somewhat divey, to be sure, but that adds to its charm.

Unfriendly service but fun kitschy atmosphere and a lot of food. I can see why this is a destination for truckers. Love the clown paraphernalia but food was low key lukewarm. Worth a stop by but not necessarily for food

The new owner has really turned the breakfast icon around. The service is personable and efficient The food was very good, and the coffee was a cut above the standard restaurant blend. We are fortunate to have a real old stlye diner in this era of boring overpriced chain restaurants. Long may it serve (excellent breakfasts)

Great prices, great food (surprisingly not overly greasy), and fast service. Aesthetics are outdated and kind of gross looking with a ton of clown decor. But would I recommend it, absolutely. Had the country fried steak with eggs and potatoes and a Nutella banana crepe. The crepe had a ton of banana and Nutella, a great value in a casual place.

"You're going to be In Sacramento? You've got to go to Pancake Circus". We followed our friends advice and we're glad we did. A bit of disappearing Americana alive and well. The owner told me a brief history: originally opened in 1958, then became Pancake Circus in '68. My impression is that it hasn't changed a bit since getting its circus motif makeover. Circuses, and in particular, non-scary clowns are no longer in vogue, so catch it while you can. Their collection of clown paintings is impressive and without an ounce of irony. And what of the food you ask? The pancakes were light and fluffy, the portions ample and coffee fresh and hot. Excellent service as well on a busy Sunday morning. Thank goodness places like this still exist.

I know this may seem silly but I was thrilled to have brunch here today. I have lived here for almost 43 years and this was my first time at Pancake Circus. The food and service were actually very good and less expensive than McDonald's! I will definitely be back. Don't be put off by the outside of the menu. Inside there are lots of good things to eat.

Absolutely one of the dirtiest places I've ever eaten. Whatever was used to impersonate butter would have been better used as axle grease. Service was non-existent. The smell when entering the restaurant was indescribably bad. Our plates stuck so badly to the table that it was actually hard to get them to break free. Just because a restaurant is old doesn't mean you don't need to clean it. Even the menus were covered in filth. The food was below average at best.

The atmosphere is impeccable, the food is decently good and cheap, and the coffee is terrible. You can buy lotto tickets and admire their many clown art. I'm glad they improved their curly fries bc for a while, they were bland and beige, no seasoning salt in sight. Mildly homophobic vibe, flawless early 80s brown diner palette.

Great greasy spoon been there for many many years if you don't like clowns you need to stay away because the circus threw up at this place great kid place to eat

The food they remembered to bring us was cold and we couldn't get anyone's attention to fix it or complete our order. We were not checked on once. I kind of like the weird decor and the old building, but not enough to pay $56 for cold eggs again.

I went to this place over a decade ago and my daughter wanted to do a YouTube video here today. I remember the greasy, rather nasty food and wasn't exactly looking forward to it. I was happy to find out there are new owners AND he is keeping the clown kitsch atmosphere AND EVEN MORE that the food has improved greatly since my last visit. I had the bacon cheeseburger and I was pleasantly surprised by the maple flavor in my bacon. My kid had the pancake special and loved the whole experience and rated the restaurant 10 out of 6 stars.

Delicious, classic, diner food with fun, yet mildly disturbing clown art decor. Since moving to Sac this has been our favorite breakfast spot because brunch has become a 5 hour ordeal with wait times. We always get a table right away, and the waitresses are very kind and hardworking.

Perfect place for a quick breakfast off of Broadway in Sacramento. If you're over 60, check out the menu items most under $10 for entrees! It's a very good deal and classic 1959 interior