Gary G.
Yelp
A rustic classic that's been around since 1938. Large space. Open kitchen. Friendly hosts. There's a gift shop, but don't let that scare you off (after your meal, you'll realize it's a plus). Friendly servers.
The "Maple Tray": Real maple syrup, maple sugar (shaker), and a maple spread (squeeze bottle) that our server said was basically a maple frosting, and she was right. All are nice additions, depending on preference and what you're adding it to. Having maple syrup by default and at no extra charge was a big win. Plus it was very good.
The Pancake Options: The bad news is that the pancakes are only 3-1/4 inches diameter. The good news is that the pancakes are only 3-1/4 inches diameter. Why? Because it allows less commitment so you can try more other things or even more pancakes in different flavors. Another big plus toward that end is the ability to mix and match with the sampler: pick any 3 combinations of batter and filling (I got a cornmeal pancake with blueberries, a buckwheat pancake with chocolate chips, and a gingerbread pancake with no filling).
The Pancakes: Good to very good. Not too dense, not too light, and none of that baseball glove texture too many other pancake house pancakes have. Very nice flavor to the batter in all the varieties I tried, with no chemical aftertaste. I particularly liked the cornmeal batter: extra soft and crumbly in the right way. The gingerbread were not sickening sweet. All took the syrup nicely without absorbing it in a flash.
Scrambled Eggs: Hard to screw up, you say? I've had plenty elsewhere that were, but these were perfect. Not too wet, not too (or anywhere near) dry, and not too (or anywhere near) brown. Fluffy and moist.
Home Fries: The only disappointment, though mostly stylistic. These were thick full potato slices, not cubes, and had more of a baked feel even though I think they were fried. Little to no seasoning (I like seasoning). We went with the onions option for an extra 50 cents, and they were sautéed but not crisply (I like crispy).
Maple Bacon Biscuits: A special of the day was dense (maybe a tad too dense, but some are supposed to be that way. Like a pineapple upside down cake, it had a thick sweet maple glaze on the bottom, along with crispy bacon pieces. Tasty for sure, although I'd rather have another pancake or three.
Service: Outstanding. It's as if everyone walked straight out of a training video, full of good cheer and menu knowledge. Interesting tidbit: the same server who takes your order also cooks your pancakes.
Look through the Yelp reviews and you'll see plenty of hype (I mean intense praise, not shilling), so I was fearing a letdown of Rapunzel proportions. Didn't happen. I loved the place, the people, and the pancakes. And the syrup and other pancake accoutrements. I can't wait to come back.