5 Places That Serve the Best Pancakes in Cleveland

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There are times when nothing will suit your appetite except a large, piping hot stack of pancakes. Sometimes that mood strikes in the middle of the day, during the evening, or even at breakfast time. Following is a list of places that serve the best pancakes in Cleveland. When you’re done with your meal of flapjacks, head on over to North Coast Auto Mall to see our selection of quality used vehicles. In the meantime, check out this list of five places in Cleveland that have the best pancakes!

Big Al’s Diner

Big Al’s Diner is a classic greasy spoon that has little in the way of frills, but a lot in the way of good pancakes. It’s one of those places you go for a stack of pancakes with extras that taste just like you remember. Laminated menus are laid at each seat, and drinks are served out of plastic cups to finish off that feeling of being in an old-fashioned diner.
Seating is first come, first served, but there’s plenty of tables to go around. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday through Sunday which also makes Big Al’s a perfect spot for brunch.

Pancakes are advertised as big and hearty on the menu and come in servings of one, two, or three. You can also order plain pancakes to act as sponges for maple syrup and butter and pecan pancakes for a bit of flavorful crunch.
Rounding out the options are blueberry pancakes, strawberry topped, and chocolate chip to suit any taste. You can also add warm strawberries and whipped cream to any one of the pancakes on the menu, or double up on the strawberry toppings if you like.

Grumpy’s Cafe

Grumpy’s Cafe is an independent and family-owned restaurant that aims to serve food made from the freshest ingredients it can source. It also offers gluten-free and vegan menu items, and can make some substitutions to accommodate diners of all tastes. Breakfast is served 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. seven days a week which makes it convenient to get a breakfast or brunch any day of the week.

Pancakes are available in buttermilk or flavored and short and regular stacks. All versions come with Cajun home fries except for the potato pancakes. The pancake options include buttermilk, pumpkin spice, blueberry and chocolate chip. Not looking for a batter pancake? The potato pancakes are a great alternative and are served with sides of sauteed apples and sour cream.

Inn on Coventry

The Inn on Coventry is an American-style restaurant with a pleasant atmosphere and kind staff. In fact, reviewers consider the restaurant to be unpretentious, has good food with great prices, and good service. Service is quick and you won’t wait long for your food to arrive even when the place is busy which it frequently is.

Hours are 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. It’s advisable to make a reservation for a table, but walk-ins are equally as welcome.

There are three types of pancakes on the menu and, apart from The Original, there are sub-types of pancakes available. The Original pancake is a simple buttermilk pancake while An Adventure comes in crunchberry (blueberries and granola), reese cup (chocolate and peanut butter chips), or pumpkin.

Something Special is available in blueberry, lemon ricotta, chocolate chip, peanut butter chip, whole wheat, or apple cinnamon. The lemon ricotta gets rave reviews as it combines sweet, tart, and savory in one go.

Gene’s Place to Dine

Gene’s Place to Dine is a place where nostalgia reigns with a menu full of dishes named after Hollywood stars from its Golden Age and a soundtrack that features 1930s and 1940s music playing as you eat. Wait staff is friendly and makes it a point to learn your name if you come in more than once. The atmosphere alone makes Gene’s worth visiting, but the pancakes will make you sit down and stay awhile.

Gene’s is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays.

Gene’s pancakes are so famous that they’re named after the owner of the restaurant instead of a movie star. Get a short or full stack of the original buttermilk pancakes, or go for the strawberry, blueberry, silver dollar, and potato pancakes. When you’re finished, wash it all down with a glass of milk, coffee, or a fountain beverage.

Mike and Dee’s Diner

Mike and Dee’s Diner is located inside a Holiday Inn Express and is a little difficult to find, but their menu makes them well worth looking for. Walk inside the restaurant and you’ll feel like you’ve gone back almost 70 years in time to the 1950s. Take a seat at a booth, or hang out on the stools at the counter to feel like you’re in a gumshoe detective novel and you’re refilling your tank after a long night of staking out a joint. Just make sure you’re there between 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday when the doors are open.

Pick from regular buttermilk pancakes made with blueberries or chocolate chips, or potato pancakes for something a little different. These are the only pancake options on the menu, but you can order a full meal with eggs and a breakfast meat for a well-rounded meal, or get a rib-tickling meal of sliced corned beef brisket with eggs, toast, and potato pancakes to get you on your way.

These are some of our favorite places to get pancakes in Cleveland and hope you’ll feel the same way. If we overlooked a place to get great pancakes, drop us a line and let us know! We’ll add it to our list and help get the word out. In the meantime, come see us at North Coast Auto Mall for your next used car and let us help you get into your next car so you can hit up these great pancake places!