Walker Bros. The Original Pancake House

Best coffee! I arrived on a Wednesday after 10:30 and there was a wait line.
I almost drove on but found a parking space near the door so went in.
The line moved quickly.
Coffee served immediately. Drank the first delicious cup and had a refill before I could ask,
Ordered the basted eggs and bacon.
Eggs cooked just how I ordered and the 5 slices of thick cut bacon were just perfect!
The meal came with 4 medium sized pancakes that were light an fluffy.
My only complaint is that pancake restaurants never serve real maple syrup
That’s the new england girl still in me

Try the baked omelet. Oh boy way it delicious. I got the spicy one with peppers and habanero cheese. It was a great mix of favors and cooked to perfection. The pancakes are some of the best I had… like ever. I can’t wait to go back.

There are some things here that are amazing– apple pancake, dutch baby, waffles. I don’t know why but the eggs aren’t great. On the expensive side for breakfast food. Try not to order bacon which is really thick and porky. Orange juice is also overpriced. Went for breakfast with 3 people and check was $ 75– are you kidding? Share an order of bacon, take a sip of juice to save money.

Another great Sunday at Walker brothers. Just love the strawberry waffles. My go to place for the weekend when family stops by.

I love breakfast and brunch and I am never disappointed with my food choices when I come here.!! I have had the blueberry pancakes, egg benedict, crepes… All so good. There is a line you have to wait in sometimes but its not to bad. Over all I love this place. The only thing that annoyed me was the loud clinking noises of dishes (the workers cleaning up the table)… but it is what it is. :\

One of the hallmark breakfast destinations in the north shore, walker bros original pancake house is a solid choice for all things of an early bite.
Ordered the pecan pancakes, and although walker bros does not reinvent the proverbial pancake wheel, it’s a crowd pleaser for all the morning crave aficionados
Weekends are tricky; better get here early, as it’s packed

We came here with a recommendation. The place looked dated. Stain glass windows everywhere (it felt like a church). When we entered they had a rope at the entrance, which I found a little tacky. The service was not great, the wait staff did not look happy to be there.
But, the food was great! We had the Dutch Baby and the Santa Fe omelet. They were both very good I highly recommend them.

Wow, such a great brunch place. It’s a family restaurant and you get HUGEEE portions of food. I definitely think you should bring a huge bunch of people here to try some sweet and savory food. I got the apple cinnamon pancake and it was amazing. I definitely recommend getting 2 scoops of ice cream to cut down the sweetness of the cinnamon and syrup on the pancake.
CAUTION: The PANCAKES ARE BAKED, so they are STEAMING HOT, Cut a piece and wait for it to cool. :D
Everyone had some great food and all of us were so full, we ended up boxing bits and pieces of everything.

Have eaten here a couple of times over the years. My last time I had the apple cinnamon pancake. I slathered it with butter and maple syrup, then had the nerve to think ‘what– just one pancake??’ Well my efforts to finish it in one sitting proved how wrong I was. I made it about half way through until I had to ask for a to go box.
It was delicious, and I also enjoyed it later for a second meal. I used to sometimes get this business confused with other places calling themselves ‘The Original Pancake House,’ but after last time this place will always stand out. Often seems crowded when I would go by there. I can understand why.

I had been here a few years ago and had a fine dining experience. On that visit, we had to wait in quite a long line to be seated, so I knew how crowded this place can get. There were just two of us for this visit, and the line was almost non existent. Our wait was not even 5 minutes. we were brought to a booth that made me feel like I was stuck in coach on a plane. I will admit, I am a bigger guy, tall and thick but not so big that I have to shop at any specialty shops. Well, I barely fit and I felt like figuring out where to put my toast plate while shifting around my omelet and coffee was more of a brainteaser that I wanted to deal with.
The tables that we were by were quite large and the families that sat at them were able to stretch out and had extra seats, so it seem like they just don’t like to give couples room that they do groups. Oh, the guy busing tables seemed to be taking out his frustrations on the job, making so much noise throwing plates and silverware into his bin. And the he came and grabbed my plate which still had food on it, asking me if he could take it. I kinda figured once his hands were on it, I may as well let him take it. Not really sure why they wouldn’t ask before they grab your plate.
The food really wasn’t anything special, and for the price, I expect something a bit nicer. I’ve had too many awesome breakfasts to be able to rate this place any higher. I feel like a dining experience should make one happy, not stressed. After you eat, you have to wait in line to pay, which would be fine if this wasn’t where everyone is waiting to get in, get out or get by. It’s just not a place I want to go back when I have been so many better places.

A North Shore tradition! Walker Brothers is the place to go for breakfast. This is the original location, although they have another in Glenview. There’s always a wait but they do a good job of getting you in fairly quickly.
Standard breakfast fare; eggs, hash browns, etc. with really good bacon, turkey sausage, fresh squeezed orange juice, big fluffy omelettes, and the best pancakes! Their Belgian waffles and crepes are good, too! Several varieties… fruity ones, or if you like spicy, try the chipotle crepes. They’re stuffed with diced chicken, a delicious chipotle hollandaise sauce, topped with red and green peppers. Oh and I love the crispy, crunchy french toast!
They are open til 10 pm most days, if you ever want breakfast for dinner. You can’t go wrong here.

Came here on a busy, rainy Sunday. The wait was not too bad (10 min.). Customer service was on point and quick. My friends and I ordered coffee to start off. The coffee was delicious, but kind of pricey ($ 2.75) per person. I ordered the two by four, which is two eggs with 4 blueberry pancakes. Absolutely delicious and filling. Their portions are huge and I ended up taking a go box.
I recommend this restaurant as good old fashioned brunch and breakfast. There are no mimosas nor upscale type of setting, but it does not matter because of the quality food and service.

I love this place! It’s a great family and friends breakfast/​brunch hangout spot. There was a line outside the door on a Sunday but we only waited 25 minutes (it moves pretty fast) for six people. The service is excellent and parking is fairly easy with a parking lot area and side street parking available.
In terms of food we got the challah French toast, spicy pico de gallo hash browns, Mediterranean omelette, and pancakes/​eggs for the kids from the kids meal menu. For drinks we did fresh squeezed orange juice and coffee with unlimited refills. Everything was very tasty especially the hash browns! Definitely my favorite item on the menu. I decided to try the challah French toast this time around but I prefer the pancakes, I’ve had there pancakes at the Glenview location and prefer them over the French toast. My friends enjoyed there meals as well.
All in all this a great breakfast spot! It’s not my favorite breakfast place but it’s still a great classic breakfast place that’s very family friendly and close to where we live. Highly recommend it.

In the couple of times I’ve been here, the food has been good (and the pancakes are great), but the service/​experience has really left much to be desired. It feels like they’re in the business of getting as many people in and out of the restaurant as fast as humanly possible, and this is really reflected in the service I’ve experienced.
The last time I was here (and likely will be the last time) was a weekend morning (really busy), and we were waiting for a server to stop by our table to take drink orders. We were both looking the other direction when our rather curt waitress approached the table. She didn’t greet us (or even announce herself) and when she didn’t instantly have our attention, she then decided the best course of action was to literally wave her hand in front of our faces while saying «yoo hoo!».
We go to the location in Park Ridge now and get much better service and great food.

A north shore staple. Like the one in Wilmette over Highland Park but both are pretty awesome. Have something for everyone and gluten free options.

Tonight I was taught how to make a good financial decision when taking your family out to dinner.
First of all, the four of us were wedged into a small table in the corner behind another table, and next to a screaming table of sorority girls.
Second the waitress had no idea about the menu and didn’t really help anybody decide on proper amounts of food for people at the table.
Third, when kids orange juices were ordered, large orange juices were brought to the table, and we were never asked on size, nor told that we would charged a dollar more for the 2oz.
So for a dinner of two waffles, two eggs Benedict’s, one cup of coffee decaf, and two large orange juices, we walked away paying $ 65.
Warning, the blueberry compote is just a cup of blueberries in juice and that’s what «the restaurant calls compote.» But the strawberries come out in full compote form.
I was totally reminded why I haven’t been here in 12 years.

While its way to heavy to eat all the time for a sweet treat or a family breakfast when the kids are off school it’s great. I highly recommend the banana pancakes.

This place will always be the best breakfast place in the state. Hope your use to waiting in a line.

Another quintessential north shore breakfast spot, the walker bros brand of the nationally franchised «original pancake house» is the gold standard of pancakes. You cant go wrong with any of them, seriously. As a kid, I frequented the chocolate chippies until I moved on up to the german pancake. Now I’m a strict devotee to the 49ers flapjacks, which are thin gooey pancakes. Truly delectable. Occasionally I’ll grab an apple pancake, which is huge. The hash browns with habanero cheese and ham is my go to side, and very tasty. Their omlettes are light and airy. The coffee is served here is some of my favorite. They also use real maple syrup, which comes with no additonal charge. That screams quality to me. Service is usually top notch and prices are reasonable.

Since I was a student at Northwestern until today, we frequent this restaurant for its ambiance and fresh-​squeezed orange juice and tasty, varied breakfasts. Never a disappointment.

Came in on Christmas Eve and boy it was so busy. The line was literally out the door and wrapped around to the parking lot. When we finally got a table, it made me feel claustrophobic because the seatings were so very close to one another. I guess I understand they are trying to utilized their space as much as possible for seating arrangements but it was very uncomfortable.
Of course, I wanted to try the famous pancake and so we had an order of those and it was huge! So huge that it took up majority of the table and we barely had enough space for everyone’s else plate. I really enjoy the texture of the pancake and adding lemon and white powder really compliments it. I had an omelette which I was not too impress because it seem a little dry for my taste. What I didn’t like was how uneven the cheese was in my omelette. One side was very dry and no cheese while the center had the most cheese and it was way too much cheese. I also got to try the chipotle crêpe and it was very savory. At first, it was very good but then toward the middle, you get very tired of the taste and wouldn’t want it anymore. I recommend sharing it if anything.
The server was pretty friendly and the food came in a timely manner. Pretty decent joint.

This is a very cozy breakfast and brunch place for any weekend morning. They have large tables so if you have a party larger than 6, they maybe able to sit you on the same table. My favorite is Santa Fe Omelete and «the dutch baby.» If you order these two, you may be able to feed three people. And you can never go wrong with freshly squeezed orange juice, although it is quite pricy ($ 3.50 for a small cup).
I highly recommend this place for a small group gathering and will visit this place again.

Love this place. I grew up on Walker Bros. My favorite dishes are the Santa Fe Omelette, potato pancakes, and spinach crepes. Yum. I love how big and fluffy their omelettes are because they oven bake them! I just wish they would bring back the chicken apple links.

Delicious food! We always come here when I am in Wilmette. The aroma is so wonderful when you walk in. It’s warm and cozy inside, even tho it’s a large restaurant. Service is very good. I almost always order the Swedish pancakes, but today I went for spinach crepes with potato pancakes. Amazing! Very buttery, cheesy. Crispy potato pancakes with sour cream and applesauce– perfection!

I came here with the bros for a prethanksgivng brunch and was not disappointed. The coffee was great and the waitress ensured the cup never got empty. The Santa Fe omelette was fantastic and wasn’t too spicy. The pancakes basically melted in your mouth. Someone suggested getting the habanero hash browns and it was definitely the right choice. Great customer service and even better food. Definitely would recommend going to.

Local favorite in the suburbs of Chicago. The quality def beats that of Denny’s and IHOP in California. Heard it’s usually busy and depending on which locsfion u go to, u may wait up to 30 mins for a table.
1. Vegetable Omellette-​delicious. Fluffy, cheesy, full of veggies.
2. Pancakes-​fluffy
3. Pumpkin french toast-​you can see and taste the pumpkin purée in the 7 slices of french toast.
4. Corned beef hash– a bit dense and crunchy on the outside. Tasted ok. I prefer mine more airy and loose.
5. Friend usually gets hashbrowns w mushroom.

Superb. We have nothing like this in Houston. And don’t get me started on the apple pancakes. Everything is good and the service is snappy. Always packed and bustling. Great décor and stained glass. They refill your coffee every 5 minutes or less.
Santa fe omelette ⁵⁄₅
Pecan pancakes ⁵⁄₅
Apple pancakes ⁵⁄₅
Spicy habanero hash browns ⁴⁄₅ greasy after a while
I really like their pancakes and waffles. Could always go back for more

I met a friend here for breakfast and I have heard of this restaurant and great things so I was pretty excited. It lived up to its reputation. I had an apple pancake with a side of sausage. Oh apple pancake! You are so perfect! Oh apple pancake — get in my mouth! If you go to Walker Brothers, order an apple pancake. It will not disappoint. I loved it so much that I bought a frozen one to take one. Awesome right? They have frozen ones you can take home! I can’t wait to go back here. I will buy a bunch of apple pancakes!

My favorite breakfast place of all time! I’m from California but when I do venture to Chicago, I always make a point to stop here.
There will be a line so just wait it out! It’s worth it!
They’re known for their apple pancake, which is delicious. I usually ask them to cook it a little more for me so it’s a little more golden and crisp, it takes like you’re having pie for breakfast. Maybe split this with some friends because it’s a lot to take on yourself.
The skillets are also really good as well as the omelettes. I recommend the Dutch Baby pancake! I also really enjoyed the blueberry waffle!
Service is great, food is great, ¹⁰⁄₁₀ want to go again!

Unlike the last review I will not go crazy or insane and use caps to advertise this place. I was actually not that impressed by this location. I saw their name few times online, in random best pancake lists. This was the only reason why I wanted to try this place.
The location is little tricky, the entrance is small and you can actually miss it if you are driving fast. I liked the vintage details in the restaurant, it gives some character to the place.
Let me start with the menu. It is a nice breakfast menu. You will not be intimidated, it is easy to understand and not pages long. They try to stay in their area; which is breakfast. I was pretty happy with the menu till I realized that non of their omelettes is offered with beef or steak. Really? This place claims to be one of the most popular breakfast places and all you can offer is bacon/​pork as the sole meat choice among 10+ omelette choices in your menu! That was a huge turn off for me.
The service was good initially, the restaurant was literally empty and we were the third table. We went there during the dinner time; so it is normal that the place would be empty. After I finished my meal, I stood up and walked to the cashier. For some reason my server took 6 – 7 minutes serving to one table and keeping herself busy walking around while I am standing there. And she saw me few times. All she had to do was to give me the check. It was a very long wait. I just could not believe how come she made herself so unavailable while Nothing was going on.
The pancakes: the pancakes were good but they are very small. I ordered both regular pancakes and the blueberry pancakes. However, one thing I noticed was that it is actually the quality of the syrup they use that gives some extra taste to the pancakes. I did bite them plain first to test the flavor and quality.
I was not impressed in general and I would not go out of my way to eat at this place again.

Do NOT hesitate: GO HERE!!! This is THE PLACE to have breakfast if you’re in the area. Hands down the best breakfast I have ever had! I ordered the vegetarian «omelet» and was amazed by what came out of the kitchen.
I ordered my omelet with egg whites and was offered to have my omelet brought out as a scramble or I would have to wait about 20 minutes for the traditional «baked omelet». Apparently the egg whites are more watery so they take longer. I opted to wait the 20 minutes and I’m so glad I did. When my omelet arrived it was a serious «WOW!» moment! It was a huge, light, fluffy, soufflé like omelet. I’ve never had anything like it. Pure heaven on a plate. I could barely eat half of it.
As if that wasn’t enough, it also came with pancakes and I asked for the wheat germ granola pancakes instead of the buttermilk ones. Again, delicious! You will love your experience here.

It took us 5.5 years to return to the flagship store, but we found it is still as good ever. Today it was blueberry pancakes (25% off as this month’s special), Challah french toast, and corned beef hash for us. They are certainly consistent on their top notch quality and set the bar for their other locations as well.

Classic north side Chicago diner, perfect for brunch. Show up early because there will be a line out the door. Thankfully the line moves fairly quickly. They also only seat full parties, so you can get there and wait in line and if your whole group isn’t there by the time you are first in line, you will be passed over until everyone is there.
I ordered the Swedish pancakes which were divine. Three thin pancakes, somewhere between a pancake and a crêpe, served with lingonberries and whipped cream. My husband ordered their corned beef hash and eggs which I personally feel the eggs were undercooked but the hash was done just right. My friend ordered the eggs Benedict which looked delicious but I did not get a chance to taste. I do not think that you could order something bad at Walker’s.

Walker Bros. is a classic of the North Shore. It is as eternal and unchanging as a corrupt alderman in Chicago. You can rely on it to be serving the same food, the same way, the same flavors, the same everything, as it’s done for 50 years. And who can fault Walker Bros. for that? On our recent visit, for a weekday lunch, the place was as busy as an overpriced yuppie cocktail bar in Bucktown. Of course, no hipsters would be caught dead at Walker Bros., unless they were dragged in under the pretense of pleasing mom, Aunt Joan, Grandad, or some other grey head who wants to be reassured that some things, at least, never change. If that’s what you like, too, then you’ll love Walker Bros. If you want tasty food in human-​sized portions that actually have flavor, go somewhere else.
You sure can’t fault the service at Walker Bros. either. They are professionals. They are accustomed to handling over-​indulged north shore kids and their helicopter parents. Working a weekday lunch crowd is something the service staff can do without breaking a sweat. You get everything you need quickly and efficiently.
We ended up at Walker Bros. because I was taking my friend out for a birthday lunch. She was very excited to visit Walker Bros.; she had fond memories of eating at Walker’s when she was a girl, along with her parents and sisters. She is 44, and was at Walker’s for the first time in 20 years. She remembered getting the famous apple pancake and sharing it with her family. Friends, I saw an apple pancake delivered to the table across the aisle, and it IS big enough to feed an entire family. When talking to my neighbor the following day, the neighbor talked about getting an apple pancake to split among 3 people, and they still took leftovers home. That’s how big the portions are. That’s old fashioned. I think it’s wasteful and ridiculous. No wonder Americans are so fat.
Anyway. My friend ordered the Chipotle Chicken Crepes. The portion wasn’t too huge, and she liked what she had. I ordered something called the Danish something; vegetables baked with Havarti cheese on top. It was huge and not especially good. I could taste the bitterness of the broccoli and not much else. I took at least ²⁄₃^rd home with me and ended up tossing it the next day.
Bottom line: Walker Bros. is okay. Just okay. I’m not steeped in nostalgia for a culinary past. I’d rather go somewhere else where portions are human-​scale and the food actually tastes good. My Aunt Bonnie has never been to Walker Bros. in her life, so I won’t ever have to go here again. Thank heaven for that.