Pancake Pantry

11/22/09

All hype.

by lstover37235 at Citysearch

I've never really understood the appeal of pancake pantry. Waiting in line for an hour to have over-priced pancakes that I could have cooked better myself? No thanks.

For better service and better food I recommend the place over on Elliston next to Krispy Kreme.

• Pros: Iconic, Lots of variety
• Cons: Price, Food Quality

04/02/09

Don't waste your time standing in line

by rockyruru at Citysearch

What I don't understand about this restaurant is that people stand in line for hours like they're going to see the pope and it consistently has below average health scores! Ive stood in line for a 76 score! And the appearance of the cooking staff does not make it more manageable. They looked like they needed to be inspected for cut fingers and no gloves. I caught a glimpse of the pancake batter container which was disgusting. The water the wait staff was using to clean the tables clearly needed to be changed and was still being used. I even caught a server cleaning a syrup jar with what appeared to be a filthy dishrag. Please...don't waste your time standing in line. Check the score first

• Pros: the pancakes are delicious, not too heavy
• Cons: everything else

02/23/09

overpriced...horrible wait times

by Harvey15 at Citysearch

Just go to cracker barrel...the pancakes are good but it's not worth this. Service is slow and the waitress we had forgot us for about 15 minutes.

• Pros: good food
• Cons: busy overprice

01/26/09

Well, I guess we finally tried it . . .

by seaheart at Citysearch

We've lived in Nashville for a year now, and have a 4 y/o who would eat at IHOP every day if she could. So, we are always trying to find alternative breakfast places. We've driven down 21st Ave on many occasions and seen the line extending down the sidewalk outside of Pancake Pantry, and assumed it must be worth waiting for! With 2 small kids we could never bring ourselves to stand out in the cold. Finally our youngest is giving up her morning nap, and we decided to brave it and stand outside in the cold (25 degree) weather to wait and enjoy what we assumed must be above-average pancakes. Well, we did end up waiting out in the cold with our little ones for at least 20 min. The decor inside was disappointing. It looked like a run-down mess hall from summer camp, all of the old tables in the middle of a large square room. No attempt to update it or make it look cheerful or attractive. Oh well, we thought, it's not the convenience, it's not the decor, it must be the food. I'll say that my 4 year old thought her M&M pancake was "the best one I've ever had!" High praise from the girl who'd eat IHOP's Funny Face for breakfast, lunch and dinner. However, our food took a long time to come out, and the pancakes were nothing special at all. I had the orange walnut pancakes, which had a very few walnuts cooked inside the cake, and a cup of orange nut syrup with it (which bearly covered the pancakes). The pancakes were cold, sort of pale, tasted heavy on baking soda, and with a soft texture. My husband had a bland omelette and we both left feeling sort of hungry. I have to say that Cracker Barrel pancakes are far superior in their quality. Noshville even has some tasty pancakes. Yes, even old IHOP, has a better breakfast. I can finally say that we did it, we waited in line and had the experience. However, we'll never choose to go back, unless our 4 year old really insists on the M&M pancakes again . . .

• Pros: Variety on the menu, an "experience"
• Cons: Ugly decor, long wait outside, food quality lacking

10/01/08

Nashville's Pancake Pantry is way below par

by allsmilescmt at Citysearch

I have visited the Pancake Pantry in Gatlinburg, TN several times and ALWAYS make it a point to eat there at least a couple of times during my visit. I have recently moved to the Nashville, TN area, and the thought of having a Pancake Pantry so close was very exciting. However, my excitement came to an abrupt halt as soon as I walked through the doors of the Nashville, TN loaction. In Gatlinburg, the atmosphere is rustic and cozy, the waitresses are uniformed, the service is quick, and the food is exceptional. The Nashville site isn't as appealing. The environment is a collection of old wooden tables that have been sparatically placed, and the art collection is something that I think my 10 year old sister could have done. The waitresses are dressed in clothes that would be better suited to clean house in, and have aprons with food on them from all of the previous customer's meals. Although my meal came out pretty quickly, an first arriving I had to wait 5 whole min for my waitress to even identify herself. I guess the food is the biggest disappointment in this establishment. My meal was charred on the edges and the bacon was near burnt (not the way I asked for it) and as I looked around at some others (pancakes in particular) were brown/black around the edges. Also, the establishment had their health reating proudly displayed on the wall.... score 82... my advice would be to place this accomplishment in a less visible spot. These are not things you would see or experience in the Gatlinburg establishment. So to end my review, I would tell Nashville newcomers to save their money and head to Waffle House, IHOP, or Shoney's. Save your money and when you take a trip to Gatlinburg, TN be sure to spend that saved money and experience the Pancake Pantry the way it is supposed to be.

• Pros: Great Location
• Cons: Bad food and amosphere

03/29/08

Low health score says it all

by bw332 at Citysearch

this place has long lines, long waits, and a low health score (73)

if you don't believe a bad health score is reason enough not to dine somewhere, I'd advise you actually read a scorecard sometime.

items mentioned about this restaurant by the TN Department of Health include Insect, Rodent, Animal Control: Presence of insects, rodents - 4 points off; Toxic items properly stored, labeled, used - 5 points off; Food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils clean, free of abrasives, detergents - 2 points off. And other violations to account for 27 total points off.

10/06/07

Quantity but not quality

by mpfc at Citysearch

The pancakes were on the industrial leather side. There was little evidence that these were ever flavorful and delicate. They were serviceable and tasted and felt like they could be swapped for foam rubber if you were in need. The ubiquity of syrupy canned fruity sugary possibilities makes this place most likely to put someone into a diabetic coma before noon. However, if one were in the mood for a good serving of fat, flour and sugar, this is your place. Start your coronary off with a smile.

• Pros: large plates of food that will definitely fill you up
• Cons: The pancakes were not tender but leathery, too much sugar with the fruit, not real maple syrup

07/30/05

This is a must????????

by dspindler at Citysearch

Overated, overated, overated. I cannot believe that anyone would stand in line for this VERY average place for more than 5 minutes, much less an hour. I do not understand the review that Citisearch gives this place. Maybe they're just a paid shill. I have never been happy with my service and you can get a lot better breakfast in this town for a lot less money. Get a clue Nashville. This place is nothing special

• Pros: None
• Cons: Overpriced, Overblown, Overboard

10/01/04

The Other Nashville Zoo

by rmbjr at Citysearch

Being a Nashville native, I have been drug to this restaurant on a number of occasions. The pancakes are ok, but that is where the positive aspects of this restaurant stop. It blows my mind to see people lined up out the door and around the corner to have an over-priced & mediocre breakfast.

I will often sit across the street at Jackson's and just laugh at the people of questionable intelligence waiting in an hour-long line for refined flour and sugar. And if you are thinking of ordering anything besides pancakes then just stop and choose again. They have never gotten my egg orders right and they are often luke-warm by the time I get them. And don't even think about trying to send anything back, the servers usually just get perturbed with you and give you even worse service. Customer satisfaction is not on their list of priorities.

• Pros: Long History
• Cons: , Long Wait, Poor Service

05/25/03

Only Show in Town

by ajvalleron at Citysearch

Pancake Pantry is only rated as the number one breakfast place because there is essentially no other locally owned breakfast place. Apart from Noshville, PP is the only show in town. Nashville needs more breakfast places. For such a fat town, you would think we need more places to plump up besides Krispies.

• Pros: Pancakes