There are certain places in the world that I've visited and I immediately fell in love with. When I retire, I have multiple spots that are in the running for the place I plan to settle down in. One of those spots is Manhattan Beach, California. Located just 20 minutes or so from Los Angeles International Airport, Manhattan Beach is a small slice of heaven. Warm summer breezes flow through streets lined with houses of all types of whimsical and inspiring construction. From small beach huts to large, multi floor mansions, Manhattan Beach has something for everyone.
I arrived in LA early on a Friday morning and looked for some place that was close and offered a view of the water. Uncle Bill's Pancake House hit the spot. You can tell it's a local favorite. The crowd ranged from school age kids to business professionals. Uncle Bill's itself is a small establishment, with a dining counter, booths and a few tables inside of the L shaped space. They also have an outdoor patio section, with patio furniture for the overflow. If you want to do some people watching and take a glimpse of the sea, you definitely want to be seated there.
I couldn't come to an establishment with "Pancake House" in it's name without trying their pancakes. I went with a favorite of mine, Chocolate Chip. The pancakes were warm, made from scratch, and about the size of my hand. A few chocolate chips were dotted inside of each pancake but the strip of chocolate chips and powdered sugar was plenty to spread around. The pancakes were so fluffy that I didn't even need any syrup. The whipped butter was perfectly warm and easily melted between the layers.
Brunchlust Rating: A The only thing that could have made this even better would have been a breakfast cocktail. Even without it, it's more than worth your visit.
1305 Highland Ave Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Breakfast Hours: Monday to Friday, 6 AM to 3 PM; Saturday and Sunday, 7 AM to 3 PM
