Stacks Pancake House - Pancake restaurant in Irvine - 14421 Culver Dr, USA

The crab omelette should not be an option. The smell alone was enough to make me gag. I tried it anyway and it tasted worse than it smelled. It was super soggy and full of mushrooms. Why would anyone eat crab and mushrooms together? I’m sure the rest of the food is fine, but you’ve been warned about the crab 🤮

Updated review, orignal review below. Came back here after having a lousy experience a few years ago. I'm happy to say this was much, MUCH, better. All the way around the experience was much better, staff was friendlier and more helpful, lines moved quicker, food was still warm and tasted great. I'm not sure if anything changed over the years since I last visited, but many improvements were made. Well done stacks folks, look forward to coming back. Original review... Heard great things about this place and was pretty disappointed. First off I called ahead to see what the line was looking like, the person told me 20 minutes...we waited almost an hour. Once we finally ordered our food I got an omelette with half melted cheese and overcooked meats inside, bacon and sausage were very chewy. The only plus was the side of pancakes I got were very nice and fluffy.

There's a wait and you pay before you sit down. Other than that, parking is easy to find, food is great and filling. The potatoes are DELICIOUS. My sister got the loco moco (forgot to take pic) and it introduced us to a whole new world of food. Would come back here!!

Amazing brunch spot! I really enjoyed my crepes 🤤 the chicken fried steak was so good! The best I had so far! I recommend this place and I will go back to try their waffles 🧇!

Strawberry crepe: not recommended. Strawberry syrup/puree tastes too sweet and artificial. Blueberry pancakes: great! Soft and fluffy Omelet: great! (can't remember which it was) Nice workers. It's in the middle of a shopping center so ambiance is nothing special. We went around 10:30 am on a weekday and about half the tables were taken.

Got there before 10am to beat the rush. Great brunch food. Pancakes were delicious with little macadamia nuts. The captain Mac nut French toast was delicious. I really liked the Sante fe scramble although the potatoes could’ve been done better. If they cut them into smaller pieces and made them crispier, that would’ve done the truck. They were too dry and too large and not enough external flavor. Eggs Benedict were ok. Not sure I’d get it again but not bad. I saw several people eating the loco moco. I’ll probably try that next time.

Meh.. this place serves Hawaiian fusion brunch and they closed at 2pm. The line was long and the seating is very limited. However, their price is reasonable. The food overall is just ok, nothing that really stands out. Certainly, not worth it for a long wait in line.

Stacks serves casual breakfast or brunch food with Aloha vibes. The menu is diverse, ranging from pancakes to classic Hawaiian plates like Loco Moco and Kalua Pig. Some highlights: Loco Moco - having lived in Hawaii, this is my favorite local dish, and they do it pretty well. My only gripe is that the patty usually comes out overcooked. The fried rice as a base elevates this dish to the next level. Corned Beef Hash - minced corned beef and potatoes seared to crisp thinness. It's hard to go wrong. Pancakes - their banana and Macadamia nut are solid choices, but the deep purple ube pancake sprinkled with coconut and covered in purple condensed milk is a fun, tasty alternative. Their coconut syrup goes great with other pancakes. French toasts - the cereal french toasts are very instagrammable and tasty. With that said, I'm a savory brunch gal so these aren't my go-tos. Other memorable and interesting dishes include the Kalbi plate, hibachi meats (reminds me of Benihana back in the day), and Kalua Pig Benedict. The food is consistent, the prices are average for Irvine, and there is a good amount of outdoor and indoor seating. You order by waiting in line by the cashier up front, take a number, and wait at your table - they'll come find you. Avoid a long wait by coming early or on a weekday off-lunch hours. A reliable staple for when you want classic brunch with an Asian flare.