Serving nostalgia since 1959: Millbrae Pancake House is a much-loved institution

As you enter through an old-fashioned wooden door, you are greeted with the smiles of beanie babies and pictures of visiting celebrities. The sounds of forks hitting plates and happy families emanate through the air. Your nose catches the nostalgic scent of pancakes fresh off the stove.

Since 1959, Millbrae Pancake House has provided locals and visitors alike with a unique, sentimental experience. The interior has remained true to its original form — one reason why it remains a favorite for longtime customers like local Ken Hoeck.

“I love the ambiance. I love the place itself. I just love the look of the 1950s, the wallpaper, the whole interior,” he said. “Because they’ve let it stay the style over the years instead of updating it in tune like so many other restaurants do, they cater to a crowd that like something less updated.”

 Erin Burke, president, CEO and owner, revealed the wallpaper may be the only aspect that has changed in the 64 years the pancake house has been operating. For Burke, the interior of the Millbrae Pancake House is not what makes the establishment so special to her. She practically grew up there, learning the inner workings of the restaurant world at just 10 years old.

To Burke, it is more than just a restaurant.

“This is our heart and soul for all of us. And so, what is gonna be best for the business is what all of us want. We have the same love for it. We are a second generation running this, and all of our kids have worked here,” she said.

The restaurant prides itself on maintaining a high level of customer service, offering quality food at a great value, and treating its staff members like family.

“When you walk in the door, and you see customers smiling, and you’re seeing a lot of your staff happy, it’s very rewarding. It’s like we are throwing a party seven days a week,” Burke said.

 This unique, family-owned restaurant is widely known for its Swedish pancakes, with people from as far as Japan coming to try them. The pancakes are similar to French crepes and are topped with powdered sugar and homemade lingonberry butter — making it a noteworthy dish worth the wait. While this Swedish dish is a notable hit, other dishes like the classic fruit and whipped cream decorated waffles and pancakes, eggs Benedict and tuna melt are often “the usual” order for many customers. Patrons can even order a special meal like the Doggie Scramble to make sure their dogs get involved.

 In spite of their success, the pandemic generated multiple unforeseen difficulties, however, they never lost hope, strengthening the business’ reputation and core values.

“The COVID lockdown was a nightmare. I remember the day I was here on March 16, 2020, and I remember telling employees, ‘We have to close the doors, and you and everyone’s going home.’ So, we thought this was gonna be a two-week thing. What are we gonna do? No one knew how we actually were going to survive,” Burke said.

Despite the imminent threat of shutting down, the pancake house remained positive, adapting quickly to implement changes and minimize loss. Because of its family-oriented business values, it kept as many employees as possible, thriving on the enthusiasm of staff members.

“We talked about bankruptcy. We talked about just walking away from a family business. I’ve been working here since I was 10 years old. It’s been over 40 years, and so that was really hard. It was catastrophic, and we lost 13 employees that were family,” Burke said.

 While the pandemic closed many doors for them, it also opened many new ones. Takeout orders through online platforms introduced a broader market for the restaurant. Even more big changes had to be made during the peak of the pandemic, turning Millbrae Pancake House into a to-go restaurant with a newly added drive-thru in the parking lot. In the face of adversity, the cohesion and passion of the family brought stability, lasting changes and the ability to adapt to almost any obstacle.

However, Burke emphasizes that, despite many changes, the restaurant upholds its promise to keep the family tradition going.

“I don’t know where we are gonna go in the future, but we are lucky, we really are. We are more grateful than ever to still be here after everything we went through,” she said.

The heart of the Millbrae Pancake House is its emphasis on family, consistency and never letting someone walk out hungry. It is difficult to leave the restaurant without passing a smile.

Customers like Hoeck and Ben Lopez appreciate the establishment for its ability to bring people together and provide a space for everyone.

“We call this ‘a great place to come.’ We just finished playing tennis and are thinking, ‘Well, where are we gonna go? Oh, Millbrae Pancake House.’ It’s a great place, it’s casual, and it’s nice to be outside,” Lopez said.