Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
http://www.cafe50s.com/
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There's no point in being coy. I love this place. I love it madly. It's my neighborhood diner, and I've been going there for many years...but not for breakfast.
However, that is likely going to change after my experience there yesterday, when a friend and I went for brunch. The atmosphere I've always loved, the great service I've come to expect and tasty pancakes. SCORE!!!
There are many things I love about this place. The atmosphere is great. It lives up to its name in decor—the booths and counter are all old school, the walls are plastered with period movie posters and photos, there are antique jukeboxes in each booth (for decoration only, though there's a real jukebox in the restaurant as well) and '50s and '60s music is always playing. It's übercasual and friendly, the kind of place where you can get great comfort food and then linger over coffee; you won't be pressured to hurry up and move out. In fact, they even provide free wireless access, so lingering is encouraged.
While they have a very big menu that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner options, Cafe '50s isn't where you're going to go if you want pages and pages of exotic pancake concoctions. However, they have some surprising and delightful offerings even beyond what's listed on the online menu (have I mentioned how much I love online menus, especially when they include prices? Viva Cafe '50s!). The Sherman Oaks branch's menu includes a s'mores pancake combo and a banana Oreo combo. BANANA OREO COMBO!!!!
I, uh, ordered the banana Oreo combo as part of my usual 2+2+2, and my friend got the blueberry pancakes as part of hers. We also went crazy and ordered sides of hash browns as well as coffee.
Here's what I got about 10 minutes later:
That doesn't even include the hash browns or the coffee. Note the generous tray of syrup and butter, which I loved—is anything worse than having to deal with a sticky syrup dispenser as you're trying to enjoy a gorgeous breakfast? Cafe '50s makes sure that isn't a concern.
I did put syrup on these bad boys, though not too much. The bananas were cooked in the batter, and there were just enough Oreos to provide a decadent kick, but the whole effect, even with syrup, was just right. It was very much a treat but never felt overwhelming, which is exactly what I wanted. They looked and tasted like pancakes you'd get as a kid on Sunday mornings...except with OREOS AND BANANAS!!!...and that's exactly what I wanted, too. I so love Cafe '50s. My friend was equally enthusiastic about her blueberry pancakes, which were almost like jelly pancakes, so stuffed were they with fresh blueberries.
The portion was just right, too. The meal wasn't dominated by the pancakes, so I was able to finish everything without any guilt (well, okay, maybe a bit, but not too much). The scrambled eggs, sausage and hash browns were as tasty and satisfying as the pancakes. The coffee was good as always, and our cups never got empty. We were also provided with lots and lots of cream.
The cost for all of this delicious food and drink? Less than $28 before tip. !!! What's there to complain about??
Not much, really. Parking could be an issue, I suppose—there are a few spots available in the alley behind the restaurant as well as street parking all along Van Nuys (metered) and Hortense (free), the street just south of the restaurant. I've been going to Cafe '50s for years and have never had to park more than a minute's walk away, so chances are good that parking isn't going to be a problem.
Were Cafe '50s' pancakes the most incredible I've had so far? No. That award would belong to Vivian's Millennium Cafe or the Griddle. But they were really good, and Cafe '50s absolutely delivers the best bang for your buck. I will continue to explore LA's pancake options, but I certainly won't need to travel far at all to get a pancake fix the next time I get a hankering!
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