Carlos Pancake House

One of my new favorite breakfasts in Crystal Lake! The atmosphere is cozy and comfortable booths. The menu had lots of great options, but wasn't TOO long. Lots of classics to choose from, and an extensive milkshake list too! The burger was fantastic, and I really enjoyed the breakfast quesadilla. Good coffee too. Will definitely be back!

After reading reviews and talking to a friend who ate here, we thought we would give it a try. It seems that they addressed the waiting at the door when you walk in. They have installed a door bell that they hear in the back. Prompt service started when we walked in. Waiter was very responsive. Food was real good. I love homemade tamales and they did not disappoint. Red sauce was real tasty. Omelet was also very good. Country potatoes very good. They have put the old bad reviews to rest. Enjoy.

What a nice breakfast place. Great menu with American and Mexican style breakfast items. The wait staff is super friendly. Good hot coffee. The decor is warm and inviting. It was a very short wait after ordering until hot fresh food on our table. Prices were fair.

Excellent service & food. Unfortunately, our visit was short because my mom started feeling ill. She's a diabetic. All the staff was very helpful and accommodating.

Wonderful food and atmosphere. Love the high back booths which provide a feeling of privacy. There are also plenty of tables if that’s what you prefer. All the seating is extremely comfortable.

Or course none of that matters if the food isn’t good - we’ll it’s great. Tons of traditional American breakfast options plus a full selection of Mexican breakfasts.

Highly recommended!

Ordered the huevos con chorizo, refried beans, hash browns and white toast. I would have to say one of the best meals of had here at Carlos. I’ve had huevos con chorizo in other places in the area and they don’t even come close to Carlos did todays. 10/10 would recommend

We had an amazing breakfast at Carlo’s. All of our food was delicious, great value for the price, kind service, and the restaurant is decorated so nicely. This is my new favorite breakfast place for when we’re visiting Crystal Lake.

First time visit. Menu had a different variety of options, many not found at other restaurants. Service was friendly and attentive. Enjoyed the food. On-street parking a little challenging. Will definitely be back.

I have only gone mid week and always before 9am. Service is always good, food comes out fast and hot. It's really a great value, especially since they offer 2 sides with omelets and skillet entrees (I uploaded pics of their menu). I LOVE their pancakes. I LOVE the fusion of authentic Mexican restaurant food mixed with my favorite aspects of traditional American breakfast fare. I LOVE that they brew their coffee string enough to wake me up.

I can’t believe I’ve been eating eggs WITHOUT ranchero my whole life.

Can’t wait to come back.

Came here for the first time & i can not brag about how great our experience was! Eddy our server went above and beyond with the service. Theres a diverse menu & everything we ordered was delicious & authentic tasting. Will definitely be coming back to our new favorite joint in town 🤗 also the service was fabulous, anyone complaining about “not being attended was given a mouth to say something” just saying. . . And I was here on a busy Sunday on Fathers day lol

Food and serving sizes were good. Was there for a late breakfast and the room was quiet / not crowded. Good, non-intrusive service.

Friendly service, great food. Fair prices! Love the ambiance. Will definitely be back.

Food was delicious and generous portions. We were there for a friends lunch and enjoyed every minute.

Edit: came back today with a group of nine after numerous people let us know that the service had improved. They were very accommodating to a group of our size. Our food came in a timely manner, the coffee was refilled and the food was delicious. They have effectively redeemed themselves and I will be recommending in the future! Rating updates the 5 stars. Rock on guys!

Today was my first time at this restaurant and my first impression was not great. When we walked in, the server let us know that the kitchen was a little backed up, which is fine. My wife and I have worked in food service so we have been there. We sit down and our server gives us our menus and pretty much tells us to order right then so we don’t have to wait as long for our food. So after looking at the menu for 10 seconds, we order the carnitas omelette and the chorizo skillet.

We get coffees and the wait begins. No joke we waited an hour before someone asked us if we had already ordered. No one came to check on us in that time, we had finished our coffees, and two educational tv shows about training dogs and vets taking care of pigs played. Then 5 minutes after they asked if we had given our order, our food comes out. It seems like our server was a little flustered with the amount of people who were there this morning. I am not sure if she is just new or if they didn’t staff enough people for a busy Saturday morning, but I saw at least 10 groups of people walk in the front door, not get greeted, and leave after 5 or 10 minutes.

The food was decent, but I have a feeling it might have been sitting for a little bit before it was brought out to us. My plate was pretty big for the amount of food that they brought out and the presentation was not the best.

Unfortunately, there was no butter on the table, we never got the hot sauce we asked for, and they didn’t bring out any syrup for my wife’s French toast. You would think that these would be essential table items for a breakfast restaurant. Then, when we were trying to leave, it took us asking 4 times before we could get a box to go.

I will probably come back if they are still here in like 6 months to see if they got any better, but for now 2 stars.

100% recommend this breakfast place! First time here and the staff was incredible. Food WOW! Definitely out Go to breakfast spot. A lot of food, great price!

What a fantastic restaurant. My mother-in-law has heard great things about Carlos Pancake House and decided it was time to finally go. She got Chilaquiles, I ordered Huevos con Chorizo, and my son very happily opted for the Sweetest Crepe.

The portions were generous, the food delicious, and the price was right. We were those people and asked for extra cilantro and hot sauce; our server didn’t hesitate. He was incredibly kind and attentive.

We headed out of at the end of the meal and I realized I forgot my son’s leftovers. I ran back in and met the server at the table. His shirt said Carlos. I spoke quick because I knew how busy the restaurant was, “The food was so good! Are you the owner?” He said he was and I thanked him again.

I appreciated the atmosphere, food, and how great our service was. But I especially loved seeing an owner work alongside his staff. We will definitely be back.

Amazing food! I loved it! I grabbed take out for myself and when I ate it, it was still fresh! I got sausage, eggs, hash browns, and pancakes. Eggs were scrambled to perfection and the sausage and hash browns were crispy! The pancakes were fluffy and it hit the spot. Portions are large and the prices are reasonable for them! If you’re ever in town, support small businesses and make sure to make some time to stop by here!

Checked to see if they were open and they were (opened yesterday, I was told). The place is really nice. I was never in the last business at this location, so I'm not sure what was changed, if anything. I started with coffee (was good) and looked over the menu. The Chilaquiles was the first Mexican-breakfast item listed, it sounded good, so I ordered it with hash browns and toast. It took a while, but I let that slide due to being the second-day of operation. The dish was fantastic (and spicy). Definitely will be back to sample more of the menu! Good job, Carlos!

Food was delicious, great service. Would highly recommend.