Editor’s Note: Join me in welcoming Flapjane to the myBurbank family. Her primary mission is to find the best pancakes in Burbank. This is her first review.
Burbank is the best town in the world. It holds small town charm with city energy… and some of the best breakfast/brunch spots in all of Los Angeles! Breakfast/brunch is worthless without at least one little, fluffy buttermilk pancake and I am here to take on the heavy burden of reviewing pancakes all throughout the city and reporting back to you with my findings.
Anybody can cook an egg or fry up some bacon, but creating a pancake takes talent; it’s the best parts of cooking: premium ingredients, skillful preparation, patience, and perhaps even a recipe that has been handed down for generations. A pancake can elevate or destroy a breakfast.
Bea Bea’s pancakes are the most famous in Burbank and when I first moved here I sought them out almost immediately. Due to the long wait times, I did not frequent the restaurant as much as I would have liked, but great news: the restaurant has opened a second location in Glendale and also now allows customers to add their name to their waitlist via Yelp, which has resulted in far more manageable wait times.
Bea Bea’s menu is quite large. Not Cheesecake Factory-large, but the pancake selection shares about half of one long side of the menu along with their French toast selection, not even to mention their omelets and scrambles. During this trip to Bea Bea’s, I ordered both buttermilk pancakes (Jumpin’ Jacks – $9.95) and the apple cobbler pancakes ($12.50) in the name of research. There are three components that all great pancakes must have: a fluffy/light texture, warm syrup, and whipped or melted butter. Here’s how the Bea Bea’s pancakes stacked up against this baseline:
Fluffiness – Though they were not as fluffy as I would have liked, the Bea Bea’s pancakes made up for it with crispy edges and a nice depth of flavor that had pleasant hint of cinnamon and a nice amount of butter-y flavor. Probably about half an inch thick, the cakes were not undercooked and they were served very warm.
Warm Syrup – Bea Bea’s provided a small metal carafe full of warm syrup for my pancake order. I thought at first I would need more, but it was actually the perfect amount. The flavor of the syrup was a touch too sweet, but overall average.
Butter – I am sad to report that Bea Bea’s only provided refrigerated pads of butter to go along with their pancakes. Pancakes are not complete without butter, but it’s not like I was going to take this refrigerated pad and try to spread it onto a delicate little cake and ruin it completely – I’m not an amateur. And no, I don’t have the willpower or the time to put a pad of butter under one of the cakes and wait for it to melt. Make it easy for the consumer – give me some whipped and creamy salted or unsalted butter guys.
I liked the Apple Cobbler pancakes way more than I thought I would – I am usually a standard buttermilk pancake gal. The apples were not too soggy and had great seasoning, plus the shaved almonds added a fullness and savoriness to the sweet little babies. If you have to choose between the Jumpin’ Jacks and the Apple Cobbler, the flavorful Cobbler is this reviewer’s choice.
A few other key takeaways from my trip: the coffee was delicious – elevated beyond diner coffee. The bacon was smoky & thick. The restaurant was clean and the service was great! Bea Bea’s is a staple of Burbank for a reason – you pay for their consistency and variety. It’s definitely worth a trip (or two) for all Burbankers!
Bea Bea’s is located at 353 N Pass Ave, Burbank
myBurbank Rating: On The Marquee
