Today we had some of the best pancakes I have ever eaten. It was our first trip to Slappy Cakes and we are officially hooked! For those of you who, like us, have never visited before, Slappy Cakes is an incredibly popular breakfast spot in southeast Portland. The idea is to select a pancake batter, things to mix in, and toppings for serving. There are nonstick griddles built into the tables and you are free to let your food creativity flow!
We chose chocolate batter and traditional buttermilk. Chicken and Nugget talked me into chocolate chips, whipped cream, and strawberries. How do you say no to that?!? Examples of other options include blueberries, bacon, candied bacon, nuts, coconut, lemon curd, bananas, lavender honey, etc.
Chicken and Nugget had a blast drawing pictures with the batter, trying out different combinations, attempting to flip the pancakes, and eating the fruits of their labor. Nugget cheered for me every time I successfully flipped a pancake, so that was an added bonus that put a little pep in my step. We may not be pancake Picassos, but we had fun- and that seems like the point, doesn’t it? And the pancakes were seriously delicious. I don’t know how they did it.
Like I mentioned, this place is popular. We got there around 9:30 and were told the wait would be an hour. Luckily they use a texting system, so we headed out to explore the area, finding and adorable hat boutique. We wound up waiting about 30 minutes.
Once we were seated, service was incredibly quick. Since we only ordered pancakes, they have all the batters already in bottles and the toppings already prepared, so the wait time is minimal.
If you don’t feel like going to a restaurant and still cooking your own food, they do have a traditional breakfast menu. We didn’t try any of it, but many people around us did. The servings were huge and it all looked really good.
Batters were about $8 a bottle, and toppings/mix ins were $2-3. Maple syrup was available on the table for no additional charge. The waitress said each bottle would make about 3 pancakes the size of their serving plate. That seems about right. Our two bottles of batter and three toppings, two of which we had refilled (which they charge for), ran about $30. We ate it all and the three of us left full but not stuffed. Well, Nugget was stuffed. Chicken and I had a bit more self restraint. You could get away with spending less, or spending quite a bit more. Depending how many things you add in, you could wind up with some pretty pricey pancakes. Just be mindful, and you should be fine.
Overall, Slappy Cakes was a huge hit and we will definitely be going back!
What it is: a fun, family friendly restaurant, design-your-own pancakes, delicious, interactive, a mix of communal and stand alone tables, quick service once seated
What it’s not: a short wait
Would we recommend it? Totally! Chicken and Nugget were trying to talk me into another visit before we even finished eating! As they were getting ready for bed later in the evening, I heard Chicken say “Slappy Cakes was really good, wasn’t it?” Nugget answered “Yeah. I wish we could live there.”
More information about Slappy Cakes can be found here: https://www.slappycakes.com/portland
Adventures with Chicken and Nugget 