As I mentioned in my review of Jame, having aerospace clients generally means a lot of trips to El Segundo, CA, and nearby Manhattan Beach. While these trips come in waves (I’ll find myself going 4x a year some years, and not at all others), it’s still given me a chance to come up with a few favorites, like Uncle Bill’s Pancake House, which I originally reviewed way back in 2008. This trip I had a nice, free morning, so after a nice 6 miles hike down the coastline, I met up with my friend Tanya to revisit my favorite breakfast spot in the area.
Uncle Bill’s has a long history in Manhattan Beach, originally opened by “Uncle Bill” McElroy in what’s currently the kitchen end of the building, eventually expanding into the adjacent barbershop in 1999. Popular with the surfer crowd at the time, Uncle Bill’s got known as a good breakfast spot for pancakes, hashbrowns, and other breakfast fare.
As I mentioned in my 2008 review, I rather like the pancakes at Uncle Bill’s. Interestingly, a few morning visits of mine while the food delivery truck was unloading dispelled any notions of a special secret recipe: the buttermilk pancakes at Uncle Bill’s start as a standard food service buttermilk pancake powdered mix. But despite that, the execution is spot on; Bill’s knows how to really run a griddle and work the batter so it’s the right combination of slightly toothy texture and a nicely crisped exterior. Add in some good add-ons (I’ve previously enjoyed the blueberry and pineapple-coconut versions, both of which were good), and it’s a nice treat. This time I went for the macadamia nut pancakes, which were served up with a rather generous amount of diced macadamias, giving a nice nuttiness to the overall taste.
The other thing I’ve always enjoyed with Uncle Bill’s grill is their hash browns, which are particularly-nicely crisped, but this time I decided to try the corned beef hash. If there’s anything that’s critical about a good corned beef hash, it is getting the surface crisped, and Uncle Bill’s delivered, a generous portion of two nicely-seared CBH patties.
So, how’s Uncle Bill’s doing? Aside from the ever-present increase in prices, the Uncle Bill’s experience has been pretty much identical for me since my first visit back in 2006. It’s not the fanciest joint, but it’s got a nice location (particularly on nice days when you can enjoy a table on their outdoor terrace), good food, and a reliable menu. It definitely remains a go-to spot for me.
