Good, tasty food at reasonably high prices. I loved the reggae music played during breakfast!

My coworkers and I tend to go to their other location at The Bluffs out near the 73 freeway at the MacArthur Blvd exit. The last time we all went out for lunch, we decided to give this location a try as it was pretty much equidistant from where we work. This one was on Culver Dr just south of the 5 freeway. There was ample amount of parking at this Walnut Village Center location. Per the usual, after we placed our orders, we were given a number to place at our table. Since the weather was nice, we opted for a table outside. Once our food was ready, someone brought it out to our table. I usually get their loco moco, but today I went with one of their specials, the deep fried ox tails served with 2 eggs and rice. It was different as I've never had fried ox tails, but it was not something that I would recommend or order again.

This past weekend, we were in the Irvine area supporting my niece as she performed in a Filipino Culture Night event. The following day we met up with my brother's family for breakfast since we didn't get to celebrate his daughter's performances because her event got out so late. I recommended Stacks Pancake House based on high Yelp rating and positive reviews. What also intrigued me about Stacks was their Hawaiian influenced dishes. It was a great choice especially if you're a peanut butter fan because their Crunchy Peanut Butter + Banana French Toast was soooooooo delish. Stacks is a small chain restaurant consisting of four restaurants located around the Orange County area. I'm assuming Stacks is owned by a Hawaiian or has origins from Hawaii because when you peruse their menu, you'll see plenty of Hawaiian dishes. The Stacks location we visiting is located in the Irvine area specifically in an outdoor strip mall on Culver Drive. This strip mall contains Trader Joe's, Omomo Tea Shoppe, The Kebab Shop, and the restaurant is next to a Smart & Final and Dolan's. There is plenty of parking at this location, but it's a busy location. As you enter the restaurant, there really isn't any decor that attributes Stacks to Hawaii. There are framed pics of food; the color scheme is green and beige; the indoor seating isn't too big; and there is umbrella outdoor seating. When you walk inside, you'll immediately order at the counter and they'll provide you with a number for the servers to bring your food. One of the servers didn't speak English, so she couldn't answer my questions about the food she was bringing out to us. Stacks has a diverse and extensive menu, so before you visit, I recommend that determine what you're going to order before you get in line. Stacks is a popular breakfast spot as the line to order food extended outside. I wished I had taken more time to look over the menu, but what grasped my attention immediately was the Crunchy Peanut Butter + Banana French Toast. I'm an aficionado of peanut butter, so when I saw that their French Toast contained peanut butter, I was all in. The Crunchy Peanut Butter + Banana French Toast is made with Hawaiian Sweet Bread, dusted with powder sugar, the peanut butter is in the middle of the bread, the peanut butter is piped on top of the bread, and the banana is sliced on top of the bread. When I took my first bite, I was in peanut butter heaven. Combine all the ingredients of this dish with the maple syrup and it was indulgence with every single bite. Not sure what they did to make the French Toast crunchy, but I loved the texture of that crunch. I just wish there was more on that plate. To cut the sweetness of my meal, I ordered a side of Portuguese sausage. The sausage was charred slightly and I enjoyed it, but for $6, I thought it was a small serving. My parents instilled in my brothers and I that family comes first always. I was glad that my wife and I were able to support our niece at her performance. It was even more of a blessing to spend quality time with our family enjoying a delicious breakfast at Stacks Pancake House.

This is our favorite local breakfast spot. It gets busy, but for good reason. We like to get the light bite and the island chilaquiles. Both taste great! It's nice to sit outside and enjoy a good breakfast. I removed a star because there have been a few times that we have received cold food and/or the meat on the chilaquiles has been extremely fatty

Was craving pancakes I went to Stacks My friend got the Breakfast Melt Sandwich which was amazing! I lowkey should've gotten it. She got bacon with hers and it came with soft and crispy potatoes. The bread is coated with a cheese like crust and the eggs were fluffy. Such a good item I would definitely go back just to get it. I got the strawberries n cream pancake which was delicious as always. The pancakes were fluffy and so many strawberries+whip cream. If you're ever in Irvine, definitely give this place a try‼ One time, I was having a good time with my friend when we got told from the table next to us to quiet down. I felt a bit violated only because it was a public space

Pineapple! You will see pineapples on the menu to signify popular items. Stacks has Hawaiian and American influences in their breakfast and brunch menus, but what we were there for were the pancakes. I initially was drawn to the Mac Nut pancakes but was recommended the White Lava, which reminded me of a vanilla bread pudding on top of banana based pancakes. The short stack (2 pancakes) were more than enough and satisfied my craving. The garden crepe was also something light and healthier to order. I enjoyed their side salad w a olive oil/peppery base. Food came out quicker than I expected. Staff was kind and on top of cleaning the area. I enjoyed my exp, esp since it was less busy on a Thursday morning.

Well I finally had the chance to eat in at Stacks Pancake House in Irvine on Presidents Day! I apologize for not getting any more pictures aside from my dish but I'll be descriptive as possible. Me and a friend walk in to a decent long line on a somewhat chilly day. How it works is you order at the front and if you're eating there they would hand you a number and you would sit yourself. The restaurant itself is fairly tiny so seating could be a hassle. Keep in mind for any big parties eating here. They do offer outdoor seating! I opted to order the meat lovers omelette while my friend ordered the hibachi steak and eggs. With the restaurant being filled, we had to sit outside and wait for our order to come out. The lady that brought our food was super nice and brought us our dishes in about 5 minutes along with condiments. My favorite part of the meat lovers omelette was the Portuguese sausage. It was sweet tasting and paired well with all the other meats and cheeses. It was absolutely delicious! I had a bite of the hibachi steak and the marinade used as well as how tender the steak was... it was delicious as well! This place is locally loved and you can tell from the community that they love the food here and I have to attest, what I ordered was absolutely delicious! The only thing I really have to dock is the size of the actual indoor restaurant. I really wish they could expand a bit more for inside seating especially on a cold, drizzly day! But with successful businesses around it, it does seem like a hard feat. Other than that, this place is a must try for any breakfast lovers! Service is great, food is delicious, but do try to beat the crowds and hopefully you aren't by yourself so you can score a table on the inside. Highly recommended!

Back again for a great meal! Enjoyed the Kahlua Pork Benedict and the Portuguese sausage with spinach fried rice. As usual, we ate outside in the plaza

Delicious food Friendly staff Great service Delicious food Friendly staff Great service Clean restrooms We ordered the mac n nut banana short stack pancake and it was quite tasty. We also oeeered the loco moco with katsu and upgraded fried rice. This came with 2 sunny side eggs and gravy. Super delicious. Staff is great. Took our orders quick and the cleanup crew was also good. All tables were cleaned right away so that customers can sit down. Food came out relatively fast. You can tell all the staff here work hard and good as a unit. As this was my first time here at this location I was super impressed. My coffee was refilled several times and it was always full of flavor and piping hot. Definitely coming back here soon.