The sign in front usually says 'Come Hungry - Leave Happy'. But ever since the first time I went to this IHOP, I've always believed that it would be more accuurate to render it 'Come Happy - Leave Hungry!'
IHOP is not altogether different from Denny's, if you enjoy the heart attack inducing sugar drenched and super greasy crap that passes for food at Denny's, then you'll feel right at home at an IHOP.
I don't want to be unfair, IHOP does have a few decent items on the menu, but I've noticed that from time to time when they do screw up and but a half decent item on the menu, they take it off after a year, because for some reason IHOP's main customers just don't seem all that interested.
IHOP has decent pancakes. But if you want to really enjoy them, bring your own pancake syrup; the stuff they have at the tables amounts to four flavors of disgustingly super sweet sugar water that will make you want to retch before you. can finish half a stack of pancakes. But if you are not afraid to bring your own syrup, they can be a real treat.
The service here is average to sometimes actually quite good, the waitresses are usually friendly and the cooks (usually Larry and Gary) are chatty - well, Gary is chatty at least - but they're both friendly. Both of them have worked there at least as long as I've been going there, which is going on seven years (no, I don't go there often - usually only when someone else wants to meet there).
If you show up at 8 PM, and closing time is 9PM, don't expect to get a meal, unless it's something simple AND it's to go, otherwise they'll usually only let you come in for dessert. Where other restaurants typically welcome customers right up to closing time (and usually keep the kitchen operating until then), at this IHOP at least, from one full hour before closing time they are very focused on getting tfhings cleaned up and put away, so they can go home at closing time. I don't have a beef with them doing things that way; just be aware of it beforehand is all I'm saying about it.
The staff are decent, hard working people for the most part, who get crap wages and probabably not much job satisfaction. If this restaurant is like this, it reflects on the owners/management. They must be super tight with the money. Too bad they don"t improve the menu from 90% 'anything with eggs' to something that actually resembles real food.
They used to have a pretty decent apple crisp dessert, but of course, it being the ONE decent dessert item that they had, they got rid of it.
Like I said: Come Happy - Leave Hungry! read more