Original Breakfast House
Rating
Family of 4
Plan on roughly $50 to $80 for four with two adult breakfasts, two kids' plates, and drinks.
Duration
1-1.5 hours
Best Ages
1-14 years
About
Original Breakfast House on North 32nd Street, just above Thunderbird in north Phoenix, is the kind of restaurant that quietly earns a 4. 7 rating across more than 4,700 Google reviews. That combination of volume and score is rare, and for parents it signals the two things that matter most at breakfast with kids: the kitchen is consistent, and it is fast.
Food comes off a griddle, which means plates hit the table in minutes rather than in the twenty-minute stretch that turns a hungry four-year-old into a problem.
The portions are the defining feature and the practical reason to bring a family. Servings here run large enough that one adult breakfast split between two younger kids is usually more food than two separate children's plates, and it costs less. Parents who figure that out on the first visit save money on every visit after.
Confirm the current kids' menu and today's hours by calling (602) 482-2328, because this is a breakfast and lunch restaurant that closes in the early afternoon and hours shift with the season. Showing up at 2 PM expecting lunch is the most common way to be disappointed here.
Timing is the whole strategy. On weekday mornings you walk in, sit down, and eat. Between roughly 8 and 11 on a Saturday or Sunday, this becomes one of the busiest breakfast rooms in the area, with waits that commonly run 30 to 60 minutes.
That is a long time to hold a toddler in a lobby. Arriving within the first fifteen minutes of opening on a weekend, or simply choosing a weekday, changes the entire experience.
A few logistics. The lot is a shared surface lot, typically free, and it fills on weekend mornings, so an early arrival shortens the walk with a stroller. Inside, this is a booth-and-table breakfast restaurant with aisles sized for servers carrying plates, so bring a compact umbrella stroller or plan on a high chair rather than wheeling in a full travel system.
Ask for a booth if one is available, since a wall on one side is genuinely useful with a two-year-old and a plate of syrup. Changing table availability is not confirmed, so pack a portable pad.
One underrated advantage: because you eat during the coolest hours of the day, this is one of the few Phoenix outings that works just as well in July as in January. That is also why waits stretch during the November through April visitor season.
Bottom line for Phoenix parents: go early, ask for a booth, order one big plate to split between the little kids, and plan on taking leftovers home.
Age Suitability
Parent Logistics
Stroller-Friendly
Limited
Nursing / Changing
Unknown
Kid Meals
Available
Setting
Indoor
Rainy Day
Great option!
Plan Your Visit
Best Time to Visit
Weekday mornings, or right at opening on a Saturday or Sunday to beat the weekend rush
Wait Times
30-60 min on weekend mornings between 8 and 11, usually under 10 min on weekdays
Nearby Food
The 32nd Street and Thunderbird area in north Phoenix is dense with strip-mall dining, so a kid who refuses the whole breakfast menu has pizza, sandwiches, and drive-through options within a two or three minute drive. Coffee and ice cream shops sit along the same corridor and toward Bell Road, which makes an easy second stop when the meal ends earlier than you expected.
Why Kids Love It
Breakfast food is the easiest sell in the kid universe, and this is a place that does pancakes, eggs, and baked goods at a scale that makes children's eyes go wide when the plate lands. The portions are genuinely oversized, which turns an ordinary meal into a small event. And because everything comes off a griddle rather than a slow kitchen, food reaches the table fast, which matters enormously when you are working against a hungry toddler's clock.
Pro Tips from Parents
- Get there at opening on weekends. Between roughly 8 and 11 on a Saturday this is one of the busiest breakfast rooms in north Phoenix, and the wait can run past what a young child will tolerate.
- Order one adult plate to share between two younger kids. The portions are large enough that two full kids' meals often go half eaten.
- Confirm today's hours before you drive over. This is a breakfast and lunch restaurant that closes in the early afternoon, so a late arrival can mean a locked door.
- Ask for a booth rather than a center table. A booth gives you a wall on one side, which is worth a lot with a two-year-old and a plate of syrup.
- Bring a compact stroller or plan on a high chair. The aisles between booths are sized for servers, not for a full travel system.
What to Bring
- A compact umbrella stroller rather than a full travel system, given the tight aisles
- Your own changing pad and supplies, since changing table availability is not confirmed
- A small quiet activity for the weekend wait, which can run 30 to 60 minutes
- A takeout-friendly bag or container plan, because leftovers here are close to guaranteed
- Wipes, since this is a syrup and pancake environment
Cost Info
Estimated Cost (Family of 4)
Plan on roughly $50 to $80 for four with two adult breakfasts, two kids' plates, and drinks.
Parking is typically free.
This is an estimate only, so check the current menu for exact prices.
Tips to Save
- The portions here are the savings plan.
- One adult breakfast split between two young kids is usually more food than two kids' plates, and it costs less.
- Order water instead of juice for the table, since four specialty drinks can add more than a whole extra meal.
- Come on a weekday when the whole experience is calmer and you are not tempted to order extras to keep kids occupied during a long wait.
- If you order a baked good, get one for the table to share rather than one each.
