Fall at Uncle Bill's Pancake House Brings Pumpkin Pancakes and Turkey

The aroma of pumpkin pancakes fills the air at  these days.

It's the O'Hara family's secret recipe pancake batter -- plus pumpkin pie mix, nutmeg, cinnamon -- with dollops of whipped cream and butter, a frequent seasonal special.

"It tastes just like pumpkin pie," promises Patrick O'Hara, manager of Uncle Bill's two Ocean City locations. "It's like having dessert for breakfast."

We met up with O'Hara, a member of the third generation of his family, which operates eight Uncle Bill's restaurants from Cape May to Ocean City, at the 2112 Asbury Ave. location. This store is open seven days a week year-round. The , at 40th Street and West Avenue, is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday until March, when it opens every day.

O'Hara said he grew up working with his grandfather, Bill O'Hara, in the Cape May Uncle Bill's. The chain of independently owned restaurants dates from the 1960s.

Patrick's dad, also named Patrick, opened the Asbury location in 1990. It got fresh paint and new carpet featuring a pattern of pancakes and eggs last March. The West Avenue location just finished its fourth summer season and features a more Nantucket-style decor, with hardwood floors. Patrick's wife, Lisa, also works in the family business. They have three young children -- Patrick, 5, Gwendolyn 4, and Miles, 1 -- and live in Upper Township.

Summertime, waiting diners line the long benches out front of the Asbury location, but the wait is hardly ever longer than 20 minutes, O'Hara said. This family knows how to flip pancakes -- and fast.

"We turn each table five to six times on a busy morning," O'Hara says of the 180-seat dining room that includes lots of comfy booths. There's also an overflow room between Uncle Bill's and Blitz's Market that accommodates large parties.

O'Hara said the eatery can go through 50 to 75 gallons of batter for its light and fluffy pancakes on a peak-season morning. It is used to make tons of different varieties -- chocolate chip, peanut butter, peach, apple, strawberry, blueberry, pecan among them. Then, there are corn, potato and buckwheat. (Prices range fro $6.25 to $9.75.) Soon, gluten-free items will be available.

Of course, "pancake house" doesn't really tell the whole story of Uncle Bill's. French toast stuffed with cream cheese topped with homemade cinnamon butter ($9) is one of the most popular breakfasts. There are waffles and omelets and other egg dishes galore.  

O'Hara's favorite? The Jersey Shore omelet -- a plate-sized serving stuffed with cubes of Taylor pork roll and cheese, served with toast for $8.75.

This time of year, loyal locals flock to Uncle Bill's for reasonably priced daily breakfast and lunch specials.

Rick Sander of Ocean City was in on Friday to have the last scrapple he would eat for six months, as he and his wife were headed to their other home in Florida.

"They don't know what scrapple is down there," Sander says wistfully.

Wally and Maureen Brand of Linwood were in for the third time in a week. Wally Brand particularly likes the Wednesday morning special pancake sampler -- he had one each strawberry, peach and chocolate chip.

"They were excellent," he says.

"Most of our locals come out of the woodwork," O'Hara says. "They hibernate in the summer to avoid the crowds. Lunch is really busy."

You can get anything off the breakfast and lunch menu between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. O'Hara's weakness for lunch?

"I could eat a Texas Tommy every day," he admits. It's a hot dog stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon and deep-fried ($6.75). Wow.

Thursday's lunch special -- a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings -- is hugely popular.

"We cook a fresh bird and it's a lot of food for a good price" -- $9.50, O'Hara says -- including stuffing, mashed potatoes, sliced cranberry, vegetable and corn muffin.

So, while pancakes are Uncle Bill's bread and butter feeding a hungry summer crowd, it's also a great place for lunch -- and to meet up with your local neighbors -- this time of year.

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WHERE: 2112 Asbury Ave. and 40^th Street and West Avenue

WHEN: Asbury Avenue location open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily; West Avenue location open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday in off-season

GET IN TOUCH: (609) 398-7393 or 398-6003

OTHER STUFF TO KNOW: Major credit cards. Large parties accommodated. Take-out.