Sometimes you crave breakfast. But sometimes you crave pancakes. This guide is for the latter—those mornings when you are laser-focused on eggs, and nothing else will do. The places on this list deliver when it comes to fluffy biscuits, crispy bacon, and huevos rancheros (that are actually a little spicy). They won’t just have one measly omelet option either.
Skillet & Grill Inc
$ | (817) 795-8682 | WEBSITE
Breakfast is on display at Skillet & Grill Inc before you even sit down. You can see the cooks preparing it in the open kitchen area, like a breakfast-obsessed culinary theater. There are several breakfast classics on the menu, and their portions are all substantial, from generous up to downright massive. But they’ve got fresh, homemade ingredients and dishes that stay pretty true to the original comfort food recipes. Stick with the house Omelette and Breakfast Burrito.
Not only are they the most satisfying breakfasts on the menu, they’re also our favorites.
Habaneros The Taco Revolution | Arlington
$ | (817) 861-0014 | WEBSITE
We didn’t add Habaneros to this guide just because of its name. All of the tacos on the menu are made with authentic El Paso-style preparation, whether it’s a chino taco or a crispy flauta. Our favorite is the steak asada street taco. We know Arlington is saturated with street tacos, but this is the standout. The flavorful sauce works its way into every bite. And the tender steak, while satisfying, doesn’t overpower the true star inside this tortilla: the fresh ingredients.
The potato taco and fajita chicken quesadilla follow close behind, each with just the right amount of heat. At around $3-4 per taco, you get decent food at a great price in this cozy spot where the friendly staff remember their regulars.
First Watch
$ | (817) 962-3007 | WEBSITE
First Watch isn’t a diner. But whenever anyone asks us about breakfast, our minds instantly replay a highlight reel of their golden slices of multigrain bread served with fresh preserves. And in a city crowded with predictably bland breakfast spots, theirs is the only one that truly earns its morning reputation. There are a handful of breakfast dishes on the menu, and all of them are satisfying. Order an extra side of that multigrain toast and use it like a sponge across the plate.
Breakfast Brothers
$$ | (682) 399-8103 | WEBSITE
We must’ve driven right past this spot in Arlington a dozen times before someone told us to try their chicken and pancakes. That plate—with its golden-brown fried chicken and fluffy buttermilk pancakes—is now one of our favorite breakfasts in Texas. So we no longer drive past Breakfast Brothers, especially on mornings when we’re craving a hearty yet exceptional breakfast so generous we can have it again for lunch the same day.
The chicken and pancakes is the menu’s highlight, but everything is good—from the shrimp and grits to one of Arlington’s best red velvet waffles.
5 O’clock Donuts
$ | (817) 228-7849 | WEBSITE
The star of 5 O’Clock Donuts’ lineup is the kolache (a savory pastry pocket with pepperoni), but that doesn’t mean donuts are just a supporting actor. There are classic options on the menu, like the apple fritter with its cinnamon-sugar crust, or the blueberry cake donut bursting with fruity flavor. Their jalapeño pastry is a spicy kick of heat in a flaky dough, but it’s not always available (so if you see it, grab it).
5 O’Clock Donuts is also a refreshingly unpretentious spot in a city like Arlington, where breakfast joints can feel overly polished.
Waffle House
$ | (817) 274-6021 | WEBSITE
There are usually around six breakfast staples to choose from: fluffy waffles with butter and syrup, crispy hash browns scattered and smothered, and scrambled eggs with cheese and bacon. If you see their pecan waffle on the menu, always order it. They switch out the specials sometimes. But the All-Star Special is always available for a reason. It’s so good, and it reminds me of the breakfasts my grandma used to make.
In the morning rush, Waffle House does quick service, where most meals are just $8 from 7-9am.
IHOP
$ | (817) 784-6040 | WEBSITE
You should try everything on IHOP’s breakfast menu, but pancakes should be the centerpiece of your order. The classic pancakes have consistent quality and an impressively high satisfaction rate. There are usually two items that remain crowd favorites (with slight variations here and there): the chicken and waffles and the biscuits. The former is the only dish in town that perfectly balances savory and sweet.
It might sound heavy at first, but it works in a restaurant that constantly feels like a bustling morning hub.
Bay34th Street Diner
$ | (817) 375-5998 | WEBSITE
Bay 34th Street Diner is where you want to be on those mornings when you need a very good plate of reasonably priced breakfast in a place with absolutely no pretense. The menu lets you make all the choices: you pick from a diverse selection of delectable dishes, including the famous berry crepes, chorizo tacos, and biscuits and gravy. Even though it sounds like the classic diner lineup, the quality is outstanding.
The ingredients are high-quality like beef bacon and turkey bacon, served in satisfying portions, and the standout Popeyes crepe is equally amazing.
