Walker Bros. The Original Pancake House

Walker Bros. opened the Green Bay Road restaurant in 1960, when brothers Victor and Everett Walker became early franchisees of the Portland, Oregon pancake chain after running snack shops in Evanston. The Wilmette dining room, with its stained glass windows and brass lamps, is the original of seven locations and, according to the company, the busiest Original Pancake House in the country. The apple pancake, a baked, caramelized skillet dish, is the order most people come for, along with the Dutch baby and the bacon cheddar omelet the restaurant says was featured on Food Network. Expect a wait on weekends; the line moves quickly.

What to know

• The first Walker Bros. location, opened in 1960 on Green Bay Road.
• Family-owned by the Walkers, who started with snack shops in Evanston in 1948.
• The apple pancake is the signature dish; frozen apple pancakes are sold to take home.
• Dine-in and carryout only; the restaurant does not partner with delivery services.
• Menus for the Wilmette and Glenview locations are shared and dated March 2025 on the company site.