Pamela's Diner

A must stop near Pitt! We called in a takeout order and it was delicious. Staff were very helpful on the phone, making sure we called the right location and let us know it would be a better deal to add eggs to a pancake and sausage order. The food was so good! I highly recommend the banana walnut hotcakes.

Their home fries are amazing here! Very crowded and popular spot. Cash only. It's a solid pick for brunch with friends/family. I think Pamela's lives up to some of the hype. There's definitely other good brunch spots in Pittsburgh, but if you go to Pamela's you won't be disappointed.

Hotcakes are fabulous! Chorizo with eggs and home fries was the bomb! Great decor with the classic board games on the wall, and very friendly staff!

Excellent service. Mara was extremely friendly and attentive upon entry. Food was great and Hope was highly entertaining. All the servers were friendly.

There's always a wait at Pamela's and for good reason.the food here is pretty great no matter what you get.it used to be cash only but they allowed credit cards during the pandemic, not sure if they'll keep that.the pancakes are thin and very flavorful.

I had the fish sandwich special. Under 10 dollars. The fish was great. Crunchy outside flaky inside and tasted wonderful.

For those days when you just crave some really good diner food. It's inexpensive. Their crepe-like pancakes are just really should be tried at least once in your life; I'd suggest the strawberry. Let's not forget the diner coffee. When you get it in carafe so you don't have to wait for the waitress to come around to bring you a warmup, well, that's my idea of a happy place.

Cool atmosphere. Been a part of Oakland for years. The crepe pancakes were a nice surprise. Important! Cash only!

Ate here at least once a month for two years, stopped on a dime when I found out that they use Whirl, an artificial butter substitute composed of trans fats, for most of their pan-frying. That stuff's really bad for you, and they don't skimp on it.

But if you find yourself eating here by some misfortune, here's what you should and shouldn't get: the Morning After special is pretty good, especially if you spring for the strawberry hotcakes (I've gotten eggshell in the hotcakes twice though). The burger is awful; the patty is a thin grey flavorless hockey puck of meat. The western omelette is alright, though the peppers and onions are usually sort of soggy and overcooked, dull in color. The chorizo and eggs is pretty good, though a bit salty. I'm nonplussed by the Lyonniase potatoes, but the sweet potato fries are good. The tex-mex omelette was popular with my coworkers.

A middle-of-the-road diner who’s only saving grace is it’s adjacency to the Pitt campus. Better meals can be had with in Oakland and better prices as well. In my experience there’s always a wait and you will always be seated near hungover college students — for better or for worse.

Great food, great staff, short wait time. My wife and I both got types of pancakes here and they are certainly worthy of their status as best in the state. Only downside is that they are cash only.

Excellent place for breakfast. It is a must stop if you are visiting Pittsburgh. Wait staff is very friendly and helpful. Their omelets are great, and they have a nice selection. My personal favorite is corned beef and swiss. Which I have only found there. The decor is old games. That are great to look through.

Not sure if it's because of the staff or the location, but I can safely say that this is the POOREST QUALITY Pamela's out of all of their chains. Everything tasted so try, and the coffee tasted watered down. I hate the lines at the one in the strip or squirrel Hill but I'd gladly choose that over going to this place again. Hopefully they improve soon!

Great food. Fresh strawberries for the WIN! Friendly staff. Cash only. Fortunately I could run back to my car and get some.

This place tends to be rather busy but their hotcakes are definitely worth the wait. This place is cash only though.

Potatoes are excellent. Servers are enthusiastic. The value is well worth a visit. At 10.30 am on a Thursday there was no wait.

If you enjoy the classic diner experience at an affordable price, then I definitely recommend this place. The food is excellent. I highly recommend the pancakes. Remember to bring your cash since they do not take credit cards.

Great place for breakfast. Crepe pancakes were delicious, with crispy edges and big as the plate. Wait staff were really nice.

Yum! I got the choc chip pancake crepes, so buttery and delicious you don’t even need syrup! Important note: this place is CASH ONLY

The bottom line is this - if you are in the University of Pittsburgh neighborhood and are looking for a great breakfast joint, then this is your place! Fun decor (a million classic board games festoon the walls) Staff is well above average for attentiveness. It is not a huge place so be prepared to wait. If kt is a popular school parents day, for example, good luck getting in. The have a cool system where they register your cell phone and then call it when your table is ready.