Happy Jack Pancake House

Happy Jack's has a gluten free menu, but our waitress told us they use the same grill surface for all the pancakes (mixing gluten and gluten free). She offered to ask the kitchen to clean the surface with water but said they couldn't be sure there would not be cross contamination. We were disappointed since they offer a gluten free menu. However, with the cleaned surface, my son didn't get sick after eating the pancakes.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Not very

Safety Feature Ratings

• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Visiting in OCMD this week and have eaten here twice so far. First day, the server was much friendlier and simply more reassuring than the second day. I told her I had a gluten allergy, and she brought me my own menu!!!! With pancakes and waffles on it!!! A full, actual GF menu. It made my mouth happy. And she explicitly stated they use a separate griddle, without me even having to ask. They also sell 100% pure maple syrup, though I had brought my own. Both mornings I ate there, I had banana pancakes and scrambled eggs. Zero issues. And the pancakes were delicious. I'm actually sad that I won't have this option after vacation is over.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Safety Feature Ratings

• Other dedicated kitchen equipment (oven, toaster, pots, pans, utensils, etc.)
• Dedicated gluten-free space in the kitchen

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for breakfast/brunch
• Good for kids
• Offers outdoor seating

Got the cinnamon bun pancakes very yummy!! Didn't get sick and I'm very sensitive celiac.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

I love this place for breakfast! They have an entire gluten free menu, and yes, it includes pancakes and waffles with all of the fixings! They label the gluten free items in separate containers. This morning I placed an online order and when we arrived, the sweet ladies at the front desk told us they noticed the GF order and mentioned the home fries I initially ordered are no longer GF (very recent change) so they swapped it for fresh fruit with no upcharge. I appreciated them looking out! Always pleasant service and have never felt sick dining there.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Safety Feature Ratings

• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions
• Food comes out flagged or marked gluten-free

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for breakfast/brunch
• Good for takeout
• Offers online ordering
• Offers outdoor seating

Awesome food! I was able to get gluten free cinnamon bun pancakes. They have a full gluten free menu for breakfast. Just be careful of the home fries, they are on the gluten free menu, but they are not cooked in gluten free oil. The waitresses were knowledgeable enough to mention the chance of cross contamination!

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

NO BUENO- ate here the morning of May 17th, and was encouraged by the reviews here and elsewhere, had a SEVERE reaction. Immediate flags went up when seated and explaining to the server about my condition. She brushed it off and acted as though it was routine, then proceeded to tell me that the gluten free pancakes were cooked on THE SAME GRIDDLE as the wheat ones. I expressed alarm at this and she responded with “I could have them wipe it down”. Uhm what? I tried to relax and allowed her to do what was normal, because of both the reviews and the size of the gluten free menu. When the meal came out she proudly told me that the cook had also used a clean spatula to flip my pancakes. 🤨 I had a very severe reaction about an hour and a half later. This place is not what it is cracked up to be for safe g free eating and I have serious concerns if there are both shared griddles and shared spatulas in their kitchen. DO NOT trust this place.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Not at all

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Not Much/None

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Poor

Nice size menu

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Safety Feature Ratings

• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for breakfast/brunch
• Good for kids
• Good for takeout
• Good selection of healthy options

My husband is gluten intolerant and was very happy to find gluten-free pancakes for breakfast. He ordered "The King of Breakfast". The pancakes were so good he couldn't believe they were gf. Our server was knowledgeable about gluten-free options and the fresh-ground coffee was strong.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Safety Feature Ratings

• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Visited for breakfast today. Had an omelette and blueberry pancakes. Delicious and no reaction!

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Dedicated gluten free menu, food came out on a different color plates to differentiate gf. Tasted very very good. Would definitely recommend and go back again.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Dog friendly
• Good for breakfast/brunch
• Good for kids
• Good for lunch
• Good selection of healthy options
• Good with other allergies
• Offers outdoor seating

I called the one on Philadelphia Ave before going, just to confirm they had GF. The woman who answered confirmed they use the same waffle iron for both GF and non-GF items. I made a sound of disappointment(awe..)to which she gave me attitude and said “we’ve had lots of Celiacs and never had a problem.. plus the waffle iron gets so hot it kills off all the gluten” Before I could even start to explain it doesn’t work like that, she started into another very snotty tangent about how they never have problems and know what they’re doing. We clearly decided to skip it and go to the Bayside Skillet instead.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Not at all

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Not Much/None

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Poor

We were so happy when we saw our sun gluten-free food, from a different door from the rest of the food!

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for breakfast/brunch
• Good for lunch

this place was absolutely delicious! get the gf pancakes if you go. it is really, really good and highly recommend. did not get sick and i am VERY sensitive/ allergic to gluten

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Good

So many GF options on a separate GF menu. I got the GF chocolate chip pancakes and they were pretty good.

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Good

They had a gf menu with a lot of different options. The server said to not get gf waffles due to cross contamination, so I ordered Pancakes instead. I got the M&M pancakes with sausages on the side. The pancakes were delicious, I did not get sick from eating them.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

The GF waffles were amazing. I was worried at first that they weren’t GF because they tasted so good. The GF pancakes were delicious as well. So happy they had such an extensive GF menu!

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Elvis pancakes were amazing! Zero reaction! Plan on going back for more before our trip is over!

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

The gluten free pancakes were good and I didn’t get sick from them. I also got an omelette I didn’t like because it was more like a crepe because all the toppings were inside the thin egg “wrapper.”

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Good

I was a bit nervous about getting the pancakes due to some of the mixed reviews. I am happy to say I had - delicious meal with no reaction!

I ordered the pecan pancakes and a side of turkey sausage. Also, I ordered the natural maple syrup for an additional cost. I thought it would be worth it as the table syrup might be questionable.

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Love this place. Every time we are in Ocean City my daughter has to go here so she can get gluten free pancakes. Always good and she doesn’t get sick.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Safety Feature Ratings

• Dedicated gluten-free space in the kitchen
• Other dedicated kitchen equipment (oven, toaster, pots, pans, utensils, etc.)
• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions
• Staff will clean kitchen space or change gloves if asked

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Gluten-free items are marked on the main menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for breakfast/brunch
• Good for kids
• Good for lunch
• Good for takeout
• Good with other allergies

I was excited to try them because they had such a big gluten free menu. After eating here I will never ever recommend it to anyone that needs gluten free. The food was delicious but definitely not gluten free I believe they gave me regular pancakes. I have never been so sick immediately after eating since before I got diagnosed with celiac. While I know the risk of cross contamination, this is not how I react after getting cross contaminated this is why I believe I had regular pancakes. Such a disappointment

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Not at all

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Poor

The pancakes were so good we went back twice in a weekend. This was the first time I’ve been able to have fun flavor pancakes out and will be going back any chance I get.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for breakfast/brunch
• Good for takeout
• Good selection of healthy options
• Offers outdoor seating

I was so excited to go to Happy Jacks. When I got there I asked promptly for GF pancakes and I am pretty sure she herd me. But the after mass was not pleased. I had the worst diarrhea ever and I am scared to go back ever since.😩 😞

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Not very

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Gluten-free items are marked on the main menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Average

I ordered takeout twice and both times the pancakes (one time blueberry, the next very berry) were fantastic. The staff were very friendly and efficient when I picked up my food.

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for breakfast/brunch
• Good for takeout
• Offers online ordering

There is a full page of gluten free options including quite a few of their specialty pancakes. There is also a gluten free kids menu and they were able to substitute specialty pancakes for the standard ones on the kids menu. I generally don’t eat sweet breakfasts, so when I do allow myself the splurge I want it to be great and I was quite pleased. Friendly service also and outdoor seating available.

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Great GF menu. Pancakes were delicious! Not sure about a perfectly clean kitchen but they seem to make an effort.

Knowledgeable staff, excellent gluten free menu. Gluten free pancakes are wonderful, such a nice treat. Aurora

Celiac friendly?

Yes

Always a favorite atop of ours for several years now. Now that my wife is GF and DF intolerant, it is a must stop for their amazing GF pancakes. The wait staff seems to be very knowledgable when speaking on the menu and details of cross contamination procedures. Megan the owner is awesome and always a gem to speak with. Gluten i tolerant or not, Happy Jacks is a must stop for at least one breakfast during your OCMD stay.

Celiac friendly?

Yes

Let me start by saying I really had high hopes for this place based on previous reviews. I don’t know where the break down was but I got sick from cross contamination shortly after leaving breakfast. Our server Dan was very friendly but was moving so quickly and took several orders after ours and then returned and said he had to reboot his system and had to wait to enter our order. I reminded him I had celiac/ gluten allergy and he said he would enter it but again left and took more orders. I can only assume in the chaos he didn’t flag the order.

I recently eliminated dairy from diet as well so could not order pancakes (which seem to be the go to here), they also put their potatoes in the fryer so couldn’t have them either. Ended up ordering two eggs and sausage and fruit. It was delicious, but as I said I unfortunately got sick.

A very large GF menu available. The cinnamon bun GF pancakes were fantastic! We go back here very year.

Fabulous GF blueberry pancakes. There food is delicious and they have a gluten free menu on the back of the regular menu. Lots of great choices. Wonderful food and a great way to start my day!

Celiac friendly?

Yes

Great waffles and large variety of GF options and flavors. They also had GF syrup.

Celiac friendly?

Yes

Great gluten free menu- not only had gluten free pancakes, but had cinnamon bun pancakes! Waitress was patient with food restriction questions. Didn’t have a wait today, but in years past had a wait on weekends.

Great staff and great GF options.

Celiac friendly?

Yes

Our daughters favorite in OC! Amazing to have options when ordering GF pancakes - pecan, bacon, chocolate chip, etc. The waffles are my personal favorite.

Celiac friendly?

Yes

Great menu! Have eaten here many time! Pancakes are delicious!

Celiac friendly?

Yes

The gluten free menu has so many options to choose from. The gluten free pancakes (and the many different toppings) are so good & such a great treat when eating out for breakfast!

Celiac friendly?

Yes

Fantastic! Staff very kind and helpful.

This is our favorite breakfast place in OC! They are so gf-friendly and the vibe there is so comfortable and upbeat. Can't say enough great things! They are knowledgable about allergies and quite accommodating. Highly recommend!

I told them I have a food allergy (gluten), of course I actually have celiac, but I've found that saying "food allergy" gets the appropriate response. They're gluten free pancake and waffle menu is extensive and very yummy. Their service is excellent and they take special care to make sure my food is prepare properly.

I’ve eaten here many times over the course of three years. The only times I’ve ever gotten sick were when I ordered something other than pancakes (omelette, scrambled eggs) and it was due to cross contamination.

Celiac friendly?

Yes

I love having options. Pancakes are delicious, especially the cinnamon roll pancakes!

Celiac friendly?

Yes

Great breakfast place! I had the gluten free pancakes which are safe also for a soy and nut allergy. Waffles are not safe for nut allergic people. Great service!

They have GF waffles and pancakes and you can order real maple syrup!

This place has a wide variety of gluten free pancakes and waffles! Their GF menu is on the entire back page of their actual menu. I had the Elvis Pancakes which were awesome, and my boyfriend who also has celiac had the strawberry waffles and said “they were banging”. Definitely will come back here for breakfast in the future when visiting OCMD!!!

Celiac friendly?

Yes

Absolutely wonderful place! My 8 year old loved it! Wide variety to choose from

They have specialty GF pancakes & waffles!!!!! We ate there every morning of our beach vacation. Super friendly staff that remembered we were GF by our second visit. Thinking about coming back to Ocean City next year so we can have pancakes every morning again!

Gluten free pancakes and waffles!! I had the cheesesteak omelet with a side of gf pancakes and they were both delicious. Very knowledgeable, well trained servers! Gf pancakes are made on a separate griddle! They have both agave and maple syrup options for gf syrup. I am pretty sensitive and did not get I’ll. Can’t wait to go back!!

Celiac friendly?

Yes

The chocolate chip pancakes were amazing. The waitor, Daniel B., was also super knowledgeable and friendly. Definitely going back.

Big list of GF options to choose from. GF pancakes were good, though be careful about the syrup on the table. They have agave syrup for the GF pancakes.

Service was friendly, the food came out fast and the price was reasonable for a resort town.

Celiac friendly?

Yes

Amazing menu and staff. No issues eating here or later.

Celiac friendly?

Yes