Gushing Over Wild Eggs

I'm confused. How is Wild Eggs not as kid friendly?

Because some people dont want to pay as much for a meal kids will only part of or just pick through.

They have single pancakes and single pieces of french toast for $1.75 each. If your kids like eggs, two eggs are $2.25.

Yes, there are a lot of more expensive dishes on the menu, but that doesn't mean the place isn't kid friendly. IHOP's kids menu seems to be about the same. While the online menu doesn't offer prices, I can't see the price difference for "kid friendly" items to be so large as to make an incredible difference.

There's still a price perception since all the locations are in the East End. Regardless of how false that may be it's still a perception that lingers throughout the area.

There's still a price perception since all the locations are in the East End. Regardless of how false that may be it's still a perception that lingers throughout the area.

I guess I should point out that the original comment here about being kid friendly cited taste preferences and it wasn't about public perception either.

I'm not really sure I would call Dutchman's Lane East end either, but I realize that's a topic which inspires a debate entirely it's own so I won't belabor that subject.

There's still a price perception since all the locations are in the East End. Regardless of how false that may be it's still a perception that lingers throughout the area.

I guess I should point out that the original comment here about being kid friendly cited taste preferences and it wasn't about public perception either.

I'm not really sure I would call Dutchman's Lane East end either, but I realize that's a topic which inspires a debate entirely it's own so I won't belabor that subject.

It was when i was growing up - before the Polo Fields, and Lake Forest, and Norton Commons. Back when I-265 marked the outer edge of living and not many people dared to cross it.

Ok. Here is what I meant by "Kid Friendly"


~ The inside of IHOP is larger the WE ; easier for families to navigate. HOWEVER , WE is not impossible for a family to dine.

~ The food at WE is superior , but my nephews get a kick out of the smiling chocolate Pancake at IHOP.
One day they can get Chicken strips and the next ,macaroni and cheese or a Grilled Cheese sandwich. I'm sure similar things are offered at WE , but I can not seem to locate a Children's Menu.

MOST of the time IHOP is easier to take children than WE. I did not make the initial statement to incur a negative spin on WE. They are fantastic.

And, well, I don't know how else to explain it.

There is a similar chain in FL - Another Broken Egg - but their eggs bennie does not compare the to the WE Calamity Eggs. Plus it's too much food, so I eat the muffin and take most of the eggs and grits of the day with me. It reheats just fine. To save money and calories and because I LOVE to eat out, I usually eat at the most, only 1/2 of the food.
The only problem I have had there is the bar area - the waiting customers who sometimes almost stand behind you as you finish your meal. I left my seat to go to the restroom and had to block a woman from getting in it

[Robin Garr]

It was when i was growing up - before the Polo Fields, and Lake Forest, and Norton Commons. Back when I-265 marked the outer edge of living and not many people dared to cross it.

You young whippersnappers!

For a lot of us Boomers, "East End" meant the Highlands and Crescent Hill. St. Matthews was the suburbs, and there was nothin' but potato fields from there on out.

I was at the Camelot location for lunch yesterday. The food and service were good, but this visit reminded me why I don't go there often. It is expensive for what you get. One of the joys of dining out for me is having a dish that I cannot easily make myself at home. At Wild Eggs I got a farmers skillet - basically veggies, potatoes, and eggs. It was good, but for 10 bucks I could have made 4 at home using organic ingredients very easily. In contrast, for the same 10 bucks today I got Huevos Motulenos from the Mayan Cafe for lunch. This is not something that I could replicate very easily at all, and it was better than what I had at Wild Eggs. In fact, a lot of the items on Wild Eggs menu could easily be perfected for a fraction of the price. This is all meaningless if you don't enjoy cooking yourself, but for someone like me the cost of Wild Eggs is too high to justify what is being served.

For Kyle: I think what I'm getting from your post is that it isn't that Wild Eggs is less friendly per se, as much as it is that IHOP actively caters to kids. Is my interpretation accurate? If so then I really can't find fault with your position.

I was at the Camelot location for lunch yesterday. The food and service were good, but this visit reminded me why I don't go there often. It is expensive for what you get. One of the joys of dining out for me is having a dish that I cannot easily make myself at home. At Wild Eggs I got a farmers skillet - basically veggies, potatoes, and eggs. It was good, but for 10 bucks I could have made 4 at home using organic ingredients very easily. In contrast, for the same 10 bucks today I got Huevos Motulenos from the Mayan Cafe for lunch. This is not something that I could replicate very easily at all, and it was better than what I had at Wild Eggs. In fact, a lot of the items on Wild Eggs menu could easily be perfected for a fraction of the price. This is all meaningless if you don't enjoy cooking yourself, but for someone like me the cost of Wild Eggs is too high to justify what is being served.

With all due respect, I think choosing one of the simplest things served and then holding that up as if it is exemplary of the menu is a bit of disservice to the place. I won't argue that the dish doesn't sound a little over-priced (one of the reasons I've never had it myself), but there's a lot on the menu that does not fall under the "simple and easily replicated" umbrella at all. Heck, I even feel like I make a pretty fine pancake, but they don't hold a candle to Wild Eggs selections (which by the way are also very reasonably priced) so I find myself ordering them with relative frequency. Most often the Kalamity Katie's, though, gets my money - and it's money well spent imo.

For Kyle: I think what I'm getting from your post is that it isn't that Wild Eggs is less friendly per se, as much as it is that IHOP actively caters to kids. Is my interpretation accurate? If so then I really can't find fault with your position.

That would be correct.

I guess expensive is all in perspective. The first breakfast place we tried in town was Lynn's. On our last visit breakfast for 5 was $115 before tip , the time before was just two of us and it was around $45. Needless to say, Wild Eggs is a steal in comparision and it's definitely has better food.

With all due respect, I think choosing one of the simplest things served and then holding that up as if it is exemplary of the menu is a bit of disservice to the place. I won't argue that the dish doesn't sound a little over-priced (one of the reasons I've never had it myself), but there's a lot on the menu that does not fall under the "simple and easily replicated" umbrella at all. Heck, I even feel like I make a pretty fine pancake, but they don't hold a candle to Wild Eggs selections (which by the way are also very reasonably priced) so I find myself ordering them with relative frequency. Most often the Kalamity Katie's, though, gets my money - and it's money well spent imo.

I'm not normally a "price" eater and will try pretty much any financial range for good food, but I have to agree with the previous poster -- a lot of what is at Wild Eggs seems overpriced. That isn't to say that it isn't good -- because it certain is -- but I get the same feeling as was stated by OP: I don't want to pay a lot of money for something that I feel like I could make at home for far less.

It's not just a holding up a basic dish, either, in my case. I've eaten at Wild Eggs six times now, because people whose tastes and suggestions I respect just kept raving about it -- I kept wondering, "What am I missing that makes this better than any other breakfast?" With the exception of the orange juice (such a simple thing, eh? -- but I'm horrible at making orange juice ), I always feel it's drastically overpriced for what I get.

That said, they've got darned good service, have treated me well no matter what time I've been in, and literally everyone else I know loves it, so I have just usually chalked up my thoughts on the restaurant as a "my preference" thing, versus anything necessarily wrong with the restaurant itself.

I find it silly people often comment "I could make it at home for less", then go for it! Stop dining out. That statement never makes sense. Sure, I will pay 35$ for a steak at a restaurant...knowing I can make 7 at home for the same price. Why do it? Convenience, dining out is nice, socialize with friends or a date, etc...

Michele, I don't think I'm silly but I rarely order something I can make at home without great effort or waste. I can't remember when I last ordered out a steak or hamburg, but I do order more complicated entrees and espeically, since I live alone, entrees that use small amounts of many ingredients. I can also get convenience at my house which is very nice and I socialize with friends often at my house.

I find it silly people often comment "I could make it at home for less", then go for it! Stop dining out. That statement never makes sense. Sure, I will pay 35$ for a steak at a restaurant...knowing I can make 7 at home for the same price. Why do it? Convenience, dining out is nice, socialize with friends or a date, etc...

I think perhaps I didn't explain my real thought too well. I agree with you a bit when the emphasis is placed on "for less." Obviously you pay a premium any time you're in a social dining setting, especially if you happen to be a fan of imbibing nice wines. My emphasis is more on the "I could make it at home," part. This still excludes discussions of atmosphere, etc., but it at least gets closer to the mark.

People have different levels of culinary ability. For my part, these skills are relatively minimum. I very rarely have time to cook, much less gather ingredients, and when I do I wouldn't say that I'm a four star chef. So when I happen upon a dish that I feel even in my limited abilities and time I could prepare myself, I don't necessarily place as much value in getting it at a restaurant than I would otherwise. In the case of Wild Eggs, many of the things I've gotten I've felt I could do. I don't get this feeling at other places. That said -- I know there are things on the menu where that probably isn't the case, and maybe I'll give it a 7th or 8th try and find them.

I agree with you entirely about the socialization. That's actually why I've been back so many times. When we have visitors in town who are looking for breakfast, we usually take them to Wild Eggs, and barring that, to Lynn's.

It's also worth pointing out Wild Eggs is in a bit of a tricky spot given what they sell. For those we know who aren't "into food" there's a bit of a sticker shock that they just don't expect when it comes to breakfast.

All of that said, I wasn't intending to knock Wild Eggs at all. I've not seen many other restaurants where everyone I've taken there or recommended go there almost unanimously have a good opinion of it. That is a credit to them, no matter what my personal thoughts on it, and one of the reasons I still suggest people go there whenever they're looking for a good breakfast.

I find it silly people often comment "I could make it at home for less", then go for it! Stop dining out. That statement never makes sense. Sure, I will pay 35$ for a steak at a restaurant...knowing I can make 7 at home for the same price. Why do it? Convenience, dining out is nice, socialize with friends or a date, etc...

Clearly you missed the point in my original post. I was stating that Wild Eggs is overpriced for what you get, and this had nothing to do with dining out vs eating at home in general (just in the context of Wild Eggs). In the very same post I mentioned how pleased I was with a complex dish that I got from the Mayan Cafe (on that I could not begin to replicate without a recipe). Also, in the ball park of 35 bucks I expect my steak to be prime and possibly even dry aged. You can go to any grocery and get a steak for 5 dollars, but the quality is nowhere near that of a 35 dollar restaurant steak (in most cases).