Lazy Hippo (gaslamp) - San Diego, CA

Lazy Hippo is a newer brunch spot in the heart of gaslamp San Diego. They serve up signature pancakes, waffles, french toast and other breakfast favorites. The business filled up quickly during our brunch visit so the locals seem to dig it as well.

There's the typical downtown street parking to deal with so find a spot where you can. On the day of our visit, there was a special event so parking was a little more difficult. They don't take reservations so check in with the host or hostess to be put on the list or get seated.They have a few patio tables outside too for basking in our amazing San Diego weather.

 It's cutely decorated inside. I love this splash of Parisian cityscape on the walls here.

Here's the snazzy table we were sitting at! A little Breakfast at Tiffany's vibe, complete with portraits and a sparkly table.

Fresh Press Juices ($8) - OJ mango and grapefruit, apple celery pineapple and ginger

We're getting some fresh juices to start off our morning. These are made in house and I happily slurped the pulpy mango and tasted the subtle contrasting bitter from the grapefruit juice. Dennis's drink definitely had that "green" appeal (healthy and unsweet) but he enjoyed his, especially the bite of ginger.

Super Special ($15.95) - choice of one waffle, pancake or french toast, 2 meats, 2 eggs and country potatoes

We wanted to get a little bit of everything so this entree fit the bill. You get to pick your own carbs, meats, and style of eggs.

Our meat choices were bacon and breakfast sausage, both delicious and made in house. The bacon strip was still crisp to bite while the sausage was savory with a sprinkle of italian seasoning. The other meat options were sausage patty, sausage link, chicken or ham. Our eggs were requested overeasy and arrived just right. The side of country potatoes were barely seasoned though and surprisingly non-greasy. It could use more oil while frying but at least customers could salt and pepper to their liking.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes (part of Super Special)

The big decision was between pancakes, waffles or french toast which all sounded delightful. These signature Cinnamon Roll pancakes were the final pick. I'm not into carby breakfasts but this tasted like a game changer! They had a wonderfully fluffy texture with just the right amount of glazed swirls. It never felt too heavy and I'd have eaten the whole thing myself if we weren't sharing! Next on my list to try would be their blueberry quinoa pancake. I'm always searching for yummy ways to incorporate quinoa. 

Hot Chicken Waffle ($15.95) - Belgium style waffle with 3 pieces of chicken and cinnamon apple sauce

Tempted yet again, these chicken and waffles were next in our order! I like how they stylishly layered both components for the presentation. The chicken breast was thinly sliced and battered with a panko crunch. Waffles were narrow and a bit stiff so we'd love to see the option of gravy for a topping. For a side, the applesauce was a sweet plop on the tongue. I appreciated chomping ripe apple slices that accompanied the meal.

And then this happpened... I'm no longer surprised when Dennis makes a sandwich out of foods. Adding a little bit of the yolky egg helped bind the mains together and then we took a more scrumptious bite!

Overall, Lazy Hippo feels like a charming addition to the neighborhood. The owners were friendly and accomodating plus they own the intriguing Whiskey House next door. We'll have to stop by again to try more of their famous pancakes and french toast.

Disclaimer: We were invited to dine here and our meal was complimentary. We were not otherwise compensated and all opinions stated are our own.