Paul’s Pancake Parlor has been serving up its namesake delicacies, and so much more, since 1963 when Paul Gjording first opened the doors. Paul ran the restaurant for 20 years and sealed its place as a breakfast favorite in the Missoula community with plate-sized, pillowy pancakes.
Upon his retirement in 1983, Paul sold the restaurant to Elly Ramos Sparr who had been working with him since the restaurant’s inception. Then in 1998, Elly was ready to retire and she looked to her children to pass the spatula to. Son Mike Ramos accepted but Elly had one catch.
“She made me work from 3 a.m. to 11 a.m. every day for a year before she would sell it to me,” said Mike.
At the time Mike was coaching track and field at the University of Montana. He and his sisters had worked at Paul’s growing up, so he was somewhat familiar with the workings of a bustling restaurant. But he soon learned there was a lot to learn. Food preparation, purchasing, managing the staff, and handling the financials consumed his days and once his year-long lesson was over he had gained an immense amount of knowledge.
“I absolutely felt that was necessary,” Mike said. “Once that process was complete I could have duplicated it anywhere with my eyes closed.”
Mike sings his mother’s praises.
“My mom was so smart about things. She was the hardest working woman I ever knew. She came here from Germany with her husband not speaking a word of English. She raised four kids and had her hands full. She was an unbelievable cook.” Pictures of his mother adorn Mike’s office including one of a young Elly in her waitress uniform, which patrons can also see above the front counter of the restaurant.
What were the most important things he learned?
“Never run out of anything, always give good portions, and always keep your food cost as low as possible,” said Mike. He also learned her philosophy on customer service. “She would say, ‘Everybody [who] walks through that door signs your check. They are your boss.’ That’s so important. Without these people coming through here, this is an empty building.”
Mike continues to pass on that philosophy to his staff.
“Everybody has a bad day but we try to make it a positive experience for everyone. Greet them as they come in and say goodbye as they leave. Get to know their name and what they want to eat. People want to feel like you care,” he said.
That care comes through in every dish served at Paul’s. Plates of fist-sized fluffy biscuits ladled with savory sausage gravy, crisp bacon, and creamy eggs come out of the kitchen at a break-neck pace on busy weekend mornings. And then there are the pancakes. The hardest part of eating at Paul’s is deciding which of the 18 flavors to order—spice, chocolate chip, caramel, buckwheat, and multigrain raspberry to name a few. Mike’s favorite is the German pancakes. Making a batch is a process but one bite of these delicate cakes is well worth the 14 minute wait it takes to make them.
Mike has made a few minor changes to the menu but he says the format is very similar to Paul’s. Arguably one of the favorite items is the sourdough pancake. According to Mike, the sourdough starter is likely 110 or 115 years old and was Paul’s grandmother’s.
Paul’s doesn’t close after the breakfast crowd leaves. They also serve lunch and dinner, offering comforting dishes like chili burgers and chicken fried steak, a variety of salads, and a host of sandwiches.
One of the most iconic things about Paul’s is the unique and whimsical décor. Metal signs from a bygone era advertise electric mixers and vanilla shakes. Portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley cover the walls along with photographs and paintings celebrating the Griz.
The most prominent piece of art is a mural of the University of Montana football stadium depicting the crowd in the throes of an exciting game. The mural was painted by Missoula’s own Hadley Ferguson when Mike remodeled in 2000.
“I had a vision about what we wanted to do and she took off with it. She did a wonderful job,” Mike said. Aside from the mural, much of the décor is the brainchild of Mike’s wife. Her goal was to give people fun things to look at while they dined.
Combine the delicious menu with Mike’s customer service philosophy and his staff’s hospitality and Paul’s Pancake Parlor is guaranteed to be a favorite in the Missoula community for years to come. “We really care about the community and our customers,” said Mike. “We actually do care and we care what our customers think about us.”
