I Tried And Ranked 8 Omelets From IHOP. These Were The Absolute Best

IHOP is known for its fluffy pancakes — I mean, it's literally part of its name (International House of Pancakes). At Tasting Table, we've eaten our way through the chain's pancakes (the Mexican Tres Leches one ranked at the top, by the way), but not much else. So, I figured it was time to nibble on the selection of eggy omelets. My IHOP in the San Diego area has eight specific omelets on the menu, and I ordered one of each. Although there's a Build Your Own Omelette option, I skipped that because it wasn't a set product; however, this might be the way to go if you know what you want in your meal.

After eating one of everything, I can safely say some are better than others. I judged the egg dishes based on flavor, whether I could taste the advertised add-ins, and I also considered the texture of said ingredients. While nothing was bad, a few options delivered superior flavors and textures that enticed me to take more bites. I brought my family to try out the dishes and may sprinkle them in for added context about particular omelets, but the final ranking is based on my opinion. By the end, it was clear which were the top three based on how much was egg-tually devoured. Let's dig in and see which takes first place.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

The Veggie Egg White Omelette is made with cage-free egg whites as the base, and then it has sauteed veggies like mushrooms, spinach, and onions. There are some roasted cherry tomatoes tossed in there, and it's all topped with sliced avocado. This dish is perfectly cooked, colorful, and veg-heavy, and it may be a good option if you're trying to reduce your calorie intake while eating out. It has the least amount of calories out of all the omelets, and simultaneously, the least amount of flavor. Spinach and roasted tomatoes don't fare very well in the ranking of popular omelet fillings, and that translates into this dish. While the veggies bring some savory touches — particularly sauteed mushrooms — and a touch of texture, the egg whites lack body and structure we found in other omelets. 

That's not really an IHOP problem, though; that's just the nature of egg whites. I like how loaded the dish is with vegetables, but it's half the size compared to other omelets — again, an egg-white issue. The egg white omelet may be great if you want something slightly lighter, but it's a little boring in terms of flavor compared to other items. Despite its smaller size, this omelet was eaten the least by my whole group.

Although this may have the second-to-last place position, I enjoyed the Spinach and Mushroom Omelette considerably more than the egg white one. This creation has a lot of the same veggies — sauteed spinach, mushrooms, and onions — but this time it has diced tomato instead of roasted whole cherry tomatoes, a creamy Hollandaise sauce, and a cheesy combo of cheddar and Jack. This omelet is visually more appealing and plump, with veggies filling it from the inside out, and the egg portion is much more substantial. The mushrooms are meaty and hearty without being slimy, while the spinach adds freshness without being overcooked.

The cheeses and Hollandaise sauce also provide a richer mouthfeel that makes this considerably more flavorful and interesting. The egg yolks don't hurt either. It's not lost on me that the bottom two omelets are meat-free, but ultimately, I found that the respective meat in each omelet added a lot of flavor and textural dimension that vegetables alone couldn't provide. I would say, though, that this is a respectable vegetarian option if you don't want or eat meat.

Steak and eggs is an epic combination, so it's no marvel that IHOP decided to put this meaty favorite in one of its omelets. But steak and eggs can be a risky restaurant choice because of questionable quality. Visually, the Big Steak Omelette stays true to its name — it's large and hefty. It contains pieces of steak throughout to offer meaty substance. The hash browns are a unique and successful addition that I'd like to see more restaurants include in their omelets. It also has green bell peppers, and then IHOP's famous trio of mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes that we've seen in the past two dishes.

I really favored the hash brown element, while the cheddar provided some creaminess. The salsa, served on the side, tastes more like chopped tomatoes than anything, but it brings a fresh, cool component to the meal. Some pieces of steak are tasty and easy to bite into — which gives the omelet a slightly higher ranking than the spinach and mushroom one — while others are chewy. This textural blend left me wiping my mouth with my paper napkin as demurely as possible to dispose of the gristle. If it weren't for the random funky chunks, this would have ranked just above the next omelet.

The Bacon Temptation is ideal for those who like bacon, tomatoes, and cheese, as that's all that comes on it, save for a white cheese sauce. For something that is supposed to be all bacon-ed up, this didn't have much of the pork-based product as I'd expect. I even wrote in my initial notes that I was missing bacon in this one. The bacon is supposed to be inside as well as on top, and while some is hidden within the confines of the rolled omelet, I thought there would be a bit more as part of the garnish. 

The cheese and the cheesy sauce offer richness that works well with the salty bacon, while the freshly diced tomato gives it levity, so it doesn't feel all too heavy. This pick is good if you want some classic flavors, with minimal add-ins. It's not the most creative of the egg options, but it's well-executed for the most part. The bacon is nicely cooked and offers a small yet crunchy bite that sets it apart from previous omelets. I prefer the texture of the bacon, which gives it the lead over the Big Steak Omelette.

As the only poultry-based option on the omelet menu, the Chicken Fajita stands out from the beef and pork pack. This egg dish has grilled chicken breast as its protein, as well as red bell peppers, poblano pepper, and roasted onions. It also comes with a side of salsa and sour cream — a liberal amount of the latter, I might add. The chicken is cubed and has a great texture. I get grossed out by chicken pretty frequently because the texture can be woody, fibrous, or overcooked. It's a game of statistics at this point, but I can deem IHOP's chicken perfectly edible. 

The grilled aspect gives the chicken a flavor burst that makes this taste high-quality, and the flavor grows stronger as you bite into it. It's one of my favorite ways to cook chicken, and IHOP nails it here. The dish is deliciously cheesy and full of wonderful veggies and chicken. I'd be happy to order this again when (and if) I'm in the mood for chicken, which isn't all too often for breakfast time. However, everything about this omelet works and is nicely presented. If you're a big poultry proponent, then you should make this your primary omelet.

So, we've reached a point where each person in my party had the omelet as their ultimate favorite or in their top three. Given that this is my ranking, we're going with my final verdict, but just throwing it out there that the rest of the picks are well-received by various age groups. The Cheeseburger Omelette is exactly that — a cheeseburger in omelet form. I've made a cheeseburger salad, so I was intrigued by this egg-forward iteration. You get black Angus beef and a cheese trio — American, cheddar, and Jack — as your cheeseburger foundation. Then it's loaded with diced onions, tomatoes, and pickles, and even has hash browns inside to give you that fries-like aspect, but it still keeps it breakfast adjacent. You get a heavy drizzle of ketchup and mustard to ensure that you get condiments with each bite.

The cheeseburger plate has all the essentials of a burger, and somehow it works better than I expected. The pickles add a tangy punch while the tomato gives some juicy freshness. Angus beef is fantastic and easy to eat, without any graininess or dryness. This is the perfect brunch when you can't decide between ordering from the breakfast or lunch menu. We said that the flavors reminded us of In-N-Out. The hefty amount of toppings, excellent textures, and variety of flavors give the Cheeseburger Omelette the highest spot so far.

Unlike every other omelet, IHOP's Colorado Omelette doesn't really give away any information on what's within its egg base. If I were to rename it, it would easily be deemed the Meat Lover's Omelette for clarity. This hefty creation has four kinds of meat: bacon, shredded beef, fragments of pork sausage links, and small pieces of cubed ham. This medley creates an epic range of textures that gets even more richness from cheddar. Sometimes you get one meat in a bite, and sometimes multiple. It makes for a divine surprise and is all part of what makes this omelet so incredible. 

I love the sausage as it creates a breakfast vibe that the other options didn't have. But the shredded beef is a surprise and a delight that makes this meal shine. It's juicy and delicately breaks apart in your mouth. There's some green peppers and onions to offer a lighter quality to the meat, and you can always pour salsa to brighten things up. The biggest caveat is that you have to be a fan of all four meats; otherwise, what's the point? I'd love a smidge more peppers, maybe some red ones too, to better balance the meat. But as a whole, this is my clear second-place winner.

At the top of my list is the aptly named Spicy Poblano Omelette. This isn't made with mere chopped peppers. Instead, you'll get fire-roasted poblano peppers, which creates an unbeatable flavor that none of the other omelets could compete with. There are also red bell peppers, onions, and shredded beef. Then we have cheddar and Jack cheeses, poblano cream, and perfectly sliced avocado to give a creamy uplift. The omelet is topped with chopped serrano peppers for added heat. And I must say, this omelet hits where the Colorado one lacks. It has the fresh and invigorating factor with the two types of peppers, as well as chopped spicy serranos. Once again, I appreciate the succulent shredded beef, which brings such a unique flavor and consistency to the omelet. I want more omelets with shredded beef! 

While it seems like there's a lot going on, everything is part of a whole — think of it like a burrito that's stuffed with all the mouth-watering elements. The poblano cream and avocado melt in your mouth, and I just want to go back to IHOP to order the dish again after writing this and reminiscing about it. If you want a rich omelet that still has equilibrium to bring it back down from being too heavy, then the Spicy Poblano Omelette is the clear choice.

I visited my local San Diego IHOP to try every omelet on the menu, of which there were eight. Your local joint may have a different number and even different options, something I discovered when doing research for this ranking. I ordered all the omelets and received them in one giant feast on my table. All dishes were tried in one morning, one right after the other. I jotted down my notes, took photos, and sampled them each at least a couple of times to gather my thoughts.

I judged the ranking mainly based on flavor — how they tasted and if they rang true to the advertised ingredients. Sometimes the texture of the meat played a role; if it was too chewy or unpleasant, it didn't rank as high as something juicy and easy to bite into. Omelets come with your choice of a side, but I did not factor those in nor include them whatsoever in this ranking. 

I visited with my family (three adults, including myself, one pre-teen, and one toddler). Everyone except the toddler, who can't articulate opinions all that clearly, agreed on the three highest-ranked omelets — albeit we had them in different orders. Although I wrote my ranking based on my opinion alone, I say this to give you context and confidence that the top three are all worthy contenders that may vary based on your personal taste. I may also have included family context when relevant to give a certain omelet more background.