The Phantom IHOP of Midtown West -- Grub Street: New York Magazine's Food and Restaurant Blog

This IHOP is not located in Midtown West, either.Photo: Getty Images

The coverage of the IHOP that may be coming to Times Square and is definitely coming to Brooklyn neglects to mention a great mystery. Search for IHOP in the Yahoo white pages (and on Citysearch and various other sites) and along with the one in Harlem you’ll find a listing on 240 W. 35th Street. We know this because we tried to go there once and instead of being greeted by a Rooty Tooty Fresh ’N Fruity we found, of all things, the International Food House and Buffet, an all-you-can-eat Latin spot where there’s salsa dancing at night.

(Google Maps also calls the location as an IHOP, even though the listing includes a photo of an International Food House sign. When we asked someone at IFHB whether the place used to be an IHOP, we were told, “Not even.” (IFHB’s Website describes it as a “longtime favorite.”) So how did this come to be? Was a white pages data-entry person hungover and craving chicken-fried steak when they entered the listing? Anyone who solves the mystery gets a Big Classic breakfast on us.

Earlier: New IHOP is Coming to Downtown, but Not All its New Neighbors are Thrilled [NYDN]
Is an IHOP in Store for Times Square? [Gothamist]