If it’s a sunny Sunday afternoon and...

If it’s a sunny Sunday afternoon and the weather is nice, don’t even try to get a table at Uncle Bill’s Pancake House in Manhattan Beach--unless you don’t mind waiting up to 40 minutes.

But fans of the wood-paneled diner, located just two blocks from the ocean in one of the oldest buildings in Manhattan Beach, insist that the wait is worth every minute.

“It’s just a friendly atmosphere,” said customer Craig Gasteiger, 47, of El Segundo. “There’s no social differences among the customers. Everybody gets along with everyone else. There’s no pretentiousness or hustle-bustle.”

The cozy horseshoe counter at the tiny, homey restaurant draws a devoted stream of regulars, many of whom have debated politics and current events together for 20 years.

“When we had the riots in April, the counter was a hotbed of conversation,” owner Matthew Van Amburgh said. “People talked about what’s going to happen, and (how we would) rebuild L.A. Any time there is a major event in the world, it’s spoken about in Uncle Bill’s counter section.”

Those not in the mood for conversation can bury themselves in one of the newspapers hanging from a rack near between the dining room and counter area. Coffee cups are kept full, and there’s never a rush to move customers out the door.

Van Amburgh, who was just a child when his father bought the restaurant in 1970, says the atmosphere is only part of the reason for the diner’s success: “Uncle Bill’s serves good food and it serves it with good service at reasonable prices.”

Pancakes, as the name suggests, are Uncle Bill’s specialty and there are six heaping versions, including blueberry, cinnamon apple and banana nut, that range in price from $2.50 to $3.50 a stack.

Other popular dishes include the Cheddar cheese and bacon waffle ($3.50), the guacamole and jack cheese omelet ($4.95) and a potato stroganoff served in a casserole dish with bacon bits, sour cream and melted cheese ($4).

A sign in the dining room lets customers know Uncle Bill’s cash register philosophy: “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash.”

Uncle Bill’s Pancake House, 1305 Highland Ave., Manhattan Beach. Open for breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday, Sunday and holidays, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (310) 545-5177.