Restaurants in South Pasadena

“The service here is outstanding, making for a lovely meal. The food, while very delicious, didn’t quite meet my high expectations for this restaurant. The interior, nice, but not the most refined. Overall a great meal, but just not quite worthy of highest praise.”

“Katsu Jin has the best katsu outside of Japan. The tenderloin katsu is made with a think cut of pork and fried to perfection. I try to get here once a month even though it is 45 minutes from my house. The gyoza are also fantastic! Can't recommend this place enough.”

“This was my second time dining here the first was about 10 years ago. It was changed alot from what I remember and changed for the better. The food was always tasty but the sauces were delicious especially the spicy BBQ outstanding. I got rib sliders on the happy hour menu only $9 really good stuff. But my favorite part of the meal was the brisket pozole soup out of this world. If you are in south Pasadena definitely hit this place up”

“Great Irish family owned establishment! Very busy for the special holiday. Food was yummy! Everybody was easy to talk to and get our orders straightened out. Kevin and his sister were very customer service oriented. Made you feel at home. You can tell they are family! Thanks guys!”

“Regular restaurant flair but the best Chinese seafood you will get in So CalVegetarian options: There are all veg dishes and you can certainly tell them to take out the meat”

“I like this location more than Little Tokyo due to distance and ease of parking. They both aren't that much different to each other, but there's a few differences. Parking: no seriously, you don't have to struggle to find parking here. They share a huge lot behind the plaza so parking is a breeze. No struggling to find a space when you're in DTLA Indoor seating isn't as big at the OG spot, but it doesn't feel as outdated and rundown. Food is pretty good here. The 3 hand roll set is enough to fill me up, but I was hungry and opted for 5. The unagi and the snow crab are pretty good. The reg hand rolls like the salmon and spicy tuna deserve an honorable mention. Portion sizes are fair and you get an equal rice:protein ratio. Service is good. Would return again”

“Such a joy! This shop is truly special. The house made almond milk is outstanding. Every pastry I tried + the almond butter toast was delicious. I was visiting from out-of-state to record some music nearby and Heath (a barista) learned my name on day 1. I visited 3x during my trip, and everyday I was welcomed by name and served with such kindness and sincerity. I had to leave with some merch (love the aesthetic)! I’m looking forward to the next time I’m near Los Angeles. Absolute gem.”

“Walked by it for years and only recently tried it. So good. Had a special of white asparagus soup which was delicious. I had their strip which was well prepared. Our server was lovely and great at directing us. Lovely little. Spot. Reservations are strongly recommended.”

“The food was so good! The service super friendly and kind. Weekends can get busy but weekdays are a perfect breakfast or brunch spot! Their Naranja bottle sauce is (medium hot) bursting with flavor!”

“Gluten-free folks...go, run, get yourself an awesome pizza! My husband and I each got a pizza and we were both impressed with quality of crust and quantity of toppings. We will definitely order from them again while in L.A.!Dietary restrictions: Gluten-free crust available”

“OVERALL EXPERIENCE: Quality of sushi is fresh!AMBIANCE: Casual. Noise level is average.DRESS CODE: CasualORDERED: Typically order sushi, chirashi, dinner combos, hand rolls. My family would come here often pre-pandemic. I noticed that the sushi rice on their chirashi wasn't as flavorful as before (there used to be more furikake, which I feel set them apart from other restaurants).SERVICE: Service was great!PRICE: ~ $25+ppPARKING: street parking, small lot next to Gus' BBQ, or in the back (off Hope St.) stars stars stars”

“Good food! Nice Tropical atmosphere. Good service.Parking: Large Parking Lot 100yds away.Parking next to restaurant is extremely limited.Wheelchair accessibility: Wheelchair access is good.”

“I have been coming here for years. The food has been upgraded recently and it was a little better than usual. I think it is a very good restaurant for breakfast. Enjoy.”

“Solid ramen spot in South Pasadena, great, attentive, chill service on a stormof a Sunday, served food nearly after I placed my order, reasonable prices for portions given, generous on your chashu pork & kimchi for kimchi ramen, appreciate they saved me from overeating & just took the small portion of food I wasn’t able to finish. Broth & noodles were warm with good texture on the noodles. Didn’t even ask for a tip, pleasant surprise beyond the meal before I took off. Ambiance is definitely relaxed and they maintain a clean restroom if you need to use it of course. -would give business again”

“My parents came to visit and wanted to eat at Twoheys multiple times over the weekend. I feel like that's saying enough. The food is always delicious. The service is excellent. I'm always happy to eat here.”

“One of our friend of our recommended us to try French pastry bakery in South Pasadena called Berry Opera. This our first at this Bakery we were fascinating this incredible pastry inspired it's true roots in France the best place for these incredible pastry. They were so variety of pastrys it was hard to choose we decided to get a lemon tart and fruit tart and also mimi lemon tart.”

“Love the ambience. Service was wonderful, great hospitality. The salmon kabob, chicken tiki masala, samosa, and garlic naan were delicious! Looking forward to visiting soon! I definitely recommend trying Radhika.”

“Jones Coffee Roasters (est 1993) is a family run coffee company in South Pasadena. This coffee shop is a two story building with brick exposed interior/exterior walls. Their atmosphere has a cool vibe, staff were competent and professional and drinks are reasonably priced. They have a compendious selection of coffee from blends to seasonal to decafs. Similarly, they have teas, mugs, and merch for sale. They have plenty of indoor and outdoor seats.I have known this cafe for years but never really had the chance until now. I ordered a Cafe Au Lait (M) x whole milk. It was brewed great! Overall, I enjoyed my coffee and service. I’d definitely come back. I highly recommend them.”

“A lovely cafe with the sweetest staff ever. These ladies are so friendly and attentive! Very cute with a decent amount of indoor and outdoor patio seating. Parking can be a bit hard to find, there are some lots and street spaces nearby. There’s a bathroom outside too, just ask staff for the door code. Decent prices and decent food. The quiche of the day was flavorful with great texture, and the Spanish latte was excellent. Would recommend and definitely go back”

“They only have take out but it's my go-to cake place. Their cakes are the Asian moderate sweetness instead of the overly sweet western desserts you usually find around the area. Tried a variety of theirs from strawberry shortcake to cream puffs to roll cakes to tiramisu to fruit tarted etc. and got to say I enjoyed all of them! Personal fav is definitely the apple tarte.”

“Lost Parrot Cafe in Pasadena exceeded all my expectations. The staff greeted me warmly and the cozy ambiance made it the perfect place to enjoy a cup of coffee. The beverages were exceptional and the menu offered delicious breakfast options. The outstanding service and inviting atmosphere make it deserving of a five-star rating. I will definitely be returning for more memorable experiences.”

“Loved the food! Tasteful texture of katsu. Shrimps were very fresh and bouncy. Probably it must have been a while after delivery but still fried rice hasn’t become sticky and smelled nice. Their sauce was top notch level. Amazing.”

“Decent food in Pasadena, a bit overpriced for what you get. The Baja tacos were pretty good. We sat outside, which was nice. Staff was friendly but service was slow when we went and they never came back to fill our waters.”

“The place is small and simple The owner has stuff on other tables so it's only a few sit down tables available The food is delicious! Lobster pasta and crab pasta and clam pasta and salmon pasta. The salad and fish my mom orders We've taken all relatives to eat here and everyone loves it here ! Plus we know the owner!!”

“I showed up at 2pm. The owner was willing to make us a custom flavor ice cream cake in less than 3 hours. I haven't been here since the lockdown. This cake was delish.”

“My friend and I visited the establishment around 1:30 pm on Saturday, and it was not busy at all (pleasantly surprised!) As we had already eaten lunch, we picked up desserts and ate them outside. There are a few tables outside if you prefer Al fresco. I have been to other locations but I like this one. The staff members were very friendly, and I will definitely come back when I am in the area.”

“You should definitely go here! I got the ham and cheese croissant and the chocolate croissant. Both were amazing. I also came in with a big group and the workers were super nice and fast.”

“I have been wanting to have lunch at this cute little cafe for a while. I couldn't wait to try the roasted chicken sandwich to see if it tasted half as good as it looked in the pictures. It was next level delicious! The bread was outstanding, the chicken was so tender and flavorful, and the burrata and pesto were perfect additions. The portion was generous with the highest quality ingredients. I am looking forward to coming back and trying another sandwich, but it might be hard not to order the roasted chicken again as it is now my new favorite sandwich ever!”

“This place is an amazing sushi restaurant the music was lively and the Old man was so sweet. I ordered the catapiler roll and the Philadelphia roll. The atmosphere was great it smelled like the ocean. The seats were comfortable. This is a great place to come after swim practice. If the owner is reading this I want to say thank you for the food. It was delicious.”

“This will be the only poke salad place that always meets or exceeds my expectations. I have been to other poke places, but nothing compares the selection of their sauces/dressings. Ambiance is nice and cute and always clean. Service is mostly great I however encounter staff that seem "just too over it" like they don't like seeing people walk in. I get it. Probably too tired and just wanna get paid and go home.”

“I was a little hesitant to come based on mixed reviews but glad I did. Had a delicious take out meal for under $30. The only thing I didn't like was the meat, the pork slice in my shoyu ramen was too thick and tough for me. Otherwise the broth and egg were wonderful, I tried the spicy tuna with crispy rice appetizer and it did not disappoint. Iced matcha tea complimented the food perfectly with no need for sweetener. The food was a bit American-ized, but had great flavor. Can't wait to try the pork bun next time.”

“Came here Thursday afternoon after walking around farmer market. Not very busy, some students came here to study. I ordered Taro Milk Tea, the milk tea is alright, the boba is good.”

“Great fish tacos, generous portions and fresh ingredients. This is a long time favorite of mine. Lots of different items on the menu to choose from. Shrimp burrito is fantastic, a whole meal in a tortilla.”

“If you truly are wanting a great New York style Pizza in LA, go here for some 2 big slices and a drink when you get two slices. It's great and also has a cool beer station that's state of the art and one of a kind for the town of South Pasadena.Go get a slice and chill.”

“I think the ambiance of this place is what truly made me love it. It's beautiful, but simple. Although I found the menu to be limited in comparison to most restaurant, I think they have nailed it when it comes to flavor. I had the burger, a few bites, and practically the entire olive oil cake. It was a great night out.”

“Ordered the chicken pad thai lunch special. It comes with spring roll, rice and salad. Pretty weird, i thought, but okay. The salad was so nice. It's dressed with peanut-y salad and if i gotta eat salad for a whole month straight then this is the salad i'm looking for. Spring roll was fried to perfect crisp, but i'm not a fan of it's filling. It's some gooey batter or vegetable something? The pad thai is very nice. It's nutty and somehow tastes smoky, and kinda sweet. At first i thought this is sweeter than most thai places, but once i eat it with some rice, it all makes sense. They go very, very well together. The surprise to my tastebuds is kinda similar to when i found that mac & cheese goes very well with the sweetness of kalbi ribs. Portion is quite reflected by the price point; not generous, but you get your money's worth. The only weird thing is that they give you the bare minimum amount of condiments: just a tiny cup of chili sauce and a sachet of soy sauce. Even when i asked for a little bit of thai chillies on the side, they 'forgot' about it and after i inquire more finally they gave me a super tiny cup of chopped chilli in fish sauce and insisted that "this is the only thing we have."”

“This is my second time at The Munch Company and I adore it here. They play quiet and peaceful music and make a delicious sandwich! I particularly enjoy the fact you can pick your own bread. I don't think there is free wifi, so I just use my hotspot if I need to get some quick studying in. The service is great and the workers are so kind. I really recommend this place and the hot in the club sandwich if you want a good sandwich!”

“Great Starbucks branch. nicely cooled on a hot day. Drinks came out quick, and my acai refresher was perfect. Generally pretty quiet and peaceful. Would come back here to study and get work done. Staff were friendly as well.”

“Nice cafe to get a coffee at. Clean and the drinks came out good. They were understaffed the time I went in. Maybe CBTL can pay extra for the employees who are understaffed and doing more than 1 person’s work.Aside from that the coffee came out good, everything was clean. Parking was lot parking. I love the lattes.”

“Not sure why this coffee shop has low stars on here. I visited two days in a row because I had a great experience. Staff was very polite and the Vietnamese ice coffee was excellent! Great location and plenty of seating. Will be coming here often. If you decide to work/study here bring your electronics charged I didn't see very many outlets.”

“Located in South Pasadena, Nicole's is a French bistro and market stocked with a variety of French specialties and gourmet foods. The local gem has ample seating inside and out, shelves filled with an assortment of imported French goods and pantry items, a menu brimming with French cafe staples, and various desserts on display. After discussing the different desserts with the pastry chef, I ordered the croissant bread pudding, pecan tart, and blueberry raspberry struesal. The desserts were all rich and decadent - a little on the pricey side ($7.50 per pastry), but well worth it. ****************** My Ratings: 1 Star: Terrible; just thinking about it makes me angry. 2 Stars: Wasn't a fan so Not likely to return. 3 Stars: Meh. Average. Might return if others drag me. 4 Stars: Yum! Likely to return. 5 Stars: Amazing! Would plan my day around it.”

“These five stars belong to AARON. On multiple ocassions we have walked into this particular location, only to be greeted so incredibly warmly by Aaron. He is truly a stand out individual with a Hollywood smile. This location has been a hit or miss...depending on who is on shift. Last night, was a the hit team. Aaron at the front of the helm, with his teammates backing him up serving delicious burgers and fries! I will of course return and I hope the hit team will always be there!”

“Wonderful brunch venue. Delightful menu with lots of good vegetarian options. Attentive service. Great coffee. Priced as expected for good quality and service. Large portions!”

“A friend referred me to this place I tried the chicken fried rice which is one of my favorite dishes I got plenty of white meat chicken in the rice and it was topped off, filled the whole container I'd give this place six stars if I could. Also Tina is a real sweetheart! A week later I got chicken chow mein, and again it was packed in the container. Chicken fried rice twice and chicken chow mein once so far it is always been consistently great! I always tip her $3 to $5 dollars because of her generosity in filling the containers.”

“Ono opened relatively recently in South Pasadena, conveniently off the 110 fwy. It is a chain that specializes in fast casual Hawaiian food like chicken katsu and spam musubi. It is nice having a Hawaiian restaurant near the Pasadena area, though I wish they had my favorite Hawaiian food loco moco. I'm still trying to figure out what the island white fish is (tilapia, rockfish, etc), so if anyone knows feel free to lmk!”

“Michelle (Chucky) and Andrew are superstars in their customer service. I have visited many Starbucks from here to Switzerland by far they are the best at what they do. Especially since COVID good customer service is hard to come by. Thank you two for making my day a little brighter.”

“OVERALL EXPERIENCE: Great! Did a mobile order for p/u. Drinks were made as ordered.AMBIANCE: Not a lot of tables for indoor seating. Small outdoor patio seating.ORDERED:- Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha- Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte with Lavender Cream Cold Foamthe cold foam was a decent amount, compared to other Starbucks, where it was lacking.SERVICE: Didn't interact with anyone, but my order was correct and prompt!PARKING: The parking lot here is awful!”

“Wonderful service!! The workers over there are actually very nice and really friendly!! All the different kinds of their cookies, the cakes, macarons, coffees, and their teas are very delicious too! The store inside is pretty small, clean, and cute!! The menu prices are reasonable as well! I definitely will go back there again in South Pasadena when I get the chance to!! Five stars is exactly my total rating!! Thank you guys so much for everything!!!”

“My dear husband suggested we go to AI. The food was remarkablely delicious. Service was warm and welcoming. I had the shrimp tempura. Oh oh it was heavenly. Big butterfly shrimp. Yum. We ordered shumai fried that was new for us. Or for my husband who did not want to share. Also, appetizer shrimp roll. Hubby had ? He ate it so fast I can't remember. Price was fair for lunch $50.00 would have been 30.00 and we'd be full. Valentine's Day we splurged spent a bit more. Parking in Pasadena not impossible but rarely easy. We did park behind the restaurant. So boys and girls go eat there. It delightful. And leftovers too.Vegetarian options: Tempura vegetables. Rice, miso soup. I'm not sure what else.”

“Solid burger joint. I came in right before closing at 9:31pm and my food was ready within 5 minutes. Keep in mind I was the only customer in there and I was required to take the order to go. Ordered the bacon cheeseburger which was $7.98 ($8.80 after tax). Yes, it is a little pricey compared to other chain fast food places however the burger was well put together, generous amount of crispy bacon, burger not too messy and every time I took a bite I didn't want it to end. When you compare the price of the burger alone to other places as listed below, it's honestly not a bad deal. - In N Out off Atlantic: $5.65 before tax for Double Double - Lucky Boy Pasadena: $8.65 before tax for Bacon Burger Only knock on this place is the prices can get expensive for the combo. It costs $6.58 additional to upgrade from the entree to a combo (fries plus drink). In summary, I'll definitely be back to try other things on the menu :)”