33 Best American Restaurants in Pasadena

“Fabulous chicken Sando!!! Absolutely delicious. Everyone is ALWAYS SO FRIENDLY. I try and go as often as I can. 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰“

“took a date there on a weeknight they let me get to my table early to put flowers on the table for m date. the food was great and the drinks were perfect would recommend this place“

“Angelenos have been debating this since time immemorial, so I’m happy to put it to rest: the best waffles in metro Los Angeles are at Russell’s in Pasadena. Also they validate parking. I can’t sit here and look you in the eye and tell you I value parking validation as much as I do delicious waffles, but middle age makes a confounding creature out of all of us and so here I am saying it’s darn close. Anyway, if you’re looking for waffles near old town, or if you’re somewhere else and have a reasonable means of transport to Old Town, or if you’re just sort of having this debate theoretically and have no practical waffle-procuring intentions, Russell’s is your spot.“

“The food has to be experienced!! It’s high-end in taste and presentation, and the staff are professional but so fun that you feel like you’re with family. They are attentive to detail and will bend over backwards to make sure you have what you need. Service with a smile; this company is pure joy!“

“This is a really neat historic spot, a craftsman home bulit in the 1800's in S. Pasadena repurposed into a restaurant. The vibe is cozy and welcoming. It's like your meeting with friends at someone's home but with professional service, where everyone can just relax and enjoy each other's company. My first visit was with a few girlfriends years ago for their happy hour which runs m-f, from 4-6pm. Since then I've come back for their brunch, and recently dinner. All visits have been memorable and exceptional all around.
They are known for their craft cocktails. My friend had to drink called Latina Medicina and substituted vodka for tequila. It was a citrusy, refreshing drink, beautifuly presented with a large square ice cube, which apparently takes 3 days to make. My husband had the Alien Pool Party cocktail, also refreshing and very fun! We had a lot of laughs with that one. So if you've never been here and are looking for something different, then I recommend you give him a try.“

“The asparagus fries. Crispy & not greasy. You can appreciate the asparagus flavor. We split the Thai spicy salad. It was spicy, but the Thai basil & the peanut dressing were the stars. It didn't need the chicken. The best was the ribeye melt. The meat was cooked perfectly.The sourdough was crusted with parmesan. With a side of horseradish that was perfectly paired for this sandwich.“

“I had a fantastic experience at Henry Parsons Project! The atmosphere was warm and inviting, the service was friendly and attentive, and everything felt thoughtfully put together. The food was delicious, fresh, and full of flavor. A great spot for a relaxing meal, and I’d definitely come back again!“

“Salad was tasty . I’ll be back to try burgers they looked amazing .“

“Always an amazing time here. Been coming to this location for years now. Service is second to none and food is delicious.“

“The food is amazing. I highly recommend this bistro.“

“I’ve been 3 times in the past 3 weeks. Service and food is fantastic! Highly recommend Smitty’s Grill.“

“Today 08/7/26, Pasadena location my-experience wasn’t that great for me. I ordered a pastrami with chili and cheese. Why was the chili giving to me on the side? I’m making a drive from Inglewood, Calif. to the location in Pasadena. I was kind of disappointed in my order. she couldn’t really understand my clear English when I was telling her my order. The second pastrami I just asked for mustard and pickles, and I didn’t want it dip. Why was it dipped? Most of the time when I go to the one in Montclair, My experience be good. The Hat, is a very cleaning environment. Common courtesy, The wait time under five minutes for my food & it comes out Hot. Everything came out on time. This is the family favorite tens across the board.“

“The restaurant is elegantly decorated and has a comfortable atmosphere“

“Great food and service. Loved the the rooftop dining!“

“Their Corned Beef sandwich and their Pastrami Sandwich...both DELICIOUS!!!!!“

“Terrific staff and innovative cuisine. Small local restaurant who worked hard to keep staff through the pandemic closures with delicious creative take out and who are keeping everyone safe by requiring proof of vaccination for indoor dining. Fresh creative food.“

“Very good food, and great cocktails. Wait staff was friendly and accommodating. We enjoyed our experience.“

“The best French food in LA. Chef is outstanding. Staff incredible. So yourself a favor. Go.“

“Breakfast tacos are a great option. Despite their seemingly small size, they are packed with flavor. Make sure to ask for hot sauce if you like an extra spicy kick. Tacos have a nice heat by themselves and are really flavorful. Highly recommended for breakfast. Sold in 2 or 4 option.“

“Holy Saints! was a fantastic experience! The atmosphere was welcoming, the food was delicious and flavorful, and the service was friendly and attentive. Everything came together perfectly for a memorable visit. I really enjoyed my time here and would definitely come back again. Highly recommended!“

“Great food and service! It always felt like home when dining here.“

“The Braised Beef and Mushrooms with Mashed Potatoes . Mashed potatoes were so creamy I could had eaten a whole bowl of it by itself but Beef and mushrooms Just took it to whole other level“

“Excellent food, great service and environment. Feels homey with gourmet cuisine. Consistently great, we come here about once a month. Drinks are excellent too. Thank you.“

“always great food. today a problem with the fish and chips. over cooked and dry“

“Dog, burgers, drinks and a Tuesday run club, what more do you need!“

“Dog, burgers, drinks and a Tuesday run club, what more do you need!“

“The North Course is one of those courses that is good for a novice to practice off the course, conditon medium level, no big obstacles, a ball can be played the whole way.“

“Excelente comida y atención“

“Delicious food & We love this place💞 We love this place for especial occasion with my family and friends & we always come back here. Fast order services and the employees are doing very good and friendly.“

“First of all I need to say I had a great meal. The burger was delicious! I was surprised how big the burger was too because I was expecting something small but it came with a knife and fork...(Tbh, I was like, naaah I don't need that but ended up using it to cut my burger into fourths haha).

Legit, I asked for medium and that burger was medium. Slightly salty fried but damn they were seasoned nicely. Cold beer glasses were a nice plus. They serve them in mugs just fyi.

I wanted to sit at the bar but it was full, they have TVs showing sports games, and as the hour passed the entire place started to fill in. This place is busy.

I must have arrived right before the rush, and my food came out in 10ish minutes, but even others food was coming out at a great pace.

Islands is a loud restaurant which is why I gave a 3 in atmosphere, but personally I like that! I like that I can hear my food being made, my servers chatting, guests filling in, 80s freestyle bumping, a birthday party popping off... Bring headphones if you prefer the quite. But despite the rumble I could chat with my server just fine.

Shout out to Karen H. (They gave my permission to use their name). Incredibly helpful and attentive. In fact the entire staff were. They guy who brought my food out even asked if I needed anything.

The place looked clean, smelled clean, and the silverware looked clean. The restroom was also clean/recently cleaned. Huge!

I will be back to try other items soon!“

“I love this place. Parking is really convenient and easy. The restaurant itself has a lot of space and some TV's with interesting kid friendly content. The service is always friendly, warm and welcoming. The food is really good and normally you can find some pretty good deals. My real review of the place is that I keep coming back to it on a very regular basis. Tom's is great!“

“First time here. I ordered the Steak chimichurri sandwich. It was delicious. Had lots of flavor. My kid had their pizza, and we're very happy with it as well. All in all it was good experience for my first time. Will definitely come back and try a different meal.“

“Had a great experience at The Blind Donkey. The burger was juicy, flavorful, and cooked perfectly, and the fries were crispy, well-seasoned, and some of the best I’ve had. The atmosphere was lively, the drinks were good, and the staff were friendly and attentive. Definitely a great spot for a casual night out.“