What a hidden gem! This small quaint restaurant delivered some of the best food we had while visiting Pasadena. The flavors in the sauce (basil, olive oil and something else yummy) that surrounded the burrata were absolutely delicious! The lamb/beef/pork bolognese sauce on the spaghetti as well as the duck was excellent. Portions are definitely generous and shareable. Our only regret is we didn’t save room for dessert! Despite being there during the Rose Bowl with lots of people, the service was excellent! So glad we stumbled upon this restaurant via Resy, we’ve saved it in case we come to Pasadena again!! Bravo!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Olivia Tartaglia
We were coming into town for the Rose Bowl game (Jan 1st). I made a reservation the day before for 6pm. We made it about 10 minutes early, was able to be sat immediately. While they were slammed from Rose Bowl or New Years dinners - the staff handled it amazingly! Beyond kind employees and very insightful with their knowledge of the menu. We ordered two glasses of wine, the tuna tartare, the lamb sirloin steak, the bolognese and the pudding dessert. While the Tuna tartare wasn’t our favorite (probably due to our taste palette!) everything else incredible! It’s exactly what we needed after a long day at the game and was very tasty! The service was incredibly fast, as we finished our meal within 45 minutes - but didn’t feel rushed to just get out after we finished our meals. Will definitely be coming back when we are in town.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Starr Alert
Amazing food and good portion sizes. When you go to fancy places like this with beautiful expensive dishes you get tiny little portions but not this place. The price is so worth the quality and amount. Good service, small place, I reccomend a reservation or luck out on a slow night. I will be dreaming about that duck tonight 😋
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
J. E. Marca
Great appetizers, great catch of the day, service was great. But … but my pasta bolognese was terrible—mushy gloopy noodles, too salty, tasted like cheese??? Somewhat reminiscent of the lasagna special at a diner. I nibbled at it. The server asked if I liked it, I said no, it was bad. Desserts were mid..pecan pie with stodgy crust and apple thing with puffless puff pastry. Worth a revisit maybe.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
914WYH
It was one of THE BEST. We had the persimmon and berreta, duck breast and dessert for apple pie which was highly recommended by the sous chef. Other than the sauce of duck was on the salty side, the rest of meal was top the notch. We had 3 drinks of each of two of us (6 total), the selection was pleasant and safe. Def a place to be considered to return again. Yay!
********** We revisited after a week, and the experience completely threw us off — we almost walked right back out.
We ordered the Caesar salad, mussel soup, and pumpkin risotto, and every single dish was overwhelmingly salty. The salad was the most shocking; we actually had to ask for an extra bowl and rinse the greens with drinking water just to make it edible. We informed the manager, who said she would let the chef know, but unfortunately the food remained so salty that it numbed our taste buds. Because of that, we decided not to proceed with any entrées or desserts.
Compared to our first visit — when we enjoyed six glasses of alcoholic grape juice — this second experience was the complete opposite.
Truly disappointing and downright horrible.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Grace Chi
Met up at Holy Saints for a belated birthday meal with friend. I made a reservation online but since it was early for dinner, there was no rush and no long wait.
Friend and I split a couple of items: the barnyard spaghetti bolognese ($39), Grandma's creamy corn risotto ($34) with a $5 upcharge for prosciutto, and Underwood farms strawberries shortcake ($13). All are solid choices! I was craving risotto and Holy Saints' version definitely hit the spot.
There's limited seating so I can see how it can be tough getting a table during rush time. Do the reservations if you can. I found street parking and paid via text, which allowed me to see if I needed to add more time. There's also some parking structures nearby for a nominal fee.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
rebecca wickens
Updating review based on my latest visit to this magical place. If I ever do something stupid in the wrong state and end up on death row, my last meal will be the spaghetti from Holy Saints.
SPAGHETTI IS BETTER THAN THE SPAGHETTI AT UNION. Reminds me of an NYC restaurant - really nice, low key and GREAT food. Very comfortable. The server was a total dork - super nice, unpretentious and funny, asked me if I trust her twenty seconds after we met (I bet she plays Tetris). The music had no F’s left to give in the best way possible - definitely heard some Jefferson Starship in there and one of those songs that could be Chicago or REO Speedwagon. Will come back 1000 times - so glad this place exists.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Aimee Wilkins
@holysaintsbistro is a gem in the wall. The quality of food coming out of their cozy, small kitchen is superb. Kudos to the chefs behind the line. I had the duck breast and lamb steak, and both were spectacular. The sauce the lamb was served with gave it just the slightest edge over the duck.
The only item that did not impress was the yellowfin tuna appetizer. It was smothered in seasoning that diminished any flavor of the fish and completely overpowered it.
Besides that, my dinner was exquisite.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Joel Haugen
Coming back to add a review for this gem a few months after visiting, after several other recent dining experiences fell short. We stumbled upon this place after having a reservation mishap at another restaurant nearby. Holy Saints saved the night. Still the best food I've had so far in 2025, great service, and quaint atmosphere. Outstanding experience all around. Can't wait to return next time in in the area!
Karen Gines
All the food was delicious. Service was excellent! Our server was so kind, courteous and patient with us. Great experience. Will definitely come back!
We sampled the Cacio e Pepe risotto along with the bolognese and short rib. It was so delicious. The wait staff and chefs were very friendly. Well worth dining out when you get to eat a meal as delicious and well prepared as that.
carla radka
Last night my husband and I went to Holy Saints with some dear friends and our beautiful chocolate lab Sierra aka Baby Girl And Holy Cow it was phenomenal! We enjoyed every morsel. Every bite of food was a delight. I would say my favorite was the sea bass it had a panoply of flavors. The sea bass was so tender it melts in your mouth. Another favorite was the apple pie. The crust was so flakey and the apples were cooked to perfection with the just the right amount of sweetness accompanied with a dollop of the most perfect whipped cream I’ve ever had. Holy Saints had a nice wine list with wines from Italy, Spain and some local wines. Now for the service and staff. The staff and service were beyond welcoming and friendly. This was our first time and absolutely it won’t be our last. Our server Juan was outstanding as always since we have had the pleasure of meeting him before at another fine establishment. Now last but not least, the beautiful owner Stephanie who so beautiful inside and out made us feel so welcome and she even allowed us to order food for Baby Girl, nothing but the best for Baby Girl. None of this amazing night could have happened if it were not for the “Rock Star Chef Danial!” Danial’s food was superb in every way. The food was scrumptious and had a plethora of flavors with a bit of spice. We loved loved this restaurant! This is the Holy Grail of restaurants!
Shigeyuki A
It's a bistro. The owner/chef was probably cooking the food, and we were greeted friendly. Enjoy with wine.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
soni
Really fabulous experience. We were visiting and stumbled upon this place by accident because the smell caught our nose. Service was great, and the chef was excellent and kind. He does a rotating menu based on the seasons so ingredients are seasonal and very fresh. The dishes were refreshing, flavorful, interesting and not too heavy. We ordered the waldorf salad, grilled sourdough (so good), tuna crudo, aguachile, and risotto (amazing). Wanted to try the griddle cake but they were out. Also you must get the strawberry shortcake for dessert if its in season, we ate it so quick and savored every bite. Thank you to the team at Holy Saints, we’ll be back!
Robert Duenas
Every dish I ordered had so much flavor! Everything was so unique that you’d likely not find anywhere else. I literally make the drive from Ventura county just to eat their speciality fries and salad. Highly recommend!
What a hidden gem! This small quaint restaurant delivered some of the best food we had while visiting Pasadena. The flavors in the sauce (basil, olive oil and something else yummy) that surrounded the burrata were absolutely delicious! The lamb/beef/pork bolognese sauce on the spaghetti as well as the duck was excellent. Portions are definitely generous and shareable. Our only regret is we didn’t save room for dessert! Despite being there during the Rose Bowl with lots of people, the service was excellent! So glad we stumbled upon this restaurant via Resy, we’ve saved it in case we come to Pasadena again!! Bravo!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We were coming into town for the Rose Bowl game (Jan 1st). I made a reservation the day before for 6pm. We made it about 10 minutes early, was able to be sat immediately. While they were slammed from Rose Bowl or New Years dinners - the staff handled it amazingly! Beyond kind employees and very insightful with their knowledge of the menu. We ordered two glasses of wine, the tuna tartare, the lamb sirloin steak, the bolognese and the pudding dessert. While the Tuna tartare wasn’t our favorite (probably due to our taste palette!) everything else incredible! It’s exactly what we needed after a long day at the game and was very tasty! The service was incredibly fast, as we finished our meal within 45 minutes - but didn’t feel rushed to just get out after we finished our meals. Will definitely be coming back when we are in town.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing food and good portion sizes. When you go to fancy places like this with beautiful expensive dishes you get tiny little portions but not this place. The price is so worth the quality and amount. Good service, small place, I reccomend a reservation or luck out on a slow night. I will be dreaming about that duck tonight 😋
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great appetizers, great catch of the day, service was great. But … but my pasta bolognese was terrible—mushy gloopy noodles, too salty, tasted like cheese??? Somewhat reminiscent of the lasagna special at a diner. I nibbled at it. The server asked if I liked it, I said no, it was bad. Desserts were mid..pecan pie with stodgy crust and apple thing with puffless puff pastry. Worth a revisit maybe.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
It was one of THE BEST. We had the persimmon and berreta, duck breast and dessert for apple pie which was highly recommended by the sous chef. Other than the sauce of duck was on the salty side, the rest of meal was top the notch. We had 3 drinks of each of two of us (6 total), the selection was pleasant and safe. Def a place to be considered to return again. Yay!
**********
We revisited after a week, and the experience completely threw us off — we almost walked right back out.
We ordered the Caesar salad, mussel soup, and pumpkin risotto, and every single dish was overwhelmingly salty. The salad was the most shocking; we actually had to ask for an extra bowl and rinse the greens with drinking water just to make it edible. We informed the manager, who said she would let the chef know, but unfortunately the food remained so salty that it numbed our taste buds. Because of that, we decided not to proceed with any entrées or desserts.
Compared to our first visit — when we enjoyed six glasses of alcoholic grape juice — this second experience was the complete opposite.
Truly disappointing and downright horrible.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Met up at Holy Saints for a belated birthday meal with friend. I made a reservation online but since it was early for dinner, there was no rush and no long wait.
Friend and I split a couple of items: the barnyard spaghetti bolognese ($39), Grandma's creamy corn risotto ($34) with a $5 upcharge for prosciutto, and Underwood farms strawberries shortcake ($13). All are solid choices! I was craving risotto and Holy Saints' version definitely hit the spot.
There's limited seating so I can see how it can be tough getting a table during rush time. Do the reservations if you can. I found street parking and paid via text, which allowed me to see if I needed to add more time. There's also some parking structures nearby for a nominal fee.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Updating review based on my latest visit to this magical place. If I ever do something stupid in the wrong state and end up on death row, my last meal will be the spaghetti from Holy Saints.
SPAGHETTI IS BETTER THAN THE SPAGHETTI AT UNION. Reminds me of an NYC restaurant - really nice, low key and GREAT food. Very comfortable. The server was a total dork - super nice, unpretentious and funny, asked me if I trust her twenty seconds after we met (I bet she plays Tetris). The music had no F’s left to give in the best way possible - definitely heard some Jefferson Starship in there and one of those songs that could be Chicago or REO Speedwagon. Will come back 1000 times - so glad this place exists.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
@holysaintsbistro is a gem in the wall. The quality of food coming out of their cozy, small kitchen is superb. Kudos to the chefs behind the line. I had the duck breast and lamb steak, and both were spectacular. The sauce the lamb was served with gave it just the slightest edge over the duck.
The only item that did not impress was the yellowfin tuna appetizer. It was smothered in seasoning that diminished any flavor of the fish and completely overpowered it.
Besides that, my dinner was exquisite.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Coming back to add a review for this gem a few months after visiting, after several other recent dining experiences fell short. We stumbled upon this place after having a reservation mishap at another restaurant nearby. Holy Saints saved the night. Still the best food I've had so far in 2025, great service, and quaint atmosphere. Outstanding experience all around. Can't wait to return next time in in the area!
All the food was delicious. Service was excellent! Our server was so kind, courteous and patient with us. Great experience. Will definitely come back!
Restaurantji Recommends
We sampled the Cacio e Pepe risotto along with the bolognese and short rib. It was so delicious. The wait staff and chefs were very friendly. Well worth dining out when you get to eat a meal as delicious and well prepared as that.
Last night my husband and I went to Holy Saints with some dear friends and our beautiful chocolate lab Sierra aka Baby Girl And Holy Cow it was phenomenal! We enjoyed every morsel. Every bite of food was a delight. I would say my favorite was the sea bass it had a panoply of flavors. The sea bass was so tender it melts in your mouth. Another favorite was the apple pie. The crust was so flakey and the apples were cooked to perfection with the just the right amount of sweetness accompanied with a dollop of the most
perfect whipped cream I’ve ever had. Holy Saints had a nice wine list with wines from Italy, Spain and some local wines. Now for the service and staff. The staff and service were beyond welcoming and friendly. This was our first time and absolutely it won’t be our last. Our server Juan
was outstanding as always since we have had the pleasure of meeting him before at another fine establishment. Now last but not least, the beautiful owner Stephanie who so beautiful inside and out made us feel so welcome and she even allowed us to order food for Baby Girl, nothing but the best for Baby Girl. None of this amazing night could have happened if it were not for the “Rock Star Chef Danial!” Danial’s food was superb in every way. The food was scrumptious and had a plethora of flavors with a bit of spice. We loved loved this restaurant! This is the Holy Grail of restaurants!
It's a bistro. The owner/chef was probably cooking the food, and we were greeted friendly. Enjoy with wine.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Really fabulous experience. We were visiting and stumbled upon this place by accident because the smell caught our nose. Service was great, and the chef was excellent and kind. He does a rotating menu based on the seasons so ingredients are seasonal and very fresh. The dishes were refreshing, flavorful, interesting and not too heavy. We ordered the waldorf salad, grilled sourdough (so good), tuna crudo, aguachile, and risotto (amazing). Wanted to try the griddle cake but they were out. Also you must get the strawberry shortcake for dessert if its in season, we ate it so quick and savored every bite. Thank you to the team at Holy Saints, we’ll be back!
Every dish I ordered had so much flavor! Everything was so unique that you’d likely not find anywhere else. I literally make the drive from Ventura county just to eat their speciality fries and salad. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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