50 Best American Restaurants near South Pasadena

“I’ve been going to Towhey’s for over 20 years. I love their breakfast. I love their cheeseburgers. My daughter Micaela used to be a hostess in Alhambra. It’s one of my favorite go to restaurants. I love sitting at the bar. Also when they’re busy it’s a fun place to have dinner.“

“Love the food love the place always delicious 🥘“

“my best... PATTY MELT WITH FRIES OR THE RIB EYE STEAK MEAL!! GREAT SERVICE! and the boys like it too !“

“Came here for breakfast and the food was delicious especially the lemon pancakes ! It is a little pricey, but the food tastes great and fresh. They have beautiful outdoor and indoor seating and when I went it was not busy so it was nice to enjoy the outdoor seating. The service was good nothing that stood out, but also nothing to complain about. The food came out fast after we ordered.“

“The Avocado Toast is my favorite“

“Nice golf course especially for beginners. They 18 holes of par 3’s and driving range.“

“First time going with my daughter. I love it. Fresh bread and the food absolutely fresh I got in love this place ❤️❤️❤️❤️“

“CASH ONLY. Neighborhood gem. Inside has a cool old school, slightly divey vibe. Plenty of booth tables for seating. A couple TVs over the bar to watch a game. They have a great happy hour Mon-Thurs Open-9p Fri-Sun Open-6p. $4 wells and beers! Probably one of best happy hour deals you can find nowadays. The food specials are pretty good too. It's a good place for groups to hang and have a few drinks. They have live music on some nights and other events like an open mic night on Wednesdays.

Service was good. Friendly staff. There's a small lot on the side or there's street parking.“

“One of the best meals that I have had!“

“After our Altadena house burned down, we relocated to Barker Block and absolutely love being so close to Manuela. We used to have a fire table like yours, so dining here always carries a sense of home. Last night we brought friends, and they said, ‘This makes it hard to go out to eat in Monrovia—our restaurants cut corners with cheap ingredients and fast turnover.’ What your chefs create is the opposite: dishes with not just incredible flavor but extraordinary texture and detail. Their expertise is off the charts, and I highly recommend.“

“The chicken and the customer service are so good, I was getting cucked by one of the employees and I made sure to thank him before I left. Will be coming back ?“

“I recommend Botanica to everyone. They use fresh hand picked ingredients and the food is delicous! Their cocktails and desserts are so yum. I picked up some chile oil and pickled local veggies for gifts for my friends! Chef Zarah and the staff are best. Will definitely be returning soon.“

“Amazing food. Plate licking sauces, organic,locally sourced food. Korean fusion. Did I mention organic pickled everything. Enzyme rich food. Beyond healthy. Humble little hope in the wall run by a husband and wife team. Dude went to Korea to study with the most famous vegan nun chef in Korea. A must go to for anyone who loves food and especially loves fusion with organic and very well priced. He should charge Much more but they don’t.“

“While looking for a new place to have dinner with friends, I stumbled upon Girl & the Goat. They had great online reviews, so we decided to give it a try. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was fantastic, and the service was impeccable. The roasted oysters were so good that I even ordered a second helping.🥳🥳“

“Breakfast goals achieved! Generous portions, delicious homemade biscuits, and an omelette that could serve two. Friendly staff made it even better. My favorite meal done right 💕☕“

“櫃檯服務人員讚啦！態度非常友善！“

“I really want to give it five stars and I may come again in the future. The food is great, to be honest, the pork shoulder and mushroom rice is enough.“

“Such Wonderful atmosphere, food and coffee! 💖🎉🥳 They also have a super sweet display of gourmet treats!!! 🤩“

“Ordered the off-menu Pomodoro pasta and it did not disappoint. The tomato and petit basil sauce was bright, fresh, and perfectly balanced. The wax beans were a standout - snappy and bright with serrano chile, toasted hazelnuts, and a tangy Frenchie vinaigrette. The garden lettuces were crisp and well dressed with radish vinaigrette, fresh dill, walnuts, and shallots. Good vibe, happy staff, great mix of flavors. The orange wine pairing tied it all together. Highly recommend Updated from previous review on 2026-03-29“

“很差，炸到燶的雞翼。“

“Amazing, always come here before the Kings games!“

“TRY THE SALMON DISH!!!!!!

Everything was really well done and very flavorful. Super thoughtful and unique, and the service was great!! Ray was wonderful and professional. The space was quaint and romantic, lovely date energy. Lots of ingredients put together that you wouldn’t usually expect, as in we had to google a few things, and that creativity is what made the experience a bit fun and exciting as well as romantic and classy :)“

“Best food in town and sports merchandise“

“A good pizza, some bread, and a beer all a guy wants! 🍕🍺 There were so many beer options that I honestly didn’t know what to get, but luckily I went with my West Coast and I was good afterward.Love this place! I’ve been coming here for the past couple of years, and it hasn’t changed. Same great quality, same good food. Definitely one of my favorite spots!“

“The food is always exquisitely delicious and Dave and Rick and Francisco, Carlos, Rueben and CLyde always make you feel welcome.“

“Fantastic service. The specialties and house signature food and drink are fabulous. I had the braised short rib and the house dirty martini. Delicious. Also please try the truffle deviled eggs, Brussels sprouts and truffle fries. Love 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.“

“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“

“My favorite breakfast place when we visit DTLA. The atmosphere is excellent and it’s next to my favorite bar.“

“Delicious! Really interesting and tasty food.“

“Visited Bistro 45 for the first time tonight to celebrate my husband and my 15th anniversary after reading positive reviews. The food and service were exceptional. Every dish was cooked perfection and was super flavorful. The gazpacho was so complex and delicious. The calamari was so tender with the most unctuous spicy tomato ragu. My chicken and my husband’s pasta were both stunning. And the pineapple upside down tart with coconut gelato was unbelievably good. They made a special presentation of our dessert to celebrate our anniversary too. Our waiter was funny and attentive, and the owner made a personal visit to our table at least twice. This was possibly one of the best meals my husband and I have had in years. We cannot wait to return.“

“Last Friday, we celebrated our 10-year anniversary, and it was truly the best restaurant experience I had in a long time.

The food was delicious, and the scenery was relaxing—even the hummingbirds seemed perfectly in harmony with the beautiful surroundings.

What made the experience especially memorable was the exceptional hospitality. The acting manager last Friday, Julio (if I remember correctly), was outstanding. The way we were welcomed and cared for made us feel genuinely valued and special.

Thank you for helping create such a wonderful anniversary memory.“

“Nick’s in Pasadena is definitely a hot spot for a reason. From the moment we arrived, the energy was great, busy but not overwhelming, and the vibe was lively without being too loud. Even with how popular it was, our wait time was minimal and we were seated fairly quickly, which was a great start to the experience. Customer service was truly top tier. The staff was attentive, friendly, and made sure we were taken care of throughout the entire meal. Our drinks, appetizers, and entrees came out surprisingly fast, especially for how packed the restaurant was. Everything was timed perfectly, no long gaps and no feeling rushed. The food was absolutely delicious and beautifully presented. From the fresh seafood and crispy fried chicken to the flavorful appetizers and perfectly crafted drinks, everything hit the mark. You can tell a lot of care goes into both the quality and consistency of the dishes. Every plate we tried was seasoned well, fresh, and full of flavor. Another thing that stood out was how clean and well maintained everything was, including the bathrooms, which always says a lot about a restaurant’s standards. We ordered the meatloaf, buttermilk fried chicken, and Chilean sea bass, and every entrée was cooked to perfection and full of flavor. The meatloaf was hearty and comforting, the buttermilk fried chicken was crispy, juicy, and topped with a rich, flavorful sauce, and the Chilean sea bass was perfectly pan seared, tender, and buttery. For appetizers, we had the deviled eggs and crispy rice with spicy tuna, and both were a hit. The deviled eggs were creamy and well seasoned, and the crispy rice with spicy tuna was fresh, flavorful, and the perfect balance of crispy and savory. Everything we tried was absolutely delicious and worth ordering again. Overall, Nick’s delivers on atmosphere, service, and food. It’s the kind of place you can go for a date night, celebration, or just a great meal with friends. We had an amazing experience and will definitely be back. Highly recommend if you’re in Pasadena and looking for a great dining spot.“

“Delicious !! Enjoyed the East Los atmosphere..😋💞“

“Stumbled upon this place after googling Cajun food in Pasadena. Looked good so I went in. Food was great. They are not breaking new ground on unexplored culinary territory or anything, it’s southern, but it’s done well, quite well actually. Everything had loads of flavour, the fried chicken was salty and wonderful. The bbq shrimp was pumped up with creole seasoning. The angel biscuit was a nice and fluffy biscuit, pretty good, but I found myself wishing it was as served with some honey butter or some sweet element. Salty honey butter would be great. Oh and great prices on the food too.

The service was fine, friendly, attentive, etc.
the restaurant was very bustling too, I swear everyone in there was yelling, made it quite hard to talk to the people I was in town seeing. But oh well. You can talk after.

Looking forward to what this team does going forward“

“Popped in here on vibes and proximity to the ups store where I was returning some things and I will BE BACK! I was blessed with happy hour and indulged in their grilled cheese which comes with tomato soup and a glass of wine, both delightful. I'll definitely be returning for a proper dinner date.“

“Try to stop by every time we stay in Glendale. Good food and very reasonable prices. Service is beyond excellent.“

“Coconut beef adobo and cornbread bibingka are outstanding!“

“This was a very wonderful and delicious surprise. I did not expect a Restaurant with such outstanding food and service to be by the LA river. The Riverview was a fun experience. I'm a native born Angelina and I never thought our river would look like any more than a cemented stream. The service was great. The servers were friendly and helpful. The food was out of this world and a very, very unique menu I truly enjoyed myself. I will recommend this to everybody as a unique find.“

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

“Absolutely love their food!“

“get the Hash! and some pie“

“Hello This is a good news/bad news review. We frequent Only Place quite often. We probably average about 3 times a month. But it's not unusual to go a couple times in a week. Your food and serving staff are excellent. Among our favorites are Whitney, Bronwyn, Hanna, Jose to name a few. Whitney is especially great! Now the bad news. We were in last Friday and were shocked with the unexpected bright lighting. It was uncomfortably bright. Nobody needs that much light!! And considering the average age of your customers it's even more important to keep the lighting flattering. We had to move from our booth because it was so disconcerting. Please please please change the bulbs in the overhead lights. If you have to squint to see the bulb it's TOO bright. We loved the family atmosphere of Only Place. The new lighting level ruins the atmosphere. We're begging you please return to the previous pleasing level. Thank you“

“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!“

“The staff is great and friendly. The food is delicious!“

“Magnífico lugar para comer!! Excelente servicio Jessica, Jessenia y todos los que trabajan son grandiosos.“

“Great food Great place Definitely will return“

“I had a great breakfast at Jacks and Joe’s. The bacon, sausage, spam and eggs were cooked just right, the French toast with strawberries and nutella was delicious, and even the hash browns nice a crispy and the mango and pineapple juice smoothie hit the spot. Friendly quick service. Recommended.“

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

“THE SEA BASS, WAS AN EXCELLENT CHOICE. MASH POTATO WAS YUMMY. FISH WAS REALLY A GOOD CHOICE...ON THE SOUP IT WAS JUST CLAM CHOWDER SOUP WITH PANCETTA (PORK). WELL I CANNOT EAT THIS PORK SOUP. NO OTHER CHOICES? IT WAS JUST SAD FOR THE SOUP.“