Crackin' Kitchen brings a fun Cajun-Island vibe to Pasadena with seafood galore, tasty cocktails, and a lively, mural-decked dining space.
Chamber of Commerce Building, 115 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91103 Get directions
"Hawaiian highlight Crackin’ Kitchen is now on the scene in Pasadena, angling for an official opening on Friday. The Cajun-Island crossover restaurant has lots of seafood on hand, and paper towels at the ready. Crackin’ Kitchen is in some ways like many of the other crawfish-styled boiled seafood restaurants around Los Angeles, offering customers a plethora of oceanic options meant to be poured onto the table, pulled apart, and devoured. That means options like guava soy chicken wings, ahi poke, and lots of salmon to go along with Cajun combos of shrimp, mussels, clams, andouille sausage, and crab available at three different spice levels. Interestingly enough, the restaurant’s menu has been overseen by Takeshi Omae (Japanese Cuisine by Omae, Morimoto XEX). This stateside location of Crackin’ Kitchen will also feature a variety of beer and wine as well as cocktails that lean towards the outrageously island-y. There are mai tais, a Blue Hawaii with lychee liquor and blue curaçao, and more. As for the 112-seat space, expect hand-painted seafood murals, rustic wooden booth seating, and lots of exposed bulbs. Crackin’ Kitchen officially opens Friday along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, keeping hours from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekdays for lunch. Dinner starts at 4:30 p.m. and runs to 10 p.m. (or 11 p.m. on weekends), with brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m." - Farley Elliott
