Gale's

Located on the east side of Fair Oaks, just south of Del Mar. First time coming here and I absolutely loved it. The food, the service, everything was wonderful. I wish someone told me about this place earlier. I can’t wait to go back and try their other offerings. I was told their pasta was good, so I had to order the Scampi. It did not disappoint. They have a small bar inside and a decent amount of shaded outdoor tables. Plenty of parking in the back, but also street parking available

Gale's is good Italian eatery for simple dishes that satisfy, and great desserts & coffee. The location is convenient and their is usually on site and street parking.

A really posh Italian place with a huge menu!!! Delicious gourmet food. Soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas, great appetizers and pizzas. The staff is stellar and they can host large groups. Strongly recommend it! Only hard part is it's very loud from all the people talking over each other.

Gale’s is a well known Pasadena institution. It has been serving farm to table food to the locals and surrounding areas for years. The added outside dining area almost doubled its capacity. We were seated immediately even without reservations. We usually order the cod, cioppino and cheese ravioli here but we veered off course on our last visit. The stuffed zucchini flowers are a must try. The sausage risotto, spinach lasagna and Italian pizza were all savory and well prepared. We loved our cocktails and dessert sampler.

Gale's was delicious. The bread they brought out was so warm and tasty! The caprese salad was also great! I wish I ordered some to go. My family had pizza, which they said it was so good that they would go back. They are picky about pizza. My pasta was the only thing that was just ok. It needed a little more seasoning. Other than that, I recommend trying it out if you're in the Pasadena area. We were visiting from out of town. I would like to give our server Raul, 5 stars across the board!! He was the best!

Friendly service and romantic environment. Prosciutto Pizza taste great. Mussels as starter is a good idea but don't stir the juice that sands from the bottom got into the mussels.🥴

Complimentary bread and biscotti was nice and delicious. Ordered a penne al formagio and it arrived dry and bland. Mozzarella chunks were haphazardly thrown on top which took away from the presentation. I did not enjoy this pasta but for $36 (after tax and tip) it would be wasteful to throw out. I asked for more sauce to be added before boxing it to the busser. After mentioning my issue to the busser, they told me to tell the server when he came back around. When the server came and brought a box and gave my table the bill, I asked if more sauce could be added to my dish before he left. He then said extra sauce would be given to me in a to-go container in a dismissive tone. I did not appreciate the lack of communication and having to ask twice despite my server already knowing the issue. It was nice that they ended up giving me extra sauce at the end, but I feel as though the pasta should’ve left the kitchen with more moisture and there could’ve been better communication from my server.

Very good for dinner with family and friends (this was in 2021) On June 11, 2024, we were back to Pasadena again for the Caltech commencement. Gale's is one of the restaurants that I want my family to enjoy. So we are here again. As usual, the food is excellent, and the service is very good as well. We enjoyed a very nice dinner and evening.

I have been dreaming about this specific pasta since my anniversary in March. When I think of the most amazing pasta I have ever had the honor of tasting. I think of this beautiful piece of art. The flavors in this dish is immaculate. I loved the cheese and the creamy nature of the dish. The server was a gentleman. The room was full of charming lights and delightful conversations. Was I completely in love this day, or was this dish, somebody else to love?

It's my first time back after Covid and I'm happy to report that the food and overall quality were just as good as before. Gale's is an Italian restaurant serving classic Italian dishes in south Pasadena. The vibe was casually dressy. We ordered eggplants for appetizer, lasagna and clam linguine for entrees. Everything was well-cooked and well-seasoned. The was a generous amount of large fresh clams. Outside of Italy, I haven't eaten at an Italian restaurant that's been this generous with fresh clams. I mainly came here for this dish: the linguine alle vongole. It did not disappoint. The dish had great garlic, white wine flavor and it was not oily. We got the blueberry crumble for dessert but there was no crumble on top. The dessert was soft with no crunch. It was a bit disappointing. I would have given this place five stars except the service was lacking. Our server did not smile once. I would go back for the food.

This is a very nice trendy Italian restaurant located in Pasadena. They have nice outdoor seating with twinkle lights. The restaurant looks small inside but there was more seating in the back dining room. We had 7 people in our party and the service was excellent! Our server was quick and attentive! He was very good when my husband tried to tip him for the corkage but it was already included! How honest is that! All the food was Amazing! 3 of us ordered the rack of lamb which was the most expensive item in the menu $53! You on could get it with broccoli, ziti or mashed potatoes! My husband had lasagna and he said the bolognaise sauce was tasty! My daughter had the bolognaise ziti which is her favorite. Her boyfriend had chicken parmesan which was a large serving! It was so good, he ate it all. I had the mushroom Ravioli which is my favorite and not all restaurants offer it so I was happy!! It was filled with succulent mushrooms including the sauce! Yummy! Just had to have dessert too! A large piece of Coconut creme cake and coconut gelato was ordered. I ordered the peach and blueberry crostata which was delicious especially because it was served with vanilla bean ice cream! Overall, a nice pleasurable dining experience! Hope to be back when we visit from Honolulu!

The $19 blueberry fennel salad was mostly pear slices and a few pieces of old arugula. The $35 chicken picata plate was served with nicely sauteed spinach and a scant portion of dry chicken. The free bread and olive oil was good.

Came here for pre-opera dinner. One of the best-tasting clam linguines I've ever had, but I wish the clams were meatier. The beef meatballs were good if a bit gamey (maybe it's the spices not sure what it was, but I've definitely had better meatballs.) This is now my favorite spot for claims linguine. Oh the coconut 'light-as-air' cake is DELIZIOSO! Outdoor dining tent available in their large parking lot.

Came in to celebrate our anniversary since we haven't had Italian for a while. Bread is served complimentary which is always nice. We started off with the mussels cooked in white wine with some bread and let me tell you, it was delicious.I had to drink the soup! So satisfying and so flavorful. We also got the fried zucchini flower which was okay. I must have missed reading the fried aspect of it. I should have tried the peaches with burrito instead. For the entree ,I got the pasta al forno which was my favorite . I highly v recommend it as it is full of flavor from the different types of cheese. It just hits the spot. We also got the clam pasta which was okay. Service was very good. Our waiter was very attentive and friendly. The only reason I gave 4 star instead of 5 is that I wanted a more romantic ambiance but I felt like we were more by the traffic area by the stairs and it was partly louder than expected despite mentioning request upon reservation. Overall, food is great will definitely come back.

It's one of my favorite restaurants. I went there after a long time. It's still full of luxury, but it's a great restaurant that even various customers can easily visit. I went there relatively early this time, but it was immediately full of customers and it was crowded. Maybe it was because it was an outside patio, I was worried about the noise. Also, the server was too busy and there was a sense of pressure. However, the taste was exceptionally delicious, and it was delicious no matter which one I ate. It was good to have a wonderful time with my husband this time. Thank you.

Ordered their carbonara and mushroom ravioli which were yummy and tasted as if they made each pasta from scratch. The restaurant is cozy and they offer outdoor dining as an alternative.

Ordered takeout, the branzino was salty and swimming in oil. The bruschetta had 4 tiny pieces of greasy toast and very little bruschetta. The MOST disturbing was finding a piece of METAL in the branzino. Pls see photo. Upon calling the restaurant I was told " we will comp the branzino"- my response was - no you will comp the entire meal. No one wanted to eat another bite after finding a large piece of metal in the food. The coconut cake was dry. Step it up Gale.

Great experience highly recommend recommended when here to celebrate a birthday. I will come back again

We really enjoyed heading to this local Italian joint. The restaurant feels tucked away, with a busy inside area and a big marquee. It was cold when we went and we were happy that the staff allowed us (we had reserved a table) to decide whether we wanted to sit inside or outside. That was a nice touch. There were loads of staff serving so we always felt we could order. We had wine, which was served in large goblets, bruschetta, lasagne and the aubergine Siciliana. I would note that the portions are really large so we didn't need this much food for two people. The lasagne, in particular, was really large and filling. My husband didn't feel great after and I think that was due to the excess meat sauce. He did say it was delicious though. I think the aubergine was the nicest I've had so far in the US. One thing I would say for neurodiverse people is that this restaurant is very loud. There is a lot of cutlery and plateware noise which I found really difficult with noise sensitivities. I am sure this can be avoided when sitting out in the marquee when the weather is nicer.

Hadn't been to Gale's in a while, so we decided to revisit. Made a reservation for 8:30 on a Friday night and arrived right on time--the place was lively and full of energy. We were surprised to learn the kitchen closes at 9:00, but our server Raul was friendly, attentive, and kept things moving smoothly. We weren't all that hungry, so we ordered a spread of starters, salads, and their minestrone soup. The zucchini florets, one of my longtime favorites, were as amazing as ever--crispy, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned. The eggplant starter had great flavor potential, but unfortunately it was undercooked--both the eggplant and the sliced garlic could've used more time. Temperature-wise, the food came out fast but wasn't quite hot--more warm than it should've been. That said, the house salad and arugula salad were spot-on: served cold, fresh, and dressed with a light lemon vinaigrette that was perfectly balanced. The minestrone soup looked a bit pale--missing that rich tomato color--but I didn't try it myself. My friend didn't mention any issues, so I'll assume it was fine. The roasted olives were exactly what you'd expect--simple, satisfying, no surprises. We kept it light with iced teas sweetened with stevia--a little boring, I know, but we'd had wine the night before and figured we'd skip a night. Overall, a good experience as usual. We sat outside, and the ambiance was perfect--relaxed, comfortable, and ideal for catching up.

Way too long waiting around to enjoy anything. Even though we had a reservation we waited past our reservation time (I.e. reservation at 7:15 and we were seated around 7:40) Food was aight but kinda mid for the price. We waited an exceptionally long time for the bill as well. Overall this is a great restaurant to go to if u enjoy waiting

The environment was very cozy outside with heaters and plenty of room to sit down and have a nice meal. The food server was wonderful and very attentive. The food that we all ordered was so fresh, delicious and seasoned to perfection I would highly recommend coming in if you love true Italian food. I definitely will be back for the coconut cake.

We enjoyed our dinner at Gales so much that we came back the next day to try their salads for lunch! The food was fresh and portions were very generous.

Beautiful scenery and atmosphere. The servers are all so sweet, attentive, and fun to chat with. The food is delicious, and the portions are solid. Incredible drinks!!!

Super great Italian spot! I can't believe I've never heard of this place. The food is great and it has really nice ambiance. We ordered the carpaccio, beet salad, and rotini bolognese, all of which were delicious. I enjoyed every bite I had and would definitely come back again to try more from their large menu. It is on the pricier side, but definitely worth it!

We have been coming to this place over the last 8 years from time to time, and we like the food here. The place is also pleasant to sit in, and the service has always been good. We liked the appetizers especially the Bruschetta, we liked the Caprese salad, the pizza and pasta. This time we had the crab ravioli and the branzino. Both are very good. The vegetables in the branzino were very tasty --- they must have been cooked in some kind of animal fat. The only complaint I have is the price --- $48 is a little too much for the branzino.

Go. Immediately. The food is divine. The pasta is heavenly and we ordered so much just to try it all.

As an Italian I'm always hesitant to go to Italian restaurants. This one hit the mark in the food. Stuffed squash flowers was the first surprise. And although branzino was not in the menu we asked if they had any. It was delicious light and delicate as it should be. I've very sensitive to fishy taste and this was so fresh. Also had the pasta stuffed with brisket. Also a delicious choice. Definitely worth a return visit. Gave a 4 because when we first got there the server really made us feel rushed to order. Not the atmosphere for that but also there was no wait for a table. I am always respectful of that. There's a lot behind the restaurant. Got the last spot, but there is some street parking.

We used to eat here all the time even for my wedding but this time is our last. My wife's pasta al forno had a pool of oil grease below and my cacio e pepe was a smaller portion than before. I had added chicken and it was quite dry and tasted like it's been sitting. The previous times were good but now not so much. On top of that one of the waiters dropped a cup of ice water hitting my wifes feet. Sad to see this place decline.

Gales is Gales meaning it is our fav per the service and hospitality are way above par starting with Kimberly who made sure we were taken care of and super friendly along with the service or our main man Javier who is pros pro with his knowledge of the menu and wine selection. Gales is aces in our book and we will always be back for all occasions including just to say hi.

We had an excellent birthday lunch! The food was amazing, my lasagna was very memorable and honestly really incredible. The drinks were super tasty. I really loved our experience and can't wait to go back.

A year later and I still love this place! The lasagna is fantastic, I loved it so much that I forgot to take a picture before gobbling it up! The carpaccio appetizer was delicious, and the desserts are amazing and service is phenomenal! You can't go wrong eating here for a special meal.

Had a fantastic experience - food and service- here over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. I was visiting family that lived nearby. I had 'my brother Jerry's tortellini bolognese' and my dining partner had the clams linguine. The bolognese was amazing and my dining partner said the clam linguine was the best in the area- second time he'd had it in the last few months. We enjoyed pre-dinner dirty martinis - along with bread and dipping oil- and had a house red wine with dinner. Saved room for the coconut crème cake- I love coconut and it was one of the best I've ever had. Our server was friendly and professional. Free parking in the back lot.

Big party, reservation in advance, got seated right away, and that's about the only thing they didn't manage to goof up on. Per our server's recommendation and with high anticipation, more than one order of Flat Iron Steak Tagliata, medium rare, was ordered. It saddens me to report that each and every one the steaks came out damn near well done looking and tasting like dogshit (see photos), and the bulls from which the cuts were brutally extracted from had to die for nothing. A $9.99 steak at Norm's would've put this $50 garbage to shame. Secondly, we ordered a shit ton of wine throughout the evening, specific bottles/labels on the menu being meticulously picked out by our seated undercover/never-off-duty wine expert friend (level 3 sommelier) in attendance. Our server had brought out the wrong bottle like half the freakin time, each incident was usually an incorrect label of the same vineyard but it's the cheaper shit on the menu. I won't go as far as accusing our server of doing this intentionally to charge us more for some of the cheaper shit on hand, like we didn't know any better, but we did and sent that shit right back each time. Please brush up on what you've got in your cellar, what's ordered, what's pulled from the cellar and what you present to guests. So unprofessional. Gale's was my baby, but it isn't what it used to be.

Haven't been to Gale's in a while...forgot how delicious their pastas are. We came here for lunch today and my boyfriend got a mule and he said it was on point. We also got their antipasto salad that was delicious, but I forgot to get a picture of that. The BF order their Pasta Al Forno with Meatball and I ordered their Tagliatelle Bolognese. Both were very hearty and delicious. Next time, we'll be back for their dinner menu.

The food was okay but the service was horrible rude waiters and rude staff overall a miss wouldn't come back

Hit the spot! If you are up in the air about which pasta, I suggest the toerteloni! As someone who used to make pasta for a living, this was out of the ballpark great. The garlic bread is a must and chopped salad exactly as hoped. The crab salad was missing just a bit of acid but was still good, especially in this heat. Thank you Gale's for reminding me that Pasadena traditions still rule! Compliments to the kitchen Almost forgot to mention the bread and high quality evoo/vinegar plus biscotti were such a gracious touches.

I've driven by this restaurant well over a thousand times over the years and never ate here until last week. The restaurant looks tiny from the front on Fair Oaks, but it's actually quite large. The restaurant is L shaped and most of the dining area is on the backside in a hidden large parking lot. The service was wonderful. All the staff were polite and responsive. The restaurant was clean. The ambiance was upscale, but not pompous. The food tasted great. The preparation and presentation were lovely. My only negative is that the prices are on the high side. The cost for some of the meat dishes is justified, but a small chicken salad for $28 is excessive.

I took my aunt to Gale's Italian restaurant since we're both foodies and have spent time in Italy, so we really appreciate authentic Italian cuisine. Unfortunately, this was one of the most disappointing dining experiences we've had. The eggplant appetizer was undercooked, which completely ruined the flavor. The artichoke appetizer was even worse--served with plain butter as a dressing, which overwhelmed the taste and made it unpleasant. Then came the pizza: we ordered one with prosciutto, mozzarella, and arugula. It was just okay, but definitely not the Italian-style pizza we were hoping for--the crust was too thick and lacked that signature crispness. Overall, Gale's missed the mark on every level. We absolutely would not recommend it to anyone looking for a real Italian food experience!!!

We went here to celebrate my daughter's 16th birthday. Some positive points first off. The parking here is quite convenient given the location near old town pasadena with ample space in the rear lot. Service is friendly and the ambience is quite pleasant with nice decor and lighting. The pricing is also pretty reasonable given that the portion sizes turned out pretty big. There appears to be a good selection for vegetarians like myself. I had a special menu item (the linguini with spicy tomato sauce and roasted peppers) and although well cooked, I had enough to take home for another 1.5 meals. Was a big hit with all of my kids and my brother's kids.

Kelly the nicest and prettiest server here got a complimentary dessert for my birthday and my linguini and clams excellent Dat outside under the tent she so nice to split out check

My niece and I came to Gale's to try a new local Italian eatery and our experience wasn't the best. Yes, still 4 stars. After walking through the front door and checking in with the host, my niece and I waited in the car right out front. It was cold and we didn't bring jackets. After over 30 minutes of waiting, I came in to check on our wait time. As I walk back in, two guests that had just arrived were getting seated. There were multiple tables open inside and out. The hosts forgot to seat us. It happens and I understand. Rather than acknowledge it, the hosts brushed it off and I stayed quiet. As we look over the menu, we notice Gale's doesn't include fettuccini alfredo, and that's all my niece orders at Italian restaurants. I should have checked Yelp beforehand. I'm familiar that Chicken fettuccini Alfredo is not Italian lol but this is the first Italian restaurant that recognizes that. The Carbonara was the next best option. We had plenty of leftovers. The food looked beautifully plated but we don't feel we ordered the right pastas. The food was pricey and unfortunately we both didn't enjoy what we ordered enough to come back. The salad and calamari was good and shareable. Ample street parking. The ambience is nice for date night, I love the open kitchen layout, and I believe the pasta is made in house.

First visit to Gale's and had a lovely dining experience. Everything we ordered was very good and fresh. Service attentive and there's a small parking lot behind the restaurant.

Clams linguine was way too salty and the cake was dry. Couldn't eat it. The owner, Gale, is one of the nastiest women I've ever met. I would think she would be more gracious. Maybe she was having a bad day but probably not. She was aggressive/MEAN and " A LOT.". Horrible experience. Would not recommend and Never going back. Gale, if you're reading this, the ultimate sign of intelligence is kindness, always. You were anything but kind other day. People who behave like you (power trip, egomaniac, like to humiliate others), are usually miserable and/or insecure. Mean people have issues! Hope you get some help and learn appropriate social skills. Btw, you absolutely dont know anything about me either. Nothing. Also, no one cares about how many boards you're on. Not one bit impressive. You may contact me through Julia if you would like to apologize for your unbelievably rude behavior. Otherwise, karma baby.

Great food and excellent service. Will definitely recommend to friends and family. I ordered shrimp linguine and also we have their house made coconut cake so delicious.

OMG just went there for a work event- it was served family style-the service was great The wine was fabulous, and the food was out of this world.

A buddy took me here for lunch and had glowing reviews about Gale's. I was skeptical at first since the interior is oddly decored and a bit gloomy. Boy was I wrong! So good and tasty. The waiter came and we asked him for some pasta recommendations. We went with the clams linguini and fettuccine carbonara. I had the fettuccine since that's my go to dish and my friend had the clams linguini. We sampled each others dishes and man, the flavors and taste was so authentic and tasty! We had a few Peronis and some cocktails but I'd probably stick to food and order some wine next time. Overall a wonderful experience and the staff is very friendly. It is a rather pricey place though as dishes were priced at about $20-30. I would come here with a small group and share away!

Great service and amazing food. Was quickly seated before the dinner rush and had a lovely meal.

My wife and I went to Gales on Saturday for a date night. We had never been there before, but the reviews looked decent so we gave it a shot. I decided on the Tuscan steak, which was a big mistake. I ordered medium rare, and it was closer to medium, but that wasn't the biggest issue. The steak had zero flavor and also had a large tendon running down one side of it that was completely inedible. I'm not a foodie per se, but I have cooked hundreds and hundreds of meals for friends and family, and I would NEVER serve someone a steak that I didn't season with salt and pepper at least. The steak was never seasoned prior to or after cooking. I never do this, but I sent the steak back and asked for a new one to be cooked and seasoned properly. Keep in mind, I had taken four or five bites of the steak prior to sending it back, so the end was pretty squared off. So they take my plate and return less than five minutes later with the SAME EXACT STEAK on my plate, squared off on one end and re-sauced with new sides of mashed potato and broccoli. It had been fired briefly, so it was now medium for sure, no pink whatsoever on the inside. Needless to say, I was disappointed and just wanted to get out of there. They did comp the steak and took it off the bill, as they should have. $49 for an unseasoned steak is unacceptable, especially when I asked for a new steak that was properly seasoned, and they still didn't get it right. The service wasn't bad as far as servers and bus boys, but someone needs to be running quality control on the cooks, please. Guys, come on. If the service was crappy, but the food was epic, we wouldn't hesitate to come back. But lousy, expensive food, that's ridiculous. Do better.

We have always loved Gales but last night was an exception. We had a 7:45 reservation. When we arrived and before we were seated we were tersely advised we must order by 8pm. No problem but not exactly a warm welcome. It's not like we showed up minutes before closing, we had a reservation. I ordered "rigatoni bolognese" one of my favorite dishes and apparently had misread the menu. The waitress didn't correct me she simply wrote down our orders. When our meals arrived and I saw the rotini I said oh I ordered rigatoni. I was tersely advised, we don't have rigatoni. Ok. Surprised an Italian restaurant doesn't serve or have rigatoni but whatever. The kicker was the extremely loud slamming of silverware which went on for several minutes. Ok we get the message, you want to get out of here! As I said we've always loved Gale's and probably will return despite the inhospitable service we received this evening.

We, four of us, went there recently for my birthday. The food was great, but the service was just "ok" with our server. He forgot a 2nd loaf of bread we'd requested, and then forgot the dessert menu, though we'd asked for one. He eventually remembered it, but by then we'd changed our minds, and I detected a bit of attitude. I'll give him a pass this time. My recommendation is to try it out, but be warned, it gets really noisy, really fast. Mike M. - Pasadena

The food was delicious. Great service from very attentive server. The Ambiance was ok because we got sat outside with no reservations, party of 6 at 4:30pm .

What a great family-friendly restaurant that truly values its customers! Another mom in my neighborhood parents group had recommended Gales as a kid-friendly spot that also served elevated Italian cuisine and I was a little suspect at first. It's rare to be both fancy AND friendly, but Gale's fit the bill perfectly. All three of my little kiddos have ventured beyond the pizza and pasta portions of the menu and found new favorites that you wouldn't think their young palates would love, like the fried stuffed Castelvetrano olives or the squash blossoms. They look forward to trying something new from the ever-changing specials menu each visit, and the staff joyfully encourages them.

Just came and had the burrata salad, pizza, and their fettuccini carbonara. Absolutely delicious! But their service was even better (: Javier was our server and did an INCREDIBLE job, everything we asked for came within second even though they had a full house of customers. I felt very taken care of! Shoutout Javier, best waiter ever

The family had Mothers Day dinner at Gales. Nice place, good atmosphere. We were seated at a few tables near the bar. We all ordered our food with some appetizers, bruschetta, garlic bread, etc. When the garlic bread came out, it looked great! Until you flipped it over and there's MOLD! That's nassssty. Mold on bread. We let the waiter know about the unhealthy problem, to which he said he will bring out another and took the plate away. A few minutes later another plate of garlic bread came out to the table....no mold on this one. Not one word or apology for the moldy bread. Actually, no one, not even the manager came around to check on us or our food but they did come around quick with the bill. We thought they would have comped the moldy garlic bread but we still paid for it. Also check your drink glasses, we had one that was cracked all around. We could have cut ourselves. At the end, asking for a plastic bag seemed like a chore for some of them. Besides the moldy garlic bread, the rest of the food was good.

Love this special local Pasadena Italian favorite. The ambiance is warm, welcoming and feels like an old friend. Ordered a nice bottle of reasonable priced Chianti reserva with our meal. Generous beet feta and Caesar salads to share. Enjoyed the generous linguine with clams with white sauce followed by a tart with a dollop of ice cream. Scrumptious! Attentive and kind service. We will be back!

This was so delicious :) our server was Javier and he was also super attentive and friendly so service was awesome as well ! Me and my girlfriend ordered the mussels, burrata and prosciutto, portobello ravioli, tomato and fennel soup, the scampi fritti shrimp, mixed greens salad and they were all so good ! Will love to come back here again for the wonderful service and yummy food :)