Henry Parsons Project

Nice restaurant with plenty of free self parking. We went there for a birthday party with a few friends. There's indoor seating and an outdoor patio. Service is top notch. The decoration is interesting. Inside there are a few tables but the acoustics are horrible. Very difficult to hear or speak to a person sitting right next to you. Maybe the patio is better but there might be a bit of traffic noise. The food is ok at best. I suppose it's NOLA but some of the dishes seemed out of place. The fried oysters were a bit in the salty side. The dipping sauce was good. The peach salad was good but nothing special. The tomato and cucumber salad was also good but also nothing special. The gumbo and pork chop, which I didn't try but my friends did, they said were good but didn't rave about it. The biscuit was good but also nothing special. The fried chicken was ok but nothing special. The shrimp dish was good but nothing special. The halibut was flavorless and dry. The steak was cooked perfectly. It was juicy and tender. It came with fries that were nothing special. The Chinese noodle was actually very yummy. Perfectly cooked, just the right amount of spiciness. We ordered three desserts since they wouldn't allow us to bring our own cake (this is the first time I've been to a restaurant that has such policy) Surprisingly, their desserts are decent. I'd say better than the rest of the food. The ice cream with peach was ok but nothing special. The strawberry pie was ok but nothing special. The berry cobbler was in my opinion the best thing they served. I'm sure you see an overall theme... Good but nothing special. I'm not sure what is all the hype about this restaurant. I found it overrated and over priced. Again, that's just my opinion.

A delicious, authentic Southern Style restaurant in Pasadena. I absolutely love French cuisine so American Southeast is also something I’m a fan of and this restaurant not only did not disappoint but it went above my expectations. Parking is plentiful as they have a large lot on site but also street parking is easy to find. The staff was extremely polite, everyone from the hostess to our waiter was very welcoming and accommodating. Dishes here are share size portions, aside from the entrees at the bottom of the menu, so we chose some of our favorites and just shared. We started with the Crispy Potatoes which were delicious and as expected. Next came the Biscuit with butter which may have been my favorite part of the meal. It was large and fluffy and went quickly. Followed up with the fried oysters (some of the best bread coating I have had in a long time it was perfectly fried) and mixed it with the Baby Lettuces salad. Mixing the crispy oyster with the buttery smooth salad was heavenly. Finally I finished up with the Crawfish Étouffée as I don’t see that as menu option often in California and it tied as my favorite dish. The roux was deep in flavor which tells me it had been stewing for awhile which is by far the best way to do it. Topped off the meal with the Banana Pudding and it too did not disappoint. Overall a delicious meal with a friendly staff and fair pricing. I would recommend to anyone. Also we sat outside next to the sidewalk so we were able to people watch all night. I will be back again soon.

Delicious southern inspired food. Friendly service, great portions, well priced and delicious. They offer a seasonal menu and a great selection of desserts and cocktails/ mocktails. Indoor and outdoor seating. Make a reservation in advance as it can get busy.

Great ambiance. If you want to people watch, eat dinner or ,just chill and have drinks this is the spot!!! The food was amazing, I had the fish, it was tasty! You have to try the biscuits. They literally melt in your mouth 😁 The crawfish and bread were a hit. The Gumbo was just right with the spices and rice. I've tried grits, but these grits were a delight with the Shrimp! Try it all you won't be disappointed. 😊

Grade A (94) The Biscuit is a must try. It was a bit doughy inside but the crust more than makes up for it. The Bibb Salad was simple but good. The Shrimp & grits, not my favorite. The Hangar steak was cooked perfectly, seemed it was done Sous vide and then just perfectly grilled for a crust. The dessert, Peach cobbler, was excellent with the vanilla ice cream. Asked if the peach was fresh or canned, the server said "From the farmers market on Saturday" nice. One very interesting thing happened, they forgot to bring the Gumbo and we pointed it out on the receipt, the server took it off the bill but came back and brought the Gumbo in a to go container anyway and said, " The kitchen felt you should enjoy the Gumbo on us anyway..." I thought that was a nice touch (extra 5% tip for that and definitely a bump in the ratings) You should show appreciation for small little touches like that. Overall a hidden gem, name of the restaurant was not even on the building, we took a shot in the dark on this one and it worked. Not very impressed with the name though "Henry Parson's Project"?? Well I'm not there for the name.

Been here twice and fell in love with this restaurant. Amazing food. Unique food that you can’t really find it elsewhere. Service is a bit slow. Reservation required. It’s worth the wait but not on a hungry day — order appetizers - they come out faster :) Service- wise, they need more training for the service staff. We were waiting for plates and utensils for good 5-10 min after we had two of our appetizers delivered to our table. Good thing we already washed our hands as these fried oysters don’t wait for us! The table next to us already got plates and utensils from their server. The young girl brought it to us. They delivered the wrong check to us. No biggie. After we paid with my credit card they delivered my card and check to the table next to us. LOL 😂

Found this spot purely out of chance. Was looking for a low-key spot to eat, surprise the wife for her bday. This place looked good, Louisiana style fare, chill environment. The name is what caught my attention primarily because it sounded experimental. Wasn't sure what to expect, but knew it couldn't hurt to try something new. Come to find out, this place has only been open to in person for about a year. They have a huge catering operation that competes with the restaurant hours - so FYI to those that aren't aware and showed up only to find the shop closed. Got to the restaurant - they prefer reservations which can be done through Open Table. Hostess was super warm and inviting. She sat us at our table and introduced the menu to us and how the restaurant worked, as it was our first time there. Menu was nice and concise, offering a ton of variety in a reasonable number of menu items; small and large plate offerings. Definitely not a place that makes it hard to choose. The menu is seasonal and they offer a special Tasting Menu that is $75 per person and includes on and off menu items and changes with the season with so much variety. So, we definitely got this and a number of other items to try and ended up with a 10 course meal. Um... Soooo much food, but everything we ordered was incredible. I mean, I'm not sure I've ever been to a spot where literally everything we ordered was 100% on point. Fried oysters Duck liver pate Gumbo Crawfish Etoufee Tasting Menu (includes dessert) Birthday dessert Chef Kevin paid us several special dlvisits, curating our tasting and the menu items we ordered and offering interesting tidbits about food history and the menu. It was an incredible dining experience. The staff was attentive and courteous and the atmosphere was super chill and loungey. We probably spent about 2 hours there just eating and enjoying ourselves. Words literally won't do it justice. This is 100% diamond in the rough. Definitely going back and trying new menu items as the seasons go on.

This restaurant is only open a select few weekends since they are mainly a catering company, but if you get the chance to dine in take it because it is a privilege to eat here. The menu is short and sweet and constantly changing. Everything is delicious and well presented. The staff are wonderful and very friendly. Amazing experience!

Amazing food, amazing service!! The whole crew was so warm and welcoming and the chef was the coolest sweetest dude! I appreciated how he was genuinely happy that we were enjoying our food. The ambience, decor, and layout was really cool! We ordered the duck and andouille gumbo, I would definitely come back and order 3 more orders of this. We also got the shrimp and grits and the half rack of lamb. Both were amazing! And the peach cobbler sealed the deal for us. The food and experience was wonderful, my partner and I didn't know what to eat the next day because all else pales in comparison.

Duck gumbo - 5/5 - amazing flavor and duck in it is genius Crawfish - 4/5 - its like the gumbo but slightly worse Shrimp grits - 3/5 signature dish but left me wanting a bit more Biscuits - 5/5 Great ambiance and service

Great food but only open intermittently as they often do catering events off site. The Cajun goods are A+. Great for a date night. Friendly and gracious staff.

We all enjoy comfort food! This is what henry parsons project is about. Local sourcing, fresh produce, creative menu. My favorite is gumbo, chicken katsu Benedict, and steak frites. Meat Flavorful, juicy and tender. Also i made sure i left room for dessert! Make sure you make reservations before hand. This restaurant only opens on certain week/days. I hear that it only opens when they are not out doing catering. So make sure you plan ahead and make reservation. Service is attentive and friendly. Attached parking lot.

I typically pick a restaurant based on their cocktails but in the case of Henry Parson's Project it was solely for the food. I've been wanting to come here since it opened. I was enticed by the Southern inspired comfort food and the biscuits! Part of the issue with me coming here is that they are only open a few weekends a month. Thankfully, the stars aligned, and I was able to secure a reservation. HPP was founded by Chef Kevin & his wife Kari during the pandemic. The menu here changes based on local seasonal ingredients and features several Cajun/Creole staples like Gumbo & Etouffeé, but you'll also find something interesting like Chicken Katsu Benedict. The building used to house a Mexican restaurant, and the architecture reflects that. However, the inside décor emits a Southern charm and NOLA vibe. There is even a lounge area for live music. Our server Dalton was delightful. He informed us the dishes are family style. They don't have a full bar, so I had a glass of the Fratelli Cosmo (Prosecco). My niece had The Bruery IPA. The prosecco was lovely. I ended up having another and my niece enjoyed the IPA. Since my niece was treating, I let her pick. However, I did insist on the biscuit. We ordered the Bibb Lettuce Salad, Brussels Sprouts, West African Dandan and, of course, the BISCUIT! The bibb lettuce was buttery, soft, & tender and the homemade buttermilk dressing was so good. The Brussels Sprouts were perfectly charred and so yummy dipped in the garlic aioli. The house made Dandan noodles was also delish. The peanut sauce was tasty and the tempura okra & seitan were a nice accompaniment. The Angel Biscuit was AMAZING! It was huge - plenty for us to share. The outer crust was crispy & crumbly and the inside was soft & fluffy. It was everything I dreamed of and more! My niece and I enjoyed our meal. She wants to come back and so do I. The service was attentive, and the food was fantastic! I wish they were open on a regular basis and had a full bar. Special shout out to Chef Kevin & Kari for generously feeding the families affected by the Eaton Canyon Fire even though they also lost their home. Please support this wonderful, family-owned business. *Catering *Private parking lot *Beer & wine only

Up until recently the only Parsons Project I knew was Alan's. "Something in the air. Maybe for the only time in my life. Something in the air. Turning me around and guiding me right." We were certainly guided right, arriving at the time of our reservation at the Henry Parsons Project. Something is in the air alright! Delicious aromas wafted in the air. We were warmly greeted and seated on the inviting outdoor patio. We excitedly reviewed the menu and ordered the Mac and Cheese Balls, the Brussels Sprouts, the Roasted and Grilled Cauliflower, the Cheddar Angel Biscuit, the Crawfish Etouffee, and the Shrimp and Grits. The mac and cheese balls were crispy on the outside and warm and lusciously cheesy on the inside. So yummy! The brussels sprouts were perfectly grilled and accompanied by a wonderful garlic aioli. We are weak for garlic anything and these brussels sprouts with the aioli were delightfully garlicky! The cauliflower was tastefully grilled and rested atop an achiote, salsa macha, gruyere, and Swiss mornay sauce. Excellent! The cheddar angel biscuit was a savory treat. The crawfish etouffee was a festival of flavors nestled on perfectly spiced Cajun rice. This selection brought to mind great memories of New Orleans for us! The shrimp and grits were magnificent! We finished this spectacular dinner with the Ginger Bread Sticky Toffee Pudding and the Hawaiian Style Mochi Donut. These were both a marvelous way to finish this memorable meal. We will definitely be looking for other opportunities to return to Henry Parsons Project in the future. Yum!

I spent many years living in Louisiana and while I do not miss the humidity or hurricanes, I will always miss the food. It's relatively rare to find very much cajun/creole food to begin with, and it's even rarer for it to be up to par. HPP was extremely above par. It's easily the best food of this style that I've had since I left Louisiana, including food I've made myself. I'm really mad that it never occurred to me to use duck in a gumbo, it's like the perfect poultry for it. It was so so so good. My crawfish Étouffée was perfect. They didn't skimp on ingredients in either dish, every bite was loaded up with meat. Our service was great. We were checked on a lot and our servers were super friendly. The inside is really cool and unique. Eclectic art and pictures are all over. Looks like they must have live music sometimes too! My only regret is that I didn't leave room for dessert.

Oh hell, I feel like I was transported to NOLA. Intimate setting, interesting art and decor, beautiful bar, friendly and prompt service. As a former New Orleanian, I can tell you this is the best gumbo I've had outside of New Orleans. The mocktails are awesome, if you choose not to imbibe. We had a biscuit, as well. It was perfect. I ordered the hanger steak and he ordered the crawfish étouffée. Everything was legit and delicious. We had no room for dessert, but based on the rest of our meal it would've been amazing. This place has amazing potential to be super popular, but the signage outside appeared to be lacking. We'll be back whenever we're in town!

This is an interesting place, it's mostly Southern with a bit of global influence sprinkled in. I think I was expecting more Cajun than I got, but I can't fault them for my own expectations. The space is itself is kind of weird? It looks like it's in an old office building. The decorations in the dining room itself were cool and very New Orleans-y. But the acoustics in the dining room are TRASH. There was a really large group in there and when they were talking it's all you could hear, we were lucky that they left soon after we got there but if they had stayed it would have ruined the mood as we couldn't hear each other talking. We ordered quite a few things as it was 4 of us and we were all sharing (which is the approach you should take as per our waiter). Brussel Sprouts These were perfectly cooked and seasoned, came with a cheeky little mayo to dip in. Delicious. Chicken Pate SUPER delicious when paired with the fig jam or the caramelized onions. I love chicken liver pate, and this was dynamite. Fried Goat Cheese Salad Fried goat cheese is a national treasure, I loved the crispy prosciutto bits in the salad as well. Pork Belly Bing This one confused me a little bit and was kind of difficult to share but at the end of the day, it was delicious! The spicy peanutty sauce was amazing the pork belly was fatty and tender. Crawfish Etouffee This is the dish I was looking forward to the most....and disappointed me the most. Our crawfish were really over cooked and rubbery and the gravy just wasn't as flavorful as I was expecting. Pork Chops A touch on the dry side but seasoned nicely, the grits were a bit too solid for my liking and the cheese kind of congealed in them. Oxtails The star of the meal. These were so, so tender and flavorful - could not have done this any better. Sticky Toffee Pudding A homerun. The popcorn ice cream and bits of popcorn were the perfect accompaniment. Really delicious! Overall, not bad! A solid 4/5

Came here with my family and was pretty excited to try some new cuisine. The servers were really nice and the ambience was quirky and interesting, since it looked like a Spanish building but there was really fun abstract artwork and candles lining the walls. Out of the appetizers we ordered, I enjoyed the crispy oyster and brussels sprouts, flavorful chicken pate platter, and the huge buttery and flaky biscuit. The gumbo unfortunately was very bitter, I only took one bite and couldn't eat anymore of it. And the jiang bing crepe was unique, very thick and creamy, but I only liked it cause of the potato chips. Out of the entrees, I thought the crawfish etoufee tasted okay. It had so much crawfish, but it was kind of bland, not spicy or flavorful at all. They did really well in braising their oxtails, but we didn't like the flavor that much. And lastly I regret not ordering the sticky toffee pudding for dessert. We ordered the dos leches chocolate cake and it was bad, tasted really weird.

I really wanted to like this place but left pretty disappointed. My partner and I cane here for dinner and ordered the biscuits, gumbo, and the roasted chicken. Biscuits: 7/10. This was good but nothing special. Gumbo: 6/10. This tasted off to me and was nothing close to the gumbo I've had in New Orleans. The smokiness overpowered the rest of the dish. I feel like the roux wasn't freshly made. Roasted chicken: 5/10. The chicken was cooked well enough and was tender but very lacking in flavor. The collard greens were also bland and would've benefited from the addition of a smoked meat. Service and ambience were nice. Prices would've been reasonable if the food was better. Sad to say we probably won't be back.

Interesting flavors in a colorful and fun setting. We came on a Sunday evening and the restaurant wasn't very busy. The service was attentive and the server gave great recommendations. In fact, we should have just kept to his recommendations- when we started, it was a mistake. We would come back for the fried goat cheese salad with crispy prosciutto. It's a great balance of textures and flavors. We would also get the shrimp and grits again. The shrimp is well-spiced (stay away if you can't handle a Cajun spiciness) and the grits have rich shrimp flavor that pairs exceptionally with the mushrooms. The biscuit was a disappointment. We expected something flaky and buttery but instead got what we thought was more of a large bread roll with a nice crust. Had they called it a bread roll, we would have been more satisfied.

I stumbled upon this place when I was taking my mom out for dinner. She wanted to try something new and not anything we usually might go to. Naturally I took to Yelp. This building has been put to good use with the Henry Parsons Project. From what I could gather, it's a husband and wife who also own Little Lily's Kitchen, which does catering. This is NOLA influenced and inspired food and flavor with an upscale twist. The plating and presentation of each plate we ordered was wonderful. I loved the decor and the music. I felt transported out of Pasadena. We ordered a few things and shared them family style. Everyone dug in before I could get pics of them all but everything was delicious. The beet salad was nicely seasoned. Refreshing on a hot summer day. We also ordered 2 of their homemade biscuits. They come piping hot from the oven and fresh. They are a good size, definitely shareable for I'd say 2 people. Current biscuit was and Angel biscuit. So good. We split shrimp and grits and the pork chop. The pork chop had a nice blackened crust on it and was nested on top of cheddar grits. They take reservations and have a beautiful outdoor area. They have limited days they are open so check before you go. It's definitely a hidden gem that I want to keep alive. Go check it out. You won't be disappointed.

Had high hopes for this place, but it fell short. The menu is seasonal and changes all the time. The porkchop was spicy and had a weird texture. The spicy tomate sauce/paste was not good. However, the cheese grits were well cooked and delicious. That was the only thing we liked. The biscuit that they rave and convince you to buy was baked to order and took so long to come out. It literally came out after our entree. I give it a 1/10. It was cakey and raw dough in the side. They told us they will remake another one, and that took even longer to come out. The kids were getting fussy and hungry, so I asked them to remove it off the check so we can go. The only option for kids were pasta with butter. I thought I could have fed the kids' porkchop with grits, but it was too spicy. She said no and came out with the toffee cake. She sang happy birthday to the wrong person ( my husband). My son had such a sad and sour face. When they walked away... we sang happy birthday to him, and he blew out the candles. Do not get the toffee cake. It came with a strange sour ice cream and sticky popcorn that .gets stuck in your teeth. The cake was dry vs moist. It definitely didn't hold up to a toffee cake. I honestly didn't like anything we ordered beside the fried oyster on toast (1 tiny piece for $5) and cheese grits. The chicken with chickpea and burnt sweet potatoes was OK. Definitely wouldn't give this place another try.

I recently visited Henry Parsons Project and had the best time! As soon as I walked in, I was greeted with a warm and inviting atmosphere. The decor was so stylish and bayou-like, and they don't have any signs that portray that ides outside. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable, and took the time to recommend some amazing food and drinks. If you go, definitely try their biscuits. And the food...oh my goodness. Every dish we tried was absolutely amazing, from chicken pate to gumbo. Parking is fairly easy, they have their own lot for parking.

Do yourself a favor and give your tastebuds a wild journey with their menu here! This place deserves way more attention for the amazing flavor combinations and take on southern-Asian fusion. We keep coming back for their different menus, and they never cease to amaze. Definitely bring a friend or many to share their plates. We are 2 and we typically order 1 tasting menu and can pack down 2-4 additional dishes depending on if it's an entree or appetizer and our hunger levels. We're almost always super full but extremely satisfied with the variety and flavors here.

The Henry Parsons Project has its own parking lot which is free this is almost unheard of in Pasadena. We made a reservation in advance through Open Table. The noise level is high/loud. Warning this place is not open every day so check their website. The staff suggested we share plates which is what we did . And to order biscuits which were hot fresh and full of flavor you need one biscuit for two people. I started with Gumbo which had a nice spice from the andouille sausage. We also had the fried goat cheese salad which is a pass next time . The hanger steak was great as well as the Srimp and grits While we did not save room for the dessert we enjoyed two of them anyways The shrimp Ann grits was flavorjjjj

Some hit and misses but LOVED the ambiance and it's an experience more so than food and that's what's more important at times For Bdays

Attracted by the great rating, came with a high expectation... A bit disappointed Ambiance is nice, I think it use to be a Latin or Spanish restaurant, it gives me that feeling inside out. Service was good, people are attentive, however... Food was below par... Everything was salty, out of 4 items we ordered the only thing we enjoy is the biscuits... And it took 20 minutes to prepare The way they clean the table was the reason of the lower score on the service side... The lady held the spray bottle up high and spray all over the table... How can she make sure the detergent not flow onto my food?? If not the server waived the glass of wine because of the salty food, this could be 2-star review...

TL;DR: Lovely menu, excellent food, cozy atmosphere, and friendly service! Needs some small creative tweaks in order to pick up momentum and be the hot spot it has the potential to become. -- My husband and I had a wonderful time at Henry Parsons Project! My only regret is that I didn't come hungrier because all of the menu offerings sounded SO good! We'll definitely go back to try more items. HPP's menu features upscale southern dishes, so in terms of cuisine, they fill a void in the Pasadena fine dining scene that was created when White Horse sadly had to close during the pandemic. We ordered two glasses of wine (a white and a red), the crawfish étouffée which was like a warm hug, and the marzipan cake with blood orange marmalade for dessert. Yum! We had a lovely conversation with Loretta, who was working behind the bar at the time, and our server (Jimmy, I believe?) was friendly, informative, and attentive. Henry Parsons Project flew under our radar for a long time--in part, I think, because their Instagram presence needs an overhaul. With some small adjustments and the right catalyst, I think HPP could gather the momentum it needs to become a lasting gem in Pasadena's saturated food landscape. We passed by two diners out on the patio as we entered the restaurant. Inside, only two tables were taken up--one with a couple, the other with a family with 2 young children. We were the only ones seated at the bar. In other words, the place was pretty quiet for a Thursday evening. Part of the problem (if you consider it a problem; some may not) is that they also maintain a substantial catering business, and it seems like that side of the enterprise is pulling time/energy/focus away from the dine-in restaurant efforts. For example, there was an interesting lobby area off to the side with some musical instruments set up, so I asked if they ever feature live music during restaurant hours. The answer was no, that the space is just used by some of the restaurant staff who like to jam together after hours. I was definitely surprised by this! Given the vibrant music posters all over the restaurant walls, a clear love of music by the owners/staff, and the ample amount of space they have for a band set-up, it feels like a real missed opportunity. Alas, live music or not, HPP could definitely turn that side area into a proper restaurant lounge space with some cozy furniture, low tables, several two-seater high top tables, etc. I'd love to see this place be as bustling as places like Magnolia House and Edwin Mills!

Our first time at Henry Parsons, very cute and cozy dining room and beautiful bar. ALLY omg best hostess, bartender ever, she was so sweet, hardworking, informative, caring, patient with my 100 questions . We love Ally's recommendations. Everything was delicious only thing was sea-bass a little salty, other than that great fish.

I don't know how we hadn't heard of this place. Funky little spot in what looks like an old Mexiican restaurant. They've done a nice job of making the space comfortable and charming. The menu is eclectic and leans southern. Apparently, they change it up, but they have some signature dishes, and the food is all very good to excellent. We enjoyed everything we tried in varying degrees. They offer a tasting menu, but we opted to try 5 plates and get our mix of items. They'd run out of the crawdad pies, but we tried the Shrimp & Grits (salty but quite good!), the Lamb Shank ( huge, very good), the Gumbo ( very good), butternu squash ( probably our favorite dish of the night), and the jiang bing crepe (very good). The crepe was a head-scratcher because they were out of crepes (??) but did offer the dish without it. We took them up on it, and it was delicious but really missing the crepe. They didn't charge us for it, which was appreciated. We rarely get dessert, but the sticky toffee pudding with popcorn ice cream got us! It didn't disappoint! It tasted more like a spiced gooey butter cake, which was awesome, and the ice cream was ridiculously tasty! The service was good. We had to wait at the empty host stand, and two people acknowledged us, saying they'd be right with us. We waited for 10 minutes before we were finally approached and seated, which worked out because we were inside. The biggest issue was they brought the plates out pretty much all at once, ( we had all within about 5 mins) so we had all 5 plates plus our settings and drinks... just way too crowded. Also, plates came out as mains first and then smaller plates dropped. They say it's family style, but c'mon! The simple solution will be to order later courses as each plate or two is done. No liquor license but a very good wine selection and beers available. And they do offer some wine-based cocktails. Recommended for sure, but order only a couple plates at a time.

This is definitely our favorite new place in this area! The food is phenomenal. The owners are lovely. You have to try their angel biscuits., shrimp and grits, Pasta Primavera, you name it you're not gonna go wrong. Their food is delicious.

I'm from a Lil town Ringgold, Louisiana my location are those back woods, where some of the greatest cooks reside, nit too far from New Orleans Louisiana. We are known for our backwood crayfish dishes and sorry to say that if never have taken a visit to those backwoods, you cannot say that this is good quality crayfish. I'm my opinion this was not a fresh made rough. Why you ask, because the gumbo and the crayfish had the same thick dark base. Looks like they use brown and serve gravy mix or something like it. Gumbo is crunchy, yet mine was, and my crayfish dish had either old seafood or freezer burned, this was a taste that I could not rid from my tongue. The whole meal was trash even the over burnt Brussel sprouts that came out as the appetizer. We were given another one that was not burnt, but it did not matter because that burnt taste just remained on our tongue pallet. To be honest the owner/chef did comp our meal as he should have along with dessert . Let's talk about that peach cobbler... this was a very well put creation. The peaches still had the skin on them, I loved the freshness and the peach ice cream really paired well with the cobbler, this was a delicious dish and the presentation was awesome. 2nd the popcorn cobbler was cool too, I'm not really a fan of cold popcorn it taste stale to me, but my sister enjoyed it alot. Both desserts we delicious and well put together. My sister left a $20.00 tip, then had to rush me home because I threw up crayfish and gravy in her car. That dish did not agree with me at all. But thanks for the awesome customer service.

I reserved a 7:30PM dinner as a Valentine's Day surprise for my wife. I had extremely high hopes for this place to be "our place" as it isn't a super mainstream place, but most people who reviewed this place had nothing but good things to say. It seemed like a place that only people in-the-know knew about and I wanted to be a part of that. Firstly, I had reserved about a week or two before 2/14 for 7:30PM. They called me a couple days afterward saying their system had a glitch and were overbooked for that time slot and asked if 7:45PM would work. No biggie, we'll just leave 15 minutes later. Plus, the girl on the phone was very apologetic and nice. Now, with high expectations, we arrived for our reservation and were quickly checked in and seated. The place was pretty packed so I saw it as a good sign that the food was fantastic. However, the place being packed worked against us as there was about a 15-20 minute wait until we got our water. Understandable as there weren't too many people on staff, but 20 minutes for water.. We ordered fried oysters, gumbo, pork chop with grits, steak frites, and the fried milk for dessert. Everything was okay. Not bad, but not mind blowing as the reviews had me expecting. But maybe I shouldn't have placed that kind of expectation on them, that's my bad. The fried oyster, though, was unacceptable. It was the first thing we ate and really set up every following dish for failure. It was beyond fishy and every bite included a helping of sand. I tried, really tried, to finish it, but I felt if I ate one more bite I'd gag out loud in front of everyone. The piece I had cut in half exuded the scent of the ocean and it lingered until the end of the meal. We explained to the waiter it was inedible and asked it to be taken back. I expected at least an apology, but none was offered. They didn't even take it out of the bill until I asked them to. I did hear the owner provided food and support for the victims of the Alta Dena fire and praise him for that. They were also taking donations as well. You can really tell he cares deeply for the community, major respect. The servers were also very nice for the most part, they were just spread too thin. Tl;dr Had high hopes, failed to deliver. Don't get the oysters.

My husband and I were super excited to try this place. Easily made a reservation online and arrived happily to find they have their own parking lot. Looking at the menu, we wanted to try everything but settled for 2 appetizers and 2 entrees instead.. surely that would give us a good taste of what they had to offer. First we shared the gumbo which was really good. The chicken was tender and the spices tasted great. Next we tried the fried oysters which were a downer. They were served with a thousand island type sauce on the side but our oysters were definitely over cooked and in need of some lemon wedges. For my entree I thought the shrimp and grits would be a safe, solid choice.. but the shrimp was rubbery and tasted like charcoal. Grits were great but had some tough pork fat pieces on it which were hardly edible. My husband did love his steak which came medium rare (no modifications if you like your steak cooked otherwise). Overall, a bummer especially considering the amount of money spent on the meal. I was left thinking about what else I could have eaten which would have tasted better for way less. Also, if you go on a warm evening, be warned that our ankles got all bit up by mosquitoes probably due to all of the plants on the patio.

I'm just going to say it... This is by far one of the best, if not the best restaurant in Pasadena. The food is creative, the flavor pairing of some experiential items on the menu is phenomenal. The dishes that are NOLA-esque/inspired have deeply rooted cultural flavor. No frills, you get what the chef believes is the right seasoning. This restaurant is the only restaurant that I deem close to what its like to be in New Orleans. While I'm at it, take a look at the low reviews and see for yourself if it makes sense. Food - 5/5 Service - 4/5 Parking - 5/5 Only problem I have with this restaurant is that I know once its popularity skyrockets, getting reservations will be such a hassle. Enjoy the good food while you can.

I just had one of the best meals of my life at Henry Parsons Project. The grits alone were like angels singing. And then I bit into the luscious smoked pork chop. Sheer bliss on a rainy evening. My husband's shrimp and grits were equally delectable: juicy and flavorful. And we ended the meal with a to-die for chocolate brownie. The restaurant itself had a great artsy vibe, and the service is attentive but not intrusive. And one more thing: HPP is owned by a great, community-oriented guy who's been busy feeding Eaton Fire survivors, despite losing his own home. We'll be back, and we'll see you there.

Always love good Cajun food, but creative twists can be hard to pull off, as was evident with the tasting menu. Looking back, I regret going with that and should have stuck with one traditional dish, as the tasting menu was very expensive. It was almost $100 per person, and some dishes were good while others were not so good. The more traditional dishes such as the gumbo, biscuits, chocolate fudge ice cream and peach cobbler were good. Duck was also solid, not overcooked or undercooked, and had a nice sweet and savory mix. The halibut was not so good, sauce was made nicely but the fish itself was a bit dry and had a not fresh fishy smell and taste to it. I was not a fan of the other desserts either, olive oil cake did not have enough olive oil flavor and was a little too sour. I like that a lot of food was served, and we were beyond full, but I felt the quality was not consistent. Service was not the best either; there was an instance when the server spilt water onto my arm and table without an apology. There are more consistent and cheaper Cajun food nearby so I likely won't be back anytime soon.

I've been wanting to try this place forever and was not disappointed. We sat indoors and the space is cute. Lots of great artwork on the walls. Not loud inside. The patio seating looked like it had a lot of heaters. We ordered the biscuits to start which was phenomenal. One is good for 2 people to share. Though it came to the table after the main dishes. We ordered the bottle of Albariño which was lovely. I got the shrimp and grits and my husband got the hangar steak. My dish was so good!! Everything was perfectly seasoned. My husband said the steak was good but would have liked a few more baby potatoes. We ordered the sticky toffee pudding.....With popcorn! That's a twist. So Delicious. Definitely recommend. We also got the olive oil cake with tomato chutney and ice cream. I was intrigued by the combination of flavors but I felt the cake was a little dry. This dessert wasn't that great and I'd stick with the sticky toffee pudding. Service was attentive.

My review is all about the food. Excellent, especially if you are familiar with the dishes offered. If you are not, I suggest you try them.

Absolutely loved coming here and will be back again. We had the chicken paté appetizer, hangar steak, and shrimp and grits and the flavors were phenomenal! We especially loved the sauce for the steak, how the greens were dressed, and how buttery the grits were. Service was amazing too of course. Angel was so sweet and Xavi and Will who were working the kitchen came out to say hi and were so kind! Can't wait to try other dishes! The price point wasn't as high as we had thought either. There is ample parking and the surrounding area isn't too busy!

A very quirky dinner! We always drove by this not realizing it was a restaurant. We made a reservation but were unsure if we had to since there wasn't a wait. Originally were going to eat indoors but felt it was a bit tight inside so we asked to eat outside, and the staff was very accommodating. We ordered crispy potatoes, roasted beets, gumbo, and steak. The star of the night for me was the steak! It was cooked perfectly, full of flavor, and melted in my mouth. However, everything else felt like a mix of high-quality ingredients and store-bought pairings. The potatoes were good but the tomato compote reminded me of store-bought salsa; the gumbo had very overcooked sausage that did not have a good taste; and the beets were good but the texture of what I think was the beat hairs was not good. Also, they do not make modifications, even for allergies on toppings which I thought was weird. I had asked if they could just remove the nut topping on one dish and they said no. Didnt bother to ask why but thought it was weird. I know they change their menu every month so I may come back to try other pairings but not sure if I would recommend it just yet.

This place is a hidden gem. Tried a few of their cocktails and can see this place being an awesome place to meet friends for drinks. My favorite was the chicken pate and I normally don't like it. Plenty of parking and wasn't that crowded but not empty on a Saturday night.

About #tonight Close friends, delicious food & drinks, friendly service, cool restaurant, convenient free parking, reconnecting, good vibes.. We'll be back! #davidbowie #legends #simplythebest #memorialdayweekend

A delicious, authentic Southern Style restaurant in Pasadena. I absolutely love French cuisine so American Southeast is also something I'm a fan of and this restaurant not only did not disappoint but it went above my expectations. Parking is plentiful as they have a large lot on site but also street parking is easy to find. The staff was extremely polite, everyone from the hostess to our waiter was very welcoming and accommodating. Dishes here are share size portions, aside from the entrees at the bottom of the menu, so we chose some of our favorites and just shared. We started with the Crispy Potatoes which were delicious and as expected. Next came the Biscuit with butter which may have been my favorite part of the meal. It was large and fluffy and went quickly. Followed up with the fried oysters (some of the best bread coating I have had in a long time it was perfectly fried) and mixed it with the Baby Lettuces salad. Mixing the crispy oyster with the buttery smooth salad was heavenly. Finally I finished up with the Crawfish Étouffée as I don't see that as menu option often in California and it tied as my favorite dish. The roux was deep in flavor which tells me it had been stewing for awhile which is by far the best way to do it. Topped off the meal with the Banana Pudding and it too did not disappoint. Overall a delicious meal with a friendly staff and fair pricing. I would recommend to anyone. Also we sat outside next to the sidewalk so we were able to people watch all night. I will be back again soon.

Came on a Saturday night with family for an early dinner. Restaurant ambiance, overall is very dark. Walls, tables, dinnerware all very dark colors which made the room even darker. Regardless of that, the food was delicious. We ordered quite a few things and really didn't have any complaints about the food. We had two different types of salads - one with GOAT CHEESE & and the other was a ENDIVE/ FRISEE with RADICCHIO. BISCUIT was to die for, GUMBO not normally what I order since it had a kick and I don't eat spicy food. For mains we got the PORK CHOP & the BUTTERMILK JALAPENO HANGER STEAK. Aside from how dark the restaurant was the food was really good & the service was lovely. ENJOY! PS: They have their own parking lot.

My bf made reservations for 5 for a Saturday night at 6:30pm (him, me and my family). We were seated immediately. The restaurant was also a bit empty at the time. It definitely filled out as we left. The server was friend and nice. We took a while to order because we weren't sure what we wanted. March 2023 menu. We ended up ordering the pork rillettes with toasts, grapefruit salad, biscuits, grilled chicken, shrimp and grits, crawfish hand pies, hangar steak, beignets, and toffee pudding. The portions were not too big but also not too small. The 5 of us shared everything. None of us were full (volume wise) but everything was extremely flavorful which was really satisfying. All the dishes were amazing. The only dish that wasn't my favorite were the crawfish hand pies - a bit too fishy for me. The biscuits were large and so soft and yummy. The grapefruit salad was my all time fav.

Guaranteed to say "oh my god this is so good" about 10 times while eating at Henry Parsons Project. Genuinely every single time on their menu is delicious. Of the ones I tried, their pork chop and cheesy grits is something I dream about. I wish I could eat it every day it's that damn good. The next item that is a must try is the shrimp and grits. Wonderfully savory with a perfect umami edge. Although not pictured, their gumbo with chicken and andouille is out of this world. Next time I go I'm definitely getting an extra order to go! The asparagus is the best asparagus I've ever tasted. Perfectly grilled light and with a perfect crunch. Lastly the Shirley temple is truly delightful. The restaurant has a lovely unique style with wonderful decorations and incredible staff. The service was excellent even with every table full. It's a perfect place for a dinner date or evening out with friends. Can't recommend them enough!

Came here because of the photo of the sticky toffee pudding but I was really in the mood for a steak. Thankfully I read a review that said the hanger steak was their favorite dish here so that's what sold me on it. The server also suggested the biscuit and I'm glad that we did because it was one of our favorite things. I kind of wish we would have taken her suggestion on getting the gumbo, but oh well I guess we'll try that next time. I really enjoyed the steak. It was cooked to a nice medium rare and had an excellent char. I also enjoyed the California winter cocktail. I would like to come back here and order their recommended items.

Another boon for Pasadena, the musically themed Henry Parsons Project is the dream child of members of the band Widespread Panic. Their Georgian (state, not country) sensibilities lends to this cajun spiced restaurant, which has a rotating menu of Southern staples. Tonight, I dined here with my mother. We split a fluffy, freshly baked biscuit - as airy as a cloud! We also shared the chicken liver pâté, which was smooth and creamy decadence, accompanied by blueberry compote, bacon jam, pickles, and caramelized onions. My main was the shrimp and grits and I'd never consider it a shareable portion but filling for one. Mom ordered the crispy cauliflower and adored its generous char and seasoning. Beer and wine and wine based cocktails are for those who imbibe and I am grateful for a wide selection which includes sours and fruit based wheat beers. We're already planning another outing and so should you!

Really good food and service. Tried a new place in Pasadena that was not in the more popular Old Town area. The biscuit is a MUST! So good- order 2! The dessert of sticky toffee pudding and popcorn ice cream will definitely tempt me back!

WTF ! That was delicious ! That biscuit was fantastic, kale salad, shrimp and grits, mushroom pasta all was just delicious Service was great, outside of no hard alcohol there is nothing but high praise for HPP. We'll be back

Still in the mood for creole cooking, we were able to eke out a spot at Henry Parsons thru Open Table. Lots of patrons straining their necks looking for a waiter. They were severely understaffed, so patience was definitely a virtue. Beers, wine and kombucha only. No cocktails. Their lemonade was pleasantly sweet and tart. Ceviche was delicious. A couple of us were tempted to sip the leftover sauce. Duck liver pate was good too, just make sure to order extra crostinis. The oysters were ok, maybe the oil it was fried in wasn't too fresh. But everyone's favorite starter was the gumbo, great flavor with plenty of chunks of chicken and sausage. I got the shrimp and grits. Shrimp were huge and perfectly grilled. Lardon was salty as a few reviewers have mentioned, but balanced easily with the grits... which were practically mashed potatoes. Crawfish étouffée was a bit too spicy for the wifey, but I enjoyed it. The dining room lighting hides the overwhelming amount of black pepper though. Beignets for dessert were pillowy perfection. The meal overall was solid and left us quite satisfied.

We decided to give this place a try for our Anniversary and it DID NOT disappoint! The food is delicious! The service was spot on and friendly. Being a pescatarian, we mentioned that to our server, and they were able to create their offered course meal pescatarian style! Every dish was more and more delicious. The ambiance is really hip and classy. If I had to find anything less than perfect we weren't a huge fan of the cinnamon chocolate cake and the outside high top chairs are not that comfortable. Over all we loved it so much we are going back to celebrate one of our birthdays!

First, I want to thank the chef, his warm staff, and... Actually let me thank the Yelp reviewer that lead us to the restaurant; I hope you come across this. This person scolded the restaurant for being closed and not bending over backwards to open at their leisure. Having had enough from such a delusional diva, the chef had to reply back. And with that message, my wife and I knew we had to go check out Henry Parsons Project. And now we're hooked! I won't go into detail over the food, just know it's well executed and will be sure to satisfy those cravings for Cajun/Creole/Southern cooking!

It's been pretty hard to find good Cajun food in LA ever since Orleans closed a couple of decades ago. I love étouffée so when I saw HPP is serving crawfish étouffée I had to give it a try. HPP is a pop up that has taken over a vacant restaurant next to Quisados. The menu looked quite enticing; but, we can only eat so much for one meal. So I picked just a few for our first order. First the étouffée was delicious. The crawfish was fresh and the sauce was savory and thickened with nutty roux. It definitely satisfied my cravings. The NOLA gumbo was equally tasty. The andouille sausage gave the gumbo a nice smoky flavor and the chicken pretty much melted in our mouths. It had just a little kick to it to make it authentic Cajun. The grilled chicken was good. The chicken was a little overcooked but the flavor was excellent. I particularly liked the masque choux (a quintessential Cajun side dish made with fresh corn, onion, and bell pepper). The Apple citrus slaw was also refreshing. The buttermilk biscuits tasted more like English tea scones, which I very much enjoyed. For those who are looking for super flaky and oily biscuits made with generous amount of lard, these may not be the ones. Be sure to opt for the butter and jam. The strawberry jam tasted like homemade. We are definitely going go back to try other offerings.

Thai was our first time to this restaurant, the food and service were great! The menu had an interesting New Orleans flair. The Vietnamese crepe was tasty! We enjoyed sharing several dishes. We went for Valentine's Day dinner. Staff, Chef and Manager were all very friendly. We'll be back!

The food, the decoration and the first class service, I love the idea that the chef comes out to explain his dishes! the mamacita drink 10 points!