Russell's

"Russell’s is a retro lunch counter that, at first, you might mistake as a tourist trap: there’s a constant crowd out front, a bright neon sign, and tacky fine art reproductions lining the walls. And even by Old Pasadena standards, this place is a zoo. But don’t be deterred—Russell’s chaos comes with fantastic food. The menu is a mix of Southern and French-leaning brunch dishes, which means eating gravy-covered chicken fried steak while the person sitting next to you at the counter digs into a gooey croque monsieur. Be prepared to wait a few minutes for a table though, since Russell’s only accepts walk-ins and they’re busy most days of the week." - nikko duren, brant cox, sylvio martins, garrett snyder

"Russell’s is a retro lunch counter that, at first, you might mistake as a tourist trap: there’s a constant crowd out front, a bright neon sign, and tacky fine art reproductions lining the walls. And even by Old Pasadena standards, this place is a zoo. But don’t be deterred—Russell’s chaos comes with fantastic food. The menu is a mix of Southern and French-leaning brunch dishes, which means eating gravy-covered chicken fried steak while the person sitting next to you at the counter digs into a gooey croque monsieur. Be prepared to wait a few minutes for a table though, since Russell’s only accepts walk-ins and they’re busy most days of the week." - Nikko Duren

"Pasadena coffee shop staple Russell’s is closing in on 100 years of serving pancakes, eggs, and bacon to waiting customers north of Colorado. Expect long weekend lines for this one." - Eater Staff

"Pasadena coffee shop staple Russell’s is closing in on 100 years of serving pancakes, eggs, and bacon to waiting customers north of Colorado. Expect long weekend lines for this one." - Eater Staff