Smitty's Grill

As many times I've eaten here, Im surprised I've never left a review. It's one of my favorite spots when visiting CA, I always make a point to stop by in Pasadena. The staff here is absolutely amazing, I usually sit at the bar and eat. Regulars are often here as well, so I can enjoy a good conversation too. I've only ever had one issue here, and it was immediately handled accordingly by the manager and I was satisfied with the outcome. I typically get an espresso martini and a special if they have one, or the rib-eye and a baked potato. Meats cooked properly and delicious. Portions are pretty large, and I typically have leftovers. Definitely a must visit in Pasadena!

Smitty’s is, without a doubt, my favorite place to dine in Pasadena. Whenever close friends visit from out of town, this is the first restaurant I take them to—it’s that special. Everything at Smitty’s is done to perfection: the food, the cocktails, the impressive wine list, the decadent desserts, and, most importantly, the exceptional staff. From the moment you step through the door, you’re transported back in time to the glamorous restaurants where Hollywood royalty dined and celebrated in the 1950s. The ambiance is timeless, the service impeccable, and the experience unforgettable. I truly can’t say enough great things about Smitty’s—it’s spectacular in every way.

Smitty's is one of the few restaurants that continues to offer consistency in its food and service. Their staff is always striving to offer great service, they are both friendly and attentive. The food is excellent and great quality. They offer a good variety of options for different dietary requirements or preferences. The atmosphere is vibrant and they have options for a more quiet and intimate setting with their outdoor and back patio which features fireplace seating. We visited again recently and had another wonderful meal. On arrival the hostess said our only option was outside when another employee stepped in and checked again and found a great table inside. It was a busy Thursday and at first it felt loud but everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and soon I settled in and didn't notice. I suggest making a reservation they always seem busy, a testimate to what a Pasadena gem it is!

What a great find this was. Everything we had was just wonderful. Cioppino, corn bread, the wedge salad were the perks. We weren't big fans of the fried chicken or the potato chips. They were a little bland tasting. Our server was Anthony and he was amazing. Always attentive and friendly. This place is definitely worth a try.

Overall I’d rate this a 4.6, so I rounded up to a 5. The atmosphere is good, but a bit dark. I had to use the flashlight on my phone to read the menu. However, I am over 50 so my eyes aren’t what they used to be. Interestingly the sound/noises from across the room carry pretty far. The food is very good. I had the Smitty’s famous meatloaf. It’s very fine in texture. I do wish it was a little saltier, but that’s easy to fix. The cornbread was definitely a highlight and one of my favorite things. The wedge salad was good and fresh. They give you a pretty big sized wedge. They offer valet parking in back, but there are plenty of self parking spots available in the front and back.

It was a great place to celebrate a recent promotion in my Travel Business! It had that old school dining feel with high back booths and dim lighting, I'm all about ambiance!! The food and the service were great, we really enjoyed our evening here! I had the crab cakes, my husband had meatloaf and we shared the smitty salad, which I highly recommend! My husband said the meatloaf was soggy which was why I gave a 4 out of 5 on food, otherwise it would have been a 5!

I planned a family dinner for my dad’s 90th birthday here. From the first call they were great to work with. I explained that he had difficulty hearing and they made sure our table was secluded. It turned out to be perfect. I was traveling from out of state so had never been here nor could I scope it out. They set us up perfectly! Service was WONDERFUL! Attentive and kind. Food was good with a variety to fit everyone’s tastes at our table of 10. I highly recommend as they truly take care of their customers.

Very good resturant, food is great, we order fish of the day king salmon and also tomato soup was great, desert was very tasty too

My wife had brought me here for the first time 8 yrs ago when I retired and we've come back several times throughout the years. We love the decor. The booths are comfortable, and the food is great and the service is always second to none! Whether its for a casual dinner or a special occasion, as it was on Wed, Feb 19,2025. Our friend was retiring and we couldn't think of a better place to help her celebrate than Smitty's Grill. Our new retiree loved the' Congratulatory' card and complimentary dessert she received from our waiter/ waitress for her retirement! Thanks for making the night a memorable one! See you soon!

Though we were a bit young for the Smitty's crowd, we loved our dinner here. The service was excellent- available for every need, but not intrusive. The wine list was well-curated. The filet mignon was perfectly cooked and the artichoke appetizer was a highlight. I recommend the key lime pie!

Excellent food Terrific service Pleasant setting great valet service Will be returning soon

Excellent Ambiance, Excellent dinner, amazing service. Highly recommend this Gem on Lake Ave. in Pasadena. If you are into dim lighting, moody ambiance with flowing drinks this spot is for you. Iconic location in Pasadena with an old school feel. Had the Flat Iron Steak special with mashed potato's and asparagus with a peppercorn sauce 10/10! Amazing salmon salad, Crispy Fried Chicken sandwich and chefs choice dessert raspberry chocolate truffle cake 10/10. I'm drooling writing this review. So great, thank you Smittys. :-)

My husband and I bought ourselves a Smitty's gift certificate for the holidays for several hundred dollars that we could use for weekends out. This is our second year to do this. Last year we loved it but this year the service has noticeably declined. We've visited 3 times in 2025 and all three times the service has been off. We've been going to Smitty's for at least 2 decades since my parents took us as a young couple. Disappointing.

Great customer service delicious food accommodating staff with last minute reservations. My son loved the restaurant and excited to go back next time we are in the area. Lovely ambiance.

After a great afternoon at the Pasadena Playhouse, I had made reservations for Smitty's months ago. We all LOVED this restuarant!!! Casey our server couldn't have been more attentive, informative about the various dishes and terrific. We all had glasses of wine that were wonderful. Each one of us ordered the perfect dinners, and were amazed that athere was no issues whatsoever and my Chicken Piccata was exceptional. Smitty's was decorated for the holidays with garland and it felt so festive as we had a raised booth and all of us were able to see the full dining room. I picked the best restaurant to enjoy a wonderful dinner with my friends before heading back home to OC. Highly recommend Smitty's!

Yes. I ordered the sautéed spinach with shallots and sourdough bread with butter. I believe I ordered it on 2/13 around 5:30 pm.

The food, staff and old world ambiance make this a special place. It's on my must return when I am in Pasadena and when you come you'll understand why.

Service with Luis was phenomenal Serene Classic old Hollywood dinning ambiance Stiff cocktails Lobster roll sandwich light

Came here for dinner to celebrate a birthday and was pleasantly surprised with how great the dining experience was here! When I made the dinner reservations, I put down a note that it was for a birthday. Immediately upon arriving, the staff welcomed and took us to our table and handled us a sweet handwritten birthday card. We were then greeted by our waiter (Gustavo) who was spectacular! The food was delicious! My favorite was the Penne Arrabbiata! I highly recommend giving this place a try!

Great service always with a smile, food is good and it's really cute around Christmas as it's decorated for the holidays.

The 6 of us arrived for a group dinner. We shared many items including appetizers, drinks, salad and a few entrees. Some of my favorite: Fresh Cornbread - It was warm and delicious! Spread on the soft butter and honey. Love the crumbles on top. Definitely sharable. Smitty's Salad - White Shrimp, Smoked Bacon, English Peas, Green Beans, Bleu Cheese dressing with cornbread croutons. I normally don't care for blue cheese, but this was tasty! Calamari and Shrimps - this was good, except we didn't see any shrimps. Maybe one or 2 only? Crab Cakes - only 2 small pieces, so we needed 2 orders for 6 people. A bit pricey for this appetizer at $25. We were actually pretty stuffed at this point, but we also added a few entrees. I got the chicken piccata which I didn't care for because it had way too many capers and it was so sour. Hubby got the daily sea bass and he enjoyed it . The other guys at the table got a rib eye steak and also a steak sandwich. Drinks were pretty strong and our friend also added a bottle of wine. Overall we had a good dinner with friendly service, I would come back for my few favorites.

Love this place for great ribeye and other Smitty's classics on the menu. This is a family favorite place for special occasions, too.

Beverage service standards not met here tonite. Bartender scooped ice with bare hands for my drink after touching everything behind the bar. He never washed his hands prior to placing ice in my drink with bare hands. I mentioned it to staff. Was told this is standard practice. Smith Bros....take heed. I love your establishments and will continue to dine here. But, please train bar staff on retail food standards for cleanliness. Horrible optics and sanitary standards were not met. Everyone should understand the importance of strict sanitation practices in the bar. Use plastic or metal scoops or tongs to get  ice.  Do not use bare hands to scoop ice.  Ice is considered a food substance and should be treated so. I had to insist the bartender use tongs for my second round. Lead behind bar excused the bare hands but I insisted. Food 5 stars Poor hygiene at bar -3 stars. Step up your bar game Smitty's.

Smitty's is my favorite restaurant in Pasadena. We've been going here for a long time and often. There've only been a few times I've been disappointed and those times were bad. But that's bound to happen. Some nights are just off. Last night we returned for my birthday. It was perfect. The food was delicious as usual, the drinks cold and tasty, the service kind, conscientious and efficient. The complimentary candled cake and hand written birthday card was a nice touch. The prices have crept up, but not egregiously. You pay for quality after all. Smitty's is an adult restaurant. It has a classic ambiance and a comfortable vibe. It can get noisy, but it's lively and happening. I love you Smitty's.

I liked it. I quite dig the ambiance. It felt very retro yet classy and very art-deco. Almost feels like you're in a noir film. I don't recall if it was in the menu or it was a special but the lobster ravioli was the best thing on the menu. Shared it for the table as like an appetizer. I had the prime rib. It was great and the wife ordered the seafood cioppino. Both solid dishes. I'd come back again.

There are almost 700 restaurants in Pasadena and we've been to probably half. However we consistently hit Smitty's not only for dinner, (try the ribs, the skillet cornbread and the chicken picatta) but our favorite thing is to hit them up for dessert. They have the best key lime pie I've ever had (think key lime whipped cheesecake on a graham cracker crust with a perfect strawberry purée). Oh and have Andrew make you an espresso martini.

Smitty's is classy -- not too expensive, but still upscale dining. This is a place where you can come with a group of friends, or on a date. You can come in jeans, or you can come in a cocktail dress. You can get bar bites like calamari, or you could get a beautiful seafood or pasta dinner. You can get a beer, or you can get a cocktail. Smitty's is the kind of place that works for everyone.

Just went here for my father-in-laws bday dinner. He's always telling us to try something new, so we booked smitty's. Arroyo chop house is always a solid choice so we assumed the same for Smitty's as they're the same group. The good: My wife and I had the pasta specials. Lobster ravioli and beef stroganoff. Both were delicious. Nice pesto cream on the ravioli, which wasn't too heavy, and a rich brown butter cream sauce on the stroganoff. Tender beef and Al dente noodles. Brother got the steak special which was cooked to his liking and had good sides. The Caesar salad was tasty and fresh, and the drinks came promptly. Service from our waiter was impeccable. The not great: calamari was fried too long. It wasn't brown, but it was like eating a squid chip. My FIL's ribs were dry-"like jerky" in his words. It wasn't worth mentioning in the restaurant; I'm never looking for a comped dish or handout. All in all, a fun evening out. Wife and I will be back to try out some of their other offerings, just probably not the ribs or calamari Update: extra star for great customer service.

13 years later I'm here again to celebrate my birthday again. We started off with the Asian pear salad and that was refreshing and solid to share with the table. Second up we ordered the grilled artichokes w/ aioli and butter and that was another excellent dish as it's a favorite pastime to make myself at home. Today I ordered the beef ribs off menu and it was mouth watering. The meat was so yummy and it almost fell off the bone. It was so enjoyable with a side of onion rings instead of fries. Other friends had the sand dab fish and loved that fish as it wasn't fishy tasting but more light and sweet. Another friend ordered the meatloaf and devoured that dish. As for the chicken piccata those that ordered that seemed disappointed so I had to share my dish with them. I wanted a smile from them as I was enjoying my dish. The restaurant has outdoor seating in the back of the building but overall it was too hot to be outside even in the shade. Inside the restaurant was much more comfortable and since we arrived right when they opened we were pretty much the only diners for the first 30 minutes. Our server was helpful and allowed us to choose what we wanted to eat. We were not rushed at all and we enjoyed our time indulging in our food. I highly recommend you come out and pamper yourself in excellent food. Parking is located in the back for $6 or valet for $7 or street parking is limited to 2 hours.

Nice restaurant very classy The food was good and the service was great ! There is a paid parking lot towards the back of the restaurant or street parking in the front side.

This review is long overdue. As I got older I started spending less time on Colorado and more time on Lake for dining. And I like it. About two years ago I finally went inside Smittys for the first time. What a hidden gem in Pasadena. The atmosphere is loud and lively but at the same time comfortable. It's hard to explain. The servers are professional and attentive. Hostesses seat you promptly. The seating outdoors is nice during summer evenings. I probably been there over a dozen times since the first time I walked in. The people at the bar are incredibly friendly, customers and bartenders alike. Andrew is an amazing bartender and a genuinely good person. Onto the food, it's like upscale American comfort food. My favorites are any fish of the day, chicken pot pie, prime rib, and meatloaf. They even have some dishes you don't see anymore like beef stroganoff and sand dabs. All amazing. The cocktails are poured with a heavy hand. The wine list is great. And the desserts are sublime. This a great place for any occasion. Highly recommend.

Every once in awhile you come across a restaurant that really wows you! Smitty's is it for me! We live in the Marina and met friends who live near Pasadena for dinner tonight. I'm going to start with the valet because that's the first person you see upon arrival. Parking is in the back of the restaurant just off Lake Avenue. The valets were super nice and efficient. The hostess was warm and welcoming, and the managers, Erica and Ashley came to check on us and were so warm and friendly! The star of the show was our server, Johnny! We loved him! He provided service that was impeccable and was so nice and cheerful, that he made our experience outstanding. If you love comfort food, you've hit the jackpot with Smitty's. Have you ever seen a menu where every item sounds amazing? I was hard pressed to choose what to have because everything here sounds so good! We started with wine from the great wine list and drank a tasty French Sauvignon Blanc. We followed with the homemade potato chips which are highly addicting! Bread is fresh, crisp, and chewy and we devoured that too! Next we had the Smitty's salad which is one of the best salads I've ever had! We had the Fried chicken and its was outstanding. We especially loved the cornbread muffins! We also had the prime rib and a beef dip sandwich and both were delicious! Our very nice server, Johnny brought us a yummy chocolate cake for dessert. I'm definitely going back for more! The ambience is so lovely with comfy booths and tables and the wine collection is very impressive. Smitty's is five star in my book and it will be in yours too!

Smittys in Pasadena is a real nice spot. In the center of all the action surrounded by many other restaurants and stores. Tons of people everywhere, lots of dogs which makes me happy. Tough to find an opening on a Friday night so reservations are a good idea. Lots of central parking lots. I guess you would call it a steak and seafood restaurant. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Really nice patio with a fire place and a larger Covid patio. Seemed like great quality and everyone loved their choices. To start we got the crab cakes which were so light, with great flavor and d served with the most amazing cranberry slaw. I ordered the prime rib French dip with fries, a very good Sammy. My nephew ordered the Cajun fried chicken sandwich and it was delicious, judging by his empty plate. My brother ordered the special, King Salmon with risotto . Don't believe I've ever had a lighter more flavorful piece of salmon. Excellent .. I'd definitely go back. Great experience. Prices are as to be expected.

Everything went well at Smitty's last night. The way we were greeted, the food, even the thank you as we left. The fried chicken at Smitty's is some of the best around and last night was no exception, it was fantastic. Our last experience over a year ago was less than stellar so we were reluctant to return. So glad we did and will return many times more. Change in management? Unsure but whatever they did worked!

Always great food and service, only area to improve is the bartending and quality of drinks

Recently celebrated a birthday with my girlfriends....i had the chicken piccata with spinach..delicious! The chicken was tender, the sauce was garlicky and lemony with just the right amount of capers. Their wedge salad was excellent! S3vice was fantastic- I believe our waiter was "Jimmy"...some of my friends had 5e lobster ravioli which they loved. What we really enjoyed was that while we had excellent service, we were able to enjoy our celebration without being rushed.Thank you....

Smitty's has been popular with the affluent Pasadena and San Marino residents for decades. I too used to enjoy this place. But, unfortunately as with so many dining establishments since Covid, the quality has deteriorated so badly that it was sad. On this particular Sunday evening, nothing went right with what we ordered. First of all, it took more 30 minutes after ordering to get our first dish. The artichoke had some little eatable part (much less than normal) that at least 90 percent was inedible. The plating of our entrees were amateurishly messy and unimaginative. The filet mignon was dry and full of tendons. The cioppino tasted like canned tomato soup with some chunks of frozen shellfish tossed in. How disappointing that the Smith brothers would let such an iconic place deteriorate to this extent.

Thank you Gregg for following through and making a bad experience right. I feel that speaks volumes for your establishment

I wanted to like Smitty's because I love American comfort food and Yelp showed it had 4 stars so how bad could it be? Not to mention, they always seem to have availability when my absolute favorite spot, Houston's, is booked up. (Well, now I know why). You can't even compare those two places as Houston's is far superior in quality/service/food and the two restaurants simply don't even fall into the same class. Houston's is so buttoned up and consistently high quality and delicious - compared to Smitty's which seems like a hot mess service-wise and serves food that tastes like a step up from Chili's. The past few times I've been there has been such a disappointment but last night was the worst and we vowed to never go back. 1. Each time I've gone, for some reason the servers never know which servers are serving which tables. It's the most bizarre thing and, because of the confusion, we're left just sitting there for a while. (Not to mention that last night we went at 515pm and there were only a couple occupied tables so what's there to get confused about?!). 2. As a result of said "confusion", we are never brought MENUS. The first time I was ever went to Smitty's, we sat there for 25 minutes without anyone speaking to us or even bringing us a menu - that time, since it was my first visit, I didn't know if they had a diff way of doing things so I was patient at first, but literally had to flag someone down....and this has happened the two subsequent times including last night. I don't get it, don't you normally get handed a menu when you get seated at a restaurant? 15 minutes in, we had to flag down a random gentleman (who ultimately didn't end up being our actual server), and he asked if we'd had our drink orders taken and we said that we never even got a menu to look at. And he was all flustered and confused. So he finally brought us one. Meanwhile, the couple seated directly in front of us (who had actually arrived later than us) were already eating their appetizer. 3. Server never told us they had any specials when she took our order. Only after we put in our orders, we overheard a different server telling our neighboring table about the specials for the evening - and we were so disappointed as all the specials were items that we normally love and would've wanted to order (last night they were salmon and flat iron steak - which happen to be our two fave items). 4. The same specials-withholding server told us all side dishes were swappable for any sides listed on the menu. My partners dish came with two sides so he swapped them for two different items, and we ended up getting charged $12 for his second side. I asked the server why and she said his "two sides were actually equivalent to one side". And she couldn't have maybe told us that? Plus his "farmers market vegetables" that he got charged $12 for ended up being broccoli (we were expecting a medley based on the name) that was seriously overcooked and mushy. 4. The food is mediocre at best. Like I said, "stepped up" Chilis (and I say stepped up only because they claim to use ingredients like Mary's Chicken etc). But otherwise it's salty, overdressed. I had their famous "meatloaf" which was super salty and crumbly. And my partner had the ribs which were dry (some parts were as dry and chewy as jerky) - which prob explains why 50% of it was made up of bbq sauce. 5. Majority of the items are à la carte so even if the prices initially "appear" reasonable, they're not, b/c you have to order separate sides unlike Houston's where all entrees come with sides. Bottom line, SKIP SMITTYS AND GO TO HOUSTONS. Just make sure you book a ressie at Houston's at least a few days in advance as they fill up quickly (for good reason).

Party of ONE here. The bartender is slaying it and his "Tito's martini straight-up, two blue cheese olives", the very best. The Smitty salad is meh. Get the wedge or ribs. The 'homemade' potato chips are not worth the $7 and should be gratis, especially at the bar. I shared them with everyone around me. The hostess tonight (12/6/24) is a straight-up fool. "We don't have any tables tonight except the bar, cook bar or outside" inside an empty restaurant. I sit at the bar, enjoy the service, take a gander at OpenTable and there is full availability ALL night long for 2 - 4 tops. Hire a liar with some panache.

Smitty's has always been a very good classic Pasadena restaurant. The variety smitty's have you always want to come back! I like the ambiance and the setup for outdoor dining and indoor. It's very classy vibe with a romantic touch. I always come and try to try different things when I can. Last night, I tried the chicken pot pie, shrimp salad, salmon, and baked potato. It was very delicious with a very good glass of Pinot noir that Was top tier, $22.00 for a glass. Everything was fresh and taste so yummy!! The customer service was absolutely phenomenal. We had two great servers: Luciano and Anthony. They had top notch service and was very easy going and super accommodating. Luciano told us recommendations from specials, wine, and deserts. Everything was no problem of what we asked. No complaints whatsoever on the service, this makes you want to come back for sure. It is valet parking, which is good or else you can park in the parking structure next to the counter, it is not free parking but if parking on street or lots for handicap parking it's ok. I will definitely come back again per usual. I will try the chicken piccata next time, and key lime pie for desert on my cheat day :)

The service at this place is excellent! We chose this restaurant to catch up with old friends. Ordered several appetizers, they split our entrée, they even split a beverage for us from the bar, no questions asked even our friend who was an hour late didn't hold us up from being seated and enjoying a slow meal at this delightful, old world charm, iconic restaurant. The grilled artichoke was a perfect starter to graze on... smoky and savory. My friend and I split the salmon salad, perfect for a lighter meal and if you're saving room for dessert. You can specify the doneness of the salmon... we asked for it cook, medium, and it was perfect! And for dessert, we split the chocolate mousse cake among three of us. As a Chocolate fan, it was a perfect finish!

4.5 stars if I could! Service was excellent. I was celebrating an anniversary and as soon as our server Johnny found out, he had the hostess come give us a handwritten anniversary card. So sweet! We haven't been in almost a decade, but the memory of their cornbread was still at the forefront of our minds. And they absolutely delivered. Delicious!! A must!!! It's good for taking home or even as a dessert. More than enough for a party of 2. Docking the star because while the cornbread was a standout, the rest of the meal was just okay. Clam chowder had a very very mild flavor. Steak was kind of rubbery and pretty bland. I had to sprinkle some salt over it. Mashed potato was fine and very smooth, but came out lukewarm. Overall would definitely come to get the cornbread, even if it's just to-go. Make sure to spread the salted butter and drizzle some honey over the pieces. Literal heaven!! I literally can't stop talking about the cornbread lol!

I used to absolutely adore Smitty's and frequented the establishment for any and all occasions. The in-person dining has always been spot on. Unfortunately, due to personal circumstances, we have had to order to-go the last four or five times and the food has been subpar and disappointing. If you aren't dining in, I would not recommend Smitty's at all. The occasions we have ordered to go, our steaks/prime ribs have been over cooked and gross. Honestly it tasted like it had been sitting out on a warmer all day.

Good food, great service, great atmosphere. I recommend the place. It reminds me of restaurants from my youth.

Unfortunately we dd not have a good experience at Smitty's. My wife and I decided to spend a special evening at Smitty's. I received my meal timely, but my wife never received her meal. The server kept saying it was coming out but it never did. After asking for the manager, the meal finally came out, approximately 20-30 minutes after mine. The manager tried to remedy by comping the drinks but the damage was done and our evening was ruined. Truly disappointed after hearing so many good thing about the restaurant.

We had a great experience last night for dinner at Smitty's. The ambiance is nice but the service and food were the real stars. Johnny was our waiter and he deserves more stars than yelp allows. Same goes for the food. We had sandwiches. A cheeseburger and their prime rob french dip. Both sandwiches were amazingly tasty and fulfilling. The our waiter mentioned the key lime pie. It was a huge piece and better than zny of the key lime pies that I've eaton before. The Smith brothers have continued to provide great food and service at all of their restaurants. It is always a treat to eat here. I wish that we didnt live so far away but will certainly return. The menu is smaller than in the past ( no more liver n onions) but worth the drive.

Great food and service. A bit loud inside but outside on the Lake st side is lovely. Valet parking which is quite convenient.

Tried for the first time and was extremely disappointed. The female bartender was so busy flirting with a customer at the top of the bar that the rest of us were ignored for more than an hour. We had to ask repeatedly for basics like beverages, cutlery, side plates, etc. The Cioppino was good but I can't say the same about the crabcakes or pot pie. We came in on today because of the carolers and they didn't even sing one song that we could hear. So surprising given the high caliber of Arroyo and Parkway. Better off at Bistro 45 around the corner.

I've been dining here for years now, amazing flavors and great service. This last visit probably wasn't their best look. We were seated, but then wasn't greeted by our waiter for about 5-8 minutes. Then, after that i observed that it was taking above normal delays for our waiter to make his rounds to check on us, which made me realize they were most likely short staffed that nite, for this is not how Smitty's flows normally. My Prime Rib (which is my go-to dish here) was extremely overcooked. This is not what disappointed me, but that it took 10 minutes for them to check on me to address the issue. The manager did come by to acknowledge the situation and offered a salad or soup, but i had already had both, so i passed on the offer. By now my wife was almost done with her meal. They finally corrected it but now timing is off and my wife is now just waiting for me to finish. Then, we always look forward to the hot fudge sundae. When we received it, it was served 60% melted. We still ate it despite it being not at its best. This tells me the dish was probably sitting for some time before being served, thus the short staffing issue. Finally, we received the bill and I was charged 100% in full for everything, including the melted ice cream. I'm a customer that will always pay above and beyond with generous tipping, and never complain about price. I just find it a little disturbing they feel the overcooked meal with extended downtime to address, melted ice cream and delayed service justified the full price bill. I'll still be back, I'll continue to support and enjoy Smitty's as well as the sister properties. But this caliber establishment like this shouldn't produce below-par experiences like this.

I know that Smitty's is an institution in Pasadena but other than that, I wasn't too impressed. The ambiance is great with all of the old pictures surrounding the restaurant, but let's face it, 90% of these reviews are about the food so here we go... The cornbread for starters looks great but dry and crumbled with just a few swipes of butter. And for a high end restaurant to provide honey from a plastic bear that you find at Vons was a joke...especially for the prices. I forgot to take pictures of the grilled artichoke but it was actually pretty good. Usually the artichoke is boiled or steamed but the grill added a new dimension to the flavor. Next came the appetizers. The bacon wrapped scallops were also very good, but 2 pieces for $26...brought me back to reality that we were on Lake in Pasadena. The Smitty salad was good and I shared it with my wife. There was a lot of shrimps and the dressing wasn't overpowering. The lobster bisque was not good at all. If I had a bowl of tomato soup next to it, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. The entrees were coming up and looks can be deceiving. The lobster ravioli was really something that could have been bought at a Whole Foods Market. Plus the fact that they placed them in a sauce which was EXACTLY like the "lobster bisque". Lastly, the lobster roll...I will say that there was a lot of lobster and the accompanying sauce and butter was a treat. This dish was actually very good and finished it all. I didn't even get to our friends orders of $30 for the fried chicken and $55 for sea bass. If you want to go to Smitty's just to say you went there, then by all means... Cleanliness: 8/10 Ambiance: 8/10 Service: 8/10 Food: 3/10 Bathrooms: 7/10 Value: 1/10 Will I Return? Not anytime soon.

No pictures :( The food taste better than they look anyway. The non-edible part: 3/5 overall Access 3/5- Ok amount of parking around the block. Service 5/5 - Very attentive and friendly front of house staff. Nice detailed explanations and recommendations. Food is ready rather quickly for the quality. 3-5 minutes between order and appetizer, 1-3 minutes between first course and main course, 1-3 minutes between ordering and desert. They clear your table very quickly. Visuals 3/5 - dim lighting, cozy setting, good decoration. Overall nice and simple vibes. Subtly lets you focus on the food Audio 3/5- Not much music, lots of chatters. You can talk with some privacy. Smell 4/5- Surprisingly not a lot of food smell. Good ventilation. The edible part: 4/5 overall nice and clean presentation. No fancy decorations, but that's what makes it fancy. Generous portions that match the pricing. Hot plate for main course, ice cold plate for dessert. It's not life-changing delicious, but very enjoyable nonetheless. Clam chowder (bowl) $11: 4/5 Large portion, fresh clams with no fishy aftertaste. Good blend of spices that aren't as common in other restaurants in SGV. Roasted Prime Rib (large. Roughly 14oz) $51: 4/5 My cut was on the leaner side, but still very enjoyable. I ordered medium-rare and I got exactly what I wanted. The au jus and creamy horse raddish are mild and do not overpower the meat even if you completely cover the meat with them. The texture is more "roasted beef" than "steak." The tendons and the lean parts are not tough, and the fat is not overwhelming. Even the edges are tasty. It is very tender. No sides by default but that's ok. Creme Brulee $12: 4/5 I thought it was going to be a cute little cup, but it was more like a soup bowl. The berry flavored syrup goes very well with the custard. The sugar is crystalized very evenly, so there is no overly burnt bitter parts. Virgin Margarita $7: 3/5. SWEET. VERY SWEET. Decent flavor otherwise. Conclusion: If you have $100+ to spare, treat yourself to a nice 3 course dinner expreience here. Smitty's is not a place for cheap value meals or legendary Michelin star experience; it is a great place to indulge yourself or have a fine moment with friends and family while enjoying Le Cordon Bleu graduates levels of good cooking.

My cousin asked me to host and plan her milestone 40th birthday dinner. I called and visited no less than 20 locations throughout SoCal trying to find the right place for her and decided to host in the back patio area of Smitty's Grill for Veterans Day Weekend 2023. We had a guest list of 16, and the back patio area with the twinkling lights, easy access to valet ($10) was stunning. The guests were seated in a rectangle allowing for guests to sit directly across from each other allowing for conversation to flow well. Many of the guests came as far away as Norco and Hesperia to dine here and all gave raving reviews of the dinner options. The gumbo was a popular appetizer of choice for the guests, along with the sand dabs and chicken pot pie. One of my guests is gluten free and two weeks later she was still raving about the grilled salmon and potatoes. As my cousin walked in we all started singing and hyping her up, and the other patrons on the patio joined in on the fun. We brought a few table decor to add to the table scape and it went well with the already established patio area. Our waiter was very attentive and even brought out a side table so that her custom birthday cake could be displayed for her dinner guests and photos. Everytime I have dined at Smitty's the service is always impeccable.

We dropped into this restaurant at the spur of the moment. We were in the area and decided to finally try Smitty's Grill. It is the holiday season and knew they would probably be busy. They gave us a reservation and we waited about 1.5 hours. The service was friendly. The food was outstanding. We tried the beef stroganoff (special of day) , the Smitty's salad and the lobster ravioli (another special of the day). We were very impressed with the food. The tomato sauce in the ravioli was DELICIOUS! The house bread - sourdough was brought to the table pipping hot and crispy ! We learned that the pastas are made in house. We will certainly be back to try more food items. They have a decent wine list and a full bar. We were thrilled to see that they have our favorite Chardonnay by the glass and beer on tap.

The steak is good here. The chicken is really good as well. However, the skillet cornbread is the best.

Literally the worst bar service ever! I cancelled our dinner reservation, This is a nusring home and I was so embarassed to have taken my date here. We waited 14 minutes to get a glass of wine. The other bar patrons were not happy as well. This place is so out of touch and old. Cannot ever step inside again. It smells like death. Try it. Barf.

Great for cocktails if you sit at the bar, the food never disappoints and it's got a very nice ambience! Bartenders know how to make great drinks here