The Original Tops

Just an awesome, and local favorite. We did not get the taco salad, but did see three other people get it. That must be amazing. But what I do know, is the pastrami is top shelf. So much flavor, and tons of meat. We thought it looked a little small when it came out, but we’re only able to finish half with some fries. And since we’re talking about the fries, these are all natural potatoes, fried in oil. Nothing more, nothing less. And they taste delicious. Similar to an In-N-Out fry, but with a variety of potato thicknesses. We will be back.

If you are looking for quality food and taste that you can rely on look no further than the original tops in Pasadena. Hands-down, some of the best zucchini fries in the world and yes, the House ranch is simply divine. Everything here is good, but I stick to my guns and get the tostada salad almost every time if not, the Patty melt if not the chicken tortilla soup. It’s almost like they can’t miss!

Pastrami sandwich and fried zucchini. That’s what I was recommended by the homie, I have to say it’s better than the hat sorry to say cause I really like the hat. A little on the expensive side but well worth it! I will definitely be stopping back by to try the chili cheese fries next time. Drive thru is small but seems to be a lot of parking.

This place is a great find if you love pastrami’s like I do. that’s been a staple since 1952. I love their hearty, flavor-packed sandwiches, it was stacked high with tender, smoky slices of cured beef Hand-carved pastrami’s. And I also tried their pastrami burgers and it did not disappoint. Give It a try I’m sure you’ll love it too.

A great little spot for authentic Mexican flavors — tasty food at reasonable prices. It’s hard to find anything disappointing on the menu. This place has clearly stood the test of time with its bold character. Highly recommend everyone give it a try！

As the bfast burrito at Lucky Boy's doesn't quite taste the same anymore, decided to drive out to East Pasadena to check out Tops Burgers. As I pulled up, saw a long line for the drive thru so ended up just parking. Love how they have 2 kiosks to place your orders especially how you can semi customize your bfast burritos. Love how you can specify your potatoes to be well done along with requesting additional salsa on the side. Ended up ordering a few bfast burritos to share with the fam (chorizo and egg, bacon and sausage). At first glance, the burritos do look a bit smaller than Lucky Boy's (less hash browns and meat) but overall a good balance of all ingredients. Not sure why they state home potatoes as it looked like shaved hash browns to me. Although I request well done, I would've wished they were cooked longer as I love crispy bits which add texture to the burrito. I also quite enjoyed their green salsa which does taste better than what you get at Lucky Boy's. Of the 3 burritos, I definitely enjoyed the chorizo and egg the most and would definitely go back for that. Did also notice they give complementary pickled carrots, peppers and onions. Staff was friendly and restaurant was clean.

Geezuz Christ all mighty!!! I’m from Texas and I wish we had a place with breakfast burritos this size, that tastes this good! We have breakfast tacos, which is cool and all, but wow!!! Super wow! Good food! You get what you pay for here for sure! 10/10 would recommend!

Update 10/14/25 Craving onions rings and knew just the spot. Didn’t get anything else this trip, but enjoyed every bite. They added ranch without asking and didn’t know I needed that in my life! Ketchup Is great too, but nice new twist for me! ——- I wish I tried this place sooner. Everything I ate was fantastic. Not your typical burger stand, which was what I was expecting. Onion rings were the real stand out for me, cause I just haven’t had home made rings like that in a while. Their pastrami burger aka the Tops’s special was pretty damn good as well. Definitely enough to share. I love the pickled carrots as well, which was a nice addition to your typical yellow chiles. Didn’t try the picked onions, but will next time.

My husband and I decided to try The Original Tops for his birthday, and we both agreed that words truly cannot describe how delicious their sandwiches are. I ordered the beef hash on sourdough, and it went above and beyond every expectation I had. My husband got the pastrami sandwich, which he absolutely devoured. We also shared the Asada Fries and the chili cheese fries to be able to try multiple things, and even the fries were delicious. The ambience is that of a classic diner, and the customer service was good.

Consistently great! Fast, friendly service, delicious food and great customer service! We asked some questions about the Chicken Tortilla soup and they gave us a little taste before hand. It was delicious! We ordered it along with a classic BLT and an order of fried zucchini. Everything tasted exactly like it does every time! So good! Staff was kind and checked on our experience as we left. We will be back in the next time we are in town. Thank you, Tops!

Unfortunately their food has went downhill and I'm super disappointed. The pastrami was very fatty The chili cheese fries was off. Almost as if the meat old, didn't taste right The steak sandwich meat is not rib eye. It was way overcooked and thin meat. Horrible! Never going again you oust a long time customer

Original tops is a great spot when you're in the mood for a no frills meal. My boyfriend and I came here for a bite when he was in the mood for this type of meal. When we arrived they had 3 workers by the cashier chatting among each other, and no greeting. I doubt that was what the owners originally imaged for this place. Instead there are 2 cold kiosks for you to order from while their staff chatted away. My boyfriend ordered a Bacon Cheeseburger ($8.79) and I ordered a Grilled Chicken Breast Salad ($10.99) with added Avocado ($1.99). We shared a small Chili Cheese Fries ($6.70) and a Fountain Soda ($2.89). They have a few booths and table to sit at, but many of the empty ones were dirty. We picked the least dirty one and wiped it down a bit. Food was really in a decent amount of time. My boyfriend really enjoyed his meal. I was surprised by how well the salad turned out, because I had pretty low expectations for it. There was a decent amount of grilled chicken with almost every bite. I didn't like their chili as much as other places, but I could only handle a few bites of it anyways. I would happily accompany my boyfriend the next time he wants this type of meal, but I probably won't be the one to suggest to come here on my own.

A simply wonderful diner. I love their onion rings. But I LOVE their Sycamore pastrami sandwich. It almost rivals the number 19 from Langer's in Los Angeles. Nice folks. Clean place. Always busy. I forgot, maybe the best fried zucchini in Los Angeles, great batter, fried perfectly.

Est. 1952- A Pasadena institution. Home of the famous Pastrami Sandwich and the Pastrami Burger. Also popular are the Breakfast Burritos and the Chili Cheese Fries. These are the staple items, but they also have soups, salads, hot dogs, chicken tenders, fish & Chips, and a variety of 'South of the Boarder' options. The service is very friendly, and you can order at a kiosk or with a real person. On this particular visit, I ordered the pastrami burger with cheese (no lettuce). As expected, it was very good. This is my go-to order at Tops, but I also recommend the Pastrami Sandwich and the Breakfast Burrito. This place is clean and I like the shiny silver serving trays. The self-serve soda fountain and garnish stations are convenient, and they also have a drive-thru. The Original Tops has it all, and is always busy. Definitely worth a visit.

Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 4/5 I have been here few times and always ate steak and eggs breakfast. This time I came here on lunch time so I was force to order other food selection. I have decided to order their famous pastrami sandwich and steak sandwich. For pastrami sandwich, meanwhile the taste was great the portion could be more. Steak sandwich was also ok but I don't like the piece of meat just slapped in between. I think it would be better to chop them in pieces. I would still come back to try more of their menu. Green salsa is still the best.

Craving onions rings and knew just the spot. Didn't get anything else this trip, but enjoyed every bite. They added ranch without asking and didn't know I needed that in my life! Ketchup Is great too, but nice new twist for me!

I've lived in the 626 area since I was about 4 year old and Tops has never failed to satisfy me once. If you are looking to change it up for burger places outside of In-N-Out and your typical fast food joint, you should definitely come try Tops. Most of my family gets their pastrami sandwich/burger but I always, always, always, recommend their zucchini fries. Its a bit of a weird item to order at a burger place, but it has been so delicious over the years. They serve it with a side of home-made ranch which just elevates them so much. They have changed their look since my time going their as a kid, but either way the staff has been super nice and inviting! The inside is well-kept with lots of seating if you want to eat inside and they also have a patio area to take in the nice weather.

I ordered a ground beef, bean, and cheese burrito which wasn't in the menu but they made one anyway and it was sooooooo delicious. I also tried the chopped cheese and ground beef sandwich which was only available for a limited time. Both these selections were very well seasoned and delicious with very generous portions. And they make the food to order so it's piping hot when you get it. Will be back!

I can't say enough about this place. The Reuben Sandwich is the closest you'll ever get outside a propper deli. They also have this thing called a Chipotle Wrap which is literally fantastic. (I prefer the chicken) Their Green Salsa is great and I really like their fries. Staff is busy but always helpful. Vibe is classic Burger Stand. Worth trying if you're debating.

Food 2/5 Service 2/5 Ambiance 3/5 Milkshake 3/5 Not sure what the hype is all about. Food took forever to come out, no apologies even when they forgot our friends food and kids milkshakes. There is no customer service here. Onion rings were sad. Zucchini fries were better. Burger was mid. Nothing special about this place. I was more impressed with their bathroom and overall ambiance which was clean so I'll give them that. One and done for me.

I usually like everything I order at this restaurant. They're fast. The service is good. I enjoy the atmosphere inside the people who will help. You are extremely nice, but the French fries. Were a complete waste of time. I got a large size but most of it got wasted. And there was no salt on it at all. So they were tasteless overcooked very underwhelming. I will never get them again.

Always go for the tops special burger with chili cheese tots both are really good. No complaints also try their neopolitan shake super bomb. All items are solid here and service super friendly and food comes out fast.

Just a burger review! It was great! No complaints here! Had a long drive home from work and was asked to stop at the Asian market for dinner prep. So I figured let me reward myself before I make dinner. Pulled up into the drive-thru and line wasn't long which made me slightly happy. Wait wasn't that long. After setting myself back 7 bucks and some change for just a burger. No cheese, no chili, no bacon. Just a burger. Within 10 minutes I had that burger in my hands. Was salivating instantly. Super fresh and hot. I was burning my hands from how hot it was. Made me happy to know it didn't sit long. After the first bite, it was all love from there. 100% better than the walnut location. No questions asked. Gotta come and try some more items soon!

Placed an online order at 12:47 PM with a promised pickup time of 1:10 PM. I arrived a bit early at 1:05 and was told to check back in 5 minutes. I did multiple times, and each time was told my order wasn't ready. By 1:30, after watching several customers come in after me and get their food, I asked again. That's when they finally started rushing to finish my order. I received a text at 1:42 PM that it was ready. When I got home (a 5-minute drive), one of the burgers was already lukewarm, likely sitting there while the rest was delayed. What made it worse was seeing other delivery and pickup orders being handled with far more urgency while mine sat unattended. I've had decent experiences here before, but this visit was frustrating. Orders shouldn't be forgotten or deprioritized, especially when customers arrive on time. Hopefully management can improve order coordination and ensure all customers; online or walk-in, are treated with the same level of attention.

The staff are so friendly, the food is so affordable and comforting, and the historical decor is a great touch for a long-standing restaurant. You just can't beat the prices here for the huge portions you get! My fiancé took the wrong route home and ended up exiting on Michillinda Ave, and decided to make the best of our experience; we are so glad we did! When it is my call on what to order, I tend to order more than I bargain for, and I did not know the portions here were so generous. I ordered the 1 1/4 Ib. Cheeseburger $6.69, Small Onion Rings $4.79, and Small Chili Cheese Fries $6.79. They also have a self-serving pickled carrot and pepper station to compliment and add a "zing" to your meal! I wonder what their large portion is because the small size was overfilled to the top! First, their burger made its way to the top of my most-recommended burger list because it's just that good. Next time I crave a burger, I'll be the first one here! The 1/4 patty was juicy, with all the right grill marks, and the burger 'accessories' like pickles, red onion, tomato, lettuce, etc. made it the perfect bite for me. The Small Chili Cheese Fries were a size of a whole tray filled, just packed with chili cheese, and topped with more cheese. This was a noteable fact to me as they are very generous with cheese and I live for more cheese - there can never be enough cheese! The small onion rings deserve their own show. As a onion connoisseur, I've had my share of onion rings, and Tops does it well. Their batter is crispy and you'll notice the crunch but its light enough so you can taste the onion. Sooooo good! I will most definitely be back with my fiancé to enjoy on a cheat day and eat more of their delicious food. Next up, I want to try their burritos!

Came here on a late weekday morning to try what I've heard of everyone talking about--their breakfast burrito! More interestingly, a pastrami breakfast burrito which naturally makes sense given Tops is famous for their pastrami. On my quest to find the best breakfast burrito in the greater LA county area I had to stop by here. They're literally right off the 210 freeway. There was a decently long drive-thru line that went out of the parking lot; although they have a parking lot, it was pretty full and in combination with the drive thru line seems like a nightmare to get out of. There was plenty of neighborhood parking so I would advise to just do that if it's busy. Inside had your classic diner vibe; plenty of people eating inside but lots of open seats on a weekday. Kitchen was clearly super busy with lots of orders going out, but the food came out pretty quick despite that. I can see why people love their breakfast burritos--they're really well proportioned in terms of different ingredients, and well balanced which is the key to making any breakfast burrito. It didn't feel like one portion was filled with just potatoes or another with just eggs. Even though they technically use homestyle potatoes rather than hashbrowns, what I really appreciated was how crispy the potatoes still were--the contrasting textures are key to a good breakfast burrito and this still fit the bill for thin hashbrowns's type of texture. Just the right amount of cheese which was great too. I didn't know what to expect from pastrami in the burrito, but it definitely blended in well; just the right amount of flavor but was not overpowering. In a way it sort of fits into the burrito like bacon would. It did make the burrito a bit moister than I expected, but overall it wasn't excessively greasy which can be hard to do in a breakfast burrito. If I was in the area would definitely stop by again to try other stuff! Note that they only do breakfast until 11AM, but you could certainly do an early lunch type of situation and get the breakfast burrito with some non-breakfast sides.

At the famous original Topps This place is booming for a Sunday. Let start everyone from counter server to cooks to quality assurance is on the mark a well oiled machine. For it being packed with customers filling the booths and chairs inside and out, it's still great though I haven't been here in a while. My wife and I took a special trip up here to Pasadena. Inside very clean even though busy. condiments on hand catsup and tapitio, yellow chili's. Our order was in good time and prompt and I love it how the man doing quality assurance was setting the food on the trays for here or to go. We had pastrami well packed and good size not salty and chili cheese fries wow enough for two chili well mixed in cheese on top yum! Still a great place so many years Atmosphere = 7 Food quality = 8 Customer service = 9 Cleaniness = 8 Menu = 8 Thank you for still being the best for your customers

Today, I ordered the loaded baked potato soup and the beef/chicken tostada. Tostada was as good as last time. Moreover, this time I asked for half asada and half chicken. Yummy. Loaded baked potato soup is AWESOME! It had bacon, cheese, chopped onion and the chopped potatoes. OMG, it was sooooo good and I finished it in no time. This is a must try. If you have not been to The Tops, give it a try. You will like it.

I've been eating from Tops restaurants for decades. My go to is the chili cheese fries. My recent experience at the drive thru: longish wait, good service and food was spectacular, as good as it was in the 90s. Over the years sometimes it's hit or miss depending on the location, but I recommend this shop. I want to try the zucchini fries next time.

I eat food from here every now and then and its usually good. I usually get a cheeseburger which tastes nice and has tomato, lettuce, pickles, and some sauce which tastes good. Last time I ate here, I got fries which were salty. If they were less salty I would like them more. They also have some free things you can get like spicy carrots and onions. Im pretty sure theres paintings on the wall which are pretty unique and interesting. Also, When you food is ready, you have to get it yourself. Overall, I would say its a pretty good place but if you dont like salt a lot, you shouldnt get fries.

If you haven't tried this location you are missing out. The Original Tops is the best! The drive thru sucks horribly but if you want amazing food you gotta deal with it. The best thing in the menu is the jalapeño cheeseburger. I add bacon to that and it's amazing. The chili cheese fires are known as the best chili cheese fries in LA. The order is huge and they are smothered with cheese and chili. That's a meal all on its own. The people that work there are always nice and friendly. I love this place, better than the other Tops by far.

Go for the Onion Rings & Fried Zucchini !!! This place is always busy... I tried to go off-peak time. I always order the Onion Rings and Fried Zucchini, they are the best. Make sure to eat them while they are hot with creamy Ranch. I also love their Breakfast Burritos.. The staff is also very friendly, kudos to them too.

I consider this one of my guilty pleasures that i seldomly indulge in, but when I do I go all in! Their pastrami sandwiches are a must as are their chili fries! Their breakfast burritos are also really tasty. It gets jam packed and the corner it's on is a bit intimidating but the drive thru line moves quick as does the line inside. There's tables inside but this place is always so full I prefer to take it to go.

I was craving a burger the other night and wanted something a little special, so I decided to hit up the OG Tops. The drive-thru was packed, so I parked and walked in to order instead. I went with the Tops Special Burger and a small order of chili cheese fries. The Tops Special is a burger topped with pastrami and mustard. I was worried it'd be too salty, but the pastrami was just right--flavorful without being overwhelming. The small chili cheese fries were huge--easily enough for three people! The chili was tasty, and they piled on the cheese. Pro tip: don't forget the side of ranch (though it's .35 extra). Overall, I left super stuffed and satisfied. I'd definitely come back if I'm craving a burger--plus, they have a ton of other menu items I want to try next time!

A staple in town. Having been back awhile for breakfast. Ordered the breakfast sandwich for the first time. Super yum!!! Toasted white bread with mayo fresh lettuce tomato with egg bacon. Delicious! The chorizo and egg plate was ok. It's not greasy but think the chorizo was a little crunchy versus fluffy at other places. Coffee is alright. I prefer jet fuel but this is fine. Place is always clean and everyone working here is like family. This is one of my favorite spots in Pasadena.

I saw the high reviews gotta try the original. Right off the 210 fwy literally. You can exit and it's straight ahead and getting back onto the fwy is straight out of the parking lot. It is a bit tight and space is limited for vehicles. Use caution when approaching the drive thru. Inside seating is booth, tables or bar window seats. There's a nice outdoor patio seating area to enjoy the fresh air. Service was great. Kiosks are available to place orders on your own or you can wait for a register order. I luv zucchini and wanted to try theirs out. It was okay. I would return to try something different. During the lunch hour it was pretty packed inside and at the drive thru but the wait wasn't too long. Staff are hard at work to keep up with the influx of customers. Prices are very reasonable. Cool local spot to try out.

Historic restaurant with the best pastrami sandwiches I've had in LA. It's in a suburb of east Pasadena and we got lucky to see all of the beautiful peacocks in the area!!! The portions are enormous!!! Good bang for your buck. My siblings got the large sized chili cheese fries and regretted it because they couldn't finish it after eating half a sandwich. The meats are all tender and juicy. The only reason I didn't give them five stars is because they could go lower on the salt but I digress. The fried zucchini was so good. The onion rings tasted overdone though. Highly recommend this burger spot when in Pasadena as it's not only historic but also cooks up the most delicious pastrami!!!

The options here will not disappoint. Their 3 Eggs Burrito with Bacon, Ham or Sausa w/Jack & Cheddar Cheese & Potatoes is delicious. The Pastrami & 3 Eggs Burrito w/Jack & Cheddar Cheese & Potatoes is also another great choice that will leave your hunger needs satisfied. Another top favorite of mine is their 1/4 lb. Tops Chili Burger w/Tops Famous Chili w/Tomatoes, Pickles & Onions. Great choices and options. The staff is also helpful and friendly.

Where else would you go if in Pasadena! This is hands down one of my favorite neighborhood burger joints. Any and everything you order is well cooked and so yummy. We order a cheeseburger, TOPS special, chili cheese fries and a hamburger. The service was fast for a Saturday night. The staff were also very friendly. It was pretty packed but we were able to grab a booth. If you're in the area I would definitely recommend TOPS!

Takes credit cards Indoor and outdoor seating. Tops Special Burger $11.09- cheeseburger with pastrami- burger is well cooked, with some cheese over the top. The pastrami was good, I have no complaints about it. I do like that it wasn't salty. So you can add more seasoning if you choose to. Chili cheese fries $6.09- the fries are excellent. You can tell they make their own fries in the back. They are extra crispy. The chili is average I would prob not get the chili and cheese. I feel like the Hat gives you more pastrami, but the Hats pastrami tends to be more salty. I do like the Hat's chili cheese fries more than Tops.

Ordered a sausage breakfast burrito, filling and had some green salsa that was delicious. Staff were friendly and inviting. Restaurant was cozy and was able to get some extra chilies on the side.

Thursday 6:45 PM Ordered number 648 Waited 15 minutes and realize my onion rings aren't coming then I told the cashier and guess what they were sitting there all along, box them up gave it to me now that I'm home I open it to find out it's burnt . Good job guys. You don't have to be good at your job just be average

I've had The Original Tops bookmarked on Yelp for a minute now. I've had Tops Jr. and everyone is saying you must go to The Original Tops. There seems to be a bit of fanfare with The Original Tops in the SGV. We finally embarked on venturing out to Pasadena to try this "fast-food mainstay". The Original Tops was established in 1952. The restaurant still remains in the same family today. What we ordered: -Bacon/Sausage Egg Burrito $9.59 -Tops Special $11.09 -1 Large Drink $2.99 I always ask the employees of restaurants that I've never been to for recommendations on what to order. I was told to order the Tops Special or Breakfast Burrito and some other items. I decided to order a breakfast burrito as I'm really interested in trying different breakfast burritos in the area to see which one I like best. I really enjoyed the Bacon/Sausage Egg Burrito as the scrambled eggs were nice and fluffy. The meats were not overpowering even with two different kinds of meat. The homestyle potatoes provided a nice and soft texture to the burrito. It was an all around great burrito. It was one of the best breakfast burritos I've ever had. It's that good! It comes with salsa verde on the side. It wasn't too spicy and added a little kick to an already delicious burrito. The Top Special consists of a 1/4 lb burger topped with pastrami, mustard and American cheese. It looks very beautiful as it is served cut in half with the layers of the different meats and vegetables. This burger is the real deal. Free Refills and self service on the soda. They have Orange Bang, Horchata Ole, Lemon Ole, Coke, Cherry Coke, Ice Tea and many other soft drinks. Parking is tight and limited. There's not many spaces. However, there is a drive-thru if you don't want to eat-in. They have inside and outside seating. You order at the register and pick up your food when your number is called. I was a bit irked when I found out that I was charged a service charge of $2.50. It would have been nice to be informed of the service charge upfront with some signage. Lucky for them, the food was too good. I highly recommend coming to The Original Tops. Breakfast is served from 7-11 AM. The rest of the menu is offered all day. You won't be disappointed in eating a Breakfast Burrito or Tops Special.

Good ole fashion diner with delicious food. If you eat here often, your wallet and your waistline would probably suffer. But man this is some good food here. First off, they have chili cheese TATER TOTS! Savory, cheesy goodness all over crispy tots is like heaven in my book. Secondly, where has this pastrami sandwich been all my life? Definitely rivals the Hat. We ordered the Reuben and the Pastrami burger and man, it was finger lickin delicious! The service is quick, friendly and efficient. The diner reminds me of those old fashioned soda spots where you would take a date to in those 80's shows. Totally family friendly and they have the classic red booths!

I've always wanted to go here because I love these kinds of restaurants, kinda the closest thing to a diner but not. The husband already went here once without me and he enjoyed what he ordered (I forgot what it was). Anyhow, parking is tough but there's street parking out front and in the neighborhood. Just respect those homeowners and the alleyway and not block driveways. The menu is extensive but what's awesome is that it has a lot of options for everyone. We wanted to keep it light but ended up ordering everything. The workers are super nice here and quite efficient. They also kept cleaning so the place is sparkling clean, even outside. What we ordered: a turkey sandwich with cheddar cheese. I totally put the wrong cheese in it. It's still good but shoulda been American cheese. This was just okay because it wasn't anything special. I should have added some mustard because it was missing something. The fish taco. It had a lot, and I mean a lot of shredded lettuce. There was one fish in it and it was fried nicely. The pico on top was nice because it was a different texture from the crunchy fish and the loads of lettuce. It did have a cream sauce on top of it too, which paired well with the fish. They also had salsa verde on the side, which was great with the fish. It had a slight heat to it. Overall, I wouldn't order it again because it was almost $6 for it. I also am a sucker for zucchini fries and these were pretty good. The breading was a little on the thicker and heavier side but it grabbed on well to their ranch dressing, which I appreciated. The star of the meal was the tater tots topped with chili and cheese. You have to make sure you add in the green onions and onion for that extra crunch. We really really liked this. Also, we ordered the small and Geezus, it was large and in charge. It was delicious nonetheless. I definitely would like to come back to try their other items on the menu. But I would definitely steer clear of the tacos. I don't think they're worth it.

I complained about how chintzy they get during their last hour and this establishment reached out to me to make it right so I went back and did get a full size pastrami sandwich that time. However, I got there around 8 PM or so instead of getting their during their last hour on a Friday or Saturday night. I did notice, however, that their chili cheese fries box did get a bit smaller for the same price. I noticed it as soon as I set the box down on the passenger seat. (When you do something often enough, you notice when something is "off," you know?) I asked the cashier about it and he confirmed that their size did get smaller for the large chili cheese fries. That doesn't diminish from the fact that they're still delicious.

Stopped in for an afternoon salad and order of onion rings. While the chefs salad was okay, and a fair deal for the price, the onion rings left a lot to be desired. It was merely a sliver of onion topped with lots of breading. Basically no onion whatsoever. Just bite after bite of fried bread. Very weak. How about putting some onions inside those rings, please?

Since 1952, The Original Tops has been serving up quality grub for the residents of Pasadena that they would want to enjoy every day with the promise to be made: "craveable, comforting, approachable, and from scratch." In 2024, I decided to check up on this promise. I stopped by on a Friday morning and decided to try to much talked-about Basic Egg Burrito ($8.29). It was mentioned on several of the growing "Best Breakfast Burritos" in Southern California lists. This is a tall order, especially given my love of breakfast burritos and trying several of them throughout the years. Made with three California fresh eggs, homestyle potatoes, Jack & Cheddar cheese, the Basic is then all wrapped up in a warm flour tortilla, grilled and served made to order. The burrito itself is a pretty good size, accompanied by two green sauces which add some flavor to each bite. The burrito itself came out extremely hot, with the egg and cheese perfectly melted together. The homestyle potatoes were also delicious. Mild in flavor, soft to the bite, with the occasional crispy "hash brown edges" included to add a little crisp. I wish there was a little more crisp to the burrito to give a little more "umph" and flavor with each bite. You could add a bacon, chorizo or pastrami as an upgrade if you choose. However, it was a decent basic burrito and value for under $10. Hop's is a small drive-thru and dine-in restaurant, located on E. Colorado Blvd. just south of the 210 Freeway. The parking lot is fairly small, however, located in a residential area provided plenty of street parking options, as well as grab and go flexibility. You order at the counter, wait for your order to be called in one of the two dozen indoor and covered outdoor seating options, pick up, and enjoy. No frills, no fuss, just a pretty good option for quick-service, homemade greasy spoon grub in Pasadena.

Something is going on with consistency. We are long time patrons and order the same thing every time and each time as of late, the result has been different. The chili in the fries last night tasted different. Not the same kick it usually has. Literally topped with 5 pieces of onion. The pickled carrots were sweet! Literally sweet! No pepper or vinegar at all. It was insane. Either the taste, portion, or ingredients have been off. Possibly management needs to make rounds and ensure that the restaurant is producing as it should. I still love this spot. But maybe it is time to check production.

Came here 5 years ago and wanted to try it out since it's been so long! On a Friday night, the drive thru is packed, parking was also tight, but we were able to find a parking spot as some customers were taking food to go. Going inside there's a back door near the drive thru line and a front door, we entered through the front side where there's plenty of outdoor seating. Didn't get a chance to take photos of the menu but what caught our eye which we ordered was the sycamore melt, pastrami, zucchini sticks, chili cheese fries, and medium drink. I also told the staff I wanted onion rings but I said all the sides at one go and he might've missed it, but after seeing all the listed food it was a good thing we didn't order it. The melt was unfortunately wet, most likely due to the coleslaw, but plenty of meat and the bread was crispy and toasted well. The pastrami had a lot of meat, but since we ate it after the melt, the bread was a bit soggy and it was more sour than I remembered (maybe too much mustard or pickle juice got it). Overall I'm happy with the size. Meat was a bit it saltier than I remembered. Chili cheese fries and zucchini were delicious. Especially with their ranch, but we didn't ask for more as I remember we had to buy it if we wanted another ranch dip. Fri is are filled through a fountain drink machine, refills unlimited! We didn't finish the sides, there was so much food so we got it to go and just stuffed them both in the chili cheese fries box and got a lid to cover. Overall I think I'd like to come back and try their burgers and get the zucchini sticks again! Restrooms are gendered and one person use at a time, and separated by a front door.

Is this my new favorite pastrami spot??? The staff is really friendly and the portions are generous. Everything tasted homemade and the pastrami wasn't too greasy or salty. I think it's safe to say I really liked it.

Best baked potato soup!!!!! It needs to be on the menu all the time! The grilled cheese with bacon is also excellent!

Hubby kept seeing Tops all over social media and wanted desperately to try. He came the first time on his own wanting the breakfast burrito but was sad to learn they stop serving it at 11am. For his first rodeo he got the chili cheese fries with pastrami and pickles. This was such a large portion that he had some leftover, which I tried next day and it was still good! I think he also got the pastrami burger, which he said was okay/not bad - I just think his appetite was set on the brekky burrito tbh... Anyhow, the following weekend he went back Tops and brought some food back for me. Didn't bother waiting in the drive thru, he went around the long drive-thru line, parked, ordered and got his food rather quickly. He got the breakfast burrito this time w/ sausage and it was seasoned well & comes with some salsa verde. Got the regular chili cheese fries - still delicious and a huge portion & the patty melt (one of my faves!). I think for the price, portion, and speed (when going in) - you can't beat Tops! Their breakfast burrito is better than Lucky Boy, IMO.

Decided to give it another try but the burritos now seem even smaller. Really disappointed with how small they are, you can look at the picture and see for yourself. Service is friendly but I can't justify this as a burrito. Lots of extra tortilla left over and very salty.

Very nostalgic and cozy feeling place. Service was fast and the food was decent. My Rueben sandwich was good but the meat had some chewy pieces that I had to spit out. The sweet potato fries were good and plentiful, but were a little soggy. They need to be a little more crispy or cooked longer. Great variety on their menu so will try something else next time if in the area.

I love the tuna Sandwich. The fries are really good with good quality. The stuff are friendly. And they're so fast with the orders.

Food came out faster than a lot other places . It tastes like a premium version of in n out but not that more expensive.