Mills Alley
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Everything was so good! This place had amazing and fresh food, with great service. The menu had a great variety and we ordered a good amount to try. Chirashi Bowl- large portion with a great balance of big cuts of fish and rice Blue Fin Tuna, Toro, and Uni - extremely fresh and great quality and size fish Tonkotsu Ramen- rich in broth, tender meat, and great toppings included Chicken Karaage- hot and crispy, big chunks of juicy chicken The cocktails were great too, but a tad bit on the sour side. Overall, solid Japanese place. Would come again!
Service was great. We were seated right away as there were only two other groups dining when we were there but we were never short on water and tea the entire night. The restaurant is well-designed with its high ceilings and brick walling, which also makes the place feel expansive. The plates and the chopsticks were of high quality too. I wish that the atmosphere was a little more lively but we did go on a Tuesday night! For food, we opted for the noodle dishes. We had the tonkotsu ramen and the pinenut soba. The noodle dishes had generous portions and the meat was prepared well. The broth was rich without being too heavy, the noodles delivered on the texture and the tonkotsu practically melted apart. When I looked at the prices of the other dishes, the izakaya and the sushi seemed to be their showstoppers but they were priced on the higher side so that deterred us from ordering. Their lunch menu seems to be on the more affordable side so I have yet to go then. Parking in Pasadena could be challenging, but we easily found street parking after 8 PM (since it's free then)!
Came for a late dinner, no waiting time. The restaurant has nice interior design, it's spacious and clean. Food: we ordered Shishito, uni sushi, Tonkatsu Ramen (asked for spicy ramen, waiter said okay, but there is no spicy ramen on the menu), scollop skewer, pork belly skewer, and 4 pieces of Otoro tuna sashimi for ending. Shishito was alright, uni sushi was very nice! Ramen came non spicy but still is a very nice dish. The skewers were disappointing, scollops were dry and fishy, pork belly were also dry. In terms of the 4 pieces of Otoro, our waiter forgot to put our order in until we reminded him. Our utensils were taken away and no one came to check in with us until we told them we have another order. When the Sashimi finally came, I immediately noticed it's not Otoro, it didn't look like fatty tuna. After tasting them, I confirmed with the waiter and he said they only have Toro tuna, no Otoro (which he didn't clarify when we were ordering). I am attaching the Toro Tuna here for everyone to judge, these are 45 dollars for 4 pieces. All 4 pieces came with sinew (white string like muscle tissue), it was a disaster. With the amount of good reviews for this restaurant, I am not satisfied with the service or the food I received.
Came here for the tenth time for my coworker's birthday last week. The last time I was here, they didn't have a sign, so I was absolutely enthralled when I saw their sign outside! The service here is really good and the food is delicious! Particularly, the chirashi bowl during lunch is an absolute steal! Thick pieces of fish with not too much rice; if you eat a chirashi bowl just for the rice, you're diabolical . I also love the interior as well; even though I think the restaurant looks nice during the day, its even better at night! Give this place a try the next time you're in Pasadena!
Came in for a weekday lunch while we were in the Pasadena area. We were greeted and seated right away. The restaurant is very clean, well designed, and very spacious. For the menu, we opted for the lunch specials with the Hakata set and I forget the other one, but it was with the teriyaki combo. Both sets were well prepared and presentation was nice. For lunch, the Hakata combo is a lot of food, but it was so good, I ended up finishing it all. No regrets. The tsukemono was little too sweet for my personal liking, but it was prepared well. The kaarage was well cooked, nothing special, in the usual aioli most places served. The tuna bowl was delicious and well prepared with just the right portion of rice. The protein to rice ratio was just right. My favorite was the tonkotsu ramen. While the noodles themselves don't stand out compared to other ramen places, the broth is delicious. Love the smokiness with the black garlic and it's not too heavy. The pork was thick and had just enough fattiness to it, plus the addition of the bamboo and egg made it a nice dish. For the chicken teriyaki plate, the salad was basic lettuce and thousand island dressing. The miso soup had plenty of onions and tofu. The chicken I thought was well prepared, nice and crispy on the outside, without being burnt while being tender and moist on the inside. It's a great place for lunch. One of these days, I do want to come back and try their regular menu, especially the Pandora's box.
看過人生百態，了解世態炎涼，其實眾生皆苦，這人間煙火， 事事值得也事事遺憾呀～ 今天來介紹在 Pasadena 的日本料理店，要在Pasadena 這一級戰區開店，東西都要有點特色， 環境也要漂亮， 我是看到他家的潘朵拉盒子的照片， 非常吸睛， 才跟朋友過來探店， 點了碗拉麵，跟我喜歡的烤魚下巴， 結果三道菜我們兩個都很滿意，拉麵香濃，烤魚多汁， 潘朵拉的盒子光看就很開心了，魚片新鮮， 我喜歡的干貝， yellowtail, toro, Uni 都有，更是沒啥好嫌的，他家也有一些燒烤，只有兩個人，沒法點那麼多東西，相信版友應該有人嚐過， 這家環境也優雅，寬敞， 在這吃飯是很舒服的
What a surprise! We stopped by Mills Alley for lunch after meeting a few friends for drinks st Stone Brewing down the street. Mills Alley can easily be missed if you're not paying attention. It's a tiny store front. Once arrived we greeted and seated right away. Mills Alley is more of an Izakaya place. They have everything from your ramen, sushi, yakitoi and more. We order the following: Gyudon- Solid but pricey for the amount of food you get for $21. Chirashi- This is fantastic, nice assortment of fresh fish. The cuts was nice and thick. The rice was nice and seasoned as well. Negitoro HR- This was excellent. Overall, Mills Alley was solid. I wouldn't mind returning if I'm in the neighborhood.
Came here for my birthday celebration. Public parkings are all over old town Pasadena, so parking is not difficult. The decoration was very trendy, and clean. We were seated soon after we arrived. Our server was friendly, and she seemed to be the only one working. Service was a little slow, but I do not blame her for it. At one point, we actually felt a little pressured on placing our order, which makes sense because she might not be able to attend to us later. We ordered some sushi, and it is one piece per order. We ordered salmon sushi, yellowtail sushi, yellowtail sashimi, uni sashimi, garlic yellowtail sushi, toro sushi, blue fin tuna sushi, real crab hand roll, yellowtail hand roll. The fish was very fresh. I highly recommended on the salmon sushi. It melted in my mouth! The toro sushi is $12 a piece, and the fish was a very thin slice, and it did not give me the texture of melted in my mouth. Not worth the price. We spent $200 here for 2 people, and we left feeling hungry. The quality of the sushi was good, but not good enough to be worth the price we paid for. I can probably get omakase, and be full else where with the price I paid for.
I love this place!!! Portions are huge for a really good price! I ordered their spicy tuna don and the flavors were so rich. It was spicy with a hint of floral. Their ramen was also very flavorful without tasting fatty or creamy unlike most places. All the ingredients they use seem to be very high quality. Even their chopsticks are high quality! Ambiance is great. It's pretty quiet, calming, and service is always amazing. Highly highly recommend!!
High-end Japanese restaurant that has Sushi, Yakitori, Sashimi and cooked foods. Beautiful ambiance in a long, retrofitted, high-ceilinged, brick, building. When you're in old Pasadena, everything is a little pricier due to the higher overhead costs. We ordered a lot of food for the four of us - Pandora's Box with 6 compartments of sashimi, all the slices were nice and thick! A mixed Yakitori grill, an Uni Salmon Rice, a salad, Agedashi Tofu and a Pineapple Ice dessert. All were good. Service was also good.
Hidden gem in Pasadena serving really great Japanese's food - you'd never know it based on the restaurant name! I went as part of a group of 7 which gave me the opportunity to try a couple of dishes. The highlights of the meal were the Agadashi Tofu which comes with veggies as well and the Chirashi Bowl which comes with a generous portion of fish. Definitely drop in if you're in the area and craving good Japanese food.
$$ is very misleading. It's more like $$$. Came for the skewers, but would come back for the sashimi. Skewers didn't really stand out compared to ones I've had at other izakaya restaurants. They didn't taste very charred, but otherwise the quality of the pork belly, shrimp and scallop was substantial, and good value for the price. The sashimi really stood out because it's so thick and fatty. At $16 a plate for only 4 pieces, it might seem expensive for what it is, but it's some of the most tender sashimi I've ever had (I didn't even need to chew). We tried the don and thought these were pretty substantial for the price. The vegetables are so fresh and flavorful, and I liked the way they seasoned the spicy tuna. The gyudon was a little too salty.
We thoroughly enjoyed every dish ordered. We visited on a Saturday evening and walked right in without a reservation. It's a cozy but spacious layout. Feels clean and server was very friendly and professional. Such a gem of a place and we will definitely keep this spot on our list when in or near Pasadena!
2 months ago
2 months ago
This is my go-to spot for sushi in Pasadena. Usually, my partner and I get a couple of lunch sets since it comes with a poke soba, miso soup, and some veggies, in addition to the entree. The salmon lunch bowl is lightly seared and the fish melts in your mouth. And the beef in the beef bowl is so tender and is phenomenal every time. I've been here 3-4 times in the last few months and the quality is always great, clean, and consistent. Great spot for a date night or a dinner with friends. Alison, our server, was attentive and always really courteous! She made some great sake recommendations as well. read more
Everything was so good! This place had amazing and fresh food, with great service. The menu had a great variety and we ordered a good amount to try. Chirashi Bowl- large portion with a great balance of big cuts of fish and rice Blue Fin Tuna, Toro, and Uni - extremely fresh and great quality and size fish Tonkotsu Ramen- rich in broth, tender meat, and great toppings included Chicken Karaage- hot and crispy, big chunks of juicy chicken The cocktails were great too, but a tad bit on the sour side. Overall, solid Japanese place. Would come again! read more
14 days ago
Service was great. We were seated right away as there were only two other groups dining when we were there but we were never short on water and tea the entire night. The restaurant is well-designed with its high ceilings and brick walling, which also makes the place feel expansive. The plates and the chopsticks were of high quality too. I wish that the atmosphere was a little more lively but we did go on a Tuesday night! For food, we opted for the noodle dishes. We had the tonkotsu ramen and the pinenut soba. The noodle dishes had generous portions and the meat was prepared well. The broth was rich without being too heavy, the noodles delivered on the texture and the tonkotsu practically melted apart. When I looked at the prices of the other dishes, the izakaya and the sushi seemed to be their showstoppers but they were priced on the higher side so that deterred us from ordering. Their lunch menu seems to be on the more affordable side so I have yet to go then. Parking in Pasadena could be challenging, but we easily found street parking after 8 PM (since it's free then)! read more
Came for a late dinner, no waiting time. The restaurant has nice interior design, it's spacious and clean. Food: we ordered Shishito, uni sushi, Tonkatsu Ramen (asked for spicy ramen, waiter said okay, but there is no spicy ramen on the menu), scollop skewer, pork belly skewer, and 4 pieces of Otoro tuna sashimi for ending. Shishito was alright, uni sushi was very nice! Ramen came non spicy but still is a very nice dish. The skewers were disappointing, scollops were dry and fishy, pork belly were also dry. In terms of the 4 pieces of Otoro, our waiter forgot to put our order in until we reminded him. Our utensils were taken away and no one came to check in with us until we told them we have another order. When the Sashimi finally came, I immediately noticed it's not Otoro, it didn't look like fatty tuna. After tasting them, I confirmed with the waiter and he said they only have Toro tuna, no Otoro (which he didn't clarify when we were ordering). I am attaching the Toro Tuna here for everyone to judge, these are 45 dollars for 4 pieces. All 4 pieces came with sinew (white string like muscle tissue), it was a disaster. With the amount of good reviews for this restaurant, I am not satisfied with the service or the food I received. read more
Came here for the tenth time for my coworker's birthday last week. The last time I was here, they didn't have a sign, so I was absolutely enthralled when I saw their sign outside! The service here is really good and the food is delicious! Particularly, the chirashi bowl during lunch is an absolute steal! Thick pieces of fish with not too much rice; if you eat a chirashi bowl just for the rice, you're diabolical . I also love the interior as well; even though I think the restaurant looks nice during the day, its even better at night! Give this place a try the next time you're in Pasadena! read more
Came in for a weekday lunch while we were in the Pasadena area. We were greeted and seated right away. The restaurant is very clean, well designed, and very spacious. For the menu, we opted for the lunch specials with the Hakata set and I forget the other one, but it was with the teriyaki combo. Both sets were well prepared and presentation was nice. For lunch, the Hakata combo is a lot of food, but it was so good, I ended up finishing it all. No regrets. The tsukemono was little too sweet for my personal liking, but it was prepared well. The kaarage was well cooked, nothing special, in the usual aioli most places served. The tuna bowl was delicious and well prepared with just the right portion of rice. The protein to rice ratio was just right. My favorite was the tonkotsu ramen. While the noodles themselves don't stand out compared to other ramen places, the broth is delicious. Love the smokiness with the black garlic and it's not too heavy. The pork was thick and had just enough fattiness to it, plus the addition of the bamboo and egg made it a nice dish. For the chicken teriyaki plate, the salad was basic lettuce and thousand island dressing. The miso soup had plenty of onions and tofu. The chicken I thought was well prepared, nice and crispy on the outside, without being burnt while being tender and moist on the inside. It's a great place for lunch. One of these days, I do want to come back and try their regular menu, especially the Pandora's box. read more
1 month ago
看過人生百態，了解世態炎涼，其實眾生皆苦，這人間煙火， 事事值得也事事遺憾呀～ 今天來介紹在 Pasadena 的日本料理店，要在Pasadena 這一級戰區開店，東西都要有點特色， 環境也要漂亮， 我是看到他家的潘朵拉盒子的照片， 非常吸睛， 才跟朋友過來探店， 點了碗拉麵，跟我喜歡的烤魚下巴， 結果三道菜我們兩個都很滿意，拉麵香濃，烤魚多汁， 潘朵拉的盒子光看就很開心了，魚片新鮮， 我喜歡的干貝， yellowtail, toro, Uni 都有，更是沒啥好嫌的，他家也有一些燒烤，只有兩個人，沒法點那麼多東西，相信版友應該有人嚐過， 這家環境也優雅，寬敞， 在這吃飯是很舒服的 read more
What a surprise! We stopped by Mills Alley for lunch after meeting a few friends for drinks st Stone Brewing down the street. Mills Alley can easily be missed if you're not paying attention. It's a tiny store front. Once arrived we greeted and seated right away. Mills Alley is more of an Izakaya place. They have everything from your ramen, sushi, yakitoi and more. We order the following: Gyudon- Solid but pricey for the amount of food you get for $21. Chirashi- This is fantastic, nice assortment of fresh fish. The cuts was nice and thick. The rice was nice and seasoned as well. Negitoro HR- This was excellent. Overall, Mills Alley was solid. I wouldn't mind returning if I'm in the neighborhood. read more
Came here for my birthday celebration. Public parkings are all over old town Pasadena, so parking is not difficult. The decoration was very trendy, and clean. We were seated soon after we arrived. Our server was friendly, and she seemed to be the only one working. Service was a little slow, but I do not blame her for it. At one point, we actually felt a little pressured on placing our order, which makes sense because she might not be able to attend to us later. We ordered some sushi, and it is one piece per order. We ordered salmon sushi, yellowtail sushi, yellowtail sashimi, uni sashimi, garlic yellowtail sushi, toro sushi, blue fin tuna sushi, real crab hand roll, yellowtail hand roll. The fish was very fresh. I highly recommended on the salmon sushi. It melted in my mouth! The toro sushi is $12 a piece, and the fish was a very thin slice, and it did not give me the texture of melted in my mouth. Not worth the price. We spent $200 here for 2 people, and we left feeling hungry. The quality of the sushi was good, but not good enough to be worth the price we paid for. I can probably get omakase, and be full else where with the price I paid for. read more
1 month ago
I love this place!!! Portions are huge for a really good price! I ordered their spicy tuna don and the flavors were so rich. It was spicy with a hint of floral. Their ramen was also very flavorful without tasting fatty or creamy unlike most places. All the ingredients they use seem to be very high quality. Even their chopsticks are high quality! Ambiance is great. It's pretty quiet, calming, and service is always amazing. Highly highly recommend!! read more
High-end Japanese restaurant that has Sushi, Yakitori, Sashimi and cooked foods. Beautiful ambiance in a long, retrofitted, high-ceilinged, brick, building. When you're in old Pasadena, everything is a little pricier due to the higher overhead costs. We ordered a lot of food for the four of us - Pandora's Box with 6 compartments of sashimi, all the slices were nice and thick! A mixed Yakitori grill, an Uni Salmon Rice, a salad, Agedashi Tofu and a Pineapple Ice dessert. All were good. Service was also good. read more
5 months ago
Hidden gem in Pasadena serving really great Japanese's food - you'd never know it based on the restaurant name! I went as part of a group of 7 which gave me the opportunity to try a couple of dishes. The highlights of the meal were the Agadashi Tofu which comes with veggies as well and the Chirashi Bowl which comes with a generous portion of fish. Definitely drop in if you're in the area and craving good Japanese food. read more
4 months ago
$$ is very misleading. It's more like $$$. Came for the skewers, but would come back for the sashimi. Skewers didn't really stand out compared to ones I've had at other izakaya restaurants. They didn't taste very charred, but otherwise the quality of the pork belly, shrimp and scallop was substantial, and good value for the price. The sashimi really stood out because it's so thick and fatty. At $16 a plate for only 4 pieces, it might seem expensive for what it is, but it's some of the most tender sashimi I've ever had (I didn't even need to chew). We tried the don and thought these were pretty substantial for the price. The vegetables are so fresh and flavorful, and I liked the way they seasoned the spicy tuna. The gyudon was a little too salty. read more
We thoroughly enjoyed every dish ordered. We visited on a Saturday evening and walked right in without a reservation. It's a cozy but spacious layout. Feels clean and server was very friendly and professional. Such a gem of a place and we will definitely keep this spot on our list when in or near Pasadena! read more
I've walked past this place a dozen times in Old Town but finally came in for a lunch with our friends. I got the hakata set which was a choice of ramen (I got tonkotsu), spicy tuna donburi, chicken karaage and a veggie. I also ordered a garlic seared salmon sushi which was delicious! I definitely wish I got more than one piece. The option of lunch sets was a really cool option, I love when you get a small taste of multiple items on the menu. The tonkotsu ramen was amazing, one of the best ramens I've ever had. The broth had great flavor and the pork belly was very tender. Highly recommend! The spicy tuna donburi was one of the best rice bowls I've ever had. I've never had a spicy tuna bowl similar to that and I loved it. Overall, was splendidly surprised with how much I loved this place and we will be back! read more
1 month ago
Haven't been here in a while, everything is still very good! I am surprised their prices haven't gone up! The last time I came was more than a year ago. I ordered Chirashi and my partner ordered Tonkotsu Ramen set. The ramen broth is delicious! The spicy tuna is very spicy! Everything tasted good and the fish was fresh except the Octopus was hard to chew. I couldn't chew it. So that was a disappointment. But I really like the extra citrus flavors for the rice underneath the Sashimi. The value of these dishes is pretty good deal! I highly recommend trying their lunch sets! Service was good. Ambiance is nice. read more
5 months ago
First time visiting after seeing a lot of great reviews! Overall experience was great - pretty decent chirashi spot in old town Pasadena! We got the scallops skewers and chirashi bowls: - scallops skewers: this is beyond expectation! Very flavorful but not overly salty. Has scallops and small octopus! - Chirashi bowl: this is pretty decent outside of restaurants in little Tokyo! Price point is pretty fair as well ($38). It's so funny that I walked past this place so many times but never thought it's a Japanese restaurant. They have sets for lunch only! read more
From the initial greet to our desserts, 10/10 all the way around. Allison was our server and she was such a delightful bundle of joy, very sweet and respectful. Okay now the food. The food was awesome! Really good quality. We started off with some skewers for the table that were grilled! We had scallop, pork and chicken I believe? It was a trio skewer. The karage was also very juicy, tender and crispy. It came with spicy mayo, and this jalapeño Yuzu, (which was my favorite). The agedashi tofu was also really good, the sauce and the texture of the tofu was right up my alley. I ordered a couple of nigiri and hand rolls.The Unagi and crab hand rolls were so good, I ended up ordering three more. I did not like the negi toro roll... but that's okay. They cut the hand rolls in 3 pieces so it was easier to eat! We all ended with uni for the whole table and that was heaven in my mouth. We also ordered 2 large bottle of Sake (Junmai daiginjo) and ended up letting the servers try because it was a new one they recommended and it paired well with the sushi. The salmon and albacore donburi looked really good. My friend also got a chirashi type of bowl and she loved it! Almost all was good in quality! They sent out ice cream on the house for my friends birthday with a cute sparkler and there were 3 other tables w the same birthday! On a random Tuesday! It was a blast. Will definitely come back! read more
Family weekend trip to Pasadena and came across this Japanese restaurant in Old Pasadena. The place has a modern and inviting vibe. The staff are very pleasant, courteous, and accommodating. They have a wide variety of authentic dishes including a selection of delicious kushiyaki. Bowing on your way out conveys respect and appreciation of the food, staff, and chef. read more
Great chirashi bowl $38. The seared salmon was my favor part! They have lunch special gozen and a very extensive menu. Spacious and modem with plenty of tables and a small bar seating area. Friendly staff. I would like to come back here for the omakase. read more
Came here for dinner on a weeknight and the place was pretty empty. It was a nice space for sure, just felt very barren which made it feel almost a little eerie. Service was all all right which was actually a little lacking given how empty it was, especially with the water refills which were sparse at best. Food came out in a reasonable amount of time though which was nice. Entrees and apps were okay - really expensive for portion sizes honestly. Noodles and sushi were decent quality while the fries were also all right, they were unfortunately a little soggy and bland, but everything else was fine. Overall, I probably wouldn't come back as a first choice, but the food was fine and service was decent. Not a bad spot for Japanese food in the end! read more
Pros: the ingredients are fresh, and the house hot sake is good. That's it... Cons: the seaweed on the handroll was soggy... They put sauce onto the fish in chirashi.. that the sauce go to the rice, that the rice taste like Chinese chasiu over rice ... And the rice they use is not pearl rice, not sticky enough... And I didn't like the attitude of our server, he's not rude but not friendly... The ambience is fine, a bit lot and they are showing Dodger's game... read more
I've been eyeing the chirashi for a while until I finally got around to coming here. I was expecting something more American with a restaurant name like "Mills Alley" but it's Japanese from the offerings to decor. I went with the chirashi don and the agedashi moriawase (assorted fried foods in a dashi sauce). The agedashi moriawase was nice and with a delicate coating. I don't normally find tempura mushrooms so that was a pleasant addition since I like mushrooms. The chirashi was good overall. I normally don't like chunky pieces for fish slices but it worked for this bowl. The only things I didn't like were that the seared salmon had a sauces that leaked into other things which masked the taste of other fish so I tried to wipe off whatever did leak. The were also red onions which gave it more of a poke bowl vibe. While I like red onions I don't know if it made too much sense. Overall the quality was good and I would come back again to try some of their other offerings like their skewers. The service was attentive on a weekday evening and they refilled my water whenever it was about 30-40% full. read more
maybe it's the name but i never thought this was a sushi spot but my baby sis wanted to go here for her bday dinner so we tried it out and boy was it delicious! we ordered: agedashi tofu - super flavorful mixed tempura - delicious and fun variety of veggies takoyaki - yummy chirashi bowls - huge with quality fish pandora's box - generous cuts of quality fish oden hot pot - yummy broth and so many types of fish cakes the service was amazing, very attentive. the seating is spacious and we were in our own little area that was pretty far away from other tables read more
I tried Mills Alley last weekend and enjoyed it so much! I ordered the spicy tuna with rice, cucumber salad, and miso soup. Spicy tuna can be a hit or miss at some restaurants. I was very impressed with how fresh the tuna was at Mills Alley. The portion sizes were perfect..not too much or too little. The service was great. The place was decorated very modern but had a cozy feel to it. Overall I was very happy with my experience and will be back! read more
9 months ago
ABSOLUTELY delicious. They have a big menu which is a bit overwhelming and oftentimes makes you feel like their dishes won't be great... but they are!!! Flavor and freshness is there. Our waitress was very kind and knowledgeable and helped us narrow down our choices :) read more
Wonderful! My family and I had a great time at this upscale restaurant; we had succinct service and enjoyed mostly appetizers, like the chicken kaarage. The skewers (not pictured) were an absolute hit! I highly recommend the scallop and pork skewers. read more
We went on a Thursday Night after our run with a local run club nearby. My friends wanted to celebrate my birthday. I ordered ramen. The resturant looks cozy and felt welcoming. The service started off great, but our server kind of disappeared after our food was delivered. She didn't check on us much afterwards. I felt like she was the only server so maybe she was a little stretched. I had the ramen, which wasn't for me. I felt it was a little bland. My friends thought it was acceptable. I think the winner is definitely the Chirashi, and I think that's the restaurant's strength. He said the fish was fresh and well balanced in the bowl. The garlic karage is sweet and a solid appetizer. For my birthday, they offered me free dessert. I had the Green tea Ice cream, they gave me 2 scoops which completed the meal. read more
Mills Alley is cute! When a friend suggested it, I was definitely not expecting Japanese sushi based off the name. But once I saw that they offered a Chirashi bowl, I was sold and we came here. We made a reservation on a weeknight but it wasn't necessary as the restaurant wasn't too full. The ambiance is nice though - it wasn't too loud inside and we were able to catch up and chit chat for a bit without feeling rushed. The food was delicious too! The Chirashi bowl was good quality, with everything tasting really fresh. I was stuffed! We also got some garlic karaage and that was solid as well. Definitely recommend this spot! Parking is standard old town pasadena fare - limited street/metered parking, but find one of the city lots and pony up a few bucks. read more
2 months ago
5 months ago
Very clean and neatly organized Japanese restaurant owned by Koreans, with friendly and attentive service. The menu offers a wide variety of food and drinks, so there's something for everyone. The décor is very nice and suits the city well--modern, clean, and thoughtfully designed. They even have hooks to hold your bags, which is a small but thoughtful touch so you can easily grab what you need while eating. The walls feature artwork for sale, which adds character to the space and is a nice bonus for people who like to visualize art in a real setting and purchase a piece if something catches their eye. The vegetables were fresh, though the condiments and dressing were a bit heavy--better to ask for them on the side. Sushi rice was good and already lightly dipped in yuzu, but I'd recommend ordering light rice since the portions are generous. The fish pieces were large and fresh, which was a plus. The noodles were tasty as well, though the portion felt a little big--slightly less would be perfect. Overall, a clean, well-designed spot with good quality food and attentive service. read more
4 months ago
Review is for weekday lunch. Service was quick and seated promptly. Server was attentive and was easy to call for when needed. Our water was refilled frequently. Came for the Lunch Gozen. For the higher price point, the portions were good and you will leave full. Lunch was served within 15 mins. So it's great for a lunch break. Ordered: Nara Set - Vegetarian Hakata Set - Ramen focused with mini spicy tuna donburi Yellowtail hand roll - Fresh but a bit small in size Overall experience was positive and will return again for lunch time. Large open space with high ceilings and a modern vibe. Dinner menu looks to be more like izakaya (tapas style) with some good alcohol choices. read more
Located in old town Pasadena near the Cheesecake Factory is this cute Japanese restaurant. I came here as a table of 3 and was seated right away on a Thursday night. There is a parking lot that offers 90 minutes for a buck right across them. The restaurant inside is nice and modern. A great date night spot. We started the night with the garlic chicken karaage. The chicken with the sauce was delicious. I would come back for this dish. We also got the oden hot pot and gyudon rice. I thought the oden was good and the gyudon was okay. My cousin ordered the Chirashi Don bowl and enjoy it. He said the fish was fresh. They also served gyoza, skewers, sashimi, sushi, rice bowl, ramen, and udon. I think they also have great lunch set deals too. Overall, if you're cravings for some Japanese food, check this place out. read more
Incredible service - shoutout Allison for hand drawing on the bags and being super thoughtful! The food was delicious, had the lemon pepper scallop nigiri and a garlic seared salmon donburi. The vibe was great, very festive decor read more
Love love love this place! Here's what I tried so far: - Takoyaki 5/5 I was surprised to see they weren't cheap with the octopus pieces - Kyuri (cucumber salad) 5/5 what a nice presentation too! - Sukiyaki Nabe 5/5 could not get enough of that sukiyaki, so yummy - Spicy tuna don 5/5 that one had nice kick, very manageable, not too spicy - Gyudon 5/5 sooo flavorful - Agedashi 4/5 solid appetizer - Desserts 3/5 maybe even 2/5 since they were expensive ($12) and nothing out of the ordinary. They were out of the yuzu cheesecake so we got pineapple sorbet and tiramisu and they were just okay. I recommend skipping the desserts there Service was top notch 5/5. Very attentive staff, we're always well taken care of! :) read more
11 months ago
Tasty and good izakaya spot in Old Town! We got the Hiyayako , Chirashi Don, and the Mentaiko Cream Udon. Hiyayako was nice and refreshing. It had a slight citrus / ponzu taste from the sauce while the ginger was a bit too strong but it compliments the ponzu. Tofu is really good and firm soft. Good appetizer for summer 9/10 The Mentaiko Cream Udon with Black Tiger Shrimp is very creamy and delicious. Shrimp is well done and only has a shell on its tail. The cream sauce is flavorful and has nice sliced garlic as well. Although it would be nice to add more seafood toppings like clam or mussels. 7/10 Chirashi don is so good 10/10. Each fish is fresh and the radish and onions complement them well. Assorted fish of tuna, salmon, yellowtail and mackerel (I think) as well as scallop. Staff is friendly and asked if we wanted bowls and plates to share which is nice. Interior is minimalist and intimate including bar seating perfect for date nights, dining with friends and family. read more
4 months ago
Amazing food, service, and ambiance! Everything was 100/100. We had lots of great dishes, unfortunately we forgot to take pictures of the hand rolls and sashimi. We tried the sukiyaki nabe, and it was an awesome balance of mushroom, veggies, tofu, and meat. The soup was sweet and tasted delicious. I should say the mentaiko cream udon was the best I've ever had-- creamy, smooth, flavorful, and smells sooo good! Glad to have found this place in the heart of Old Pasadena. Would come back again soon! read more
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33 S Fair Oaks Ave
Pasadena, CA 91105
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(626) 765-6622
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Ask the Community - Mills Alley
Is outdoor area shaded and do they allow small dog?
Yes there is outdoor sitting . I'm not sure about a dog
Does the restaurant have specialty sushi rolls like, Philadelphia rolls?
The restaurant has really good nigiri and sashimi; more on the traditional side, so no rolls
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Mills Alley - japanese - Updated May 2026
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