The cioppino is so good. My wife and I usually stop by for lunch and a drink. The service is good and it's usually not too busy.

Came here for the first time this past Saturday. We definitely would not have noticed this place if it weren't for Yelp. There is parking in the front and the back, though very limited. The entrance to the back lot is to the left of the building and is one way. Upon arriving, we were seated right away and the hostess was friendly. The waitress dropped by and greeted us and friendly as well. After grabbing our drink orders, this gentleman came by to drop off the bread basket and waters. At first, when he dropped the bread basket onto the table with a loud thud the first time, we thought it was an accident. But it seemed every time he came by, it was the same type of attitude. Instead of grabbing any empty plates from the sides or along if we were done, he would squeeze his arm in between my husband and friend to grab the empty plate s and not say anything, even though he bumped them. Than a we were asking for more water, he didn't respond and we never got it so we asked the waited when she came by, the gentleman than came by and dropped down the pitcher of water loudly and walked off. Needless to say we were having mixed feelings on our service. The food came out and it was agreed Yom that the Santa Anita Pizza and Lasagna were the best dishes on the table. The ribeye was overcooked, but the spaghetti with the tomato sauce was delicious. The Risotto was a little undercooked and bland. Would I come back again? Maybe, if someone wants to try they food. read more

See all

Haven't been in awhile. Good food but very poor management. Parking could be much better.

My family and I love Nikki C's the food and the service iarw excellent The Restaurant is a cozy , hospitable ambience We also enjoy coming late at night for drinks. Bartender is spectacular. We own Restaurants so we know when there is great food and service. read more

Food isn't what it used to be be. Salad was delish. Bread rolls are pizza knots and not anything to write home about. The ambiance is old school booths, white table cloth, full bar and attentive service. read more

The service was perfect: pleasant, accurate, and accommodating. The ambiance is perfect, day or evening! Classy, and just the right level of light/dimness balance. The food was absolutely excellent! There were three of us, and we had three different lunch entrees: a filet steak with sides, Nikki's Pasta trio, and a rib-eye steak sandwich. All were perfectly prepared and very tasty. Though we had plenty to eat, we wanted to sample the desserts. We shared tiramisu, cheesecake with cherry sauce and berries, and a brownie sundae. Divine! read more

My wife were looking for a restaurant to eat dinner at for our date night and we happened to go to Nikki C's. Have always passed by and been curious and after going I really loved it. My dish was delicious. Can't wait to get back. read more

Just super subpar. Odd place and energy inside... I won't be going back. Cesar is so weird...

I am so glad I picked up dinner from here on Christmas Eve in December. My hubby called in the order for chicken parmigiana and rib eye dinner with rice pilaf and anti pasta salad. The wait was 20min and parked in their lot. It is easy to miss this place because I always zoom on Rosemead Blvd. The staff member was nice and friendly. The chicken parmigiana was a huge size and thick in size. The thin spaghetti was not overcooked but needed more sauce on it. My hubby loved their anti pasta salad. I would go back and try other dishes. I forgot to check in on time to get 15% off the total amount. read more

See all

We went here on a Friday evening excited to try a new place and ended up going to McDonald's after because we wanted better food and threw away most of our meal, if that gives any indication of how much we enjoyed our meal. It's absolutely adorable inside and looks cozy and romantic, but there was loud music playing that didn't feel appropriate for the setting, which was definitely off putting since we had gone for a romantic dinner out. We waited at the front for quite a bit before someone came to tell us that one of the other staff members had a system set up so they weren't able to seat us, but the other staff member would be there shortly. It took some time for the other staff member to come and seat us, but I recognize they may have been short staffed so this wasn't a huge issue but wasn't the best first impression. The bread offered was quite good and seemed fresh, but the garlic cheesy bread we ordered wasn't great in my opinion because there were chunks of garlic that made me feel like I was biting into a piece of raw garlic alone. My husband enjoyed it because his pieces ended up not having so much garlic, but he ate my pieces and agreed there was a great deal of garlic in them. We ordered and our food came out fairly quickly, but my husband had tried to order the pizza without one of the ingredients and they said that wasn't possible because the pizzas are pre-made, and he said it was obvious from the taste of the pizza because it was so dry. I've only ever seen him not finish two meals in the years we've been together, and this was one of them. I also ordered the risotto without mushrooms or arugula and they brought the order out wrong. As I was picking away the two items, they took the plate from my hands and said they'd bring me a new one. Not necessarily a problem, but I would have preferred to have been asked because I'd rather they not waste the whole plate if they tossed it, but I suspect with how quickly they brought out a new dish the kitchen just picked off the ingredients like I was already doing myself. I thought the steak was delicious - very tender and well seasoned. The risotto itself, though, again had chunks of onions throughout that made it difficult to eat because there were times I thought I was getting a forkful of risotto that ended up being only onion. Overall, it's a cute little place and I think we would have been happier if we'd ordered the steaks, but we won't be back to try it. read more

See all

My favorite casual Italian restaurant in the San Gabriel valley that has been there for many years but most people don't see it or think it might be a bar. This hidden gem of an Italian restaurant transports you into another space once you walk into its dining room and experience its super friendly staff and great food at still reasonable prices. Great cocktails too! They have a couple of tvs in the bar in case there is an important LA sporting event going on so you won't miss the action. Family friendly too but mostly couples or groups with friends enjoying this gem of an Italian American bistro - they have great lunch specials too with their delicious fish & chips and beef dip! read more

See all

A hidden gem I wish could stay hidden (I'm being selfish and just don't want to wait long for a table). But alas, gotta give credit where credit is due. We had dinner here on a Wednesday. We ordered the calamari, burrata, spaghetti, and cioppino. Ice cream desserts later. We also ordered a negroni and dirty martini. When the drinks came out, I was impressed with my negroni. I have never ordered one before ( I'm more an old fashioned gal). I have been on a gin kick so figured I'd try a negroni. Omg. Amazing. I'm irritated with myself for not ordering negronis sooner. So after the drink, my expectations went up. The appetizers didn't disappoint. For comparison, I was at Pizzeria Mozza a few days ago and their burrata is amazing. Nikki's burrata wasn't as delicate, however the dish accompaniments were delicious. Mixing the pesto with bruschetta, prosciutto, and the burrata was delicious. The calamari was good too; I was dipping them into the pesto. The kids loved their spaghetti. After eating half, we had to pack the rest of the cioppino because we were so full. The bread they gave in the beginning was delicious too. Soooo good. This will probably be our biweekly dinner spot. Food takes a while but I assume you can't compromise quality for speed. They even accepted the Yelp check in offer. The wait staff were attentive and polite. Such a good find. read more

Nikki C’s - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

Nikki C's is a true hidden jewel. Somewhat off the beaten path of fine restaurants, it excels in both good food and service. The menu skews towards Italian dishes, but it also has other tempting choices. It is quiet, comfortable, and welcoming. read more

Alway a solid choice as they pretty much have all there bases covered from burgers to steak to pizza and even fish and chips that is great! There bud boy is a relic that has been there since we started going around 18 yrs. ago and is always at the beconded call for water and fresh bread, a small local spot but you will feel right at home there. read more

Very delicious food and cozy atmosphere . Service was great. I'd like to go there more and more.

Delicious authentic Italian food! There was plenty of seating and the staff were all very friendly and quick. The food was above of what I expected I got the trio that had lasagna and spaghetti. I will be coming back and recommending it to all my friends and family. Great spot! read more

Nikki C’s - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

this place is so cute and cozy, perfect for a date night. So I thought... I ordered egg plant parm my boyfriend ordered the pasta trio. Both plates were cold and tasted frozen, didn't taste fresh at all. I sent back my plate as I couldn't eat more than one bite. I was shocked! The food tasted old and as if it was leftover from days ago. I wish I had taken a pic of our plates because it was BAD read more

I've been wanting to try Nikki C's after seeing their review on the Cioppino. The location is small and intimate, and the parking lot is pretty small and tricky. Luckily, we came at night when the neighboring auto shop was closed so we parked there. I really liked the ambiance here, with a large bar area on one side of the restaurant and a quieter seating area on the other side. There are several TV monitors showing different games, so I can see this being a nice spot for drinks and ,yes, HAPPY HOUR. I'm not sure when happy hour starts, but the waiter says it ends at 6pm. Our server was great. He was taking care of the whole restaurant himself, but was able to get our hot waters and complementary bread to us the moment we sat down. He was also great at making suggestions. Food: -Pescadora: linguini with shrimp, scallops, clams, and fish in a light tomato based sauce. I really enjoyed this, it reminded me of Cioppino. - Veal Marsala: very flavorful, but I wasn't too crazy about the breading around the veal. The meat was also overcooked. You can choose a side, and we got grilled veggies. If you don't have pasta to share, I think getting the side pasta would be a good choice to mix with the Marsala. - Rib eye tacos: comes with 2 tacos, rice, and chips. The rib eye was really good but the portion was small. I probably wouldn't get this again and just stick with a pasta dish. At the end, the waiter gave us a complementary scoop of spumoni ice cream (chocolate, pistachio, and cherry). So kind of him! Will definitely come back! read more

See all

Delicious food & drinks! Excellent customer service! Took a friend for a late lunch/early dinner and we enjoyed ourselves immensely! Will be back again! read more

See all

We absolutely love this place. The ambience is awesome. The waiters are amazing. It's a very cool vibe and the food is absolutely delicious. I would highly recommend. read more

Found this gem of a place! Love that they keep the free bread coming - a lot of more upscale Italian places dont do bread service anymore. Overall we loved the food - ordered the filet mignon w/ risotto, linguine with clams, and a kale salad. The only critique was that theres were chili flakes in the salad; feel like it didn't work with the sweeter profile. read more

Amazing food . Ambience is great, although I prefer little more bright . Inside looks much nicer than outside

Service is good. Bartenders are wonderful Food is certainly good enough but not great Your burger and fries are delicious, except the buns.. NO MORE BRIOCHE BUNS!! read more

We've always liked Nikki C's, and I've always liked their cioppino in the past, but last night they served me a bowl that - by the time I got to the the end of the seafood - had only contained 3 small overcooked, tough shrimp, one tiny scallop, four sets of shells the meat of which was so cooked as to be indistinct, and about a forkful of some sort of some crumbly white fish. When I asked the waitress why so scant, she blamed the workers in the kitchen, then she said I hadn't told her sooner (I hadn't known sooner; the broth is opaque. By then our party of 4 was now about done. SO I had a bowl of seafood soup. I was really disappointed. They took $7.50 off the $32 cost, but, meh, sorry Nikki C's, you dropped the ball - I mean, a decent amount of thoughtfully prepared seafood. read more

Blue Cobb salad and a patty melt, both tasty and beautiful. I like everything on the menu. If you're in the area, Nikki C's is a must try. read more

Nikki C’s - Patty melt yum - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

My expectations for this restaurant were exceeded by my experience. The food is delicious, the menu quite varied, and the service is outstanding. The staff was pleasant to deal with, and VERY attentive about constantly refilling our bread basket and water glasses. I will definitely be coming back soon. P.S. The old man in the straw hat who walks around filling water glasses is a straight up G. read more

See all

Service was good along with the wine. Food was just decent. I had the pescataro and my friend had the fish and chips. It was good but nothing special. read more

Supporting small businesses is important, so when I wanted some spaghetti & meatballs for dinner I decided to try delivery from a I'd never been before, Nikki C's. The pasta I received was delicious: perfectly cooked & seasoned, with robust meat sauce & large tender meatballs. Simply put, highly recommend read more

Nikki C’s - Spaghetti & Meatballs - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

The waiters are friendly. Food is tasty and I also like the ambiance. It's a great place for all kinds of occasions read more

Nikki C’s - Santa Anita pizza - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

Definitely a non-descript restaurant that you would miss if you didn't know it was there. Tucked in right next to a hardware store with what looks like just a building instead of a restaurant that has withstood the test of time. Once you walk in the door, definitely takes you back to a time when restaurant were simple without all the bells and whistles and fancy decor. The decor is darker inside with wooden tables and old style metal chairs with some cushioning. The restaurant itself maybe seats 40-50 during the current times so be sure to get a reservation if you have a larger party. In regards to the food, the portion were large and easily enough to share family style. The food itself though, was pretty standard. Not much stood out in the various dishes our party had from the fish & chips, salad, risotto, and cioppino. The cioppino was probably the best, along with the bread they bring you to complement the meal. For all the rave reviews about the restaurant, I don't quite get it. Service also left a bit to be desired as with most restaurants, the service staff is bare bones. The employee refilling our drinks would pour so quickly it often spilled or overfilled, along with filling the wrong type drink of drink on occasion. For me, I may return and see if things improve on a second visit or maybe there is food I'm missing out on that is their specialty, but for now, a solid 3 stars overall. read more

The food was so good! My daughter got the ribs and the meat was falling off the bone! The service was great and the ambience was really nice! read more

Nikki C’s - Baby back ribs with onion rings - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

Great place for a nice lunch or dinner with a good selections. Pastas, steaks, fish, and salads. It is a smaller restaurant with a comfortable bar where the latest game is on. The ambiance has always been nice and comfortable. The service has always been excellent. read more

They have an amazing salad with ranch. Steak needed seasoning good drinks. Love the romantic ambiance. Cheese bread was whatever.

I always drove past here wanting to dine here. There finally came a day when that happened. Came here for happy hour/dinner on a weekday evening. It's a great place to come by after work, sip on some drinks and nom on some happy hour apps with good company. Dining There is an outdoor dining area at the front and the side of the building. The have put a tent around the outdoor dining area with fans that I greatly appreciate. It was a very warm afternoon/evening when I went, so that definitely cooled it down and enhanced the dining experience. There is also a big flat screen TV, so I can imagine people coming for happy hour and watching a game. Food Overall, the food was good. Portions are decent. The quality is above average. We ordered from the happy hour menu and the regular menu. The fried calamari and short rib quesadillas stood out to me. The consistency of the calamari was just right; not too chewy, not too oily, went well with the dipping sauces. The short rib quesadillas hit the right spot; it's my definition of a good after-work grub. The meat is tender, moist, but not too wet; nicely tucked into the tortilla. Yum! Drinks I got a Moscow Mule and it was honestly one of the best Moscow Mules I have had. I like being kicked with a strong base of the ginger. I definitely tasted that in the Moscow Mule here. It was also pretty punched with the vodka, because by the time I was halfway in, I had felt the buzz. My philosophy in regards to Moscow Mule is, the stronger the better. Service The service is so kind and friendly. They are attentive and genuinely promote a welcoming environment for dining. I will note, that I tried calling ahead of time to make a reservation. I was on hold for 12 minutes. I was not able to wait longer, so I hung up. So, over the phone, they're horrible, but in person, they're a delight! The lack of presence over the phone is what distinguished this establishment from receiving 5 stars from me. I think they were slammed and/or were short-staffed. Regardless, that is not acceptable. I was very close to skipping this spot and going elsewhere. However, I'm glad I gave this spot some benefit of the doubt. read more

See all

I've lived in Pasadena for over 25 years and I can't believe I'd never stopped into this place. Was driving around looking for lunch yesterday for lunch and finally stopped in. Ordered the Kale Avocado salad. WOW! So delicious! The dressing was amazing. Then I had the french dip with sweet potato fries. Also incredible. Service was excellent from the two staff who served me and host was also very friendly and welcoming when I poked my head in to get seated. I'll be back!:) read more

Nikki C’s - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

Good food! They just have to hire more servers. Ambiance casual. My Bloody Mary was good, although lacked celery and olives. read more

A favorite! The neighborhood bar and booths are very welcoming. The cioppino is the best! It is served in a delicious hot broth, loaded with fish, shrimp, clams and mussels. Service excellent as always. read more

Amazing Pizzas Really cute and cozy restaurant. They have Wine Wednesdays and the bread they bring in the beginning is amazing. Definitely will be going back here for the pizzas, didnt try anything else. read more

Nikki's has been one of my go to places for a long time...however last night was a disappointment ...granted they were short staffed...but the fabulous bread was stale and dry...the balsamic had no garlic as it used to and the food was mediocre...even the dessert was lacking...hoping it was just an off night!? read more

Amazing food, very friendly staff... First my visit was around 10years ago.... Last one 2day ago.... Same quality!!! Thank you!