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I ordered Belgian waffle breakfast and ranch breakfast to try their pancakes and waffles at the same time. Service was ok but could be better, he sounded impatient when I tried to place the orders. Interior decoration was amazing. Saw many famous copy paintings. Food was great. Bacons was the highlight item, it was thick and not salty at all. I will be back again.
Open since the 30's which is cool but honestly not worth the wait. It's your typical diner food. Friendly service but that's about it. If you stopping by it's cause you trying to scratch this off your checklist. I'm sure you'll agree you've had better and for a better price. Sorry Russell's. Just calling it for what it is.
Tried Russell's for the first time with my friend who took me out to celebrate my birthday. We expected a long wait, we were told 45 minutes and were prepared to wait. However, we were seated in 25 minutes. The breakfast came out hot and fresh. The hot chocolate was a fun and warm treat. The waffles really are the best!!! Service was fast and very kind.
Best Breakfast Place In Town ! It's A Must Try ! Guaranteed Satisfying 10/10 - Ultimate Breakfast Burrito and side order of has-brown 5/5 -The Big One Breakfast Plate 5/5 -The Triple Decker Sandwich 5/5 -Side order of 3 sausages 5/5 -French fries 5/5 -Belgian waffle with banana and strawberry 5/5 Drinks : - Coke 5/5 - Orange 5/5 -Coffee 5/5 -Ice water 5/5 - Apple juice 5/5 Great Customer Service, welcoming, polite, very friendly, great staff Clean environment, inside seating very nice , decorated, great music , Restrooms available Parking validation available Definitely recommended Friends and family I will be back soon !
Thankfully when I came in there was no line today but the first time I came I had to wait an hour! So make sure to look out for that if your schedule is tight. The parking lot behind is validated for 90 minutes if you eat here which is a good addition. The restaurant looks very nice in the inside and is a great place to sit down to talk with others. Now onto the service, the service is very good, the waitress always had a smile on her face and the staff are incredibly quick. The food came out at a decent time so we didn't have to wait long for it and the coffee is served almost instantly after ordering it. Onto the food, the chicken steak with 2 eggs (3/5) was alright, hard to describe how it tastes like but it doesn't taste bad. I feel as if the first half of eating it would be pleasant but then after that, the taste of it gets tiring. The egg was perfectly cooked to how I asked (sunny side up), yolk was perfectly runny and beautiful. The hash browns are tasty and crispy. The English muffin was so good and buttered nicely, my dad even wanted to order one to go just so my mother could try it. That's some commitment. I always order the Special Spuds (4.5/5), it is my favorite. The avocado is fresh and they give such a generous amount of sour cream. It does have a lot of cheese and oil so if you're going in the morning for light brunch, you probably want to order something else because I couldn't even eat half of it and I was stuffed. The Belgian waffle is so light and delicious (4/5). The cream on top of it is salty and honestly pairs so well with the syrup. It gives it such a more sophisticated taste. Tastes pretty good to me but if you're going for a crispy and more crunchy waffle, this isn't the one for you.
Ambiance-10 Service-10 Quality-10 Cleanliness-10 This was our first time dining at Russell's. The place was full at with many people waiting outside. We only hade to wait 25 minutes at 12:30. As we were seated I noticed everyone was eating from the breakfast menu. Sadly though, I do not like breakfast, so my husband and I shared a burger. We appreciated that they cut our burger and half, split the fries and served us with two plates. I'd give the cheeseburger a 4. It was a bit on the dryer side. However, I'm sure all the breakfast choices must be all 5's since that was what everybody else was eating. If you are a breakfast lover, you must try this adorable, charming establishment!!!
The crispy, thick bacon is absolutely the best! Eggs and crispy hashbrowns hit the spot. So did the French Toast -- great way to start the day, Russells has been a staple of Pasadena since 1935. With the quality of food and service it is easy to see why. Inside it feels like a fancy railroad dining car with crimson walls and prints of famous European artists. Service was very good, fast, friendly. Coffee was well brewed, fresh and tasty.
Staff were all friendly and efficient! Our waiter continuously came to check in on the table. Food was all wonderful! Will be returning soon.
Russell's has been serving hearty breakfasts in Old Town Pasadena since 1930. My brother loved to come here but I've never been until recently. The décor is a little more upscale than your typical diner, and the menu features American-French cuisine. My friend and I were seated in a booth in the back. I was happy to see a variety of Champagne cocktails on the menu instead of just the standard mimosa. We opted for the Kir Royale and each ordered a side of fruit because we didn't want anything heavy. The Kir Royale was perfect and the fruit was fresh and sweet. Our server was a very nice lady. My friend and I enjoyed our light breakfast and our conversation since we hadn't seen each other in a while. Side note: This place is very popular so a 90-minute dining limit is enforced. *Adjacent parking garage.
Back after many years and it did not disappoint, great breakfast, I had Cheese Omelette with English muffins so delicious. Service by Ryan was outstanding and promised to be back. Theres issues line so be prepared but its worth it! Parking structure can validate the tickets for 90 minutes
You really can't go wrong with a classic American breakfast and Russell's be serving up all the classics. To cut to the chase we got their "The Big Breakfast" which came with french toast, sausage, hash browns, toast and eggs. One the side we got their belgian waffle as well. I would say everything was really good and very solid. My favorite part of the meal was their sausage though. It was super flavorful, juicy and one of the best I've had in a while that was memorable. I would most definitely go back in the mood for a reliable breakfast in Pasadena but nothing here wowed me besides the sausage.
I've been here a couple of times and have experienced excellent service. The food is delicious and great portions. It gets busy by 8:30am and it's about 30-45min wait time. But if you're an early bird you should visit before 8am, as there was no wait time when I arrived one time at 7:30am. They validate parking for the parking behind the restaurant.
Russell's is a classic. Old bones, old stories, old menus, and old flavors. I find this recurring theme at all the well loved restaurants from the last century who have somehow survived it all. They just exist in their mediocrity for all of time and leverage the fact that they haven't changed as a selling point. To me, that's all I taste. It's not nostalgic, it's just stagnancy. Dry eggs, under seasoned, nothing noteworthy or exceptional. Not hating, I love the oldies. I just keep running into this same experience of being underwhelmed. I've had the same at Marston's, Bill's, Buck's, Joanie's, basically any spot with someone's name in the title. Maybe I'm jaded, but I distinctly remember the quality of all of these spots in the 90s. Did my tongue degrade over the years? Or is it that the rigidity of these recipes and menus haven't kept up with the breakfast scene? Who knows. It was still lovely, but took forever because it's so popular, and cost an astronomical amount for basic breakfast options. I'm glad I got to experience it.
2 years ago
Good food, tasty breakfast and very good service, thanks a lot . I would like to come back again.very Friendly atmosphere. read more
3 years ago
2 years ago
I came for the first time ever to this restaurant today. I arrived at 7 am on a Friday and was the only person aside from two other tables. I was seated in the back booth. I placed my order and patiently waited. My server Victor came to drop off my food and never came back. I had to eat more than half of my meal with no water! All throughout my meal, I witnessed him attending to other tables.. When I asked why he attended those two tables and not mine he grinned and replied "you know how it is" and dropped off my bill. Actually I don't know "how it is" or what that even means and implies. I found that extremely rude and disrespectful. What kind of business employs these types of people and thinks it's okay? Definitely a bad look having your customers treated this way. 1/5 stars, this is my first and last time bringing this place my business. read more
3 years ago
Food: Ordered the famous Waffle breakfast. No flavor, not hot, an obscene amount of butter. Bacon crispy, simple scrambled eggs. Coffee was light and did not have flavor. Service: Fair- did not ask me for coffee refill until I was done eating. Ambiance: typical diner. Lot of people chatting at tables. Place appears to be clean. I have definitely had a lot better waffles and coffee. Would not return to this iconic establishment for breakfast. read more
We found this place on yelp and decided to give it a try. So parking was on the street. Then we walked in and order. The service here is amazing. There seemed to be a lot of regular customer they knew by name . From the time we ordered to the time food came out it was probably 10 minutes. They were very attentive and the service was fast. The food was pretty good. The price was reasonable compared to other places. Definitely would recommend to try this place. read more
If breakfast is the most important meal of the day then Russell's must be the most important restaurant of the day! It was my first time stopping by here and I must say that I am impressed. We stopped by Saturday morning and the waitlist time quoted for us was about one hour. We decided to walk around and do some shopping while waiting for buzzer go off. Since Russell's is conveniently located in old town Pasadena, it's quite easy to kill time while waiting for your important meal. After stopping by a local coffee shop copy, we finally got called to be seated. We got lucky enough to have a window seating, even though the majority of the tables do you offer window seating. The inside is swanky, charming, and smell free. I don't know how you feel about lingering fried smells, but being in a restaurant that leaves your clothes and hair smelling like food after you leave, is one of my pet peeves. I would describe Russell's as a classy yet home style feel. I ordered the ranch breakfast and substituted the regular pancakes for chocolate chips ones. My sister requested an off the menu 'loaded grilled cheese which she said was tasty. It is a lot of food for one! Everything tasted delicious. There's convenient 90 minute free parking in the parking lot between Colorado and Green Street as well. read more
3 years ago
Food, service and Ambiance are 5star. Got lucky and didn't have to wait very long to get in. read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
This was a great place for the four of us to enjoy hearty breakfast. Two of us had alcoholic drinks, two of us had unsweetened ice tea. We all enjoyed our respective breakfast dishes. One of us ordered Belgian waffles with an omelet, another ordered a stack of pancakes with her omelet. The tuna salad was fresh and they gave me generous helpings of tuna fish. I had to take half of it home, it was too much to finish. The restaurant has a "dine in a museum" vibe, and the paintings are not posters, they have real paint, don't know if they were oil paintings or acrylic, but gorgeous nevertheless. I am not sure my friends appreciated the art, but I surely noticed the art throughout the restaurant. This is a place that you can come with a group of friends and enjoy your conversations. They do close at 2 p.m., so if you talk a lot, it may not be enough time, but for us, we had plenty of time to catch up on our lives. They don't take reservations ahead of time, but I came 20 minutes earlier than my group, made my reservation for our group, and when my friends came, we had a table ready for us. Definitely a great location, in the heart of Old Town where you can walk around after your meal. The restaurant validates parking for about 1.5 hours, so parking next to the restaurant only cost $6. Will come again to Russell's for sure! read more
I stumbled upon this little breakfast Diner and was so glad I gave it a try! Russell's opened in 1930 and appears to be a favorite spot for locals. I arrived right after they opened at 7am, so there wasn't a wait. But it filed up quickly! The staff worked together as a team, took my order, and refilled my coffee continuously. The coffee was ok, basic Diner coffee. The food was next level, though! I ordered the croque monsieur, and it was delicious! The gouda melted on top was mouth watering, and the sauce on the inside was a nice *but not overpowering) cream. It comes with either hashbrowns or fruit, and I asked for both! The large fruit bowl was fresh and sweet. The hashbrowns were crisp and perfectly cooked! The inside of the restaurant was rustic, with a modern twist. They were playing classical music (Swan Lake) and had replicas of famous paintings throughout! I saw Picaso, Rembrandt, and Van Gogh from where I was seated. One bonus for those of you who drive to eat here, they do offer to validate parking! This area is very walkable if you are staying close enough to stretch your legs! read more
3 years ago
My first visit here my boyfriend took me to breakfast . The most amazing fresh breakfast I ever had and worth the wait!! Can't wait to go back!! Thank you Marco you were a gem!!! read more
4 years ago
Biscuits and gravy are my favorite thing in the world and these are up there in the best category. The thick bacon too is on tops delicious. I love the decor. The restaurant is cozy and walls lined with impressive art work. Great coffee here. read more
5 years ago
Maybe the best bacon I have ever had and I don't say that lightly. I ordered the big breakfast and for the French toast. The food was great. You can tell they use quality ingredients. The French toast was soft but not too soggy it was right on the verge. Even though the coffee is about $4 it is strong and the service is great so your cup won't go empty. I will definitely be coming back and I would recommend trying this place for breakfast when in Pasadena. read more
3 years ago
Soooo fresh & delicious!! Definitely going back!! The wait is a bit longer but honestly it's worth it ! read more
3 years ago
My wife and I have been trying to get to this restaurant for a long long time. Finally made it today and it was way better than anticipated. I had eggs, hash browns, hamburger patty and a belgium waffle side. My wife had the Special Spuds which is like hash browns and an omelette mixed together without the eggs. I haven't had a breakfast this good since the last time I was in the Midwest. The service was fantastic and we had the added joy of meeting one of the servers who we knew from another place. Russell's restaurant has been in old Town Pasadena for almost 95 years and we certainly know why. Park in the lot next door and they validate-! read more
2 years ago
Love Russell's! This place is so great and you can't really go wrong. I had ordered the ham steak with hash (hash is okay) and poached eggs and I got it with an English muffin (it was TINY). It was pretty yummy but wouldn't get again. HIGHLY recommend getting the breakfast burrito which my husband ordered. It was PHENOMENAL. I've gotten the croque before and that's yummy as well. read more
Russell's didn't disappoint. It's a place where they make simple ingredients and make it really good. Honestly American breakfast are all similar and in most cases taste the same so how can "good" can they get. Eggs, pancakes, chicken fried steak, hash browns, etc your typical american breakfast. So why is there a line? Well first of all lol, Russell's is super small which adds on to this line BUT if you actually try it, they're actually very good. We had the chicken fried steak(like come on you gotta get chicken fried steak), Croque madame, and the Special spud with a side of corn beef. There isn't really much to describe about but everything is seasoned well and everything tasted great. What actually were the standouts(compare to your typical American breakfast) were their hash browns which were super crispy just the way I like it and their corn beef. So the corn beef is actually pretty unique because it's almost like their hash brown where it is crispy on the outside(like the skin/ the top) of it and I find that really good. Idk if it's worth a long wait...but since all the shops are close by, you could possible go look around a bit to help you with the wait. I recommend Russell's especially if you love a good old fashion American breakfast. read more
2 years ago
I. Ate. Everything. I don't know how I did it, but by the time we got inside the restaurant, I was famished and ready to eat. I ordered a Big One, with a Belgian waffle, bacon AND sausage, hash browns, and over medium eggs. I finished it. WHUT. I thought the Belgian waffle was tasty, crunchy on the outside and soft on the side. The powdered sugar topping was a good addition. Bacon slices are THICK which I didn't expect, I just had to cut them up since I can't bite into them with my braces. Hash browns nicely soaked my over medium eggs. Sausage was cooked well. Also, blood orange mimosa. YES. Thank you. It was a relatively long wait for a Sunday brunch, which makes a lot of sense since we didn't get there before 8am, and it was more like 9:30am. That's my first hint for the Yelp world: get there EARLY to avoid waiting there for 30+ minutes. In fact, by the time we were seated, the wait time for two people jumped to 1 hour and 30 minutes. I'm not sure if it was worth waiting for 1.5 hours, but I was happy to wait 30 minutes. Whew. Parking is conveniently in the structure right behind the restaurant, and they validate parking! All in all, worth it... if you come early. read more
1 year ago
Came here on Christmas Eve for breakfast with a friend. Was very impressed with the staff; they were very attentive and made sure my coffee cup was never empty. They followed health protocols well which made me feel safe about eating there. There is a LOT of food per order so come here ready to eat. I got an omelette with bacon in it and they definitely did not skimp out on bacon. Their sourdough bread is really good too. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
We loved this breakfast so much, we made a point to go back. We parked in the garage off the alley. Very convenient. The second time we went, we had to wait outside for a few minutes, but it was quick. Worth the wait. read more
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3.5/5 Came here for a brunch day with my bff and I'm glad this is around Pasadena where it's easy to kill one hour of wait time. That's about what you'll be waiting on a Sunday morning at 10:30 for a party of two. The place is small, but the ambiance is nice. Breakfast was pretty good. The Belgian waffles were delicious. I wasn't a fan of the French toast, I thought they could've added more cinnamon to the batter. Everything else was your average breakfast. I did enjoy the hash browns, but they were no different than any other hash browns. Honestly this place was a little overhyped for me. Maybe it's the location, ambiance, or history of this place but I don't consider it much better than other American breakfast places. read more
1 year ago
Ordered breakfast from Russell's delivered through DoorDash and unfortunately was totally disappointed. Delivery service was great and looking at the timeline they were not the issue. The food was very subpar though. Ham and cheese omelet was overcooked and dry, "Russell's Famous Hash Browns" were so oily they were flat, and the sourdough toast barely had any butter on it. My husband did enjoy his French Toast though. Two breakfasts cost me just under $50!! Definitely not worth the money and I don't see myself ordering from here again. read more
4 years ago
Short review: This place is great. Food was perfect, waitstaff are wonderful. Long review: I'm here visiting friends and wanted a classic breakfast. I ordered "The Big One" and got through most of it. SO GOOD! I got the French toast, scrambled eggs, and sourdough toast. The hashbrowns were perfect. Bacon: perfect. Scrambled eggs: perfect consistency, and tasty. French toast was lovely, served with a big scoops of fluffy butter. I wonder if the syrup wasn't maple. That would be my only small quibble. I couldn't make it through all the sourdough toast but it was perfectly buttered. Kind of amazing. Usually places skimp on the butter. Only thing I didn't make it to was the sausage - I'd demolished a lot of food by then! The coffee, which is constantly filled, was very good. The waitstaff are wonderful. The woman who had my table was friendly and really on top of things, but thankfully didn't ask me a million times "how things were tasting." The place has been there since 1930 but the interior is new. Don't know when they did the renovation. So, while it doesn't have an old-timey feel inside, it's still cozy. Walls are a warm red, and there are painted copies of famous paintings on the walls. I'm so glad I checked out Russell's. Would go again! read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
More info about Russell's
30 N Fair Oaks Ave
Pasadena, CA 91103
Downtown
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(626) 578-1404
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https://russells-pasadena.weeblyte.com
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Ask the Community - Russell's
I'm looking for a venue to do a breakfast meeting for 20 people can you accommodate that for the LA County Firefighters Association?
Unfortunately we cannot accommodate a party that large as our restaurant is quite small. The biggest table can only accommodate six guests.
Do we need reservations and what time is recommended for Saturday?
Hi Stacey, unfortunately we do not take reservations. In weekends as early as possible as the wait can get very long after 8:00 am…
What is the wait times for 10.00 AM on weekdays?
Hi Lee. On the weekdays it a hit and Miss thing. Sometimes there is no wait at all and sometimes it’s about 10 to 20 minutes at most.…
What is the usual wait time for a table for 2 on Saturdays at 11:00 am?
Between 30 minutes to an hour.
What time do you stop serving breakfast on Sunday?
Hi Jessica, Breakfast is served all day until we close at 2:00 pm…
Will you be open on Monday, January 2?
Hi Amanda. Unfortunately we will be closed on Monday, Because of the Rose Parade. Frank
What time do you stop serving breakfast?
We serve breakfast all day until closing at 2:00 pm.
Do you have outdoor seating for brunch ? And do you take reservations?
We do, but only two tables are available. As for reservations, I am sorry but we don’t take reservations.
Can you add an online wait list via Yelp?
Nathalie, Unfortunately we can’t as we don’t have that service. However, I will look into it.…
Do you have to show proof of vaccination?
Hi Tanisha. Proof of vaccinations are not required. Frank…
Are there gluten free options?
We do not have gluten free breads or pancakes, but a lot of our entrees are gluten free.
Do they have turkey sausage or turkey bacon?
Because of COVID changes I would suggest you call them 1 626-578-1404.
What are your vegan options, if any?
Hi Melinda. I can’t say that we have any vegan options except for our oatmeal for breakfast. Non meat and dairy dishes are made in the same kitchen so there are cross contaminations.…
Do you let people BYOB?
You can bring your own wine and corkage fee is $15. However, you can’t bring your own beer.
Do you serve bottomless mimosas?
Hi Stephanie. We do not serve bottomless Mimosas.
Do they have the pies from Russell's in Long Beach, specifically mile high peanut butter pie?
No Becky. We do not have the original Russell’s Pie from Long Beach as we do not have the capacity at this location to make “mile high” pies. If you like “mile high” pies, they do serve them at Pie n Burger on California. It’s exactly the same…
Do they have bottomless mimosas for brunch?
We don’t have bottomless mimosas. You will get your own little small bottle of sparkling wine when you order mimosa, raspberry royale, kir royale or Bellini.
Will they fit a group of 10?
Yes, but the wait will be very long as we would have to put a few tables together.
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