Before COVID, I would come to Russell's nearly every weekend... and then some. During COVID, they are still operating with outdoor dining. The sidewalk really doesn't have the same charm as the cozy interior, but the food quality and service have not suffered in the least. Food here has never let me down. Whether you're into waffles and pancakes -- or the more savory stuff. As much as I enjoy their breakfast burritos, omelettes and potatoes, however, the pancakes are the biggest draw for me. I always get the blueberry pancakes, which come stuffed with big berries, adding a tartness to the subtle sweetness of the batter. The soft, whipped butter on top is salted, and while this surprised me the very first time I had their pancakes, it actually complements all the other flavors very well. The pancakes are also always a little crisp on the outside and fluffy inside; the same can be said about their waffles, if that's more your breakfast carb. The staff is very nice. Normally, they're on top of checking on you and making sure your coffee cup is always filled. Sometimes they get too busy to be super attentive, but honestly it's not a big deal. This really isn't your typical greasy spoon, though that's to be expected from that area of Old Town. I've yet to visit for lunch or dinner, but I've heard good things about their non-breakfast menu from others. read more

Russell's - Burrito in the back, waffle in the front. - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

I thought I had reviewed Russell's before. I went there pre-pandemic and got the waffles. I got a cold waffle, it was unsatisfying. Service was fine though. I gave them a second chance today, post(?)-pandemic. It was much better. I got the whole grain pancakes with an egg and bacon. The pancakes were big and tasty, came out steaming. The price is unbelievable, I don't know how they stay in business selling good food at this price. The bacon was well cooked, not burnt nor limp and wet, the egg was well cooked (I ordered fried, well done), fluffy texture but evenly cooked, no burnt pieces (didn't taste like ass when you overcook eggs, you know what I'm talking about). Butter and syrup was good. The waiter was cool. There was a wait but it wasn't too bad, allowed for some time to get milk tea down the street to keep cool in the oven-like heat. I would come again and maybe bump up to 5 stars if they do well again. read more

The wait can be long depending what time you arrive (20-45 minutes). The food never disappoints. We usually go for breakfast. The coffee and pancakes are delicious. Because waiters are so busy sometimes service suffers. The restrooms are for one person only so sometimes long wait. read more

Nice artsy cafe, very busy need to wait outdoors. Waffles are the best light, airy and crispy. I will stop there next time through. read more

Awesome service and great food! Get there early because this is where everyone goes. Loved the breakfast!

More like 3.5/5 stars. It's funny... Now that I don't frequent Pasadena often I ended up coming here. This place has been on my radar for some time. I typically avoid this place cuz i always see people waiting outside. However on this random Saturday, we put out name down and immediately found seating at the counter... Which was a godsend cuz the wait would've been +1 hour. We ended up getting French toast and chili biscuit. It was a good combo, since the sweet counterbalanced the savory. I have to admit the chili dish was kinda heavy for brunch. The French toast combo comes with bacon or sausage and eggs. The chili combo comes with hashbrowns and eggs. This place is located right next to a parking garage. Service was quick... Which makes sense since alot of people are waiting and they want to speed up the amount of people dining. If you can get seated quickly, give this place a try. Otherwise I don't know if it's worth the +1 hour wait.... read more

Russell's - Chili biscuits with hashbrowns - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

Classic Pasadena diner type restaurant... I've been coming here off and on for 15+ years. Service and food quality are above average for the type of restaurant, and speed of service was suprisingly quick. I came here for breakfast with some family, and after a short wait we were seated and served. I had a scramble and coffee , which were filling for sure. The portion size for the scramble was a bit smaller than I had anticipated, and the English muffin was a poor choice when compared to the 2 pieces of toast everyone else got(I've never understand why 1 English muffin is equivalent to 2 pieces of toast). Outside of that, great experience overall, and I'll probably be back if having breakfast with relatives in Pasadena. read more

Russell's - English muffin - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

Excellent Quality Brilliantly prepared Impeccable service Dining room is exquisite! read more

Overall, a great breakfast place. Parking is validated (90mins) if you park at the parking garage located directly behind Russell's. I got the Belgian waffles which tasted great. I personally did not enjoy the syrup, but my wife liked the syrup. She got the French toast, which had a ton of flavor and definitely a top choice like the Belgian waffles. We are definitely coming back. The interior decoration gives off a old-timey, vintage vibe with small chandeliers, paintings, and comfy cushion seatings. Great service, reasonable prices, and wait time on our food seemed pretty quick too! We showed up a bit earlier on a Tuesday (9-9:30am) to avoid the line. read more

This place is BOMB!!!!! The food is great, it's fresh and they give you a good amount for the price. My first time staying in Pasadena, I wanted to have brunch. I ordered through GrubHub for delivery and they were fast. I had the Croque Madame and it was so tasty; My boyfriend had a breakfast burrito with added cilantro & sour cream that was a nice size and delicious! Keep up the great work read more

The sandwiches, so good onion rings crispy service was amazing. Definitely will be back to year again. read more

Russell's - Croque Monsieur Sandwich probably one of the best sandwiches I had in a long time really delicious I memories crispy can't complain.. - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

You really can't go wrong with Russell's. This is what I call and fast and classy diner. You've not only got breakfast items but they also have a full lunch menu. Belgian waffle is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Special spuds is perfect when you want a hearty breakfast. The whipped butter also makes a huge difference! read more

Russell's - Belgian Waffle Breakfast Chicken Fried Steak & 2 Eggs - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

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

Russell's - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Absolutely loved coming here for breakfast. This was my first time coming here and I don't know anyone who's been so I was just going through pictures on yelp to find what I wanted to order. BELGIUM WAFFLE was perfect and crispiness is memorable, definitely bring my waffle loving friends here. MEAT LOVERS OMELETTE with added Mexican seasoned ground beef and added avocado was literally the best tasting omelette I've ever ate. The flavor from the ground beef really made this special and a definite must order. CROQUE MADAME egg over medium so perfect and delicious light flavors that just make you happy the grilled sourdough is on point. HASH-BROWNS buttery yummy hash browns! read more

Russell's - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

My coworkers and I have been coming here for breakfast since the beginning of the pandemic. They were open for takeout only and now they're open for outdoor dining. I love coming to Russell's because the staff has great customer service. Everyone is so friendly and accommodating. I always order the belgian waffle breakfast and blood orange mimosas. read more

Russell's - Belgian Waffle Breakfast and Mexican Omelet - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

Good food and good service! Recommend the french toast and fresh squeezed orange juice

Classic American diner vibes. We had the pancakes as well as the biscuits and gravy which were both amazing!

I absolutely LOVE Russell's. No one makes French toast like they do! NO ONE. They portions are great, we had a great server (wish I knew his name) very polite, very attentive and our food came quick. It's a very popular place(of course) so prepare to wait. It was a nice wait because we went to window shop around in the neighboring stores. Great time. Thanks Russell's!! Look forward to coming back :) read more

If you hit a snafu, then you will just have to look for an alternative option and occasionally the new path will lead you wondrous places. That's what happened to me when I visited Old Town Pasadena and only to realize Ramen Tatsunoya doesn't open until 6 PM. And just when I was about to give up, I see a sign right next to Ramen Tatsunoya and it says "Russell's - since 1930". It must be one hell of a restaurant if it can survive the competitive and ever-growing Pasadena food landscape for THAT long, so I decided to give this restaurant a try. Parking: There is a public parking structure (One Colorado Garage) right next to the restaurant - how convenient! And yes Russell's will validate your parking up to first 90 minutes. The restaurant was pretty empty when I came here at 5 PM. Service was not outstanding, but still good nonetheless. Just one look at the menu and you will soon realize that this restaurant offers American comfort food as well as other French and Italian food. Specialties include Croque Monsieur, Croque Madame (same as Croque Monsieur but with an egg on top), Belgian waffles, and French toast. *** Croque Madame (Classic French ham & cheese sandwich made with grilled sourdough, ham, melted Gouda cheese, and Mornay sauce inside and topped with melted Gouda cheese and an egg on top [I got sunny side up] - came with a side of salad, $13.75): I can see the appeal for this classic sandwich - excellent bread texture and grilled sourdough was toasted to perfection. Ham wasn't salty and blended very well with melted cheese. You know what? it was one freakin delicious sandwich! Caesar salad was light and good. (4.5/5) *** Oddly enough this restaurant is starting to grow on me and now I know exactly where to visit if I am looking for breakfast / brunch place in Old Town Pasadena! I know the restaurant doesn't look very glamorous and American comfort food may not sound that exciting, but Russell's is an underrated restaurant in Pasadena and for sure a worthwhile place to check out. read more

See all

Great food and great service. Get there early and prepare yourself to wait. Priced right good portion size.

The strawberries were very sour but everything else was amazing! I loved the omelette perfect amount of ham and the toast was even better read more

Russell's - Ham and cheese omelette fresh fruit sourdough toast - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

The waiters were polite and we received excellent service this is my first review because this restaurant is deserving of recognition. Our portions were plentiful and the food was great. If you're visiting Pasadena this is a must stop spot. read more

Russell's - California Blt Sandwich with Fries - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Overall bad experience. Manager and Staff are incredibly rude. Waited over and hour and a half to be seated when we were told it would only be 45mins. Poor communication and made it very clear they didn't want to be bothered. If the service was that bad I can't imagine the food was made with any care at all. Because I sure wasn't about to eat here. This place is right out of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. Stay away. Unless you want your patience tested. read more

Ryan Host claimed to only have one table for party of five and had us wait for an hour. After the table became available sat us in a table for 4 with extra chair. A thing he could have done and not had us wait extra time for the so called one table. New large party was a party of 3. In my life been treated this way. read more

The host's warm hospitality creates a welcoming atmosphere, making everyone feel right at home. Good people, good vibes - a truly enjoyable experience! Not to mention the food is great you won't be disappointed read more

On a Saturday in the early evening, I came here for a family dinner and my food experience here as a first timer was quite mediocre, albeit for one side dish. The ambience is classy and the decor is an upscale twist on the classic diner style. There are quite a few renowned paintings hanging up throughout the restaurant (i.e. "The Starry Night" by Vincent van Gogh, "The Kiss" by Gustav Klimt), with fancy chandeliers dangling from the ceiling and classical symphony recordings being faintly played. It reminded me of like an art-gallery-meets-diner type of restaurant setting. I perused the menu and finally settled on ordering one of their burgers. Nothing fancy, just a simple hamburger. How hard can that be to mess up? Clearly, it was easy for Russell's to screw up a classic hamburger order. Their hamburger had all the typical condiments of a classic one (their Thousand Island dressing on the meat patty was good at least), but the main component was hugely lacking in flavor and texture! The burger meat was very bland and had an incredibly dry texture. Also, the hamburger bun was too doughy and overwhelming to eat with such a thin meat patty, making the bun-to-patty ratio way askew. When I stated my order to the server, I was never asked how I wanted my meat patty cooked, which is odd since it's the routine question to ask that to a customer if they order a burger. So what, they cook the patty to a 'default setting' and expect every customer to like it that way?! Just no. Also, grossly overpriced for the poor quality of the burger assemblage as well (deserves to be priced as a $5 burger instead of a hefty $10.50 price tag!), especially when I asked for grilled onions to be added in and there was very little put inside the burger. In contrast, the potato salad side dish was practically the highlight of the meal and I'm glad I went with the decision to order this instead of the usual side of fries. The creamy texture combined with the perfect amount of mustard, vinegar, flavors along with the crunchy textures of diced onion and celery made this so rich in flavor, it was wonderful beyond words, tasting homemade and made-to-order-that-day fresh! So, why couldn't the Famous Hamburger have been this terrific in taste quality? In addition, our server, Victor, was very attentive and delivered great customer service all-around, making it seem so effortless in serving a table of 12 people. His service was overall superb; also being another reason (along with the amazing potato salad) why I will refrain from lowering my star rating to anything less than 3 stars. Perhaps I ordered the wrong menu item or it was just an off-day for ordering burgers here. So, maybe I'll give this establishment another chance if I'm ever in the area, but it would be to try their breakfast instead. read more

Russell's - Famous Hamburger with choice of side: potato salad ($10.50). - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Tasty breakfast options in a traditional comfortable diner setting. The oatmeal arrived in a satisfying portion size and came with all the fixings, and the English muffin arrived soaked in tasty hot melted butter. The eggs were well-cooked, but moist and tasty. There was a line to get in, but we only ended up waiting 7 minutes, and it was well worth the wait. read more

Russell's - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

I got the pastrami sandwich and my dad got a classic breakfast of ham steak and eggs + bagel. Pretty affordable option - however hot tip: they validate parking if you park in the back lot, we didn't realize this. Ambiance is fine, it's in a great part of Pasadena, which is usually pretty busy. The service was alright, we had 2 different waiters. 1st told me they had sweet potato fries on the menu, and the 2nd told me they were out so that was a little disappointing, but I would definitely go back! Also wish there was a little more meat on the sandwich, however I will ask for more next time because the rye was so good! I don't like swiss so i substituted the cheese for gouda. read more

Russell's - Hot New York Pastrami Rueben Sandwich - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Love this place! Pancakes are what I'm all about! This is my go to breakfast spot! It is truly a treat every time I visit, I always make it a brunch date! read more

I've ordered Russell's on DoorDash and visited them in person. I got their French toast with high hopes but it ended up being ok. I didn't think about going in person until my friend suggested it. And, thankfully, I did! The wait is really long in the morning on a weekend. I think I waited 45-60 minutes. The interior of the restaurant is great. I love the paintings on the wall and the feel of the restaurant. I got a breakfast burrito with extra items and it was amazing. I'm definitely going back at some point to try some of their other items. read more

Adorable breakfast spot in downtown Pasadena, this spot is decorated so warm with colorful paintings on the deep red walls with chandeliers hung over each booth. From the minute you walk in you are in love, the smell is like a hometown kitchen with roasted coffee on the stove. The menu is one of those that makes it hard to choose, so many delicious choices. I love biscuits and chili so when i saw the chili over biscuits with cheese and onions served with hash browns I was all good. We also ordered mexican omelette made into a scramble with a side of bacon, it was delicious and the cheese was swirled in perfectly each bite was delicious. Our other entree was a veggie omelette with goat cheese, wow it was go amazing. Veggies appeared to be sautéed first the blend was perfect. I must talk about the chili over biscuits it was soooo good, it was two biscuits with chili with beans with diced red onions on top. The plate was beautiful with a large serving of hash browns that were prepared perfectly toasted. The chili was so good and the biscuits were old fashioned style and delicious. Our server was amazing he helped us with our choices and made sure our coffee was full. The mimosa's were delicious, they only have a beer and wine license so we didn't go for the bloody mary's probably would have been delicious with the wine based on how good everything else was. We LOVE Russell's and will be back soon, go early in the day because they really get busy they do offer chairs outside to wait for your spot. Pasadena is a wonderful little town as is Russel's. read more

See all

Great Service, Ambiance, and Food! The hash browns were crisped to perfection and the sausages were big and juicy. The chicken fried steak was well seasoned. read more

I love Russell's but we took my dad to breakfast for his birthday and it was just off. The wait wasn't long but there was 5 of us and were seated at a table with an extra chair which was not comfortable for the person sitting there. I asked to be moved to the larger booth once it was open as we were still waiting for our food but was told that they had already called the next party. They really could've put the 3 women at our table and us at the larger booth. I realize it was Halloween and it seemed more like the weekend than weekday with all the people but our server didn't check on us too often and forgot my husband's roll and later a coffee refill. Definitely not the birthday experience I wanted for my dad. read more

Top customer service every time i come from the worker Dennis. Ultimate break fast burrito read more

Russell's - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Everything was great...ambiance felt like a fancy restaurant. Food was plain American food but it was done right & service was pleasant and professional read more

Vibes - 7.5/10; Food - 8.3/10 My parents are absolutely obsessed with this place! Everytime we come we literally wait for about an hour and a half and shop around until we finally get a text. Some of our go-tos are the belgian waffles, croquette madames or the one that comes with the egg and the veggie burrito. Honestly the prices are sooo good for the portion sizes here. The hashbrowns that come with the dishes are also perfectly cooked and crispy, just the way i like them hehe. The veggie burrito is huge and is packeddd with veggies, sour cream, and cheese. The belgian waffles are so fluffy and buttery honestly one of the best waffles i've had. We honestly come back here often because of my parents but I would say it's definitely a solid brunch spot if the wait was a little shorter haha read more

Came in for Father's Day with the Pops and Mom. Apparently this place is a bit more popular for brunch than dinner, but wound up coming in for dinner. Service - 5 stars Ambiance/Decor - 4 stars Prices - 2.5 stars Food - 2.5 stars Russell's is kind of an upscale diner. It has a cool old-school feel, with slick booths, snazzy artwork on the walls, and elegant chandeliers, but with a bit of a modern touch. Our server(s) were quick, attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu. They paid many visits to the table. I say they because multiple team members helped us out which was nice. The prices are not cheap like Norm's or Coco's, hence why I say "upscale diner." As for food, I wasn't in the mood for a burger so went with a more balanced meal - lemon chicken with "vegetables" and Mashed potatoes. The lemon chicken was described as a parmesan-crusted breast with a lemon butter sauce. It was not what I expected. The chicken was seemingly pan-fried but way too crispy. Not fork tender. Did not have any parmesan flavor at all, and the breading didn't have any flavor either - they were both fried away. The sauce was horrendous. It was basically just lemon squeezed into melted butter. Consistency was liquid, so it soaked into the potatoes and veggies. I was told the veggies were green beans and broccoli, but only green beans came. The potatoes were fine but a little lumpy and didn't have much unique flavor, outside of the lemon sauce that seeped in. Very disappointing. For the record, my dad came in for the beef bourguignon and enjoyed it, while my mom got a stir fry with rice and salmon and also liked it. Guess I made a bad choice. I had a couple bites of the waffle sundae and it was awesome - makes me wish I came in for breakfast waffles instead. The waffle was semi-sweet with a thick but fluffy consistency. Quite good. Also, they validate parking, but when I left, I paid full price, I assume because the garage was a flat rate after 6, so may want to look into that. May give breakfast a shot but won't come back for dinner. read more

Russell's - Lemon chicken with mashed potatoes and "veggies" - would not order again - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

There's no wonder why Russell's has been around for so long. Delicious food, excellent service and reasonable prices. Doesn't get much better. read more

Ate lunch here. Validated parking for 90 minutes. Sausage BCT Omelet with hash browns was very good as good as at home. French Toast with egg and sausage was average. Blueberry pancakes good home style cooking. Croquet monsiuer with fresh fruit was good, hame on Toast with melted gouda cheese on top. Service was good. read more

See all

This is a great breakfast place if you are hungry in downtown Pasadena. The French toast breakfast plate was perfect. Be sure to get the real maple syrup though. We wish they had offered a cappuccino but no go. The staff was very friendly and attentive. The decor is fun with reproductions of Van Goah, Degas and more. Parking is right around the corner so not a long walk at all. Highly recommend! read more