Good food and good service. Came in for dinner tonight for DineLA week. 3 course meal for $39 per person. I got the soup black bean purée with tortilla chips on top very fLavorful. ENtree: garlic and Herb chicken came with squash and mashed potatoes very moist aNd tasty great comfort food. For dessert I had the McConnells ice cream it was vanilla. My husband had the Caesar Salad, BBQ Ribs and Chocolate Mouse cake. Ribs were very tender, and the cake was amazing. Parking is in the rear of this restaurant. You can valet or pay to park yourself. read more

I always have a great time at the bar at Smitty's the patrons and bartenders are always friendly. Their complementary house made chips are so good. They make an excellent martini with blue cheese stuffed olives for garnish and their old fashions are good too. The food is tasty. Steaks are cooked to perfection. Do yourself a favor and order the cornbread! It's a must! read more

See all

One of the best meals and experiences we have had in a long time. Dreaming about our next visit.

Wonderful family dinner celebration. The menu is top notch as is the wine menu. Smitty's specializes in great American comfort food; e.g., pot pie, fried chicken, chicken paillard, steak, rib eyes etc. Order the cornbread as your appetizer with one of their signature cocktails. The lobster is can't miss and the you'll be bringing home leftovers of the pot pie - huge. This is old school dining with great service and atmosphere. My only note of caution is that there are a couple of tables up front, too close to the entrance (cold breezes) and a lot of people waiting to be seated. read more

I just have to give smitty's a quick 5 stars! i'm obsessed..and I mean obsessed..with the smitty's salad. it has a generous amount of white shrimps, and their amazing cornbread in the form of croutons! their cornbread is to die for as well if you order it as a side and their soups, including their chili, is a great size and isn't too salty. it's definitely a more dressy place so I would plan accordingly & also try to make a reservation in advance on weekends! read more

1500th review. The honor goes to Smitty's Grill. Aaaah Smitty's Grill!!! I have so many nice things to say about you starting off perfectly with a parking space directly in front of your door. Then acknowledged by a delightful incredible hostess who immediately escorted us to our table. Ooooh and a terrific waitress took our order and made the wonderful suggestion of chicken pot pie. While waiting we had a nice cup of freshly brewed superb coffee that hit the spot on a cold afternoon. So I get this immense heavenly astonishing chicken pot pie made for Godzilla. Flaky soft crust, huge pieces of chicken, various veggies in a divine creamy sauce leaving us to want more even after we had devoured it all. Wish we could have gotten seconds and thirds. Yes, I was that hungry. My only regret was not being able to try their free home made chips and corn bread that so many people have raved about. Regardless, we had a great time, will return again. Definitely recommend this place. read more

See all

Excellent service and food - preparation is always on point. Libations are well poured.

I've come here with many friends and of course my better half. We've always enjoyed our meal here, so when my buddy from college (35 years since graduation) was in town, I thought this would be a great place to eat. We're both from the midwest and steak is considered a nice meal to eat. I got there a little early and I asked the hostess for a table. She said that they were booked, but we could eat at the bar in front of the kitchen or the drinking bar. I had a seat and waited - not one person came to see me. Not a good start to the evening. I should've asked to see the manager, but I received a call and left the bar and stepped outside - mistake number 1. My buddy came up as I was finishing my call, so I told him they were booked, but we could sit at the bar. I noticed that there were a couple spots open at the drinking bar, so off we went. The bartender greeted us and asked what we were drinking. I asked what type of IPA they had on tap and he turned his head to speak to the waitress. Not acceptable. When he was finished, he wouldn't give us the time of day. Normally, I'd ask to see the manager, then walk out, but I didn't feel like heading out to Flemings, so we stayed - mistake number 2. The bartender left to make some drinks, then as he came by, I told him we were ready to order. If I wouldn't have grabbed him, he would've just passed by. We ordered a couple IPA's, then our Rib Eye dinners and salad and fries. During our meal, we both finished our IPA's and of course, he didn't ask if we wanted a refill ... wait, I take that back. He did ask, after the glass had almost dried from sitting so long! I was pretty upset with his poor service, so I said no. We had a great time catching up and going over the old days! The evening could've been much better with decent service, but as they say, it is what it is. I picked up the tab, gave a 15% tip (not 20 or 25) and we headed out. After some thought, I have to ask if he deserved even that much? Should I have stiffed him? Maybe so - mistake number 3 for the evening! As I write this review, I do remember one other time we had bad service here. It was many years ago and a middle age woman was our server. She pretty much ignored my better half and paid way too much attention to me. Yes, I have a huge ego and things like that do feel good, but I'm not going on a date night to have some waitress stroke my ego. Anyway, I didn't like the way she was treated and we avoided Smitty's for quite a while - maybe a year or so. There are a lot of nice steak houses in Pasadena. We've always had good service at Flemings. Ditto for Roy's (sorry to see they're gone). Never liked Ruth Chris' too much. Not a fan of Houston's, but I hear the one in town is pretty good. And I've never eaten at The Royce - been wanting to, but haven't done so yet. Back to my point, I'm a consultant and I hope my clients never feel like I'm ignoring them or treating them in a disrespectful manner. If I were the owner of Smitty's, I'd have a word with the staff to make sure they treat my customers as someone they appreciate. It will be a while before I go back. read more

This review is regarding their HORRIBLE valet. They ruined a patrons car by backing into my moms car. She was waiting there for the valet to move the car and instead of checking his rear view mirror he floored it directly into her car. Now they are LYING about it to the insurance by not taking accountability!!!!!!! I cannot believe there are people out there that blatantly lie like this. To the manager of Smitty's I hope you rehire a new valet team. This isn't the last they will hear from me. read more

Best place for steak and fried chicken, iron skillet cornbread. Our favorite waiter Mosses isn't here But had the privilege to meet Johnny who is awesome and friendly and down to earth. Was a able to talk with Ruben, Mosses son and he too is an amazing young man. This place is my husband favorite but of the service and the GREAT service with ALL the employees.. We miss you Mosses and keeping you in prayer read more

My family and I made our 4th visit to Smitty's last night, (2/15/23) and we will not be going again. I ordered the cheeseburger medium rare and had to send it back 3 times before I had to give up and order it medium. They were nice about it and apologized but I finally got my dinner after everyone else had finished. The manager comped my dinner and said desserts too if we wanted. Imagine our surprise when the 4 desserts were on the bill. My brother mentioned it because he was paying. I said let's let them know but he didn't want to make a fuss. So I let it go. It was sloppy on their part and the manager should have coordinated better with our server. The cost was $386.00 with tip. There are other fine places to dine in Pasadena and we will try a new place next time. read more

Oh goodness, gracious. I stumbled across Smitty's while doing a Yelp search for Pasadena restaurants and I'm so happy I did. This place is great! Restaurant: Smitty's is refined and quaint. Since it's Christmas season, the added decorations were done well. The lighting is dim for dinner and that's ok. The overall vibe screamed "date night," and I was with one of my sister haahaa. The overall vibe also screams "old Hollywood elegance" with all of the portraits spread about the hall walls. They have a bar near the front entrance which seemed to be a customer favorite. There are more table seating than booth seating. I don't like the one-side-bench-opposite-side-chairs type seating for two/four yet they have this option in the middle of the restaurant. Food: We were greeted with sourdough bread and kettle chips, a very strange combination. However, we delved right in. I love sourdough bread and the chips were perfectly salted. For some reason, I thought the Chicken Piccata came with mashed potatoes. It does not. This is the first chicken piccata I've had that came with no carb. I had quite the keto meal and wasn't trying to this evening. That being said, the chicken piccata was DEELISH and a decent sized portion. The sauteed spinach was seasoned well. My sister ordered the lobster roll with fries and enjoyed her meal. Service: The hostess and waitstaff were very nice and attentive. My sister and I were more focused on catching up, we didn't need much attention. Odds and Ends: Parking is either in the back or on the street. Either way, there is a charge. The women's restroom is small, two stalls only, yet spacey enough to fit about four women wanting to check their outfits in the large body mirror. The wine options are great. read more

See all

Our first time at Smitty's. The service was wonderful as was our meal! We will definitely be back!

Such a classy, high-end, fantastic place. The service is top drawer and the food is amazing. From the valet to the bartenders my husband and I had a wonderful experience. I recommend the trout with braised spinach and a side of mashed potatoes. Wonderful evening! read more

This place is my home base. I'm here regularly and realized I've never reviewed this place. I felt compelled to do so today because of the exceptional service. It's pretty busy at the bar today and Jared (bartender) is attentively tending to every single customer while fulfilling all of the table orders. Erica (manager) stepped in as bar back cleaning glasses while assisting customers as well. It was a perfect ballet of service. This post is simply recognition of service to Erica and Jared. Bravo! read more

Believe it or not: the beef was in the bread pudding. OMG, this dessert was so delicious!!! Okay - I admit - there was no meat in the dessert, but a wonderful wet flavorful banana/vanilla crowning of the carnivores' dinner. ... and the latter had what one would expect in a steakhouse, a tender New York steak with some sides (creamy corn and mashed potatoes). read more

See all

I love this place! I visit LA multiple times a year from Houston and always visit if they have availability. I enjoy sitting outside on the back patio with my doggie. Escaping Houston weather to dine at Smitty's is such a treat. I discovered this place when living in Pasadena in 2006 and 2007. It is one of the reasons I return so often. Smitty's and the weather. Fabulous!! read more

Great service! Steaks and salmon done to perfection! Mixed drinks were average but everything else excelled! It's a keeper. Pro tip - super convenient Valet parking is around the back. This place is a keeper. read more

Food is great Service is perfect Great Ambiance I had cioppino it was very good Hubby had sandabs also good read more

Smitty's Grill is a participant in dine L.A. Restaurant Week and my husband and I are really happy we decided to have lunch there. If you see my previous review I rated Smitty's Grill with two stars. Since that time I have dined there another five or more times and I decided I it was about time that I update my review based on the last five or so dining experiences there. Had it been up to me I probably would not have gone back after that Valentine's Day lunch from Hell, but my husband and his co-workers dine there quite often and they all love it. Fast forward a couple years to January 18, 2016 which was the start of another L.A. Restaurant Week. We compared the regular menu to the dine L.A. Restaurant Week menu and decided the prefix menu looked good and prices were great. Here is a comparison for you. I love the cornmeal crusted Idaho Rainbow Trout and on the regular menu it is $23.00 for lunch. I am not sure about dinner because we never go there for dinner. On the dine L.A. menu you can get a few things and one of them is the trout. $25.00 will get you a drink and dessert for an extra $2.00 so that is great. I've learned that you have to know what you like and do not like as far as food preparation goes. I'm not sure why this took me so long to figure out, but I know I don't like too much salt or added fats in my meal. I now tell the wait staff to ask the chef to go easy on the olive oil and salt when preparing the trout. I think you can always add salt to your food later. The service was excellent and our particular waiter Robert Mc Mahan was voted City's Best Foodie Servers for Pasadena in 2012. See my photo. I can see why. He was great. The bus boy was awesome too. I think he refilled my iced tea about four times. I highly recommend trying Smitty's if you have not been there and make a reservation if you can think of it in advance. I would either recommend a booth in the front room or a table in the back room. The back room has better acoustics and is quiet whereas the front room can tend to get a little noisy with the business lunch crowd. read more

See all

Good ambiance ; good food and friendly and attentive server ! Beautiful restaurant and enough parking space . Will definitely recommend to my friends and family . read more

Pork Chop (kurobuta) is excellent, very tender with a demiglaze sauce (but check to see if it's still on the menu). read more

Smitty's Grill - Kurobuta pork chop is tasty. Brown demiglaze sauce. - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

Perfect place for an intimidate gathering. The ambience is very welcoming and i overall had a great experience with the food and service. I came here to meet with a client for lunch. The place isn't too loud or overcrowded. Most ppl here you can tell were on business lunch. There is a full bar here and it's quite popular for happy hour when you're in Pasadena. i have heard many good things about this place and i'm glad they were all true. I don't usually like American food because food usually don't come out fresh and hot. However, i was very impressed on how much flavor were on my dish and it came out nice and toasty. I ordered the sea bass with brussel sprouts and spinach. You can order with fries or mash potato. But i wanted to avoid carbs so i didn't mind more fresh veggies. The sea bass was baked perfectly and the flavor was just perfect. They didn't add too much salt so you can taste the freshness of the fish. The brussel sprouts and spinach were not overcooked and had a perfect crunch. I really enjoyed our server. He was very knowledgeable of the menu and made good recommendations for everyone at the table. He did make sure he checked in with us from time to time and make sure our glasses were always full. This was an overall delightful treat and i do plan on coming back here again. Enjoy!! Note: there is free valet parking. Or there is a parking garage not too far from Smitty's. read more

Smitty's Grill - House special: Sea bass with spinach and Brussels sprouts! - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Manager Jessica Marpole (would not provide spelling) was extremely condescending, borderline disrespectful- and unaccommodating. My wife had made an error in her reservation and Jessica wanted to exert her arrogance vs providing customer service. Thank god there was Celestine restaurant - much more welcoming and was willing to accommodate a party of 4 with respect and warmth. Hope smithys can provide valuable training to their managers. Not a great Friday night experience. Of note, the nice female hostess was very nice but she got pushed over by Jessica. read more

Love this place! It's always my go to. Food and service is on point every time. Staff is very friendly and makes you feel welcomed !

Came to celebrate my birthday with my two daughters and their husbands. I dreamed of trying the ribs and they did not disappoint. I also had the iceberg wedge and it was so delicious! Two others had the fried chicken and the French dipped sandwich and the linguini and meatballs. Also ordered the skillet corn bread. Our wonderful server and talented singer for my birthday was Joshua. A great experience especially as we start to return to normal. Your restaurant will thrive. It was outstanding in all respects. read more

We were here last night as a large group of 11. We had the best service and the best time. The decor was beautiful and the private room was very nice. The service was really exceptional. Johnny was great. You definitely want to go with the recommendations that he gives you on drinks. The staff was so accommodating... they must have taken 20+ pictures for us. Other than the great service, the food was also delicious. The steak was cooked perfectly and oh so tasty but the corn bread is to die for. Thank you for a wonderful experience and making our birthday girls feel special. We will definitely be coming back for some of the lunch favorites and corn bread... read more

Smitty's Grill - To die for corn bread. - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Excellent service as well as the food. Our server Josh was amazing! He was very knowledgeable and extremely polite!

Each dinner at Smitty's that my husband and I have enjoyed over the years has been excellent. Wait staff is superb and everything from the sourdough bread to the fish, steaks and crème brûlée has been delicious. It is our favorite restaurant in Pasadena. My husband is in a wheelchair and access to the restaurant and their dining rooms has never been a problem. Their back entrance works beautifully. Very grateful that my husband and I can enjoy such a high quality dinner out without any physical obstacles. read more

Finally ate here after so many years of living nearby and never going. My overall thought is that it's very popular, even in Covid times. They have the ability to seat a fair number of people in the outdoor tent- it felt safe and the lighting from all the little faerie lights and bulb strings is great. The service is top-notch. And the food, well, it's decent. But not rave-worthy. I had the burger and it was nothing to write home about but it wasn't bad either. The meat was a little dry. The shoestring fries were great though!! Their signature salad was also a little lackluster. It was nicely sized and fairly good, but not awesome. It just didn't scream FRESH! And it's all on the pricier side, so it maybe should all be a little better for the price. But you're paying for the ambiance and the service which I said were impeccable. So if you're looking for a place to dine during a pandemic, this might suit your needs. read more

Smitty's Grill - Their basic cheeseburger. - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

APPITIZER - 5 STARS ...Calamari & Shrimp dish excellent.. Booze - 4 STARS - decent pour vodka drinks. Entrees - 4 STARS - Both entrees good, but kind of cold fries. San Dabs great. Dessert - MINUS 10 stars - Served Sundae which you could of drink when we received it. Really bad. *****Saw packed ice cream store driving home on Green Street and got good ice cream there that you could enjoy with a spoon. Service - 3 1/2 STARS - Just OK waiter. I think he could of used some Vodka. read more

Food is always delicious. The customer service is always great and the waiters actually check on you often.

Food was excellent! There was not one meal we had that wasn't good. Also the service was on point! The place was nicely decorated for Christmas. Definitely recommend this place! read more

Love Smitty's bar. It is a great place to meet-up with friends after a crazy week at work. They have the best bartenders with Patrick, Andrew, and Johnny. They remember our drinks and don't seem to mind when we stay at the bar to eat. Always look forward to seeing the weekly specials. The Smith brothers seem to take care of their employees because they are able to keep consistent bar staff. I hope to continue to see Andrew after he heads off to USC for his doctorate in physical therapy. This is truly "a place where everyone knows your name." read more

Sadly, I have to agree with the negative 2023 reviews. Overpriced, and quality does not match prices. The third star was for the server - he was fine - and really nice room. Lobster roll no real chunks of meat. Burger had 2 inches of lettuce. Fries - ho hum. But a charming place - too bad. read more

Covid outside dinning and everything was amazing!! The service from the wait staff was great! The food was also really good. It was my first time there and I was impressed I can imagine how much better it would be with inside dinning. We had the fish special of of the night and shrimp and calamari sampler. The drinks were really good as well. Can't wait to go back! read more

My freshman advisor professor took us out for a meal at Smitty's! I got the lobster roll which was filled with plump lobster pieces and an amazing butter sauce. A great restaurant on Lake for high quality American food! read more

See all

Great setting, great food and great service. Celebrated a graduation with a large party and it was an enjoyable experience. Dedicated and friendly staff. read more

Came here for DineLa with a friend. Was told it wasn't offered on a weekend according to owner, but the server & Manager was accomodating to the situation to allow it to happen, where there wasn't mention of that in advertisements, nor menu. Atmosphere - Relaxed Upscale Dining Food - Great flavors for their type of food ( comfort food). Big size portion size = well worth paying for. Staffing - Friendly & Attentive to customer needs/satisfaction. Parking - They have a valet service, but opted to park in a nearby parking garage, within walking distance. Return - Yes definately. Just FYI - same company to own other restaurants in Pasadena such as Arroyo Chop House & Parkway Grill. read more

See all

We've been in Pasadena for a couple of years and quickly found Smitty's and it ended up being a near weekly stop - sometimes for pickup. The service and food have always been terrific and we love the variety of the menu - its rare that a restaurant has so many options that I consider favorites. All the waitstaff are excellent, Donna in the front is so welcoming and friendly....awesome place. read more