Came here for my wife's birthday during lunchtime. We ordered corn bread, salmon salad and bourbon chicken which came with mashed potatoes. Corn bread was really amazing and big portion enough to feed 4 people. The breast chicken was juicy and cover in very light bourbon breading. We also got a very nice birthday cake which consisted of chocolate chunk brownie, vanilla bean ice cream, dark chocolate fudge and fresh whipped cream. The lunch was really good and would come back to try other specialties of this place. read more

Had a lovely Smitty's Grill dinner last night after seeing Avatar. We are big fans of Smitty's - had Christmas Eve dinner there. It's sort of an updated Musso and Frank ... except that the service is great and the food is good and it's not in sleazy Hollywood. Hmm.. guess it not like M&F at all.... Starts with friendly no charge valet parking behind the restaurant. Great photos of old Pasadena casually line the walls. Lights are low. Very pleasant environment. Then, an old-fashioned from the bar. Last night we had Kansas City Strip ... medium rare executed very well. Dessert was a selection of Fosselman's Ice Cream. These guys get a lot of credit in my book for having Fosselman. And, the coffee is very good as well. Great job! Keep up the good work. read more

Service was amazing! Our back up waiter was so attentive and awesome, not sure of his name but he was a young Hispanic kid. Entree was great! Garlic lemon chicken with some mash potatoes and veggies. Corn bread was a great choice as well, I had to order one to go! Will definitely be back but this time with a dress and heels not jeans and boots. read more

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One of my favorite places for a dinner out whenever I am in the area! I have been to Smittys many times and have always been delighted with both food and service. read more

I love this restaurant. If you wanna have a nice table try to go there before 6pm, because it is always crowded after 7pm, even in week days. I have been there several times and it's always great service and amazing food.. It worth every penny.. read more

This was our first time to Smitty's and we loved our dining experience. It maybe our favorite of the 4 restaurants owned by the Smith brothers. My wife had the Salmon salad which she loved, I had the Kentucky Bourbon Chicken which was breaded chicken with a bourbon sauce served with mashed potatoes. We loved the ambiance, we had our own both and did not have to sit with strangers just inches away. We also loved that it was quite and I could hear my wife speak. Been to many restaurants where your squeezed in with other diners and you cant hear yourself talk. We will be back again and again. read more

I come to Pasadena every week from the SF Bay Area and eat dinner at a restaurant every night. I really like this place. very comfortable american-style menu but better than average. the bar area is small but serves a full menu. I had the chicken pot pie which was really good. I'd have it again for sure. prices were reasonable considering it feels more upscale than a burger/tavern type of place. I'll definitely be back again and will put it in my regular rotation when I'm here read more

Smitty's is so lucky to have Michelle Story on their team. Superior service! She knows that the best customer service response is, 'Yes, I think we can make that happen!' We love Smitty's and haven't been able to visit in months and were excited about the weekend special menu item (which was brought out of retirement). Michelle was able, with grace & joy, to make the substitute for our GrubHub special order. Thanks, Michelle. Our dinner was perfect! Lucky Smith Bros. Michelle S is a keeper! read more

This is a review for Smitty's bar. A few elements of the bar of this All-American restaurant: Classic, dark wood, comprehensive martini list, knowledgeable and elegantly-graying bartender. The bar does not have a happy hour, but the barkeep makes the $10-$12 martinis strong (but not too strong) and mixes them well. I had a very nice mojito with freshly-muddled mint. I also had the signature Smitty salad, which had bacon, bleu cheese, and various greenery. Very good. But what was addictive was the chips. Instead of peanuts or bread, the bar served big bowls of crispy, perfectly salted chips. Great way to make you thirsty for more martinis or beer. The clientele of the restaurant seemed to be on the older side - 40's to 50's - the women in stockings and well-coiffed hair, and the men in dress pants and toting Blackberries. This is a nice place to unwind after work - the music is muted so you can talk to your friends without shouting in their ears, and that breed of poseur/hipster particular to Los Angeles is, thankfully, nowhere to be seen. Come on the early side, as the bar gets quite crowded around 7 p.m. read more

Favorite Restaurant. I'm a bit confused about the bad comments, but let me clear the air: Smitty's has never failed me in all the years I've eaten here. Burgers are juicy and flavorful, their mac cheese= PERFECTIONVILLE... it oozes all sorts of yummy cheeses (meant to be a compliment, but oozes sounds kind of gross) and baked to a perfect golden brown on top. As other people have mentioned, the cornbread here is amazing. Literally, I do not eat any other place's cornbread. The pot pie is delicious and served slightly different... Instead of a super dry, thick crust, there is a light, fluffy layer, that is really the perfect amount to compliment the tasty treat inside. read more

First off, I'm from the bay area and this was my first time going to this restaurant and I'm highly pleased!!! The prime rib is amaaziing! Don't forget to try the cornbread you'll love it! They even surprised me with the gorgeous flowers and the card! read more

Smitty's Grill - Roasted Prime Rib Mashed Potatoes Sauteed Spinach & Shallot - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

This place is not inexpensive. However, if you need to go to Pasadena with an unadventurous eater (like your 65 year old Dad who eats nothing but steak or chops), this is a really good option. The food quality is very high. It is pretty comparable price wise to a lot of local steak houses, though it is better than most and the entrees are served with sides, not a la carte. A bunch of people got the short rib Osso Buco. It was very tasty, but way too fatty for my taste (its the cut not their fault). My husband ordered the buffalo rib eye, which tasted great and was juicy, though leaner than its beef counter part. I ordered the rack of lamb. It was really tender and not overly fatty. It was a good size too, not super huge, but not skimpy. We shared the vanilla bean ice cream for desert. The ise cream comes from an old, local ice creamery that my mother in law went to after school as a child. Very good. It comes with 3 scoops, so be careful if you order it as your own desert! They are happy to give you a smaller bowl if you wish. The waiter threw in a terrific side of hot fudge. The service was attentive, but not annoying and they are very accommodating if you swap side dishes. Very loud place though. We had one of the quietist tables (a booth towards to back). We were able to hear each other if we spoke in loud voices. If we sat at a table in the center, I doubt we would have been able to have conversation. read more

I won't give five stars to too many things, but Smitty's gets five without qualification. Everything they do here is great, from the service to the food to the cocktails. My wife and I adore it so much, we held our wedding dinner here rather than have it catered. The Smith Brothers know how to run a restaurant. And this one is the casual archetype. You can come here wearing jeans, or a tux, and they'll treat you just the same. Table service is impeccable, with very professional staff and immediate attention. Everything on the menu is very good or better. I have never been disappointed with the food here. I really like the steaks and the short ribs. The salads are perfectly prepared, too. But the best items are the appetizers. The potato chips, the Texas chili, the bean and cheese dip and the popcorn shrimp are all addictive. The best part about this place, though, is the bar. My wife is notorious for sending back drinks, and more than once has gone behind a bar to teach a bartender how to mix. But this place is her refuge. You can eat their great food at the bar, too. Is there something negative to say about Smitty's? It's very loud during busy hours. Don't expect to get a table unless you've made a reservation. You can drop $200 on dinner and drinks for two. It's not exactly kid friendly, though we've brought our son here on many occasions. Some may feel Smitty's is pretentious, but I'd say "polished" is more accurate. I can't think of many places where I'd give a perfect score for execution, but Smitty's is one of them. read more

I've been several times in several settings and occasions. The food has always been good. The service depends on the time and day. It's not their strong suit. Crab cake is one of the best items. Try it. All crab meat and very little fillings. Seasoned well very time. The salad that come with it is very good. I personally love the corn bread. It's sweeter than some places and has corn kernels. If you are into that, then you'll like it a lot. Pull pork sandwich is good. Good bbq sauce and moist meat. Bun might have been a bit thick, but okay. Fries.... not so good. It's like the leftover oven heated in-n-out fries. Love the pot roast. Not too rich, portion is good. very tender. read more

I wish I could give 10 stars! TIP: make reservations! We had to sit at the bar, but if you sit there, you get the chips for free!!! Ordered bean and cheese dip. Spicy goodness but we liked them with the potato chips better than the tortilla chips they come with! Tried the stroganoff and all I can say is - WEIRD, but that's ok because they traded it for the meatloaf without question. Stroganoff had large carrots and the sauce was more stew like. Just personal preference. Meatloaf, however, was exceptional! Delicious flavor with gravy and mashed potatoes and there was an outstanding marinara-like topping to it. Also ordered creamed corn and it was delicious. I could swear it had nutmeg in it. Definitely give this place a try. read more

I came here with my date on a Monday night on a whim. When we got there, it looks like valet parking is the only way to go (I guess there is parking in the structure across the way after reading other Yelp reviews). We were seated immediately and our server said that kitchen was just about to close. However, she managed to squeeze in an order for the skillet cornbread and a shrimp salad. Mmmm, loved that cornbread slathered with butter! lol The shrimp salad was decent. Along with the "dinner" we had a glass of riesling. Since it was late on Monday night, there were not very many customers. However, that worked out well for us since it was nice and quiet. We could actually carry on a conversation without having to yell at one another! I will definitely have to come back when I have more time to explore the menu. read more

First off, the service was absolutely spectacular. Our waiter was inviting and hilarious. Second, the food was delicious. We had an array of food throughout our meal and everyone could not stop ranting about how great everything tasted. I had a bite of the cornbread and it could be served as a cake, but in a good way. The salad was light, refreshing and very good. I also had a cup of their tomato soup which was warm and soothing along side my veggie sandwich. The goat cheese was the perfect touch to the sandwich. I left thoroughly satisfied and full! read more

Stopped by here on Fathers Day with the parents, bit of a last minute decision so we didn't have reservations and the place was packed! Luckily you can order the full menu at the bar, which was comfortable so we decided to sit there. The inside of the restaurant is really dark, but the decor/ambiance are common in these style establishments. The blonde short haired waitress at the bar (didn't get her name) was very helpful and informative. She went out of her way for us several times. The food was the reason I gave it a 3 star review...I had the Stragonoff, and I should say that I've had this dish many times (both homemade and out) and the one here wasn't anything special. The parents had a salad and the Pot Roast, which had lot's of fat in the meat...Overall, absolutely nothing about their food would make me want to go back. It wasn't bad...but not especially good or unique in any way. read more

This was the WORST dining experiences that I've had in a LONG time...we could have had Denny's steak for $9 vs. $29 and had the same meat. Next time, going to stick with Ruth Chris - even if not perfect, at least I know it'll be GOOD (and about the same price as Smitty's). We spent over $200, and it was a big disappointment. The place looked nice and I was excited to try out their steak. We started with cocktails and my mixed dream was TERRIBLE. We then ordered calamari/shrimp appetizer and for $10.95 got 4 small shrimps and 8 small piece of calamari. Come on - this is CHEAP ingredient and if it's supposed to be comfort food, the portions should be decent. Heck, even Olive Garden had better calamari. Then comes the entree...my friend and I ordered the ribeye(you can't go wrong, right?) Our ribeye was about 1/2 an inch thick, tough and not tender. My medium steak didn't' have much flavor and the edges were overcooked from being too thin of a cut. Worse, my friend's medium rare came medium well (also 1/2 an inch thick" and we had to send it back. The server was a REALLY nice guy and was apologetic, so I don't blame his attitude. However, he's either REALLY IGNORANT and doesn't know what a good steak should taste like - or he's a liar for pumping the quality of their beef. Honestly, this steak was Denny quality or $1.99 in Vegas special. Btw, I asked him what wines were available and he said two were very good. I asked him what regions they were from...he didn't know and I had to ask. My advice - for $11 a glass, next time just order house wine(or better yet, bring your own wine). P.S. Just to show what type of place this was - if this overcooked issue happened at a high end steak place and held up 3 other guests from having entree at the same time, the entree would be comped. Instead, the manager offered us a free drink - how's that for lack of class? P.P.S. The hot fudge sundae was actually the best thing about the meal...what a disappointment having to set my expectations so low as to be happy w/ a dessert. read more

In general, the service is very good at Smitty's Grill based on a handful of times over the years. The strengths of this establishment lean toward messy burgers and tasty ribs. A good place to take European guests who crave American meat. I like the side dish of creamed spinach. Always my husband wishes to order the corn bread which I veto. He can order it when he dines with others. Another Yelper mentioned the 'pot roast stroganoff' as being odd. It is. Today at lunch the carrots in the dish were still hard---they were not cooked as part of a pot roast. The pot roast itself was presented in little pieces and the meat was of questionable quality. When was the last time that management tasted this dish? read more

I cannot tell you how happy I am to be able to enjoy Smitty's again. Everything is wonderful here the service and the food and d the location. Highly recommend read more

I went to Smitty's with my immediate family and in somewhat of a hurry on a Saturday evening and there happened to be tables available. The service was responsive and friendly, and quick enough to meet our needs. I'd recommend sitting outside if you can, since inside was stuffy and loud. The club sandwich I ordered was bland, which seems to have been a fluke. The onion strings and fries were yummy and everyone else at the table was happy with their entrees. My mom in particular was very pleased with her steak. I'd also highly recommend the cornbread appetizer for its great taste and quantity. read more

Excellent and delicious rib eye!! Maybe one of the best I have eaten so far. Decent service too. read more

What's not to love about Smitty's! The service is impeccable, the food is stellar, and as long as you know going in that it'll be expensive, it's worth every penny. Absolutely wonderful dining experience. read more

I came to this spot for my birthday and the staff was great. The appetizers were good but the steaks were subpar. When I spend a hundred bucks on two pieces of meat I expect the temps to be cooked right. My wife's steak was well done as was mine. If your claim to fame is the grill than you should be able to execute the meat to the customers expectations. I don't mind spending money but execute. I worked a grill when I worked in restaurants and learned to pull steaks off to allow them to rest and come to the proper temp, it really pisses me off when I get a well done steak that resonates like a London broil. I was happy to be out with my wife but it gets under my skin when she doesn't look happy eating her food. For some people eating at a nice restaurant is a luxury, a time that they can put aside money to feel like the people that get to frequent such spots all the time. It's a special occasion. Getting a hockey puck ruins that. I will say that the owner looks like he cares, he made rounds to each table to see how the customers meals were. That's old school and I respect that and appreciate owners who have their hands in their business. read more

And I'm the guy who previously left a 5-star review, but now.. for years, I've enjoyed my visits to the restaurant.  And as the virus has impacted us all, I made the change to starting to have those great food items delivered to my home -- probably 6 or 7 so far. Several of those deliveries have gone well.  But these last two deliveries have been quite disappointing. The first negative experience was about a year ago -- my delivery was well over 90 minutes late and I eventually phoned to ask where it was.  What I learned was that the "delivery" was sitting there waiting for me to pick it up.  I had the confirmation that it was to be a delivery and the staff person admitted to it being their error -- in fact, it was she herself who took charge and personally delivered the order. It seemed to be a great effort -- but I found that the lukewarm order had been sitting and soaking - and there was no attempt to "refresh" it after two hours of sitting. And so, it's been a while since I tried again, until just last night.... I did not receive my order until nearly 8 p.m. last night -- and seemingly no movement until I phoned again to inquire about the delivery.  I was assured that it was on its way. And the order did indeed arrive several minutes later -- still incredibly late.  The (again) barely-lukewarm order had been waiting since 6:45 p.m. according to the note on the order itself. I don't think either of these incidents speaks well for Smitty's offer of "delivery" as an alternative to in-house dining or quite possibly, even pickup. I'm beyond disappointed, I expected better treatment as a paying and supporting customer. read more

My mother and I had just finished Christmas Eve Mass at St. Andrews and decided that steaks would hit the spot. As it is one of the busiest dinner nights of the year we knew pickings would be slim. Eventually, we yelped around the area for a bit and landed on Smitty's Grill. We called the number and were told by a very friendly staff member that, yes they were packed but to come by anyway as they would find a way to make room. After several calls to other restaurants who laughed at the idea of a Christmas Eve walk in, the friendliness that we encountered was all the incentive we needed to give Smitty's a try. What a great decision! Friendliest staff I have ever seen in a restuarant. Jessica, at the maître d's table greeted us with the biggest smile I have seen in a while. Ian our waiter was attentive, friendly and knowledgable about the menu. Vaughn, the manager, visited our table gave is his card and made us feel incredibly welcome. At one point my mom asked if they had mistaken me for some celebrity such was the attention and enthusiasm that we encountered. I had the bisque and ahi appetizer. Both were extraordinary. Mom had a salad to start and raved about the cheese. My main course was a delectably prepared filet with bacon, mashed potatoes and creamy spinach. Mom had the petite fillet and became silent with contentment when it arrived. The atmosphere is a charming mix of formality and joy. To a person, every staff member was cordial, polite and always smiling. If you enjoy a dining experience that fosters conversation and personal feeling of warmth and welcome while filling your belly with the most savory, mouth watering American cuisine, I HIGHLY recommend you stop by Smitty's Grill on Lake Avenue. Heck, you don't even need a reservation! Free parking to boot, even the Valets were cool. Completely positive dining experience. read more

One of the outstanding restaurants in Pasadena. Excellent dinning experience with great food and service. Highly recommend.

The name shant fool you. Comfort food for lots of dough. Too pricy for bland. read more

Great ambiance for date night. Food was delicious and service was on point. Only downside was the $25 corkage fee...other than that it was fantastic. read more

Came here for a DineLA dinner with my husband. It was our first time here and it was a busy night. I ordered the filet minion with tomato soup as the appetizer and key lime pie for dessert $39 DineLa menu. My husband ordered their off menu special of bone-in new york with a side salad. The meat was tender and cooked to a perfect medium rare. Our first time here and already a fan! We'll come back next time to try the other items on the menu. I hope it'll be just as great as our DineLA experience. read more

Disappointed that I have to give this rating, as Smitty's is a family favorite. I know Father's Day is busy, but that's why Smitty's was selected, because I was confident they would have everything together. The biggest disappointment was they didn't have a booster seat or high chair for our granddaughter. We were told they only had 4 booster seats; I know this is a family friendly restaurant, so this disappointing and made our evening challenging. Food took 25 minutes to get to our table. Our server was a bit snippy. The saving grace was Justin, who was friendly and ALWAYS made sure our water cups were full and just a real great staff member. 7/2 I was so very impressed when the owner, Gregg contacted me to get more information on my experience. I was even more impressed when he updated me to let me know he'd be ordering more high chairs, which was an issue on Father's Day. Impressive and clearly why the Smith Brother restaurants continue to do so great in the San Gabriel Valley; thank you for your care and attention. A rarity these days! read more

Took the love of my life to Smitty's last nite for the first time. I booked at open table on Mar 6 for a Mar 7th table. Called to ask about a romantic table. Drinks at the bar then a romantic table with flowers, a candle, 2 personalized letters thanking us for being there. Fantastic nite, food was really good. Thank you very very much!!!! Brigitte & William read more

I visited for the first time this week. I loved the decor and holiday lights. We had reservations and were seated right away. The wait staff was attentive. I tried the chicken pot pie, beef stroganoff and the sirloin steak. Each was outstanding and cooked to perfection. Parking was easy. There is valet parking in the back as well as a small parking lot if you prefer to park yourself. read more

I love this place. If I could afford it, I would eat here all the time! For now though, this place is great for special occasions. I could go on and on about the food, but tasting is believing. I recommend just going there and asking your waiter what the popular and favorite dishes are, because the servers are very helpful and the service is always perfect. read more

Smitty's is a great place for great comfort food! At lunch try to prime rib sandwich but get their early because this one sells out fast! Its got a great horseradish sauce that has a great kick. The prime rib here is steak house quality but another one that seems to run out quickly. Ive had the mac and cheese, but was not impressed, its made with rigatoni and just doesn't seem to work right. Corn bread is a staple when coming here, served in an iron skillet. VERY GOOD! As far as Lake goes, smittys is #1. They have a good staff and easy valet in the back of the restaurant. If your in Pasadena, this is a place to try! read more

I'll give it 2.5 stars...just OK, but could be a bit better. Comfy and cozy, yes it is, unless you are destined to one of the few tables that constitute "Siberia", (exposed to way too much wait staff traffic and brush by) as we almost were on this particular evening. We had a reservation, for God's sake, so I do not understand. This is a table that should only be delegated to the unwashed masses that appear at the door without fore thought. Luckily, the hostess was astute enough to sense my displeasure at the impending table assignment, so she offered an optional solution that required us only to wait about 15 minutes for one of those comfy booths to open up. Um, OK, more time to savor a martini or two. Credit to the hostess. Service was adequate, not great. Menu selection is typical Grill fare, with not much imagination. I had a rib eye steak that was just OK, but cost $28. Short ribs were ordered next to me and they were kind of...boring. Shrimp cocktail was good. Salad was OK. Don't remember too much else... If you are not into drinking, which I am (to be clear, I mean that I am into drinking...) I would imagine that these kind of places don't always satisfy. In other words, the cozy comfort factor is inversely related to your sobriety...the more you drink, the more you will like this place. Need I say more ? Oh yeah, one more little tidbit...There are a lot of "regulars" who frequent this place. It has a very local vibe to it. Could be good if one aspires to become a "regular", I suppose. Maybe not so good for the rest of us who end up with the worst tables and or service by default. read more

great food excellent service laid back dining

Good food except the waiter had to take my steak back twice because I ordered it extra extra well done and when I cut into it the inside was still bloody pink. Made me gag considering I can't eat meat unless cooked really well. On another note don't take your babies because they don't have a changing table. I learned that the hard way. My baby needed a diaper change and I had to get creative in the bathroom to change her. Seemed strange to me that they don't have baby changing tables. Almost seems as if babies aren't welcome read more

Power lunch HQ for Pasadena. Great food and great service. I had the fried chicken special and except for the fact I am ready for a nap, everything is perfect. As a matter of fact, what then hell, I am going to take a nap. read more