Great experience for fine dining. Nice to get out to a good restaurant and dine inside, with a professional staff. Our 1st time at Smitty's and we will return.. read more

This is one of our favorite spots in Pasadena. Best ribs in town. Always outstanding service!!!

Ambiance: superb, especially if you sit outside. Waiting staff: Excellent. Rarely seen more attentive staff at restaurants. Appetizer: Calamari and shrimp: Excellent. Chicken Pot Pie: Also good, but remember this is a lot of food. read more

Great food, great vibe and great people. The people make you feel welcome and that you are an old friend. You will also run into some of your friends and neighbors there too. I like it! read more

A friend of mine and I revisited Smitty's in Pasadena last night after a superb concert at nearby All Saints and enjoyed a fairly leisurely dinner. While I love the justifiably famous meatloaf and mashed potatoes, I was shocked when the spinach I added on the side cost $8. My friend loved the buttermilk fried chicken and cornbread muffins. We turned to desserts, and the young waiter strongly recommended the chocolate mousse cake. The coffee with it was good and strong, but the cake -- it was chilled, viscous and taste-free. I should have gone for my friend's hot fudge sundae, which he enjoyed, or Key lime pie, which I always enjoy. Nonetheless, it was a pleasant evening with attentive service. read more

Some of the best food in Pasadena, but at a very stiff price. Wait staff is very attentive and I have never had a bad meal and I eat at Smitty's all the time. read more

Food was excellent but what really makes this place deserve five stars was a stellar service! From reservation to hostess to waitress to servers the stuff was really first class! read more

Only if I could give a negative star. My friends picked this place to celebrate my birthday. It was all good until we get in our car. We arrived at 7pm and I had my car valet. One of my friend arrived just behind me and she had her car valet too. We had a good time as we have the whole patio to ourselves. Service is good although a bit slow and food is ok, and of course it is wonderful to have your friends celebrated with you. I left at around 10pm feeling good. When we went out, my car was parked right in front of the restaurant while my other friends who have their cars valet need to wait. I thought I must be so lucky and of course I am not! When I got in the car, it smells someone has just smoked in my car. I was so mad so I get off the car and confronted the person on duty at the valet. My friends noticed and they stopped by, they also confirmed that the car smelled cigarettes smoke. Of course he denied and said he and the other guy on duty that night never smoke in his life. I requested to speak to the manager and he said he is the manager. So I said I need to call the company and I asked for the telephone number. He then gave me the ticket that was on the windshield and said the number is down there. Smart enough, I turned on the light to check and of course there is no telephone number there. I saw a number at the kiosk and took down the number of the valet company. The next day I called the valet company and Smitty's Grill to file a complaint. I think the whole dining experience should be from the moment you parked your car to the moment you left. A $$$ sign restaurant like Smitty's Grill should pick a more reliable valet service and should such thing happened to their customers, they should know and do something about it. The manager, Matt, said he has known the two person on duty for a long time and believe that they don't smoke. But after I insisted, he said he will investigate. He called me after the weekend. And said that he believes that the two that were on duty didn't smoke in my car. He said that they find out the cause of the smell in my car and it is due to some customer smoking near my car and without finishing the cigarettes, he flipped it underneath my car. Thus the smoke gets in. He said it is just bad luck! (In retrospect, my only bad luck is that I have picked your restaurant.) I am like really??? Sounds like a lame and ridiculous excuse to me. Although I don't believe such excuses, I did not argue back. I want to be 100% sure that I am not accusing someone. I asked my friend to do the experiment for me. I asked her to put a lighted cigarettes underneath, and I sit in the car. Of course, I couldn't smell a thing. The only possible explanation with the smell in my car is that someone is smoking inside my car. So if you are saying that they don't smoke, then is it because they gave my car keys to someone else for them to use my car? Thus my car was parked right in front of the restaurant after I finished dinner. Anyhow, the explanation they gave is just not plausible. Matt did apologize that I was upset and offered me a free meal, but I have declined the offer. I will never visited this restaurant again. There are so many other better choices in Pasadena now. My 11 year old niece was there too. She said, if you make a mistake, you should just apologize and not make up something and lie about it. Then you are making 2 mistakes!!! Even an 11 year old knows. read more

Shout out to Smitty's for the current outside dining experience. It's long been one of our favorite local restaurants to frequent and they barely missed a beat transitioning to the current COVID-19 restrictions. They've created delightful ambiance for dining. Staff goes out of their way to be friendly and helpful. Food is consistently delicious and served hot and fresh. Drinks from the bar are perfect. Well done! read more

Smitty's is back in biz. Came in here for a date with my girl friend and was completely shattered in my expectations for this place. I don't know who helped me out, but it was either the owner or the manager who made this experience above and beyond what I expected. Food came out amazing and I had tried Filet Mignon for the first time. The steak was cooked perfectly to my liking and the portions are decently sized compared to other high end joints. Staff is quick and attentive and it shows that they are glad to be back after their brief hiatus due to covid restrictions. I always thought Famous Dave's had the best cornbread until I had cornbread from Smitty's, it is a must try appetizer in my opinion. read more

First off, I love Smitty's most because of the upscale but still casual ambiance. They give you really tasty home made potato chips at the bar, or at least they do for me, since I sit there sipping my vodka martinis watching whatever game is on the tv. And yes, the drinks are well proportioned. Sitting on the patio with friends and business colleagues can be pleasant indeed. The dinners are surprisingly affordable and comforting. I freely admit that my favorite dish is the mac n cheese. Yup. I go to an upscale place to have mac n cheese. Nice crispy top and good portion with teeny bits of ham. How can you pass that up? The corn bread's pretty darn good. The desserts are fine, too, but you have to try the various offerings. They're reasonably good. The value is in the taste, not the quantity on the desserts. Parking is behind the complex (enter from Cordova), though it's a bit easier for me to just park a couple blocks away at my office and walk. There's easier street parking on Lake after 6pm. read more

I used the private dining area at Smitty's Grill for a 40-person work event. the menu they helped us craft had enough options that people attending would not feel trapped to a singular taste. The space was welcoming and quite attractive. The service was top notch. It served the purpose. The food on the other hand, was just OK... The meats (sampled the ribeye and the fillet) were good; it was cooked to near perfection. However, the salad course, one of the appetizers and the desert disappointed in a major way: Iceberg lettuce in a mixed green salad? Really? I thought it was only Rock Creek in Twin Falls, ID (which by the way has good steaks and an impeccable wine list - not kidding) that called iceberg lettuce a salad. The shrimp cocktail was as good as something you'd buy at Ralph's (not a compliment) and the desert, which the service staff totally oversold, was just OK. Not worth eating the whole thing. The wine list was a sunny spot. The low end selection was OK, mid to high priced wine selection was pretty good. Markups (80-150%) were much less than the usual steakhouse fare (200-300%). I am not sure if I would seek out Smitty's Grill but I would not object to going back. The meats, the service, the convenient and comfortable rivate dining area is the reason why I give this institution 3 stars instead of 2. read more

Great place overall. We had incredible service and the best steak I've had in a while, cooked perfectly. A little bit loud inside, so we sat outside and it was perfect. We were offered a complimentary dessert because of the long wait( we did not even notice a wait!) I would recommend this to groups and couples. read more

Smitty's is a great place! Loved the atmosphere. The employees were awesome and the food was delicious! It's very casual, one of the reasons I really liked about it. The chicken pot pie was AMAZING and HUGE! Never had I seen one that big, had to ask for a box to take home! Definitely recommend this place. read more

Comfortable and and classic! Love the look of this restaurant. The bar is great and the food is perfect. Loved the Chicken Piccata and the cornbread as an appetizer. You can't be disappointed here. But, make a reservation! read more

Had a bad experience here (food related) and brought it to the manager's (Bruce) attention as I was leaving. Next time I came in HE REMEMBERED ME and COMPED MY WHOLE MEAL! I was blown away. Classy joint run by a classy man. Thank you Bruce. Food = "meh" Service = "AWESOME" read more

Short Review: Smitty's Grill is a on the pricey side, but the food is worth it, and the service is great. -Cornbread is crusty on the outside, moist on the inside, and perfect with a smear of honey and butter -Hefeweizen was great, complemented my meal well. -Prime Rib(ordered it cooked medium) was a bit rawer than usual, but perfectly marbled and still very delicious with the au jus and horseradish -Half and half side of onion rings and fries were delicious, and big enough to share amongst the table. read more

We ate here last Monday night and the place was vibrant with happy customers. Great atmosphere, décor and service. We enjoyed ourselves and would go back if we were locals. The maître d' even came over to our table when we asked about the copper mugs. We recommend this restaurant, but since this is a critic forum, I will mention a few things. The calamari and shrimp (just 3) starter is small for the price and the mash potatoes were plain, could have had more zing and personality. Lastly, we both got the delicious prime rib ordered medium rare, but one was more medium. Other than that, try it. read more

I went and had the crab cakes they were amazing. The waiter was super nice had a good time they had reasonable prices. read more

Smitty's is a great family owned steak house. My significant other always gets the ribs (full rack) and half fries and half onion strings. I always have the filet, asparagus, and mashed potatoes. We share the bread and chip service. The old fashion is good- just make it with Angel's Envy! However, they took the Shrimp Cocktail off the menu!?!? Who does that. They added more fried food to the menu. I am allergic to calamari so that's a no go for me. They offered the shrimp, but with marinara. Ummmm. Nope! That's gross. They offer free valet. That's cool. But, they also recently increased their prices- I get it. Food goes up and labor goes up. But bring back the shrimp! Shrimp! Shrimp! Shrimp! read more

What a great find! We eat in Pasadena quite often. It is a mid-point for family from the valley and family in the OC to meet. I happened to find Smitty's online. What a lucky moment that was. The greeting was with big smiles and right to our table. It was just what I had requested in my reservation. The server was so nice and helpful. And patient! We couldn't decide what to order...there were so many great choices of things we love. The cornbread was terrific. The chili was delicious. The sand dabs were perfectly cooked. Two of us had the lobster roll. Can't even remember the last time we managed to find that on a menu. But this was the most tender and delicious lobster roll I've ever had. Also, the crab salad was big and wonderful. Piles of dungeness. The restaurant is beautifully decorated. Low lighting without being dark. Just felt so cozy. I just loved it. Can't wait to go back again. read more

Beautiful atmosphere. Great service. Unfortunately they missed the mark on my steak. My ribeye wasn't tender and lacked flavor. My Cesar salad was good. The specialty cocktails are a tad overpriced ($17) but are pretty good. My friends both had prime rib which they both enjoyed. read more

The food was delicious from what I was limited to for my Christmas party. The area we were in was very intimate and the decor was cute. The venue itself was very romantic and beautiful, especially the lighting at night. The Chardonnay was very good. read more

I'd like to rate this place more highly, but there were a couple of things preventing this. --- This place is very upscale. I had passed by the place several times and wanted to try them out eventually. And then I read a good review about it. I finally decided to go there for a late lunch. I elected to try their hamburger as my first taste of their cooking, as I do with so many places. I asked to see a menu before requesting a seat, and the price was a stiff $18, tied for the most I've ever paid for a burger. I figured that it must be an 8-oz. patty, but I decided to ask to make sure. The hostess said she had to check with the bartender to find out. She came back and said that it was 4 oz. That was shocking. I told her I thought there might be a mistake about that, so she said she'd ask the manager. She came back and said that it was 8 oz. That's what I thought. --- The main defect in the experience was the slow, lackadaisical vibe and service. It just seemed like it took forever for everything to happen: to get my order taken, to get my beverage, to get my food, to get my beverage refilled. But the restaurant wasn't very busy; there were only 3 other parties dining at the time. I guess they have a loyal following of customers who come regularly, so they don't need to give good service in order to ensure that the customers come back. --- The burger and the fries were very good, but there are several places around town that serve burgers and fries that are just as good but at a lower price. read more

I don't know - I have mixed feelings about this place. We went here for dinner during Dine LA restaurant week and got the special menu ($35 per person) plus a bottle of wine ($60). The Caesar salad was average, and the rainbow trout on the restaurant week menu was very disappointing; it just didn't have any flavor. It came with some corn and carrots that were also bland. The cheesecake was totally underwhelming as well. The frozen cheesecake at Trader Joe's is better, honestly. However, my friend's petite fillet and mashed potatoes were much better and the wine was exceptional. Also, our server, Elena was super cool. Liked her a lot. And the ambiance is nice - loud, but nice. $35 was not a good deal for what they served on the special menu. You'd think they would want to display the best they have to offer during restaurant week but the special menu seemed like a weak, lackluster version of their normal fare. I wish I had ordered off the regular menu - I might have a different opinion. $160 bucks later, I'm having diner's remorse. If you are going to spend that much, just do it right and go to the Arroyo Chop House down the street. Same owners, way more awesome. read more

If you want to a great dinner this one of the best place in Pasadena from Seafood to steaks this place is all around pretty good and the prices are decent they have great drinks. There you might have to wait. Unless you make a reservation which is advised read more

Smitty's Grill - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

3 of us ate here tonight April 8th at 5p. The food was very good. All of us enjoyed our food, no problems there. The waiters and servers very friendly. The problem was the service. It was slow. Not once did someone come back to ask if we wanted a refill on our drinks. No one ever asked. We got water refills but to never ask if we wanted refills on our drinks seems odd. Also, after placing our order it took a long time to receive it. We ate outside on the patio and the heaters worked very well. We were never uncomfortable. read more

Hadn't been here in years and came with 5 other people to celebrate a birthday. We all loved our food and they were so nice to the birthday boy- flowers, a really sweet note, not the usual embarrassing birthday display! Waiter was super nice and attentive. Everything about the experience was special. read more

Went here for my mom's birthday. Had flowers and a card waiting for my mom. Great service, great food, and great atmosphere. Will definitely be back. read more

Grub Hub forgot to bring me one entry and Smitty responded within 10 min with the manager at my door. I am so impressed and I thank you for making my birthday dinner a special one! I 100% support your business and appreciate your efforts to still be open during the quarantine. read more

Smitty's Grill is known as a high quality restaurant in Pasadena. However, our last two visits have been disappointing and concerning. Both involved the preparation of salmon which was seriously undercooked. The last visit I informed the waiter and asked what would be done to remedy the matter. He responded that the (partially eaten) salmon would be put right back on the grill and cooked further and returned. That is exactly what occurred. The exact dish was returned and a few more bites in I found it to be still raw. The waiter saw that the salmon remained on the plate but never bothered to ask if there was a problem, etc. I was so disappointed and disgusted at the idea of the fish being on the grill with all the other customers' food that I simply paid the bill and left. If my half-eaten food is put back on the grill, other guests half-eaten undercooked food has been as well. I don't care how hot the flames may be it's gross. Not to mention the utensils used to pick up my half-eaten food right off the plate I was eating my side dishes on were then used for other plating other customers as well. So really a bad experience times two at an otherwise really good restaurant. read more

Fabulous MadMen era restaurant. Great atmosphere, great food. Our motley crew thoroughly enjoyed our waiter, Bobby, and the filet mignon burger was delectably delicious and lunch was soooo relaxing. No one pressures you to "hurry it up". Enjoyable, old school and upscale. read more

Great ambiance, the food is good and the drinks are outstanding. Bartender was very attentive and friendly. Will surely be back. Mostly for the old fashions!! read more

Came here last weekend for dinner on Saturday with my husband and 2 dear buddies. While we called ahead for a reservation all they had was patio. The food, since we're all veggies was not amazing. The collection of side and salads were all okay, but there was nothing innovative or especially great. I've been here for lunch a few time and similarly, to food was okay, but no wow factor. The service, conversely was terrific! Polite, speedy, attentive and kind. The kitchen messed up the dressing on a salad, they replaced it and then comped it. That was a good save, resulting in 3 rather than 2 stars. We eat out a lot and I expect at $150 for veggie food for four, no alcohol, that there should be a dish we loved. Chef, come out, greet, innovate, 4 veggies, throw us a dish. read more

Nice place for adult crowd for dinner and drinks. And the waiter Moses was the best waiter I have had in a long time. He truly made sure that all our needs were met. And we had a party of 10. The food was great! Served hot and delicious. Worth every dollar!! read more

Great for a fun lunch date or business lunch. If more than 2 peeps set a reservation, note if it is a business lunch and you need to hear eachother, ask to be sat in the back dining room. The restaurant gets loud. We had a reservation for table of 8. We all ordered different from eachother. The Chicken Pot Pie was on point, shrimp kale salad looked wonderful and the sandwiches also looked very delicious. Staff took very good care of us. Will definitely go back. Also note it is comfort food but has great non fried options as well as vegetarian. i saw spaghetti squash on the menu....and was very tempted but I am a carnivore read more

We were invited back for another dinner. This time, we went back when it was less busy and we had a server who was phenomenal. I wish I remembered her name, but we wrote her a thank you note afterwards because she provided exceptional service (without even knowing about our first experience). We ordered an appetizer and steaks at her recommendation, and the food was very, very good. Great experience this time around. read more

Smitty's is wonderful. Convenient parking, excellent food and service. Reasonable prices, super friendly service.

One of my favorite restaurants. Amazing corn bread!!! Great salads, steaks & more. Service is impeccable & the great ambiance. All of the Smith Bros restaurants are fantastic but Smitty's is my favorite. read more

really enjoy Smitty's. Nice atmosphere. Terrific service. Strong drinks and good food. Straightforward American cuisine in a really nice place. Highly recommend. read more