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    The Hat

    4.0 (1.2k reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    The Hat Photos

    Business Info

    THE HAT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

    Recommended Reviews - The Hat

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    Reviews With Photos

    Peter D.

    Love the Hat ! Reasonable prices and it's very consistent my only quibble is that they give you too many French Fries !!

    Leslie S.

    The hat has been around forever. The pastrami sandwich is what they are known for....it never disappoints, everything was on point. The fries were crisp not greasy, the gravy (a must have) had excellent flavor. The staff is friendly and the restaurant is clean

    Prices July 2026
    Rebecca D.

    Came here on a very hot Friday evening for pastrami dips ($12.60 each) and sinful onion rings. Only a couple of people ahead of us and dinner was ready pretty quickly. The tables were clean and they have their own parking lot. Good value for the money.

    Chili Tamale and Side of Chili Fries
    Juan P.

    It was a great experience and the service is always friendly. Speed of service is fast despite the amount of clientele. The place is always clean. The food itself is decent. Portions are huge so it's good to share. Price is fair. Would recommend since it's a local staple but it's at par with its competitors. Didn't take a pic of the food but their wrapping is 10/10. Recommend the pastrami fries or sandwich and the chili tamale.

    Street view
    KeOni L.

    Food: 5 Mics Service: 5 Mics Ambiance: 5 Mics Food: Pastrami dip as is. Generous sized servings of pastrami, pickles, mustard and broth dipped French roll. It was a melt in your mouth tender pastrami and very filling. The sandwich alone filled me up, no need to add fries...I will admit I wanted to add fries but glad I did not. Service: The service was great. No complaints but nothing to rave about. Cashier was kind and had service with a smile. Ambiance: Loved the ambiance here. It was clean and had diner vibes. You can watch the line make every sandwich! Stop in, if you're in the area. There is parking, no line at 11:45am on Thursday when I went. You won't regret it.

    Lori B.

    We wandered in just a few minutes before closing time, but the helpful staff still served us an amazing pastrami sandwich. It was HUGE! We took it to go, as we were actually heading to another iconic west coast eatery. We had quite a feast back in our hotel room. I want to reiterate that the team on this Saturday night in May was so friendly to let us order in spite of serendipitously showing up mere minutes before closing. That sandwich was so incredibly tasty, too! Now that we KNOW about The Hat, I definitely want to return, and dine-in.

    Pastrami sandwich
    Kathleen C.

    The Hat has been a staple in my life since the 1980's. And it's still as good as ever. I always get the pastrami dip (dry) with mustard and pickles. Then add mayo. Best pastrami around. It is thinly sliced but still moist. Bread is soft. Really good. They also have good chili cheese fries. Staff is always great and fast. I do miss the grab and go condiment station, but that is typical post-Covid.

    Ham and cheese melt
    Kathy M.

    They have a parking lot, but it says only 45 minutes to dine in. I eat slow, so i hope we dont get a ticket or car towed for that. The cashier who took our order was super nice and was kind enough to change my order at the last minute (after he called out what needed to be made). I wanted a ham and cheese sandwich, but i wanted it as a melt, but wasnt sure if they were able to do that. I saw a sign that they are able to do it. Hence, why he was super nice about changing my order. It was a cold night, and not many people where dining in when we arrived, but it got busy as we were waiting for our food. Our number was called and we got our food. I opened up my sandwich and I pulled it apart, it looked so good! It was so cheesy! I pulled the slices of bread apart to see if there was any ham because that was a LOT of cheese! Sadly, it was just a grilled cheese sandwich that was DELICIOUS, but it was the wrong sandwich. I brought it back up to the counter and the guy had to confirm with the cashier, understandable. He took what I had and threw it away. They remade my sandwich. Once the new sandwich was done, the cashier brought it to where I was sitting and apologized for the wrong order. It was a delicious sandwich and I hope all the other locations have that available!

    Jennifer B.

    This review is based on a takeout order only. So many times I heard this is the place I'd one wants a pastrami sandwiches. And the only reason I haven't been is because it's just too much of a drive from home. And then one day, Hubbers found himself nearby, called and asked if I wanted one. "Yes, please!" was the resounding answer. I asked for a plain (no pickles, no mustard, toasted bread.) Home after his long drive, the aroma pulls you in immediately. The sandwiches come sliced in half, so that's convenient. First bite and yum.com! The meat, of course, is the very center of this grub. It was juicy and well seasoned. The bread was soft and fluffy (didn't really experience the toasted part.) Overall delicious! FOOD: 5. Quality and quantity. Plenty for a second meal. SERVICE: N/A. VALUE: 3.5. PARKING: N/A. OVERALL: 4.25. Wish it was closer to home. But definitely trying it in person n should the opportunity come through!

    The place you want to go for Pastrami Sammies!
    Amy R.

    Do you love Pastrami sandwiches? How about eating in a historic establishment with California history? You can do both right here! We shared one of these huge sandwiches and a small bag of fries, sorry no pics we were hungry. It's a small place where you hope to find a parking place off street. Walk in and order at the counter from a large menu on the wall, pay there take your number and find a seat. In a short time you'll have that hot pastrami in your hungry hands. It is big enough to share, but then again maybe you won't want to.

    Tuna Melt and Side of Wet Fries
    Annie W.

    Visited here for a late night snack with a group of friends. The place was pretty busy considering it was around 11 PM. We ordered at the counter and sat at a big table. The ambience and decor was amazing, very old-school, friendly, and retro. Our entire party ordered the tuna melt, a side of wet fries, a side of pastrami fries, a side of onion rings, and some pastrami burgers. The number one thing to keep in mind about this place is that the portions are absolutely huge. The sides of fries and onion rings were incredibly hefty in both weight and food. We had a hard time finishing even with around 9-10 people. The tuna amount was very delicious and had amazing bread. The tuna was warm and the lettuce and tomatoes balanced it out well. The onion rings were crispy and fresh as well. The wet fries got a little soggy, but were otherwise tasty. The pastrami fries were incredibly filling especially with all the meat and cheese loaded on top. All very tasty, high quality and so affordable!! Highly recommend, very community and amicable atmosphere and servers, cheap prices and tasty food.

    Pastrami Dip
    Mody M.

    The place was just as clean as in Glendora. A bit smaller. A crowd came right after we sat down, good timing. The staff was accommodating.and took and had our at pickup counter in reasonable time. My favorite pastrami is my order. Again, it was filling for me eating only half. Guess I get two dinners for one. A bit expensive at $12.60 plus tax, about $14.00. We got a hamburger and two drinks, free refill. Still paid out about $31.00.

    Menu 8/2025
    Nick C.

    Everyone knows why we all come here. I'm gonna give you some pro tips Pastrami add Swiss and get the dip / au jus on the side. Chili cheese fries are shareable pass on the pastrami topping. Wild Cherry aka Cherry Fanta is a must. Chili tamale is decent. Pass on the onion rings as they are all breading and not so much onion. Service is always great Place is always clean

    Wet fries

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    1 year ago

    I can't say much other than I love the Hat. The portion size has decreased, but the pastrami is still the best.

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    1 year ago

    The pastrami and roll were fantastic! Portions are big so sharing is reminded! Love this place and the people working there!!

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    2 years ago

    Legit roast beef dip. For a solid roast beef get au jus. Hat is best option in Pasadena. Add onions

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    2 years ago

    The Hat is a great pit stop. You can buy for one and feed two because there is so much food and it is simply delicious.

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Always delicious and fresh , we are never disappointed and they give so much meat in the sandwiches and the chili fries are the bomb yum

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    2 years ago

    As always, pastrami was awesome. Quite busy but very efficient service. Not overly friendly but efficient

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    Page 5 of 30

    The Hat Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Hat

    Is it okay that my day is ruined by someone asking whether pastrami is beef or pork? Don't people look anything up anymore?

    Pastrami (Romanian: pastramă) is a food originating from Romania usually made from beef brisket. Later recipes use lamb, pork, chicken or turkey. The raw meat is brined, partially dried, seasoned with herbs and spices, then smoked and steamed. Like… 

    Does this place offer curbside pick up?

    Is the pastrami beef or pork?

    By definition pastrami is Beef . The deal is : some places don't trim it properly, there isn't… 

    Does this place offer free refills?

    yes

    Does this location have a drive-thru?

    No. Most of them don't.

    What's in the Piña Colada Bang and Orange Bang and which is better?

    Pretty sure there is a bunch of sugar in both, but Orange Bang is definitely better. You can't go wrong with Orange Bang!

    View All 8 Questions

    Howlin' Ray's

    Howlin' Ray's

    4.8
    (1.4k reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    From the first time I had The Sando at The Hundreds Family Style Food Festival VIP area back in…read more2019, I have loved their food. No matter how long the lines were in Chinatown and the rush to order online as we waited for a time slot to open just to be able to have their food delivered during the store closures of COVID, we have never been able to find a hot chicken that can match their quality and flavors. We happened to be at Stone Brewing Tap Room in Pasadena and were getting hungry as we were enjoying the brews there and didn't want to leave. Enter Postmates! We ordered and received our food in approximately 20 minutes. All the food arrived hot, fresh and delicious! If you want to skip the line as they can be long at times, consider Postmates as it's super convenient and you'll receive your order with the same quality you would expect from eating at the restaurant. Also, this was the first time we ordered their banana pudding and it was delicious! Don't forget to order a couple of sides of their Comeback Sauce. It's to die for! It's the perfect dipping sauce for their crispy fries!

    The food, service, and ambiance were absolutely delicious, and would give this 4.7 if I could…read more The food sooo good best fried chicken I have ever tasted. I got the mild and it was perfectly seasoned and went great with their ranch (pretty sure is also homemade). The reason for the 4.7 instead of a straight five is because my husband had some complaints about his food. He spoke about the chicken being great nothing wrong with it. However, the seasoning was just too much. He got the ch sicken in medium. He said that the seasoning felt like biting into sand. There was just too much. He ate our sons regularly chicken and said this was the best. So I recommend getting the mild and adding hot sauce on the side. There fries were fine nothing wrong but nothing to rave about either. The service was sooo nice. The guy helped us out so much. He found us a table inside to sit and he helped me take the food out and gave me a ranch because I could not go back in line to order (line was out the door). Great service. The ambiance were chill vibes great background music and super cute bathrooms. The whole place is a straight vibe.

    Photos
    Interior seating
    Interior seating
    The Sando   @dangit.all
    The Sando @dangit.all
    The Sando with mild plus hot chicken

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    The Sando with mild plus hot chicken
    The Original Tops

    The Original Tops

    4.0
    (1.6k reviews)
    3.7 mi
    $$

    We stopped by The Original Tops after reading they were known for their breakfast burritos... it…read moredefinitely lived up to the hype. We ordered the chorizo potato burritos, and they were excellent. They were packed with flavor, generously sized, and my wife couldn't even finish hers. The salsas they served with them were delicious and really tied everything together. We ended up coming back another day to try the burgers, and they were just as impressive. Everything tasted fresh, the burgers were juicy, and the fries were perfectly crispy. This has easily become my new burger spot whenever I'm in the Pasadena area. The drive thru can get pretty busy during peak hours, but the staff works quickly, so the wait wasn't that bad. I love old school burger joints and the vibe from the outside. It has that classic local spot feel that makes the food taste even better. Definitely would come back!

    Ambience - 6/10 It's honestly just your typical diner/fast…read morefood joint. My biggest complaint is the cleanliness, since there were quite a few flies flying around, with some even landing on the booths that I sat in. The booths also looked fairly dirty, which isn't really appetizing if you're planning to eat inside. Service - 10/10 The staff were friendly, and the service was quick. No complaints. Food - 7/10 Tops Special Burger - 6.5/10 Honestly, the burger was just okay. The presentation was nice, but everything else was pretty average. The pastrami had good flavor, although some pieces were oddly chewy. The beef patty also tasted like it had been frozen, which kind of just took away from the burger. Chili Cheese Tots - 7.5/10 The tater tots themselves were great, they were perfectly crisp and cooked well, but, the chili cheese was a bit underwhelming, since I could barely taste the chili. Overall - 7.6/10 (for dining in) the food is decent and id say that its an okay spot if you're looking for a quick bite, and they give fairly large portions. Other then that, I'd recommend using the drive-thru instead of dining in. It's way faster, and you won't have to deal with the cleanliness and long waits inside.

    Photos
    The Original Tops
    The Original Tops
    Breakfast Burrito

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    Breakfast Burrito
    Sandwiches by Connal

    Sandwiches by Connal

    4.0
    (722 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    Sandwiches by Connal is a Pasadena institution and an essential stop whenever I am back in my…read morehometown. I have such fond childhood memories of going there with my parents and grandparents and receiving what seemed like foot-tall soft-serve cones. They also make the best malts, terrific burgers, and excellent deli sandwiches. The pastrami on rye and grilled cheese are dependable favorites--or you can splurge on a classic banana split. Add fries, with or without chili, and you have the perfect old-school meal. When I was growing up, they called what most people know as a chocolate-and-vanilla twist a "ripple." That is still what I order--and what I call it--wherever I am in the world, even when people look at me funny. Whenever I am in Pasadena visiting family and friends, a stop at Connal's for a ripple, shake, burger, and fries is practically mandatory. Some places serve food; others hold generations of memories. Connal's does both.

    I ordered a typical salami grinder. I have had done this for 30+ years+…read more Today there was no menu to-go, no menu inside the restaurant, and no available menu online. The salami was processed, not dry. It came with a major portion of yellow mustard (not requested), tons of finely chopped wet lettuce, no cheese. Horrible and soggy. I would have requested my money back, but it was a to-go order. The quality of the entire restaurant has gone, and it seems no one cares, as this has been going on for over a year. Inside the restaurant, the tables were empty and unclean. The wall decor sign for the restaurant, was broken and meant nothing as it was missing the store name. It was an icon restaurant, but now broken, and terribl.

    Photos
    Inside seating / 50's decor
    Inside seating / 50's decor
    Chili-Cheese Burger (no lettuce) - Excellent.
    Chili-Cheese Burger (no lettuce) - Excellent.
    To-go packaging

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    To-go packaging

    The Hat - tradamerican - Updated August 2026

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