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    The Hat

    4.0 (718 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    The Hat Photos

    THE HAT ATMOSPHERE

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

    Recommended Reviews - The Hat

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    Reviews With Photos

    Chloe L.

    Such a classic no words needed 10 out of 10! Everything tasted good and came out really quickly.

    Carry out box
    Stephanie C.

    The co-workers went all out on this one. We don't have The Hat near our work, so after a dr's appointment, I called the guys and asked what they wanted from here. We got chili cheese fries w onions, wet fries, onion rings, pastrami sandwich, and turkey burger. We had enough to share with 4/5 people! I'm not a pastrami type so I got the turkey burger and onion rings. The burger was great, but they had a sauce that was not to my liking. The onion rings were the best in awhile and cheaper than other places. Nice and crunchy. They give you packets of ranch if you ask. Chili cheese fries and pastrami are the staples. The wet fries are ok. I guess you have to ask for the gravy on the side? And need it needs more gravy! Though you can buy more on the side for a few bucks more.

    Chili cheese fries
    Tommy V.

    The Hat is a staple in the SGV! I always have to get my chili cheese fries fix whenever I'm back in town. They're also known for their pastrami which you can add onto the chili cheese fries but this time I chose to have the pastrami burger. Services are always friendly and attentive and the restaurant is always kept tidy and neat.

    Chili cheese fries
    Joann V.

    4 stars After taking my dog to the vet, I decided to lean into my chili cheese fries craving. The Hat was nearby and had a drive-thru, so that worked out perfectly. This is what I got: Roast Beef w/ Au Jus ($12.60): Beef was thinly-sliced and the au jus was decent. I'd consider this pricey b/c portion size was a lacking. And the bread stuck to the paper, so that was a little annoying. Otherwise, it's a decent sandwich. Also, it didn't taste too salty to me, which was perfect for me. 4/5 stars Chili Fries ($8.60) + Cheese ($1.99): This hefty monster was scary big! It's big enough to serve a family of 4. I enjoyed this, but it definitely started feeling a little too much after a couple of bites. I ended up with a ton of leftover. The chili was alright...definitely very cumin forward. I like my chili with beans, but, alas, not a lot of places have beans in their chili. Definitely satiated after this. 3.8/5 stars. I agree with the current 4 stars rating. It's definitely above average. I'll be back when my chili cheese fries cravings hit again.

    Terrence S.

    Been here many times over the years, and it's been an occasional hangout spot but rarely my go to fast food spot. It is not bad for pastrami, or the au jus roast beef sandwiches, but the prices have just always been increasing. I'm not the biggest fan of the chili fries, but there you can get your money's worth since the portion of the fries are huge. I usually stick with the pastrami though, and they still give quite a bit of pastrami in the sandwich.

    Chili burger, sin queso.

    What can anyone say about the hat. It's awesome. The pastrami sandwich has gotten smaller over the decades but what hasn't gotten smaller/more expensive. Today they served me an excellent chili burger with a perfectly crisp toasted bun, juicy beef patty, fresh chili, and a slightly too thick tomato which had to be removed. All in all, 9/10.

    Hours
    Lawrence A.

    I've heard and read about this famous Pastrami place and I happen to drive by one and decided to stop and try their Pastrami sandwich. The dining area was kept clean and roomy, nice vibe, the service was friendly and professional., I am surprised they don't have a combo deal, you have to order the fries separately, so I ordered their Pastrami sandwich, an order of their fries and a large soda, my order was ready in about 5 minutes. The pastrami and fresh and good and tasty. The fries was a huge portion, soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. It was worth coming in to try them out, I wish they had a branch store near my place, This place earned it's reputation as a good pastrami place

    Half eaten chili cheese dog (remembered to take a pic midway)
    Zinnia V.

    Was craving a chili cheese dog real bad and had to stop by the hat to get my fix in. The chili wasn't as flavorful as i remember, it could use more salt but other than that it was loaded and got the job done! The tomato, pickle, and onions really make this chili dog taste good.

    Pastrami dio
    Lily V.

    Came back again but this time we ordered and ate inside. The place seems so nostalgic and still bright as ever, however the place has changed such as the seating area is renovated and the sauce stations are no longer there. We ordered our usual large chili cheese fries and onion rings, a pastrami dip, and added on a double cheese burger and two medium drinks (Since the drinks are free refills). It's always nice to know that the hat will still give out a large portion of onion rings, crispy and crunchy in the middle. It didn't look as much as last time but still a good portion. The chili cheese fries were still great, you need to eat it when it's fresh as it will get mushy and soggy after a while. The double cheese burger was good, I think it could've used more sauce. The pastrami had a good portion of meat, salty and a nice kick from the spiced ends. The drink cups were made of pretty thin wax paper material so it doesn't last long enough after a few hours, but that's more than enough time for lunch break. Overall, it's a great treat for a lunch time break. Restrooms were clean and no mirrors, but unisex and individual rooms.

    Pastrami
    Dawnmarie F.

    Food has always been good and we've gone here for decades. Staff is helpful and restaurant clean. The large fries or onion ring is huge, shareable with several people.

    Half pastrami dip, small order of onion rings and fries

    We always try to eat some food from The Hat when we're visiting family. For dinner we ordered a couple of pastrami dip sandwiches, small order of onion rings and fries. An orange bang and Horchata drinks. The sandwich was impressive. Roll soft to the touch, choked filled with juicy pastrami. Love that it's not overly salty and just seasoned right. If you've never been here, small onion rings and fries can easily feed 4-5 people. I took a star away because the onion rings were overly cooked. A little too crispy for me. Fries are not crispy but meaty with a good mouth feel. Love the drinks as it goes well with the meal. Staff is friendly and made sure we hand more than enough condiments. Don't forget to ask for some chili peppers. The ambiance hasn't changed in years. But it's always clean so I appreciate that.

    Pastrami Dip
    Winnie L.

    I always pass by The Hat on my way to the nearby shopping center. Undeniably, their sign with "world famous pastrami" caught my eye. I decided that today was the day to try the famous pastrami dip. This location has lots of parking and a drive thru. The seats and interior were very clean as well. Staff were amazing, so polite and detail oriented. With the pastrami dip, you have the option to omit pickles. They call out your number when your order is ready. Everything is packed nicely in a paper bag with napkins and you get asked if you want any sauce packets (ketchup, mustard, ranch etc). On to the pastrami dip, I had high expectations for it being world famous. On my first bite, I was immediately disappointed. The taste felt one dimensional. The pastrami tasted like pastrami, nothing new here. The interior of the bread was dipped in the broth but it didn't add anything to the experience. The pickles and mustard did help with adding depth but I still felt it was bland. Overall, this was a simple sandwich, very generous on the pastrami but I don't think it's worth $13.

    Pastrami
    Ryan S.

    Best Pastami sandwich in LA. Whenever I'm in LA The Hat is one of my must do's. The food comes out quick it's nice and hot. The chili fries is huge and can feed a whole family.

    Pastrami chili fries.

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    2 months ago

    This place has been rock solid up until the last few times. The food is not what the hat is known for.

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    3 months ago

    Great LA style thin pastrami. Good serice but took a little long for something that is not cooked to order.

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    Page 1 of 18

    Ask the Community - The Hat

    Does anyone know what year The Hat in Temple City opened?

    It was a lot later than 1951 as the first one opened in Alhambra in 1952.

    View All 3 Questions

    The Dive Oyster Bar

    The Dive Oyster Bar

    4.2
    (1.6k reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$
    Full bar
    Happy hour specials

    The Dive in Temple City was a spot I'd written off after a lackluster first visit. Went back…read morerecently and I'm glad I did. We tried a variety of oysters this time. They all sounded pretty similar, but the slightly more expensive ones were better. Looking back, my first visit was for happy hour oysters, so they probably weren't the freshest batch. We also got hot, crispy fish and chips, and steamed clams and mussels. The standout was the Bouillabaisse, recommended by our waiter over the cioppino. Great call, the broth was delightful and well balanced with just the right amount of spice. We went on a Saturday night and the vibe was a pleasant surprise. Live DJ spinning R&B and throwbacks, fun energetic atmosphere, and drinks that were surprisingly affordable compared to a few cities over in Pasadena. Glad we gave it another shot. I'll definitely be back for happy hour, which runs daily, though I might skip the oysters this time around. Then again, who knows.

    Woowowowow!!!! Their happy hours are Monday to Sunday. Very good food and great service!…read more I saw many people came here on a Sunday 5pm. Love their food, our server "a tall caucasian server" he was constantly checking on us and asking us if our foods came or not. I really wish I got his name. When he was not busy with the customer, I saw him sweeping the floor, help keeping the restaurant clean at all time. Very good worker. Thank you for your great service. We will be back very soon.

    Photos
    Freshly Shucked Oysters.
    Freshly Shucked Oysters.
    The Dive Oyster Bar
    Bread Pudding with a mixed berry compote

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    Bread Pudding with a mixed berry compote
    Sage Bistro

    Sage Bistro

    4.4
    (499 reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$$

    I thought this restaurant was going to be similar to a lot of the other Chinese "bistros" or…read more"cafes" around this 626 area, but this one is really a step above, with more personable staff, with a longtime manager/owner who cares about the food and the customers. We had the seafood pasta which was very tasty. The sauce has plenty of flavor and kick, and there is a lot of fresh seafood provided, including mussels and shrimp. Also had the lamb chops, which is one of their most popular dishes, and I can see why. The lamb was cooked perfectly, soft juicy, super easy to eat. I loved that there was chimichurri sauce provided on the side and it went well with everything, including the mashed potatoes and vegetables. This is definitely worth a revisit for any future special occasions!

    The food was above average. I could tell by the yelp photos that the chef might not be fully…read moreAmerican. Seeing the server and an Asian staff coming out from kitchen confirmed that the cooking wasn't fully American taste bud. But that is the reason why it hit me very well. Honestly, whether you have American or fusion or Asian taste bud, the taste quality is better than some average American restaurants. I tried the butter squash soup, lamp chop, and bow tie pasta with chicken. I was enjoying my soup and lamp chop a lot. The pasta was pleasant to me, but it wasn't exceptionally great compared to the lamp chop. My fiancé loved the pasta though, saying that the sauce wasn't overwhelming. It is not a cheap place to come for, but it is because the food and drinks (good white wine) have quality. The wait for the entrees was a little long, even though it wasn't that busy. I believe it was the chef spending time to make sure each dish was done well, unlike the busy restaurant where chefs only follow the restaurant's recipes to make it quick and easy. Lastly, the ambience was okay, but it was more an older fine dining/family owned style. It had some nostalgic vibe if you'd take it that way. Keep it up. I really hope it will be there forever long.

    Photos
    Clean kitchen..
    Clean kitchen..
    Angus Beef Ribeye Steak
    Angus Beef Ribeye Steak
    Smoked salmon bruschetta

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    Smoked salmon bruschetta
    Nick's South Lake Avenue

    Nick's South Lake Avenue

    4.5
    (2.2k reviews)
    4.3 mi
    $$$

    We decided to try Nick's for lunch to celebrate my birthday. OMG!!!!…read moreWhat a great place to dine. We had a reservation so we were seated right away on the second floor, just above the bar. The music was a little on the loud side so conversation was a little strained. The food was absolutely amazing. Our server was very friendly and informative but was not quite as attentive as we would expect for an establishment like this. This was our first time here, so we had to try the Asparagus Fries. The asparagus was cooked to perfection but the batter did not have much flavor. Members of our party ordered the California Salad, a Veggie Burger, the Meatloaf and a Picante Pizza. The California Salad was smaller than expected but delicious. The Veggie Burger was excellent! The Meatloaf was the hit of the table. It was so good that my wife did not offer a taste to any of us. She was in food Heaven. The pizza was exactly as described and tasted wonderful. Since we were celebrating my birthday, our server brought me a delicious piece of double chocolate cake with a candle in it. Nice touch!! We also had one of their Warm Butter Cake's with some excellent vanilla ice cream on top. Absolutely wonderful!. This may be our new "go-to" place. Looking forward to return to savor the other items on the menu. Their drinks looked delicious as well, so we will definitely try those too.

    Was in Pasadena the other day, and had not eaten yet, so decided to go by Nick's, since I had never…read morebeen, and try a few of the items that sounded tasty on the menu. Made a reservation about an hour before, so when we got there we were seated immediately. After a quick glance at the drink menu, had to get the Mai Tai with lilikoi foam on top. So delicious. Had my first lilikoi foam in Maui and I love that I'm starting to see it around Los Angeles now. Adds such a punch of flavor to an after we balanced drink. For food, we started with the bacon deviled eggs and shrimp taquitos. Those deviled eggs were lightly fried, which was different, then had apple wood smoked bacon on top, just a really tasty bite. The shrimp taquitos were also not what you would expect, nice and light but still very good. Entrees we went with the center cut fillet and the prime rib dip with swiss cheese on a brioche bun. That sandwich just melts if your mouth after dipping it in the jous, and the cheese was the perfect accompiament. The fillet was cooked perfect as well, coming out medium rare. Overall, great restaurant in Pasadena. Definitely get the Mai Tai, Devine eggs and prime rib dip. Taquitos were good and, if you're feeling like another hg er appetizer, definitely a way to go . The fillet, also great but I feel you can get it anywhere.

    Photos
    Asparagus Fries | A Nick's Original
    Asparagus Fries | A Nick's Original
    Nick's South Lake Avenue
    Nick's South Lake Avenue

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    Hangang

    Hangang

    4.2
    (160 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$
    Casual dining
    Luxury

    I have driven by their plaza so many times but I just recently discovered this place! I tried their…read morebossam and it was absolutely delicious! Not to mention their banchans were superb. I also really liked their kimchi fried rice but it was a tad bit on the oily side. Definitely looking forward to coming back soon!

    Edit: as I mentioned below and in response to the manager comment, I agreed that the ac was on. On…read more80 degrees in the summer in a full restaurant as he just admitted. So if you want to go into a sauna where they're too cheap to have you feel the ac on with a poor rendition of Korean food, this is the place for you. As soon as you get out of the car, the parking lot hits you with this wonderful aroma and you think to yourself "damn, I chose right." When you finally get your food and have been in there for a bit, you realize. You done f'd up. We were a group of 9. The service was horrible. They took their time getting our order; we had to repeatedly flag them down for refills on water and Banchan. What's worse is that we're in the heat of summer and it was hot in there. Our entire party was sweaty and my baby was overheating. I asked them if they had the ac on and they said they did. And I stared at them like "oh you kidding" and she just said she had her ac on. When I was about to leave I went to use the bathroom, you know what they had it set at? 80. Y'all 80 in the summer. This place is cheap and the service is horrible Top it off, the food was expensive and not good. The seafood pancake, I will say was pretty decent. However, we got the galbi jim combo and KBBQ combo. The galbijim was wrong. It tastes like what people who have never tasted Korean food thinks it tastes like (tangy and a bit sweet). It also looks like they cook it separately then they toss it into the dish. They forgot our steamed egg included in the combo. The Korean bbq that costs $50 is a couple of pieces. Overall, smells great but so somewhere else to spend hundreds of dollars. They'd rather be cheap than keep repeat customers.

    Photos
    Hangang
    Hangang
    Hangang

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    GRANVILLE

    GRANVILLE

    4.2
    (2.6k reviews)
    4.4 mi
    $$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Locally sourced ingredients

    This is like my 10th time coming here and I always come back for the tacos !!!…read more Steak tacos are delicious! This time added a few more items to the menu so I wanted to share my thoughts on the food especially cause I didn't see these items on the menu so I figured I try something new. Brussels sprouts are good , might be to lime/lemonie but I ordered mine extra crispy. Side of Mac n cheese , pretty cheesy , can't go wrong. And the chicken soup mmm wasn't the best. Basic soup. Nothing crazy , not enough chicken and needs more flavor. Don't recommend it. They have this moz ball mmm wasn't my favorite. Kinda makes the soup look weird. Idk. My opinion Everything else is great. The place is great, they have a rooftop patio too really nice and vibes are great. Service is great always!!

    I think reservations are definitely recommended. We arrived yesterday evening at 6 p.m. after…read morewatching the new Spider-Man movie at the Landmark movie theater in Pasadena at 3 p.m. and it was an hour wait. The rooftop patio seating was closed last night. Lesson learned: even if reservations aren't easily made online, it's worth a phone call ahead of time to try to make one. Beautiful inside with two separate downstairs areas and one upstairs. Don't approve of the large TVs in the bar area but the sound was off at least. Once we were seated (and by the way, the hostesses were super friendly and hospitable), Joe was our helpful server. We ordered a Last Word and a Negroni with brussel sprouts to start with. The drinks were ok, the brussel sprouts were super tasty and well charred. Next we ordered the pork chop and chicken skillet. I wanted to order the peri peri chicken but they were out of it. We also ordered a boulevardier and espresso martini. The pork and chicken were so tender and flavorful! My espresso martini tasted like a smooth liquid dessert . Very loud inside. My husband could barely hear me. Curious about the rooftop seating so maybe a reservation for up there next time, maybe I'll get to try the peri peri chicken. Highly recommend!

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    Superfood salad
    Superfood salad
    Variety of housemade Big Plate Entrees

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    Variety of housemade Big Plate Entrees

    The Hat - tradamerican - Updated August 2026

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