As you already know, this is our go-to spot for burgers. When the craving hits, this is usually where we end up without even thinking twice. Tonight we decided to switch things up a little, and hubby ordered the bacon cheeseburger. Normally we prefer the quarter-pound patty, but this one was slightly thicker, which definitely made us feel full a lot quicker. That said, the burger was still super juicy, had the right filling-to-meat ratio, and came on that perfectly soft bun that holds everything together without falling apart. Solid choice. I stuck with my usual chicken breast salad, and it was delicious as always. Fresh, satisfying, and dependable -- although I'll admit I'm still not a fan of bell peppers, so those got politely pushed to the side. One thing I have noticed over time is that the fries seem to be getting a little smaller in portion each visit. I also miss the thicker-cut fries from about six months ago -- those were my favorite. The current ones still do the job, but the old style definitely had my heart. Overall, this is still a definite must-try spot if you're craving a good burger. Consistent, satisfying, and always hits the spot. Happy eats! read more

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Their classic burrito (was all meat) now all salad!!!! Maybe three small pieces of beef VERY DISSATISFYING back in the 80's and 90's it was about 6" long and 2" round all meat some salad. Now asked The Who looked like a manager said the owner is telling them to make it that way. Their pastrami sandwich sandwiches are loaded, but they're all meat burrito three pieces of meat and all salad. Ridiculous. Look either charge the money for a steak burrito. It's full of steak or lower your prices but paid way too much money for no meat, don't waste your money oh and their onion rings and there's zucchini not the same quality breaded quality that used to have too. They're OK, but also not the same they need to work on their food again starting to slip. read more

Stay away from the fish taco. Chili cheese fries and burgers are the way to go. Those are A+. read more

I've drive by this place several times but was hesitant to stop by because I didn't want to risk gross food. But recently I decided to try their breakfast burrito simply because I needed food and I needed it via drive through. WOW did this burrito impress me! Honestly among the best breakfast burritos out there and it's saying a lot because I make an amazing breakfast burrito at home so I'm pretty picky when it comes to this. I ordered the bacon one and it was two thumbs up! Will def return and try other items in their menu. Thanks Tops! read more

Some places are institutions for a reason, and this is one of them. Always busy and parking is tough. Get creative and go into the neighborhood and walk a block or two. You'll burn a few of those calories! Fund, busy atmosphere but the service stays friendly and efficient. Tried the classics - pastrami sando and small everything fries. Shared between two and couldn't finish. Both were fabulous and generous to the extreme in portion. A must try at least once. Glad I don't live closer or this would be a calorically expensive regular stop. read more

The Original Tops - pastrami with everything - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I've been coming here for almost 40+ years (yikes)! Set up is simple, order at the counter take a number find a table or booth and wait for your number to be called. Entering this place you smell the food on the grill. Everything is made fresh. I ordered a 1/2 lb cheeseburger, zucchini fries and a drink. Tables are clean and the service is fast. There are few places that have lasted the test of time. Conveniently located off the 210 Frwy at Michillinda. If your in Pasadena there really are only two choices and this on is .... Wait for it.. read more

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This location's pretty busy and usually has some form of a line in the drive-thru. A similar local classic as Lucky Boy & The Hat, Tops has burritos, all sorts of comfort American food such as burgers, pastrami, chili cheese fries. We usually come for the breakfast burritos, but have tried a few of their burgers as well as the chili cheese fries. My go-to is the pastrami burrito which SOMETIMES comes jam packed with gooey cheese, large pieces of pastrami, and soft fluffy potatoes. Sadly the quality is incredibly inconsistent and sometimes the burrito will be half the size, cheese barely melted, potatoes dried out, etc. But for the price, Tops is a solid choice. The Jones' coffee ain't bad either. They also have a pastrami burger which comes with quite a bit of pastrami, and a deliciously beefy, slightly spicy jalapeño burger. The fries are okay but occasionally suffers the same problem as the burrito--unmelted cheese. read more

The Original Tops - Pastrami & Egg Burrito - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Decent burgers. Juicy and definitely has the meat flavor. Super huge portions for a really good price and love the pickled carrots on the side! The onion rings and zucchini fries were good, just a lot of batter. Strawberry shake is yummy and perfect flavor. Friendly staff, and filled with people! Worth a try! read more

The Original Tops - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

Excellent place for great burgers, sides and shakes! Fast friendly service and more importantly freshly cooked to order food!!! Not that burger sitting on the warmer till you order it McDonalds burger that's always Luke warm and pre made! This is your original mom and pops great quality, good portions, fair priced burger joint that I will hit every time I'm in the LA area!!! read more

Quality + tradition + menu selection + price = this incredible eatery, which has rightly withstood the test of time since its inception back in the 1950s. BF and I stopped here on our way to LAX for a 3 week Asia trip, and were craving something quick, salty and non Asian. We chose this local spot on a whim, and ordered the (beef) chili cheese tots and zucchini sticks. Service was friendly, the vibe was retro diner, and the price was very reasonable. Our food arrived promptly, and we were impressed by the portion sizes of these "small" sides ($12 total incl tax - wow!) . And when we tasted each, the flavors and homemade textures exceeded our expectations. We plan to return when we are hungrier to try the burgers, pastrami and South of the border menu options. This visit to The Original Tops gave us a wonderful taste of nostalgic Americana and reaffirmed our commitment to continue supporting local restaurants. read more

The Original Tops - Chili cheese tots and zucchini sticks - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

I have had Tops on my list of places to visit for a while now and finally got the opportunity to visit them. All I can say is the food certainly didn't disappoint and I look forward to another visit soon. I ordered the Sycamore Melt and it while it was messy it was also good. No it isnt Langers quality but for the price you simply can't beat it. Would love to try the many other menu offerings, it all looked great! read more

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Came here the Saturday night an hour before closing & the line inside and at the drive thru was long. The cashier was nice & still offered to help us when we were using the kiosk. The prices are good. $28 for 2 burgers & a small chilicheese fries including tip The food looked great but my burger had a bit of an aftertaste or smell, like some type of oil or frying oil on the buns. That's the only thing that affected the meal but the ingredients were fresh & the fries were decent for a great price I will come back & try again! read more

The Original Tops - 2 burgers & Small Chili Cheese Fries - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

Original tops is a great spot when you're in the mood for a no frills meal. My boyfriend and I came here for a bite when he was in the mood for this type of meal. When we arrived they had 3 workers by the cashier chatting among each other, and no greeting. I doubt that was what the owners originally imaged for this place. Instead there are 2 cold kiosks for you to order from while their staff chatted away. My boyfriend ordered a Bacon Cheeseburger ($8.79) and I ordered a Grilled Chicken Breast Salad ($10.99) with added Avocado ($1.99). We shared a small Chili Cheese Fries ($6.70) and a Fountain Soda ($2.89). They have a few booths and table to sit at, but many of the empty ones were dirty. We picked the least dirty one and wiped it down a bit. Food was really in a decent amount of time. My boyfriend really enjoyed his meal. I was surprised by how well the salad turned out, because I had pretty low expectations for it. There was a decent amount of grilled chicken with almost every bite. I didn't like their chili as much as other places, but I could only handle a few bites of it anyways. I would happily accompany my boyfriend the next time he wants this type of meal, but I probably won't be the one to suggest to come here on my own. read more

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Came in late night and shared an order of zucchini they downsized slightly but their house dressing is phenomenal! Service was incredibly prompt! I mean blink and the food was done quick ! Surrounded by a clean updated California diner aesthetic and the dining area was remarkably tidy especially for an end of the day order ! Loved the friendly cashier and crew ! read more

Est. 1952- A Pasadena institution. Home of the famous Pastrami Sandwich and the Pastrami Burger. Also popular are the Breakfast Burritos and the Chili Cheese Fries. These are the staple items, but they also have soups, salads, hot dogs, chicken tenders, fish & Chips, and a variety of 'South of the Boarder' options. The service is very friendly, and you can order at a kiosk or with a real person. On this particular visit, I ordered the pastrami burger with cheese (no lettuce). As expected, it was very good. This is my go-to order at Tops, but I also recommend the Pastrami Sandwich and the Breakfast Burrito. This place is clean and I like the shiny silver serving trays. The self-serve soda fountain and garnish stations are convenient, and they also have a drive-thru. The Original Tops has it all, and is always busy. Definitely worth a visit. read more

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I only go to two spots for this kind of pastrami. Either hats or tops. Both spots are amazing. So I choose where ever I am at the moment. Great and quick service. read more

The Original Tops - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I'm usually a cheeseburger girl but I wanted to try something different with a burger so I got me a Smokey Jalapeño Burger which is the best tasty burger. I usually come to this place for lunch and they keep the tables clean. Please note this place is usually busy for lunch but their quality of food is top notch for me. read more

The Original Tops - Smokey Jalapeño Burger - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

The breakfast sandwich was delicious!!! A bit of a wait but definitely worth it, nice and clean. You can tell it's a local favorite, with plenty of seating and also patio seating. Fresh and delicious food, highly recommend! read more

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Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 4/5 I have been here few times and always ate steak and eggs breakfast. This time I came here on lunch time so I was force to order other food selection. I have decided to order their famous pastrami sandwich and steak sandwich. For pastrami sandwich, meanwhile the taste was great the portion could be more. Steak sandwich was also ok but I don't like the piece of meat just slapped in between. I think it would be better to chop them in pieces. I would still come back to try more of their menu. Green salsa is still the best. read more

The Original Tops - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Generous amount of food for the price! I could only finish half of my burger. The small fries alone are shareable. Highly recommend the sweet potato fries. I ordered the smoky jalapeño burger which usually comes with fried jalapeño. I opted for fresh jalapeños instead and it was delicious! I swapped the regular bun for a wheat bun as well. They were very accommodating with the requests and service was very fast even during busy dinner hours on a Saturday night. The restaurant is a typical diner style with indoor and outdoor seating. read more

Horrible food now, and horrible service. Not what it used to be, breading on onion rings is dry now .

Oh man, this is one place where you say "Get in My Belly" then regret it later thinking "Half of you Get in My Belly" because the items are so big. We ordered take out at the Original Tops which looks like an old diner. Order at the counter, they make, and you pick up your food and eat there or offsite. Bus your own table if you eat there. Ordered takeout of: - Pastrami on Rye, a warm huge sandwich with lots of meat. A half is big enough for me. I don't eat pastrami a lot but it tasted right. Once again, lots of meat! - Hamburgers, ordered the quarter pounder medium and medium rare and both came out medium. Nice buns, garnishes were fresh, a good size burger. - Small Chili Cheese Fries, big and heartburn good...or bad. - Small Onion Rings and Small Fried Zucchini, both were humongous. Overall: Everything is big, takeout and pickup service was very slow, establishment is well lit, diner no frill atmosphere, large private parking lot and plenty of street parking if needed. read more

A true classic; the type I love to visit (and keep visiting)! I've enjoyed everything I've tried here, including their famed pastrami sandwich. My favorite item, though, time and again? Their chili cheese fries. May seem like such a basic but, to me, these are some of the best around. It comes in two sizes; get the large only if you plan to share or take some home for later! The restaurant itself is both classic and modern. Service is fast and efficient. A fun place, highly recommended. read more

Why have I waited so long to go to Tops?!!!! I was out running some errands and thought to myself. Let me go try while I'm out. Made the left to go into the drive-through and there was a line so I had to U-turn to get in line. I sat for a little while, but it moved, and I wasn't annoyed at all. I was looking at the menu while I was in line and thought I was just gonna get an avocado, bacon cheeseburger, and some fries. As I was getting closer to the speaker, I noticed they had a paper taped to it listing some new items, which one of them was a chopped cheese sandwich. I had to order the chopped cheese. I got to the window and the young lady, Star,was so so friendly. I told her it was my first time and I was excited to try the food. She told me I made a great choice with the chopped cheese and that I would really enjoy it. She said it had a little spice bite to it because of the cherry peppers, but she said she enjoyed it. I asked her if I could get some ranch for my fries and if there was a charge and she said it's typically $.50 but since I'm knew she gave it to me free. The place was packed from what I could see. They have a smallish sort of parking lot and people are really trying to find a spot. It took me about 15 minutes to get home, and the food was still nicely warm. They put it in a box. The sandwich was quite large and I could only eat half of it. It was the best chopped cheese sandwich I've had. It did have a bit of a spice bite, but it didn't bother me too much. The fries were good and their ranch is probably the best ranch I've ever had. Next time I definitely want to try the onion rings and/or the zucchini. They have such a nice menu starting with breakfast sandwiches salads you name it. And it all looked really good online. Thank you to Star who was so nice and so refreshing. And I'll definitely be back. read more

The Original Tops - Chopped Cheese Sandwich and Small French Fries - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

Food quality..taste..it fell off..Doesn't taste the same, just doesn't have that flavor!!

Visited on a Monday at around lunch time. It was busy but service was fast. U feel a bit rushed to order because of the crowded lines and it's a lunch spot for a lot of local workers. Ordered bacon avocado cheeseburger meal and a pastrami sandwich. The food is top quality for sure great flavor. Sides of carrots and chili peppers and variety of fountain drinks was a plus. Cherry coke. Definitely recommend oh beer was out bummed out ): The scenery is very nice and clean restrooms!!! read more

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Craving onions rings and knew just the spot. Didn't get anything else this trip, but enjoyed every bite. They added ranch without asking and didn't know I needed that in my life! Ketchup Is great too, but nice new twist for me! read more

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What happened?? Are they sluggish because it's post Thanksgiving??? Ordered our favorites this Sunday. Chicken breast salad with Greek vinaigrette. The eggs were missing, I even shook the entire salad and couldn't find any traces of egg. It's also my favorite part of the salad so I went up to let them know. The lady calling out the orders had to confirm with the lady at the register. They said the eggs were probably under the chicken but I told them I still didn't find any after shaking it all up. The register lady finally went to the prep area and had the guy add half a hard boiled egg into a small container for me. I know it's suppose to be a whole egg but I was so embarrassed by how they made me feel I didn't want to pry further... So I lost half an egg. The BBQ bacon burger is our guilty indulgence and I was really craving it today! Got 1 cut in half. BF half he said wasn't satisfying, not enough sauce. I tried it and although I had more BBQ sauce, I had to agree that the burger itself was lacking. The beef patty was so dry and overcooked and there was barely any aioli. It was a very disappointing lunch today... I really hope this isn't a new norm cuz they are my favorite burger joint! read more

The Original Tops - My salad was missing the egg today - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

I've lived in the 626 area since I was about 4 year old and Tops has never failed to satisfy me once. If you are looking to change it up for burger places outside of In-N-Out and your typical fast food joint, you should definitely come try Tops. Most of my family gets their pastrami sandwich/burger but I always, always, always, recommend their zucchini fries. Its a bit of a weird item to order at a burger place, but it has been so delicious over the years. They serve it with a side of home-made ranch which just elevates them so much. They have changed their look since my time going their as a kid, but either way the staff has been super nice and inviting! The inside is well-kept with lots of seating if you want to eat inside and they also have a patio area to take in the nice weather. read more

Well first time making a review for this place and let me tell you. I have been going here since 2003. While the rest of the menu is vast and appealing which I've tried a few things from there I'm ALWAYS going back to these two suckers. Back then it was cheap and affordable and now it's still cheap and affordable! Granted it's off a few bucks but I always appreciated tops and their affordability and generous portions! Anyways, I got the Large chili cheese fries and small zucchini fries. Just like I remembered everytime I'd go here and the first time I went to know, always consistent and always tastes great! The large chili cheese fries is enough for two maybe even three or four but I personally could take it out myself! The zucchini fries were a small but still a lot for that size! The ambiance has always been the same, semi loud clatter of people talking, eating and the kitchen moving and cooking, I love it! Always my go to spot for chili cheese fries! Sorry Tommy's, sorry the hat, you guys have NOTHING on The Original Tops! 5 stars for me!! read more

The Original Tops - Regular Small Zucchini Sticks - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I ordered a ground beef, bean, and cheese burrito which wasn't in the menu but they made one anyway and it was sooooooo delicious. I also tried the chopped cheese and ground beef sandwich which was only available for a limited time. Both these selections were very well seasoned and delicious with very generous portions. And they make the food to order so it's piping hot when you get it. Will be back! read more

The Original Tops - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

Consistently great! Fast, friendly service, delicious food and great customer service! We asked some questions about the Chicken Tortilla soup and they gave us a little taste before hand. It was delicious! We ordered it along with a classic BLT and an order of fried zucchini. Everything tasted exactly like it does every time! So good! Staff was kind and checked on our experience as we left. We will be back in the next time we are in town. Thank you, Tops! read more

The Original Tops - Chicken Tortilla Soup, Fried Small Zucchini Sticks, The BLT - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

Came here on a late weekday morning to try what I've heard of everyone talking about--their breakfast burrito! More interestingly, a pastrami breakfast burrito which naturally makes sense given Tops is famous for their pastrami. On my quest to find the best breakfast burrito in the greater LA county area I had to stop by here. They're literally right off the 210 freeway. There was a decently long drive-thru line that went out of the parking lot; although they have a parking lot, it was pretty full and in combination with the drive thru line seems like a nightmare to get out of. There was plenty of neighborhood parking so I would advise to just do that if it's busy. Inside had your classic diner vibe; plenty of people eating inside but lots of open seats on a weekday. Kitchen was clearly super busy with lots of orders going out, but the food came out pretty quick despite that. I can see why people love their breakfast burritos--they're really well proportioned in terms of different ingredients, and well balanced which is the key to making any breakfast burrito. It didn't feel like one portion was filled with just potatoes or another with just eggs. Even though they technically use homestyle potatoes rather than hashbrowns, what I really appreciated was how crispy the potatoes still were--the contrasting textures are key to a good breakfast burrito and this still fit the bill for thin hashbrowns's type of texture. Just the right amount of cheese which was great too. I didn't know what to expect from pastrami in the burrito, but it definitely blended in well; just the right amount of flavor but was not overpowering. In a way it sort of fits into the burrito like bacon would. It did make the burrito a bit moister than I expected, but overall it wasn't excessively greasy which can be hard to do in a breakfast burrito. If I was in the area would definitely stop by again to try other stuff! Note that they only do breakfast until 11AM, but you could certainly do an early lunch type of situation and get the breakfast burrito with some non-breakfast sides. read more

The Original Tops - Halfway through a pastrami breakfast burrito - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

I can't say enough about this place. The Reuben Sandwich is the closest you'll ever get outside a propper deli. They also have this thing called a Chipotle Wrap which is literally fantastic. (I prefer the chicken) Their Green Salsa is great and I really like their fries. Staff is busy but always helpful. Vibe is classic Burger Stand. Worth trying if you're debating. read more

Just a burger review! It was great! No complaints here! Had a long drive home from work and was asked to stop at the Asian market for dinner prep. So I figured let me reward myself before I make dinner. Pulled up into the drive-thru and line wasn't long which made me slightly happy. Wait wasn't that long. After setting myself back 7 bucks and some change for just a burger. No cheese, no chili, no bacon. Just a burger. Within 10 minutes I had that burger in my hands. Was salivating instantly. Super fresh and hot. I was burning my hands from how hot it was. Made me happy to know it didn't sit long. After the first bite, it was all love from there. 100% better than the walnut location. No questions asked. Gotta come and try some more items soon! read more

I have tried this place multiple times and can say I had many of their menu items. Burgers ok- sandwiches very mid. But last night I had a chili cheese dog and I gotta say it was the worst thing I have had in a long time. I had to search tor the four inch sausage in my six inch bun. The bun had the flavor of a dirty grill. The chili was cold and the cheese was also cold. For 9 dollars I expected much more. read more

My husband and I decided to try The Original Tops for his birthday, and we both agreed that words truly cannot describe how delicious their sandwiches are. I ordered the beef hash on sourdough, and it went above and beyond every expectation I had. My husband got the pastrami sandwich, which he absolutely devoured. We also shared the Asada Fries and the chili cheese fries to be able to try multiple things, and even the fries were delicious. The ambience is that of a classic diner, and the customer service was good. read more

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Always go for the tops special burger with chili cheese tots both are really good. No complaints also try their neopolitan shake super bomb. All items are solid here and service super friendly and food comes out fast. read more

The Original Tops - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

At the famous original Topps This place is booming for a Sunday. Let start everyone from counter server to cooks to quality assurance is on the mark a well oiled machine. For it being packed with customers filling the booths and chairs inside and out, it's still great though I haven't been here in a while. My wife and I took a special trip up here to Pasadena. Inside very clean even though busy. condiments on hand catsup and tapitio, yellow chili's. Our order was in good time and prompt and I love it how the man doing quality assurance was setting the food on the trays for here or to go. We had pastrami well packed and good size not salty and chili cheese fries wow enough for two chili well mixed in cheese on top yum! Still a great place so many years Atmosphere = 7 Food quality = 8 Customer service = 9 Cleaniness = 8 Menu = 8 Thank you for still being the best for your customers read more

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The staff are so friendly, the food is so affordable and comforting, and the historical decor is a great touch for a long-standing restaurant. You just can't beat the prices here for the huge portions you get! My fiancé took the wrong route home and ended up exiting on Michillinda Ave, and decided to make the best of our experience; we are so glad we did! When it is my call on what to order, I tend to order more than I bargain for, and I did not know the portions here were so generous. I ordered the 1 1/4 Ib. Cheeseburger $6.69, Small Onion Rings $4.79, and Small Chili Cheese Fries $6.79. They also have a self-serving pickled carrot and pepper station to compliment and add a "zing" to your meal! I wonder what their large portion is because the small size was overfilled to the top! First, their burger made its way to the top of my most-recommended burger list because it's just that good. Next time I crave a burger, I'll be the first one here! The 1/4 patty was juicy, with all the right grill marks, and the burger 'accessories' like pickles, red onion, tomato, lettuce, etc. made it the perfect bite for me. The Small Chili Cheese Fries were a size of a whole tray filled, just packed with chili cheese, and topped with more cheese. This was a noteable fact to me as they are very generous with cheese and I live for more cheese - there can never be enough cheese! The small onion rings deserve their own show. As a onion connoisseur, I've had my share of onion rings, and Tops does it well. Their batter is crispy and you'll notice the crunch but its light enough so you can taste the onion. Sooooo good! I will most definitely be back with my fiancé to enjoy on a cheat day and eat more of their delicious food. Next up, I want to try their burritos! read more

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