We stopped by The Original Tops after reading they were known for their breakfast burritos... it definitely 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! read more

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

Ambience - 6/10 It's honestly just your typical diner/fast food 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. read more

The Original Tops - Chili Cheese Tots - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

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The food was tasty. Let's stop there as I won't want to gross out the future diners to this place. I think the health department should make a visit. This is a hint to the restaurant owner and staff to also look into the hygiene and sanitary condition of the restaurant. Yes, I ate there as I am a long time patron. read more

Straight forward hamburger joint that does many other things. Strawberry shake, delicious. Tuna melt extra pickles, worth eating. I think the fries are air fried,not what I was looking for. good people watching easy to get to. Will definitely be back to try a breakfast burrito. read more

Intrigued by their Pastrami Breakfast Burrito we saw on IG, not knowing that it's only served on breakfast hours. As we came at noon, we ended up having to go for something else. Surprised by how busy they were; full house even with line on their drive-thru line. The ambiance was like between deli and diner. We got their other favorite, the Pastrami Sandwich, added with bacon. Tad greasy, but the pastrami was indeed luscious. Packed with meat, the portion was actually very filling. I could see why people loved the burrito as I did think I would fancy this served in a wrap better than grilled bread. We got the fried zucchini on the side, whose batter was also flavorful yet would recommend sharing. read more

The Original Tops - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Came in on Saturday night as we were in area. We ordered the cheese sandwiches, tops burger, fried zucchini, and chili cheese fries. The cheese sandwich was SO tasty! So flavorful and delicious. Bread was soft, meat was well seasoned with lots of cheesy goodness. The tops special burger with pastrami was also SO tasty! Chili cheese fries were good also. Very greasy, but that's to be expected. Size is definitely shareable. Zucchini was prob my least favorite thing we ordered. I expected them to be more flavorful and it just wasn't but that could have been personal preference. Overall the restaurant was clean, we found plenty of seating available and a kid friendly environment. Def will be back when in the area to try other things on their menu! Solid 8/10. Def try their specialty items. read more

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Yankies vs Red Sox, Batman vs. Joker, The Original Tops vs. The Hat. These are just some of life's most classic rivalries. Having worked in Pasadena for a number of some odd years, you get to experience some of the more classics eating spots that this town has to offer. Now, granted there are a number of The Hat locations throughout the Southern California region, one can't argue that their pastrami + chili cheese fries are up there with some of the best. Enter "The Original Tops". FOOD: Tops Special (1/4 lb cheeseburger topped w/ pastrami) - 9.1 / 10 A well-stuffed burger with their signature thin-sliced "California" style pastrami. The addition of lettuce, tomato, & onion, makes it seem like you're eating a B.L.T. (sub bacon for pastrami = a very welcome substitute). The burger patty is not too overwhelming in size, which really allows for the generous serving of pastrami to take center stage. Chili Cheese Fries - 9.3 / 10 Anyone who's every been to The Hat knows that their order of Chili Cheese Fries is no joke (insert drink carrier here & proceed to top with a comically large amount of fresh cooked french fries, chili, & shredded cheddar cheese). But what The Original Topps' rendition lack in size (which is very commendable in itself for a "large") more than makes up for in flavor. Personally, I very much prefer The Original Topps' thinner french fries with their outstanding chili & cold, shredded cheddar cheese. The chili is what really stands out here. For me, it tastes a bit more tomatoey. That makes all the difference & might possibly be why The Original Topps' Chili Cheese Fries edges out The Hat's sizable monster side. I love the chill, casual ambience. Nothing too fancy here. Just your "hole-in-the-wall" classic burger joint. No pretentious snobbery here. Just good ol' hardworking people that want to enjoy a burger, fries, + a drink. Simplicity, arguably at it's absolute best. I would go out-of-my-way to make the drive to come back here. read more

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Ahhh I love & live for tops breakfast burritos! My go to is the chorizo burrito & occasionally I'll get the bacon! The chorizo burrito is packed with flavor & cheesy goodness! Love when the hash browns are crispy in there mmmm! I will say their salsa is more of a hit or miss, sometimes it's flavorful n spicy which I love then sometimes it lacks heat & doesn't give much of a taste! So wish it was more consistent! When I come for lunch I'm a sucker for a good cheeseburger, yellow chilis & onion rings! Mmm it's yummy! The drive thru could get a little backed up in the ams so be aware & hopefully you go the right way if not you're waiting in the street to pull in & some drivers can get annoyed lol Update: they finally updated their drive thru menu!! It's nice & brand new which they needed so was happy to see this happen! Sadly I didn't take a pic. Overall great OG joint for breakfast & lunch! read more

The Original Tops - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

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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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Tried delivery this time and they did not disappoint! Look at the way they package the food just for starters! Food was great as ever. First time trying the pastrami and it was some of the best thin sliced pastrami ever had. Looked dry as I ordered it grilled, but it was nothing of the sort. Juicy and flavorful. Burger, chili fries and onion rings were as good as I remember. Asked for the chili on the side too and they got everything right. read more

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Popped in here with my son for a quick bite after our doctors visit. Consistently good and their chili cheese fries are out of this world, I just went with the regular cheeseburger because combined with the chili cheese fries. It is a perfect combination. Not only is the service great but the environment is great. If you're looking for a good char burger with all the fresh fixings and a solid order of chili cheese fries, tops is your place. read more

The Original Tops - Chili Cheese Fries - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

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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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Oof so much to say about the Pastrami breakfast burrito here. I stooped by Sunday morning to a decent breakfast crowd but my order was taken within 3 minutes of walking in. The cashier was nice but maybe she's new because she couldn't believe I wanted tater tots in my breakfast burrito instead of the homestyle potatoes. She asked me 4 times if that's what I wanted and then called a manager over to ask her too. It was just a super odd moment. The pastrami breakfast burrito is about $15 and it's a great size. Once I started digging in I immediately noticed issues. The pastrami was tough, fatty, stringy, and so overly salty. The tots were crispy but the first half of the burrito was just that - pastrami and tots. I actually got worried thinking they forgot the egg and cheese until I cut half way and realized all the egg and cheese was piled onto one end of the burrito. Why? How? Who taught these guys how to build a burrito? By then I had lost my appetite due to the pastrami but even so, there was hardly any egg and cheese compared to the pastrami. The green salsa too was bad. No flavor whatsoever all you get is the burning sensation from the peppers. I really think they just blended peppers and called it a salsa read more

I hope you're hungry. You can have this a single meal but why? Do you really need to fall into a food coma from all the satisfaction?? Ok. I did that. And I fid not regret the overindulgence... but i really could have split the meal with a friend. Pictured here is the SMALL onion rings and a Sycamore Melt--coleslaw, thousand island, swiss cheese and pastrami on rye. It's a little drippy with the coleslaw so I HAD to eat it all there. Who wants soggy rye, right? Not this Yelper. read more

The Original Tops - The Sycamore Melt and onion rings - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

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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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

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 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

Absolutely. Horrible flies. Where are more flies inside and out? They have a on the door but there are one bench. We've been sitting in, had 5 flies on it. We set outside. They were less flies outside and they were inside. Ordered onion rings that were extremely greasy and overcooked. Had to pay for the ranch dressing to dip The Onion rings in it. We ordered a taco and a corner. Beef and sandwich open the sandwich and it's swimming in sauce, barely any. Sourk, you can't taste the cheese Cos. The meat is elastic. One bite I was done, never go back. read more

Stay away from the fish taco. Chili cheese fries and burgers are the way to go. Those are A+. 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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There's a reason why this spot is always busy especially on a Friday night. Their food is top notch and it feels like you are back in time the moment you step into the restaurant. The space has a classic diner feel. Burgers were amazing but the real star of the show was the pastrami -- boy, they were made perfectly. The chili cheese fries were also a must try. The staff was friendly and even though they were dealing with some tough customers who were hangry, they still chugged along --so props to those workers in the frontlines! They were stars! read more

Food is great here! CheeseBurger and chili cheese Fries were perfect ! Would definitely come back!

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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Good food. Tacos, burgers pastrami ,salads and more Drive through or pick up inside. Tables inside and on a patio. Beer served but not to drive through read more

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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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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