Russell's - Carte

786 Degrees Pizza Pasadena

➤ 1709 E Washington Blvd, 91104, Pasadena, US, United States

Carte • Pizza • Halal • Cheese • Italian

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"The seating is somewhat limited, both indoors and outdoors. The pizzas are 11 inches, slightly larger than the personal pizzas at Blaze Pizza. One pizza is definitely enough for just one person. I tried the Tikki Masala Pizza because I had never had one before, while my brother opted for the Margherita. He's more of a traditionalist when it comes to pizza and typically shies away from unique flavors. He shared a slice of his Margherita with me, and in return, I offered him a slice of mine. He really didn't enjoy my choice at all, while I found my pizza appealing due to its uniqueness. I did prefer his Margherita over mine, but was it the best I've ever had? Not at all—that honor goes to L'Antica Pizzeria Da Michele in Hollywood, which serves the best Margherita I've ever tasted. Sapori comes in as a close second for Margherita, as the sauce resembles that of L’Antica, but the crust doesn't quite measure up. L’Antica may be a bit pricier, but if you're after the best pizza, that's the place to go. Nevertheless, the pizza here is still very good. If you dine in, expect to wait about 12 minutes for your pizza, which is a decent turnaround. It’s impressive how quickly they prepare the pizzas, but be aware that they cool down quickly too. Your pizza might be cold by the time you finish it. Overall, the pizza here is great!"

Arroyo Chop House

➤ 536 S Arroyo Pkwy, Pasadena, California, 91105, United States

Carte • Steak • Seafood • American • Steakhouse

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"To start, I had the Lobster Bisque, which was rich, creamy, and bursting with flavor. Each spoonful had bits of lobster that were perfectly cooked. The table also ordered Sourdough and Garlic Bread. The portions were decent, but with seven of us dining, one order wasn't quite enough. However, both the garlic bread and the sourdough were absolutely delicious. My husband and I decided to share the 2.5 lb Porterhouse steak. We requested it to be cooked Medium Well, and it arrived exactly as we wanted. It was amusing when the other diners received their steaks on plates adorned with a little salad and carrots, while we got empty plates with just a small salad and some carrots. Then, the waiter surprised us with a massive platter, reminiscent of a Thanksgiving feast, holding our generous portion of steak. The Porterhouse included both New York Strip and Filet Mignon—plenty for two, possibly three. As a group, we ordered several sides to share, and they were enormous! We had Mac n Cheese, Truffle Mac n Cheese (the best option), Lobster Mashed Potatoes (so delicious), Sugar Snap Peas (which I heard were great), Asparagus, and Scalloped Potatoes. It was fantastic to sample a variety of sides, and I'm glad we all chose different ones. When we ordered our meals, we were informed that if we wanted the soufflé for dessert, we had to do it right away—and it was big enough to share! We decided to get two: one Chocolate and one Grand Marnier. They were each the size of a small birthday cake meant for four! Unsurprisingly, we devoured both, and they were spectacular, served with a side of cream. The check for dinner for seven came to $667, and I can confidently say it was worth every penny. Oh, and I also tried a drink called "Grounds for Divorce" which I highly recommend—the ice cube in it is exceptional!"

El Caporal

➤ 2100 Fair Oaks Ave, Altadena I-91001-5737, United States

Carte • Lunch • Mexican • Seafood • Breakfast

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"My family and I have been ordering from this restaurant for years. The staff is so kind, and their food is amazing. Seriously, you need to try this place if you haven't ordered from here yet. I highly recommend the carnitas plate. This place is perfect for take-out orders. Vegetarian options: They offer plenty of vegetarian options that are all very tasty Service: Take out"

Celestino

➤ 141 South Lake AveCA 91101, 91106, Pasadena, United States

Carte • Full • Italian • American • Fast Food

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"This has been one of our go to Italian restaurants in Pasadena for many years. But it is VERY unlikely that we will be there ever again. We were there to celebrate a family birthday with high expectations. But the evening began poorly when we had to ask twice for someone to take our drinks order. Once we were all seated with drinks served, our then friendly waiter Mario told us of the specials and took our orders. Then the real problems began. One of my expectations in good restaurants is for all orders to be served together. This didn 't happen. 3 meals were served, but the final 2 were at least 5 or more minutes behind. But the worst part was the food. Our 2 vegetarian guests ordered linguini alfredo, which was inedible. Another guest ordered the halibut special. I have never seen an entree served with such a tiny piece of fish! I 'm guessing that it couldn 't have weighed more that 2-3 ounces, and it was severely over cooked and dry. It was a disgrace to see such a tiny piece of fish served on a dinner plate which was largely empty. My husband 's chicken parmesan was similarly tiny, overcooked and stringy. It was served with 2 tiny pieces of cauliflower on the side. A disgrace! My pasta dish was the only acceptable meal served to us. And to make things worse, the waiter never checked on our table again until the plates were being removed. No one was there to refill water glasses. And our request for grated cheese was ignored. I had to go out into the hallway to ask for someone to bring some to our table. At the end of our meal, the waiter RELUCTANTLY removed the uneaten alfredo dishes from our bill. When we asked to speak to the manager, he claimed that the manager wasn 't there. All in all, an experience NOT to be repeated."

Shiro

➤ 1505 Mission St. South Pasadena, CA 91030, United States

Carte • Tea • Beer • Wine • French

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"This is my favorite place! Outstanding service, perfect music, friendliness of staff, etc. all go far to making Shiro the ideal place to spend an evening. And the food! You cannot get better food anywhere. The menu is very creative (and always changing), and each plate is unforgettable. And the staff is equal to the food in excellence, so that I feel I always feel I am being welcomed home. This is the hidden gem of Pasadena, and I would be willing to travel far for the Shiro experience. Highest recommendation!"