What? Arroyo, Alexander’s, Flemings, Ruths Chris and ? What others? Are you going to count Smitty’s? I do agree about the play it safe angle, but that’s not steak. It’s more about salmon filet and mashed potatoes.
Many good points raised. Reminds me of the old Chowhound “Pasadena is weak” thread…
Pasadena is pretty damn boring imo. Nice place to live but meh. I got downvoted for that opinion on Reddit.
You can only do Roma Market and Bulgarini Bang Bang for so long. Who can eat sandwiches, pasta, and gelato all the time?
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Worked right off Colorado for a few years. Lunch was a chore. For such a big nice city the food should have been much better. If you don’t mind driving there are some solid choices but still lacking in many areas.
Lunasia
Me & Crepe
Zankou
Sahara Restaurant
Pie Life
Crack Shack
Ramen Katsunoya
Osawa
Bone Kettle
Houston’s
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It would be five if Delmonico’s didn’t close down during covid. I also consider Parkway Grill a steakhouse since it features so prominently on their menu. Either way you count it 4-6 steakhouses is a lot of steakhouses in a 1-2 mile radius and shows the general clientele of the city.
My wife, flat out, will not eat at sit down restaurants in Pasadena if it isn’t Pizza or Asian food. Fortunately those are the only foods my daughter eats.
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I suppose that’s true. For perspective, there was a time when the only place in town you could get a decent steak was at The Chronicle. If you wanted a croissant or bottled water, you had to drive to West LA.
Try Guisados.
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I go to the OG one in Boyle Heights a few times a year. Usually a sampler, a few on the sides, and a horchata
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Racking my brain to recall a crave-worthy place in Pasadena proper (and not Altadena)… Maybe Kopitiam?
Too bad Chef Tony never got off the ground in Pasadena. Both Sushi Kimagure and Lost At Sea have shuttered. Before Chef Laurent pivoted to private venues for his dinners, Bistro LQ used to do dinners in Old Town. Excited to try U Street Pizza, though.
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Think about how many pizza restaurants Pasadena has. Not sure what that shows about the general clientele.
I have some childhood Pasadena connections so I may be biased in favor of places that don’t quite deserve it, but Lucky Boy is special. I also like All India and Himalayan Cafe, Union, 21 Choices, Chamo, Hummus Labs, Smosh Town, Pie Life, 1886 at The Raymond, and El Metate for big plate Mexican. Is Delicatessen by Osawa still around? Always liked that place.
None of those are really blow-you-away fantastic, but I end up there somewhat often and we usually do fine.
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Pie Life! Thanks for reminding me.
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Five star (according to Yelpers) taco place:
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they close at 5pm so you’ve got to go for breakfast (which the police generally do every morning) or lunch to enjoy lee’s hoagie house. the chicken hoagie is awfully good.
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Unfortunately has shuttered. 
i tried the place last night.
tacos are $1.25 each, i tried two each of the al pastor, asada, cabesa & buche.
how did i find them? quite by accident - underneath the bag of lemon and radishes which was substantially larger than either packet of four tacos each. there are still four slices of lemon left over in the bag, and the bag is still about the same size as each four packet of tacos. i might have taken pics except my barely a step up from a flip phone has no zoom feature. i’m one of those who expect $10 worth of tacos to fill me up or a least make a substantial dent in my appetite. i would rather go back to alberto’s on fair oaks (although i understand that the tire shop whose parking lot is where the truck parks has since closed for good).
Had the same feeling when I read it.
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Thank you for the Rec! Been to Lee’s twice now. Astounding pickle bar and makes the delicious sandwich come even more alive.
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it’s an amazing selection: radishes, 3-4 types of peppers, turnips, cabbage, carrots, onion and also adds onions & carrots to the hot peppers. i’m shameless in how full i pack one of the plastic sandwich bags to go.
in the fall he also pickles sweet red peppers. they go so well with the chicken hoagie.
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