**The Palate Cleanser We Needed **…read more After our rather disappointing High Tea experience at the Langham, we decided we needed to **cleanse our palates with a few beverages** and headed over to the Tap Room. We had actually tried to get into the steakhouse first, but at 5:30 p.m. they were already booked until 8:00, so the Tap Room it was--and honestly, **I'm glad we ended up there!** The drinks were REALLY good, and the service was just as great. Everyone was attentive, friendly, and welcoming, and the whole atmosphere was exactly what we needed after our afternoon tea experience. Sometimes the backup plan ends up being the better plan! **High Tea may have disappointed, but the Tap Room definitely helped redeem the afternoon.** Great drinks, great service, and even better company. I'd absolutely come back for the Tap Room! And thank you to Francis and his excellent service

We reviewed the published Menu online from our room and found several appetizers we would like to…read moreorder. When we arrived at the Tap Room about 6pm, it wasn't too crowded yet. The Music started at 7pm. Much to my disappointment, the Menu offerings were very different from that published online. None of the offerings were appealing, really. We ended-up splitting a cheeseburger (at a ritzy Pub?), really. The snack noshies/nuts were flavorless. The drinks were strong, but very pricey, in keeping with their 5-star rating, I suppose. Our waiter became overwhelmed as the Tap Room filled. I understand. There was a Party of 20 adjacent to our table. It was too hot outside to sit at a table on their lovely patio, so we spent our two+ hours in the hub-bub that was The Tap Room on a Thursday night in the August summer.

Pasadena is one of my all-time favorite cities and they have some great restaurants. We hadn't been…read morein this side of town in a while, so I asked my son to find us a new spot to try today. We ended up at Magnolia House for a late lunch/early dinner. They also serve breakfast/brunch only on weekends. Walked in around 4:30pm and we were greeted by Brian, one of the managers. Brian was the standout star of the whole experience! His energy was exceptional and he is such a great conversationalist. He checked on us several times throughout our meal and made sure we were doing well. He on his own was HANDS DOWN a five star human being. At first, he wanted to seat us in the back corner but I told him the table was too small and he accommodated us with a bigger table. Our server Kiana came up to the table with a pleasant smile and greeting to take our drink orders. I got a glass of cranberry juice along with some water. My son got the American Dream cocktail along with some water. We skipped on dessert. From 4-6pm, they have a happy hour menu with some of their cocktails and shareable plates. The portions are just a bit smaller and the prices are a little lower. It's a good way to sample different items. I think we got a good variety of food to enjoy. To start, we got the Little Gem Salad. It was such a unique combination of flavors and SUPER delicate/light. My son and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The next starter was the Zucchini and Feta Fritters, which was good but not the best out of everything else we ordered. The zucchini was a bit mushy but the batter it was fried in was crispy. Another starter we shared were the Moroccan Spiced Chicken Wings. These wings are gigantic and very flavorful. They definitely pack some heat, so be careful. I don't think the A/C was NOT working to begin with, so the place was already hot. The wings made us sweat even more. For entrées, we got the burger and the pork belly. Brian said they are known for their burger and after taking the first bite, it's clear as to why. It was absolutely PERFRCTION. So delicious! The bun, the meat, the cheese, the onions, and the crispy bacon...all of it mixed together into the perfect burger. I had wanted to add some mushrooms and avocado to it, but Kiana said they were unable to do it. I also asked for lettuce and she said that would be an extra charge. What extra charge for lettuce? We still got charged for avocado when the bill came, but they took it off once we mentioned it. The pork belly was also very tender, flavorful, and crispy. It's just hard to compete with the burger! We also got an order of the Belgian Fries to share and we were both pleasantly surprised at how good they were. The fries are salty and cut pretty thick. The sauce that came on the side was so yummy. We asked for a small extra cup to-go. All in all, the food was great and we liked everything. The vibe of the restaurant wasn't really all that for me. Brian genuinely made up for anything that was lacking in the atmosphere. He is such a wonderful asset to the restaurant and their company. The restaurant itself has been here for about 15 years now and it used to be a very old house. You can tell when you look around. They did a good job with the renovations, but you can see the different areas/rooms. I think they tried to keep the casual comfort of a home, while making it a slightly elevated experience. It was very clean everywhere, especially the bathrooms. They have one gender neutral bathroom, one for men, and one for women. No private parking, so you'll have to park on the street and put money in the kiosk. They also had an outdoor seating. Pretty BIG, only took picture of one side. They also have 2 small TVs. In the bar area and inside their cute lounge. I normally like to try new places, especially when I'm in Pasadena, so I'm not sure if I'll come back here. Maybe if Brian is working, it would definitely be worth stopping by again! Thank you all..

Magnolia House was the place to go 10-12 years ago. But the last 3 times I've been here recently,…read moreit just really doesn't have the charm or class it used to have. Service is really really slow. You may see 5 or 6 waiters on staff...but they aren't stopping at tables to check up on guests. Alot of them are just hanging around the bar or front desk chitchatting with friends. The food quality dropped tremendously. It tastes like bland bar food now. $19 for 2 meatballs laying in tomato paste....and they were not even room temperature. Felt like they had these already prepared and sitting somewhere, just waiting for the next guest to order them. Got a mojito that may have been mistaken for a "virgin" drink....cause no one at our table could taste any alcohol in it. They all said it was watered down mint with ice. I wish this place would go back 10 years and make it like "the spot you want to go to"....versus the spot you now avoid.

The food, drinks, and service is amazing!!!…read more The ambiance of this place makes me feel like I've been transported to Hawaii.

The Lucky Tiki in Highland Park is the sister location of the original Lucky Tiki in West…read moreHollywood. This spot opened about a year ago, and has a cool speakeasy style entrance at the Highland Park Bowl bowling alley. It is a small space, and I would highly recommend making a reservation on Resy. You have 90 minutes to drink and dine. I parked behind the bowling alley where there is a medium sized pay parking lot. Park in a space, remember your space number painted on the ground, and go to the pay station at the end of the lot. I found the parking machine to be extremely finicky as did other people. After ten minutes of failure, I ended up moving my car to another space, and then it worked. This has nothing to do with the Lucky Tiki, but FYI if you park there. We walked around to the front of the bowling alley, and checked in. Seating options include at the bar, tiki hut booths, and high top tables. The décor inside is a tiki lovers paradise. The room has a high ceiling with many tiki lamps, floats, puffer fish, tiki huts, thatch, ropes, barrels, netting, carvings, a hanging canoe, and a large tiki right in the middle of the space. In addition to the great décor, when you order certain drinks, special effects are triggered. There was also great tiki music playing all evening. We sat at the bar since we always enjoy talking to the bartenders. We actually ran into Skipper Christian in the parking lot on the way in, and he ended up being our main bartender, with Nick and Jo also working behind the bar. We put in a food order right away. The chicken potstickers ($12) came with five tasty bites, and the garlic teriyaki dipping sauce was good. We also had the giant pretzel ($16) which comes with mustard, beer cheese, and ranch sauces. This was excellent, and the perfect filling snack before a bunch of drinks. My first drink was the Siren's Song (Flor de Cana Eco rum, lemon juice, cassis, Oloroso sherry, apricot foam topper, $19). This drink is served in a great mermaid with skull mug and triggers special sound effects and bubbles fill the air. Those bubbles on top of the drink had a great light citrusy apricot flavor, probably the best flavored bubbles I've ever had. The drink itself was very good and balanced with some complexity. She wasn't sure what to order at first, and Christian asked her what flavors she liked. He ended up making a spin on a Tradewinds with some mango and pineapple to go along with the apricot and coconut. It was nicely balanced and not too sweet, even with all that fruit in there. My second drink was the Sun of Suns (Tierra de Acre mezcal, coconut cream, Giffard mango liqueur, pineapple juice, lime juice, $17). This was coconut and pineapple forward with some good smokiness in the background. Her second drink was the Whatever Floats Your Boat (Ford's gin, lemon juice, velvet falernum, orgeat, passion fruit syrup, guava soda, topped with hazelnut passion fruit foam, $19). It is served in a cool boat mug, and triggers thunder sound effects and lighted mechanical Polynesian tiki characters paddling a canoe over the bar. This was another good balanced drink. It was a little gin forward and the passion fruit popped out, maybe from being both in the drink and the foam top. That creamy hazelnut passion fruit form on top is delicious. I'd happily have a glass of that on its own. We were still a little hungry so we ordered the Hawaiian pizza (marinara, diced pepperoni, red onion, pineapple chunks, hot capicola ham, $16). It was another good tasting, perfectly sized snack, and the crust was light and airy. We were already fifteen minutes over our time limit, but we got the green light to stay longer to order a third drink to share. We ordered the Tiki Diablo (Flor de Cana Eco rum, Worthy Park 109 rum, Alma Tepecha chile liqueur, orange juice, lime juice, mango syrup, guava soda, $24). This drink serves two people, is served in a cool volcano bowl with glowing red lava around it, and comes with a fire show. Unfortunately, right after it was served, the host came over and said we were over our time and had to leave shortly. Christian made up for it by giving us two tall pours to go enjoy in the bowling alley bar area which was fine. We were happy we got some extra time inside. The drink was also very good, balanced with a little complexity. We had a great time. There is so much great décor to look at. The drinks and food were very good, and some of the the drink presentations and special effects were the icing on the cake. All of the bartenders were very friendly and a lot of fun. We purchased up a few zombie glasses to take home as a souvenir. I'd definitely recommend visiting the Lucky Tiki in Highland Park!

Wonderful local spot. The food is always fantastic, and the service as well. We love to see about…read moretrying the specials and the Wednesday all day happy hour. They have a really nice patio as well, but we mostly hang at the bar. Foothill Old Fashioned is my personal favorite. Cheers!!

Great food selection. Their burgers were so yummy! Our…read moreservers so far were a bit slow. I think they are down on staff but they were quick to address questions about the menu. We've gone both brunch time and midday lunch. Highly suggest going when it's slow. The noise is super loud during busy service. The place should consider turning down the music volume a notch as everyone's already loud trying to talk over the music. Their parking lot had been good and there's always been a spot when we get there. Will come back!

Tucked inside Vromans you'll find 1894, a small bar serving wine, flights, selection of cocktails…read moreand nibblers. We enjoyed beer, wine and a charcuterie (from Agnes Cheesery). The service was top notch attentive, friendly, and courteous. A relaxing and chill environment surrounded by books.

If you love books, wine, and that cozy intellectual vibe, 1894 is an absolute must-visit in…read morePasadena. This bar is tucked inside Vroman's Bookstore (already one of the most charming and iconic bookstores in the area) so the entire experience feels like stepping into a warm, literary universe. You can browse for a new book, take in the bookstore's atmosphere, and then walk straight into the bar. Honestly, it's the perfect outing. What makes 1894 truly special is how intentionally it celebrates literature. Everything in the bar pays homage to the bookstore. The drink menu is full of clever, book-inspired names. You'll find cocktails like Pride and PearJudice Pride, Fifty Shades of Earl Grey, and other fun literary twists. Every drink feels like a little wink to readers, writers, and book lovers, and it adds such a unique charm to the experience. The vibe is super quaint and warm, dim lighting, and a creative atmosphere that makes you want to stay for hours. The wine is on the pricier side ($19-$21 per glass), but the quality delivers. Customer service was excellent. One of the bartenders spent time chatting with us. He pointed out a chalk artwork behind the bar a dramatic portrait he drew himself featuring expressive, literary-style faces, like Edgar Allan Poe, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, etc. It fits perfectly with the creative, bookish aesthetic of the bar. If you're into books, wine, and unique experiences, 1894 is a spot you absolutely can't miss. Perfect for a date, a solo unwind-with-a-book moment, or a fun night with friends who appreciate a good story and a great drink.

this bar was slayyyying. the enterance is a little unassuming (i completely walked by it at first)…read morebut the inside is a beautiful, dimmed lounge. lots of seating on a couch that spans the entire room and stools by the bar. the staff are very friendly and offered some recommendations for us. there is a self serve popcorn machine in the back! bathroom was also clean and orderly. the menu is super cute and hand drawn. my friend actually knows the person who made it hahaha. i ordered the planters punch at first, it had a pretty strong liquor taste. the zombie 1950s was next and it was so good i had to get it twice. its refreshing and served super cold. but who knows i was already a drink in so that may have made it taste better lol. also just need to say shoutout whoever was on aux they have great music taste. daft punk, tv girl, tame impala and the strokes kept me company all night ‍ good neighbors for sure!

Super chill bar with nice cocktail selection. Great place for small groups to sit and chat. Mellow…read moremusic, no Dj, but mellow vibes, nice decor inside the bar. they have food trucks outside almost every night, when they are open. Super nice staff. Parking can be a little tight. You can bring kids and pets to the outside patio, when they have food trucks. Great place to come and chill Dragon egg approved

This location is nestled in a food market building. The section of the bar is a bit small on the…read moreinside, but extends outside as well. What is awesome about this, and I'm sure the other businesses within this market hall is that they have televisions to play sports. The bartender was attentive and courteous. The glasses for the drinks was ice cold. Great place to kick back and relax. For the dudes, don't sweat about it being called bar blossom, it's still a great place to chill and catch the game, a hidden gem. On the plus note, they do allow food inside their area.

Came to try bar blossom because they had an asian inspired drink menu. It is located in the Blossom…read moreFood Hall. We ordered the cucumber lycheetini, peach mojito and the New England IPA. The cucumber lycheetini and the peach mojito were super refreshing and delicious. Both were super strong but you couldn't taste the alcohol in it which made it super dangerous. The drinks weren't super sweet either and had the perfect amount of sweetness. You can really taste the cucumber and lychee in the cocktail. Same for the peach mojito. The peach flavor was apparent. My partner enjoyed the New England IPA and said it was good! Service was excellent. The bartenders there were all kind and friendly. There is plenty of seating inside the food hall and the bar section is a dedicated 21+ section so there is some dedicated bar seating. They have last call at 9:30 since they close at 10 pm on Fridays so we made sure to get our last orders in. There is plenty of parking on the side and behind the food hall and on the street. Would come back!

we loved it all especially Brenda! Food is always great!…read more Thank you Brenda! Great service and atmosphere!

Came here with a group of friends to try the Dine LA Dinner Menu for $65 per person…read more The Dine LA Dinner Menu includes an Appetizer, Main Entree, and a Dessert. For me, I selected the followings: Appetizer - Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice Entree - 1886 Steak Frites Dessert - Fosselman's Artisanal Ice Cream (Vanilla) All items were very delicious. Service was good despite some minor issues. Overall, had a great time here.

We had a tea reservation for 3:15, we got there on time and we're our food came promptly. Our…read moreserver. Her name was Taylor. She was wonderful and food and tea were all very good.

walked in after a Christmas party & the owner was behind the bar, she was out of control yelling at…read morethe customers & refused to serve my friend! It's too bad because we live in the neighborhood & have been great patrons. People should not treat people the way she treated her customers!

Granville is not just great food, it's a wonderful experience. We showed up at 11:20 and they don't…read moreopen until 11:30. They got a lot of good stuff on the menu. We started with the artisan bread as an appetizer, and then the sweet potato fries. The bread and butter was really good. The sweet potato fries were a solid choice almost got Brussels sprouts may do that next time. I was really considering the Wagyu beef stroganoff as well. . A co-worker had the spicy pasta and loved it. We were there celebrating a special occasion, a retirement celebration. . I ordered the rainbow trout top 5 I have had in a really lon time. They brought out a card for her retirement, which surprised her, and they provided a dessert too. The food, the service, and the experience were all five star. If you want to go somewhere for a special meal or to celebrate, Granville is a great choice. I definitely plan to come back. I picked my meal from looking at the Yelp pictures, not the menu. I posted a few pictures as well. great vibe speakng If I lived closer I would come more often. I hope you enjoy my pictures.

Friends and I visited Granville in Pasadena for dineLA lunch on a Friday. Restaurant was bustling…read more ~35 minute wait for a table. It was nice to get out of the summer heat into an air conditioned restaurant. What we ordered: Drinks (included with $25 dineLA prix-fixe) - Berry lemonade - non-refillable - Craft soda (cream soda) - refillable Appetizers - Grilled mushrooms - Farmhouse beets Entrees - Poke bowl - Pasta alla Vodka Dessert (gelato) - vanilla fleur de sel - dark chocolate - cherry almond chip The berry lemonade was salty. I wasn't expecting a salty drink. I had to wash it down with iced water. My friend enjoyed her agave vanilla cream soda. She gladly accepted a refill. The grilled mushrooms were nicely seasoned. We enjoyed the variety: oyster and trumpet mushrooms. The farmhouse beets were served with arugula, feta, candied pecans, and a lemon vinaigrette. These were nice starters. I ordered the poke bowl. The portion size was perfect for lunch. It contained tuna, soba noodles at the base, small cubes of mango & avocado, toasted coconut, red onion, basil, and sesame seeds. The ingredients were fresh and beautifully presented. The pasta alla vodka was slightly spicy. It consisted of "mezze maniche" or large tubular pasta, pungent pecorino cream, tomato, garlic, and shallots. It was topped with grated Parmesan cheese. This was a heavier entree. Each of us had one scoop of gelato. It was a nice finish to a pleasant Friday afternoon.