Absolutely loved Old Town Caffe! The food was delicious, fresh, and made with care. The croissant…read moreegg and sausage sandwich was a standout--the croissant was perfectly flaky and buttery, and the sandwich was so satisfying. The French toast was delicious and perfectly sweet, and the açaí bowl was fresh, refreshing, and loaded with great toppings. What made the experience even better was the amazing service. Everyone was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and attentive. You can tell they genuinely care about their customers and creating a great experience.

Yesterday was my first time stopping by, and all I came in for was a matcha. Unfortunately, my…read moreexperience at the counter was not very pleasant. When I ordered a matcha, the employee asked if regular milk was okay, and I said oat milk was fine. However, I was never informed that oat milk was an additional $1 charge. She also never asked what size I wanted and then told me to pay. When I looked at the screen, I saw that the total was $7 for a large. I only wanted to spend around $5-$6, so I asked if I could get a small instead. I was surprised to see that the price was still the same. When I asked why, she then explained that oat milk was a $1 up charge and she didn't charge me on the large order for oatmilk. I don't mind paying the extra dollar, but I feel customers should be informed about an additional charge before being charged for it. Also, if getting a large was actually the better deal, I would have appreciated being told that. What made the interaction more frustrating was that the employee seemed distracted and dismissive while her coworker was talking to her. I ended up getting the small, even though I was confused about the pricing. The matcha itself was good, but unfortunately, because of the customer service experience, I don't think I'll be returning. I don't expect anything special--just clear communication about pricing and to be asked what size I'd like before being charged.

It was a hot day but we ate outside anyway. Service was attentive, polite (don't let the uniform…read moreT-shirts fool you!) and the food came out faster than I expected based on the number of customers. One of my party had a dog and they brought out a dish of water. Our food was made perfectly, including getting all the special request right the first time! Delicious and not overpriced.

We came to have brunch on a Saturday afternoon and thank goodness they have this waitlist…read moreavailable. Put our name down close to 11am and it was it was 30-45 min wait. So we were able to kill time until then! Located next to Honey & Lavender, parking lot available in the back, not that small! Once seated, we got to order the California Benedicts and the Country Fried Steak. It actually didn't take too long for our order to arrive, which we were surprised they are very quick and efficient with service! Although, the food was very underwhelming. California Benedict was pretty basic, or just the bare minimum actually. It was okay, ingredients don't really stand out. My bf's country fried steak, he was disappointed that the steak didn't even look fried. He wasn't really a fan of his order lol. I thought the potatoes were pretty decent, although I wish they were cut smaller into like breakfast potatoes. They were so chunky, but also wish they could be fried more. Overall, I feel like we chose the wrong items from this place lol, but these were the items highlighted on the Yelp page? Maybe it didn't help that we were seated next to the kitchen or a cart full of dirty dishes bc I just kept smelling that as we were eating.

Fika Fika is a great shop to get a fragrant floral tea and a small bite to eat. The menu has…read moreadjusted slowly over time, but they maintain a solid coffee and tea selection, with some food options and (at the Pasadena location) about 16 flavors of gelato. On this weekday I came for the Jasmine Milk Tea. Last time this was under the Tea Latte section, but they menu changed and there is now a dedicated Milk Tea section. And also there is a Jasmine Latte with Espresso in it, but that is under the Espresso section. I was able to get it chilled but without ice. The lowest sweetness level was 50%, but I asked nicely and they estimated they could make a 25% for me. It turned out wonderfully, extremely floral, barely any sweetness so the Jasmine aroma and taste were the dominant ones. In the food side I selected the popcorn chicken. I can take some heat but only a small bit, so I asked for the spice powder in the side. I just looove the texture of the popcorn chicken. You can see in the picture that it's a very thin breading, almost not there, but the texture seems almost as if an invisible rice flour was tossed in the outside. Still juicy in the inside, and small pieces to make every bite pop-able. The chicken comes with a ranch sauce, though to me it's a second thought. Add a hint of spice or even have the chicken as is, no ranch is needed.

TL;DR: I've been here a handful of times and keep coming back for the work-friendly atmosphere,…read moresolid rewards program, and flavored lattes. Traditional espresso drinks, however, aren't their strong suit. Pros: Plenty of seating, lots of outlets, reliable Wi-Fi, and a comfortable space to work or study. They also have a solid rewards program if you visit regularly, plus various avocado toast options and Asian-inspired ice cream if you're looking for more than coffee. My favorite drink is the brown sugar latte (I'd recommend 25% or 50% sweetness), followed by the Thai tea latte. Cons: Traditional espresso drinks feel more modernized than authentic. On my most recent visit (Friday around 10:20 a.m.), I ordered a cappuccino that took 15 minutes to receive and was surprised it only came in 12 oz or 16 oz. I was expecting a smaller cup like other places. The 12 oz tasted more like a latte with extra steamed milk than a classic cappuccino. The ube and hojicha lattes were decent, but I've had better elsewhere. Parking in front is limited to 15 minutes, but there's additional one-hour parking in the rear.

This has been on my list of places to go for quite a while, but honestly I keep forgetting about…read moreit. Went for a birthday lunch with two friends, and we were all excited to try it. I ordered the Italian chopped salad and dalgona coffee, one ordered the chiliquilies with Carne Asada, and the other ordered the chicken fried steak. Both of those were on the brunch menu. The portions were huge, the food was delicious and the service was great. The inside interior is decorated so cute. Very relaxing, just really cute. They're huge dodger fans, which is fine with me. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because we were very disappointed with the cupcakes. We ordered one each after our meal, a red velvet, Carmelita, and a lemon curd. They were so dry and honestly had no flavor. I was shocked and really disappointed because I've heard amazing things about the cupcakes. The lemon curd had absolutely no lemon flavor at all in the cupcake. It was a very dry white cupcake. The Carmelita was just basically a chocolate cupcake with tiny caramel candies on top and the chocolate cupcake itself was very dry. I didn't try the red velvet, but my friend said the same. It was just very dry and planned in flavor. We will definitely be going back because the food was amazing. Probably will not order cupcakes though.

One of my favorite local cafe in Pasadena. Conveniently located next to 210 fwy entrance/exist…read more Love the cupcakes, it's tasty, reasonably priced, and pretty! Perfect as a gift or gatherings. They have doggie cupcakes, too, which my pups love. Inside of the cafe is clean with cute decor. Great options for breakfast and coffee.

The menu was confusing to order from and it was crowed with people near the entrance but the food…read moreitself was AMAZING.

Had brunch at Popping Yolk in Pasadena and had such a great experience! The ambiance is cute and…read morefun, and the service was fine. We ordered the Toffee Banana French Toast, which was probably my favorite. The outside was so crunchy and the banana and toffee added the perfect sweetness. The Potted Plant Latte and Potted Plant Matcha were both so cute and fun to try. The Smoked Salmon Omelette was flavorful and filling, and the Popping Yolk Burger was juicy and my son loved it. There are so many options on the menu, and everything we tried was delicious. Definitely a spot I would come back to for brunch!

Trying this French spot for brunch in Pasadena for the first time, and everything was SO good!…read more We tried the breakfast croissant, Croque Monsieur, home fries, and the absolute star of the day: their crème brûlée French toast! And of course, the cappuccinos were the perfect addition. I also loved the super retro décor throughout the restaurant--and even the bathroom has that fun vintage vibe! Such a cute spot with delicious food and a great atmosphere. Definitely a brunch experience worth trying! and last but not least we took home some pastries to try it later

Ambiance: cute. Highlight of the place…read more Food: average. Lacking in flavor Drinks: average Service: friendly and prompt Overall impression: fun little spot. Wouldn't really recommend for a tasty lunch but maybe for a light baked good snack

I have been coming since 2020 and I can't believe I haven't written a review?!…read moreI loveeeeeeee EVERYTHING here. You could close your eyes and pick an item off the menu and have it easily become one of your new favorite dishes. Everything I've tried here I've loved. My favorite is their breakfast plate -- the hashbrowns ?! INSANE. Pure delicious buttery cheesy ooey gooey goodness Their eggs are pasture raised and top tier. I always get mine scrambled and dash it with their house made hot sauces which you can purchase (I did) Their burgers are amazing, the avocado fries are the bomb. The service is always pleasant! And it's cute and quaint inside. They also offer outside seating which is nice if you have any fur babies. Any excuse to come to Cos & Pi, I'm running over

We've been coming here regularly--not frequently-- since before COVID. I remember donating to their…read moregofundme during those very difficult times. They've had to tweak and retweak the menu over the years, but I still come for the salmon toast for breakfast. Turkey Salad for lunch. Sometimes I order the irresistible crunchy French fries. It's a small menu, to be sure, but I come for my regular dishes. Xotchil notices when we've not been by for a bit. Feels like a warm local spot. Sometimes we go on an urban hike through the hilly neighborhood across the train tracks afterwards.

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.