This place was ridiculously good. I'm not going to rant and rave about food that's been reviewed into the ground, already, but we had the corn flake crusted french toast and the eggs benedict. So good.. so so very good. Why not 5 stars? Our invisible waitress. She was nice when she was around, but she didn't come around much. I could have used more water for over half the meal. She was nice enough to bring the check, though. read more

If drinking and driving was not such a dangerous and illegal affair, Pasadena would surely be home to the "Craftsman" drinking game (i.e. spot a bungalow, take one shot... spot a bungalow converted into an office, take two shots.) The Greene and Greene style is ubiquitous here, and classically Southern Californian, unfortunately disappearing from much of Los Angeles. Luckily, there's the bubble world of Pasadena, where the art of the craft continues to thrive and influence the community's sense of itself and its future. There's something comforting about a place that doesn't change. Marston's rests just north of Old Town Pasadena, and is one of those places that will probably never die. Known for breakfast, and possessing a nice long line every Sunday, it is a local mainstay - known for its carby goodness, it's kind and friendly service, and its old California atmosphere. I find myself here on occasion - usually when class is canceled for the morning and I have nothing else to do. It is then that I will work my way over to the front stoop of this little cottage set amidst an office district and seek out my one and only desire: the cornflake encrusted french toast. Yes, I'm jumping onto the bandwagon, and for good reason. It is one of the yummiest things I have ever tasted on its own, and the crunchy layer that ensconces the fluffy egg drenched artery clogger is so wonderfully worth it that there really is no other choice for me. That said, the omelets that pass by on occasion (as mentioned by Angie and others) are beautiful sights to behold. The interior, decorated with artwork and photographs that call to mind the artistic heritage of Old Pasadena, is a small and cozy thing - unable to handle the weekend crowds but more than capable to handle the small groups that descend upon it during the weekday breakfast sessions. The clientele is professional and busy - mainly single diners answering emails and reading newspapers before heading into work. The waitresses are similarly committed to their jobs - being friendly and welcoming without being overbearing or overly conversational, though if you get them going you'll find yourself wrapped up in one. Lunch is on my list sometime. But given my time in Pasadena is limited to a few more weeks, I'm not sure that will happen. However, even when the time comes to leave, Marston's will still remain my go-to breakfast place whenever I find myself in the San Gabriel Valley area again. read more

It's normally pretty good. The oatmeal was delicious. I ordered the ciabatta breakfast sandwich. I ordered the egg over medium and they gave me a hard boiled egg plus the bacon was way over cooked almost burnt. I let the waitress know and they said Oh, sorry and that was it. Traveled a long way for over cooked food!! but the oatmeal was good. read more

The french toast is over rated!! Greasy, bland, a little burnt, even dousing the entire thing with maple syrup couldn't save the poor toast. The Californian omelette was very good though. The egg amalgamation was huge, packed with sausage,, tomatoes, spinach, cheese and topped with sour cream and avocado. Yums!! You can order it with a side of fruit or home style potatoes. I chose the potatoes and they came out piping hot cooked with onions and bell peppers. I still give Marston's 4 stars regardless of the french toast. The cosy atmosphere and feeling of warmth and home saved the entire experience. The prices are a little higher than average but large portions make up for it, so we are tricked into believing. I'm kind of torn whether I'd recommend this restaurant to a friend. read more

Marston's - The Californian!! Pretty big and tasty - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

The food is decent, but on the pricey side. Staff is just average - helpful on some days and rude on others. Parking is limited. They have both indoor and outdoor seating which is also limited. Why should you come here? It's a nice little breakfast place to hang out with friends. I would say it's more the ambiance of having a nice breakfast at a quaint restaurant. So for the ladies who want to hang out with the gal pals and chit chat about the crap you always talk about and don't mind spending some cash Marston's is a good spot. For the guys, head east on Colorado for a few miles to hit up the Denny's. REMEMBER they close around 2ish, so don't expect this place to be open for late lunch/dinner. They are also closed on Mondays. read more

Marston's for dinner? They serve dinner? Wait, aren't they a breakfast place? Clearly if you have been to Marston's for breakfast/brunch/lunch you understand that they are not hurting for business during those times. There is always a crowd of people bleeding out the front door waiting on the sidewalk for a table. But, apparently I am not the only person who did not know that Marston's serves dinner because there was a "dinner only" Groupon to increase their business during that day part. So with our Groupon in hand we had dinner at Marston's. We ordered two entrees and shared them: Mushroom risotto - A perfectly cooked risotto with a wild mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes. The portion was large and had a lot of mushrooms. It was good not great, and at $20 it was a bit on the pricey side for what it was. Beef tenderloin - It was a beef roulade filled with some sort of soft cheese in a port reduction, served with scalloped potatoes and asparagus. The beef was nicely cooked and the potatoes were tasty but again at $26 it was pricey for what it was. The service was excellent. Our glasses were never empty. The food was good. The atmosphere was nice. That being said the food is just OK and it is really overpriced. I don't think that I will be returning for dinner. read more

I would love to give this place 5 stars because the food was excellent...however, the service was not there...I would normally understand poor service if it's a big place, or if they are short staffed, but hat was not the case here... There are no more than 25 tables in the entire restaurant, and they had plenty of servers, so there was really no excuse for the lack of service. I was only offered a coffee refill once. The server only stopped to bring out drinks, take our order and drop off our order. Other than that, we never saw her. Oh wait.... And when she brought the bill... I would love to come by again, but I really wouldn't want to deal with the bad service again... We'll see.... read more

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3.5 the wait on a sunday morning was hectic, it took about 30 mins to get seated for a party of 3..the parking lot was tiny and inconvenient, but luckily after circling the block twice, i got a premium spot!!!! the inside is pretty crammed and seating arrangement is tite, but they want to fit as many tables as possible so its forgivable... we shared 3 dishes...corn flake french toast, pulled pork benedict, 7 grain pancakes the 7 grain pancakes is grainy...its not fluffy either, but it tasted pretty healthy, minus the butter and maple syrup.. pulled pork benedict - they hollandise sauce is a bit spicy, its a plus for the extra kick the french toast was pretty interesting...not my favorite but something new!! worth a try to share... read more

this place is like a small homey cottage that holds like less than 20 tables inside. its kinda cramped but some might say its snug. the french toast is their most popular item and its pretty dang good! the sourdough was a nice change and helped keep its shape. the corn flake crust made it nice and crunchy. the strawberries were soo sweet and tasty which surprised me because i didnt think they could be this good out of season! the bf got the Smoked Salmon (Smoke salmon, capers, red onion and sour cream) you could taste the smokeyness of the salmon which went well with the sour cream and capers. the home style potatoes on the side were so good! i dont remember exactly what was the seasoning but it was perfectly cooked and so simple and so tasty. read more

Marston's - Fantastic French Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I went for lunch the other day and it lived up to all of the wonderful reviews that I've heard over the years. I had the fish tacos & my Mom had the Pasadena salad. We both enjoyed the Barbera wine(I wonder if that's considered "cheap" wine??? LOL) and their signature San Pasqual salad dressing. Now for breakfast with my lovely SO. I'll let ya know how that goes. read more

Holy itchiban! (Ok that has no meaning) Big breakfast! Dude I can't even speak a complete sentence. I peaked over and saw this big, gianormass omelet topped with chilies, a dollop of sour cream, and fanned slices of avocado. it's not on the menu, it's called Texas Omelete. And we know how Texans like everything big - big hat, big ranch, big truck, big steak, and with this omelete you'll get a big ass! I forget what my friend ordered... mine was so good and just over the top that I was ecstatic and tuned out. Confession: I have splurged this past month. I mean no work out and when you're at my age 24, you have to work out! Ok, ok not 24, 29, ok, ok that's not it either ... when you're my age you just tell yourself age is just a number hahahaha. Anyway, going for a p90x diet again. So no more Cappuchinno Blast, riding happy with Banh Mi, late night dessert of Hagedaz ice cream... haaaaa, no half n half on my morning coffee. Fuck just beat me with a cane why don't you! Tell me, those with kids, how do you manage?! Stay in shape, take care of the kids, and still manage a healthy loving relationship? You know we're working for the Baby Boomer don't ya! US security accounts are empty and our generation has to be ten times more productive to feed the idiot generation Y, and yackadi-yack baby boomer generation. Recaps: Big, big breakfast enough for two if both of you guys are on diet. Correct that, if you're on diet you shouldn't be here. Friendly service 20 mins wait in the cold on Sunday morning Curious about other breakfast items but if you're single this isn't a place for you. Ladies this type of breakfast will give you... muffin roll!!! Hahahha so funny who ever came up with that. B of A is at $5.78? What the heck? Gonna buy me some of that no way this bank go belly up kekekekeke. Phesss, Jessica here's a chance to own your bank ;) read more

Warm, inviting, friendly, fresh - these are just some of the adjectives that come to mind when I think of Marston's. This this the kind of place you always feel welcome, whether your first or your hundredth visit. I simply love coming here for breakfast or lunch, whether business or social. The breakfast menu is well-known in Pasadena and on weekends sometimes the line tells the tale, but stop in any weekday at virtually any time and you won't have to wait long. The selection of omelets is wonderful, and if you don't see something you like, just ask. The salads are equally delightful, especially the spinach and chicken salad with green onions and candied pecans. Everything looks great, smells great, tastes great, and you never leave hungry. Even more than the food, the comfortable atmosphere will bring you back. When it is not too hot the outdoor front porch is fantastic for conversation over coffee or tea, and inside it is cool and casual. I just can't get over the service. It is like they know you as family even if they don't know you, and it is not forced casual California politeness. The people who work here are truly happy and can't do enough to embrace you. That is rare, and it is why I am a regular here. There is a small free parking lot next to the restaurant, metered street parking all around, and the 90 minute free indoor lot on Raymond about 2 blocks away. That makes it easy to visit, again no small deal in Pasadena. read more

OK, first things first... 5 STARS FOR THE FOOD!!!! Again 5 STARS FOR THE FOOD!!! The breakfast here is AMAZING!! The Fabulous French Toast breakfast (which I have ordered) was voted the number 1 breakfast in the state of California by the Food Network magazine!!! I have never had a bad experience with the food here. GREAT, AMAZING AND DELICIOUS FOOD. Now, why the 3 star review??? THE SERVICE SUCKS! As a reviewer mentioned before they do not disclose up-charges for add-ons. Which sucks, but I can deal with. However, what I cannot deal with is the extremely RUDE service. Listen I have been to this place several times before and have yet to experience a good waitress. But this last one took the cake! She literally said 4 sentences to us: -Are you ready to order? -Do you want strawberries with that? -What kind of toast? -Here is your check. DONE! No "Hello" or "Thank You" NOTHING! OK, so I gave her the benefit of the doubt b/c it was busy and maybe she was just overwhelmed? Well the thing about Marstons is its SMALL. So nothing goes unnoticed especially when your waitress is OVERLY nice to the 3 other tables she's waiting on next you... hmmm... NOT COOL! I'm talking this woman was having full on chit chat, laughing, making suggestions, and well being a GOOD waitress. Then she would look over at us and give us a death stare or just gloss over us! WTF?? I couldn't help but want to pull out my race card (we are Mexican, everyone around us was white), but alas, I kept it in my pocket and decided to blame it on her just being a rude lady. All other times I have gone the servers have been very BLAH, but never blatantly rude. Will I go again, yeah probably, the food is damn good. Will I recommend to a friend? Yeah, but with a BIG warning. read more

Really great, comfy atmosphere. The food is very good but is not always completely consistent. Service is pretty good, out of 4 visits I only had 1 where service was less than excellent. Great for breakfast and lunch, dinner is a little less stellar. read more

This is a local breakfast favorite that not too many people know about. Marston's famous cornflake french toast is what drives people to wait and wait for seat. I know people talk about how the french toast here is great and all. And don't get me wrong, I think it is really good as well. But at the end of the day, in my humble opinion, I do think it is overrated. I like the concept, with the cornflakes on the french toast. But I think with a french toast, most people are expecting something sweet and/or savory. But when you add texture, the cornflakes, it brings a different element that people don't expect. I think this 3rd element takes away the usual french toast. In my opinion, I think french toast should be more sweet or savory, than have this texture. But, again, this is just my opinion. But let me get back to this french toast. The toast, similar to a large Texas toast, is coated with cornflakes, browned together. Sprinkled with some powdered sugar and a side of maple syrup, without other sides, this dish is a meal in itself. On this day, I let my cupcake friend order the french toast, while I ordered the The Serendipity, which is Ham, onions, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese, topped with green Ortega chili, pico de gallo. I must say, I enjoyed this more than the few bites I had of the french toast. I like the chili with tomatoes on the eggs. If you don't know, I love eggs, any which way. Anyways. . . I do suggest to try the french toast, at least once. But also, consider the Serendipity, as well. read more

Well, it started out ok and then crash landing. The food came out quick and piping hot, just the way I like it. Then FML, if hiding under the potatoes I didn't find a couple of hairs just marinating. I don't recall asking for a side of hair. Meal killed, now I'm left hungry and apparently, I just had breakfast. read more

Marston's - Let's play find the hair...HINT: looks like a question mark - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

I had been here before a few years back and remember really digging this place for its atmosphere and quaint ambience. However, hoping to relive that, I went for breakfast recently and ended up walking out before my server could finish asking if we were ready to order. First off, both our water glasses and my coffee cup were filthy with both fresh lipstick and food particles. As I tried to get the server/busser's attention, she was so much in a hurry, I had to literally demand her to walk over to the table to let her know the glasses were dirty. When she finally came back out after 5 minutes, she dropped off the to the table next to us who had just sat down, there water and coffee. She then brought ours over and the coffee cup and water glass were yet again filthy Trying to just chuck it to a faulty dishmachine or careless dishwasher, we spoke about staying or leaving, but opted to give it a chance. We waited about 4 or 5 more minutes for our server, who as she came out the door, went to the table next to us before ours, regardless of us being there before them. That was pretty much all we could muster. We left as soon as she approached the table. We will give it another try sometime down the line, but as for now, we would rather go a diner knowing the expectation of filthy dinnerware. read more

I hadn't been here in awhile and I had forgotten how great the service was, especially my waitress Nina who was warm and inviting. The food is good and with the amount of bacon I got with my breakfash dish, I was pleasantly surprised. Great value! I'll come back soon. If you appreciate service with a smile and a grest breakfast, hit this place up! read more

We were excited to try Marston's, having driven past several times as locals. Today we finally had the chance to go. We chose to sit outside and dine. Long story short, we ordered coffee and omelettes with sourdough. The coffee was good but not worth $3.25. The potatoes were not fresh yet smothered in oil. Speaking of oil, the toast was soaked with margarine. Omelettes- they were overcooked with large pieces of added ingredients. So get your knife out! Just gross, not fresh, and overpriced. Very disappointing. read more

There's no harm in waiting 30-45 minutes for breakfast (especially for a small, local business)...as long as the food is good. This was the WORST restaurant breakfast I have ever had. I came here for the first time today with some family members, hoping to have a filling meal before hitting the road again, and we were all sorely disappointed. Upon soliciting our waitress' recommendation, we learned that the french toast coated in corn flakes was their "claim to fame," so my fiance' and cousin ordered it with bananas and strawberries. BLAND. So, so bland. Eggs benedict is personal favorite, so I was excited to see it on the menu. The Hollandaise sauce: BLAND. Not even the mountain of salt and pepper I placed on top could salvage such a flavorless dish. We could not believe the amount of money we paid for such mediocre food. Oh, and minus another star for the FLY I found cooked in my potatoes. Absolutely disgusting. I'm not a fan of finding insects in my already disappointing meal. Save your money for the IHOP down the street. read more

Such a cute and quaint restaurant. It gets pretty packed here. I always order the Californian omelette with potatoes and apple smoked sausage. So good. I'm not too much of a sweet tooth person, but for those who are try the corn flake French toast. Had a bite and was yummy. I'm a meat and potatoes kinda girl. Try this place. It won't disappoint. Great for breakfast and brunch . read more

Really a 4.5 star restaurant and although there was absolutely nothing wrong with our experience, I just didn't leave with that sense of "wow" after having dinner there... Some years ago, we had been introduced to Marston's when former owner Otis Marston gave a cooking demonstration at my wife's workplace in Pasadena, who had catered some of their events. After the demonstration, we bought one of his books, "Homestyle Elegance--Otis Marston's California Cuisine" and immediately took a liking to some of the recipes. And although he has sold the business, my wife has since been to Marston's occasionally for lunch and used to rave about the salads and the popovers. We had a chance to try Marston's for dinner through a Groupon coupon on this occasion. It was my first time and I was impressed by the understated charm of the dining area in this little cottage like restaurant. We decided to start by sharing a special salad on the evening menu. It was a warm fig salad with goat cheese and cherry tomatoes, on a bed of arugula and a carmalized balsamic reduction... absolutely delightful... For the entree we each decided to go with a comfort food theme; she had the smoked chicken mac 'n cheese, and I ordered a chicken pot pie. You could taste the smokiness of the chicken which seemed to infused in the macaroni and creamy sauce. I had a taste of it and immediately thought that it was a very heavy choice, given that we already had a generous portion of salad, let alone another generous portion of pasta. Sure enough, she could only manage to make it through half of the portion before throwing in the towel. After a while, it started tasting bland to her, and I could understand this once you've reached the point when you're stuffed. My chicken pot pie was unconventional, but nevertheless well executed. It had diced chicken, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, onions among other things in a sweet, creamy, tomato-bisque like sauce, topped and bottomed with baked puff pastry. Not your usual Marie Calender's chicken pot pie for sure. The service was impeccable... our waitress was attentive but not hovering. She answered all of our questions regarding the dishes and dinner; we were even honored with a visit by the head chef to see if we enjoyed our meal. A charming dining experience, but not something unique or quite special enough to warrant 5 stars but certainly worthy of a visit or two... read more

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On our way to the car show in Pomona city a friend suggested to stop and have breakfast at Marston's Pasadena and what a breakfast it was. The eggs Benedict were perfectly cooked, the runny yolk was exactly what you expect when ordering eggs Benedict and the flavor was a quality of a five star restaurant. I had the vegetarian omelette. Every bite was full of fresh flavor, the onion, bell pepper, mushroom and spinach were cooked just to the point to bring all the flavors out and make it a delightful combination. They brought us a small plate of hummus with pita bread to try. My eight year old son who never eats hummus out because he feels that it never tastes like the one I make at home says to me "this one taste exactly like the one you make mom" We will for sure go back again and again and we are planing on taking all our foodie friends there because it's a restaurant where we feel proud taking our friends and family to enjoy the great experience we had. Great food. Great service. Memorable experience Very highly recommended. read more

The best breakfast spot in Pasadena. The potatoes here are to die for. The French toast deserves an A+. The owner is always welcoming and the staff reflects him as well. I will always come here for breakfast if I'm nearby. It's a most try if you are looking for a hidden gem. read more

Everyone will rave about the breakfast (a no brainer there), but I'd like to speak up for lunch. The fantasitc salads - most containing candied pecans and avocados are refreshing and totally reflects that California spirit that Pasadena is known for. The sandwiches are tasty and satisfying. Be sure to also try their Passion Iced Tea, The best part is that Marston's made a Bread Pudding believer out of me. Their bread pudding is covered with floating cloud of Grand Marinier Apricot Sauce with heavy whipped cream. It's the best bread pudding I've ever tasted! read more

Maybe it was an off day, but the coffee was so weak, I felt like I was drinking brown water. I asked if they could make it stronger, and the waiter wrinkled her nose and said disdainfully, "I don't think so," and walked away. Right. Seeya, Marston's! read more

Yummy! Best friend suggested this place because she had been here before and loves their French toast. I came here absolutely famished. The place is in a house, and I'm sure normally sitting outside is fine but it was chilly so I was glad to be inside. It was Saturday morning, surprisingly no wait (which was good because I showed up late). We ended up not ordering French toast. I hadn't had Eggs Benedict in a while and decided to splurge on the Salmon Eggs Benedict. I always forget how crazy that hollandaise sauce is, wish I got it on the side. I felt my bread was far too soggy (I know it had been warmed/toasted by the pan or something, maybe it was sitting out a bit before it got to me). Other than that, ample amount of salmon and great eggs. The hollandaise sauce wasn't special, but tasted like it should. Home fries were greasy, but really now if you accept home fries, you aren't really expecting them to be healthy . If I hadn't been so hungry I probably wouldn't have been able to finish them though. (Take-out just isn't an option with what I ordered haha.) My hot chocolate was a little too watery, unfortunately. :( Quick service, server came to check in on us once before taking our plates when we were finished. I understand this might bother some people, but we were fine because we were chatting away. I don't know if I'd wait longer than 15 minutes here on days there is a wait, or if I'd bring a huge group here on the weekend. It's very cozy though and awesome for smaller groups. Food isn't spectacular (can't speak for their famed French toast though), however it's definitely the kind of comfort food that hits that brunch spot! Knocking a couple stars for the soggy bread and watery hot chocolate, as well as the horrible parking situation. It's cramped and they share it with other businesses! If you park just on the other street you can just cut across the school/church parking lot. (Or even park in that lot haha...) I didn't mind parking around the corner since I probably needed the walk after anyway. :/ read more

Came here on a Sunday afternoon and probably waited less than 25 minutes. Its a cozy small restaurant, but DELICIOUS! My friend and I got the Fantastic French Toast with berries and the Californian Omelet. Omg, the french toast was sooo delicious. Such a great idea with the corn flakes. The berries add a sweet savory taste to the french toast. We were in an out of here quick! Ordered and our food came out in a friendly manner. The service was great. All in all, I'd come back again for the french toast ^_^. SOOO GOOD. read more

It's 9:30 pm and I'm not in Pasadena but I can't stop thinking about Marston's cheese popovers. I've had some great luncheons here. I would always order the Cordierra Salad (12.25) comes with grilled sesame chicken breast on romaine lettuce, tossed with green and black olives, avocado, tomato, bacon, blue cheese, and candied pecans, tossed with our special San Pasqual dressing. Minus the bacon and pecans. This is a HUGE salad that is sooooo damn good!!! Call ahead for a table, this place is small. MUST HAVE: Cheese Popovers 3 for 1.50 They bring them to your table automatically but if you want more.....well order them :) http://www.marstonsrestaurant.com/lunch.html read more

Corn flakes crusted french toast at its best! Pretty much the only corn flakes crusted FT that I know of actually, oh so good. The line at brunch gets pretty long, but oh so worth it, nice decor of a house in a quiet neighborhood. Parking can be a challenge so arrive armed with coins (even though there is off-street parking dedicated to this restaurant, we had no choice but to park at a street meter). Absolutely worth a return visit, can't wait to return! read more

Yum! Came here for lunch and ended up ordering all breakfast goodies. Ordered the Eggs Benedict, Pork Benedick, the Vegetarian Omelette, and the Macadamia Nut Pancakes. Out of the four, my favorite as well as my sis, was the omelette. It was FANTASTIC, add to that, the potatoes on the side, and their wheat bread with butter, we were in breakfast heaven! The omelette had a perfect amount of melted cheese on top, tons of vegetables (loved the spinach), and fresh avocado, it was definitely one flavorful omelette. My eggs benedict was good, but I love my eggs more runny, but it was fully cooked, so the yolk wasn't over-easy :( also, it needed more hollandaise sauce. The potatoes though, were great! The pork benedict and pancakes were okay, nothing to rave about. Overall, the wait was no more than 20 minutes, loved the decor of the place, staff was nice, and the food was good, so definitely have to go back and try their famous french toast! read more

I came in around 1030 am on a Friday. First impression: It looks like someone's home from the outside, complete with front porch. It feels really out of place, considering the neighboring places. Right at the bottom of the porch steps, there's a sign-up list and chairs to wait. I only waited about 5 minutes before I was called in. The serving area is small and cramped with both indoor and outdoor porch seating. The art hung on the walls near my table were quoted as $400-$700. Fancy~. Service: We were directed to our seats by a man, then a lady came to take our drink orders. Shortly after, the man came back to take our drink orders. I guess they don't have an organized section for each server, which I guess is good since we temporarily got twice the attention. For the most part, they left us alone once we got our food. I'd see them walking around with eyes alert and water pitchers in hand, but we never needed anything. I have no complaints with the service. Food: I ordered the 4 pc macadamia nut pancakes with a side of special potatoes and a small orange juice. My buddy got the salmon benedict and a small cranberry juice. I really wanted to like my food, but I wasn't feeling it. The macadamia nuts weren't working with the pancakes. I forced myself to eat half and threw in the towel. The special potatoes had onions and bell peppers mixed in. They looked good overall, and the potatoes were cooked perfectly through. Unfortunately, it wasn't seasoned at all. I threw on my own salt and pepper, and it was still bland. I was very disappointed with my food. My buddy, on the other hand, loved her salmon benedict. It came with special potatoes, and she agreed that they were very plain. We took our leftovers home and gave it to my brother. He agreed with both of us. The salmon benedict was good, but the pancakes "makes you sad every time you take a bite" and "you need to kill the potatoes in ketchup to eat it". Prices: I can't believe that my end total, with tax and tip, came out to just under $50. Yes, I got macadamia nuts and my buddy got salmon, but $50?!? It just wasn't worth it. Overall: Based on my food alone, I wouldn't come back. My buddy liked her food, but won't come back because of the prices. read more

You probably know that Marston's is a place for "bloat yourself beyond belief" breakfasts, but they have very nice dinners. Midweek specialties include veggie risotto or mac n' cheese with smoked chicken. It's mellow and kind of romantic. Never crowded midweek. read more

On this business trip, I decided I would seek out a different breakfast place each day in order to find the best that Southern California has to offer. Thanks to Yelp, I discovered Marston's. Beware that parking is a challenge, here's a tip - I found free 90 minute parking in a garage on N Raymond (2 blocks away). Also, I arrived just after 9am on a Thursday, by 9:30 the place was packed. From other reviews it looks like wait times on weekends can be an issue. About the food, I ordered the "Porky Benedict" an eggs benedict using pulled pork instead of Canadian bacon, and I loved it! The hollandaise was appropriately spiced up and made up for the pork which was a little milder than I had expected. Overall, the flavors were balanced and quite nice. It was accompanied with some country style potatoes (rough chopped potatoes w/ cooked onions and red & greed bell peppers). Properly cooked, the potatoes had the right amount of crisp and spices, providing a little extra heat with the benedict. YUM! Fresh squeezed OJ was good, the Coffee was just OK. Service was courteous, prompt and efficient. My only real criticism is the place is a bit pricy for breakfast - Coffee alone was almost $3 and it just didn't stand up to other house coffee that I have had. Solid 4 stars - I would come back through on my next trip to Pasadena. read more

Tried having my breakfast here twice. Though we weren't given much attention by the staff and maybe because lot of people were there eating breakfast, it was still great. I had french toast which was really great with fruits on it. Will definitely come back and try having some lunch. :) read more

Marston's - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

One of the best breakfast restaurants in the Pasadena area. The food was awesome and the service was great!

Meh, they get two stars because coffee is good, waitress was nice but the food is just blah. Nothing special and over priced for what it is. The menu is small so you would imagine the food would be great. Had the multi grain pancakes with fresh fruit- they were thin and mushy. BF has the huevos rancheros which the waitress recommended. They were terrible and under the pile of all the grossness there was only 1 egg- just sad. Sorry, not sorry read more

The food here is not what people have made it out to be on Yelp; It's extremely plain. I brought my husband here for his birthday thinking it would be super tasty but it was far from it. The food is somewhat enjoyable but definitely NOT "the best in Pasadena" by a long shot. My husband had the pancakes that everyone seems to recommend. They were pretty boring. (Taste just as good as box pancakes - not bad but not amazing). I tried the Eggs Benedict, which is my go-to breakfast plate. Very VERY basic. Again, nothing amazing about them. The atmosphere and seating isn't cozy either. Seems very crammed. The chairs and tables are small too. I give 2 stars instead of 1 because the service was very decent. If you want a delicious American breakfast in Pasadena and don't care about spending some money on it, I recommend you drive down the street to Russell's and deal with the horrible parking and the long long wait - It'll be worth it. read more

Had an excellent lunch here. Chicken wrap with fresh fruit. Service was excellent. It's a nice cottage type restaurant. The owner were very gracious and kind. read more

Although this small cafe has been around for a few decades and is really cute inside & out, their food & service were just average. I had their Eggs Benedict ($10.95) since I am a big fan of it, but there was nothing really special about their's. It also came with their special potatoes that didn't have much flavor at all. I suppose they were busy, but our waitress did not refill our water at all until I had to ask another waitress nearby. Overall, my experience wasn't anything special that would make me want to come back. read more