Well I finally did it! After all these years of walking by Russells, I finally stepped in! Stopped in this morning with a friend and had coffee and a cinnamon roll. I had breakfast earlier at home but opportunity presented itself don't judge! and went in for a quick peek and coffee. Very quaint inside. The other guests were friendly and a few I recognize from my bar/restaurant mmmmm hmmm just kidding . The service was very good, greeted with smiles and it appeared the staff really enjoys working there and with each other. I realize it was Tuesday morning and it wasn't busy so I'll have to try again on a busy day to see if the service is consistent .I think our server was Jose. He was / is attentive and very welcoming. Cinnamon Roll was FABULOUS! Gotta try their menu soon. read more

They are delicious! I love their breakfast, pancakes, French toast and eggs. The price is nice too. The food came pretty quick. Parking validated for 90 mins. read more

Found on Yelp and loved! Will never try another breakfast place in Pasadena, this is it. Pancakes and Waffles are a must! So cute inside too!! read more

Everything you expect from a breakfast diner. The service was professional, prompt, and friendly. The coffee was hot and with good flavor. So many coffee shops forget that the word "coffee" is in their description and practically make you beg for a refill. My cup was always topped off at this place. The food was hot and tasty. The prices are reasonable for a good breakfast experience in a downtown setting. read more

I love the classical feel of the place--from the classic paintings, to the personal chandelier per table, to the classical music playing softly in the background. On a Saturday morning at 8am, there was already a wait for this place. Old Town Pasadena was quiet and asleep, and you see a few groups of people perched outside this place in the cold, waiting for their turn to enjoy pancakes and omelettes. My love and I came, we ordered, we conquered (our large plates). He, a meat lovers scramble (bacon, sausage, ham), me, a Russell's scrambled (bacon, mushroom, tomatoes). We shared a side of corned beef. Not my fave dish, it wasn't panfried in a single layer with cripsy edges, it was more stir-fried and not crispy. Can totes skip on that next time. All in all, definitely a place I'd revisit to try new dishes! read more

Good, old fashioned breakfast and service with a smile. Very good food, good vibe and fair prices. Now I know why there's usually a long line. Hearty food, good menu selection and by far better than any of the hotel breakfast options. read more

Delicious, great atmosphere, clean tables, menus organized well, food was fresh and wait staff were courteous and always attentive to our waters and coffee! I ordered "the big one" eggs, sausage, hash browns, pancakes, sourdough toast all delicious, hot and fresh! Loved the coffee! If you love art you'd appreciate the classic paintings on the wall, love the classical music playing too! Prices are reasonable for the quality! Great breakfast/brunch spot! Will be back! Lots of parking lots close by ranging from $4-$10 be prepared! read more

Came for breakfast this morning after a long run in the hills. We were told there was a 30-35 minute wait and we decided to stay since the restaurant had good reviews. After waiting 35 minutes I asked about the wait and we were told we had 4 parties ahead of us. I was not happy and very hungry. We were seated an hour after we put our name in. We would have left if I knew it would take that long. We ordered immediately and the food came pretty quick, which was good, but my hunger had long passed by then. The breakfast burrito was pretty good, however the strawberries were very tart and unpleasant.. The server was very nice. All-in-all the experience was okay, but they need to do a better job at gauging wait times for patrons. read more

Good coffee shop food in an upscale setting. Very nice and fresh restrooms. Excellent service. Now to critique the food We had coffee, which was kind of weak for my taste, good, but could have been stronger. Husband ordered corned beef hash and eggs. First comment was there are a lot of potatoes in this hash. Potatoes weren't pieces but looked like they had mixed in shredded hash browns. Excellent flavor, but the ratios were off. I had vegetarian omelet (onions, red peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, zucchini, spinach and mushrooms). No skimping on the vegetables, but the addition of fresh herbs would have been nice. Hash browns very crispy, which we like. Side of gravy was better than average. Everything benefited from salt and pepper. We usually don't add salt, but it was as if none of the food had been seasoned. Verdict, will go again and try other things. We also ran into two couples we knew. Get there early to avoid a wait, we had 5 minutes tops on Sunday at 9 a.m. read more

Russell's - Vegatable omelet no cheese - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Where do I start? Russell's was recommended to me by a friend who raved about their food so I had to check it out. I went for lunch (I guess they stop serving breakfast at a certain time) and I was pleasantly surprised! The location itself is gorgeous. Right in the middle of old town Pasadena. The interior is clean, well kept, and tastefully decorated. The music is a the perfect volume, not overbearing like a lot of restaurants. The service was kept very friendly but professional. The food was pretty good except the fries which were not fresh but overall great experience. Will be returning ! read more

Great..breakfast this morning..fast service, friendly atmosphere, nice hot coffee...food, hot fresh and tasty...I will go back again without hesitation... read more

Russell's - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

I'm a bit torn about Russell's. The place has a lot of good points, but there are some bad ones that really itch. Russell's is a pretty fancy restaurant, with a lot of character...and not your typical breakfast joint. They have a decent number of tables, and a small bar counter for more customers. The place gets really packed, but luckily my friend and I grabbed bar seats so we didn't have to wait. Their menu is pretty extensive, and they have a lot of great combinations. I ordered the corned beef hash with two sunny side up eggs, served with potato hash and [rye] toast. The corned beef hash was so yummy! Slight crisp from the hot pan, not too salty, and not lacking in flavor either. I also loved their potato hash - nothing fancy, but not served as seasoned potato chunks. They do it the legit way - potato shavings cooked until crispy on the outside, and soft and warm on the inside. On a lower note, service was horrible. The guy definitely made sure to take our orders and get us food...but after that, we were completely ignored. He didn't even check up on us once! What was interesting was that he gave us our food...but didn't give us the toast. He had loaded them up in the toaster...and didn't wait until everything was ready to serve. Serving incomplete dishes...unheard of... Then, I felt cheated when he (finally came over and) asked me if I wanted more orange juice. What I didn't know was...THERE AREN'T ANY FREE REFILLS! The guy poured me more OJ in another glass and handed it to me. It wasn't until we got the check that I realized...I JUST SPENT $7 ON OJ!! Such a rip-off! If you ask the customer if they want some more...at least tell them that they have to pay again! I would definitely go back for the food...but if I get the same waiter, I'll switch spots or rage like no other! read more

A Pasadena classic! Such good food, and such a nice atmosphere. They don't take reservations though, which is a bummer.

Is it just me or does that guy in the painting by the host/hostess look like Michael Cera? The last time I came here I was a bit disappointed with their lunch. I finally got another chance to try them again, except this time I ordered breakfast, and now I'm a fan! I ordered the Pancake combo with eggs and two sausages. The stack of pancake alone was enough to fill me up. The eggs and sausages brought it over the top. But all three items were great. The buttermilk pancakes were light and fluffy, and you can add blue berries or banana topping for a buck extra. The eggs were, well, eggs. The sausages were thick and juicy. Their coffee is also pretty good and they'll refill it constantly throughout your meal. I saw others ordering their waffles and that thing looks huge! Next time I'll have to try that. My advice if you eat here is to order breakfast, and that they validate parking. read more

Yummyyy. Waffle is crispy outside & moist inside. Pancakes are fluffy. Had them at 4:00PM, perfect snack ;)

Worth the wait. Service is great, very attentive, and the food was very nice. The wait staff is kind and very helpful. Went on a Sunday morning around 11 am and there was a line with the wait being around 1 hour. We didn't mind waiting and went around the corner for some coffee at Intelligentsia (my favorite). Very cool interior as well, guys! Check it out, you won't be disappointed. read more

A solid restaurant for breakfast. Friend and I were hungry, so we ventured into Old Town to find a place to eat. Elements Cafe is too chichi for him, Marstons was packed and all the parking in and around it was completely taken, and he wouldn't be able to take the British Fare that is Lucky Baldwin's. We saw the small crowd waiting outside of Russell's and decided to try it blind. Good choice! Our two-person party was seated within 15minutes, and the service is speedy! We had ordered drinks (water, cranberry juice, orange juice) and breakfast within ten minutes, considering the busy atmosphere, and barely had to wait ten more minutes after to get our table laden with food. Their scrambled eggs are tender, not overcooked, their hashed browns have plenty of crisp and great colour and are not a tightly packed soggy or burned block. Their bacon is thick - if you've been to the Griddle Cafe, it's like that, but better tasting, I think. Their link sausage is great! None of that foam-consistency sausage you get at chain diners like Denny's. Personally, I ordered The BIG One: Two pancakes (or french toast) with two bacon, one sausage, eggs (any style), hashed browns and your choice of bread. Man, it's plenty of food! I paid a little extra to get my pancakes as chocolate chip, and I was not disappointed. The pancakes are not super overwhelming, being regular-sized, and there are just enough mini chocolate chips in them to give you that chocolate sweetness you love without making them too over-chocolatey. Served with butter already melting on those hot cakes and some syrup, these were great! I rarely am able to put away even one pancake, but I got through nearly a third of the second before I had to throw in the towel. I'd love to come back to try the banana nut pancakes. Also, the orange juice is solid, and the glass is a nice regular glass of at least 10oz of orange juice. Note: During breakfast, they offer ONLY the breakfast menu. Next time, I'll just order pancakes and sausage. That's probably my ultimate breakfast combo. read more

You have to try the waffles. It was light, airy, and delicious. I will definitely go back and eat here again.

After getting a late start this morning, I thought I'd have to give up on my goal of having breakfast out. Fortunately, Russell's was serving breakfast until 2 p.m.! My uncle and I waited for about half an hour to be seated, and when we were inside the restaurant I realized why the wait had been so long. The place is tiny! My uncle had described it as a diner, so I was surprised by the rather fancy decor, with exposed brick, dark red paint, and framed reproduction prints of works by Matisse and Van Gogh. With an interior like this, there definitely was a disconnect from the menu, which was rather diner-like. Perhaps the menu at dinner is fancier? My uncle had the chicken breast sandwich with avocado and bacon, while I went with a hearty breakfast of three pancakes, egg, and sausage. The blueberry pancakes were just right, fluffy but still able to hold up to my onslaught of syrup. On a pancake scale, I'd say they weren't as good as ones I've had in, say, Arizona, but they were A-OK. The sausage was salty, juicy, and nicely spiced and my scrambled egg was good. In all, it seemed a bit pricey for breakfast fare, but is probably in keeping with the neighborhood now that Old Town Pasadena has been Tiffany-ed and Restoration Hardware-ized. read more

WORTH THE WAIT!!! We came on Saturday at around 11am with an expected wait time of an hour and honestly at first, I was contemplating whether it was worth it to wait that long for brunch but boy am I glad we did! It's a pretty small space inside, but the decor is absolutely beautiful! The walls are well decorated with paintings from great artists like Van Gogh and we sat under a cute small crystal chandelier! Ah I wish I took a picture to put on yelp! (next time I promise) I ordered a Big Ranch Breakfast and the 3 pancakes given were huge!! They made my eggs over-medium just the way I like em and the 2 sausage links on the side were very tasty (and a little spicy which gave a really great kick of flavor). For the price, my brunch made me walk out happy and ready for a good ol' food coma read more

I absolutely love this place. But don't come here in the morning, because you'll have to wait for at least an hour. But if it's super early then i don't know. I would come in the afternoon/late afternoon. Their breakfast foods just melt in your mouth. I would eat their pancakes over and over again. I can indulge myself with their entire menu EASILY. It's so homey as well. Bring your best friends and have a long chat on the comfy booths. People are nice, and the food comes fast. When in old town, come here to have comfort food! read more

I'd come here with my mum and sis as a young lad. I remember these times vaguely (aside from the part I was becoming a foodie), so revisiting this spot strung the feeling of nostalgia. My mother and I found parking easily in the garage behind the restaurant and sat within 10 minutes after putting our name on the waiting list. Although it was relatively crowded, the wait time was minimal and we had our drink orders in almost immediately after sitting down. I went with a generic 2 eggs over-easy and bacon breakfast with biscuits and country gravy as a substitute for your everyday bread. The eggs are 'runny' to my liking, hash browns are golden / lightly salted, and the bacon is juicy and crisp. The staff is attentive and the atmosphere is hip. What more could you ask for? read more

I've actually been here a couple of times already thanks to a close friend who recommended this place. After reading reviews, this place might be a hit or miss. If you order the right entree you will love to come back and eat here more often. If you don't, then your experience might be mediocre. I ordered the chili omelet and that was a definite hit! This dish is very hearty so don't expect to eat for the rest of the day. The chili definitely brought flavor and spice to the dish. You get to choose the type of cheese to put on top, so choose your favorite! I loved gouda on mine! Biscuits and gravy as a side dish is also a hit! Very creamy gravy with a nice fluffy biscuit! The absolute HIT at Russell is the alcoholic beverages. You cannot go wrong with any of the Mimosas! You cannot go wrong with the Bellini! Their Bellini is one of the better ones I've had in a long time!! Take your choice, you will come out satisfied and slightly buzzed! read more

Russell's is a go to spot if you want a quick and delicious bite. The staff is both friendly and professional. Oh and the cooks are on fire, they get your order out so fast. Special thank you to Freddy for making my phone order and making my transaction easy and efficient! read more

Breakfast - Banana nut pancakes. They were good! I'd never had them before, but I was impressed. They were 4 pancakes high & I couldn't even finish half!! Lunch - Meatloaf sandwich. Now THIS is the sandwich to order. I loved it. The mashed potatoes left something to be desired, but they were ok. I tried the husband's steak sandwich and it was good too! This is just a really cute diner. I'd recommend it. read more

The food is average. The service fluctuates too much for me to go back. Sometimes it's o.k., sometimes it's horrendous, never is it spectacular. They recently changed ownership and upgraded the decor inside. But with this change came a change in french fry style! They went from fat steak fries to skinny little fries. Wha wha what? Combine skinny fries and average food with service I can't really count on, I'll take my fat fry craving somewhere else, thank you. read more

Russell's is much better than it may first appear. First off, let me say that I've been eating at Russell's for over 5 years. I work just a few blocks away and have eaten here at least a hundred times over the years. Of course, I went through a long phase of "being sick of this place", but that was only because I'd eaten there too frequently. Let me give you the rundown: Breakfast - HOLY HOLY CRAP... AMAZING! I'm never disappointed with the breakfast at Russell's; the french toast, the pancakes, the omelets, the eggs and oh my... the bacon. The bacon is a real treat and by far, the best breakfast item here. I've also had oatmeal, which comes with a side dish full of toppings (raisins, nuts, milk, brown sugar and more), biscuits and gravy, English muffins... it's all amazing. Lunch - They've got a lot of really great items, you pretty much can't go wrong as they do everything on their menu fairly well. My favorites are the patty melt, the meatloaf sandwich and the steak sandwich. Service - Awesome. Most of the same people have been working here ever since I first started going here and when I walk in they know me, greet me with a smile and can almost always predict my drink order. I always change what food I get there, or I'm sure they'd be able to predict my food order too. Bottom Line: Russell's is a fantastic diner in Old Town Pasadena. Much better than Barney's or the New York Deli - in prices, food and service. Why didn't I give them 5 stars? I guess cause 5 stars is reserved for the "best of the best". Russell's isn't quite that, but it's pretty damn good. read more

3.5 stars. Came here on Saturday at 10am and was greeted by a 45 minute wait. Which is no problem, as we just walked around and passed time by shopping. We sat down in a booth and the service was quick. As others have said, it's got an old school feel and the booths are a great place to get comfortable. Both my friend and I ordered the omelettes, which come with a side of hashed browns. I ordered one with cheese and they were not cheap about that! They were very generous. While the food was decent, what got me was the price. With tax and tips, it ended up being just over $17 per person - no extra drinks ordered or sides. While I understand that it's Pasadena and in old town, I wouldn't say I'd come back because I enjoyed the meal that much. It was just okay and for the price, I'd rather explore other options. read more

I've lived in Pasadena and always forget about this place. I finally went for breakfast and it was really good and the prices were totally reasonable. We sat at the bar so we didn't have a wait and the french toast was really good. The coffee was nothing special which I really wish more restaurants cared about the coffee they serve and I am not a coffee snob. I digress! The location is right in Old Pasadena so parking everywhere and I live nearby so great to walk to. I will be back. read more

This is a cool little spot in Old Town. You gotta try the "Irish Fries", and the "punkin" pie--when in season. I really couldn't tell you about any other items to try since these are the only ones I ever get. I'm simple that way. ;-) read more

My cousin and I decided to try this place for something different and we were not disappointed. The ambiance was very cozy on the inside and the wait staff are warm and friendly. The part that took me to a five star rating was that not too long after they brought our food, I accidentally spilled my water glass and it broke on the table. The waiter didn't even miss a beat. He came over and saw the broken glass on the table and immediately insisted on moving us to another table and having the kitchen make our food again. He didn't want to chance that there might have been broken shards in our food. I realize this is the best way to approach such a situation but I'm certain it's not necessarily the norm. They didn't even charge us for the second round of food. We hope the tip reflected our gratitude as well this stellar yelp rating. I would definitely return to a place that goes above and beyond the service call. Oh and the food was yummy too. What a great place in Pasadena! read more

I love breakfast food! My favorite brunch place was Elements Cafe, but after it closed I was in desperate search for another to fill the void. The inside of "Russel's" has an all-American diner vibe, sort of like Denny's but Russell kicks Denny's ass any day. Although there was a 30 minute wait, it was so worth it. I would definitely look over the menu during the wait so you can order immediately and get your food ASAP. Ordered: Spinach, Mushroom and Cheese Omelette, French Toast Breakfast, Belgian Waffle Breakfast. ALL orders were delicious and amazing. Spinach, Mushroom and Cheese omelette = rich gouda cheese + super fresh ingredients... just AMAZING. Don't know what else to say. The french toast was soft but not soggy or burnt. It was perfect. Honestly everything was good so just point at anything on the menu if you can't decide because I can't see how they can do any wrong! Cons: I wish they had home fries instead of hash browns. If you're looking for a less greasy and cuter dining experience than IHOP/Denny's, Russell's is the way to go. Where's the Eggs Benedict??? :( read more

If you are looking for a great place to eat, but don't want to deal with the crowds of Old Town Pasadena, then Russell's is for you! Its located across the street from Patagonia and only a block away from Colorado Blvd, but the amount of people around are non exsitant. I went with my family, for a quick lunch on a Sunday afternoon and was pleased with the food and service. I had the Russell's burger special which includes a hamburger, side (fries, coleslaw, etc.) and a slice of apple or cherry pie or chocolate moose. The burger was seasoned perfectly and the bun was slightly sweet. French fries were crispy and hot and the chocolate moose was decatent. My Aunt got the same, but had the apple pie, which had buttery, flakey crust and was served warm. The parking situation is a little confusing, but if you park in the structue, next to Russell's they can validate it. If you park at anything else, they can't. I can not wait to go back and try their breakfast, which I hear is equal, if not better then their lunch and dinner menus. Two thumbs up Russell's! read more

Where to even begin? This place is so amazing! I was looking around to find a good place to eat waffles and stumbled on this place. My sister and I came here and immediately fell in love with the place. It literally appeals to all senses. First off, the waffles here are just about the best waffles I've ever had. The mimosas are soo good, mainly because they give you really good champagne to go with it (which you get to pour yourself). The servers all wear ties and are very friendly and professional. The place is relatively small so service is quite fast and the restaurant is very comfortable. The decor is so pretty. They have a chandelier and paintings of amazing artist like Gustav Klimt and Edgar Degas all around. Lastly, it smells so cozy like a grandma's kitchen. I would totally recommend anyone to go here for any occasion! read more

Fantastic french toast! Light and sweet clouds of deliciousness. I am enjoying every last bite. Bacon crisped to perfection as well as my over easy egg. Prompt service and a big screen at the counter to catch the scores . How does a diner get any better? $14 for the best french toast in my life.. And they have mimosas!! read more

Russell's - French toast for me! - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

I hadn't been here in probably about 10 years, since back when I was in college and Pasadena was the place our USC crew hung out. I remembered really good hashbrowns, and that's about it. I stopped by today for brunch after my massage at Burke Williams. After about 15 minutes, I was seated at a booth rather than the counter, which was nice, considering I was alone. A cup of coffee appeared almost instantaneously and the waiter showed up within two minutes to take my order. So far, so good! I ordered the Bacon and Eggs combo: two eggs (scrambled), four slices of bacon (well-done), hashbrowns (also well-done), and toast (wheat..) It's a lot of food, but I wasn't planning on eating it all. I really wanted to refresh my memory to see if this was a place I should be frequenting these days. The food arrived really quickly and it looked great - the bacon and hashbrowns were actually well-done, not burnt or semi-cooked, and there were only two eggs on the plate, not six. (I don't know why, but it drives me nuts when I get a two-egg combo and three-quarters of the plate is eggs.) I dug in and took a bite of toast, when I realized that it was rye toast, not wheat. I hate rye. There was a busboy nearby, so I called him over. I wasn't rude or anything, I just said, "Excuse me, I ordered wheat toast and this is rye. Could you help me out and exchange it for me?" He looked at the toast and then at me and said, "That IS wheat toast." WTF? I was like seriously, dude, it has a bite out of it already. I looked at the toast and back at him and said, "Uh, well, I tasted it, and it's rye, not wheat." He denied like three times that it was rye until finally the waiter showed up to ask what was wrong. I explained nicely to him what I had already said: I ordered wheat, this is rye, could you fix it? He was apologetic and took the toast back to the kitchen (at which point the annoying busboy finally admitted that maybe it was rye - I was like, hmmm, you think?) The waiter came back a minute later and said, "Sorry, we're out of wheat." I suppose should have guessed, seeing as how they gave me rye instead. I got sourdough after all that nonsense. The meal was fine other than that, nothing stood out except for the hashbrowns. However, the salt and pepper mills make for really giant spice granules, which are kind of unappealing on a breakfast dish. I guess this place is best left to college memories. read more

Bottom line: this place is the bomb The wife and i were in town for a wedding and saw this place and had to give it a ride. Running a super busy breakfast spot must be one of the hardest things one can do because first the food has to be awesome, then you have to possess the ability to serve a lot of people in a short period of time somehow without losing the quality...quite the balancing act. I cant even remember what we ordered now but i know i had something waffle-y and wife had something egg-y and we sat there and drank tea and just enjoyed the place. With the food, the service and decor all being what they are, this place earns the coveted five-star knockout read more

Russell's is on my LA's Favorite Eats list, even though their home is in Pasadena. Fabulous breakfast spot! I'm a health food junkie and they have great options. Their oatmeal is served with raisins, granola, and other tasty options. The vegetarian omelet is delicious, big, and includes a WIDE array if veggies. Always busy on the weekends. I love the decor: beautiful, classy, diner theme. Chandeliers and renaissance art make the meal feel special. Friendly / fast service every time. I make the drive from Silverlake to Pasadena for this breakfast often! read more

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I come here with coworkers for lunch but I always order breakfast. After the last two trips here, I can say with certainty that you don't want to order lunch here-- you want to order breakfast. The buns on their burgers are elementary school cafeteria quality and my coworkers ended up just eating the patty (which was kind of sad to see). However, the breakfast is SOLID! Waffles, pancakes, french toast ... all the choices are delicious. I usually order THE BIG ONE and substitute the pancakes/french toast with waffles. Service is on point and the interior has a strange but cool euro/diner feel. Be aware that it's expensive relative to your local IHOP, but not more than a few dollars ($2-$3). read more

Found Russell's searching on Yelp. I'm from Florida and it was my first time in the area. First impression was great, cool joint for breakfast. The service , coffee and food was delicious. If I'm ever in town again I'll be sure to eat there again. read more

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