Outstanding place. Great food and staff with very reasonable prices. I will come back again whenever I'm the area.

Waited for an hour. Saw two groups arrive and get seated ahead of us. I asked the owner about it and he became very rude. He then grabbed the table indicator from my hand and told me to leave. All because I was upset about their hour wait and poor management. I never raised my voice or became aggressive. I wouldn't recommend this place. The owner kicked me out over nothing. read more

We have eaten here several times and I just have to say I LOVE THIS RESTAURANT! Food is excellent. Waiters are excellent. We had a lovely meal here today. My friend and I ordered two different dishes we were going to share. The waiter heard us and split both dishes in half for us. That was outstanding. And everything was perfect! read more

Love the feel of this place. The art on the walls , the chandeliers and mimosas. But the menu is small, not too many option. Though what they do --they do well. read more

I came here on my birthday and I'm glad I did! I had waffles and a side of eggs. My husband treated me to some breakfast drinks which never hurts :) We were able to go when it wasn't so busy. There's usually always a line but I guess we lucked out this time! Service was a little slow. The waiter disappeared for a spell. We had to flag down him down a couple of times. I'm not sure if they do birthday specials. We didn't ask. But that was by choice. The environment was really cool. The old-school feel is spot on. We always pass it and I'm so glad we came by. We're often in the area so there really isn't any excuse (other than the line!). Next time, I'll go for the breakfast burrito! Yum! read more

Good Spot for breakfast. The waiting time was 30 minutes but we sat in the bar and got service right away. I had the croque sandwich. It was decent. Nothing out of the ordinary. The waffles were good. Soft and fresh. Egg and cheese omelette was decent too. We would come back. read more

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Russell's is such a nice place to have a quiet dinner (during the week). I absolutely love my Avocado and Bacon Cheeseburger! Not only was the burger huge, the bacon was nice and thick and I devoured the entire thing. The fries, alas, weren't fresh, but the burger totally made up for it. Our waiter was super sweet and the place is just beautiful. I will definitely be back since the prices are very reasonable and it's just a bike ride away from where I live. read more

Went to breakfast with a couple of friends here. Food was serves quickly and my burrito tasted great. I had the ultimate breakfast burrito but held the sausage. Only 4 stars because the muffins they had seemed like they were from Costco and a cup of coffee was $3.20!!! They do validate parking which is nice. I will return but this time I will hold the coffee!! read more

I came in here one weekend for brunch with my mom and my fiancé. We all ordered different things, but the best of all the dishes was the French toast! OMG, it was the best I've ever had, if you ever come to Russell's you MUST try the French toast, it was so good! read more

The pancakes here are amazing. They are totally worth the usually long wait to get a table.

Russel's may have long waits on weekends, but I went with staff on weekday, late in the morning. WINNING! I got my favorite - Croque Madame (though it doesn't have as much hollandaise as it used to, but still tasty nonetheless) - and of course with the best hash browns in the world. We left feeling stuffed and happy and ready to keep planning and working with a happy mood. Love the artwork - some of my favorites hang there - just a nice place to sit and eat and chat. Love it! read more

I was craving breakfast burrito and this was the closest thing to work. It was a $12 breakfast burrito with hash brown. It has your eggs, sausage, and bacon - I asked for no sour cream but got sour cream. It was not worth the $12 that's for sure. The ambiance was nice and staff was super attentive and helpful tho read more

I came here on a weekday for brunch with a party of 4. We were seated right way. I had a beer which was great. I don't remember exactly what I got LOL but I do remember it being yum. I really like the atmosphere here. Its very cozy and the service is great. Prices are cheap to. You won't break the bank which is A+ for me. You get a lot of food so you won't be leaving like a hungry hungry hippo just feeling like a hippo LOL. I will definitely be back. read more

The two star description is fitting: Meh. I've experienced better. Wasn't bad wasn't great just Meh. Service was quick and friendly it basically just came down to what we were getting for the price, I would say its an ok breakfast place. read more

I have business in Pasadena on an ongoing basis and stay in hotels near Old Pasadena. Russel's is a short walk from my hotel. I have tried several of the lunch and breakfast items and every one has been terrific. The staff is attentive and friendly. The food always arrives promptly and well prepared. I like the old school atmosphere. The prices are also reasonable. It's a great place to go with family and friends. It's a popular place and not very big so be prepared for a wait, but it's worth it! read more

This is a good local place for brunch. I wasn't a fan of their bloody Mary though. I LOVE a good bloody mary for brunch, but I don't think it was that good here. I met up with my girls and we waited about 20-30 minutes, so it wasn't too bad. One of my girls got the veggie breakfast burrito and she totally loved it. I ended up getting their belgian waffles.. SO GOOD! I only gave this place 4 stars because somebody said their bloody mary is good... and it wasn't... but besides that, the food was good and their service was pretty on point too! read more

So I'm new to pasedena.. woke up this morning looking for a breakfast spot. Stumbled upon Russell's and it was a hit. I ordered the biscuit eater breakfast which was really good and my poached eggs were perfect. My fiancé got the French toast which she loved! For the rest of my time staying at the Marriott I'll be going to Russell's for breakfast read more

Russell's - This French toast had all the flavors we wanted great choice and I recommend if you like French toast - American Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I have walked by thos place for years. Wait lines outside are always long and the place busy. I had heard it was incredible. Finallly made it in and... what a dissapointment. Greasy diner food and not good. Was this what all the fuzz was about? I don't get i read more

The best breakfast in town! I have tried many places in Pasadena and in surrounding areas and by far this place rocks when it comes to service and food. The parking is a bit hectic but I guess we can't ask for everything! They are quick in filling orders for both pick up and delivery! Highly recommend!!! read more

We enjoyed an amazing Burger and Pie combo. And onion rings were great too. Fast friendly service and lovely atmosphere with diner type tables, chandeliers and violin music. read more

I stopped in here for lunch with my sister in law, when we were in the area shopping. Neither of us really knew where to go for a good, relatively inexpensive lunch, but the exterior seemed to draw my SIL in for some reason. After a quick Yelp to verify its quality, we ventured inside. We were seated right away in a nice booth and were promptly brought our drinks. I ordered the roast beef mushroom swiss sandwich, and she got the avocado chicken club. We both got the brown side salad, which sounded super yummy. Unfortunately, that "salad" left a lot to be desired. It was just bland, dry, and not interesting at all. I think I shook some hot sauce or something in it just to give it some flavor, but my SIL gave up on it and didn't eat it... the sandwiches, however, were both really good. I think we were there for about 45 minutes. So, not as quick as I wanted, but a reasonable amount of time. I probably will never go back, since I don't live in CA, but I would share my experience and recommend this place for a nice, fairly quick-ish lunch for others if they asked. read more

Probably one of my favorite breakfast spots ever. You definitely get great service and amazing food, hence the little wait in the beginning. But it's all worth it. They have coffee and tea/ mimosas. My favorite is the corned beef hash... Oh man Everything looks delicious so be prepared To eat well read more

This place always has a wait if you go for breakfast/brunch on weekends (which is the only time segment during which I have ever been). There are plenty of options, and the breakfast fare is all pretty good. Standard American/Californian offerings. I like the ambiance. Like a slightly upscale, cozy diner. Service is always friendly. read more

Was seeking a good brunch place in Old Town Pasadena and this was a suggestion from a local. We were here at 10.30a on a Sunday and waited 5 mins before we were seated- yay! The waitstaff was great- very efficient and nice. I got the French Toast Breakfast which consisted of: - French Toast- it was ok; a little soggy, but quite tasty. I 'splurged' and paid an extra dollar for real maple syrup as opposed to the sugar syrup - 1 Scrambled egg- ok - 2 sausages, which were a little burnt, but fairly average tasting. I also got myself a Bellini; it came with a full split of Mumm Sparkling wine and good peach nectar. I wouldn't say this was the Best brunch place, but it was certainly conveniently located, average prices and fairly good food read more

Russell's has that laid back friendly diner vibe..but with a sleek makeover. With famous art pieces hanging around the booths inside, it makes the room come together in a smart & warm way. The food is straightforward, fresh and delicious. I especially love the waffles! So light and crunchy served with a dollop of creamed butter & maple syrup. The omelette was light with a clean aftertaste, non of that oily cheese overload. Servers are always in happy spirits and greet you with a warm welcome, it'd be hard to beat the genuine service here. Five stars for service, price is quality appropriate but there is usually a 15-20 min wait for brunch/lunch. It is a very easy place to come back to in the neighbourhood. read more

Great vibe and old school menu. Folks are friendly and food is sold. A must do when in old Pasadena.

Extremely disappointing. Unfortunately for us Russell's didn't live up to the positive reviews and hype we had heard from other local Pasadena people. Over an hour wait for lunch on a regular weekday. We ordered a house salad, the fish and chips and a cheeseburger. Both dishes absolutely underwhelming and reminiscent of something you'd eat at Bob's Big Boy or Denny's but about triple the price. The two things we liked were the ambience and our server was friendly. But if the food is that expensive and isn't tasty, why return? read more

First visit for dinner was just OK as the decor was warm, the waiter friendly, but the food so-so. But the waiter introduced me to Belgium ale. Yes! This trip was lunch with one of their huge bacon cheese burgers. It was so large, so juicy, and freaking good that I wept tears of joy. Fries are OK but it is all about the juicy meat, great bun, thick tomato, red onion, etc. Excellent. And another cold Belgium. At peak times be prepared for a little wait. read more

Went here on a Monday morning...was busier than expected. Only a ten minute wait. I had the 2 eggs with biscuit and sausage gravy. My husband had the big breakfast. The food was delicious. His pancakes were light and fluffy long with outstanding meats. The sausage gravy and biscuits wereyummmy.. not th e best I have ever had but we're still creamy and done right. Both meals came with hash browns but honestly we did the eat much of them as they weren't anything speacial... good food, good experience, price could have been a tad bit less but over all a good experience. read more

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Best breakfast joint in town. The wait can be excessive at times (for a reason) but the counter is first come, first serve so a small party can get seated pretty quickly. The food is great, nice diner fare but the staff is just fantastic. Quick, efficient, friendly. Every time I pop into Russell's, I'm impressed by how attentive but not intrusive they are. A well oiled machine. Keep it up. read more

Best pancakes and waffles that are no frills just plain. A great spot worthy of breakfast.

The service was very fast for a Saturday morning brunch. It was very busy but we got a seat at the bar fairly quickly. We ordered breakfast around noon and it was still fresh. Would definitely come back. It is worth the wait. read more

If you want a simple breakfast place in Old Town with traditional buttermilk pancakes, eggs and bacon this is a great place to go. The fluffy buttermilk pancakes are awesome as is the french toast. My friends have ordered the omelets and after I sneaked in a bite, I was tempted to take their plate. The atmosphere is nice and makes you feel like you're eating in an upscale IHOP with close to IHOP prices. The services is great. I've never had to wait long for a coffee or water refill. The downside is the wait on the weekend. If you're hungry as hell.. you might have to trek over to the Cheesecake Factory down the street to get immediate seating. Also, they really don't have tables that can accomodate large parties so sometimes your party gets split. read more

My friend and I were looking for a breakfast place this morning and stumbled into Russel's. We saw the vintage decor, wall paneling, chandeliers, framed paintings, and fancy waitstaff and heard the classical music playing overhead and immediately thought that we probably couldn't afford this place. The menu prices however, were pretty decent and we sat down. He ordered the French toast and I ordered the spinach, mushroom, and swiss cheese omelet with just egg whites. Turns out, even with all the fancy decor, music, and waitstaff, Russel's is just your average old diner. The food wasn't bad but it was nothing to write home about. They put way, way, way too much cheese on my omelet. It kind of defeated the whole "healthy" purpose of only ordering it with egg whites but oh well I just scraped it off. My friend wasn't blown away with his French toast either. At least the hash browns were good and the orange juice tasted like it was freshly squeezed. I like that they buttered my English muffin for me prior to serving because the butter was all melted. So all in all: the service is friendly, the ambience is classy (and their red walls make it feel cozy and warm), and the food is average. read more

My mom and I usually go to Wild thyme, but they're closed for construction. Since we were still in the mood for breakfast we tried this place. I have to preface this review by saying that my mom and I are VERY PICKY about breakfast places. Somehow it's nearly impossible to find a place that actually knows how to cook a damn egg! The wait was kind of long, but if a place is good I expect to wait. We ended up sitting at the counter, which is cool and really gives the place an old diner feel. i ordered an omlette and my mom ordered a waffle. Both were great. A good amount of food and good quality. We're thrilled to have found an awesome breakfast spot and the coffee was fabulous. read more

Trying out new places is one of goals for 2013. So I decided to take my boyfriend & his friend to this breakfast & brunch place because I was craving breakfast at lunch time. The day that we decided to go, it was pouring cats & dogs. Parking is hard to find because it is Old Town, so you have to find street parking or park in a garage. 1. Environment: nice & cozy French restaurant feel with it's classy European paintings. I felt like I was in a indoor European cafe. 2. Menu: WOW too many items to pick. They have a separate breakfast/brunch & lunch menus. For our table we ordered: The Big One, Chicken & Pesto Ravioli & Croque Madame. All of the items were delicious & their warm blueberry muffin was oh so yummy in my tummy. 3. Service: It was decent. It didn't wow us & our waiter forgot about our salad that came with the Chicken & Pesto Ravioli. When we asked to make sure that our meal came with a soup or salad he answered yes & asked if we wanted it. Shouldn't it already come with it? 4. Overall: The food was good & we will definitely be coming back sometime soon. Oh & they do personalize your food to your request. For example, my boyfriend wanted mushrooms in his Chicken & Pesto Ravioli, which our waiter did for us. read more

This is the first time my wife and I have been here, we love Old Town Pasadena and all the great places to shop, eat, grab some coffee etc. I've driven by Russell's dozens of times in all my years of playing music in this town and alway's wondered what it was like. So after a co-worker of mine told me that she has some here for years and that I must try it I finally had to do it. We parked in the parking structure right behind/under Russell's so parking is no problem here, we got out of the elevator and walked out to the side walk and right to Russell's front door - love it! I was told about the wait and sure enough there was a line. We had time and the wait wasn't bad, we waited 45 min, Russell's provides several chairs for patrons out front. We got in and discovered it was just as nice inside as it looked outside, the sofa seats have nice cushions on them but the chairs are pretty uncomfortable for long stays... very little cushion on them. The waiter was very pleasant and attentive, he brought our water very fast and then was prompt in taking our order. My wife ordered the French Toast, scrambled eggs, bacon and hash browns. She gave me a bite of the French Toast and bacon, they were both very good, loved the applewood smoked bacon, real full and not to thick or thin, just right. The French toast was also very good, not soggy with the right amount of batter, not to thin and not to thick and best of all fluffy. I ordered the Chicken Fried Steak and eggs with hash browns and a side of a biscuit and sausage gravy ($1.00 extra). The batter on the chicken fried steak was great, nice crunch and the chicken was tender, it had good flavor. The batter was not thick or over peppered, just right. Our hash browns were the perfect size and the top had a nice crunchy layer on it and just the right amount. We also got our eggs scrambled and they were very fluffy. The biscuit was ok, a bit on the dry side but nothing the sausage gravy couldn't remedy, and speaking of that sausage gravy it was some of the best I've tasted - definitely in my the top three. Bottom line for me is that Russell's has some great tasting Traditional American Fare, definitely above par and equal to some great home town joints that serve all your favorites back home. TC read more

Been here twice for breakfast and both times have been great. The place is cute, the staff is friendly and the food is goooooddd. There is always a wait. But to me, it's worth the wait. read more

Judging from the line outside at 3pm on a Sunday afternoon, I had a hunch this place was probably as good as people on yelp say it is, and they were right! We waited about 30 minutes, the exact amount of time the host said we would be expected to wait, so I was pleased with the accuracy. We thankfully made it just in time for the last hour of Brunch time which is served until 4pm. Our server stopped by almost immediately and was friendly and prompt with our drink orders and food orders. The Food: I ordered the croque monsieur. This was essentially a fancier ham and cheese sandwich sandwiched inbetween some pretty buttery sourdough bread. I was expecting the sandwich to be covered in mornay sauce on top but the sauce was actually on the inside and a little skimpy. The sandwich was pretty tasty, but overwhelmingly greasy. The amount of grease would be perfectly acceptable at my local Denny's but for a more expensive place, I expected better. The chocolate pancake I shared with my sister was soooo good. Fluffy and just loaded with chocolate chips. I also had a share of my mom's belgian waffle which ranks with one of the best waffles I've had. I like my breakfast waffles on the airier, crispier side and this place got it perfectly. We also had quick and friendly without being chatty service throughout and had our drinks replenished at all times. I'm definitely coming back and ordering the waffles for myself! read more

Whenever I have family or friends visiting from out of town and they're craving breakfast or brunch, this is my go to place. I've been here multiple times and so far they do not disappoint. French toast is a must! Their service is amazingly professional. The only warning I must give you about this establishment is that the weekends might not be the ideal days to eat here. Saturday's, many out of towners in town and on Sunday's, well out of towners and locals go to church and this is the destination everybody go to. Be prepared to wait in line or sitting before getting a table. read more