Firstly let me say service was 10/10 even though they were short staffed they sat me outside upon…read moremy request, Rachel was friendly, attentive, knew the menu, had recommendations that were ready on the fly which tells me she eats here too, the recommendations were top notch! Atmosphere was awsome, had music but not too loud to have a conversation, chairs and tables were clean and comfortable. Food was plated well, tasted amazing, same with the cocktail it was clearly crafted well and was balanced. In California were spoiled this spot is a must see.

Made a reservation online using open table. It was very simple and easy to navigate. Called the…read morerestaurant on the day of the reservation stating we were running 15 min behind and that our number has decreased by 2. Not an issue, got thanked for the update. It wasnt that busy at the time of our arrival. There were a lot of tables and the noise level was quiet. The host was nice and sat us not too long after we arrived. The table that we got sat at was extremely wobbly. My father-in-law noticed another table had napkins placed underneath to stabilize so he did the same to our table and it worked. Tara took our order and brought out the drinks. The food was 90% great! The 10% that fell short was a combination of things. 1) menu online and the physical menu said corn bread (which we were told no longer serves them). If its no longer available, update the menu because we were excited to try the corn bread. 2) a bbq place with no wet naps, that is really weird. However, they did bring me a stack of paper towels that were wet as if they were wet naps. 3) only 1 steak knife was provided in the platters. It was hard for a party of 6 to cut up meat with only 1 steak knife. 4) one of the sides came out cold, and hard. I bit into a macaroni and it felt raw because of how hard it was! I even dropped the macaroni on the plate and it rang! We brought it to the servers attention and we were able to get a fresh one free of charge. We loved the short ribs and the tomahawk steak! They were delicious. Baked potato as a side item was very large! During the whole time we were eating, no one came by to check on us, refills were not provided until after we were done eating. We never got one of the drinks that Tara wrote down and it showed up on the check. I was trying to get a staff members attention, and my hand was raised up, and there were hosts that saw my hand raised, but did nothing. There were other servers and runners that saw it too. Took a while for us to get any help. We eventually flagged down our server after what felt like 5 minutes. We brought the charge to our servers attention, and they corrected that too. Overall, the table service could have been a lot better, fix broken tables, and I suggest you bring your own wet naps or baby wipes because they dont supply any.

A classic staple BBQ in the Pasadena area!…read more GREAT HAPPY HOUR. From 3pm-5:30pm Mon- Friday! The have a fantastic happy hour with half off some of their drinks and half off certain appetizers and entrees (check thier website!). Their corn bread is a must with thier iconic japelpeno jam spread (though its not included on thier happy hour). They have great sides and appetizers, and haven't had one I didn't like! Their baby back, spare ribs, and brisket are fantastic with sauces on the side if you wanted to more BBQ sauce to your BBQ meat! Though in my opinion, I don't need it usually, as the meats are already so flavorful as is! I'd say its great for groups, though a bit pricy, but boy is this good, hearty, fall of the bone, BBQ! The servers have always been great and kind and even when we were celebrating a birthday last visit, they brought out a icecream Sundae with a candle! Very sweet! I talked to a man at the South Pasadena museum and told us that Gus's is the oldest BBQ establishment in California, serving hungry patrons since 1946. They haven't been in business in over 70 years for nothing! Thought it's been a long time, the place is still well maintained and updated so it still is nice and clean, but still keeping its historic core. Come by this meaty institution for their renowned classic American barbaque, with great libations, great food and amazing service with tasty history!

Note: Rating is actually a 3.5 due to the food…read more Date: September 20, 2026 Purchases: Fried Pickles "Southern Style" Eggs Benedict Smoked Ham Chilaquiles (Husband's meal) Side of Mac and Cheese Blueberry Mint Lemonade Sampled from Friends: Cast Iron Cornbread Experience: After looking through a list of places to go to as a group, we landed on this restaurant to meet up. Since our group was 8 adults and a child, we weren't able to make a reservation online. My husband ended up getting there an hour before our meeting up time to make a reservation at the restaurant and we were able to secure a table that would be ready for us at the front of the restaurant at our requested time slot. When it came time, we sat down and had to wait for a high chair, which we had requested at the time of making the reservation, and then got to browse both the breakfast and lunch menus since breakfast was till 2:00PM. I had already had a meal in mind from the lunch menu, but ended up making a selection from the breakfast menu since I'm a sucker for Eggs Benedict and saw they had a "Southern Style". My husband decided to order from both menus since he was craving their Fried Pickles and Mac and Cheese. I decided to order a Blueberry Mint Lemonade to go with my meal since my sounded refreshing. My friend's cornbread came out and she shared with us, so we each got a piece as well as a little bit of the jam and cream that came with it. The cornbread was okay since the flavor wasn't strong enough for me. When my actual food came out, I was super excited to only discover that it didn't come with the spicy andouille sausage that I was looking forward too. I didn't think nothing of it cause I thought I misread the menu and maybe it said infused with the taste since I saw a small piece in the sauce, but after reviewing the menu again later in, I was mistaken and should've said something. The rest of the Egg Benedict was good though, but would have preferred less of the braised southern greens cause I removed about half of them. The Fried Pickles and side of Mac and Cheese though were pretty good and would order again. The Blueberry Mint Lemonade that I got was really tart and I felt like I needed to drink it while eating to balance out the flavors of the rest of my meal. I want to come back and give this place a shot again, but we shall see since my husband wasn't fond of his Smoked Ham Chilaquiles dish either. The service was great though considering we had a large table and our server was patient with us as we split the check four ways.

I've been here a few times and always enjoyed the food. Most recent time was with my parents for…read moreDineLA. The DineLA set was BBQ for 2 for $55. We also got a pulled pork lunch plate. It was a good amount of food overall and nice to be able to try all the meats. My parents really enjoyed it. We especially liked the ribs, cornbread, and hush puppies, which has a nice crunchy exterior. Service was good and friendly. The parking lot is very small but we were able to get street parking not too far away.

I remember when I almost died in 2015 in Kansas City it was because I had meals as big as this one…read morefor four days straight. I didn't have Toby along. I didn't have anyone with me telling me that eating a four-pack of high calorie, high carb, and high cholesterol meals in less than 100 hours probably wasn't the smartest idea. But, holy hells, was it worth it. Sometimes you've just got to say eff it and go for the barbecue. Especially when the spare rib plates shine like a new pin like at Max City. I enjoyed the way this platter came out with all those half-dozen St. Louis ribs piled up like a stack of wood next to the pristine Mac and the even better baked beans. And, as a famous eater once said, I especially enjoyed the experience of getting them in my belly. I don't know if I've ever mentioned it before, but this unholy trinity is a serious contender for what I'd want as my last meal on Earth. Ribs. Mac. Beans. Simple. The service was great here. It was like cozying up to your local bbq joint and being greeted like you were a regular. Every word and smile was genuine, and they moved to get you your meal with purpose. The ambiance was grand. It was like you'd been let in on the secret of a great hole-in-the-wall bbq speakeasy and you were doing your best to soak it all in. It's not the biggest location and definitely not tye most upscale, but I'm of the belief the best barbecue spots aren't pretentious and aren't trying to wow you with pizazz. They just want to get a good meal in you and send you home happy. Max City does this in spades. I don't know how often I'll make it out this way to Eagle Rock before I die someday. But I've been thinking if my time should happen to expire eating a caseful of ribs, mac, and beans--that would be such a heavenly way to pass. At least I'd be doing something I love.

We came here with another couple to see a Fleetwood Mac tribute band. Neither couple heard of this…read morerestaurant but said let's find it and see what both the band and restaurant is like. Each couple bought seats separately and the man who looked up our reservations was able to put two small tables together so we could sit together. All tables were near the band with chairs facing the stage, which was really nice. Three chicken dishes and one salmon dish was ordered and we all really enjoyed our meals. Arley is an excellent server. She appeared to have a few tables around the restaurant but kept coming back to make sure all was good, if we needed anything else and getting our water and sodas refilled (for some reason none of us had any alcohol. The dinners we ordered, chicken and salmon, were delicious. The two members of the band representing Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks were excellent singing both their and Fleetwood Mac songs. There are many of these "candlelight" dinners on the Fever app with tributes to lots of artists from the Beatles, Elvis, Rod Stewart and more. If you are looking for a place to eat in Pasadena before a play or anything else, check out Hawg Heaven.

Stumbled across this place as we were in Pasadena looking to find somewhere to watch the soccer…read moregame & honestly so glad we found this place. We immediately got greeted and waited about 5 min to be seated. It was such a great vibe today with DJ playing the best music. We ordered the two meat combo that came with two sides, we had pulled pork and brisket with Mac and cheese, bbq beans & mashed potatoes. 10/10!! Meat was Smokey and had the perfect amount of bbq. The bbq beans were cooked and seasoned perfectly. Truly enjoyed our meal today & kept us full almost all day, I couldn't believe it lol. Blueberry mimosas were also very yummy. Definitely would return!

We were so impressed! We were feeling apathetic about where to eat and decided to just jump in the…read morecar and drive down verdugo looking for places we hadn't tried or hadn't been in a while. We are so glad we did! The casual atmosphere out front and the lunch special banner lead us to believe we'd be having a cheaper dinner. We were ushered into a beautiful outdoor patio dining area, greeted by very friendly staff and supplied with carefully selected table settings. The environment was charming and relaxing. The menu was large and varied. We settled on a few things to try and wished we could have ordered more. The Greek salad was absolutely delicious. Everything was so fresh, the flavors were perfectly balanced. The chicken breast kabob plate was so generous in its portions, the chicken skewers were huge. The rice was wonderful as was everything else. We also got the egg boat to share and the bread was incredible. We definitely want to go back and try other wood fired items there. I'm sure the pizza is wonderful if it uses the same bread. Pricing on everything was very reasonable considering all the factors. I definitely got the impression that this is run with love by a family. They were friendly and kind, and their love of food showed in every bite. Their pride in their endeavor showed in all of the little touches in creating a nice atmosphere. We will be back

Our second visit and it was as good as our first visit. It is not in a main restaurant area, so you…read morewill need to look for it. The Armenian Salad was deliciously fresh. The pork BBQ was the best meat we had, followed closely by the lamb chops. The chicken breast was very good but lost out in a tough competition. We added Fries which are slices of potatoes, not French fries. They were not greasy and seasoned very nicely. And we had the Adjarian Khachapouri again, because we could not pass up this mouth watering delight. A sumptuous mix of bread, cheese , egg and spices. Add in a clean patio for dining, a friendly and attentive owner, and it is not to be missed.

Great meat selection. Loved all of it. It was so gas, straight fuel. Service was on top, waiter was…read moreso kind and felt good energy since I walked in. Although I did wait a little more than usual before my first order was taken but that didn't bother me after placing our order since waiter kept checking in on us making sure everything was good. The place looks clean. The meat is also already cut for us at a perfect size. Will come back maybe everyday.

I have been to Gyu-Kaku multiple times in the US and in Japan. This was my first time trying to…read moretheir DineLA menu, it was really worth it. Food: 5/5 We ordered to DineLA sets that came with six different meats, gyu-sushi, salad, spicy cucumber, chicken karage, rice, and dessert (we were also supposed to get miso soups but we didn't even notice that those did not come out). The food was delicious, our favorites were their skirt steak, garlic shrimp, and filet mignon. We were super full by the end of our meal. The meats paired well with their wasabi dip, the cuts were high quality, and the appetizers were also good. Service: 4/5 Service here was okay. We got seated in the back. Our food came out pretty quickly and one right after another. However, by the end of our meal, we were trying to find our waitress to get dessert and the check. We waited and waited but just eventually flagged down another waiter. Ambiance: 5/5 This place is comfortable. There was amble seating and the restaurant is located in a nice area with tons of night life and drinks. I think DineLA has lost its plot since most DineLA menus are more expensive than their normal ones now-a-days, but Gyu Kaku has a filling and affordable menu.

It was a weekday evening. Two kitchen staff and one server that does to go packaging as well…read more The order is placed by a kiosk in the front. It was simple and easy to navigate. On the screen it says "food takes 25-30min" I waited 50 min... There were at least 4 people waiting for their orders. Whenever one of us tried to talk to the server and as they were approaching, I could tell she was going to somewhere else like to the kitchen and intentionally tried not to give the eye contact with customers. The customer is next to you how can you not look at them...lol After almost an hour I got my food only to find that pickled radish was spoiled. Luckily I added an extra so it saved me. When I took out the container it was already full of gas and about to explode. When I opened it, smelled horrible like raw food left in the garbage disposal for weeks. (You can see how cloudy the juice is from the picture) Over all, I understand that this location has the worst review among other bb.q chicken in SGV, I'd choose other place next time. Food was good so 3 stars for that.

The food at bb.q Pasadena is pretty consistent and if you're looking for that typical flavor of…read moreKorean fried chicken, you will get that here. I only ever order takeout from this location and there's definitely things that could be improved. The location is on busy Colorado so parking is a nightmare. The workers here have absolutely no sense of urgency. Often I've been the only customer picking up and the speed of service could only be described as "meandering" to find and hand me my order. As previously mentioned, there's no issue with the food. It's juicy and flavorful. But there's inconsistencies like sometimes I get the side radish and utensils but other times not at all. The attitude of the workers you interact with are that of someone who has absolutely no pride in their work and are simply tolerating customers. It would go a long way to improve this location if workers were trained to do everything as efficiently and quickly as possible. The cost is also astronomically high for chicken. A whole chicken is $31 before any taxes or fees. It's not competitive with other Korean fried chicken places and you have to imagine part of the cost is due to the location. I would be sad if this branch closed, since it is closest to where I live, but it wouldn't be a shock that it did close. There's a lot of low hanging easy changes that could be made. Better training from management, more local deals, and focusing on customer service.

The food and service was amazing! I would recommend getting…read morethe chubby cattle membership for $28. It basically becomes free $10 off for 2 and all the free sodas.

Food came out within a few minutes of submitting the order on the tablet they provided. Service was…read morequick and accommodated some of the changes we had. Also provided a few tips to cook the meat properly.

PURE SOUL, PERFECT SAUCE PAIRINGS, AND 10/10 NOSTALGIA VIBES…read more On my way to A.G. By Car bakery, the aroma drifting from this BBQ joint completely stopped me in my tracks. I felt like a character in an old-school cartoon, levitating in a trance and totally hypnotized by the smell. Just walking by gave me a wave of nostalgia, so on my way back, stopping for a quick bite wasn't optional it was a necessity. Inside, the air is thick with the scent of delicious pies and soulful cooking. The sweet lady at the counter gave off the kind of warmth that made me feel like I was getting a hug from a grandmother I never got to meet. She was incredibly patient and steered me toward the perfect sauce pairing for my rib plate. That combo? Absolute heaven. While I'm sure locals already know all about this spot, it was a brand-new revelation for me, and they've officially won a loyal customer. And please, do not skip the potato salad. The tangy mustard blend is a perfect science formula. I have no idea how they dialed it in so perfectly, but I'll happily leave the genius to the kitchen!

Had to pay this place a visit after seeing it featured on the local news. Sundays there open from…read more12p - 4p. Got there about 1:15p and there were about 5 or 6 small groups in front of us. The word spread that they were already out of sweet potato pie and green beans! We eventually found ourselves at the counter to order. Hubby ordered GG's Combo Plate, and I ordered the pulled pork sandwich. GG'S was outstanding! Mac n cheese - yum! Potato salad - yum! The pulled pork was flavorful except it's on a hamburger bun with the meat on the bottom bun served open faced. When I put the top bun on and picky up the sandwich the bottom fell apart due to it soaking up the drippings. It came with a side of cole slaw but it was missing flavor. We shared a peach cobbler - Wow, so delicious! I could've and should've eaten a whole one by myself. The pulled pork sandwich isn't discouraging me from going back. It'll be a reason to try something else. Bring your patience!

Finally got to try Rodney's Ribs, and it did not disappoint. It's located in a CVS parking lot, so…read morethere's plenty of parking available. It's a one-man operation, so wait times can be a bit longer if he's busy--but it's understandable. I loved the neon signs and the hospitality Rodney brings. You can genuinely taste the soul he puts into his food. That said, a few notes come down to personal preference--so if you enjoy it as-is, feel free to take this with a grain of salt. The ribs were incredibly tender--10/10. They were truly fall-off-the-bone. Personally, I would have loved a bit more of that smoky char you get from Texas-style ribs, but that's just my preference. Either way, Rodney clearly knows what he's doing. The potato salad wasn't my favorite. It leaned heavily on mustard, and there seemed to be a lot of relish or pickles, which threw me off a bit. Still, I'd absolutely come back again just for the ribs. The customer ahead of us ordered brisket, and I appreciated that Rodney was upfront about whether it was on the leaner or fattier side--that level of honesty goes a long way. Overall, the BBQ smelled and tasted great, and the pricing is very reasonable for the portions you get--it's definitely worth the value. If you enjoy good BBQ, I'd recommend making the trip to check this spot out before more people discover it. One thing to note: the ribs are truly fall-off-the-bone, so if you prefer a firmer, more "bite-through" texture where you can really gnaw on the meat, this might not be your style.

Rodney's ribs are excellent. I've had other stuff, but I haven't been there for a while so most…read morerecently when I have gone back I got the rib tips. The meat is tender, juicy and not over seasoned. The ambience and service are the only reasons why I'm giving it four stars versus five. It's a food truck so there is no ambience. In the service is very basic. Just walk up place you understand there and wait. That said do not miss out on the ribs because the man cares about what he does and you can taste it in the food.