Insider Pages Reviews for Smitty's Grill

4 Stars: Smitty's Grill is pricey (by patrick g.)

patrick g. — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 01:51:00 GMT

Drinks are price....eeeee. The meatloaf good. The best thing about our experience was the spicy bean dip. They have cracked the code of flavor on this menu fav. Dont expect a booth but if your fortunate enough to get one ...do enjoy

5 Stars: Great food. (by Aurora L.)

Aurora L. — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:36:00 GMT

This restaurant has great food with a friendly staff.
We have gone on several occasions for lunch and we get out on time to get back to work. The food is fresh and prepared to perfection.

3 Stars: This review is for the bar scene at Smittys (by uscgrad97)

uscgrad97 — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 01:00:00 GMT

As with all good places, the bar menu features some high-end alcohol in both classic and new combinations. But I was very disappointed to see the bartender shorting me the Good Stuff in my martini for some Smirnoff. I called him on it and he got defensive. The nerve!

5 Stars: Excellent! (by Amy V.)

Amy V. — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:12:00 GMT

Love Smitty's! The food is great and they have a good size menu. Prices are affordable. Staff and management are very friendly. Gets a little busy, so recommend reservations.

4 Stars: Great Food in a wonderful Place (by Tanya P.)

Tanya P. — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:51:00 GMT

Smitty's Grill is a wonderful restaurant with amazing food. Oddly enough with all of the wonderful meals I usually choose either Mac N Cheese or a Pot Pie because both are really fabulous. They offer a full cuisine and are able to easily accommodate small business gatherings.

5 Stars: Excelllent Food & Service (by lalaker)

lalaker — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 01:00:00 GMT

The Food was excellent ...The service was great...We had the best waitress ever..i took my fiancee for our 2 year anniversary to Smitty's Grill and let me tell you they did not only sat us down real fast but the waitress was just the nicest lady ever...Her name is Judy she even sang us a happy anniversary song which i tought that was very sweet of her..The vallet parking was excellent we had just left our table and when we walked outside i still had my ticket for the vallet in my pocket when my car was already pulling up...It was the best night ever for both of us and let me tell you i really give this place 6 thumbs up lol jk but really it's a great place to visit.

3 Stars: Slow Service, good food but a little overpriced (by wam08)

wam08 — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I ordered the smokehouse burger which comes with sauteed onions, bacon, white cheddar and smokehouse sauce. It was prepared rare just like I asked which was great, but it had a weird pickle sauce which didn't go with the bbq well. The arugala salad with goat cheese and walnuts was a delicious appetizer salad but overpriced at $11. Our waiter was also very slow and getting back to us, not so good.

2 Stars: No service (by citron23)

citron23 — Tue, 13 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Seated outside. No one asked if we would like anything to drink. Getting our waiter to actually take our order was a long ordeal. Food did not make up for it.

3 Stars: Overpriced, Poor Service / Can't compare to Houston's (by summertime18)

summertime18 — Tue, 01 May 2007 02:00:00 GMT

I went to Smitty's for a business lunch, hoping to impress my client, but unfortunately, failed to do so, due to the quality of the food, service, and atmosphere. Service was extremely slow and disorganized. Our waiter could have passed for a high schooler on the day of his first job. He didn't refill our water glasses, bring us bread, or show any kind of enthusiasm for his job. And food wise, we were left unimpressed. Granted, the place is based on steaks, but they didn't even have one single chicken dish and the salad selection was limited. I ordered the salmon and it was decent but nothing special and the portion size was pretty lacking for the price. The environment is very hectic at lunch and not at all relaxing. I've been to Houston's for meetings and find it to be preferable to Smitty's.

5 Stars: Nice place for a Saturday evening (by psboston7)

psboston7 — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 02:00:00 GMT

We made our reservations on open table & ended up arriving about 1 hour earlier, but called ahead and was told by the hostess that, that wouldn't be a problem. Upon our arrival we were told we would be sitting in a outside area. I asked the hostess if it was there policy to inform their guest in advance that they would be outside and she replied "no". Aside from that I did find her to be tad "snooty" when she mentioned to me that some of the tables had been reserved weeks ago as if to say that mine wasn't... which of course it wasn't :) however after she said that I took a real good look at her and noticed she was wearing a spaghetti strapped tank top and a nice tight skirt which I didn't feel was appropriate for a restaurant of this "outward" caliber.

Anyhoo On to the table service! Server was Jonathon he was excellent and not stiff (as we thought perhaps the other servers were to be - in body language, mind you) was personable and had helpful suggestions. My friend had the Halibut it was very good, the mashed potatoes were wonderful and the Chicken Piccatta was moist with nice portion, my Trout was sort of taste less but the cheese bread made up for it, Delicious! For dessert we had Creme Brulee and Hot Fudge Sundae I have had better Creme Brulee before and well you can't really mess up the basic sundae and this one was basic. Beware the menu is a la carte i.e; starch and vegetables seperate charge from entree.

All in all I recommend this restaurant the decor was gorgeous even the outdoor area where they wanted to seat us was lovely and perfect for a romantic dinner for two. Parking on rear street offers 2 hour free parking. As we went with teenagers I can recommend it for them however not for real little ones(such as toddlers). If you do not want to be seated outside or you do not want to sit next to the kitchen be sure to state that when making reservations and I can not say this enough MAKE RESERVATIONS in advance.

5 Stars: Great food, service and atmosphere! (by shuateen)

shuateen — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 01:00:00 GMT

I went here with a small group with no reservations on a Saturday night so there was about a fifteen minute wait for a table, but Smitty's found room for us. The food was excellent and the service was amazing. I definitely plan on returning!

4 Stars: Great Beef Ribs special! Large portions, good food, great service (by joe_reviewer)

joe_reviewer — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 01:00:00 GMT

Work in Pasadena, eaten at Smitty's several times, have not been let down. Not the best seafood but remember this is a Steakhouse. Try the calf liver and onions.

1 Stars: Bad ambiance, bad service, bad food, extremely expensive, a good place to avoid (by aelemay)

aelemay — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 01:00:00 GMT

What an awful place. Noisy, pretentious, phony, extremely expensive, and the service is bad and the food is not very good.

We sat on the patio near Lake Street and after numerous requests to raise the light level so we could read the menu, nothing was done, and we were forced to read the menu with my keychain flashlight.

The waiter was so badly trained that he could not even understand our drink orders. He refused to ask the Chef if he could prepare a vegetarian meal, and, it was clear that he had precious little experience in his job.

And, later, much later, after our meals arrived, our fish entrees were cooked to the consistency of hardened wood. There was no taste, and, never before in my experience had I had such a terrible treatment of a sea bass fish entree. My wife's salmon was similarly bad.

But, it had taken so long to get our dinners, and the waiter was so clear that the chef did not countenance any special requests, that I bit my toungue and we did not send these incomprehensively incompetent meals back to the kitchen.

We left the restaurant without a good dinner, angry, and with bill of several hundred dollars, for what? For a bad experience, for service which was really sub par, for ignoring our reasonable requests and for food which put most restaurants out of business in a matter of weeks.

But, the drinks are large, the steaks other people were eating looked good, and the prostitutes at the bar were attractive.

But, who needs it?

4 Stars: Loud but Good (by sharkysuz)

sharkysuz — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 01:00:00 GMT

Firstly, the restuaurant was very accomodating since I orginally made the reservation for 10 for dinner, but changed it to 12 that morning. And when I realized that we were going to be late, I called, and when we finally arrived, the hostess thanked me for calling. Service was a little slow to start, and our server was very pushy with the appetizers. When my boss tried to order wine for the table, he complained that the list was quite standard and very overpriced. He asked the server for suggestions, and the server didnt seem that knowledgeable. Most everyone at my end of the table ordered prime rib. The regular cut was certainly enough for me at 10 oz. My boyfriend got the large cut at 20 oz finishing the whole thing. It was a good deal, if you can eat that much meat because it cost only $5 more than the regular. And the prime rib itself was very good. My only complaint about the entire experience was the noise. I practically had to yell at the person sitting across the table from me in order to have a conversation.

3 Stars: Not what I had hoped for... (by endonyd)

endonyd — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 01:00:00 GMT

I had heard so many good things about this spot in pasadena, and finally I got to go, and left so disappointed. It started with the ridiculous long wait of 90 minutes, when I was told 30 minutes. Then I was offered an outside table where I later regretted because the smokers go out there and all the smoke reached us. I was offered another 45 minutes wait for an inside table if I wanted, but I just wanted to eat already. We ordered the corn bread skillet, steak chili, and the mac and cheese. Everything got cold with minutes as it came out lukewarm at best to begin with. My dining companions meal was the same disappointing thing, he got the chicken cream soup and ruben sandwich. I won't be going back anytime soon. The atmosphere is interesting though if you are into scenery.

4 Stars: Great burger in comfy setting (by lonediner)

lonediner — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 02:00:00 GMT

Their burger and chili is great. The ambience of old hollywood glamour, supper club feel of the dark woods work well to transform you to another era. A nice contrast from some of the typical modern enviroments that many restaurants decorate with these days. Definitely a lot of food to digest, so if you don't want to spend too much, for for a burger or just a bowl of chili.

4 Stars: Beware the "gotcha" special prices (by tnolan62)

tnolan62 — Sat, 04 Mar 2006 01:00:00 GMT

Great basic food - burgers, porkchop, meatloaf. But I was recently shocked when I got the bill after ordering a special that was highly recommended by the waiter. The meal was good, but not worth the price, which was well above any price on the menu.

5 Stars: Just Like Home (by lilgourmetdiva)

lilgourmetdiva — Sun, 01 Jan 2006 01:00:00 GMT

I have not been disappointed with the food considering I have almost tried everything on the menu. Service is great! A reservation is necessary if you want to eat inside but we have found no trouble getting outdoor tables without a reservation. There are heat lamps too! You have a choice of a few tables by the sidewalk on Lake Street or in the back of the restaurant landscaped with nice plants if you want something quieter. Be careful not to use the lot next to the valet service in the rear of the restaurant. There is a sign that reads "After Hours Parking". This lot is not for evening parking it is for a shop called "After Hours Tuxedo" which is confusing and the tow trucks seem to have caught on to this and won't waste any time in towing your vehicle before you finish your dinner.

4 Stars: Watch out for the Lady Hostess (by jadevries)

jadevries — Tue, 31 May 2005 02:00:00 GMT

I was appalled on how I was treated by the lady hostess last evening. Luckily, the male host saved the day. He was courteous; she was a cold fish.

The rest of the meal was great!

4 Stars: (by Justin B.)

Justin B. — Thu, 16 Dec 2004 15:12:00 GMT

Great food and very nice atmosphere. The Bar is small so get there early for a seat. They have a really nice heated patio in the back that makes for a quieter dinning experience. The prices are on the high side but if your craving a nice dinner then theprice will be worth it. Make sure you go to the back for valet parking.

4 Stars: (by Brian H.)

Brian H. — Wed, 03 Nov 2004 16:09:00 GMT

I prefer the bar over dining at Smitty's, but it's pricey and classy all around. Good service, but I get this "cramped" feeling when it's busy - like tables are a little too close together. Check out the back patio, it's really cool.

4 Stars: (by Alexandra Z.)

Alexandra Z. — Wed, 20 Oct 2004 14:20:00 GMT

When it's cold out and we are looking for comfort food - this is always first on our list. The meatloaf alone is worth it, and don't get me started on the homemade potato chips and garlic mashed potatoes. We usually forget to make reservations and getstuck on the patio or sent away - but sometimes it'sthe patio is quieter than inside - and with the heaters - not so bad.

4 Stars: Mmmm..Mmmm...Great! (by mrbiscuit)

mrbiscuit — Fri, 06 Sep 2002 02:00:00 GMT

After going to Arnie Morton's and spending top dollar on a good steak, I was only to be reminded of the amazingly juicy and delectably-seasoned superior steak I had at Smitty's. The cornbread was also incredible.

Not to be missed for seriously good food with a down-to-earth, home-food twist.

4 Stars: Great steak and sides (by lililadaga_citysearch)

lililadaga_citysearch — Tue, 27 Aug 2002 02:00:00 GMT

On a recent visit with friends, we all got petite filets, which were tender and juicy and cooked to perfection. The sides are comforting and good: mac and cheese, baked potatoes with all the fixings, green beans and a fantastic jalapeno cornbread. The steak chili is flavorful and rich, although a bit salty. It gets crowded on the weekends, if you have to wait, you can chill at the bar with a really strong drink.

4 Stars: need to go again (by kerigrace)

kerigrace — Tue, 25 Jun 2002 02:00:00 GMT

The atmosphere is very mellow, low lighting, friendly staff. Lots of tables of two. The food is great!! There are wonderful "old" favorites and the specials are always inventive. I always eat too much. The portions are bigger than they need to be. They also have a small room at the back if you don't want all of the people watching. The bar does get pretty crowded.

4 Stars: Good drinks (by BObermiller_Citysearch)

BObermiller_Citysearch — Tue, 21 May 2002 02:00:00 GMT

They serve a great mojito here. The covered back patio is a nice place to do dinner and drinks with friends and coworkers. The food is good.

3 Stars: Disappointing (by jaepu)

jaepu — Mon, 20 May 2002 02:00:00 GMT

To be honest, I'm quite surprised to see Smitty's getting such positive ratings. Dressing up mac 'n' cheese and hamburgers with white tablecloths and overcharging for them is NOT a good buisness plan. Same goes for the weak filet mingon--too small for the price, and not cooked to spec. Still, Smitty's does have a good bar with top-shelf bottles of everything from Booker's bourbon to Grey Goose vodka and everything in between. This restaurant has the same vaguely artificial feel as its predecessor in the space, Ducz.

4 Stars: Great Bartenders (by LesleyBalla_Citysearch)

LesleyBalla_Citysearch — Tue, 14 May 2002 02:00:00 GMT

Finally, a bar for good cocktails. The service is accomodating and patient. The martini's are nearly perfect.

5 Stars: Upscale Comfort Food and Cocktails (by MicheleMoss_Citysearch)

MicheleMoss_Citysearch — Mon, 13 May 2002 02:00:00 GMT

Ask for a seat on the patio in the back. Greenery is strewn with little white lights. Add candles on the table and the pleasant din of dinner conversation and it's easy to forget the busy Lake Street location. The macaroni and cheese is a creamy concoction peppered with salty bits of ham. Generously made drinks are the perfect dessert. The staff is friendly and lets diners linger comfortably over cocktails as the night wears on. Its equally suited to business lunches and romantic dinners.