🍗 Smitty’s Grill (Pasadena): Comfort Food…But Make It a Full Experience

🔥 Oh Yeah!

Can a comfort food restaurant become a food blogger’s paradise?
At Smitty’s Grill…yes. And honestly, it’s a little dangerous.

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📍 Quick Info

Location: Pasadena
Price Range: $25–60
Best For: Comfort food lovers, celebrations, “we’re not holding back tonight” dinners
Parking: Valet ($12—and suspiciously the nicest valets in LA)
Popular Items: Fried Chicken, Prime Rib, Cornbread, Smitty’s Salad

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🍽️ My Experience at Smitty’s Grill

We’ve been coming here forever—and somehow it still feels like a treat every single time.

Also…what restaurant hands you a handwritten birthday card when you sit down?
(It was my birthday weeks ago. We are still celebrating. Respectfully.)

The vibe?
Old-school steakhouse energy—but refreshed. Cozy, classic, and just the right amount of nostalgic.

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⭐ The Food

Let’s talk about the real star—THE FOOD.

We started with drinks—Old Fashioneds, Whispering Angel Rosé, and Arnold Palmers—

👉 And everything was made perfectly. As it should be.

Then came the essentials.

👉 Bread + garlic herb butter (non-negotiable)
👉 And the cornbread…I need a moment.

Iron skillet, slightly sweet, crumb topping, melts in your mouth—honestly more cake than bread and I will not be questioning it.

The homemade potato chips?

👉 Addicting. Like…no self-control situation. Proceed carefully.

Then the New England Clam Chowder—

👉 Thick, rich, packed with clams…this is the kind of soup that makes you stop talking and reevaluate your life choices (in a good way).

We also got the Smitty’s Salad:

👉 White shrimp, smoked bacon, English peas, green beans, Point Reyes blue cheese, cornbread croutons—
Balanced, fresh, and somehow still indulgent. Make it make sense.

Now for the mains (and yes, we did too much):

• Buttermilk Fried Chicken
  👉 Crispy, crunchy, juicy—this is not optional.
• Roasted Prime Rib
  👉 Cooked perfectly. No notes. A classic for a reason.
• Sand Dabs
  👉 Light, buttery, and quietly doing their job very well.
• Pork Chop
  👉 Massive. Like…this thing had main character energy.
• Prime Rib French Dip + fries
  👉 Messy, rich, and absolutely worth it.

At some point we stopped talking and just focused on the food—which honestly says everything.

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🙌 Service

A+. Professional, polished, and on top of everything. No complaints.

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🍴 What to Order

Don’t overthink it—this is not the time to experiment:

• Cornbread + butter
• Clam chowder (if it’s on the menu)
• Fried chicken
• Smitty’s salad

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👍 Pros & 👎 Cons

Pros:

• Consistently great comfort food
• Huge portions
• Excellent service
• Thoughtful touches (birthday card = elite behavior)

Cons:

• You will over-order (this is not avoidable)
• Can get busy
• You may need a nap after

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💡 Tips Before You Go

• Come hungry—or don’t come at all
• Bring people so you can “share” (you won’t)
• Don’t skip the cornbread (I’m serious)

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⭐ Final Verdict

Comfort food, but fully elevated—and just chaotic enough to be fun.

LA Eats Worth It? Yes. Aggressively yes. Come hungry, leave full, no regrets.

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