Such a horrible experience. Where do I even start?!!? I was invited here for brunch. We had a reservation for our medium sized party of 9 with several children. The place wasn't crowded at all but we still had to wait over 30 minutes for anyone to come and take our order, get us water or even extra napkins for the little ones. Most of us ordered coffee. When it finally came there was no cream, sugar or spoons. We asked for them but they never came! Once we did order we were made to wait another 45 min. When the food came most was cold and tasted mediocre at best. The wait staff was dull and unresponsive. Management was arrogant, not caring that we had small children begging for food. No one would even come by with crackers, a piece of fruit or apologies for the long wait. On top of that when the bill came we had extra charges for things we didn't eat. I hardly write reviews but felt I needed to about this place. I haven't received service this bad in a while. Not worth your time or money!
Review Source:I invited a party of four out to this restaurant, after hearing about its reopening. Â We all remembered the good food and good entertainment in a pleasant atmosphere. Â We were all surprised to find everything has changed. Â The owners are new, highly arrogant and have nothing to do with the old. Â The menu is all new and much slimmer. Â
Everything that was ordered by everyone at our table was mildly 'okay', if not terrible. Â The calamari was so bad we had to send it back. Â The buratta was just okay but nothing I would reorder or recommend to others. Â The pizza... the dough was delicious but there was something wrong with the ingredients... it just tasted like a disaster. Â We had to remove all the cheese, sauce, and toppings to eat it. Â I ordered the 'local halibut' which was frozen and poorly prepared. Â The outside was mildly burnt, while the middle was raw. Â It was very strange how the the fish seemed very dry until you got to the middle, which was probably because they put a frozen piece of fish on a slow burning fire, without thawing it first. Â We also got the Salmon, which was also poorly and unevenly cooked. Â The 72 hour pork butt was a waste of 72 hours it supposedly took to prepare it. Â The beet and garden salads were unimpressive but edible. Â Service was on the slow side and not very attentive. Â The server took our appetizer order and disappeared for 20 minutes until they were ready... did not take our drink or dinner order. Â So we had to have our appetizers without anything to drink. Â We asked for bread in the beginning, but got it half way through dinner. I asked for some more and it never came. Â The music level was just above the comfortable level to have a conversation with anyone at your table... they had a band performing and it would really be nice if they would have lowered it a bit so people could enjoy it as background music, not as if we were at a rock concert.
I spoke to the manager about my issues and the quality of the food. Â She was very arrogant and unapologetic for the service and food quality. Â She told me that everyone has different tastes and that everyone else loves their food. Â Looking at reviews on this site, I have proof that my experience is not unusual. Â It's very sad to see that the new owners took this business and are throwing it into the trash from the beginning. Â They are getting lots of customers who remember the past, only to get disappointed by the present. Â What a waste. Â I encourage everyone to try any of the other many restaurants in Old Town Pasadena.... even the worst of them are better than the new Twin Palms.
I don't know where to start. Â EVERY SINGLE DISH WAS TERRIBLE. Â My friend and I were very hungry after a lovely spa day, where the spa manager suggested we try Twin Palms. Â She said it was open again and another spa guest was very excited...so we gave it a try. Â
While the formal dining area looked ok, the huge tent we sat under had a very casual feel and all the diners were very casual - in shorts and t-shirts. Â It's not what I expected to see. Â The live music was very good - mostly Sinatra - and definitely gave a more upscale vibe than the appearance of the place. Â The waiters were dressed in all black professional attire; bussers had on tight blue jeans and black shirts. What? Â They offer a lounge w/ bottle service but I'm not sure why anyone would pay to hang out in this place. Â It would probably be more fun if they had only bar food and had a big party, offering dance lessons. Â
*Ambiance - weird, confusing, and too damn bright!
*Service - very average; we didn't like the food and the waiter didn't even blink
*Unimpressive wine AND cocktail list. Â
*Chewy calamari'os w/ gooey tentacles inside (order it and you'll see what I mean)
*Beet salad and crispy cauliflower were both ok
*Whole roasted fish - TERRIBLE - small, soggy, boring, flavorless, blah blah blah
*Crab pepper pasta - tasted like crab + pepper + pasta  - not blended, watery sauce
*Presentation - like a high school cafeteria - just dump the food in 3 lumps on a plate
*Dessert - cookie plate was ok (except unidentified fancy fig newton and s'mores with no gram crackers or chocolate; store bought French macaroons; crème brulee had a great flavor; however, if you closed your eyes and ate it, you wouldn't know it was crème brulee. Â
Don't waste your money here - unless you want to listen to live music and have a drink or two...
Last night we stepped into Twin Palms for Nina Fetter's jazz performance and were kindly welcomed by the manager, Christina. Â We sat at the bar and had appetizers and a cocktail, I had the mojito and it was a perfect pour. Â My stars are based on ambience and the friendliness of the staff - we were informed they are open for lunch so we will definitely be back when we have more time. Â There was a diverse crowd which we enjoyed and many beautiful people out on a Thursday night. Â It's great to have a local landmark reopen for us local Pasadena fans. Â Lastly, we didn't have the opportunity to make our way to the lounge area but there is a beautifully decorated space with couches and tables upon entering the restaurant. Â Great job, Twin Palms.
Review Source:This revitalized restaurant is going to be the next big hot spot in Pasadena.
Ever go to a new place to check it out and see them doing just everything right? Great staff, great food, great venue, great location. Everything screams attention to detail from the place settings to the amazing menu, food, and wine pairings.
I can't wait to go back.
You know brunch is bad when nobody has anything to say good about their meal. Â First if you are going to have an outside seating area have fans and don't make your guest sit through an excruciating long breakfast (almost 2 hours) in hot muggy weather. Â Maybe I could overlook the sweat pouring down my brow, but I had one of the worst meals ever and I was not alone. Â It took over an hour for anyone to get their meal and a good 10 minutes between the time the first person as served and the last person got their meal. I had quiche which was runny and undercooked, I sent it back to cook it more, but it still came out runny and by this time I was starving and ate the most well done parts. Â None of the egg dishes looked appetizing, 3 people got the chopped salad and everyone said it was just OK Â I can't blame the waiter cause he was trying his best, I blame the chef who needs to manage his kitchen better and learn how to cook. Â I will never be returning to this restaurant. Â Yuck, yuck and yuck.
Review Source:We always loved the ambiance here--which fortunately hasn't changed, however, the food leaves much to be desired. I ordered the Steak Frites which was very disappointing; the cut of meat was flavorless and the portion was the size of a baby's fist. The fries were over seasoned. I am a petite, small framed female and this meal left me starving--all for $30.00! My husband had the 1/2 rotisserie chicken which in itself was plentiful but the "mixed vegetables" on the side were sparse, and more decorative than filling ($25.00). I know this was their opening weekend so I hesitate to criticize the service, but it was so-so. My husband ordered a mixed drink that was brought to the table without lime, no drink stirrer. Not all beer selections are on the menu. Our meat dishes came without proper knives to cut with. Little things like that I'm sure will iron out, but if the food continues along these lines we only be back for the music and drinks -- not dinner.
Review Source:If you are an experienced foodie, you may be disappointed after reading all of these glowing reviews of the newly-restored Twin Palms. Â In reality, the food doesn't quite live up to the ambitiousness of the menu. Â Burrarta salad = oddly bland given the presence of shaved asparagus and black radishes (how?!?). Â The sweet pea tart = bland filling held in a very, very dry crust. Â 72-hour sous vide pork butt = surprisingly bland and not very tender considering the preparation method (how?!?). Â Even my old-fashioned cocktail was off-balance and the wine list is uninspired. Â The service was attentive, yet little mistakes were made, and the outdoor space is as great as it ever was. Â (The comments about the new decor are wacky given that the place looks EXACTLY as it did in the 90s.). High hopes that the kitchen starts living up to its lofty aspirations.
Review Source:My husband and I went a couple of weeks ago and had a great time. Â This was his first time and my second (I had been one time a few years ago). Â The NEW decor is beautiful! Â Really fun atmosphere and very nice waitstaff. Â
We had a couple of drinks and food. Â My husband ordered the Sweetbread Corn Dogs and he LOVED them. Â I had the Scallop and Pork Belly which was amazing as well. Â We will definitely be back!
First, glad to see it reopened. Â Love the open air feel, the layout, bar areas and the staff was very attentive. Â However the food is another story. Â It appears that the Chef has sold the staff a bill of goods, as the food does not come close to the hype. The Chop Salad was not as good as the grocery store purchased salad in bag, and for $17, are you kidding? Â The Spaghetti & Shrimp had potential, it sounded good but.....again just average taste. Â The Salmon had a great taste and the texture was excellent however he should be ashamed at the supporting cast, a bunch of lettuce and halved cherry tomatoes left on their own, for a 4oz piece at $20.00 on the lunch menu,it was definitely not worth it. We will go back for the atmosphere but not likely to have lunch. Â We will give dinner a try but because of this experience, we're not going to rush back.
Review Source:I had a great experience at Twin Palms recently, as they reopened their doors. I loved the atmosphere, the service and food. Â I had the mushroom stuffed quail for my main course and loved it! Â It was cooked to perfection. Â I also had the beet and goat cheese salad, as well as the scallop and sliders for appetizer. Â Everything was absolutely amazing. The portions were perfect. Â I'll definitely be back to try everything else on the menu because everything looked great. Â I'll be back for Happy Hour especially to try all the specialty drinks.
Review Source:Twin Palms is back with more style.
The last time I went to this place was about seven years ago, and I was so sad that they closed it down.
But now they are back with a bang. I went there last night and loved all the changes they had done to the place. They have the best looking crew working here, the food was great. I ordered lamb and it was cooked to perfection.
Great place to take a date or even your entire family.
9/26/12 - There is activity going on at the Twin Palms site and a sign has gone up that says the restaurant will reopen in January 2013.
5/1/13 - Not open yet, and doesn't look anywhere close to being ready.
7/10/13 - Restaurant is open now, menu looks great, looking forward to going.
It's a great place during weekends where they have Live Bands playing, Specially Disco Diva's. To bad their closing the place in November. On their website it says
What did you celebrate at Twin Palms Pasadena over the past 15 years?
  * Did you hold your wedding or maybe your reception at Twin Palms?
  * Did you propose to your wife at Twin Palms Pasadena?
  * Did you have your first date at Twin Palms?
  * Maybe you met your future spouse at Twin Palms Pasadena?
  * Did you celebrate a birthday, anniversary or graduation at Twin Palms?
Whatever YOUR personal memory is, come help us relive these memories and make new ones before we close our doors one final time on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009. We will be open late on this evening for our last celebration!
Don't miss your opportunity to enjoy Twin Palms Pasadena's "ultimate California dining experience" one more time with our fabulous food, superb service and magnificent music!
Please don't tell the gay police but I'm not a brunch type. Â I'd rather sneak a half a pint of Whiskey into an inconspicuous cup of coffee and roll up to my neighborhood Church's chicken at 9 in the morning. Â I'd rather save the $40 you would normally spend on runny eggs, stale pastries and weak mimosas on some greasy chicken, Pokemon cards and a doggy-eared Penthouse from the corner gas station.
This place is gorgeous in a breezy-casual way. Â There's a huge canopy that allows for quasi-outdoor dining and an immaculately decorated interior with dramatic purple walls and funky light treatments. Â Everything is muted in a tres classey way (and you must stick out your pinkies when reading this, please) that reminds you to act civilized but in a a careless kind of way. Â
The spread is equally impressive. Â Highlights include a Huevos Rancheros casserole, NY Strip Steak, Eggs Benedict, Fried or Rotisserie Chicken, Grilled Salmon, and some garlicy Cheese Tortellini dish. Â The dessert station did not disappoint with luscious bites of assorted cheesecakes, cherry pie bites, petite creme brulees, a delicious fruit tart and a waffle station out of this world.
The real 5-stars must, however, be awarded to the servers who are as attentive as they are fuckable....which is very. Â Our server, a thick, bald-headed latino was so attentive and bulging in the right places, it made me blush. Â My champagne glass (you can keep your OJ) was never more than half-empty and he was quick to clear my plates.
I'm not sure what the price for brunch is, as I was treated to it, but I can imagine it wasn't cheap. Â A simple survey of all the patrons (slacks, button-up shirts, PANTYHOSE on a Sunday morning? Â WTF?) told me it wasn't no $10 AYCE Las Vegas affair.
Really enjoyed this place.
We had girls night out here before I moved up north and it was a great treat.
I love the patio and palm trees it is the quintessential example of why I miss so cal so much!
The service was very pleasant and the food was great. The music during dinner was good as well.
I hate clubs and I hate dancing but there was such a fun mix of people here even I got out there and danced the night away. Cougars get a bit much towards the end of the night but thats when you skip out and go down the street for frozen yogurt
There have only been two reasons to go to Twin Palms.
#1. Â The "Parents" like to go there when they are in town.
#2. Â The best, most friendliest waiter/bar tender, Joel Bond.
I now can add #3
#3. Â The steaks were a hit.
I've never cared much for their food, and I wasn't expecting anything, especially after our super-cold butternut squash soup came out, and all the items were wrong...but no big problem since the new yong gal was pleasant and trying hard.
If only we could have had Joel take care of our table as the "Parents" had hoped. Â It was their 39th anniversary : )
Oh, and the place was downright FREEZING on Sat Night.
I will never think of this as a destination place, but now after having 3 steak come out PERFECTLY, I may reconsider trying it without the family if I am in town.
Tourist trap! Â Â To be fair, though, I have not tried the brunches which the other reviewers have given acclaim. Â Â Â I have only been here for dinner.
I've been here for a couple of birthdays. Â They have a pre-fixed menu selection for you to choose from. Â Â Dry meat and sloppy pasta. Â
You will find your 40+ couples patronize this place. Â Â And then you can watch their funky 1970's disco moves to the DJ's that bust out tracks by the latest hot artists like Rhianna. Â
One time an old middle eastern man was drunk and start projecting some unprovoked anger towards my friend. Â Â Even though my buddy could have caused some irrevocable damage to this old fella, he swallowed his pride and remained passive. Â
20 minutes later, the old mad started trouble with another patron and was subsequently tasered by the security guards. Â Â We all laughed in silence as he flopped on the floor like a goldfish out of the water bowl.
Please note this review is ONLY for their Sunday brunch. Â I love brunches and have been to my share of them...SO coming here for my birthday, to a restaurant that I've only walked by a thousand times and have wanted to eat at forever...I guess I set my expectations up a bit too high. Â We sat outside and when the wind blew little seeds fell off of the rooftop onto our table, someone should really clean up there...
I've been to small restaurants that offer a brunch buffet with a smaller amazing selection and have been totally wowed and definitely have my share of larger scale brunches, this one...eh. Â Service was pretty slow we had to ask for water twice, always bad. Â The issue that we had with this place was the limited selection. Â You would assume bigger name, bigger place = lots more food options. Â Nope. Â Mediocre. Â Not terrible, but not wowed. Â They let a lot of their food get cold so they weren't the best at figuring out when to serve what. Â Who wants soggy fried chicken and cold eggs Benedict? Â Yuck. Â
Best part of the meal was the petite desserts. Â Those were outstanding. Â The band was delightful as well. Â I did love the diversity of the crowd though that really doesn't count.
I'm honestly tempted to take off another star due for the service alone.
For whatever reason, somehow I manage to find myself here occassionally for happy hour with friends....despite the fact that we get HORRIBLE service everytime. Every single time.
First the good: they have a late happy hours: Mon-Thur 3-9pm and Fri-Sun 3pm-7pm, so they get props for that. Also, their happy hour specials are a pretty good deal...half off select appetizers (there's quite a variety to choose from) and the food is actually big in portion and yummy. They have speciality cocktails for $5 and specials on beer and wine during happy hour also. The dessert sampler is declicious.
 The ambience is really nice, with the soft lighting, semi-outdoor venue, and sometimes they have a jazz band playing.
Now the bad: the wait staff has never been particularly nice or helpful. Maybe it's because they make assumptions about how we look (we're all professional graduate students, but young) and assume we won't order or tip much and provide service as such. Whatever. The last time, I ordered after my friends already had placed theirs and before I could tell him what I wanted, the waiter says "we don't split checks." Um, ok...I wans't going to ask that. After that, it took awhile to get the waiter guys attention when we needed refills or dessert orders. Not to worry, we showed him by paying with not 1, not 2, but FOUR credit cards. Take that sucka.
And finally, the ugly: A few times I've been here, some of my friends were over charged...not by a $1 or $2, but more like $9-20. NOT COOL. Thankfully, they were reimbursed.
I'll come back again to get together with my girl friends, but only because of the food, drink, and ambience. The waiter staff will continue to get sucky tips from us until the service improves. So there :-P
I took some of my girlfriends here for brunch and I am sooo glad that I did. Twin Palms is definitely the best place to have brunch if you're in the area.
The place was packed with families and old people enjoying their Sunday afternoon brunch. The outdoor patio is properly designed so you don't have to worry about the sun getting into your eyes and you can simply enjoy eating outside in the warm sunshine.
The food variety is amazing! They don't have a crazy amount of variety as some Las Vegas buffets do, but every single one of their selections were absolutely delicious. I tried the eggs with cheese and vegetables, benedicts, omelettes, roasted potatoes, steamed vegetables, grilled chicken, and many more. There was just too many goods to eat!!
The dessert bar was the BEST. They had my favorite dessert and they made it right. CREME BRULEES!! I was mesmerized by the tray of creme brulees and I ended up eating 4 before I left. I was in creme brulee heaven. They make one of the best creme brulees I have ever tasted. YUM. They also had several different types of wonderfully decorated cakes, cookies, and many more. (too bad I didn't get to try the others..)
Don't count the calories when you're here. Just eat and enjoy all the wonderful foods they serve.
Twin Palms serves one of the BEST brunches I have ever had.
There's a reason why I'm only giving Twin Palms 1 star.
My husband and I were on vacation, and it was our last day in Pasadena. We asked our hotel for a recommendation for a good brunch place and they recommended the Twin Palms Restaurant. We were pretty much looking forward to it, so we drove down to try it out. Upon entering the greeter wasn't exactly friendly. He never looked us in the face and sat us in the back of the restaurant. We understood it was a buffet, but after 10 minutes no water. No service... nothing. We quitely ate our food, watching everyone else and everyone had some sort of service. We had to ask a bus boy for some water.
I felt quickly unwanted. We ate (not a lot because we felt the service was horrible and wanted to leave) and asked for our check up front. One person on the wait staff helped us and apologized and he and the busboy were the only redeeming part of this restaurant. The red-haired greeter jack-ass didn't even apologize or say anything to us, or look at us while we waited for the check to ring up as we stood up front. (At least say something jack-ass).
We didn't have to pay full price, but was it worth it? Big no. The food was alright, nothing to rave about. Maybe if we had a smile or some SERVICE the experience would have been better. The waiter who helped us find a manager is probably the only reason why I didn't blow up, because there was one nice person out of the ass-hole bunch up front. And I have to give props to the bus boy cuz he actually gave us water.
Came here for my friend's wedding banquet. Â They rented out the ENTIRE restaurant. Â It was hot out today, so me and my friends got there soon enough to grab a table in the dining room, where there was air conditioning. Â As more bodies filled the room, didn't really help as much.
This supposedly is a local hot spot and you can occasionally spot a celebrity, but whatever... Â The overall decor of the place is nice and I like how outdoor patio is "tented". Â They have a stage for live music, which I forget if its every night or just certain nights.
The food itself was pretty good.  Salad was a spinach salad with granny smith apple batonnes and sliced jicama and walnuts.  I couldn't really tell what the dressing was, but  it wasn't overdressed nor underdressed.
Oh, I almost forgot, the traypass hor d'eouvres. Â Mango ceviche in a phyllo cup, vegetable eggs rolls, and chicken empanadas. Â All were pretty good.
The entree was a half roasted chicken with was seemed to be almost like a lemon butter sauce with fresh parsley, potatoes au gratin, braised red cabbage with bacon, and steamed broccoli. Â The chicken was a little under seasoned but at least it wasn't dry.
It was a cash bar, so I didn't get any alcohol... =P
To me, Twin Palms is emblematic of what a relaxed, SoCal restaurant ought to be. From my senior prom many moons ago to my 21st birthday celebration (where the waiter promptly served up a BJ shot and a cake!), Twin Palms is a reliable Pasadena dining destination. Phenomenal waitstaff and service, a pleasant (although a bit weathered with the dirty tarp things overhead) outdoor area, makes this one of the top choices in Old Town Pasadena for a laid back, yet classy dining affair.
They have live music on the weekends, but apparently from what everyone is saying, it isn't all too good...but, different strokes for different folks, I suppose. Otherwise I've found the ambience here incredibly comfortable.
Awesome menu, something for everyone. It saddens me that they have since eliminated spinach & artichoke dip from the appetizer list. The crab cakes remain and are my favorite on the list. The salads are massive and hearty-- try the Chicken Mango Tower or the Old Pasadena. Lunch and dinner menus have little variation in between. During the holidays, they often have fixed menus throughout the day due to the rush of company parties and the like, so call ahead. Otherwise, you'll be stuck paying for a prix fixe meal that you probably didn't want.
As far as drinks, I would not recommend the Lychee Martini. The mojitos are always a safe bet as is the Flower Martini and Lemon Drop.Desserts are typical restaurant offerings-- then again, I'm not a big dessert person so don't take my word for it.
If you lunch here often, ask for their "VIP" lunch card-- 2 vists gets you a free desert, Â 5 gets you a small plate, etc. The card is also good for a complimentary beverage when presented.
It depends, do you come here for the food? Or do you come here for the atmosphere? See, because advice is different for both. If it's atmosphere you're looking for, then I would ask you if you've ever been to a wedding, because that's what it's like. There's a band playing disco/funk songs, while older to younger people rock the boat on the dance floor. I was there not too long ago, and anxiously waited for the dollar dance, but it never happened :(
Now, if it's the food that you're curious about, then give it a go. It's good, and is a great place for a group setting. The main dining room is more or less outdoors, which is nice in the warm evenings.
A side story to this restaurant is that it was awarded to Kevin Costner's ex-wife in their divorce settlement....and let's not forget about Waterworld
I've only been here for Sunday brunch on holidays/special occasion days (like Father's Day), but that is probably the only time I would go back, anyway. The brunch setup is pretty great, and generally has a few vegetarian-friendly choices, like a delicious potato salad, lots of fruit, basic salad, some veggies, and lots of breads/rolls/muffins, plus the omelette bar with veggies. The real treat, for me, was the incredibly yummy selection of desserts. Tiramisu, creme brulee, cheesecakes, lemon bars, a chocolate fountain with assorted items to dip, cream puffs... everything is sized in little portions, so you can easily try more than one, if dessert is your thing.
To fully appreciate the spread, though, I suggest you spread your time out and enjoy yourself leisurely, so as to eat a ton as comfortably as possible, because it's fairly pricy. Still, a nice excuse to get a little dressed up and have a once-in-a-while treat (I'm sure that a lot of people who go there can afford to go very often, but not me).
My sister had her wedding here. Picture this--trying to find a nice reception place for over 200 guests with decent food at a reasonable price. Â You would think not considering how much a meal is here and the location, but with how much weddings are nowadays, this place was looking pretty good. Â Â
There are several advantages to having the wedding reception here as opposed to a hotel. Â We had the use of the whole place from 9:00 am (shit, we didn't start cocktails until noon, but there's some setting up to do!) to 4:30 pm. Â At a hotel, you'd probably have less time. Â Also, you don't have to compete/deal with other events going on in the other ballrooms. Â
The catering there were very flexible with what my sister and her fiancee wanted. Â There was no pre fixed menu (just a list of suggestions) and there was lots and lots of flexibility with food choices. Â In fact, if they really wanted to, they could have requested specific things that they wanted. Â Also, there was no rental charge for the place, but a minimum amount we had to spend (I guess to make up for revenue that would have been made if it were a regular lunch period), and I don't think it necessary needed to be all be food (read between lines--booze). Â You'd have to double check on this because its been a couple of months. Â Also, Twin Palms does have a great pastry chef, but prefer to use Porto's for their wedding cakes. Â If you love Porto's, like my sister does, then this is probably the icing on top of the cake (sorry, bad pun!). Â
As for the day of, all went extremely well. Â The wedding was in November and weather was pretty bad leading up to the event, EXCEPT Â for the actual day of my sister's wedding. Â I would not have been very pleasant if I had to sit outside and be even more uncomfortable. Â I'd already be wearing gut-sucking bridesmaid's gown. Â Blech! Â There was a really stupid thing with the buffet setup, but it's not even worth mentioning.
Overall, very successful and we got major props from all my aunties on putting together such a nice event. Â (Yep, no fucking wedding planners here. Â DIY bitches.) Â Alright, can't take all the credit. Â Twin Palms had a big hand in it. Â
I can't say I've been back since then, because this isn't really my scene. Â Maybe I'll do brunch. Â Someday.
For those of you who know me and my reviews, I'm a Pasadena girl living in an extraordinary Yelp-world (okay, sorry, that was very bad). Â Last night was my first time at Twin Palms. Â EVER.
My parents were taking me out for a birthday celebration and I picked this place because The Hubbs and I have never been here. Â Frankly, I wasn't expecting much but we all seemed to enjoy our meals. Â
Our Order
Mom: Scallop Sampler (appetizer)
Dad: Bistro Steak
Me: Artichoke Ravioli
Hubbs: Fettuccine with Grilled Chicken
My order was tasty and light and the sauce wasn't too rich. Â The Hubb's pasta was okay. Â Dad's steak was in a shoyu sauce and had a side of sweet potato fries. Â The fries were cooked just right (not too oily) and while the meat tasted good, it was nothing special...almost like teriyaki. Â Whoopdeedoo, ya know? Â I didn't try any of mom's scallops but it was 3 large scallops cooked 3 different ways.
We also shared the calamari, which was crunchy yet tender and also served with some yam fries. Â The tortilla soup the Hubbs also ordered was creamy and tasty, and my caprese tower was decent. Â Typical.
Prices are little inflated for the quality of food and the service was so-so. Â The hostess had a little bit of an air to her but our server was very attentive. Â Interesting architecture as well. Â Overall, however, it wasn't really impressive at all.
Food isn't everything sometimes. Â Twin Palms atmosphere makes it worth going. Â Â Most of the place is outdoors but it under a large white tent. Â And in the center... yep, you guessed it... a palm tree. Â hmmm were there two? (twin) Â Whatever...who cares. Â
They have live entertainment and then starting about 9pm they clear a whole bunch of the tables for dancing. Â Very fun!
My sister threw my brother-in-law's birthday here this past August.
It was a perfect venue for our size family. Â We had the back area reserved with about 3 long tables.
They had a set menu, where each of us got to choose which entree we had.
The service was great and the restaurant was very accommodating to our needs. Â This was on a Sunday during lunch, so we didn't seem to experience any of the 'late night annoyances' as I've read in other reviews.
One thing I liked that they did, was providing our nieces and nephew with 'kids' options'. Â The options were good hearty servings and were of good quality for them. Â They also had their own fun desserts (GIANT cookie with ice cream, see picture!). Â I like a restaurant that is kid friendly and conscientious.
And yes...like previously and how anyone that originates from Pasadena knows, our very own "Robin Hood" used to own the place.
There was a nice chocolate-mousse-y dessert. Â And my caprese salad had two kinds of heirloom tomatoes, which is really my favorite way to make an already terrific caprese salad even better.
Most of the food was ok, actually. Â Not fantastic. Â It was maybe 3.5 star food.
So why only one star?
Because Pasadena has AMAZING food. Â If you want food in Pasadena there are scads of terrific choices everywhere you turn. Â So if the food at a place isn't spectacular it better make up for it somewhere else.
And Twin Palms doesn't make up for it anywhere. Â In fact the seedy cougar club motif makes the place actually appalling. Â So many women with ratty hair, Ross Dress for Less "cocktail" dresses, raccoon makeup and foot-long nails.
And the MEN! Â I'm sorry, the boys. Â Lots of PCC rejects celebrating their 21st birthdays and feeling somehow like hot shit because 45 year old divorcees were grabbing their behinds.
And let's not forget the seedy old men. Â Ohhhh, the seedy and pot-bellied old men! Â And the bad disco covers from the tranny-looking lounge singer waxing non-stop about how she wasn't bitter about not having a man, and could all the married women just get divorced already and make her feel better.
Yeah, I may be a bitter single woman too sometimes, but DAMN lady. Â Have some self-respect! Â Don't announce it to a bunch of drunk strangers while on stage in glittery spandex pants. Â In fact, maybe just forego the spandex altogether.
Highlight of the night? Â It was my friend's bachelorette party, and some other girl there was also having her bachelorette party. Â At some point in the evening they both got drunk enough for an arm wrestling match. Â And our girl won.
Some prize.
One lame star. Â You have 70 bucks and want to go out for an evening with your girl. Â Don't tell me TP places even in your top 50.
Let's see. Â The food is done up pretty but there's not much to it - maybe quantity. Â The atmosphere is like a KBIG 104 party in Costa Mesa. Â The staff acts like they're working at some super-hot joint on the South Beach - which this place ain't (on the South Beach or super-hot).
The thing that really freaked me out was the feeling that I was at a "meat market" for mid-40s, two-time divorcees. Â Grab yourself a drunk broad, and buy her a couple more while the valet whips the Sebring convertible around front. Â Yikes!
If you are old, or if your company is paying, than this place is great. I have been here 2 times, both where I did not have to pay. Â The actual structure is quite cool- dining under a tent which gives it a casual feel however it's still quite tasteful. Â I have heard that they serve up quite a spread for brunch however I have only had their dinners. Â I would highly recommend the filet mignon. It was cooked perfectly and it came with great sides. Â I have also had their pork chops and it was pretty juicy and delicious as well. Stay away from the Sea Bass. I thought it tasted just ok but for the price it would not be worth it. Â The drinks are great and service is excellent. Â
If you want to take your parents to a nice joint, if you want to experience Kevin Costner's wife's place, than come to Twin Palms.
Built in 1994, this "New American Cuisine" is nestled in "Old Town" Pasadena. The layout's comprised of a large open area (the patio) that seats 200 and has a beach feel to it. An exterior terrace that seats 120 guests and has canvas shades that roll down for privacy (from the patio) and a more formal interior dining room that seats 100. A large bar separates the exterior and interior dining areas. One thing you do notice is the restaurant is very clean.
The eight of us were there for brunch on a Sunday and there was a musical act. For my fellow patrons, we felt the music act (The Big Boyz - New Orleans Jazz quartet) was REALLY loud and annoying. Their off-key singing was even more atrocious. When the strolling group was on the opposite side of the restaurant, the place took on a calming effect that was nice and made it easy to talk and enjoy our meal. The entertainment varies, so check their website for details.
While there is an interior dining room on hot days it books up fast, so I recommend reservations. The exterior, while covered by the canvas is still quite warm. I had to ask our server to please put on the large oscillating fan near our table which did help. There are four large oscillating fans in the patio area and ceiling fans in the terrace and interior dining rooms. While they do help, avoid this place on really hot and/or humid days. A misting system might help as well.
Romantic? This place is really set up for large parties and groups of people. It's not the place for a quiet intimate dinner. They should consider adding more roll down canvas dividers to their terrace area so each table can have more privacy. Although the outside dining areas have wonderful mood lighting fixtures and soft Jazz on occasion, I feel that if they did this, more people would make this place a romantic dinner getaway.
Like I stated earlier, we were there for the Sunday brunch, so I can only comment on the brunch menu.
The brunch was quite lavish. They offer custom omelets and Belgian waffles, egg dishes, salmon (cooked to perfection), potatoes, bacon and various sausages, salads, fruits and veggies, pasta and a huge desert area complete with cookies, cakes and soft serve ice ream and all the toppings. Endless champagne for $6 and bottomless soft drinks for $2.75. I'm not usually fond of buffets, but this one was delish and the variety is sure to make most patrons happy. All of this runs $18.95 per adult.
While we didn't eat from the menu, the following will give you an idea about the food and drink.
LUNCH:
Lunch salads range from the Chopped Veggie Tower, Twin Palms and the Asian Chicken for $10.95 to the Poached Salmon ($11.95), the Sante Fe Steak ($12.95) and the Ahi Tuna ($14.95). Pasta dishes range from $10.95 to $14.95. Sandwiches range from Chicken salad, Shrimp Po Boy and Veggie (10.95) to the California Tuna Burger at $13.95. They offer some of the best (from what I hear) rotisserie chicken (half for $13.95).
DINNER:
Dinner salads range from $10.95 - $12.95. Small plates include crab cake for $10.95 to the seared scallops for $11.50. Big plates include Yucatan double breast rotisserie chicken for $14.95, New Zealand rack of lamb for $25.95, sea bass Vera Cruz $19.95 to the Caribbean grilled shrimp $24.95. Dinner classics include Filet Mignon $29.95 and the pan seared sterling salmon for $19.95.
Both lunch and dinner menus offer crab cakes, a variety of salads, pastas & rotisserie chicken. Their take out full rotisserie chicken is $12.00.
They offer three types of pizza: BBQ chipotle chicken or pepperoni for $10.95 and Thai shrimp for $11.95. Tortilla soup and soup de jour for $5.95.
Side dishes ($4.50 each) include: melting white beans & bacon, sesame roasted long beans, spiced carrots, gratin potatoes, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted new potatoes, steamed broccoli, Anaheim chile, corn and sweet potato hash.
One item missing from the menu is (one of my favorites) swordfish. Perhaps they offer it as a seasonal special.
Beverages:
Fiji and Sole~ water half liter $3.50 or liter $5.00. Sparkling cider, housemade lemonade, soft drinks, iced tea, coffee - $2.25. Root beer $2.95, espresso and hot tea $2.50 and cappuccino or cafe au lait $2.95.
Dessert:
Creme Brulee, chocolate souffle cake, Twin Palms chocolate cake, NY cheesecake, fruit tart, sorbet - $6.95 each. They offer a sampler plate for $8.95.
Service:
I have to say that the wait staff is quite attentive. The place was packed and yet the staff was right there to freshen water or beverages and to remove plates. It was like clockwork. We never had to call them over for a thing except to turn on the oscillating fan.
They also offer curbside service - bonus!
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.twin-palms.com%2Findex.htm&s=3a197bdca16c695dd3edc52b08023c583bf8fd40da31ea34cbb009be884025a5" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.twin-palms.co…</a>
I got to join George M. here for his holiday party. WAY worth the drive to Old Pas. The Sunday Brunch was really really great, though I know i liked it more because of the fun people I got to meet.
I can't speak for the bacon, but everythign else was great, especially the raunchy jazz singers that travel around to the different tables. It's a big space and there were loads of people there, but the waitstaff did a good job keeping out Mimosas filled and our dirty plates out of our way.
It seems like its always going to be a bit too loud for a romantic moment, but its great for groups.
The office party was held here just yesterday. Â Sadly, it seemed like everyone else's holiday party was held there too. Â But despite the crowdedness, we were served really well.
Everyone keeps on telling me to do brunch here, so of course I was even more sadened to see that we were limited in terms of our menu options. Â I hate that! Â
For starters, I had the beer and cheese soup. Â Talk about cheese-tastic! Â Don't know where the beer comes in but it was a bowl of cheesy goodness.
My lunch consisted of the grilled chicken on rustic bread with a to-die-for pistachio pesto sauce with caramelized onions. This was served with string shoe fries! Â I can't resist me some fries!!
Dessert was a chocolate box that was exactly what I could hope for after that meal...Coffee service, however, sucked! Â I hate regular coffee. Â Give me esspresso or give me death!
I definitely want to see what brunch is like here. Â The only thing that kinda weirded me out was that we were indoors under a lot of tents and what not. Â Felt like eating at a circus minus the hay and the elephant smell. Â Instead, we got to hear lots of traffic... Â I couldn't find the twin palms either!
I've always liked brunch at Twin Palms. The food is good but not quite stellar. The experience however is pretty cool. Enjoying a beautiful day outside under the tent, the live music, and good service makes for a relaxing brunch.
Dinner is good and on weekends there is live music and dancing. However, I'd say that brunch is overall a better experience since there are many other similar or better dinner options in the area.
Sunday brunches are super busy so always make reservations unless you plan to eat at the bar.
Valet parking is available on Green St. or you can park in the structure on De Lacy.
Good for celebrations, group or couple brunches, dinner dates.
Ahh yes, I think Jenny J summed it up nicely, as after a plate or two of greasy goodness, I too was carrying an athlete in my tummy, although me thinks mine was a hockey player.
The food was good, the bacon PERFECT. I dunno about you all, but there is bacon and then there is bacon and while everything is better with bacon, there are times when bacon is above and beyond other bacon and just plain BA-friCON-tastic! This was that bacon. Not too crunchy, not too soggy, but come to mama good.
The eggs benedict was also pretty good for a buffet, but did I mention the bacon. ;)
All I know is for 5 tipsy girls, throwin back mass amounts of food, drink and strategizing on secretly throwing the banjo totin bafoons off our sunday scent, this made for quite a lovely and lively time and I would totally go back again, maybe even for dinner as this would be pretty at night!
A thing to note is, it was hot under the outdoor tent, so if you don't mind sweating while you stuff your face with food (oh just look at that Hallmark visual) it's a fun time. If you want to keep pretty, I highly recommend a table inside! Also the paintings at this place have GOT TO GO!! We all concluded that somebody's nephew begged uncle 'I own a restaurant' to put these creepy images up because ick, not very good.
.....That is unless of course you like slanty eyed versions of Phillip Seymour Hoffman drinking wine with albino looking children of the corn!
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
