Service was fine - not the friendliest or most attentive, but not terrible. Our waitress made a couple errors with the order and bill, which we had to ask to be fixed. Water was filled consistently.
- Bread: Wouldn't be so terrible if it was heated!
- Mushroom & riccota ravioli: The only "miss" of our entrees, with just four raviolis in the dish and nothing standing out with flavor.
- Tai Snapper: Pretty good fish, but the really excellent parts were the sauce and veggies, particularly the grilled sweet corn. Each was delicious on its own, and also went wonderfully with the fish.
- Burger (beef): Meat cooked to a solid medium rare, nicely toasted bun, and overall great flavor with the fixings.
- Pork chop: Very well cooked to a medium on the pork - it's rare to get such a juicy, flavorful chop! The polenta and vegetables were good, and I particularly liked the sweetness from the currants.
We didn't opt for desserts, but the ones that went by looked nice. I'd come back, particularly once the limited menu rotates.
I'm on the fence with this place. It's quite the mixed bag. The outdoor seating is cozy and pleasant, overlooking downtown Sierra Madre, but the indoor area is extremely noisy. The menu is extremely limited and the prices are high, but the food is tasty and well prepared.
My boyfriend and I have been there twice. He likes to eat vegetarian, and there was only one choice on the menu for him (a lot of red meat, with one fish and one chicken dish), the spinach and mushroom ravioli, which he enjoyed both times. Because I don't eat red meat, my only choice was the Jidori chicken, which comes with roasted potatoes, string beans and mushrooms -- all things I loved. However, the first time I ordered it, it arrived drowned in a plateful of flavorful but very oily sauce.
The second time we went, I ordered the same dish, but requested it to be prepared very light on the sauce. When I received it, it was like a completely different dish! The flavors of the individual components were able to come through when the excess sauce wasn't overwhelming them.
Fresh bread was provided (with more cheerfully brought when we asked for it), and water glasses were kept filled. But my boyfriend had to ask for his ordered beer three times. So, service varies.
If you live in Sierra Madre or nearby, it's a nice place to have a gourmet meal (as long as it's warm weather and you can eat outside). But I wouldn't make a special trip from out of town. I would like to see more variety on the menu, with more fish/chicken/vegetarian choices.
First time eating here but were excited because all of the good things we've heard. Walked in on a Saturday night at 7 pm so not surprised it was crowded, but there were several open tables that all had a reserved sign on it. Sat at the bar and ordered a cucumber gimlet that was absolutely amazing!
The food was good but needed a little salt and pepper just for extra flavor. Â The reserved tables that were being held upon our arrival were still open when we left over an hour later. Â Prices are expensive here but you are getting quality products. Â We will return to try other items.
I will be back sooner just for the cucumber gimlet though!
Took my Mom and Aunt for a pre Mother's Day lunch on the previous Friday. Restaurants on Mother's Day tend to be too hectic with over crowding and poor service so going to Wistaria for a weekday lunch was a better alternative. Â
Mom & I ordered the Crisp buttermilk chicken sandwich, and it was great. Â The fried breast meat was moist as though they soaked it in buttermilk to tenderize it and the seasoning was subtle but flavourful. Â The bread was probably buttered and toasted on the grill to achieve a perfect crispness and buttery flavour. Â Fresh slightly bitter, herbal Arrugula was added, and the tomato & aioli were good accompaniments. I haven't had such an excellent sandwich since the last time I went to Langer's Deli for their pastrami sandwich. The French fries were almost shoe string in width and were crisp. Â If French fries are to high caloric, you can substitute it for a fresh green salad or fruit. Â
My aunt had the pulled pork sandwich which to her surprise had coleslaw in the sandwich to add a fresh offset to the meaty vinegar flavour. Â French fries were also part of this sandwich with small containers of ketchup and aioli. Â She was quite contented with her huge sandwich.
During lunch the menu is kept simple, but you could tell that there was thoughtful cooking going on. Â Also on the plus side, the room was not crowded, and it was so quiet, it was heavenly. Â Little downtown Sierra Madre is a charming oasis in amongst the urban sprawl.
Yum Yum Yum.
Been here twice now for dinner, and both times it was soo yummy! Â This is a quiet town, and things close early, but if you can get here for dinner, it is so worth it. Â And the mac and cheese, creamy with a jalapeno spiced cheese, is one of the best I have had. Â The arrancini are delicious as the fish dish and risotto dishes are always a hit. Â And last time we had fried brussel sprouts, yum!
I have come here almost ten times now and it is very consistent. I generally come for lunch so my reviews are based on that. The chicken club sandwich is always so tender and delicious. The fresh fruit medley provided is tasty also. My friends usually get the burger with gruyer cheese which they rave about the quality of it. The crispy chicken sandich is also very scrumptious and consistently good. The wait staff is very friendly and the service is decent here. It's a good spot in Sierra Madre where a lot of places have come and gone recently.
Review Source:Love it. Find myself coming here more and more. The fried chicken sandwich is a crowd pleaser, and the service is excellent, but don't forget the wine list. Some of the higher end wines on the list are priced more like you would pay at the market than what you'd pay at a restaurant. Who doesn't like to simultaneously splurge and save?
Review Source:i've been here twice now and it hasn't disappointed me yet. I was able to make a reservation for a party of 14 for sunday brunch with no issues at all. Â It's hard to find a good brunch spot that doesn't have a ridiculous wait. I recommend trying the following dishes:
1) Savory: Chicken Sandwich, Sweet Potato Fries, Burger
2) Salad: Beet Salad
3) Sweet: Ricotta Pancakes (Same as Mike & Anne's in Pasadena!)
The wheat toast (w/walnuts & raisins) is pretty darn good too!
It's Sunday & I want to eat breakfast with a friend, but Plate 38 is closed for remodeling! Â I called my friend & she suggested Wistaria, which is walking distance from her house. Â Boy, I am jealous! Â This is apparently the sister restaurant to Mike & Anne's, and all those lucky people in Hastings Ranch/Sierra Madre have to go to South Pasadena for yummy food! Â I noticed a lot of the same items on the breakfast & lunch menu.
The inside is beautifully decorated with dark woods, a bar, some high top tables with stools & comfortable tables. Â I got the 2-egg breakfast & friend got the pancakes. My scrambled eggs were cooked just right & bacon was crisp without being overdone. Â Wistaria is on a really cute street in Sierra Madre & if I'm not going to Panera or Daphne's, I'm going here!
This is a cute place to eat when you don't feel like going to the Only Place in Town :). I loved the beet salad and the butternut squash soup. The soup actually came out a little cold but the waitress was nice and fixed it right away. The beet salad had fresh pomegranate arils and pears. We came in on a Thursday around 7 and it was very quiet. I would definitely go back when I want an awesome, dark wood, upscale environment.
Review Source:Our first time here. We went after viewing the menu online but were disappointed to see it had changed when when dined there. We where hoping for the Hangar Steak, Jadoori Chicken and the Baby Gem lettuce salad.
We were in disbelief that this place is related to Mike and Anne's in South Pasadena. The food was very bland. The Arrancini were fine, and the Crab Salad special as well as the wedge salad were in need of additional seasoning either salt and pepper or vinnegar. The Flat Iron Steak was fine and the Pot Roast was good. Â
Overall it was okay, limited menu, but not a standout and not as good as the as the place it replaced (name escapes me).
Many reviews on this restaurant mention its inconsistancy, and I have to agree. Â We are locals, and so pleased to support a new place with good food and atmosphere. Â Wisteria has both...most of the time.
The bar is great, and the cucumber gimlets are life changing. Â Abigail is one of the loveliest bartenders, attentive, and friendly.
The food is good but not inspired. Â I think the salads for the most part, are dreadful. Â Why would a Caesar salad have nothing. It white and yellow lettuce? Â The wedge is divine, though. Â Too much Napa cabbage in all of them.
The sea bass is soooo good that I crave it, as are most of the entrees. Â My biggest problem is that they never change the menu and rarely add specials.
The service is where I hav encountered the most inconsistency...one day I ordered a soda from three different people, only to have to walk to the bar and order it there. Â Other times the service is so good I'm embarassed by the attention.
I would hope for a rotating menu...for the locals who want to come back, we want to have some choices we haven't tried a million times!
All in all, a safe choice, beautiful and charming surroundings, and superb cocktails and great tap beers...
Back to Wisteria for another great dinner. Â We ate at one of their sidewalk tables with a beautiful view of the foothills.
To try something different, we decided to make a meal of their appetizers and side dishes. Â We started off with the arrancini, which are deep fried Risotto balls topped with pesto and shaved parmesan cheese. Â Wow! Â Delicious. Â Next we had their Prince Edward Island mussels, prepared in a curried cream sauce with basil and green onion. Â YUM. Â Then we shared their WEDGIE SALAD, prepared with tighty whities. (lol -- just wanted to see if you were paying attention.) Â Strike that last sentence! Â Wedge salad prepared with bacon lardons (way too lardy for my taste) and Roquefort cheese and cherry tomatoes. Â And of course no meal at Wisteria is complete without their sweet potato fries (which we were too full to eat, but which we took home in a doggie bag. Â Woof!) Â
BTW, the service was EXCELLENT.
I absolutely LOVE this lively restauraunt in SM! I have eaten dinner there on the side walk a couple of times and the food is just down right delicious. I was walking my dog the other day with my mom, grandma and dad and noticed they serve breakfast now so we gave it a try. My dad ordered teh corned beef hasha nd I tried some. Hands down the best corned beef hash I have ever tasted. Its home made-not from a can. I ordered the breakfast quesadilla and it was excellent, I saved the last 2 pieces I couldnt finish and ate it the next day, still just as good. I just can't say enough good things about this place!
Review Source:We have been to Wisteria three times. The first time was excellent, the second time Ok and last night it was just bad. The mussels were overcooked and had shrunk to penny size. The pork loin was overcooked and the Polenta flavorless and the consistence of pablum. Obviously nobody tasted it before it went out. My lamb shank was overcooked as well which is not such an issue with lamb but it was again flavorless as was the squash. Overall it was a lack luster dinner. Our waiter took off halfway through at 8.45PM! Let's hope it was the chef's night out because if this is what he cooked and served he should be embarrassed.
Going here is like drawing a wildcard. Very, very dissapointed because it is a nice restaurant and in a great location but they are loosing their mojo quickly!
This place is exactly what Sierra Madre needs! Â A clean, modern and friendly environment to have a nice meal inside or out...or just a glass of wine at the bar that looks so inviting. Â I went on a Saturday night with my mom and was kindly greeted by the hostess who sat us right away and let us choose our table. Â We had the beet salad to start which was a great portion and also very fresh and full of flavor. Â For our main courses we actually both chose the jidori chicken which was tender and cooked to perfection. Â The sauce was flavorful and tangy, and it came with roasted cauliflower and sauteed spinach. Â Yum! The waitress was unbelievably friendly and helpful, and made the night just that much better. Â I will be back many more times and highly recommend it to people who are looking for a relaxed environment with great food and extremely reasonable prices.
Review Source:clouded by corkage.... Â Maybe I'm totally out of it, but in some rare circumstances I want to bring my own special bottle of wine. Â I know there should be a corkage fee since Wine is a BIG part of restaurant revenue. Â BUT, I found the $20 corkage fee at Wistaria to be offensive. Â It's hard to appreciate any other part of the restaurant when you feel
Review Source:Brought to you by the number 45 and the good people who brought you Mike and Anne's in South Pas.
Wistaria is about the flyest place to have dinner in Monrovia/Sierra Madre. Very intimate, good atmosphere and lighting to set the mood just right.
I had the sea bass, with a wedge salad. The sea bass was yummy, but the freaking wedge salad I could have eaten for a whole week! That thing was awesome and I NEVER say that about salads. Though, when it comes to blue cheese and bacon, I'm a total push-over, so take that into account.
I washed it down with a selection from the Eagle Rock Brewery, so it was nice to see a local brew. For that matter, most of their items on the menu are locally sourced, at least that's what I was told; so that figures into a higher price tag for the meal; yeah, it's a bit on the spendy side. If cost is a concern, freaking go to Denny's.
I'll be back.
The food is delicious and the serice was great.
Try the Mac and Cheese, its a hidden favorite. you would never suspect a nice place like this to have such good comfort foods.
Sit outside with a nice bottle of wine and take in the local community and the beautiful view of the mountains.
Wistaria is a cute little restaurant that has a cozy little bar on the side. It's tucked on the side of Downtown Sierra Madre. It's definitely a local's place with older (40's+) folks. My in laws had seen a write up in Westways and wanted to come here.
Friendly service. Limited menu with a few daily specials.
The table ordered:
2 shepard's pie - very rich with a lot of mash potatoes. in laws liked this the most... but i didn't really see the appeal (then again, i am not a huge savory pie person)
1 shrimp salad - daily special -- skip ... very small and not unique
1 jidori chicken  - while good, it wasn't anything innovative and nothing about the taste stood out
1 grilled pork chop - good, but i think the one @ bistro 45 in pasadena does a nicer job.
1 hanger steak - the best in my opinion. great medium rare cook!!!
lots of residential parking!
I love coming here. I've only been here a few times, but so far it has been an enjoyable experience. The atmosphere is really pleasant. The place is designed to look very modern chic, but has a nice casual feel to it being that it's in the lovely city of Sierra Madre. Also the food is delicious. I've had the tuna melt and the pulled pork sandwich and both were delicious. The melt wasn't your everyday overly greasy tuna melt which I liked. They have a nice wine and spirits selection too. The bartenders were really friendly as well. I've only been here for breakfast and lunch, but I'm sure I'll be back for their dinner menu.
Review Source:I am on the fence about this place. It IS a bit overpriced, their wine selection is mediocre, but the first time we went, we fell in love with the mussels!
That first time was magical, with our delightful French waiter bringing everything out in a timely fashion, wine to compliment all our selections - all in all a lovely Thursday evening.
Cut to our next visit, a few weeks later. Friday night, the place is packed. We were seated at a cocktail table near the bar, service was still good, and our mouths were watering for another taste of those DIVINE mussels! That's when things took a turn for the worst. Their mussels are offered as a first course, and they were offering a special of a mussel-related entree as well! I ordered both - that's how delectable those mussels were!
Yeah not so much the second time around. I took one bite and the acidic, tainted, under-cooked mussel slid its way down my throat and I was done. My sister, trying to polite, ate a couple more and then agreed - these were not the mussels we were looking for!
I called the waiter over, explained how awful these mussels were and to change my entree order they were so bad. He sent the manager lady over.
Now, this woman needs a lesson in the first rule of customer service - say it with me everybody! THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT! Well, apparently she's been schooled in a new line of customer service which is argue with the customer, tell them they are wrong and then act like they're doing the customer a big favor by removing the distasteful item from the bill. No good!
Needless to say, I am willing to give the place one more try. My sister is a little more reluctant to do so (she paid), so we shall see. Consistency is important. Politeness is equally important. Figure it out Wistaria - you've got one more chance with me...
In a nutshell... overpriced, mediocre food, arrogant cook (purposely omitted the word chef). Â
I grew up in Sierra Madre and my family has lived there for over 40 years. Â I now live in Brentwood but decided to take my Mom to the Wisteria for Mothers Day. Â To avoid crowds, we went on Saturday for dinner and I made reservations early Saturday morning for a table outside. Â We arrived promptly at the reserved time and were told that the outside tables had been overbooked and we could sit inside if we wanted. Â Overbooked? Â I reserved a table at 9:30 that morning! Â Ok, I want to give Mom a nice dinner, so let's move on. Â
We sat inside near the window where we anxiously watched the table for 4 just on the other side of the wall. Â Then, the 'qualified' party arrived... a group of 4 who had a stroller, with a dog in it. Â This is where my Mothers Day table went? Â To a mother and her dog? Â Ok, I want to give Mom a nice dinner, so let's move on. Â
The food came, my wife and my Mom both had the pork loin and I had the shepherd's pie. Â I put a little in my mouth and decided it could use a little salt. Â Well, there are no salt or pepper shakers at the table. Â It was as though someone was telling me that what was served to me was as good as it should be and my tastes were not relevant to the matter. Â Of course I asked for some, but why should this even be necessary? Â Once the condiments arrived everyone at the table used it sparingly, but incessantly. Â Besides this, the meals were not of the caliber to warrant the prices being charged for them.
Overall, I was shocked that this place was still around. Â I have seen others come and go and I am certain that this place will suffer the same fate as its predecessor, Lozano's. Â And Lozano's wasn't the greatest, but at least you wouldn't have lost your table to an old lady sporting a dog in a stroller whilst paying top dollar for a meal that has no room for your taste.
Honestly, how can you beat the location of this intimate, modern new gem? We sat outside for an early-ish dinner and with the warm weather, light breeze, and small-town neighborhood feel all around us, we didn't want to leave. Service was great, as was the food. We split a mac&cheese, steamed mussels, and the pork loin entree. Oh yes, and creme brulee afterwards. Strange combo yes, but all of the dishes were wonderful. We hope Wistaria is here to stay!
Review Source:Is anyone else fed up with the $30+ breakfast for two? I know what an egg costs, I know what a potato costs, and I know what a reasonable hourly wage for a waiter is. Unless the food is superb, the taste of being ripped of spoils it a little. The 10 dollar price tag for everything from pancakes to egg dishes seemed high from the time we sat down.
That being said, the food was generally good. I had the corn beef hash, which was delish, although the eggs were supposed to be over-medium and came out with barely set whites (water-y eggs ick me out). My friend had scrambled eggs, bacon and potatoes.
However, (and this is why they lost major points with me) the place is a death trap for people with nut allergies, and/or lactose intolerance. Food is cooked in butter unless you ask otherwise. Breakfast for both myself and my friend came with toast which was equal parts walnut to bread, laid directly on the food. I literally watched the color drain out of my friends face as he moved the walnut bread to my plate, and then carefully moved everything it had touched off of his plate as well. Then he went to the bathroom to wash his hands. Yes, he could have sent it back, but we had already been there for half an hour, and who really wants to have to wait twice as long for breakfast while watching someone else eat?
Note to the management: If I ever come back, and thats a fairly big if, a choice of breads is a must. I'll even write a follow up.
We made dinner reservations for a Sunday. Â (The info on Yelp is incorrect. Â They are indeed open on Sundays for dinner at 5 p.m. and I believe the bar actually opens at 4:30 p.m. )
This modern yet cozy place is nestled on a cute, Norman Rockwell-ish street in Sierra Madre.
We arrived at 5 p.m. and were the first ones there. I had never been there and was a little worried, but it quickly filled up reassuring us of its popularity. Â There was a mix of folks - couples, older couples, families, girlfriends - but I would say it's probably more of a couples or calm GNO place.
Our meal started with the arrancini which was perfect and surprisingly light for something deep-fried. Â My friend said, "We could really just eat these all day" - and I agree. Â Those are must!
My friends had the pork chops and their plates were clean by the end of the meal. Â I had the coq au vin. Â It was the best I had ever had with the meat so succulent it just melted off the bone. Â The accompanying mushrooms were also delish.
We ended the meal with the butterscotch pudding and sugar cookies, which I thought was a pretty unique dessert item. Â It was nice serving to share.
Service was super pleasant, albeit a little slow.  I wouldn't really "ding" them on it though because even though we were the first patrons of the night, the dishes weren't  anything you could just "whip up." They were delectable.  We will definitely be back!
For after-hour drinks, go to the Buccaneer, a dive around the corner and enjoy quirky locals and band. Â Lucky Baldwin's is also in the area and fun!
I was very happy with the food, the service, the quantity, the value, availability of parking... Well, I was happy. While the hostess asked if I was Brian, as Brian had a table for two waiting for him, it seemed that not being Brian, we sat just as fast, just not at the "reserved" table.
Honestly, what sold the place the most for me is my love for the little downtown street in Sierra Madre. Some times it's the perfect answer... As it allows me to feel like I'm far away from Los Angeles.
After dinner took a short stroll and then ended up in a pub for a few drinks.
Enjoyed a surprisingly perfect lunch here on Saturday. Â I had a delicious beet salad and glass of white wine. Â Fresh ingredients, decent prices, and no wait to be seated! Â There are several outside tables and I dined there and enjoyed the beautiful day.
Very attentive service (perhaps a tad too attentive, as we were asked about drink refills from every staff member - if that's the worst thing, that's a good problem to have!) but an absolutely lovely experience on all counts. Â I look forward to going back and trying more items.
Thank the Lordy. A new place to have breakfast and it is goooood!
Move over, or change your name, Only Place in Town, there is true, fresh and delicious breakfast in Sierra Madre!
And, LUNCH! The most delicious champagne dressing! LOve it, and will keep coming back.
(and i think they are the same owner as Mike and Anne's, so I have no idea why the latter can't be better)
Hung out here with some friends recently and had a really good meal. Â I ordered the Wistaria burger. Â Yeah, I go out to eat at semi-fancy restaurants and order a burger. Â So what. Â
Anyway, I ordered it medium rare, and it arrived medium rare instead of all crispy well-done greyish brown throughout. Â Sounds simple, huh? Â Kind of obvious? Â The ugly truth is that other local eateries with similarly priced "gourmet" burgers just can't seem to pull it off. Â Wistaria can. Â
The burger is served with some tasty condiments--on the side, of course. Â I also ordered a side salad which was fresh and tasty and let me pretend for a minute that I hadn't just ordered a freakin' burger. Â The appetizers I sampled were great, and the other entrees at the table looked tasty. Â Finally: Â Paulaner hefeweizen on tap? Â Sign me up for that.
An amazing new restaurant in the most adorable section of Sierra Madre. Â
Some highlights on the menu are the crab risotto, angus burger, mussels, and roasted cauliflower.
A must try - the apple crisp w/ vanilla ice cream for dessert. Â You will thank me.
(I'm told that the head chef was formerly with the Campanile restaurant!?)
Other pluses - a cute bar for mingling, nice wine selection, and friendly staff.
Great food and ambiance. Â Can't wait to go back.
I stopped by for breakfast on a Saturday morning. Surprisingly not too busy. We both ordered the hash and eggs and shared a lemon ricotta pancake. I am a hash eater, its what I do for breakfast.
Without a doubt this is in the top 5 hash joints in the SGV. Very good, lean and not the canned crap! (even though the canned crap can still be yummy) The lemon pancake is probably the most delicious pancake I have ever had. Served with a yummy blueberry syrup its light, fluffy and just the right blend of sweet and savory.
If you are a coffee lover they serve Jameson's. It was so delicious. I am now looking for a place to buy it myself! The wait staff was very courteous,quick with the refills and made great recommendations.
All in all a great breakfast experience!!
Not much of an improvement over Lozano.
I really *WANT* to like this place - it's about 3 minutes' walk from my house. Â Just went there this evening with my girlfriend, in high hopes of something better than what was in the same building 3 years ago. Â We were disappointed.
I had the Mushroom Pappardelle, she had the Shepherd's Pie and a martini.
Okay - I'll try not to be too negative and give them a try for breakfast sometime soon. Â So here are the cheers and jeers from my perspective:
Cheers:
1) Friendly, helpful staff. Â They sat us immediately, were friendly, brought us water and bread upon being seated.
2) The bread was rosemary infused, and not overly so, and not dry - excellent bread!
3) The place was nicely decorated, though we sat outside because of the perfect temperature.
4) For those who aren't familiar with the town, parking is very easy to find nearby the place, even though they don't have a private lot.
5) The good things about their Mushroom Pappardelle: the noodles were properly cooked (not over- or underdone), and the flavor of the sauce was good.
6) The good things about the Shepherd's Pie: the beef was cooked properly and tasted very good.
7) Portions were good (not great, though).
Jeers:
1) Price for what we got. Â One drink, two dinners: $47. Â Could've gotten quite a bit more had we walked to Lucky Baldwin's or the Only Place, with less disappointment.
2) Mushroom Pappardelle: sauce was soupy, not creamy. Â The mushrooms were not grilled, sauteed or roasted - if they had been cooked, they were underdone and rather chewy.
3) Shepherd's Pie: mashed potatoes (and the overall dish itself) was very soupy and not flavorful - again, with Lucky Baldwins not 200 feet away, we could have gotten a much better version for half the price, plus a couple of good beers.
That's all I've got, and as mentioned will give it a try and a review for breakfast sometime soon.
We've been there right the first night they opened - and really had a good time. We shared a Greek Salad and the Jidori Chicken. Both were excellent. The German beer and the Mojito were good, too. It's definitely a place we'd go again!
However, their prices are a little high for Sierra Madre so we really really hope they come up with some specials or a cocktail happy hour so that also locals with a smaller wallet can enjoy their great food.
Their waiters are well trained and super attentive, the food -again- was very good, the presentation of the food was very attractive.
Thumbs up! And CONGRATULATIONS to this stylish new place in town.