Specializing in Pasadena, Glendale, Eagle Rock, Burbank, Downtown L.A., Hollywood, and the Valley - - Restaurants Rated and Reviewed

Read Reviews for:

China Inn - Glendale	Sebastian's - Toluca Lake
Damon's Steakhouse - Glendale	Smoke House Restaurant - Burbank
Jax Bar and Grill - Glendale	Thai in LA - Glendale
Lancers Family Restaurant - Burbank	Tin Horn Flats - Burbank
Romano's Macaroni Grill - Burbank

RATINGS KEY
• = A YummyEats.com Favorite
• 4 stars = Tops in Yummy!
• 3 stars = Good Stuff
• 2 stars = Fair
• 1 star = Yuk

Reviews

HE SAYS: Sunday morning we decided to have breakfast at a Burbank institution, Lancers Family Restaurant. This place always looks packed on weekend mornings, so we thought we'd give it a try. Happily, Lancer's is located in the corner of a large parking lot, so no matter how crowded it might get, there's plenty of parking. Inside is typical modern coffee shop decor, complete with a long counter. We sat in a booth off in a side room.

When our server came to the table, the first thing she asked is if we wanted anything to drink - now, that's the ticket. The breakfast menu even prominently lists Bloody Marys and Mimosas. I tried the latter, which was nice because it came with an individual little bottle of champagne. A flute of orange juice is served, and one adds the champagne at his own pace. There is a pretty extensive breakfast menu, but I went with the Breakfast Special #2, which is 2 eggs, bacon or sausage, hash browns or fries, and toast or pancakes. Everything was real good, especially the hash browns - diced potatoes with bits of bell pepper. Lancer's is also open for lunch and dinner. There are daily specials and a spate of "south of the border" items. As an added bonus, there is a cocktail lounge with full bar. ( He's rating: 3.5 stars )

SHE SAYS: This morning we got up and headed over to Lancers in Burbank for breakfast. Arriving about 10:00 AM, we were immediately seated in a big booth in a room just off of the main entrance, with a view from my seat to the front door that leads to the large parking lot outside. Lancers has the look of an 80s coffee shop, the layout reminded me of many a diner/coffee shop I have been to in the past - along the front is a long hall with a row of booths next to the window across from which is a long counter and bar stools. The decor is a color scheme of pink and teal, the walls covered in nondescript artwork - the whole place seemed to be decorated by the same people that perform the decorating duties in your standard, low-budget motel room. There are glass cases that display pies and no-nonsense waitresses in sensible black shoes and black & white uniforms - the clientele here was mainly older, very casually dressed - a lot of senior citizens, as well as a number of families, and a few forty-something couples.

We both ordered a Mimosa to start - it was served as orange juice in a champagne glass with a mini champagne bottle on the side to add into your drink as you like - nice! I felt like an omelette and decided to go with the "California Omelette", which comes with avocado, bacon, tomatoes, and cheese. I must say this breakfast was surprising and delicious - though Lancers appears more like a low-end coffee shop, the food had the appearance of what you might get in a much trendier breakfast spot. Served on a large platter-like plate, the omelette was gorgeous to look at, with a hugh pile of hashed browns on the side of it. You also get your choice here of toast, muffin, or two pancakes (I chose the toast, they give you two slices and one small package of jelly - could have used a bit more jelly, actually). My omelette was very, very yummy - with just the right amount of goodies mixed in with the egg. The hashed browns were almost home fries in style, sort of half hash-brown style potato, half larger potato chunks, and a little green bell pepper in the mix too. Yum - real good. Though Lancers isn't exactly the place to take a date or mix with the young and the beautiful of L.A., it serves a real good breakfast in a comfortable atmosphere. They also have a large menu that features a variety of lunch and dinner items - everything from sandwiches and burgers to veal parmigiana and chicken fried steak. Family friendly; they have a children's menu. ( She's rating: 3.75 stars food; 2.75 stars decor/atmosphere; 3.75 stars service )

HE SAYS: SHE came out for lunch the other day, and we drove over to Tinhorn Flats. This very comfortable saloon, complete with swinging doors, has been serving up good grub and strong drink for decades.

I was somewhat concerned when I noticed that the menu had changed a bit since the last time I was here. The previous menu had been in effect for years, and the food was always good. I ordered a cheeseburger, and have to say, though it is somewhat different than it had been, it is even better. The bun was a better quality, and the meat portion a bit larger. The fries were rather pedestrian, but the onion rings were out of this world - I highly recommend them. There is a full bar, but this is really the place to pound a few beers - we downed a couple of pitchers with lunch, which eased the way back to an afternoon at the office. ( He's rating: 3.75 stars )

SHE SAYS: Arriving around noon this warm Tuesday, the Tin Horn Flats was mostly empty, mainly just a group of ten or twelve people watching a World Cup soccer match on the big screen TV in one corner. The Tin Horn Flats has a very comfortable atmosphere - looking like an old saloon (it even has swinging saloon doors at the front entrance), the floor is wood, there are ceiling fans, a long wood bar along one whole side, the other side contains big wood booths and at the end a grandstand (where currently, the big screen TV sat). The middle has a clutter of tables covered with red-checked oilcloth tableclothes and a pool table, the walls are covered with vintage looking beer memorablia of all sorts. It's really a pretty neat place. There was music playing in the background too (I noticed the Monkees on as we walked in) as well as TVs showing sports around the room.
We sat in one of the comfortable wood booths near the pool table and started off with a pitcher of Bud to share. I ordered the cheeseburger with just the regular toppings that come with it (they have a list of extra toppings you can order), the cheeseburger came with fries. We finished the pitcher of beer, and when the food arrived - we ordered another! The burgers here are served the old-fashioned way, in a red basket (I like that). MY burger was big and very tasty, done with standard toppings - tomato, lettuce, onion, melted cheese. The fries were very good too - I could have used a bit more, actually. I also tried some onion rings and they were absolutely fantastic. All in all, I found Tin Horn Flats to be a great place to go for a tasty burger and a kick-back/relaxed atmosphere - by the way, did I mention I really, really recommend the onion rings here! ( She's rating: 3.75 stars )

HE SAYS: SHE had never been to Damon's, and it had been years since I had been there, so we went for dinner the other night. The place looks pretty much the same as it always has. This is the classic bamboo/tiki motif, done to the extreme. We put our names in, and then found a table in the bar area at which to wait. I'm not a big fan of tropical drinks, but I decided to be a sport and try their famous Mai Tai. It was excellent. I had feared it would be too sweet, but it was not. Rather, it was a nice strong rum-laden version which quite quickly brought on a measure of euphoria.

For dinner, I tried the Petit Filet. Dinners come with soup or salad, and a choice of sides. We started with some Garlic Toast, which was very good. I had the Clam Chowder, which was excellent. The Petit Filet was okay - there is nothing fancy about the steaks here - just a decent cut of meat cooked to order. I so enjoyed the first Mai Tai that I eschewd wine with my dinner, and ordered another. ( He's rating: 3.5 stars )

SHE SAYS: Arriving in Glendale at about 6:00 P.M., parking was very tough as the streets were torn up and the lot behind Damon's was completely full. The streets packed bumper to bumper with cars, we managed to find a spot on a street several blocks walk from the restaurant. There was a very light rain, but the walk was not bad at all (made longer by streets being blocked from crossing, otherwise we weren't that far). This was my first trip to Damon's, I have often seen this place when going to Jax or the Glendale Centre Theatre, both close by to this restaurant. We left our name at the desk - a 30 minute wait for a table on this "packed with Friday night crowds" evening.
We ventured into the bar area and got ourselves the last two-person table in the bar. Specializing in tropical drinks, I had heard that the Mai Tais and Chi Chis here are very good - we both decided to try Damon's famous Mai Tai and were NOT disappointed. Strong and full of flavor - the Mai Tai's here are fantastic! I have often ordered a Mai Tai in restaurants around town, and I would venture to say that Damon's makes the best in L.A. Just about every person in the bar area (and the whole restaurant as we soon found out) was drinking one of these concoctions - some around us, unable to handle strong drinks apparently, were getting very loud and boisterous from the effects of the booze!
Finally seated in a red booth at the end of a long hall which seemed to be the place this evening to seat couples, we ordered another Mai Tai each and set in for a relaxing dinner. Damon's is decorated in a Polynesian / Tiki bar style. The bar area featured a big mural of Hawaiian dancers, the walls are decorated in bamboo, though the decorations, in general, seemed much more ordinary and less tacky than I had heard and was expecting. I ordered the Petit Filet. It came with a twice baked potato and choice of soup or salad - I got the salad with house dressing. The salad came, was large, and tossed tableside in a stainless steel bowl by our elderly, friendly waitress. It featured lettuce plus bits of celery and a few other greenerys tossed with a quite flavorful dressing. The filet was juicy and tasty, the potato huge and also very tasty. I LOVED the salad - and we ordered a half order of garlic bread on the side which was probably my favorite item (aside from the great Mai Tais) of all. Yum.
All in all, a fun, party atmosphere (at least on this crowded evening), good food, and reasonable pricing made for a fine evening out. Family friendly, Sunday brunch available. ( She's rating: 3.75 stars )

HE SAYS: Despite the name, Thai in L.A. is actually in Glendale. We stopped in for dinner last Wednesday after a grueling shopping trip. I don't know if it was just because I was so glad to be done shopping, but everything tasted fantastic. The Mee Krob noodles were crispy and sweet, but not overly so. Mixed in were goodly bits of shrimp, chicken and pork. The Chicken with Cashew Nuts was very good, as always, though not as spicy-hot as I might have liked. The Tofu King Sod had a wonderful sauce, with nice, fresh flavors of ginger and tomato. The Crab Fried rice is always richly good here, and served in a generous portion. A Thai beer was perfect to wash everything down. There was plenty left over for the next day too. ( He's rating: 3.75 stars )

SHE SAYS: Stopped for dinner about 7:00 P.M., Thai in LA was mostly empty, just a few tables of other diners. A rectangular-shaped narrow room with tables along each wall. Decorated in a minimalist Asian style, featuring white tableclothes with maroon, orange, and green striped table runners under glass, white walls with Asian relief paintings, and sage green padded teak/pine chairs (all but our table which actually had pink padded chairs). We sat at a table with chairs for four, near the front entrance. Both of us got Thai Beers, which arrived ice cold with chilled mugs - really hit the spot on this boiling hot July day. For dinner we ordered Mee Krob noodles as our appetizer, followed by Chicken with Cashew Nuts, Crab Fried Rice, and King Sod with Tofu. The sauces here are absolutely delicious - everything has a wonderful, authentic Thai flavor. There is a big parking lot behind Thai in L.A., though sometimes even that lot is full. I have been to this restaurant a number of times and always love the meal I get! ( She's rating: 4 stars )

HE SAYS: "She" came out to meet me for lunch on Thursday, and we decided on a relatively new place, Sebastian's in Toluca Lake. This is a comfortable place which features a large outdoor patio area, arrayed with sofas and chairs.

Sebastian's has an unusual menu concept: they feature a variety of flavor choices, each of which is then available with either beef, chicken, shrimp, or portobello mushrooms. Then, this combo can be had either as a sandwich, over a salad, or as a dinner entree, the portion being larger if the last method is chosen. There are almost twenty of these flavor combinations. Many have a mediterranean influence, but there are Asian, barbecue, and other styles as well. I chose the antipasto flavor, with chicken, in sandwich form. It had salami and pepperoni chunks, peppers, and melted provolone, and was very tasty. They also feature side dishes - specialty fries, which I didn't try on this occasion, and salads. I had the olivo salad which featured kalamata olives, and spanish olives stuffed with feta cheese, and a tapenade dressing, over greens - good, strong flavors.

Sebastian's now has its liquor license, and features beer, wine and specialty martinis. ( He's rating: 3.5 stars )

SHE SAYS: Today met "He" for lunch and we decided to try out Sebastian's, near his work. Sebastian's has a very large outdoor patio area with tables under big red umbrellas, some tables with couches alongside the walls, a big fountain, and heat lamps for those cold days (not today!). Inside, the tables are decorated with black tableclothes under glass, black folding chairs, there are white tiles on the floor, and red long booths against the side wall. The other side wall is lined with cases of cold drinks. There was a TV at the end of the side of the room where we were sitting that on this occasion was showing a baseball game. At this time, around noon, there was only one table of diners outside and none inside (when we left there were a few more people, but still very empty).
Sebastian's has a very unusual menu, and as this was our first visit, we were soon given instructions on how to order. First you pick a topping from a list of various mixes of toppings mostly Mediterranean or Asian-inspired. Then you choose either chicken, filet, or portobello mushrooms. Thirdly, you choose either to have your topping and meat on a sandwich, on top of a bed of greens, OR as an entree (which comes with a side salad or fries - the fries also come with a choice of toppings, by the way). Everything sounded really good, but I decided on the "Caesar" topping on chicken, served as a sandwich. I also wanted a side salad - so chose from the list the "Italian Tomato Salad".
While we waited for our freshly cooked meal to be prepared, I enjoyed one of their "Melon Martini's" - not a real Martini, as they only serve beer and wine here, but a sort of imitation Martini (it contained alcohol of some kind, but I'm not sure exactly what it was) which was actually very good - nice and cold on a hot day, and tasty too. Then with my meal I enjoyed a glass of wine.
My sandwich was absolutely delicious - the chicken was cooked in small, tender pieces, and was quite juicy, very fresh and flavorful. The topping, which featured a Caesar salad dressing flavor with parmesan cheese that was slightly melting on the nice, hot sandwich, was really a good choice. I loved this. The side salad was also great - and pretty big too. Lots of tomatoes, some olives, red onions (I believe) on a bed of mixed greens.
I am very, very impressed with this restaurant. It was one of the most unusual menus I have ever seen. Unique, original, and most importantly - super yummy. Lets hope the word gets out on this great little spot for a most tasty meal. The large outdoor patio area is very impressive too, seems like it would be a great spot to relax and enjoy some wine or beer. ( She's rating: 4 stars )

HE SAYS: We had a hankering for old fashioned Chinese food, and also felt like going to a restaurant rather than ordering take-out. We decided to go to the China Inn in Glendale, as we had not been there for a long time. This place has been here a long time, but still seems to cater to a steady stream of customers.

We started with Egg Rolls, which came with the usual variety of dipping sauces. They were light, crispy, and good. The Walnut Chicken was tasty, with a generous supply of large, crunchy nuts. The Tofu in Brown Sauce was very tasty - I can't quite put my finger on what flavors went into said sauce; call it generic Chinese. I hadn't had Chow Fun in a long time. We tried the pork, and the thick noodles really hit the spot. I was glad to see that the nice custom this place has, wherein they give you a little smoothie cocktail after the meal, has not changed. ( He's rating: 3.5 stars )

SHE SAYS: Tonight we felt like Chinese food, so decided to go back to a Chinese restaurant we haven't been to in quite a few years. The China Inn is old-fashioned looking and oh so slightly rundown (but in a good way), like a place that has been around a good, long time (and has!). It is decorated with some very large, odd Chinese relief paintings (wood-cuts?), lots of sparkly chandeliers, and full of comfortable booths. The menu has many traditional dishes to choose from and is very reasonably priced too. We started with eggrolls as our appetizer. They were great - light, non-greasy, and tasty. Better than you would expect. They were served with three dipping sauces - hot Chinese mustard sauce, a red (ketchup?) sauce, and, my favorite, a really yummy apricot sauce. For dinner we shared three dishes - Walnut Chicken, Tofu in Brown Sauce, and Chow Fun with Pork, along with a side of white rice. The food was brought quickly, and, though nothing was spectacular, everything was satisfying and good. I especially liked the Walnut Chicken. When we were done (and really, quite stuffed) the busboy immediately boxed up our leftovers without being asked - hey, I like that kind of efficiency. For dessert, they bring you a free glass of a kind of frothy, pineapple (?) drink - quite yummy. Plus a plate of fortune cookies and orange slices. Our leftovers reheated nicely (like Chinese food always does) and was enough for another whole dinner for the two of us.
Don't go to the China Inn if upscale, trendy, Chinese cuisine is what you're after - do go if you feel like a traditional, inexpensive, tasty Chinese meal with no frills and fast efficient service. ( She's rating: 3.25 stars )

HE SAYS: We had lunch at the Smokehouse in Burbank, which was very convenient for me, since I work just a few blocks away. This is an old-time place with comfortable red leather booths, and half-timbered walls - but very nice. I had only been here once, years ago, and the famous Garlic Bread was about all I could remember. We started with a basket of same - which really is good - the apparent prototype of many imitations. The martini was especially good, an ample reserve amount being supplemented to the main drink in a small iced bottle. The salad, with house Creamy Garlic dressing was nice; nothing fancy. I had the Steak Sinatra, which had tender pieces of filet, onions and peppers in a tasty sauce, served over linguine. It was excellent. ( He's rating: 3.75 stars )

SHE SAYS: Today with met my mom at the Smoke House for her birthday lunch. Parking is by valet, but we were able to find street parking around the corner (a close walk). This was actually my first visit to this long-established restaurant (opened in 1946) across from the Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank.
The inside of the Smoke House is quite nice. We were seated in a large dining room completely full of over-sized red leather booths. The walls are mirrored, and the whole place seems quite luxurious - more so than I was really expecting. We, of course, had to start with what the Smoke House is most famous for - their garlic cheese toast. Soon a big basket of the toast was brought to our table by our very friendly waitress - as well as our drink orders. I got a Martini, and it arrived with an extra amount in a small bowl of ice to keep it cold. Nice touch - and it was "extra" special good as far as Martini's go (and I order Martini's a lot!). For my lunch I ordered the barbecued baby back ribs. It came with choice of soup or garden salad, and I got the salad with the house dressing, Creamy Garlic. The salad was a large plate of greens, and the dressing was really good. My lunch included a very large rack of ribs, french fries (I got a choice of fries, mashed potatoes, or rice pilaf), and homemade baked beans. The beans were absolutely delicious - I am raving for those beans. The ribs (which came with a separate bowl of extra barbecue sauce if you needed more) were good, but nothing out of the ordinary as far as ribs are concerned. Same with the sauce - tasty, but nothing extraordinary. The french fries were of the large, flavored variety, and were tasty.
All in all, some of the things I ordered were absolutely delicious - the homemade baked beans, the Martini, and, of course, the famous garlic bread. The rest was good too, but not great. My two lunch companions both ordered the Steak Sinatra and both gave it very high marks. Obviously there are some really great items on the Smoke House menu if you know what to order. There certainly ARE many tempting things to choose from on the menu and I would like to come back soon to try some of the other dishes here. I recommend the Smoke House for it's terrific atmosphere and selection of yummy foods. They offer a Champagne Brunch on Sundays, and a special "Early Diner" menu. ( She's rating: 3.5 stars )

HE SAYS: The Macaroni Grill is a chain restaurant that - as the name implies - specializes in pasta dishes. The atmosphere is comfortable and the pasta is excellent. On our most recent visit, I tried the Rigatoni with Chicken - and it was very tasty. The pasta here is home-style, but done with enough flair, and at a decent enough price to keep one coming back for more. ( He's rating: 3.75 stars )

SHE SAYS: Today we met my mom for lunch at the Macaroni Grill in Burbank. Being close to Christmas, parking was difficult today with holiday shoppers out in force - so we had to park several blocks away.
The Macaroni Grill is a nice-looking and comfortable restaurant with what I might call Tuscan-style decor including big Italian ceramic pots on the walls, tile floor, and booths lining the walls. We were seated along the far wall in a booth that would fit four.
We all ordered glasses of the house Chianti - they give you a very generous glass of this quite tasty wine. For my lunch I ordered the Spaghetti and Meatballs with the tomato basil sauce and a Caesar Salad to start. The salad was quite good, with lots of parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of croutons. The spaghetti came in a LARGE bowl with spoon AND fork stuck in - and two enormous meatballs. Yum - this was really good. I brought almost half home for another meal, it was such a big bowl of spaghetti.
I have been to this restaurant once before and that time I had the Chicken Cannelloni - that dish was extremely good too. And, by the way, my mom was raving that the Pizza Napoli she ordered today was the best pizza she has ever had! It did look good - I may order that next time. Recommended for tasty home-style Italian cuisine in a very comfortable atmosphere. ( She's rating: 3.75 stars )

	Jax Bar and Grill - Glendale - - -> Jax Website
339 N Brand Blvd - - phone: (818) 500-1604

HE SAYS: We went out for an early dinner on Saturday and decided on Jax - an old favorite. Jax offers an early-bird menu which features items in the $10-12 range, and includes salad and dessert. This attracts a healthy crowd of senior citizens. We were seated in the bar area, this being, presumably, too loud for the older folks as a pianist entertained.

The salad, like the entree to follow, was a bit smaller than the one served at normal dinner prices. I tried the beef stroganoff which was good, and certainly a large enough portion for me - though perhaps not so for some.

For dessert I had a tasty scoop of chocolate mousse. With our usual bottle of Franciscan, Oakville Estates Zinfandel, we still got out pretty cheaply. All in all, an enjoyable experience. ( He's rating: 4 stars )

SHE SAYS: Tonight after a day at Santa Anita for the "Big Cap" and after a large win at the track by me (!!) we decided to have a nice dinner out at one of our favorite restaurants, Jax on Brand Blvd. in Glendale. We arrived around 6:00 P.M. and they were still having their early bird special dinner prices, thus the place was absolutely packed especially with the retirement-age crowd. Jax is a long, narrow, and dark restaurant - half bar area and half dining area. The walls are covered and full with shelfs of artifacts and interesting pictures. They play nightly piano and have live jazz later in the evening.
This night we were seated in the bar area right next to the piano player, a small-size table but nice spot for listening to the sounds of the piano, which I enjoyed. I ordered the meatloaf dinner, which on the early bird menu includes soup or salad, and a dessert along with the dinner. We also had a bottle of wine. I have had this meatloaf a number of times here before - it is really yummy and one of my favorite dishes here. The meatloaf is covered with a mushroom gravy and comes along with mashed potatoes and rather tasty vegetables (always the same here - carrots, zuchini, and a third vegetable that escapes me at the moment). The early bird portion seemed just slightly smaller than the regular menu portion, but, believe me, was still plenty! The salad was simple, but very good. The dessert selection was a choice of vanilla ice cream, rainbow sherbert, or chocolate mousse. Well, I love rainbow sherbert - so got that and they gave quite a big dish of it, with some whipped cream on it too - yummy, yum.
I had a really nice evening here, as always. The food is great and the atmosphere and live music are great too and make this into one of my very favorite local restaurants. Other fave dishes I like to get here include the country-fried steak (oohh la la!! it's good!), the ribs, and the fish and chips. Everything I have tried at Jax is good. Go there! ( She's rating: 4 stars )