Clearmans North Woods Inn San Gabriel

Doesn't Recommend

CantRememberLogin

Joined 4 years ago

Sadly Gone Downhill. Back in the day (as recent as a few years ago) Clearman's was the place for good, reliable steaks, huge portions, and a fun atmosphere. We went all the time.

But recently, we have seen a drop in quality. At first we thought it was a fluke, but as we kept "giving it another try" things never got any better and we stopped going.

The salad and bread and potatoes are still good and plentiful as ever. But they seem to have drastically reduced the quality of meat they are buying.

To be honest, even back in the day, I would not have said Clearman's had the best steaks - but, at the same time, there was never anything to complain about. You could always count on a steak that was good and tender.

Now, the steaks are embarrassing - tough and full of tendons. It's really sad since I liked this place so much.

If it is a cost issue, I wish they would raise prices a few dollars if it means getting a steak I can depend on. A crappy steak is no bargain at all.

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JohnHeitman

Joined 4 years ago

Fun place to eat, good food. Always a fun place to go, food is good. Get the cheese butter on your potato. Salads and cheese bread are fantastic. Go early on Sat nights or wait 45-60 min to be seated. Made the mistake of going to the

Black Angus in Monrovia b/c North Woods was busy... we should have waited it out at North Woods.

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ScottWood

Joined 5 years ago

If you like Cobb Salads..you'll love this place. What was I thinking?

Having been a patron of Clearman's Northwoods inn for over 20 years, One would imagine that I had seen the cobb salad at least once before I ordered it.. But I must have stepped away or never noticed when someone else ordered it.

Loving a good cobb salad, I ordered when I was with our party of 6 and got more than a few snickers when I did so..(obviously they had seen the monster before), when asked if I was hungry I answered in the affirmative.. and awaited the delight that eventually came.

This BIG BOWL of Cobb salad was enough to feed everyone at the table and every person I ever met.. Okay so I exaggerate, but it was huge.. On my best day, I couldn't tackle this beauty of a salad, with all the usual ingredients of a Cobb salad, despite my forks of fury shoveling in the salad, each bite left me further and further from the bottom of the bowl... try as I may, It beat me.... but what a great salad for a small party of 6 or more.

Or one really, really hungry Basketball team.

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craztcatlady

Joined 5 years ago

LOVE THIS PLACE!!!. My Boyfriend and I go here all the time. The food is awesome!!! you can make a meal out of the bread and salad alone. The prices are reasonable and the service is great!! i highly recommend this place to anyone who wants good food!

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Lounge against the machine at this family-friendly suburban institution.. In Short
It's not cold, but there's snow on the roof. You're a neat person but you're tossing peanut shells on the floor. The lounge singer should be crooning Wayne Newton but he's leading a "Bohemian Rhapsody" sing-along. Throw in some Christmas-light bedecked moose heads and Ruben-esque nudes making bedroom eyes at throngs of hungry people, and there's no doubt you're at the North Woods Inn.

Doesn't Recommend

momstephano

Joined 5 years ago

Just not like it used to be.. I am glad to see that it was not just us who think that the quality of this once great place is not like it used to be. We were highly dissapointed in both the food and the service last night. The steak was very tough and flavorless, and my fried chicken seemed like it was leftover from the night before and heated in the microwave. It was dry and the skin was limp not crispy. My husbands steak was also very tough and he said it was not very tasty. My son did like his crab legs, and the salad was as usual. It was tough to get drink refills and the waiter had zero personality. Remember when they were bouncy and friendly and eager to work there? The management needs to address several issues at this location ASAP.

Doesn't Recommend

princol

Joined 6 years ago

Once legendary service/food falling off.... We've gone to the San Gabriel Northwoods Inn for more than a decade. The Clearman operations used to be known for excellent, highly-trained service and good value for the food dollar. Unfortunately, in the last few years, they have cut back on entree portions by about 1/2. Although the salads and cheese bread are still really good, what used to be six shrimps have become 3, the once-larger steaks have shrunk, and are now hardly better in quality than those found at Sizzler. Tonight my daughter and I both left significant, unchewable, fatty portions behind on the plate. Even the containers of melted butter have shrunk ! 'Still good service though-

As with many restaurants, the Clearmans have apparently opted to raise prices while cutting back on quality, hoping that we consumers won't notice- but we did !

It's sad, but I doubt that we will go back again...

Doesn't Recommend

dbellos

Joined 6 years ago

Overpriced...Small Portions...Limited Menu....Poor Management. Order 2 of whatever you want so you will be satisfied(the portions are child menu size), and oh yeah make sure to take a credit card with a large credit limit (everything except the water is very pricey for what you get).....be prepared to have a headache when you leave due to the volume inside the place. And whatever you do, do not have any kind of problem or concern where management intervention might be needed as they are non exsistent and when you do find them they are as worthless as a $100 bill in this place...There are too many better quality, better service restaurants to choose from than to deal with this place.....try any other restaurant, where you will be treated as an appreciated customer and not a number or nuisance

Doesn't Recommend

dbellos1

Joined 6 years ago

Overpriced...Small Portions...Zero Customer Service...Arrogant Owner...Try Outback. The menu is very limited. The food is OK but you almost leave hungry....The place is loud...shows the many years of wear....The service is coffee shop style...Dine at your own risk as Clearman's has a zero commitment toward customer satisfaction.... I had a dispute on my last visit to the San Gabriel location. I had been dining at Clearmans for the past 35+ years. I was cheated by the waiter out of $100...After arguing with the waiter, the manager, and anyone else I could get to listen to me, I contacted the owner directly. I explained my situation in a two page detailed letter, with names, times and dates. I got NO response from the owner, a secretary or even a janitor. Not even an insincere letter of apology telling me there was nothing they could do.....so if you like too much blue cheese (only dressing offered) dressing on your salad, a steak that looks like it came from a miniture cow and leaves you wanting more, and cole slaw on everything..than have at it...enjoy Clearmans...Your better off at Outback...or even Sizzler.....

Dine at your own risk......

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wandernn1

Joined 7 years ago

I love this place. Steak, Salad, Seafood.. I've been going to Clearman's Restaurants since I was a kid and after all those years they are still first and foremost in my mind when I think about having steaks anywhere in LA County. As previous reviewers stated, their specialty is the salads and cheesebread. Without these signature items the place might be lost among various other steakhouses, but its these items that make North Woods stand out as one of the best steakhouses in the area. They have some great chicken and seafood, but I always go for the steaks. The porterhouse is a great way to top off a long work week along with their delicious rice pilaf and their oversized baked potato with cheese butter or mushroom gravy..or both! Their cheese bread is addictive and will have you asking for seconds, thirds, and fourths. This is not the place to go if you're planning on sticking to your diet. So be warned. The wait times aren't as bad as they used to be but the place still gets crowded occasionally. They're open 7 days a week at 11:30 am til 10:00 pm. If you've never been here before you owe it to yourself to try it. Its the building with the snow on the roof. Check it out.