Raymond Restaurant

In Short – This historic mainstay, once part of a grand hotel, features a warm dark wood interior and lush candlelit patios, which provide a balance between intimacy for quiet romance and comfort for indulgent dining. The menu has been infused with eclectic touches, adding European hints such as pork chops with an herbed mustard crust and pate maison, a lighter ground pate served with pears. Brunch offers everything from apple fritters to the signature Raymond curry.

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What to Drink:: An extensive wine list includes mostly Californian and French selections, such as the light Napa Valley Plumpjack Chardonnay and the Duhart-Milon Rothschild Bordeaux.

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User Reviews (37)

ambiance	100.0% positive	“Romantic and cozy ~ this place is even good for business gatherings!” “The food is delicious and the home-type intimate atmosphere is comfortable.” “It probably isn't great for big business parties or small kids, but it is perfect for a quiet romantic meal.” “Tthe food here was very VERY good, and the ambiance was worth every penny.” “Overall it was a delightful dinner; the atmosphere, food and everything else was top-notch.” “The restaurant decor is charming, the cuisine delicious, the service was excellent.” “Great atmosphere!” “And I LOVED the atmosphere.” “The decor was reflective of its history and the food was good, but the service was definitely sub par, which brought down the overall experience of this establishment.” “Super awesome almost hidden & historic location.” “The decor/ ambience is warm and inviting, allowing for an overall enjoyable experience.” “The atmosphere really was great for kicking off our first anniversary celebration.” “Nice intimate atmosphere inside, classy outdoors.” “great food , great service , best romantic spot in pasadena hands down” “Good romantic restaurant” “Quiet, romantic restaurant that will impress your date but at a very high cost.” “This is a great romantic date spot but bring your wallet.”
dessert	100.0% positive	“That said, the food was delicious and the chocolate moelleux was to die for.” “Love their desert alot, must check it out this place.” “Both desserts were great.” “although the food is delicious such as the mushroom appetizers, the porkchops and the desserts however it is too expensive and their service is snobbery.”
drinks	37.5% positive	“The wine list looked good, but we didn't order wine and their cocktail menu is very limited (no pear vodka?)” “the wait staff are friendly and right on with their suggestions on items to eat and drink.” “My only complaint was that it took quite a while for the bottle of wine we ordered to be served, and though I'd asked for a dry riesling I was given one that was quite sweet.” “the food and drinks are a little pricey but well worth it.”
food quality	89.16000366210938% positive	“The food is delicious and the home-type intimate atmosphere is comfortable.” “They've also got other great items on the menu though, if you don't like meat.” “Tthe food here was very VERY good, and the ambiance was worth every penny.” “The food was excellent.” “Great interior, and the food and service were quite good.” “Like every other restaurant on the list, they offer a fantastic brunch - my favorite being the French toast which is melt in your mouth delicious.” “had a my bridal shower in the outside garden, and it was beautiful, the food was delicious and the service was great!” “took my fiancee' here once for Valentine's Day, and the food was outstanding.” “Excellent cuisine.” “great food , great service , best romantic spot in pasadena hands down” “Great food” “That said, the food was delicious and the chocolate moelleux was to die for.” “the food is great the service just as good.” “When our main course arrived it was cold to the touch,so since we dont like cold steak we sent it back.” “The decor was reflective of its history and the food was good, but the service was definitely sub par, which brought down the overall experience of this establishment.” “The Raymond is a beautiful little restaraunt - lovely gardens, wonderful food.” “the food and drinks are a little pricey but well worth it.” “The Raymond's low lighting, intimate setting, and wonderfully diverse cuisine is great for a treat on an anniversary or birthday.” “although the food is delicious such as the mushroom appetizers, the porkchops and the desserts however it is too expensive and their service is snobbery.” “The meat was warm, not hot and more chewy than I believe it should have been, but I did like the root vegetable mash that the steak was situated on, tasted close to mashed potatoes, but I liked pointing out the vegetable I could taste in it.” “The restaurant decor is charming, the cuisine delicious, the service was excellent.” “In conclusion, I found the waitress and the staff to be very pleasant and friendly, the food was slug and miss (citysearch won't let me use the word I was going to use - three letters to replace slug), the disorganization and time to table was very disapp” “Very good food but very expensive.” “It probably isn't great for big business parties or small kids, but it is perfect for a quiet romantic meal.” “While the food was good, I would rather spend my dollars elsewhere with service to match, especially in this great city of restaurant paradise.” “Overall it was a delightful dinner; the atmosphere, food and everything else was top-notch.” “the food is amazing.” “Good food.” “Both service and food were excellent.”
menu variety	25.0% positive	“They've also got other great items on the menu though, if you don't like meat.” “The Raymond's low lighting, intimate setting, and wonderfully diverse cuisine is great for a treat on an anniversary or birthday.” “The service took a very long time, and while it is understandable that having a packed house could make the service slow, one would think having a pre-fixe menu would speed things up.” “The wine list looked good, but we didn't order wine and their cocktail menu is very limited (no pear vodka?)”
overall	80.0% positive	“good place for dinner!” “It could definitely be a great date restaurant.” “Not a good place for Afternoon Tea” “This is a great place for a special occasion or a treat for a treasured friend.” “While the food was good, I would rather spend my dollars elsewhere with service to match, especially in this great city of restaurant paradise.”
service	86.33999824523926% positive	“had a my bridal shower in the outside garden, and it was beautiful, the food was delicious and the service was great!” “The decor was reflective of its history and the food was good, but the service was definitely sub par, which brought down the overall experience of this establishment.” “the food is great the service just as good.” “The staff was polite, patient and kind.” “service is impeccable.” “The service was great.” “In conclusion, I found the waitress and the staff to be very pleasant and friendly, the food was slug and miss (citysearch won't let me use the word I was going to use - three letters to replace slug), the disorganization and time to table was very disapp” “Everyone was friendly and c.” “Despite the long wait times, the waitstaff was very friendly if not a bit flustered.” “The restaurant decor is charming, the cuisine delicious, the service was excellent.” “Great service and great setting.” “found the place fairly easily and parked using their free valet service (they drive very fast in reverse, people were laughing nervously as they watched their cars get backed up to them at full speed when we were leaving).” “The service was impressive.” “great food , great service , best romantic spot in pasadena hands down” “The restaurant was not very busy, but our waiter was not attentive at all.” “The service took a very long time, and while it is understandable that having a packed house could make the service slow, one would think having a pre-fixe menu would speed things up.” “Great interior, and the food and service were quite good.” “Both service and food were excellent.” “although the food is delicious such as the mushroom appetizers, the porkchops and the desserts however it is too expensive and their service is snobbery.” “The service is good.” “The wait staff is very friendly and helpfull, not at all stuck up.” “While the food was good, I would rather spend my dollars elsewhere with service to match, especially in this great city of restaurant paradise.” “the wait staff are friendly and right on with their suggestions on items to eat and drink.”
value	57.14000225067139% positive	“the food and drinks are a little pricey but well worth it.” “While the food was good, I would rather spend my dollars elsewhere with service to match, especially in this great city of restaurant paradise.” “Very good food but very expensive.” “The Raymond is expensive but it is worth the price.” “although the food is delicious such as the mushroom appetizers, the porkchops and the desserts however it is too expensive and their service is snobbery.” “Tthe food here was very VERY good, and the ambiance was worth every penny.” “But the price is pretty expensive though.”
wait time	66.66999816894531% positive	“The restaurant threw in a couple nice touches for Valentine's including a very long stem red rose for each lady.” “The service took a very long time, and while it is understandable that having a packed house could make the service slow, one would think having a pre-fixe menu would speed things up.” “Despite the long wait times, the waitstaff was very friendly if not a bit flustered.”

03/31/11

Not a good Night ?

by VelaLuka

Everyone is entitled to a bad day but this experience was simply not good. I realize we had a warm day in LA but I should have folllowed my first instinct to leave when the blast of hot air hit me from the front door. It is difficult to enjoy a meal when it feels like 85 degrees in March with no relief in sight. The people were nice as they always are but the food was not up to their usual standard and we had to ask for everthing. Water butter bread......I will try it again because we have had good experiences in the past but my advice is to check if the AC has been fixed before you book a reservation.

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05/09/10

Sit on the Balcony

by Kika Davis 2

Drive up to this cute little house with indoor seating and an outside patio, and you think you've found a hidden treasure. First, you're treated to free valet. I know. Shocking. Like every other restaurant on the list, they offer a fantastic brunch - my favorite being the French toast which is melt in your mouth delicious.

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05/04/09

Great food

by jackhern

The Raymond is one of my favorite "special" places to go with my new husband. It has been a while since we've been but last time it was just wonderful. The food is delicious and the home-type intimate atmosphere is comfortable. Not stuffy like other places. They used to offer a souffle dessert that you had to order at the beginning of your meal, I don't know if they still have them. Last time I went I wanted one and they were sold out. If you can get one, order it!

Pros: The atmosphere is nice, food is good
Cons: Pricey

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02/18/09

Expensive for what it is

by mark0805

I took my girlfriend here for Valentines Day based on an email from Citysearch featuring the restaurant and the great reviews that have been given here.

I found the place fairly easily and parked using their free valet service (they drive very fast in reverse, people were laughing nervously as they watched their cars get backed up to them at full speed when we were leaving). We sat on the patio, which was enclosed by clear plastic, but it was still kind of cold despite the heaters. The waitstaff eventually closed off the openings they were using to come in and out. I felt sorry for them having to unstick Velcro while holding a large tray of food.

The service took a very long time, and while it is understandable that having a packed house could make the service slow, one would think having a pre-fixe menu would speed things up. This was a five course meal, with three of the courses having two choices and the entree having three choices. I also do not think it being a full house or having a fixed menu should affect knowing which table ordered what meal and in what order. There was a big problem with the servers not being able to identify what course belonged to what table. The dinner took about three hours from being seated to asking for the bill (the bill came out quickly).

Despite the long wait times, the waitstaff was very friendly if not a bit flustered. When the food finally did come out, it was presented well, but tasted ok. The wine list looked good, but we didn't order wine and their cocktail menu is very limited (no pear vodka?). Our first course, the amuse-bouche, was a cute little scallop/shrimp thing on a small cracker. It tasted alright for a one-biter. For the second course I ordered the scallop and my girlfriend ordered the beet salad. Both were fairly bland. The scallop was a bit dry and the beets didn't have all that much flavor. All-in-all very plain. Next course we both had the soup. It was this potato cream soup with truffle and it was delicious. It felt good going down considering the cold night, but it also had the right amount of zest and spice. We both enjoyed that one. Next came the main course. We both got the Beef Tenderloin, although in hindsight, I wish I had gotten the Alaskan Salmon instead. The meat was warm, not hot and more chewy than I believe it should have been, but I did like the root vegetable mash that the steak was situated on, tasted close to mashed potatoes, but I liked pointing out the vegetable I could taste in it. It was a little game between us. Finally we had dessert. My girlfriend got the apple one that was like apple pie a la mode, and I had a very lemony desert with a citrus broth that grew on me. Both desserts were great.

The restaurant threw in a couple nice touches for Valentine's including a very long stem red rose for each lady. The bill came out with a small chocolate heart with Happy Valentine's Day written on it and the letter R (presumably for Raymond - though my girlfriend, who's name also starts with an R, insisted the chocolate was hers. I still ate most of it).

In conclusion, I found the waitress and the staff to be very pleasant and friendly, the food was slug and miss (citysearch won't let me use the word I was going to use - three letters to replace slug), the disorganization and time to table was very disappointing.

Pros: Friendly Staff, nice small touches
Cons: quality of food, disorganization, time getting food to table

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02/15/09

there are better places out there!!!!

by tekila909

I visited the raymond with my girlfriend on Valentines, And I cant say that I was impressed. It seems like the place was not prepared at all for the valentines rush. The evening started with us waiting for 20 min at out table before we spoke to our waiter. Then bus boys kept bringing out our food and they didnt know who it belonged to so they would go from table to table asking everyone if the food belonged to them. When our main course arrived it was cold to the touch,so since we dont like cold steak we sent it back. Once our food arrived it was good, But nothing about this place made me say wow except the bill. When you spend over 300 dollars for a dinner you dont expect service to be an issue. I wish I would have taken my date somewhere else.

Pros: the food was good
Cons: the food was just good not spectacular

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Editor's Tips

03/31/11

Not a good Night ?

by VelaLuka

05/09/10

Sit on the Balcony

by Kika Davis 2

05/04/09

Great food

by jackhern

02/18/09

Expensive for what it is

by mark0805

02/15/09

there are better places out there!!!!

by tekila909

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