Penelope's Cafe Books & Gallery — Restaurant in La Cañada Flintridge

I went here today with my grandmother on my day off from graduate school. I have been here many times and it has always been great service. Today we were in a sunny seat so we moved to another table before food arrived to get some shade (97 degrees). Waitress brought food, and another comes out 5 minutes later and makes a giant deal out of putting some paper under our food on the table (honest mistake on our end, this becomes a trend….) and has my 88 year old grandmother lift her plate and glass herself. We eat and it’s great and go inside to pay like it was the last time I went (maybe two years ago) at least how I remember, honest mistake if this was never the case. The owner is inside and extremely rude, and proceeds to lecture us how we should let them know if we need an early bill. So weird, I just need to get back to school and we had thought we politely waited outside. She was extremely hostile and lecturing for absolutely no reason we both had the best intentions going inside to pay, even browsing the ice cream. Comically rude and if you are a citizen of la Canada, let alone one with grand age and wisdom, avoid this place lest you be talked down to like a child as well by the owner. Almost never leave reviews but so upset at the way my wonderful grandmother was...

We tried to stop in to grab a coffee with our dog, the owner was really rude and before greeting us or saying anything just said “I don’t allow dogs” and kicked us out. We asked if we could sit on the patio (outdoors) and she said no because it’s “considered indoors” even though it was clearly an outdoor space? We also would’ve been happy to order something to go but we didn’t have a chance to say that before we were kicked out. It was just surprising because there were no signs that said no dogs, and she just in general was really unfriendly. This is my first negative review I’ve ever written, but the experience just left a bad taste and some proper costumer service etiquette would have been...

Went here with my kids. When you go in it is extremely quiet. Signs say please wait to be seated. It also says welcome we are open. We waited patiently for a few minutes. No one greeted us. People were just staring at us. Then we just walked all the way to the back since we saw employees just standing around talking. Then one of the workers asked if we were taking food to go. Why would we be taking food to go? We were waiting in the front. Then she said we had to sit outside because there were no seats inside. Mind you it was raining. Please please train your staff. They have to greet customers. It was incredibly...