Jimmy Changas {Pasadena} — Restaurant in Pasadena

I enjoy coming to Jimmy’s, I’ve been going there for years. I can’t remember a bad experience at this restaurant. However, I dined in this past Saturday evening around 5:30. There wasn’t many customers present, so the environment was fairly calm. When my party (of 2) approached the host stand, we were immediately taken back. Now, I’m not sure if this is a consistent thing, or if it was a bad day, but the young man who was at the host stand was not the nicest. In fact, he had absolutely no good customer service qualities about him. He told us “Follow me.” (in an unpleasant tone) and proceeded to take us to a table. We asked if we could possibly have a booth (we weren’t asked our preference at the host stand), and this young man proceeded to look at us, not say anything and look around for a booth. Then he sped all the way around the center table area, back around to the other side of the restaurant, and ended up 15-20 feet in front of us (never checking that we were with him). He cut a corner, and when I finally realized which booth he went to, he was standing there watching us with a straight face as we were catching up to him, not realizing we needed to sprint to the booth. When we said thank you and sat down, he said nothing and walked away. A few seconds later came back with chips. We said thank you, in which he yet again said nothing and walked away. I then proceeded to watch him walk more guests to their tables with the same mannerisms throughout my visit, while also being too busy watching the Texans game each time as he walked by. In the service industry (which I work in) we need to be mindful of the guest’s experience. This entails a kind and positive tone when speaking (which speaking should occur with customers) and making sure that the customer is walking with you, not behind you, and not worrying about the tv while actively walking customers to their destination.

My server was super nice!...

Food is good when you can get it hot from the kitchen. If you like waiting for service or drinks at the bar you will not want to go here. We ate our full meal without being asked if we wanted new drinks, and my beer was gone after the first couple bites. Couple next to us ate their full meals without the sides they ordered with their meal. Other couple waited over 15 minutes today for drinks. On a saturday, they have 1 bartender serving the bar, making drinks for the rest of the place, which will lead to why everyone's waiting for service. Have fun watching the manager change a keg, bouncing it around on the floor trying to get it to its spot... what's a dolly for right? Watched the bartender take a tall tap beer that was supposed to be dressed, pour salt all over the glass and in the beer then tried to serve it until the thing spilled all over from the foaming reaction. Then she poured most of it out but left some in the bottom, probably salty as hell, and still refilled it and served it. To top off the experience I ordered a to go large queso, and I got someone else's pickup order. In the bartenders defense she asked the kitchen if it was queso and they said yes. So all in all this place is a epic fail for today. Not even super busy and I tried to make excuses for their incompetence but honestly after the to go part it all needs to be said. Flat out lazy all around. I'll end it on a positive and say at least the food we actually ordered was tasty and hot. However that only goes so far in justifying the poor service experience. Oh and when I called back and informed the manager I got someone else's to go order. He actually said "oh that's funny". Good thing I am not the GM. Whoever's to go order I got I am sorry for your bad experience, I'm sure you were hungry. 1 star doesnt reflect the taste of food but the over all experience. The cooks...

We come here regularly but today we were disappointed. We arrived late, but we planned on ordering, eating and getting out. As we walked in, the host (Jonny) began to check us in but then another woman stepped in front of us, mid-conversation, and spoke to the host and the host walked away to get her phone. Once he walked us to the table despite there being about 10 booths open he decided to seat us next to a rowdy large top who's chairs were practically against the table he showed us (which was still dirty by the way). So we asked to sit in the booth right next to it. And he responded saying that this table was not in the servers section... After repeating himself twice about the server/section conflict he grudgingly agreed to let us sit at the table right next to which he recommended. It took almost 10 minutes for the server to come greet the table but finally he came to the table and we ordered. We ordered two margaritas and two orders of quesadillas. The pineapple margarita tasted like a regular margarita with a pineapple slice on the rim no pineapple flavor in the drink at all. And once the quesadillas came they weren't even hot. It honestly tasted like they were sitting in the pass for a while. The worst part was how bad the service was today, we had to ask for things multiple times, once to the food runner and then to the server because the server barely touched the table. And then just constant mistakes like forgetting half the sauce & no salt on the margarita rim. But we couldn't tell the server because he only came to drop something off and then ran off we didn't even have time to ask for anything. We kept having to wave our hands around and get the busser's attention because the server didn't even look at the table. Very sad about this visit and it will be a while before...