Café Linda’s

Pad Woon Sen Noodles exceeded my expectations. I love clear noodles and the balance of them in this dish, juxtaposed with thinly sliced chicken white meat and perfectly crisp veggies tossed in with a light broth/​sauce was just right. Thai iced tea was outrageously good… I saved it for «dessert» and my hotel room takeout meal was a superb ending to a long and hectic day. The counter staff were friendly and the preparation was speedy. Definitely you should try this little gem!!!

Quiet and cozy with killer food. The servers are very nice. What’s not to like?

Get the shrimp panang – outstanding. Lunch specials good too and all pricing is reasonable. Service is very friendly and environment is suitable for either a date or casual social gatherings – highly recommend.

Quick review: solid and good choice! I ordered the naked shrimp salad and the chicken satay for a 9pm Thai food craving and I am so glad I picked Linda’s!!! $ 25 for delivery and that includes tip for delivery. Highly satisfied, you can tell they put a lot of attention to detail and I appreciate that effort.
Chicken satay: moist and flavorful chicken strips served with peanut sauce and a cucumber relish. 5 pieces $ 7.95
Naked shrimp: 5 grilled shrimp on a bed of lettuce, lemongrass, mint, and other veggies. The sauce was tangy and spicy though I would’ve liked a little more citrus and heat. Regardless, it is delicious! $ 11.95
All in all, super happy I found this place. I missed having a go-​to Thai joint.

Great food for the money and fast service.
Pros:
+ Best Tom Yum soup I have had. Just the right amount of heat and citrus in the broth, and the mushrooms and protein were cooked just right. $ 4.95 per.
+ Thai crispy spring rolls were flavorful and had some substance. The sweet sauce they come with is flavorful but not overpowering. Rolls were crispy and not greasy.
+ Curry pouches were good and a new item for me which I’ve not had anywhere else. The cucumber salad was hard to eat with these however. Another sauce might be a better choice.
+ Service was relatively fast and friendly, and the online ordering system is easy.
Cons:
— Curry pouches could use just a little more flavor inside (more curry powder?) but overall were just fine. No serious complaints.
Looking forward to coming back here and trying some new things.

This is my favorite Thai restaurant in Pasadena. It reminds me of a quaint little restaurant you would find in the West Village or some cute area. And I guess that’s exactly what it is! It on holly Street which is just far enough away from the hustle and bustle of Colorado Blvd. that it usually has local regulars there. The service is fast and the food is prepared consistently well. I love so many of their dishes but some of my favorites are the dark soy noodles, pad Thai, tom
Yum soup, naked shrimp, spring rolls (super crispy, densely packed and always fried just right), the eggplant and beef salad. They have lunch specials too. Good quality ingredients and consistent.

Love this place for delivery! Yummy food, easy delivery process. The food is good quality Thai food. Love the flavors of the curry and the noodles are always really hearty portions. The only issue was the salad I ordered, it was very small and drenched in dressing. Otherwise, I’ve enjoyed every dish I’ve ordered there! Love the bread to dip the curry in too!

Great food and good servers. Going to go back again sometime :)

I love this place. It’s so cute & it has a very intimate atmosphere. Perfect for a date at night time. Yes it’s small and the bathroom is located outside the restaurant… but it’s not that bad. I have been coming here since 2013 and the food & service is always great. Employees are so nice and sweet. Always willing to accommodate to your needs. I also love the happy hour menu (5−7pm). I went to have lunch today and you can get the combo lunch special for only $ 10.50 which is including the soup and the yellow curry tortilla chips. The price is not bad at all compared to other restaurants in the area so you can have a decent meal that’s going to satisfy your tummy :-)

The only Thai my wife and I ever order is from Café Linda’s. Almost every time we want to go out (get take out), these guys are one of our top 2 choices. It is possible there is better Thai somewhere out there, but there is no reason to go anywhere else (for Thai).
Best Tom Kha I’ve had… and I could go on but I’m tired. You should just go.

Such a cute, intimate Thai restaurant! The drunken noodle is scrumptious and the service was superb. Being a Pasadena local, this will be my go to spot for some yummy Thai food!

Above and beyond service and delicious food. Will come back!
The atmosphere is great too– much more inviting and intimate than your typical Thai place.

First time here and service and food was phenomenal. Definitely recommend the Phoenix in Flames as well as the Papaya Salad. Our waiter was courteous and attentive at all times. The place is a little small but feels very homey. Definitely would recommend if you are a fan of Thai food! :)

Despite having lived a mile away from Café Linda for over 4 years, I only just tried it for the first time recently. I’m really disappointed in myself for taking so long to find this gem of a restaurant.
The food was exceptional (especially the Phoenix in Flames!) and the service was also incredibly good. I really liked that it was a small space, and when I went (on a Saturday night), it wasn’t crowded, so the atmosphere was very pleasant and chill.
I look forward to putting this in my regular restaurant rotation and trying their other dishes.

I would recommend this restaurant!
Pros:
Food tasted fresh.
Food wasn’t overly oily
Flavor wasn’t overly concentrated
Great service
Central location
Nice ambience
Cons:
Food was a little low on salt and flavor.

So i am new to the neighborhood and I’ve been looking for a good Thai food place, didn’t have any luck till I found these guys on Unilocal,found my new spot. Everything tasted so amazing, I would recommend it.

I was eager to try Café Linda’s as I had passed by many times and was tickled to see that it shared my name. I came by one time and it was closed, despite the business hours stating that it should be open. I came by a second time and was soundly disappointed. I won’t be coming back because I can definitely find a better place.
The ambiance was strange. The lighting was dark and somewhat uncomfortable. I dragged my friend with me and felt like I forced her on a date due to the dim lighting.
The food was bland and overpriced. I ordered Pad Thai for myself and Pad See Ew to go to bring back for my sibling. After tasting my own Pad Thai, I had a bad feeling about the Pad See Ew. My sister later confirmed that it was not appetizing.
The waitress seemed very apathetic. She did not come by to refill our waters very often and we had a hard time flagging her down to pay the bill. I saw that a nearby table had some difficulty conveying that they wanted to box their order and take it home.

Great lunch specials… I eat lunch here all the time.

Horrible service. Waitress at lunch was rude… Took ordered for people who came in well after us even though we asked her if we can order drinks and food. Portions were so small. We ordered a non lunch panang curry… It was 6 prices of tofu with 4 tablespoons of curry spread on a plate… It wasn’t enough to spoon onto to my plate. Food flavor was good thata the only reason I gave it 2 stars

Love this place! Order delivery often and have always been happy. Favorites include the Hand Dipped Curry, Thai Boxer, Rudy’s Special and Pad Thai. Easy online ordering system and nice delivery people.

I love this place! It reminds me of a New York neighborhood joint that you would go to every week! The staff is attentive and helpful and friendly. The dishes are so tasty and fresh. My favorites are Naked Shrimp and the Dark Soy Noodles, but I also love the fresh and crispy Spicy Beef Salad. My pet peeve is low quality meat and theirs is extremely good! I also love the egg rolls and.. . well you get it. Definitely try it!

Often times the «moment of truth» is revealed in the initial phone call to a restaurant, bar, hotel, etc. Such was the case this evening with Thai Linda’s in Pasadena on Holly Avenue. The phone was answered both promptly and with courtesy when trying to ask if reservations were necessary (Saturday evening).
Although my party & I arrived early, we were sat in a nice location. Halfway through the meal, the server asked if we were the party that made the 7:30 reservations. (Embarrassingly) I said «yes» — duly apologizing for not having told them upon arrival (something I rarely forget). The server showed us the table which she had reserved (the best table in the house next to the window). Very classy… very.
The food, the service and the overall atmosphere /​presentation was well above par. The staff was attentive, as well as responsive and genuine. This goes a long, long way with guests who actually care.
I recommend this establishment based on my initial impressions this evening. And yes, I plan to return here on my next visit to Pasadena /​L.A.

Café Linda is one of my favorite spots in Pasadena for Thai food. I love it there! And the owner Ai is so nice and welcoming, the staff is very friendly and accommodating.
I love Rudy’s special, spicy and limy deliciousness yammm!

Loveeee Café Linda!
When my friend suggested that we meet up at Café Linda, my first thought was, «Oh okay, I guess we’re having Mexican» to my surprise, this lovely little spot along Union was a quaint Thai restaurant. The place feels very cozy and intimate, I would say perfect for small groups especially for couples, the décor and setup is quite chic. I love their attention to details, from the very nice menu book, the wine list, utensils and table setting — it almost feel like a fine dining experience yet keeping it on a casual level.
While waiting for my friend, I started with a nice glass of Cabernet, browsed through the menu and decided on an order of their Crab cakes to start with… delicious! I absolutely enjoyed the crab cakes, it has a lovely golden brown crunch yet stayed quite moist inside, served on the side is a ramekin of cucumber slaw and hot mustard.
When my friend arrived, he ordered something off the menu which I thought was kinda cool and nice of them to accommodate, I ordered the Thai Boxer which I really enjoyed! Thin slices of beef simmered in a nice and creamy coconut soup with a few vegetables — very tasty!
I really do believe that some of the best kept dishes are served by the little Mom & Pop Hole-​in-​the-​walls, Café Linda in my humble opinion is one of those I would be back again to try their other offerings, the food was quite good, the service was nice and friendly and most of all, the place is quite cozy, chic and clean.
Until next time!

My coworkers love this place and continuously order from here throughout the week. I had tried their Pad Thai my first time here and wasn’t super pleased, so I was wondering what all the hype was about. Today, I was going to order from 9&9, but my coworker urged me to try Linda’s, and so I ordered the Panang Tofu combo deal, and I was very impressed with the food. It was delicious, and just the right combination of flavors. I can’t wait to try other stuff on their menu.
This place is always crowded, and there must be a good reason why!

I have been waiting to write a review for Café Linda’s for a while now, wanting to have a thorough understanding of the menu before jotting anything official down. Now that I’ve eaten here half a dozen times, I’m in love. The Pad Thai is good but the curries are AMAZING!
The Yellow Chicken Curry and Panang Tofu are my favorite dishes so far. I only have two primarily because I can’t stop eating the Panang Tofu! When I die, I want a bowl of it to go into the afterlife with me (let’s hope CL’s is still around then).
As for the café itself, it’s quaint and the girls that work the lunch hours are wonderful! I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to try dinner here.

Café Linda located along lightly travelled Holly Street in Pasadena is small, narrow but cozy upper scale Thai restaurant. Linda and crew serve up Americanized Thai to be honest. The food is pretty good but I’d expect a bit more for how much they charge.
We came here for dinner hungry and were seated promptly. We ordered classic shrimp panang which was tasty. The crusted salmon with peppercorn garlic garlic crusted with crisp asparagus which was also tasty but lacking quantity. The Hot Mermaid is a lightly fried fish filled over green beans topped with chili and garlic sauce.
Pretty good flavors though I’d prefer to go to Thai town or President Thai not too far away. President Thai has just as great ambiance, great food, and reasonable prices.
Worth a try if you’re in Old Town.

Call me generous but I will explain that I have been missing out on great Thai. I have tried it years back and just could not acquire the taste but Linda’s café has me sold!
This place is small and very intimate where you will know the servers well after a few visits and they remember your obnoxiousness, too. They have a simple menu with a fantastic happy hour. My favorites are the fried tofu and the Pad Thai.
Only feedback is to get me a smaller order option of fried tofu! Lol inside joke with them and lastly expect to pay for parking here.

:Updated Review:
Based on my four star review, this is one of my favorite Thai Food restaurant to go to in Old Town Pasadena. Unfortunately, I am changing it to three stars because I found a piece of hair in the Yellow Curry. I told the staff and they apologized. They offered to prepare a new order of the Yellow Curry dish. When they brought the food I asked them to pack it for me instead because I lost my appetite after I saw the strand of hair.

I found this hidden gem last year and I haven’t been able to stay away since. I would say that Café Linda’s and Taste of Asia (in La Verne) tie in authenticity and «deliciousness?».
Since it’s so close to my home, I’ve had the lazy luxury of just ordering delivery, which doesn’t take long at all. The con of delivery is that they require a $ 15 minimum purchase, which isn’t very convenient if I’m just ordering in for myself.
Anyway, I’ve also eaten at the restaurant several times for lunch and dinner. This is a pretty sweet place to take someone on a first date. The ambiance is relaxing, they have low lighting, and if I remember correctly, soft music playing in the background. I haven’t really seen the restaurant packed whenever I’ve gone, which is a good thing because it’s actually quite small.
I have tried their drunken noodles with tofu (spiced up with bell pepper, onion, basil and chili), signature pad thai with shrimp, fire cracker (shrimp, scallop, squid, chili, onion, carrot sauteed in spicy basil sauce), and panang tofu (fried tofu in thick red curry sauce). I’m sure I’ve tried a few others, but I can’t recall them at the moment. I have to say, the panang tofu is my all time favorite! My only complaint is that I wish it came with more of the curry sauce. I like to order a side of rice to make sure I soak up all of the curry. I can’t emphasize enough how delicious this dish is!

So upon the recommendation of a super Unilocaler Mar-​Vy, and being sick of trying my usual chicken curry and being I was just up the street decided to stop by and try. Glad I did :-) Was about closing time so place was pretty empty and was nice and peaceful. With the comfy pillows for your back and padded cushion seats it was just what I needed after my workout.
A very friendly waitress comes over named Pitta. Takes my order and fairly quickly but too much so my food is served. I actually decided on the Pad Thai since I was feeling like having noodles. It was generous portion and very yummy. Several large shrimps with a good amount of chicken. I could not tell all the other ingredients since I was eating so fast lol. I was not able to finish and had to get a to go baggy though. Upon getting ready to leave I chatted with Pitta since I had been to Thailand and we had a very nice conversation. She even gave me a tip to some apts near where she stays that might be for rent since I have a friend searching that area :-)
Plan on coming back very soon!

Came here on a Sunday afternoon after checking out the Farmer’s Market.
First impressions: really small restaurant; nice décor with the wine bottles.
The Food:
3 Musketeers (an appetizer sampler with Spring Rolls, Curry Pouches and Fried Tofu) — Each accompanied by a sauce. The spring roll tasted so good with that plum sauce. The Curry Pouch comes with the cucumber sauce, a little bit crispy, and the curry tasted sweet. And I like the tofu skin in the Fried Tofu, which comes with a sweet chili sauce.
Drunken Noodles with Beef — It was a little spicy… but it’s the lingering kind. It had fresh basil, onions and bell peppers. Tasted good AND a fresh aroma.
The Thai Iced Tea was a little too sweet for me.
Great food, great service. I have to come back to try the Tom Yum Fried Rice.