Picnik

I’m not all surprised that Picnik has closed. (And, what was with all of those positive fake Unilocal reviews?)
My first meal was a few days after their opening and the meal was so terrible I swore I would never return. A few weeks later, I reluctantly returned when I was out voted by friends. Again, another poor meal; but at least I was able to throw down my «I told you so» card. Dry and and flavorless sausages, the worst mac and cheese that has ever been served, small serving sizes and high prices.
I guess the owners are using the old «lost our lease» excuse as the reason for the closure. That might be technically true, but how can you pay a lease when there are no customers in your restaurant? I’ve walked by Picnik many times and would often see only a couple tables occupied. I have even walked by at prime dining times and the restaurant had zero customers.
The owners are experienced restaurant pros, so there is no way that they would negotiate a legitimate lease that could be cancelled in less than a year.
After my first experience at Picnik, I felt like everything was just thrown together and they were hoping for the best. The food, service and quality never lived up to the insufferable hype.
After our first meal, we even complained to one of the owners. I think he was surprised at how frank we were. But we were surprised that he actually believed he was serving quality food.
Later we found out that the owner operates 2 or 3 other restaurants on Colorado Blvd. Based on the reviews of his other restaurants, I bet 1 or 2 of them might be «losing their leases» as well.
The other owner was Chef Eduard Ruiz who operates the well reviewed Corazon y Miel. We have committed to try Corazon y Miel one day soon just to compare it to Picnik. I’ll cross my fingers.

It is with a heavy heart that I pen the requiem of Picnik. This brew pub/​sausage haus had all the charm of a backyard family gathering, and the style to match. Additionally, their interior bar area was able to pull off a classy vibe, even with loud, lively music playing in the courtyard.
Having been there with friends on several occasions, I had the opportunity to taste many of the varied offerings. I can’t say that I was ever disappointed. I will hold dear my fond memories of the pork shoulder, my mouth watering even as I write.
The prices were a little on the higher end, but that goes with the territory. Par for the course of Old Town. I hear the owner may be looking to open another spot in Pasadena, but I’m certain they will never capture the spirit of Picnik. It’s a shame that they lost the lease. And so suddenly!
This poor corner location! Nothing ever seems to last here despite the fact that it’s one of the most attractive-​looking venues in all of Old Town. I must simply look forward to the next arrival, and then prepare myself for its inevitable demise.

Picnik is Chef Eduardo Ruiz’s second venture, steering clear from the tastes of Corazón y Miel. But, before I was able to blink, the location has closed and is now moving to another venue. As of now, whereabouts are unknown. Oh well, at least I have something else to look forward to when it re-​opens.
I hope they transfer their concept, cause I really liked their Hand Crafted Sausages, finger foods, and sides. During, my previous visit, I had the ALL AMERICAN BURGER and I thought that was pretty damn good. Quite surprising, as a matter of fact. House ground beef, sharp cheddar, lettuce, tomato, and pickles. Simple and neat.
TO BE CONTINUED…

Imagine a place where the men are handsome and the women are beautiful and everyone has blonde LA hair blowing in the sea breeze…
That’s what this place tries to accomplish. The food was just ok, probably would have been better if they were fully staffed on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve. Seriously… One guy working the bar and the cash registrar for food?
The 14 hr marinated pork shoulder was a hit, but be ready for it to take 14 hours to get it.

Another opportunity to try a new spot as a result of being invited to a private event… Love the layout of this establishment. They have 3 distinct areas to hang out and experience different types of ambiances… one is outdoorsy with a nice fire burning, another is very loungey, then you have your typical cool bar vibe and lastly a larger area off of the lounge which serves as the restaurant.
Their food was really good. I have never tried Couscous of this caliber and/​or with such a unique and delicious recipe. Probably not the best choice for a party with mostly men present but the ladies seemed to love it! Flank steak was sublime! I love spicy and this steak had a definitive kick to it with some really amazing seasoning… and with the perfect tenderness. Could not get enough of it or the couscous.
Their sausage (Hotlinks and Italian) were both really good. Quality meat, flavor and not too greasy.
Service for the party was extremely professional, helpful and on point ALL night long. They had ample staff constantly cleaning up or taking drink orders and offering friendly, supportive help. There was really nothing I could notice and/​or write here which really was a downside.
Great spot for a corporate function as they were extremely well prepared and well staffed to provide a stellar event and experience for the guests as well as our corporate hosts.

I’m undecided. When we walked in at about 6:30 pm, it was relatively dead. There was one party of two in the open patio area and one person sitting at the bar on the inside. The server clued us and told us to order our food and drink at the window and somebody would bring it out. .So we walked to the window and took a menu. There was no one waiting so we took our time. Once decided, we stood at the window and waited. And we waited. And we waited. The customer sitting inside the other side glanced at us several times and continued to have a conversation with the «staff/​manager/​server/​bartender» behind the counter. We tried rustling the menu, having a loud conversation at the window and even said excuse me directed in their direction.
It’s quizzical.
I know.
Finally.
5 minutes or so later and after one of the servers in the patio walked back in did we get any sort of acknowledgement and the time of day.
Here’s what we ordered:
Salchipapa Fries — peruvian style street fries tossed with sliced sausage (chef’s choice), sliced onion & chimichurri. Pretty tasty. I like the tang on this one. It’s mellowed very well with the neutrality of the potato.
Sausage Flight — you have to order a minimum of 3 sausages and includes 4 toppings to accompany your choice. It’s good if you want a variety of sausages but not ALL the extras with each sausage. We tried the sauerkraut, sautéed (you can get them raw as well) Onion Sautéed Market Peppers /​/​Pickled Red Cabbage
Luckily, we found parking on the street. Unfortunately, it really was luck. At least Colorado is a nice street to walk down.

On the very end of the strip in old town, is a cute little restaurant bar called Picnik. Great outdoor seating environment, lots of potential, and unfortunately with lots of disappointment.
Came here once at 9 when it says it closes at 10. What that really means is that they have last call at 9PM and food stops being served at 8:30.WTF!!! I don’t think place will last very long with those false hours…
Anyways, came back another day to give them another try, and unfortunately the food was just not even up to par… bogie at best if even that. I got the brisket sandwich, probably only about 4 in. long, and 3 measly pieces slapped on there, didn’t seem fresh either sadly.
Long story short, I wish I could move the patio area for this place somewhere else and get rid of Picnik all together. As for the pricing, technically it’s $$ but with the size that you get, it’s really $$$

Interesting spot in old town. Supposed to be modeled after a biergarten but doesn’t have the traditional German food items aside from a pretty sizable sausage selection. Relatively small menu. My parents love the pork shoulder and garden salad there. My brother liked his corn on the cob (little weird with it topped with browned sugar) and fried chicken. I ordered the hamburger and wasn’t very into it. Very charcoley to me — which some people are into. Fresh ingredients though which was cool.
It was a Saturday night so a bit busy. Long and slow line at the counter area under «order here» sign so we were confused whether there was table service or not but turned out there was. I’m just not really a fan of the kind of confusion and atmosphere they had going but my family really liked it. Lots of outdoor seating with cute strings of light. I ordered Julian’s hard apple cider — very light colored and way too sweet. My parents enjoyed there cocktails — moonshine and dark and stormy.
There was a band setting up for s love performance which people seemed excited about. Apparently they have live music Friday and Saturday nights. Cute festive pumpkin decorations out.
Not sure I would be back unless other people would want to go. Parking was easy on Sunday — we nabbed a meter nearby on green. But there are the usual old town meters if you’re there at a different time or the meters on colorado blvd.

The outside seating area is the best part of this place. Very relaxed & welcoming. The menu is straightforward and has different options to help with your craving.
I ordered the sweet sicilian and it was great. The size is smaller than your typical hot dog however it did fill me up. Instead of a bun it is served with a baguette which was nice. I would definitely come back to see other items on the menu

So promising, yet so disappointing. The place looks great but the food just wasn’t up to par with its atmosphere and hype.
We came here on a Wednesday, mostly to check out Picnik’s Happy Hour, and we ordered the Peewee Potato, the Mac ‘n Cheese, the «All American» House-​Grind Burger, and the Corn on the Cob.
The Peewee Potato was my favorite dish – little fingerling potatoes deep fried with a harissa & caper dressing drizzled over it. The Mac ‘n Cheese, on the other hand, was what made the whole experience so disappointing – the pictures on Unilocal made it look so delicious! The macaroni was dry and bland, and the cheese was definitely missing. The «All American» was juicy and cooked just right, erring on the saltier side. And as my friend put it, the Corn on the Cob was delicious, but it is definitely an acquired taste.
It’s such a cute place though, I’d still come back for the Peewee Potato and a glass of relaxing house red!

Want to take a little shopping break in Old Town Pasadena? Why you’re looking at the right place for it! Located right at the end of Colorado (on the Zara, Madewell, etc side) after you pass all the amazing stores on one end of the street, you can refuel right before you cross over to Paper Source and Urban!
Happy hours 4−7pm! Their outside seating area is so lovely! Cute place for a casual date or a catch up with your girlfriends over some wine. The kids tables are frekin adorable beyond believe! I really wanted to sit on it but they would probably kick me out instantly after I break their cute tiny little chairs.
It’s common sense that fries are meant to be shared but this place made sure of it. The overflowing fries from the tiny little container makes it hard to not offer to share the crunchy goodies with your party.
Don’t forget to check in for a free side dish with your order :3

Interesting place. Big outdoor area with picnic tables set up. Laid back. Sit where you want, serve yourself water from a giant jug, cool place.
I had the chicken sausage with sauteed peppers & onions. It was decent. I’m not a huge sausage eater (yeah, yeah, insert joke here), so I don’t have a ton to compare it to. One annoying thing — I paid $ 1 extra for «roasted garlic butter» on my baguette, but they forgot. I didn’t realize until I had taken a bite, and it seemed silly to bring it back to the window with a bite taken out, and I had already paid.
Everyone I dealt with was very nice. The place was pretty empty. I was there during an off-​peak time, maybe 2 or 3pm? But I would still imagine a few more people there.
Nice beer selection! Ultimately, I enjoyed myself — cool atmosphere, good beers, decent food.

Came here today (Saturday) around lunch time and it was pretty empty. They had a huge seating area outside with large picnic tables and the inside is simply decorated with wooden tables and chairs. The staff is very friendly and helpful.
I had the spicy Sicilian sausage, garlic fries and salchipapa dirty fries. The flavors were good not great. I think you get what you pay for since the prices are cheap ranging from $ 5 – 15. Most of the sausages are around $ 6 – 9. But one thing I really liked about the sausages was that it was served on a baguette with your choice of two toppings. I got the sautéed market peppers, sautéed red onions and pickled red cabbage. I looooves the pickled red cabbage. I think it went well with the spicy Sicilian. It really enchanted the chile peppers in the sausage.
I think I’d come back if I was in the area but I don’t know if I’d go out of my way to eat here.

The atmosphere is real laid back, it’s never crowded, the flavors are good (not great), the workers are super friendly, and there is a solid selection of beers. That said, there are definitely some quirks to be worked out…
As other reviewers have mentioned, the sausages are tiny. I mean, I’m Asian and I still think the sausages here are tiny. Errrr, I mean… you know… those two things have nothing to do with each other. If you’re expecting a solid alternative to any other better-​established gourmet hot dog spot, you’ll be quite disappointed here. Strangely, the portion size problem doesn’t apply to the other foods, which came in more appropriate portion sizes…
… Except the beers. I have a huge thing against places that give beers in goblets and chalices instead of pint glasses. It’s all a stupid ruse to give you less for your money. That’s why I appreciate that Picnik has a lot of decent beers in their bottled selection. Except, many of them seemed to arrive in a chalice or goblet anyway? What happened to the rest of the bottle? These are beers that I KNOW are sold in 12oz bottles, so it’s a bit annoying to get less than that when I order. Was only a problem with certain beers, so can’t complain TOO much, but it still is annoying.
Still, all said and done, I can see myself coming back just to mix things up. Maybe with a few tweaks, this can become four stars. It’s not that far off as it stands.

3 ½ stars but giving them the benefit of the doubt with 4 stars.
— awesome live hawaiian band playing reggae all night.
— decent food and beer selections (garlic parm fries and mac and cheese were a bit lacking in flavor)
— friendly staff
— indoor and outdoor seating
— metered street parking (if you can find it) is $ 1.25 per hour with a max of 2 hours.

BBE had a 30% off coupon so I dragged my husband here. He came here with his buddy and only gave it 3 stars. I wanted to try for myself so here I am. First time and I was saddened to hear the gelato stand is only available on the weekends. I will have to come back to try that. I ordered the couscous salad with portobello. He ordered the Salchipapa and a beer. I checked in and saw one free side so we added a peewee potato. The food was delicious!!! I am giving it a 4 stars instead of 5 because there is no ac. I take that back there is ac but I don’t feel like it is on. A little sweaty while I am writing this review. The white wine vinaigrette is perfect with the couscous, almonds and dried fruit. I love portobello and this did not disappoint. The portions were huge. The peewee potato was two thumbs up! Small roasted potatoes with this spicy sauce.
Not a fan of what my husband ordered. The herbs over powered everything.
I will be back to try other items. They take credit card. Street parking or 90mins free at the lot on De Lacy.

Came back to try picnik again since we had a bbe discount. This time around skipped the regular sausages and ordered a few different items to share.
Salchipapa basically their version of carne asada fries but with a sausage, sliced onions, some herbs and tossed in a chimichurri sause. Tasty!!! The fries remained crispy and the chimichurri sauce perfectly complemented the fries. Would skip on the herbs though as I wasn’t a big fan.
Portobello cous cous salad. Thought the cous cous were a tad but mushy but that’s my opinion but was flavorful since it was tossed in a white wine vinaigrette. The portobello mushrooms were perfectly grilled and seasoned.
Check in on Unilocal and receive a free side when you order another side or a sausage. We ended up choosing the peewee potatoes which were sliced potatoes that are slightly fried to a golden brown and served with a spicy sauce.
They need to install a better ac unit as the one inside just doesn’t keep up with the heat of sgv!

YES, you CAN sit with us!
My favorite part about this place is their open courtyard that is shared between a few other smaller businesses (KTCHN, Bularini Gelato, Zona Rosa Coffee pop-​ups). Large picnic-​like tables are scattered about in the center courtyard which makes it easy for large groups & those who want to order from the other businesses to still be able to eat at the same table. :] They kept the water feature that was there from the previous restaurant which adds a very pleasant, peaceful, and serene ambiance. Free water is available in the courtyard as well as two miniature picnic tables for the little ones to grub at their own table.
I digress. Moving onto the awesome beverage selection Picnik has, it is unique to say the least. I spotted the Magic Hat & had to have it – the bottle was just as mystical as the liquid gold that was inside. The Spicy Sicilian (chile flakes, fennel, and basil) was tasty, but I wouldn’t really say it was spicy. I can’t remember how much the sausages at Wurstkuche (DTLA) was but I guess $ 6.75 is an okay price for this? You’re allowed to choose two toppings. I think it was the Beef Hot Dog that was super thin/​semi-​long. I don’t think it is worth $ 5.50… I could make a better one at home. Large fries were good to share amongst two people.
Overall, I would come back for the ambiance and drinks… and I found out they have free wi-​fi.

Happy hour daily 4 – 7 is what is enticing about this place. Their beers are moderately priced, and they do have Eagle Rock’s Populist IPA on tap. 5 dollars during happy hour in a pintish looking, cocktail glass. Not sure of the exact fluid ounces. But, the most amazing thing we’ve had on the menu, the deal of the century, the thing that will keep us checking in, is the fries. I giant heaping, overflowing platter of shoestring happiness. 4 dollars for a meal for three of deep fried sliced potatoes during happy hour. All the ketchup you could ever ask for in their giant vats of plastic dispensers.
Farmers market special brawt and chicken sausage were ok. A little on the dry side. Kind of like the toasted bun too. Small accompaniment of grilled peppers and onions. Nothing to rave about. The mac and cheese was good but the crunchy cracklings on top nearly broke a tooth.
Hope they do well. I like the concept.

These days with a new furry friend in my life, have also been on a mission to find yummy foodie spots that not only provide a dog friendly environment but also still satisfy human hunger needs. Although the ambience and dog friendly elements were met, unfortunately I left disappointed by the food. Certainly will come back for the great beer selection and perhaps during Happy Hour but unfortunately will not be drawn back for the food.
Pros:
— Ambience: 3.5 paws
— Beer selection: 3 paws
— Service: 4 paws
— Dog friendly: 4 paws
— Live music during the weekend: throw yo paws in the air! woof
Grows:
— Food: 2 paws
(Was disappointed by the bland Mac & cheese…1 paw)

After missing the Unilocal Elite event where it was a dog friendly event, thought I would come and check this place out. Besides, I can write a separate review for the business instead of just writing it for the event alone. Trying to figure out what to order, the bartenders are definitely moving as much as the waitresses so it’s a great sign this place is that busy on a Friday night. I believe Anthoney is the one that helped me at the bar and suggested the Great Divide Yeti which is a really dark beer. Another suggestion is for the homemade sausage called Marquez and top it with Saueteed Onion and Suateed Peppers ($ 8.75). On the side are these baby potatoes with this sauce (1 free side dish with purchase).
Sounded great, right? It better be for the prices listed. All I saw on the tray is a toasted roll with onions and peppers on it with slices of sausage under it. Did I just pay for an appetizer? Did I just order off the child’s menu? Potatoes aren’t much special either without that sauce. Anthoney was nice enough to ask if everything was alright when I was done with the bread pudding that I had high hopes for. I should have quit while I was ahead. I did say for the price I was charged, I should have seen an entire sausage on that roll and really lacked much flavor. You don’t count the spicy aspect of the sausage flavor. If this is gourmet, it is far from it. Making the sausage much more spicier does not make the dish when you only serve less than a quarter of it to your customer.
That bread pudding I had at Picnik, should not be served to anyone let alone the dog under the table waiting for scraps. Don’t be jealous as this is more of a reference point when I say, this is a better example of what bread pudding should look and taste like. (
) This review is certainly longer than it should be but shows more content than the food I ate. Guess where I went to after this? El Taquito Mexican Truck (
) for 4 tacos de lengua con salsa rojo. Muy sabor!

1÷21÷15 update — Picnik is closed. I’m 90% sure it’s because people don’t like to eat burned corn. See pics
I’m giving Picnik a B-​/​C+, because there’s a lot of competition for hungry office workers in Old Town Pasadena, and I practically could have made this meal at home. For lunch I got the sweet Italian sausage sandwich & a side of the corn on the cob. The corn was grilled with a little more char than I would prefer (see picture) and it had no salt or pepper or butter or anything. It was kinda bland. The Italian sausage was pretty good, but if you blindfolded me & I got similar Italian sausage & rolls from the grocery store, would I have been able to tell the difference? I’m not entirely sure.
On the plus side, Picnik occupies a beautiful space where indoor/​outdoor kind of loses meaning The covered bar area has large windows with the doors left open, and the patio has lots of seating. The self-​service station with ketchup, mustard & water was clean & well-​stocked. I might come back if other Unilocalers say the food has gotten better, but I was rather uninspired by this visit.