I love this place. The decor is out of this world awesome! The food is tasty if on the expensive side. The clam chowder is yummy and HUGE. The steak sandwich is just the right size for me. The wait staff was very attentive and kind. This is definately a go to place for me on occasions.
(4)
Lynette T.
Recently, another Yelper and I messaged each other about the cheesebread. I've been craving it since. One of my sons was out that way this afternoon, so I asked him to pick up a few things across the street at Trader Joe's. He called me from there to ask if there was anything else I needed...."CHEESEBREAD! CHEESEBREAD!" He groaned and hung up on me. I was thinking horrendous thoughts and texted "U toad. Bad son. pfffffft" How can he deny his mommy the most heavenly cheesebread in town? Shaaaaaaaaame on him. Just because he's dieting and trying to eat healthier doesn't mean I have to suffer. So what if it would have been a daunting task to drive all the home with the aroma of butter and cheese? Tomorrow.....cheesebread. Even with an ear infection and a sore knee, I shall drive there myself to get some. And I plan to wave it under his nose when I get home.
(5)
Alicia A.
As far as service, food and prices you get what you pay for. Totally worth it! Excellent! I have have been to 3 different locations and enjoyed them all BUT I wasn't crazy about their luch menu from their Stein N Stein locations, I guess I expected more...
(5)
Vicky M.
This place was not as great as it was a few years ago. The steak I ordered was very plain, while the rice was dry, and the Clam Chowder was not as flavorful as I remembered it to be. Food is sub-par now.
(2)
Rick S.
Okay so I have also been coming here a long time and it is just a disaster. I eat at the covina one too and isn't the food supposed to be the same???? San gabriel is awful food and the service is even worse. Covina is awesome! Who ever heard of rude waiters with attitude? Well go here if you want steep prices with god awful service. I had experience with 2 different managers and Kim and Richard are I hate to say incredibly rude and have no business in thier business. Skip this place for now and hopefully it can start to turn around like its neighbor the boat.
(1)
Richard G.
So, it's 95 degrees outside, yet here at Clearman's it's perpetual winter, with a nice thick layer of snow on the roof of the lodge that is the North Woods Inn. To eat here, one must either be a big believer in Santa Clause or you are a Lumberjack, either way and either one, you will find yourself fitting in just fine to the faux lodge looks and atmosphere. You will also find that you either need to be as hungry as a Lumberjack who has spent 8 hours in the woods or you are as fat as Santa and you just want to keep up the jovial jelly look. The portions are enormous, but so are the prices, so at least you get your money's worth. Unlike some places where you spend about $30 per plate and get a medium to small serving, at North Woods Inn, when you spend that much on a meal you are getting a mountain sized portion of food. This isn't a place where you are going to find fine dining or nouvelle cuisine, this is the place where you will be spending some of your hard earned dollars, devouring good old American home style cooking. That's if you are like me, born in the 1950's, and spending my childhood and youth eating meat, potatoes, canned vegetables, salad and bread and butter for every dinner meal. I like it, not everyone will. It's a great place to get together with a group of friends, chow down and have some great conversation in a kitschy but fun atmosphere.
(4)
Sharon H.
This place is INTENSE! The decor alone had me thinking about past Twilight Zone episodes. Then the clientele had me convinced the restaurant was conceived in the Outer Limits. It's old school inside and out. The bathroom has foil/velvet wallpaper...even on the ceilings and every patron was 60+. The food was good but Expen$ive!!! We would've loved one of their signature martinis but again, too much $$$$. Everyone raves about the cheese butter they put on the potatoes but it can be bought in the store so...I'm no sure you have to go there to experience it. I think I MIGHT go back, if I had extra dough and I wanted to blow someone's mind, but even though the steak was pretty awesome, I don't flow with that kind of dough. P.S. Bring a sweater!! We were FREEZING! I think they're trying to ensure the patrons don't decompose prematurely. P.S.S About 2 hours later, my boyfriend and I are hitting the bathroom pretty hard. It may have been a bit much for us.
(3)
Jennifer R.
I was introduced to Clearman's North Woods Inn when I was in high school many years ago. I loved it! It is casual lodge style restaurant with rustic decor. The roof is covered in fake white snow. Once inside you feel like you have stepped into a cozy cabin. There are peanut shells and sawdust on the floor. The meals are tasty and each is started with two family style salads and cheesey bread. One salad is an iceberg lettuce and bleu cheese/ranch mix salad dressing and the other is a red cabbage with vingarette dressing salad. Both are delicious and pair well with the cheesey bread. Salad and Bread are all you can eat. The steaks are cooked perfectly and are very tasty. I usually get the filet and lobster tail when I go there and both are terrific! The lobster is served popped out of the shell and the shell is filled with a stuffing which is quite tasty. The meals are served with a huge baked potato and rice pilaf. To accompany your potato, you can choose from mushroom gravy, whipped cheese butter or the traditional butter and sour cream. The restaurant has a full bar as well. If you are ever in the area, give it shot, you will not regret it!
(5)
Fran S.
I didn't eat here so I can't comment on the wait staff but the hostesses here are so rude! Maybe because they're used to the regular senior citizen clientele or maybe they were having a bad day but boy, these girls were not into giving good customer service. Not to mention, it smelled like pee in there! For starters, they don't take phone orders so you cant place your order until you get there. I went to pick up a to-go order the first time I was there so I wasn't familiar with the menu. I had a few questions for the hostess looked at me like I was in idiot. There goes her tip! The food was blah. Maybe they save the good food for dinner time. Either way, I wouldn't come back.
(1)
Brian S.
This is the same food you get at "the boat" with a slightly nicer atmospher and twice the price. Basically, they expect you to fill up on red cabage salad / salad with blue cheese dressing and cheesy bread so you don't notice you've just paid over $20 for six steak chunks with little seasoning! Oh how I miss the boat...
(2)
Becky G.
It is almost hard to write this review. My family and I have been coming here for years and have always had nothing but exellent experiences. We ordered the lumberjack on split, I really only come for the salad, anyhow the b/f ordred some shrimp. I was dissapointed in the the cut of meat, It was tougher than I had expected. The shrimp we ordered was bland . The Salad was good so for the salad and bread alone I will give them 3 stars :)
(3)
Brian C.
Cheese bread, salad, steak. Enough said.
(4)
Tiana Y.
My family and I have made this restaurant a special event location for years. Every birthday, anniversary, trip back from Iraq that I have we go to Northwoods. I love the initial feel of the peanuts on the floor and the cracking under my feet that happens when I walk across them. One i sit down and start smelling the cheese bread my heart skips a beat. I usually order some type of heavily filled Alcoholic drink (I'm in Utah now) and set the menu down cause i get the same thing every time. This particular time is was my boyfriends first experience of Northwoods so I let him take it all in. I order the Fillet which is always cooked perfectly to Medium Rare like I ask and doesn't need any steak sauce along side it. The seasonings are perfect. They bring me out my cheesy bread that i have been itching for since we mentioned we were going there and I dive in. Next I pile my plate full of sweet crunchy red cabbage (and I HATE cabbage) and add some delectable blue cheese salad along side it. This is the perfect combination of savory, tangy, sweet goodness you can ever experience. Now for my entree, bring on the fillet and yes that's right my overly stuffed potato with Cheese and butter OMG how it makes so many happy memories fly back into my head. Northwoods isn't known for their cheap prices or there overly fancy aesthetics, but once you go I promise you will go back if not for anything else but to gorge on cheesy bread, steak and potato. Go and enjoy the ambiance, take your time, don't be in a hurry and indulge in all that is Northwoods, you won't be let down.
(5)
M S.
I'm a BIG fan of this place. First of all, they give you a bowl of peanuts, and they encourage you to discard the shells on the floor. I'm down with that. They also serve a nice sized beer, with a good selection. Now, to the point, get the meal that includes the salad and the cheese bread. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Have you ever seen Fast Time at Ridgemont High? Of course you have. And you remember the scene at the restaurant, where the dorky guy takes out the young chick from the pizza place. You know, he forgets his wallet, and then his cool scalper friend has to come and drop it off. So yeah, this place reminds me of the restaurant they're at. Next door use to be The Boat, and now there's a Kohls, what a waste
(4)
John S.
I used to love coming to this place when I was a little kid. Our family called it The Peanut Place because while you're waiting for your food you can eat peanuts at your table and throw the shells onto the ground. This may have also been the first place I ever witnessed a sawdust floor, which still dazzles me today. What was really cool about this place, though, was that there used to be this little mall in the corner of the parking lot with interesting stores, including a candy store where they sold all kinds of candy that I had never seen anywhere else--paper candy, rock candy, etc. This site also used to have a restaurant our family called The Boat Place which was a burger place whose kitchen was an actual tugboat. They've since torn The Boat Place down and built a monstrous Kohl's. Yuck. Anyway, while I did love The Peanut Place because of its sawdust floors and how it was perfectly OK to throw peanut shells on the floor, I was very embarrassed by the nude paintings on the walls. They're not offensive at all; they're actually quite tacky, but at that tender age, I tried not to stare too much because I knew I wasn't supposed to look at those kinds of pictures. I can't say much for this place's food. The baked potatoes are ridiculously large, I'm talking you-won't-believe-that-they're-baked-potatoes large. I remember the coleslaw being very spicy and very good. It's a mostly meat place, though, so the only reason I would come back is for sentimentality. Oh, and there is fake snow on the roof, fake icicles on the eaves, and mysterious windows in the dormers with scary lights in them. I was convinced as a child that there was an evil witch imprisoned in one of them. Sadly, the Kohl's they built blocks the view of some of the dormers.
(4)
Marc J.
My parents brought me here regularly in the 1960s/70s. Just recently, I rediscovered it. The decor is over the top with log walls and ceilings, sawdust on the floor, like a north woods hunting lodge. If for no other reason, the decor is worth a look. Service is friendly and efficient, which is much too rare in most places. Prices are high and portions are great if you want to perpetually remain at your current weight of 500. Appetizer sizes are enough for standard-sized people, at prices less than half of entrees. You will see a lot of very large diners here - they are the regulars. Make North Woods a great place for rare visits. Enjoy the distinctive atmosphere and come back in a few months.
(4)
Loretta J.
I went here with several of my friends. The cheese bread was the greatest and tastiest food item served. My niece doesn't like cheese but did enjoy the cheese bread. The salads were second best. The prices are astronomically high at $20+ per plate. After eating cheese bread & salad, you will be full. It would have been a good idea to just order appetizers but oh well. For dinner, I ordered the combination platter. It had chicken, scallops, and a bit of steak. It was also served with a huge baked potato and rice. The potato was good and steak was perfectly cooked. I didn't like the scallops and they tasted a bit like imitation crab. The chicken was tasteless. Maybe I should have just ordered a steak considering it is a steakhouse. All in all, the food was ok but I doubt I will ever return. If my friend wants to go back though, I will order steak only.
(2)
Amy C.
OVER PRICED!!! FOOD ISNT AS GOOD AS IT USE TO BE. VERY DISAPPOINTED..Will not waste my money again..
(1)
Christina B.
Always good!
(5)
Mr T.
I like Clearman's Not for the food but for the variety and old school dining experience. Service: Very Good! Food: Steak was dry Salad: meh.....(thumbs down) Baked Potato: Off the chain (Great!) Rice Pelof: OK... nothing to get excited about. Garlic Bread.. Good. a little greasy. Price: Over Priced Decent place but for the price - Cheese Cake Factory dominates North Woods Inn and even average Steak Houses can beat it.
(3)
Dr K.
This resturant kind of reminds me of that simpsons episode: "Rub the food against a paper, and if you can see through the paper it's your window to weight gain!" Parking: -lots of parking in their lot, the only thing is the Kohl's and the other places take some spaces. Decor: -It has an interesting oldy, tavernish kind of feel to it. -peanut shells on the ground -deer heads and old paintings -kinda dark, maybe creepy or romantic ish ;) Service: -Slow, very slow. Though it might have just been our waitress because the one next to ours was pretty good to her people -Took a couple of tries (asking) to get straws -And they forgot that it was our birthday person. . . twice. . . Food: (Grease me up baby!) -Free roasted peanuts, throw the shells at people you dislike (though you really shouldn't be eating with them if you dislike them ;) -First of all the small salads are freaking small -The two salads are: Lettuce drenched in ranch dressing (would recommend dressing on the side), and the other is red cabbage covered in vinegar (sour) [On the smaller dishes you still get both, just less of them] -Cheese bread is like a garlic bread that is drenched in oil and pretty salty. -Steak was good, not the best I've had put pretty decent. It's a bit expensive for what it is. I don't really recommend the porterhouse as it had a lot of fat and bone with very little of the really nice cut meat. Overall it was a decent place, but I would say go to someplace else to save money.
(3)
Amy A.
First off I love the decor... everything from the snow capped roof to the red carpets. Yes it's not chic and tasteful---the whole place is dark like you're dining in a cave, and the floor is covered in peanut shells... all of it just makes me love it that much more. I'd go back just to sip on a cocktail at their festive bar (I'm dying to see this bar used in a film or something). The food is a different story... granted not everything is a 4 star and the prices can get scary but I'm very nostalgic about their cheese bread and salad and those items alone will always bring me back. My parents and I would always go there for "special dinners" when I was a child so it will stay with me. I love the soggy greasy cheese bread that has this flavor you can never get anywhere else...it's freakin nuclear fabulous....and the salads are to die for in my opinion... I love mixing the two together with a lot of pepper, cheese bread in hand and nice glass of red (now that I'm of age, before it was just a good old cherry sodi-pop, haha). Yum! You're best bet is to go with a steak, a baked potato (with any of the dressing you'd like ON THE SIDE because they are not shy about using their butters and cheeses and gravies----do yourself a favor lol) and you can either get rice and steamed vegetable. Neither of the side dishes are anything to jump up about but who cares after that amazing salad, bread and steak? =) Not me. I've heard good things about the fried chicken and would love to try it on my next visit... which I must say should be soon!!!....
(4)
Eman B.
Clearman's North Woods Inn had a rustic log cabin decor and a snow covered roof. They have a number of Tiffany style hanging lamps and their food is printed on these heavy stand-up cauldron shaped menus. You sit at these long wooden tables and they start you off with peanuts instead of bread. You can sweep all your shells right on to the floor, so this is fun for the kids. I don't have kids but I'm like one, so I did it and I loved it. They have "Texas Toast" and their idea of salad is a big bowl of lettuce with dressing and another bowl of red cabbage with their house vinaigrette. The steak I had was great and the french dip my lady had was very good too. I didn't order any dessert but it looked OK from what I saw on another table. It's safe to eat here.
(4)
Roger H.
Came here around my 21st birthday about 5 years ago with some coworkers. All i remember is drinking a ridiculous amount of jose cuervo + almost blacking out before the food came out. The was food served in large sized portions. Also they had a full bar before. Good place to get drunk and extremely full. They have extremely large sized mugs of beer (think of viking style).
(4)
Mr F.
Too expensive for mediocre artery clogging food.
(3)
Simon V.
Having passed this place more than a few times, I thought it would be interesting to try a steakhouse in San Gabriel. Turns out it's not that bad. First off, the cabin interior, the relatively dim lighting, and the large amounts of sawdust and peanut shells on the floor make for an interesting dining experience. You begin with a side of peanuts (you're encouraged to drop the shells on the floor) and water to munch on before you order. The portions are huge (as well as the prices)! We ordered the Porterhouse (25oz) Steak and shared it. Splitting entrees requires a $7 fee (kind of shady if you ask me), but we barely finished the food even after halving it. Both salads were pretty good (iceberg lettuce with blue cheese and red cabbage with vinegar), although the dressing can be a little much. The cheese bread is pretty soggy, and way too cheesey/salty. The side of baked potato with butter (more like melted cheddar and butter) was really good, although the sauce was overwhelming. Equally tasty was the side of rice pilaf. The steak was good: medium-rare, branded with grill marks, and thick as an inch, it was very satisfying. Overall, a different kind of restaurant with worthwhile options for the heavy eater. Just make sure you're ready to shell out $20-$50 bux.
(4)
Pettra T.
My favorite
(5)
Angelica D.
My boyfriend went to dinner here last week in celebration on winning at the horse races. We have been here before but usually get the salad and bread to go. I was bummed on the service. The server did not care to be there. She was very la la la la. I asked about the specials and she told us while she was walking away to another table and there no explanation or selling of the specials. Although we got sat right away the table was in an awkward part of the restaurant. My BF ordered the filet medium and it was purging red when it was served. He never returns food in fear of it being messed with. But for a $32 steak it better be right. Unfortunately after the refire it was not good. The server did not even thank us, we felt rushed and she made us feel like the steak being undercooked was our fault. Yes we got lucky at the races but $70 later with tip and NO alcohol I feel that there was no value or appreciation for our business. I want to feel appreciated that I chose to spend money at a restaurant and I am giving extra money for service. (we tipped her decent too) It is disappointing when you feel like you are just a person taking up a table. Last time we came in October it was our first time and it was a much better experience. I think telling the server it is your first time or celebrating an occasion you get better treatment. I think next time we will get the bread and salad (AMAZING STUFF) to-go to avoid another disappointing $70 meal OUCH!!!!!
(2)
Victor M.
i came hear tonight not expecting much because i had read the yelp reviews but i think they were wrong have you tried the vegetable beef soup the cheese toast, the cabbage salad,i had the steak sandwich which was only 11.95 and it was delicious and i got really full this place is definitely worth it
(5)
Si O.
Its a decent steak house. I would rate it a little better than Black Angus. The quality of the steak was decent. I had the porter house. It had way too much fat. Everything is great except the steaks. I love their cheese breads, and free peanuts. The salads are great too. I wouldn't mind just filling up on the bread and salad. It would be a lot cheaper. I will probably go back, but will try something besides the steaks.
(3)
Annie C.
Filet mignon is amazing, cheese read is phenomenal and blue cheese salad is to die for.. Very quaint rustic atmosphere where you can throw peanut shillings on the floor! Very creative decor in log cabin and intimate feel.
(5)
Larry J.
I love Clearman Northwoods Inn! I just wish they could expand their chain up to the S.F. Bay Area. Their steaks are incredible! Service is fantastic and I am always stuffed when I leave this place. I've been to the one in La Mirada too. I can't remember the name of the specific steak I had but damn, it was delicious! When ever I visit Southern California, I make it a point to come here for dinner. I first ate here after my high school graduation (1991) and have made if a point to eat here when I have the time appetite for a juicy steak. I'd give this place 10 stars if I could.
(5)
Tim B.
This is the perfect spot for serial killers to lunch. It's so fantastically creepy (but it a fun loving Dexter kinda way). This place sucks for a vegetarian, unless you're willing to survive on cheese bread--then this place is numero uno. My lady friend is obsessed with the wings, FYI.
(4)
Lauren L.
As a kid I was always amazed how it managed to snow in San Gabriel and it only seemed to land on the roof of the restaurant. You could imagine my disappointment at age 5 when mom told me the snow was just a hoax. I quickly got over the sadness and continued to enjoy the food at North Woods. I usually get the steak chunks on a skewer. At times even when I order them medium, they come out as tough as an honors statistics test. The portions are so large that you're almost guaranteed to have leftovers. My goal in the next few weeks is to hit this place for happy hour. For $6.95 you can get the same dish minus the sides in the bar. I will report back with my findings. The cheese bread is a staple here and they also sell the spread to take home to make your own. I sometimes feel the service is shady here. It seems hit and miss. I actually went 1 time with a large party. The waiter seemed to be struggling to reach my water cup to refill. I picked it up and handed it to him and he said, "Why don't you let me be the waiter okay"? haha no problem, I will let you be the waiter and you can walk away with the coins and lint I pulled out of my pocket as a tip. I don't think this place has the best steaks in town, but the bread and salads are just so good.
(4)
Lou S.
Even when this place is bad it's good. Like 1979 all over again.
(4)
Lisa Marie M.
Cheese bread, miracle grow baked potatoes and dinosaur size steaks -- need I say more.
(4)
Mama C.
I convinced my husband to take me here after a friend and a cousin of mine gave it high raves. As mentioned many times previously, the atmosphere was... unique... and yes, plenty o' peanut shells all over the floor. As for the food, it was on the pricey side (the cheapest dinner starts at $19.95, and there's only 2 at that price: the hamburger or broiled/fried chicken dinner). With that said, you do get an enormous amount of food for your money. Each dinner comes with: Two Salads (iceberg with blue cheese dressing and red cabbage with vinegar), Cheese Bread, Rice Pilaf, Baked Potato, with choice of Whipped Cheese Butter, Butter, Sour Cream & Chives, or Mushroom Gravy Big quantity, poor quality. We both ordered one of the steak dinners. I completely agree with annie t's review about the cheese bread and salad: yelp.com/biz/clearmans-n… The cheese bread was super salty for my taste, and it really didn't taste cheesy to me. All I tasted was salt. There was way TOO MUCH dressing for the salad. My husband did like the red cabbage with vinegar, though (I don't care for vinegar). Rice pilaf was bland (but didn't expect any different). The potato was huge, but I mistakenly ordered mine with the Whipped Cheese Butter, and again, SALTY! And the steak was just OK. Perhaps my tastebuds had been tainted by all the salt and heavy dressing from everything prior to the steak, cuz I'm a steak lover. :( My husband and I mutually agreed that it would not be worth it to go back.
(2)
Tanya S.
I think we can all agree that the BEST part of Northwoods Inn is their cheese bread and their salad. These two items come alongside every meal, and they are a meal within themselves. I'm not saying that the food here isn't good, but it's the salad and the bread that sets this restaurant apart from all the rest!!! This is not the place to be if you're on a diet or a healthy eater, because it's purely cheesy, buttery deliciousness! If you don't have a big appetite I suggest ordering their "sandwiches" because they're actually just small portions of the dinner entrees.
(4)
Carmen Y.
I've been to Steak & Stein and the other North Woods Inn (can't remember the city) but this place is horrid! I took my son out here for lunch what a mistake. The food we ordered was so so.....I was not impressed. The worst part was the waiter! He was an old fart, who was unfriendly, had an attitude problem and got our order wrong. He never refilled our drinks (even when we asked). I highly suggest going to the other Clearman's restaurants such as Steak & Stein.
(2)
Old School Yelper Y.
I used to live a block down from this place about 4 years ago. I absolutely love it! It is definitely one of the most unique steakhouses out there - you can throw peanut shells on the floor, the barmaids wear these ridiculous mini-skirt/chest-baring get-ups, and the decor makes you feel like you are somewhere in the Alps. The food is great - steaks are tasty (and HUGE), the garlic cheese bread is amazing, and the salad dressing is to die for. If you like big meals, this is place to go...you get a lot of bang for your buck!
(5)
Ed Z.
Kitchy and fun. Buca di Beppo for lumberjacks and that's ok. The red cabbage salad is very good and they have Hoegaarden on tap. The kids love this place for the peanuts and the fact that they are encouraged by many signs to throw the shells on the floor. The deer and other former wildlife seem to enjoy it when they do. It is definitely old school but lot's o' fun. Aka, the 'fake snow place.' Ample parking and there's a Kohl's next door ready to take your money for your shopping convenience.
(3)
Kim B.
The parking lot for this place is humongous. It's like a parking lot for an amusement park. Where's the shuttle to the front door?!? We went here for the first time for dinner last week. I've never seen so much "waiting space" in my life. There's a huge amount of seating outside for waiting as well as a huge amount inside the door AND in the bar. I don't know how busy this place gets but holy cow, they can easily fit 300 people in their waiting space. They go all out with the lodge atmosphere. There's sawdust on the floor and wood everywhere you look. Everything's made of wood. And logs. Lots of logs. It's fun. The salad and bread came first which was yummy. One is iceburg lettuce with blue cheese dressing. Tasty. The other is red cabbage with vinegar. Very tasty. And the garlic cheese toast. Yummy, yummy. We shared a porterhouse steak. It was large but my boyfriend complained that it definitely wasn't as big as the menu said it would be (I don't get annoyed by these things but he does). It was tender but a bit overcooked and completely unseasoned. The twice baked potato was good but I didn't much like the weird cheese butter concoction piped on top. Next time, I'll order it without that. Service was good, very attentive and prompt. The reason I gave 3 stars and not more: for the prices I think I'd rather go to Outback Steakhouse. The kitsch factor makes this place fun and all but the quality for the price just isn't there.
(3)
Neural N.
We had a birthday dinner here last night, and it was ok to me. The Mahi-mahi was over cook, the quality of the steak is not even close to any high-end steakhouse. Service was great and in right speed. This place wasn't busy last night, no need to wait to be seated. One of us got sick after the dinner, which will be one of the reasons that we can't visit this place again.
(2)
James D.
My wife and I recently ranked this place #2 in our list of worst restaurants ever visited. I'm all for the dive-bar vibe but if I'm walking on sawdust I expect sawdust prices. My mother-in-law asked the server if the fish was fresh. The slack-jawed blank stare was followed with "It's fresh frozen". That kind of sums up Clearman's - a pretty clueless eatery serving the usual American staples. Unfortunately, those staples are one-step from inedible are vastly overpriced. If you're charging over $15 for a burger you better make sure it's better than Wendy's. It wasn't.
(1)
Jack T.
GF and I had dinner here on our way back to LA from a roadtrip. We came to consensus on the 3-star rating, although neither of us was that impressed with the food. It wasn't horrible, but you can't in good conscience praise it. It's OK. Edible, serviceable, filling, decent. For the most part. In figuring out an appropriate star-rating, we decided that Bahooka (about 5 miles further south on Rosemead blvd) would get 2 stars, because it also has fantastic decor, but the food there is worse. Since I was the only one familiar with the place before we went, my gf yelped it and saw that it was a $$$ establishment. The truth is, it doesn't taste like it. When we fork over $$$ cash, we eat some pretty amazing meals. This would be a better value at a slightly cheaper price point. Also, I don't mind the peanut shells on the floor thing, but this time it did occur to me that rodents must also love that. Usually, when I go to steakhouses, i order a filet mignon on the theory that it's impossible to fuck up. For some reason, this time out, I didn't think it was worth the $32 price tag. I decided to go with "Steak on a Skewer" for $23. My gf chose the "Steak Sandwich" for $11.95 and I learned something valuable from the experience. The quality of the meat between the 2 dishes is very comparable, as are the portions (mysteriously, there was no bread served with the "sandwich"). The sandwich did NOT come with the typical 2 salads (the iceberg with the creamy dressing, and the red cabbage with vinaigrette). It also did not come with the baked potato (I do quite like the mushroom gravy boat). Nor did it come with Clearman's Cheesy Bread (which I loathe because it drips with oil). But the sandwich plate DID come with the red cabbage/vinaigrette salad on the side. And I reasoned frugally that I could always order a baked potato a la carte. And I would not shed any tears over the missing iceberg lettuce or cheesy bread. And I would have saved $8-$12. So, the winning point goes to my gf on this one. One note of bad service: I asked the waiter for plain bread. He said normally that might be a problem, since Cheesy Bread is the preferred coin of the realm at Clearman's. But he might be able to make an exception in this case. I think good customer service consists of never letting the customer know how much of a pain in the ass their requests might be. I declined the extra effort he offered to slice me a couple pieces of plain bread. Where Clearman's picks up some lost points is on the decor. It feels sorta like Santa's village. The walls resemble a log cabin and there are stuffed animal heads everywhere and fake snow on the roof. It was nice to take my girl there around the holidays, but it's even more fun in the middle of July when none of it makes any sense at all. I was dismayed to see a gigantic Kohl's had taken over the northwest side of the parking lot, dwarfing Clearman's. What is this world coming to?
(3)
Joseph C.
Damn, I don't know if they f*cked with me on the right day or what. I went here for a company luncheon. I ordered the Fillet Mignon. Everything from the salad, to the cheese bread, to the bake potato, and the steak. EXCELLENT. It should get a 4.5, but I averaged it up. The pink lemonade was good too.
(5)
Ashley D.
I would give them a 4.5, i thought the place was sooooo cute! such a great themed restaurant and loved every bit of it! The service was good and at first they sat us in a huge round table (only 2 of us), but we asked if we can get a smaller table that was more secluded, and they were happy to switch us. I thought i was cute how they just throw peanut shells on the floor. They start off with a salad and cheese bread appetizers which is a lot, watch out because that will make you full before your entree. My friend had the new york and i had the filet mignon. We both though their steaks where good, when comparing it to ruth chris its nothing, but it was still good, i felt i needed sauce with my steak. Other than that, the rest of the food was good, nice big potatoes and sides, yummy shirley temples, and great cheese bread! Loved the environment too! It's a great place to bring a group of people.
(4)
Kimiko T.
My ultimate favorite restaurant. I llllllove this place. The steaks are good, but what it's really about is the cheesebread and the salads. I love the 2 salads they give you, especially the red one. They are delicous! I usually only take a few bites out of the cheesebread since I know it's bad for you, but it's still so delicious. But it's all about the salads. Those are the best! And the steak itself is cooked to perfection everytime!
(5)
Oro O.
My friend and I used to come here all the time for dinner. It is pricy food but it will definitely fill you up. The first time I came here, they threw peanuts all over our table. People crack open the peanuts and toss the shells on the floor. My favorite is just stepping on all the peanut shells on the floor ... hehe. I like the crunch noises they make.. ;b I really like the cheesebread (it's loaded with butter!), the salad was tart but tasty, and the steaks / baked potatoe's were awesome!!! *heart* My appetite's getting smaller, so I'll always have leftovers from here! When I'm feeling for something light, I just get the "Steak Chunk Tenders on a Skewer" appetizer (and yes, sometimes I don't finish that either) otherwise I try something new on their Dinner Menu all the time. :) Expect to spend at least $20 here. Maybe $40 per person.
(4)
Erica H.
This is our family's go-to spot. We'll drive the 20 minutes to get here. My dad's been taking us here since we were kids. The ambiance and the service is always fantastic. The portions are huge and the prices are steep, but it all evens out. We order the filet most of the time, so I highly reccommend it to anyone who ventures out here.
(5)
Kenny W.
OMG!! I don't know how they do it but, I was here 25 years ago with my grandparents and it was great, and if it is possible it is even better. The food, the ambience, the service ALL were top notch! This is the place to go, for family, to impress your date, oh yeah take her here, there is nothing bad to say about this place!!! THANK YOU CLEARMANS
(5)
Reana R.
I went last week for lunch and had a wonderful experience!! The server came within about two minutes of sitting down with free peanuts and took our drink order, our drinks were sitting in front of us before I even blinked. She told us about new items and was great about answering all our questions about the menu since it was our first time going there. I ordered the steak sandwich and was able to upgrade to the ALL YOU CAN EAT for just 3.95!!! I had to try the salad and bread since everyone talks about how good it is and it did not dissapoint. Its iceburg lettuce with blue cheese and red cabbage which doesn't sound like much but she suggested we mix it together and it was to die for. The cheesebread was like nothing Ive ever tasted and we couldn't get enough. The food came right away and was cooked perfectly. Our server came to make sure we liked our food and our drinks were refilled the entire time. Its definitely worth the money and ill be back. Id recommend this restaurant to anyone!
(5)
Hannah C.
I was flabbergasted to get a personal message from another yelper that DOUBTED I ever went to Northwoods because I said the two coleslaw salads were covered in Mayo. Honestly, I don't know what the disgusting creamy/sour sauce they put on was so I wanted to correct myself in saying: I don't know if it was Mayo but it sure was disgusting and not a real salad.
(1)
brian r.
The Sliders are the shit! Almost make you want to cry haha. They're 3 fairly large size patties smothered with melted cheese spread and a good bun. They come with a huge portion of home made chips, and all for like 7 bucks. I'm going there tonight for beers and sliders
(5)
Catherine C.
The entrees are mediocre. The cheese bread and blue cheese and the cabbage salad are the best things there and you can get those for HALF the price at the boat right next door. If your really bothered you can't throw peanuts on the floor at the boat, go to 711 and do it in your backyard. Now put on your big person underwer and get over it.
(2)
Yvette M.
I visit North Woods, maybe every few years- been going here since I was a kid. The thing I look forward to every time is their salads. The green salad w/ the blue cheese dressing is so delicious that I normally do not like to order a big meal because I get full on just the salads and bread alone. Depending on how many people are there you may have to wait a bit but I pass the time w/ good conversation.
(3)
Jamie D.
North Woods Inn is the place to be for a piece of juicy steak! This and being able to throw trash (peanut shells) on the floor without people giving you dirty looks. This place serves up one of the best steaks at a very affordable place. The price of the steak includes two types of different salads - Red Cabbage (my favorite...it's served with a citrusy/tart oil-based dressing) and the Lettuce (served with a creamy dressing), their famous Cheese Bread, a big Baked Potato (try it with the Mushroom Gravy...not only is it lighter but it's very flavorful and a tasty Rice Pilaf. You don't need to order anything separate at A la Carte prices. If you're in the need for an intensive IV dosage of red meat, then go for the Porterhouse Steak. I promise you won't need a steak for another year - it's that loaded!
(5)
Steve M.
Made the maiden voyage to Clearman's North Woods Inn. The place's decor puked mountain lodge in a way only Disney can capture. Somewhat reminded me of the old Trails Restaurant in Duarte- food was okay but not spectacular. Prices run about $30 for a steak and around $10 for a sandwich. What stood out for us wasn't the 'heart attack' cheese bread, but the server. Best service we've experienced recently! If you're a fussy gourmet, you might want to pass on this place, but if you're looking for a casual evening with generous portions and an unhurried pace, this might be the perfect place.
(3)
Mary T.
The kitschy snow-capped lodge exterior is the first hint: this is a ride! Drop any too-cool attitude and surrender to the show. Once you enter the restaurant, your senses will be on overload...The decor is theme-park silly, dim as a cave, but cozy and friendly. Every course is oversized, indulgent and delish. Don't miss the blue cheese and cabbage salads and be sure to mix them together for full impact. The cheese toast rules and will be on the menu for my last meal. Come with friends who love to eat, laugh and damn the consequences. (No dieters or vegans will be happy here.) You'll be waddling out, if you survive the appetizers, cuz the amazing steaks are huge and grilled to perfection and come with incredible bountiful baked potatoes. Haven't tried the seafood but I bet it's smothered in butter! Drinks are strong too. Had the Lemon Drop martini and felt woozy after just one, which ain't normal for this Irish gal.
(4)
Montclair D.
A throwback to another era, Clearman's is a kitschy landmark--a giant log cabin with a white, snow-like roof. The interior is dark, illuminated by 100s of Tiffany-style lamps, sawdust and peanut shells on the floor, and a sharp, pungent, old spilled beer smell. Portions are enormous--a Cobb salad was in a 14-inch bowl and must have weighed 4 pounds. Our party of four for lunch ordered four salads, when two would have sufficed. Our waitress said afterwards that she was going to suggest we share, but didn't (our bill and her tip would have been less). The salad was 1960s quality--shredded iceberg lettuce, watery cubed turkey, lots of crumbled bacon and blue cheese, etc. ranch dressing was tangier than I like and generally bland.
Steak, Steak, and more steak. If you enjoy steaks look no further. You wont get your steak served over $100 plates or hear soothing tunes in the background as you eat . Nope, this place is strictly about shoving ounces and ounces of meat down your throat. Yup definitely not a place for the weak beef eaters. This is not a restaurant you'd want to frequent too often but its good if you have a craving for meat. A place where you can unleash your carnal insticts and devour slabs of meat like the savage carnivore that you are!
(4)
William Y.
Nothing fancy, just a great steak house with large portions. I would give them four stars but the service and the interest of the employees was indifferent at best. We haven't been to the North Wood Inc in quite awhile and have definitely had a better dining experience in the past. The food is still great but they need to tighten up their staff.
(3)
Jason T.
Cool bulding. The server was not very good. Kind of like a lumberjack man, maybe a theme. Food was average.
(2)
Andreas M.
The steaks here are average, but their green and red salad and cheese bread are to die for.
(4)
Katie R.
Family favorite for three generations now! North Woods is a quirky steak house that should NOT be judged by their steaks. The true gems to be found on the menu are the bleu cheese and cabbage salad, the very unique cheese burgers, and finally... the AMAZING cheese bread. Go for lunch and ask for those three things, and you will be a life-long patron of Clearman's North Woods!
(5)
marissa w.
OK so. I like this place a lot. I love their cheese bread and king crab legs. This place give you too much food. WAYYYY too much. at least for me n my gf. So we split the king crab legs and filet mignon. The dinner is $49.95 and then theres a split plate charge of around $7, but thats only if you both want a salad, baked potato, and rice. Sometimes I dont get all the extras, but if youre realllly hungry then go for it. good bar. peanuts. sometimes kids, but theres lots of space so i dont mind here so much. go now and go early! closes at 9pm!
(5)
Rod T.
Been years since I been to this place. Came here for lunch on a Sunday afternoon for a b-day celebration. Wasn't that hungry so didn't go for the steaks like others did. I went for the beef dip. Was very dissapointing. Seemed skimpy on the meat portions. Felt like I could get a better dip at Denny's with much more meat. The rice that came as side didn't really have much flavor. Tasted a little like cardboard to me. While greasy. Gotta love the cheese bread. Tasted way better than my lunch meal.
(3)
Jan D.
sorry steak...but i must give the cheesy bread here the first round of applause. this bread is soooooooooo good. i believe this is as good as a bread can taste. yumm yummm.... it is just soooooo good. it even tastes great the next day.. and the best part is..is that it is never ending. also the red cabbage in some sort of vinaigrette beats the other iceberg salad in ranch dressing. but when you are there you must order the steak (porter house/filet) with rice and mashed potato (the normal american meal)and just split it with your date. I guarantee that it is a lot of food. also don't forget a glass of wine or a pint of beer, it would go great together with your meal. Oh yeah!! don't eat too much peanuts while waiting.. (you'll know what i mean when you get there). ;)
(5)
Kathleen M.
OK honestly -- have you EVER driven to Disneyland from LA without wondering what on Earth is going on under that faux-snow covered roof? Well let me enlighten you -- a perfect prelude to a Happiest Weekend on Earth is what's going on. We're talking Enchanted Tiki Room-level kitsch here. A signature delicious salad dressing concoction along with Smokehouse-style garlic bread ( yelp.com/biz/smoke-house… ), non-fussy steak, over-stuffed baked potatoes, and generously-sized beer mugs make for a camplicious dining experience.
(5)
lee w.
Excellent meal and attentive service...what more can anyone ask for? Very good first time experience...we will be back!
(4)
Kien V.
This is a nice escape from the norm in San Gabriel Valley. Kind of reminded me of my trip to mammoth, a dark log cabin restaurant. I was hoping for the same food as the galley before they closed that down (will be open again soon). I ordered the sirloin burger with chili and onion. The beef patty was QUALITY! Literally tasted like a grilled sirloin steak grounded up. The chili was a little salty for me, i liked the galley chili better. TRY THE CHEESE TOAST, 55 CENTS EACH! I suggest 2 slices because its tasty but unhealthy. Sometimes I order just cheese toast to go for a snack.
(4)
Tim C.
Kind of pricey, but you get lots of food for your dollar. Definitely go hungry. And don't be afraid of asking for more Cheese Bread.
(4)
Jamie B.
This place is INSANELY surprisingly good. I ordered their seafood plate which had Cod, Scallops and Shrimp and never even got around to eating the scallops till the day after because the Cod was so unbelievably amazing. My friend ordered the steak skewers and was equally satisfied. The portions are gigantic (coming from a girl tho) so it would be easy to split an entree and app and walk away full and satisfied. The staff is friendly and the decor is..well..themed, so it is what it is. Nice big beer selection, of beer i like anyway, so that was a pleasant surprise as well. While this is quite the drive for me (least how slow my father drives), i will happily be making it again soon. In terms of steakhouses go, it's about right down the middle in terms of cost but trust when I say it is worth every penny. I was obnoxiously exclaiming "mmmm" or "oh my god this is so effing good" after every bite. Little tip, get the mushroom gravy for your potato..unreal
(5)
Erika Q.
So, it's got the cabin vibe along with peanuts and sawdust and topless lady paintings? Hey, it works. "Easy on the eyes" as my husband likes to say. The bar is almost empty and we check in with the hostess. "That'll be a 10 minute wait." WHAT?! The place is empty...or so I thought. We grab drinks...one Pomegranite martini and a massive beer. OMG, what a freaking AMAZING martini. Really. It's up there with some of the best. You know it's good when it goes down a little to easy...ahem, the drink! ;) We are called all of 5 minutes later as we are shown to our seats...hello, the place was PACKED! So, I get the halibut (as I am on a fish and veggie diet - I know what you're thinking, why come to Clearman's but I didn't pick the place) and my husband gets the rib eye. The 2 salads come out: Blue Cheese with lettuce and Red Cabbage slaw. Notice I say, Blue Cheese with lettuce because I didn't see any lettuce. ;) Not bad if you like it smothered. Cheese bread...I don't get it. It's bread with some kind of cheese topping, drenched and very soggy. The food comes and I'll skip the details on my halibut (not fresh) and go right to the baked potato. Oh heaven! Crispy outside, soft middle. You know it's good when you eat the inside and the skin. The side of mushroom gravy is a little too salty for my taste but it looked good. Husband's steak was cooked perfectly medium rare except that the taste on the outside was a little "old grill" tasting. Maybe that was the way it was supposed to be but my husband said it would have been better had they cleaned the grill before cooking the steak. All in all, I ate about 10% of my meal because it was massive. The waiter, who knew we were Clearman's virgins, said he and his wife split a meal. Would have been nice to know...I give it 3 stars. 1 for atmosphere, 2 for drinks and 3 for...well, I feel generous because I would go back for the bar and I would feel bad if this placed closed like the others have.
(3)
Joie P.
Oh yes, I love it. The salads...order a half and half, half red cabbage and half lettuce with blue cheese. The steaks are huge and so are the baked potatoes but the cheese butter is what this lovely place is famous for. If you are on a diet, do not go to this place. How can you go wrong with the portions...I never finish! I gave them one less star because of the priciness and although they are doing their best to take up slack while the Boat is in transition but i really don't like my Boat burger to taste like a lobster. try the cheese bread and if you can, pick up the lovely set of steak knives! Yours for only $25.99! And don't forget the mugs. (locations may vary. prices are subject to change)
(4)
Annie G.
I've been driving past this place every day for about a year. Every time I passed it, especially when it's hot (and it usually is since this IS so cal), I'd think, that looks like a fun place to dine, especially in the glaring heat of the summer sun. Last Saturday, Dave and I finally tried this place, mostly because of a recommendation from his supervisor at work (a heavyset woman, to put it lightly). She said the scallops were good, and I'm a big fan of scallops in almost every nature (except the Chinese dried ones - those aren't too tasty) so we ordered the shrimp, scallop, cod combo dinner and split that (they charge 5.95 extra if you split an entree). The salad and bread came out, and all I can say is, what's with the overkill in flavor? The bread was super salty, the iceberg lettuce salad was more like blue cheese with a sprinkling of iceberg. The red lettuce salad/cole slaw was good, just because the red wine vinegarette was pretty good, but honestly they put about twice as much dressing as was necessary for the salad. I would definitely ask for the salad dressing on the side and do it yourself, especially since you have to mix the two salads together yourself anyway (it tastes pretty good mixed, except that it's such an overabundance of flavor that I couldn't take very much of it). Then our entrees came. We had asked for the scallops grilled (because they gave us a choice of fried or grilled) and the waiter said that they steam the scallops because they fall through the grill. What the heck?! It's not that hard to find a grill surface that will hold a scallop... but whatever. We chose to get them fried but the shrimp grilled. He didn't give us a choice on the cod, which came fried. I wish we had gotten everything grilled/steamed. The batter for the deep fry tasted like they had accidentally dropped an oceanfull of salt into it by accident. I couldn't eat it, it was so salty. Which says a lot, because I am Miss Deep Fry - I love almost everything deep/batter fried. I ended up taking the batter off of the scallops and the fish (oh, how I wish he had offered grilling for the cod, because the fish was actually tender and pretty good, but the batter was ridiculous!) and I don't know, that kind of killed my appetite. The baked potato was probably the best part of the meal, and I really liked the mushroom gravy. The rice pilaf - well, let's just say I eat rice almost every day, being Chinese and all, but I could not eat this. Not to say it was bad rice pilaf; perhaps I just don't like rice pilaf. Anyway, long story short, nothing was taken home (even though I am also Miss Take-It-Home and almost always ask for takeaway boxes) and Dave and I were in a lousy mood for the rest of the night. I'd give this place 2 stars for the food, because at least it was edible though there was just way too much salt in everything (except the salads which had too much dressing), but the prices bring it down to 1 star, because honestly we could have paid half as much for a worlds better meal down the street at Sinbala... or Jack in the Box.
(1)
Patty C.
Yey to throwing peanuts on the floor and yey to their OMG delicious cheese bread. I don't necessarily go here for the main entree (I do get the same thing everytime I go here) but I do go for their unlimited salad and cheese bread. Imagine walking into a cabin-the tables are wood, the menu is wood, and their are peanut shells everywhere so the atmosphere is different. I have never tried their steak but I typically get the "seafood dish" (fried scallop, shrimp, rice, steak cubes, and chicken, potatoe) and split it (split charge included). I feel as if their food is to salty but SERIOUSLY more cheese bread please! Oh and their nachos are good too
(4)
sandy c.
ok the other night my hubby and i were craving steak. we did not feel like trekking very far so i turned to yelp for some recommendations. after seeing all the 4-5 stars, i was super excited. i have passed by so many times but never went in. so we went for a yummy steak dinner. prices were not cheap, i think what they called a "filet mignon" was around 30 bucks. well, it was chewy, tough, and had no flavor. we did not even finish our food. we felt bad when they asked if we wanted to pack it up we said yes and then left our food there. we ran out after ditching our food only to be chased down by the bus boy holding our take out!!! at least they have good service. of all the times i have left take out behind and been sad that no one reminded me to get it.......this was one timei wished they didn't.
(1)
Jimmy P.
Remember the boat? Along with this restaurant, it was a good place to go and eat. Infact my father works at Clearman's. He's a bartender and has been there for many years, so stop by, have a drink, and let the peanut shells drop on the floor. Just have a great time!
(5)
Mike M.
If you think that PETA stands for People Eating Tasty Animals you have come to the right place. They have great steaks, great prime ribs, you will love the green salad, and ALWAYS order double cheese bread. I miss the miniskirt uniforms for the ladies. I miss the piano player. He was GOOD. Enjoy it while you can, they are going to tear down the entire corner except the southern restaurant. The Boat is gone, but will be coming back eventually but facing Rosemead. Parking is excellent. ==Update== The restaurant review above still applies. I still order double cheese bread. The Boat is back, but only as a decoration on Rosemead. The bar-and-grille has been moved it it's own building. It's also good. Parking is excellent at both the restaurant and at the Boat.
(5)
JoAnn L.
Great place to go and get alot of food and better yet is delicious. Love the cheese bread and salads. Great place to take kids because they can throw the peanut shells on the floor, it keeps them entertained.
(5)
Pancho V.
If your on a budget stay away........as with most good steak houses it's gonna cost you $$$. To start off with I love peanuts and you get to throw the shells on the floor (shut up)....they start you with Cheese bread VERY GOOD and Two kinds of a cole slaw a RED and a regular white both very good, then the Steaks very flavorful and OHHHH my god the Baked Potato with Cheese Butter is to die for!!! but did NOT dig the rice pee-laugh. Their Deserts look great also but all the times I've been there have always been stuffed and never had room for more food, maybe one of these times I will eat backwards and Start with Desert? So I say the food is defiantly very good, it's just gonna cost you!. The reason I only give it 4 Stars is the DRAWBACK: It gets way too noisy to the point it's hard to hear the person across the table from you, it's just with me if I'm going to a pricey place to eat I want to relax and it's impossible to do that here (excessive noise) .
(4)
Robert T.
One of the worst dining experience's ever. Halibut was so dry and over cooked it was like eating crackers, and the steak was 40% fat. On top of that it was very expensive. Never again!!
(1)
Mel y.
The last time I was here, my little sister was eating peanuts off the floor and stuffing them in her pants. I came here for my boyfriends birthday dinner, because he wanted a big beer and a big steak but didn't want a fancy steakhouse. Well, that's what he got! Their salad is the best and my rib-eye was delish! I also got a lemon drop martini that was really yummy. The service was also very good and I liked the atmosphere. I would come again on another special occassion.
(4)
Sarah M.
Yum! Love their salad dressing! Scallops and shrimp to die for!
(5)
David B.
love the red cabbage and bread
(5)
Alicia K.
I love this place. Their steaks and seafood are a bit too pricey for me. Luckily, I always order the same thing for lunch and I am always happy. I get the open faced shrimp sandwich. When it comes you're thinking, "Seriously, 4 shrimp on a skewer atop a cheese bread? No way is that going to fill me up!" WRONG! The lunch special comes with their kick butt red cabbage salad/blue cheese dressing on iceberg. Mix the two together and it is heavenly. Get an extra slice of cheese bread and you are stuffed to the gills when you leave. My daughter loves throwing my peanut shells on the floor here since that's not allowed at home. I usually come with a girlfriend and her daughter and the two little ones split the kid's sirloin steak meal. All in all, a relatively inexpensive lunch where you can relax with the kids, enjoy good grub and the kids can make a mess (yay, peanuts!) without getting dirty looks from other patrons.
(4)
Evan S.
I love their steak and prime rib. Love the peanuts on the floor.
(5)
Allison K.
Let's just say I don't get it. UNLESS YOU ARE A BIG STEAK FAN, SAVE YOUR MONEY AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. (I did not try the steak, so even saying that is giving them something.) We came in through what we thought was the main entrance. I guess it was the entrance to the bar, which was a huge area with a bar and tables. Paintings of naked women on the walls as if it were an olde time saloon/brothel. Now this is nothing I haven't seen before, but I might have been put off if I had brought some youngsters. Very low ceilings, dark. Read the other reviews for the log cabin overview of the place. The peanuts are not roasted or salted, so ho hum. And who cares if you can throw the shells on the floor - I mean, is that entertainment or something? My husband and I went for lunch on our way through the area. He wanted to go because "it's been there forever." I think if you like steak it might be okay. We were there for lunch, so steak was a little overkill. I had a Cobb salad. He had a corned beef sandwich. It was all around disgusting. I asked for the salad to be chopped and tossed, with the dressing on the side. It was made with iceburg lettuce, and did not have much bacon, blue cheese crumbles, or avocado. The tomatoes tasted like they had been in the frig a week, cold and soggy and blah, and there was an olive or three, and the egg was sliced, not chopped, so that didn't work either. The blue cheese dressing helped the salad overall, but even with the dressing, I would give the salad a D for quality. Who cares if it was big? The food was terrible. I wanted to splurge on the bacon, avocado and blue cheese and it was like a depression salad. I didn't want the extra calories/fat (beside what I thought I was getting in the salad), so I asked the waitress not to bring the cheese bread, so I can't rate that. My husband had a choice of Rye or a "special roll" for his sandwich. He had rye bread. There was a lot of meat in the sandwich, but it had three slices of bread and the meat, that's it. He put mustard on it, and I asked if it was good mustard -"No. Heinz." I asked how the bread was "Nothing special." Did you get it toasted? "No" Would you have liked it toasted? "Yes" Did she offer to toast it? "No" (The bread was all soggy and doughy.) It came with rice pilaf which he said was "like Rice-a-Roni" and when I asked him what he thought about rice with his sandwich he said it was "strange". It also came with a "salad" - chopped iceburg lettuce with blue cheese dressing on it (that's what I ordered, but he doesn't like blue cheese dressing). I can see that this place might not want you to order salads, but if you are going to charge $12 or $13 for a salad at lunch it should be good.
(1)
Hue M.
So I decided to treat my boyfriend to steak as part of his Christmas gift. I chose this place because of the Yelp reviews. So here goes my review... We arrived around 6:15pm, it was already packed, especially for a Tuesday night. We did not have to wait long before being seated. We didn't see much of our waiter, I actually forgot we had one for awhile until he arrived. :) Good thing the food occupied my mind and taste buds.... The salads were good. I don't think they were as great as some of the people say they are. However, the cheese bread was just yummy goodness!! I ordered the Northwood Special platter that comes with scallops, chicken, and steak chunks. The boyfriend ordered the jumbo shrimp with steak. He finished all his food and his 24 oz beer. WTF. And then ate some of mine.... Anyways, the scallops I loved, but would have preferred for them not to be battered and fried. Scallops are delicious as is. The fried chicken was delicious. The steak chunks were also really good. Overall.... I'm happy we came here. With 2 dinners, no appetizer, 1- 24oz Newcastle, tax, tip, we left paying $85. Not bad. Oh, btw, the decor is odd. But whatever. We came to eat. And boy did we eat!
(4)
Gloria O.
For the prices paid for dinner menu here ($20-$40) the ambience, service and food quality leaves alot to be desired. Slop food, with too much added fat, little taste,and TOO expensive for what you get. We were seated in the rear, by the kitchen, should have gone to Sizzler, much better dining experience. Waiter took to long to come and acknowledge us, approx 10 minutes.
(2)
Darlene Q.
Waiter was funny and nice. The food is always good and it's fun just eating the peanuts.
(5)
Elizabeth S.
I have a soft spot for this place. My dad used to take me here for lunch almost every weekend and I would order the kid's hot dog with french fries and a shirley temple (not very steakhouse-y I know). Now as an adult I still love this place. I still can't resist the temptation of a shirley temple, but now I order either the steak sandwich or the vegetable beef soup. I rarely come here for dinner, but when I do I always like it. The portions are massive but you can split it with a friend (I believe they charge $6 as a splitting fee) and get a very decent sized meal and a much more affordable one. I came here once on New Year's Eve before they accepted reservations and that was a huge mistake. My bf and I waited close to an hour and half because it was so crowded. If you want to go here on a holiday, make sure you make a reservation!
(4)
A C.
This is a great restaurant to come during Christmas season. You may toss peanut shells on the floor. The interior decor and atmosphere do give you a feeling that you were in a inn of past century and offered food and comfort. after a hard day of labor. The quality of food here is good, similar to Sizzler. The rib eye steak I had was ok. The mahi mahi was very good. This place is famous for its salad and garlic cheese bread. Make sure you don't eat too many pieces of bread before the meal. The dinner is also considerably more expensive ($25-$35) than lunch ($11-$15).
(3)
Christi M.
Sadly after last night my rating of this particular location has gone down. I have been there many times and everything was always great, but have not gone in a while. We were celebrating 3 birthdays which included mine, so we wanted a great steakhouse to go to. There were nine of us in total and between all of us we spent almost$500 which is a lot, and you expect a lot. Unfortunately the food was definitely not up to par last night. My one stepson ordered the Porterhouse ($35.95) and it same out overcooked and so salty that he couldn't even eat it, and had to send it back which he never does. My other stepson's wife & son had to send theirs back because it wasn't cooked enough (like they had ordered), and because I'm on dialysis I order all of my food with no salt, but apparently even though the waitress was very clear with the kitchen my Ribeye ($31.95) came salted. Not to mention my mother ordered the Halibut ($31.95) and we had never seen a smaller piece of fish - it looked like a large fish stick in size. everything on the plate dwarfed it. Most restaurants serve Fish & Chips that are larger than the serving we got last night, and for the price it was shameful. I'm not sure if this location has just gone downhill, or if it was an extremely bad night because I think it's been about a year since we have been there. This was the one place that you could always count on to get the most amazing steaks and everything was always perfect., and I hope it gets back to that.
(2)
Derrick C.
This is by far one of my favorite places to go to. The steak there pretty good as long as you order it medium rare. My only gri is that if you order your steak with anything more than medium rare your steak is a little tough..their never ending salad and cheese breads that come with your meail are amazing and to die for. I would def recommend this place for people to check out.
(4)
Judi T.
Nostalgia not enough to sustain it. Went to pick up a take out order of red cabbage salad yesterday and stayed for lunch. My husband and I ordered sandwiches from the bar menu. Patty melt and corned beef. Both mediocre at best. Served with soggy homemade potato chips. Still enjoy the red cabbage, the peanuts and the ambiance though. Sigh.
(3)
Christopher J.
After reading several negative reviews about the food, I went into the restaurant last night with a fair amount of trepidation. I am not a hard-core foodie, but I would prefer to spend more on a smaller quantity of high quality food than get a lot of lower quality food (e.g. Cheesecake Factory, Claim Jumper, etc) for a certain price. That said, the ambiance was interesting, the service was great thanks to a great waitress, and the food was actually okay. It was quite crowded for a Saturday night at 6. I had made an opentable reservation so we were seated immediately. The tables are huge, and it was so loud that it was hard to have a conversation with those sitting across from me. So, if you are looking for a romantic night out, this is probably not the place for you. There were many many tables of parties of 8 or larger, which is why it was so loud and boisterous. The free peanuts were unsalted, which was nice because peanuts are usually too salty. The salad was just iceberg lettuce and blue cheese dressing, and the cabbage slaw was red cabbage in a vinegar-oil-salt dressing. The waitress recommended mixing them, which did not work in my opinion due to the competing dressing flavors. I did not try the cheesebread due to the dripping butter; it was actually soaked through with butter and cheese like a sponge. I had a lumberjack steak which was thick and perfectly cooked medium rare. It was accompanied by a gigantic baked potato, to which I added butter and sour cream and not the mushroom gravy as other yelpers recommended. The quality of the steak was not great, hence the 3 stars, but I wasn't expecting Ruth's Chris or anything so it was okay. I needed A1 due to lack of flavor and seasoning. Another in the party got the same steak, same preparation, also perfectly cooked but lacking flavor and a bit tough. We could only finish half of the steak. Price: 26.95. It probably would've netted another star if the price was $18.95 for the same meal. Another in the party got the ground sirloin steak smothered in chili, which was a huge hamburger covered in chili. He said it was fine. This was only 9.95 and included a small salad and the cheesebread. Very reasonable at this price point. Other menu prices: $19.95 for fried or broasted chicken, $30.95 for halibut, $26.95 for mahi mahi, surf and turfs were considerably higher ($30-40 with the highest Australian lobster tail/filet mignon coming in at $56.95). Yipes! I can't believe anyone would order such an expensive meal here. Prices were high for what you get, but I do understand the need to raise prices to make up for the huge portions that were served. Huge portions and mediocre food seem to be the name of the game. Alcohol was very reasonably-priced. Bathroom was unpleasant and needs a serious remodel. Would I come back? No, I don't think so. I think Claim Jumper's is better (and cleaner) when I have a hankering for large quantities of the same kind of American food, and they have more to choose from. For a finer dining experience, there is a $38 prix fixe prime rib dinner (appetizer/entree/dessert/free valet) at the Terrace at the Langham hotel in Pasadena that I am itching to try.
(3)
Mike L.
The best. Cabbage Salad, Blue Cheese Salad, and cheese bread cant be beat. You will be stuffed before the entree comes!
(5)
Queen B.
Baby it's cold outside! But that didn't stop us from paying clearman's a visit. This is not a place I would go to on my home however. someone gave us a gift card so we used it. You think? Any way I wasn't too impressed with Clearman's I liked the decor it made you feel as if you were at a ski resort somewhere in Aspen or Big Bear. The whole place is made out of logs and there are stuffed deer head and beaver traps and I believe I saw an antique fireplace or stove of some sort. The lighting was pleasant and soothing and I liked the fact that they give you peanuts to snack on while you wait for your meal and they want you to throw your peanut shells on the floor when you're done. My meal - well, I ordered a lobster tail and they had the shell stuffed with stuffing it was different and I guess I can say I liked it. I also had a steak that I had to send back three times because it was medium rare-I requested medium well done I don't do raw meat. They still didn't cook it to my satisfaction. Our waiter was I don't know I guess I can say indifferent in a weird way, some folks were staring we began to wonder was it because we were black ( no i'm not making it a race thing) but considering we were the only black people in the whole restaurant and the waiter really didn't seem as if he wanted to serve us and out of all the times I sent my steak back it was returned to me red on the inside and undercooked. All in all I didn't feel very comfortable there and you can bet I won't be returning either. I can say I enjoyed the salad with the house dressing and cheese bread. The house salad dressing was a mixture of ranch and blue cheese - light on the blue cheese. So because I enjoyed the salad, cheese bread and throwing the peanut shells on the floor i'll give three stars.
(3)
melissa d.
came here to celebrate our early 4yr ann. with a big FAT STEAK! ordered the ribeye special which came with a baked potato, rice pilaf, cheese bread (YUMMMMM) red cabbage salad and regualr salad- both were VERY good. the bf ordered the Northwoods special platter (fried chicken, deep fried scallops and steak chunks) they recommend the meat to be cooked 'medium' so we followed and glad we did because it tasted SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good! would probably come back for my steak fix!
(4)
Irving L.
I went to this place for my birthday and it was also my first time, and let me tell you I didnt enjoy the food at all. The salad is all greasy and completely drenched in dressing. The food is way too expensive! Yes they do give you alot of food but its not worth it, even when you ask if you could split the plate and share with another person they will charge you 6$ dollars just to split. They drench the baked potato in butter, and the steak is very dry. I would recommend you save your money and go eat at an outback steak house, this is not the place to go.
(3)
Tara C.
Aw, I get all nostalgic thinking about this place. My family has been coming here for as far back as I can remember, and I have had more than one birthday dinner here. I'm glad my taste in food has not become so fancy-schmancy that I can't still enjoy an old favorite like Clearman's. The place never changes really- from that greasy cheese bread to the dirty, fake snow on the exterior. The place is usually crowded and rowdy, but that's what makes it fun. It's dark, with sawdust and peanut shells on the floor, and the menu is pretty basic. Portions are huge, and I always stuff myself on the cheese bread and 2 salads- red cabbage and blue cheese. The steaks have always been good, and you can top them with Clearman's own steak sauce. Service can be slow but they are usually very nice. Prices are not cheap but with the amount of food you can take home, including the cheese bread and salads, you have another whole meal for the next day!
(4)
Patrick B.
Northwoods Inn is a like a trip down memory lane... Over the years I've had many good meals with friends and family. Honestly, it is average food ... a bit of rustic "cowboy" sized steak, chicken and burgers. You munch down peanuts while you wait and toss the shells on the sawdust covered floor. The crowd is robust and a bit loud... but you simply join in. As mentioned here... the best part of the dining experience is their cheesebread. I could eat an entire loaf! Yes...you can find fancier restaurants with better food... but you can count on Northwoods for a good hearty meal.
(3)
Dan C.
Good Steak..friendly environment...great place to go. Enjoy!
(3)
Annette N.
So I take a dear friend out to dinner as an after Christmas treat for the both of us. Let me begin with the end . . . the bill, $119.00 for our meal, which included two beers and one soda, w/tip $140.00. I had the AUSTRALIAN ROCK LOBSTER TAIL & FILET MIGNON SUPREME [really, you want to call it supreme?] and he had SELECT KING CRAB LEGS & MEDIUM LUMBERJACK STEAK. To me, "lumberjack" represents BIG, and his steak wasn't big [see pic]. Okay their motto is, "Huge portions and great memories await." Oh I have memories that aren't great, as for huge portions, I think they were referring to the bill . . . Where do I begin? The Atmosphere [Sunday Night 7:30 p.m.]: I understand this is a "family restaurant" and as we walked in, I thought we were in Chucky Cheese, so I asked our hostess to be seated in the "adult section," she sat us away from the romper room area ~ towards the rear of the dining area, cool; but then proceeds to seat a "family" of six [w/ kids] next to us within 5 mins of seating us . . . knowing I didn't want the Chucky Cheese arena near me. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE KIDS, but not when I'm going for a Steak & Lobster meal, ya feel me? What a bitch for doing that; the restaurant wasn't full by any means. . . Luckily, they were not too bad to be seated next to. Okay enough of my bitching, on to my food review . . . REVIEW: The cheese bread was soggy . . . I had one slice due to feeling like I was eating a piece of bread that had been sitting in fake butter and then tossed in the oven w/that cheese spread stuff on top. I normally like have 2-3 pieces, but for the calories, this bread wasn't worth it. The salad, couldn't be plainer, it's just iceberg lettuce with a massive amount of blue cheese dressing . . . that's it, yuck. And of course their red cabbage salad . . . the two salads combined together w/a grip of pepper, made it edible. Side Entrees: My rice was "room temp," and the butter for my lobster didn't taste like butter at all, it was more like a yellow colored oil by product - not a hint of garlic either. When I used it to dip my lobster in, it hit the back of my throat and made me cough. As for my potato, I asked for the works [sour cream, butter, chives], well my potato came with the "works - minus the chives" baked in it? She never brought me sour cream, butter or chives to add to my potato. AND I remember back in the day the potato was the size of my foot, now it's a size 3 [toddler shoe size]. MAIN ENTREES: Okay my lobster was kind of "hard" and really tasteless, not hot either. My filet mignon was okay, it needed salt, or some kind of flavor, it was kind of bland. I was highly disappointed. Fran gave me a taste of his steak, once again, not hot; as for "crab leg(S)," what they should write on the menu is ONE crab leg and a HALF . . . WTF? Of course they serve the legs sliced in half, so it looks like "wow, look at all these legs," NOT, it's just one and a 1/2! CONCLUSION: It WAS NOT worth the $140.00. Service was a 4 out of 10, because of course the waitress rather wait on a group table, opposed to a couple table so she can get a bigger tip, don't get me wrong, I gave her a $20.00 tip, as per my "yelp tip card," recommended. I think she brought our food to us, after it had been sitting there for a while, thus explains the lack of hotness of our food. For that price, I'd rather go to Ruth Chris; and next time I will. I suggest you all do too. Blah to Clearman's!!!! I understand we're in a recession, but if I'm paying the $$$ to eat here, CLEARMANS shouldn't be cutting corners. I want to get my $$$ worth if I'm going to put it out. Check out my pictures, there's my proof!!!
(2)
Sabrina F.
This is where lumberjacks must go for lunch. The portions are huge to begin with and then, they're ALL YOU CAN EAT. The quality of the food is equally impresive as it was all delicious and well prepared. You must try the cheesy bread! My friend and I could not stop giggling about the portion size and the prices are more than fair. I would highly recommend this restaurant for a groupd or family with a BIG appetitie.
(5)
Cami M.
Went there last night with the BF for his traditional BDay dinner. I had the filet mignon & he had the king crab with filet mignon. Food: The filet mignon although was perfectly cooked and tender was a bit bland. My BF was not impressed with the Crab either, he said it didnt seem fresh. Considering we had recently returned from Vegas, the steak and crab we had at the Vegas buffets was tastier and better quality than what we had at North Woods Inn at almost half the cost. Rice pilaf did not taste like rice pilaf, seeemed very bland as well. Neither of us ate it. the baked potato was huge. I love the whipped cheese butter, but surprised they don't offer more toppings, like chives. I love the cheese bread, but this time not so much. It wasn't crispy enough, maybe too much butter. And as always, still love the blue cheese salad. The dressing is to die for. Service: Above average. We were seated quickly. Our waitress was very pleasant and checked on us frequently. I quietly asked if there was anything i could order for a birthday. They said they offer a complimentary orange sherbert. The wait staff all walked over singing happy birthday with a nice size goblet of orange sherbert and a lit candle. BF was surprised. That was fun! Unfortunately, the BF and I will be breaking the birthday tradition. The BF no longer wants to go to NWI after 25+ years! We'll likely be heading to Ruth's Chris instead. Sorry North Woods Inn... just not the same as it used to be for the price & atmosphere!
(2)
Lisa V.
Haven't been in ages (I mean, like, over 25 years! No exaggeration!). And the only reason I could find to bring me back was for the little ones. My not-so-little 11 year old asked for STEAK for his birthday dinner. Now, I know I've spouted passionately in former reviews that I'm ready to pay for "quality". But no way am I bringing a kid to Ruth Chris when I know he'll eat three bites of meat and fill up on root beer along the way! So this was a practical, no-rip-off kind of choice and a chance to walk down one memory lane. The 25 year verdict? That cheese-toast just isn't as enjoyable anymore. It is SOPPING with butter and cheese (which I am certain you could wring out just like a sponge) and it is a bit too mushy to think of as toast anymore. I guess the diversity has always been lacking as is the bizarreness of the Ruben-esque paintings that adorn the walls. But hey! Guess what? The "children's steak" plate, ordered medium-rare is NOT bad (particularly for the price). And the service is...well, attentive. Additionally, the kids feel right at home throwing peanut shells on the floor and frankly, I can't get enough of watching my hubby act like he is freezing to death as we pull into the parking lot (with kids' eyes rolling). So, no-- you won't see me back here unless we get another request from the those little ones...who won't know any better for awhile.
(2)
Verginie B.
First time visiting this place I was in awe. I love steakhouses and smokehouses so I felt this place is the place for steak. You are served a bowl full of unshelled peanuts and you get to throw the shells on the floor! Don't worry that's how it goes around here. It was lunch time and I ordered the steak sandwich. Oh my heavens people...the steak was mouthwateringly phenomenal!!! The presentation was appetizing. The salad was delicious!! And garlic toast yum!!! If you're a serious steak lover this is the place to be. Although be warned some of the steak plates are expensive. Enjoy!!
(5)
Nicholas R.
Step into Clearman's and step backwards into time. The decor and business model is straight from the 70's. Ornate lumberjack frontier themed chotcksies as far as the eye can see and large disgusting portions of low quality food. So bad they might as well serve it in troughs. Honestly the worst meal I've ever had.
(1)
John S.
Yes ! If you haven't gone, go... seriously. Even if you don't live close, make the drive. You'll be floored by the cheese bread and salad and most likely be full before the main course even arrives. One salad consists of iceberg lettuce with a ranch/pepper sort of dressing and the other is a red cabbage, vinaigrette type dressing. I don't even like cabbage but do here. The trick is to mix the two. Sounds crazy but it's awesome. Great atmosphere weather it's family time, date time or let's get filthy and pig out time. Try the Filet with rock lobster tail or just get salad and bread. The place rules !!!
(5)
Nicole G.
really like the fake snow on the outside. The cute lodge decor inside is what gives this places its umph. The steak [medium rare of course], baked potato [load everything on it please!] and the veggies [i ask for fruit instead] is the way to go. This meal cannot go wrong. Its very good. Cheese bread they serve is very good if you get it right from the oven, otherwise it has that soggy effect. On the other hand their menu is very limited, it never changes [over the years and YEARS its been open] and if your a regular it could get boring. The lunch time sandwiches are good. I personally like coming more at lunch than at dinner time. Less of a line and the options are more to my liking. Can be a bit pricey for what it is but hey, everything is getting pricey now a days so just suck it up The service is good. never over the top "omg, like best service everrrr girlfriend" but it good enough for me to leave a over 20 percent tip.
(3)
Chuck G.
THE LOCATION As a log lodge style of building with the roof painted snow white, located in the SGV where it has never snowed, Clearman's is a quirky contradiction from before you walk inside. THE INTERIOR More log-cabin aesthtic, stained glass lamps, log-based furniture everywhere, animal heads up on the walls. Of course I fell in love with the place when we walked in. THE FOOD I ordered the Ribeye (special that night, not a regular menu item) and my wife had the filet mignon. The entrees came with unlimited salad and cheesy bread. Shrimp cocktail has big ol' shrimp and a sauce that has more of a kick than most cocktail sauces. Good stuff. The red cabbage salad reminded me of every family reunion I ever had in Pittsburgh, it is intensely German. The second salad was a kind of iceberg-blue-cheese caesar style and wasn't drowned in roquefort like a lot of blue cheese salads. I cannot get across in words how cheesy the cheesy bread is. It is cheesier than a pile of shredded cheese would be. Savor it. Love it. THE CHEESE BREAD IS GOD. WORSHIP IT. Our steaks came with a potato stuffed with whipped cheddar cheese and rice pilaf. Our steaks were perfectly medium rare for the cuts; my wife's filet was fork tender and my ribeye was dripping juice. The potato was fantastic, as any potato stuffed with cheese ought to be. The rice pilaf was meh - the only part of the meal that wasn't excellent. Beer for me in 24-oz. schooners of malted joy, iced tea for the wife. Not an extensive bar. No dessert due to tremendous fullness. THE BOTTOM LINE Come if you love meat, kitsch, and cheese. Especially cheese. ... CHEEEEEEESSSSSSSEEEEEEEE.......
(4)
Scot E.
This place is great! I just wish they did half portions! The cheesy bread is soooo good and they bring out two kinds of salad (which is all you can eat). I'm usually about full before my food arrives. Oh yea and the peanuts. You get the peanuts in the shell as a snack. The steaks are great but wow, it really is sooo much food. I have a friend whose an Ironworker (big guy), he loves this place. He wants to eat here all the time but I can't do it. I over eat every time I'm here. Last time, I got the fried chicken, thinking it's not as filling as beef. The plate was huge! So Much Fried Chicken. It was tasty though. I stuffed myself and still couldn't finish it. I had it for lunch the next day (I love cold leftover chicken). I enjoy the ambience. I think it's pretty nice inside but still you can throw your peanut shells on the floor.
(4)
S. O.
We were seated quickly at our reservation time. Service was decent but not particularly fast because it was a busy night. Portions were HUGE! Mixing the salads together is a delicious MUST! Free birthday song & yummy orange sherbet! Still enjoy tossing my peanut shells on the floor!
(4)
Steven D.
Sam, was Awesome!!! And the stake was incredible. Thanks for the love.
(5)
Franklin M.
There were 14 in our group and we needed a place that could accommodate all of us. This restaurant has the space and the food to satisfy the group. I shared a fried chicken plate and there was still plenty of food left over to bring home. The salad is good and the cheese bread even better. There is a good selection of beer on tap, including Blue Moon.
(5)
Erik G.
If you're going there for big groups then don't expect kind service. Expect to be rushed to order your food and if you get a server named Cindy she'll make you feel like you're inconveniencing her for everything you ask for. I've never felt so uncomfortable to ask my server for service. She gives you a look like you're bothering her. Not happy at all with the service. Food is good as always but I rather spend my money elsewhere next time I'm going to give a restaurant 1k of business. Maybe since the server knew that gratuity is added that the service can go out the window. Thanks for the lesson North Woods
(1)
Mimi C.
Reminds me of going to Disneyland. The complimentary peanuts were nice. uh.... the steaks were dry. HUGE portions but... doesn't make up for the lack of taste. Good service though. Very attentive, but still too pricey. We played the smashing peanuts game, see who can smash the peanut shell the quickest without smushing the peanut. That was fun, and not worrying about making a mess brought out the kid in me. Cool for a one time try, but I think that's about it.
(2)
Edgie T.
Welcome to flavortown! This restaurant is not for the faint of heart, be ready to enjoy uber goodness garlic cheese bread, house salad with super rich blue cheese dressing and tangy sweetness red cabbage are a trifecta of appetizer goodness! Hold off on ordering starters; lunch and dinner entrees include the three mentioned above PLUS Rice Pilaf AND Baked Potato with Whipped Cheese Butter! And the BEST PART IS, order the Rib Eye Steak! It's not on their menu but it's absolutely mouth watering and outstanding! BONUS TIP: Clearmans Garlic Spread is sold at Ralphs Grocery Store...get it and slather it on sourdough bread! i LOVE you Clearman's North Woods Inn! Thank you for making every bite worth every penny!
(5)
belinda n.
$37 for 2 cheeseburgers 1 appetizer & 2 sodas free easy spacious parking large clean bathroom w/sofas & current fashion/gossip magazines sun early lunch clientele= lots of old people & families. yeah yeah yeah whyd we come here to get cheeseburgers? well bahooka decided to close last minute & we were too late for acapulco buffet in glendale & the pasadena one closed down so he we are. our burgers were a grease pit my bf who is a grease lover left about a 1/3 on the plate. the fries were steak (i prefer crispy shoestring) & our burgers came w/a crapload of grilled onions but no lettuce or tomato? on a french dip sandwhich roll? on the flipside,the cabbage salad (only red cabbage. nothing else) was great! will we return? hmm. probably not!
(3)
nick g.
Lincoln logs. Paul Bunyan. Early Settlers. Oregon Trail. Bear Country Jamboree. yeah, these all flashed in my head as we came in the door. The wrong door apparently. If you walk in and see a bunch of ppl watching football on a bunch of TVs with a bar, and lotsa naked chick paintings on the wall, you're in the bar. If you go in one of the other entrances in THIS FRIGGIN HUGE PLACE you will find yourself in a peanut shell strewn floor wondering if you're going to need an axe to cut the wood to cook your own meal. All the jokes aside, this place just seems like it's a good all-around place to bring your family after a soccer game, a graduation dinner, or some other festive activity where the group is more concentrated on talking about the last play, or how the principal said that one Indian kid's name wrong, etc. The ambiance is excellent, the peanuts a nice touch. The food here is... hmm. not. very. good. It's a bit pricey for being what it is. I had a chili burger that ended up being an open-faced burger with chili sort of puked onto it. A veritable dumpage of chili upon a normal burger. It tasted decent, nothing special, but there was a reason i chose the words that I did to describe the appearance of the chili burger. I should try the other stuff before I knock the place, but the presentation of some of the other dishes was a little off-putting as well for what we paid. "Rustic" perfectly describes it. So maybe I'm in the wrong here. I'll shut up now.
(3)
Aileen E.
What's the big deal about this place? So not worth it. For the price we paid I would rather have gone elsewhere. I'll admit, the salads and cheese bread are tasty but nothing to rave about. The meals we had were mediocre and something I could have cooked at home. The hub had the seafood platter and I had the special combination; nothing too special about it though. And what really bugged me about this place was when our server packed our salads to go. Stuck her hand in a plastic bag, scooped up the salad and inverted the bag. Kinda akin to picking up doggie poop. Eh - whatever. Won't be coming here again.
(1)
Bryan T.
Clearman's North Woods Inn is different not unique from restaurants in this era, decade, or century. Upon entering the restaurant, I felt like I had step into a time capsule that captured the essence of living during the American Frontier. The place was dim and significantly outdated. The floor is saturated with peanut shells and yes, staff members do encourage throwing your peanut shells onto the floor. The menu did not have any pictures so I did not know where to start. Fortunately, my coworker informed me that their rib eye steak (dish is absent from the menu) is the best. When the waitress served my meal I was overwhelmed by the portion, which primarily consist of potatoes. The rib eye was delicious! However, the rest of the meal was boring. All meals are served with potatoes drench in thick butter. One bite of the potatoes made me loose my appetite for a few minutes. I was expecting the meal to be pricey but when I received the check I was also overwhelmed by the price. It was much more than I could ever imagine. This place is too expensive. At least serve me a whole cow! Overall, I only come here because of my coworkers. My coworkers have been going to this place since the 1960s. It is time to introduce them to Brazilian steakhouse restaurants, which serves unlimited amount of different steaks and multiple side dishes not to mention female Brazilian dancers all for the same price as Clearman's North Woods Inn.
(2)
Jennifer Y.
This place is understaffed and the service is on par with a Denny's. It's really a better version of Denny's or Sizzlers. The other table guest thought this place was interesting. The theme, the peanuts, and the huge portions make for an OK experience. However, it's not my style. Oh, I had King Crab legs and that was pretty good! Except it was $$$...I think nearly $35 for 2 legs? Folks who ordered the other stuff, however, got huge servings.
(2)
Elizabeth A.
This is my all time favorite Filet Mignon spot as you can see by how happy I am in my profile pic! I feel the prices are less than a lot of other known steak locations. You get Cheese bread, two salads, and your entree. Portions are more than enough and everything tastes amazing.
(5)
Heyunclemick R.
I have been a patron for over 30 years but no more. Food quality no longer matches the price you pay. The last 3 times i have been there I walked away disappointed. On my most recent visit he sirloin I ordered was full, I mean full of gristle. Service was only average at best. They have fallen far. The bread and salad are still good, but that's not enough to drop over a C note on dinner. No way. Save your money you can get a better steak dinner elsewhere.
(1)
T W.
This is probably the last place on earth that doesn't really care about proper dieting. The cheese bread is tasty but it is drenched in butter. They serve the biggest potatoes ever, and if you get their signature cheese butter, you better have 911 on your speed dial because you're sure gonna need an ambulance. The portions and ingredients will meet Paula Dean's approval. Our waiter, Andrew, was very helpful in keeping drinks refilled, and answering questions. If you've passed by this place and always wondered what's under the snowy rooftop, don't hesitate to sneak a peek at a long, and probably last standing great American meat and potatoes restaurant.
(4)
Edvard A.
Best lobster tail plate ever! FYI: Get two lobster tails if Super Hungry or else one is more than enough. Went perfect with house salad/bread. Before dinner, they bring peanuts for you to eat and throw shell on floor (entire restaurant floors are peanut shells). Super friendly staff.
(5)
Alex V.
delicious food, but a bit pricey for my tastes. the bread is the best!
(3)
Sahararavetent O.
nothing like douchebags like the ones reviewing this place before my review to ruin a perfectly decent restaurant and dining experience i have been to this place at least 50 times and i've never left there upset once these ppl are complaining about the food in this place and one of them is saying they'd rather eat at sizzler wow, way to show the quality of food u prefer when we go to this place, we never wait long, we never get crappy service no matter who is serving us we never have food that we dont like and i'm not sure if i would complain about waiting 10 minutes to be seated the plates all have massive portions, the sodas have free re-fills the beers are always cold the two salad dish is always great and u get that cheese garlic bread with ur salad also, theres the Clearman's Galley that is right next door that has more beer selections, a walk-up order area with a number of the meals from north woods and other selections and tvs in every direction with all the sports games on how am i supposed to complain about this place again? don't worry about these reviewers this place won't let u down
(4)
Mike S.
Every time I go out to visit family in the LA area we go to North Woods. It is always on the list of places to go. The last time we visited we had 21 in our group and were seated rather quickly which was impressive. I love their cheese bread and they have the best cabbage salad that I have ever had. I always eat too much of the bread and salad and end up taking most of the meal home. All the steak and seafood I've had there has been cooked to perfection. The baked potatoes are very good as well. I've never had a bad meal there. The only negative thing about North Woods: It can get really loud. It is not loud enough to keep you from hearing those at your table but it can get loud. I will be back again!
(4)
Shane S.
Fondest memories of this place with my dad. I remember as a kid coming here as it was our families favorite restaurant (at least my dad's) . I loved the sawdust on the floor, the big steaks, and the colossal baked potato with the different types of sauces..... The cheese bread was always soft and cheesey, but I never wanted to get full on the bread! My favorite was the prime rib (end cut) , but for some reason has been taken off the menu for some time now. I have had the other steaks, but they are a mere shadow to my old fave! Even with that I still love the decor and the ambiance of this old school eatery.... I just wish they brought back the prime rib.
When I was a kid I was enchanted to find that there could exist a large snow covered log cabin in San Gabriel. I miss the little boat that sat next to it. It looks lonely and out of place next to that giant Kohls. I've celebrated many birthdays and special occasions here. Each time we are well attended too by the staff. I appreciate that the people who wait on us here have been doing so for many years, it's not just a revolving door of waiters and waitresses. Glancing at a menu your heart may stop momentarily when faced with the prospect of paying $20 for fried chicken, but it's worth it folks. You don't just get 3 pieces of the tastiest fried chicken of all time, you also get cabbage salad, green salad with a home made blue cheese dressing, rice pilaf, a giant cheese and garlic butter stuffed potato (or gravy, whatever your into) cheese bread and of course a few bowls of peanuts to nibble on while you wait. The steaks and seafood are old school steakhouse style, simple and hot and best cooked medium rare. The salads are my favorite, I crave them but have been unsuccessful in reproducing them at home. Food aside this place has such a homey ambiance about it. It's comfy and dark and for an hour you forget that it's 100 degrees outside. You can also buy bread and butter to take home. All in all I think North Woods is an experience best kept for a birthday or anniversary.
(5)
Michael C.
Just a quick recommendation for the steak sandwich IMHO the best deal at Clearman's
(5)
Kathy M.
For 55 years now my family and I have been coming to Clearman's it is our most favorite eatery we have ever been to and my folks and I have traveled a lot of places. My dad being a food salesman we had to eat out all the time. But our love for Clearman's has never changed. The salad's are our favorite followed by the cheesy bread. We love the comfortable decor and peanut shells on the floor. Enjoy our wait staff and yes they are older and many I have grown up with. Even though we live 400 miles away we always threaten to go to dinner at Clearman's and once a year we actually get to. The only thing that is so disappointing is that the old Clearman's has been swallowed up by the new department store next door. Guess they wanted a taste of the red cabbage salad too. We love you Clearman's Northwoods Inn don't change a thing.
(5)
L. T.
Great cheese bread, salads but I actually like the Alaskan king crab legs, they are so good here. The service is good and the atmosphere is fun with the peanuts on the ground. If you are allergic to peanuts don't come here.
(4)
Wm. S.
Good service. Good food. But if you want a quiet evening, you might consider going to a quieter restaurant. The music often too loud. It makes no sense that a restaurant would work hard to attract customers with good food and good service, but risk driving customers away with loud music. Our family would return if they could get a handle on the loud music.
(3)
Michelle K.
Not a fan. Food is gross and greasy
(2)
Mark M.
I like this place, always did and it never changes! Pretty big restaurant with an old mountain cabin look, with old fashion tables & chairs and peanut shells all over the floors. But the food is the star here with well cooked steaks and yummy hamburgers & killer potatoes.... And my fave...The salads and cheese bread!!! Soooo good. Popular with an older crowd, especially on weekdays between 3-6 when i was there! It gets pretty packed on weekends but it's worth the wait. If you never been to a Clearman's restaurant then i suggest you give them a try before it's too late (these type of restaurants are an endangered species) Nice big bar too!!
(5)
cecy r.
It was good but nothing I'd come back for. Old school feel, decent food. Steak was prepared well and flavorfull. The best was the delicious and perfectly made Tom Collins! Absolutely hit the spot. Staff was pleasant. I'd try lunch next time just for fun.
(3)
Shirley Wing L.
Don't know what happened today but my entire family was disappointed. We expected a fun environment since my family remembered great memories of throwing peanut shells. The portions are small but they got us with the overly drenched in ranch salad, garlic bread, and filling baked potato. I thought it would be super busy since it was a Friday night but they had a lot of tables open and what I did not understand was that it was hard to grab anybodys attention..:/ So we finally got to ordering..New York steak, special platter, and smoked halibut Taste: steak was cooked to tenderness but it lacked marinate. Platter had chicken scallop and steak chunks..not worth it. Halibut was smoked and not much different then halibut elsewhere Portion: we had party of 4, but only ordered 3 plates and thank goodness we only ordered 3 cuz idk how I would've felt if I spent any more on this meal.. (they charge 6.95 if you want to spilt a plate) Parking: large parking lot Price: ~$30/dinner platter Total was ~$100+ Probably not coming back
(1)
David C.
I recommend avoiding the full size steak dinners. The portions are excessive and the price reflects it. Instead, get a open face steak sandwich. You get a 6 ounce steak with the same side dishes as the the full size dinners.
(5)
Jeremy H.
Clearman's North Woods Inn is my dad's and my favorite restaurant. You name it: birthday, retirement, graduation, etc. you can find my family at the snow covered steakhouse lodge. One of the unique aspects of the restaurant is that there are peanut shells are over the ground. Once you've eaten the peanuts you can discard the shells on the floor without being reprimanded. Their filet migon is the best I've ever had. Hands Down! It is always juicy and perfectly tender. My dad cannot get enough for their cheese bread and blue cheese salad. The food quality is great so you definitely getting what you pay for. If you're ever in the area I would highly recommend you check it out.
(5)
Melodi R.
The food and the dining experience were just ok. The friends I was celebrating with made the night amazing! The atmosphere is pretty cool but I guess I've just grown accustom to more boutique restaurants or micro brews and this is a kitschy family restaurant. So it's good for what it is, but there's better food just up the street.
(3)
Aaron Z.
Before you die, make sure you go in and have their cheese bread and cabbage salad.
(4)
Tina R.
Friendly Service & Loved The Red Cabbage Salad!
(3)
Patty K.
Not for anyone with blood pressure problems! The cheese butter that they put on the potatoes is crazy!!! And by crazy, I mean delicious! Seriously, Broiled cheese toast, blue cheese and red cabbage salad, Giant baked potatoes with cheese butter, giant beers and meat! How could you go , wrong??? When I was a kid, I wanted to work here because of the cute little dresses the waitresses wore. Bring back the dresses!!!!
(4)
Isis O.
Heart clogging food never tasted better. Service is above average to great. The scallops are amazing. The two salads that come with the entree are delish. I don't eat here very often because the food can easily lead you on a fatty down slide, but it is a nice place to eat with the family and the food has a great taste to it.
(5)
Amber P.
Kitchy decor is fun, but--for me--not enough to overcome food that is: overpriced low quality greasy I guess the iceburg lettuce/ red cabbage salads and greasy cheese bread excite enough people into nostalgia that this place stays in business, but these items are simple enough to make for a few bucks at the grocery store. The food photos tell the whole story.
(1)
Layla L.
Always awesome, red cabbage may give you horrible gas, but its totally worth it
(5)
Sandie S.
I love the ancient wait staff!!! They're so cute and very efficient, might I add!!! It's all about the cheesy bread and salads!! I remember the steak being much better, but maybe I just over indulged in the bread. Idk :/ Not a bad place to dine, if you have no where else to go :)
(4)
Frank F.
This place has been a family favorite since I was a kid, and that has been along time. The salad, cabbage salad, and garlic bread are killer. Then you get an amazing piece of meat and a huge baked potato. Always quality and a treat to go to.
(5)
Gary G.
My wife & I went there for lunch today, and got shuffled for almost 2 hours because of holiday parties which took priority over us. Our server, Peter, was excellent & quite apologetic once the food arrived. The food is quite good, buy stay away during holiday periods.
(5)
Eric M.
Our family comes here once a year for Christmas Eve dinner, mainly for the ambiance. The food is ok, but kinda expensive. The best thing here is the salads and cheese baked potatos.
(3)
Jonah K.
This place is comical, and the food is subpar at best. Very heavy and kind of gross overall. The salads are okay, but way too much dressing. The fish dishes were okay, but lacked any kind of seasoning or flavor. The drink service at the bar is very slow unless you go tot he bar itself. The price is quite high considering the quality of the food.
(2)
Rossi H.
Driving up to a chalet in the middle of LA that has fake snow on the roof.... Yeah, I am a sucker for kitschy things. The inside decor fits the exterior's kitchyness. Lots of wood, red leather, and saloon style art. I would lay money down that the interior designer worked at Knott's Berry Farm or Pinnacle Peak's before. The service is always good: nice waiters/waitress, host/hostesses... But, who really gives a crap about the decor or the service? If you like the food, you go back. You can't tell me the decor and service is great at some of the Chinese restaurants in the SGV, but you always go back for the food. It is ALWAYS about the food. And the food at Clearman's? The food is meh. It's average, fair, decent, probably not worth the price, but you get more food than you should eat and it is better than Sizzler. So why eat here? The red vinegar cabbage salad mixed with the blue cheese regular salad. Yeah, this fattie goes somewhere just for a salad. It is an incredible juxtaposition when you combine the two, and since I am getting my veggie quota in for a meal... I might as well dine on some of those amazing carb filled cheesy breads.
(4)
V E.
I have driven by this place a thousand times and never walked in until last night. I am astonished at how beautifully preserved it is. It looks like a restaurant from another era, much like Chris & Pitts in Anaheim. The faux log cabin construction, sawdust on the floor, the 1960s lamp shades, and the red chairs remind me of the old restaurants from my childhood. The regular menu is priced out of my league, but they do have a tasty sandwich menu in the $10-$13 range. We had the roast beef sandwich and the steak sandwich. It was enjoyable and not that bad. It came with rice and red cabbage coleslaw. Their rice is made with beef stock and tasted like beef--I loved it. The place is rustic, has a lot of character, but, as usual with these types of places, my complaint involves the restrooms: they reek of years of disinfectant and neglect. They need to be renovated.
(3)
Patty T.
If you have taste buds, RUN! RUN away as fast as you can away from North Woods! I had the Mahi Mahi and as a fish lover I left 3/4 of it on my plate! NO BOX TO GO! The 1/4 that I did eat I was trying to justify it with tarter sauce! I basically filled myself up with the bread drenched with butter because who hates butter? I also filled myself up with the salad drenched with dressing, the dressing was pretty good. Peanuts of course were good. So I had dressing, bread and peanuts for dinner. Ok so I can't leave this out...I am a lemon drop Martini drinker and when I get my lemon drop martini it had a "cherry" in it...so I try to enjoy it-not really feeling the lemon drop effect so when the waitress comes around and asks how it was I voiced my dissatisfaction and SHE suggested she makes one with a lemon slice o_O (that's how it's suppose to be made) so I say "yeah sure" ummm that's what I wanted to drink. So the second martini was good :) I must say, both Martinis were 3/4 of the way filled and everywhere else the martini class is filled almost all the way to the rim. Ok so my boyfriends plate was not good either, he ordered his steak medium well and it looked rare! Just not a good experience being first time customers. Positive feedback is: ok live music, atmosphere, bread, rice and peanuts. Also, the waitress was nice, she removed the steak from our bill but not the cherry infused lemon drop martini which I assumed she would. So I did have to ask for that to be removed and at that point she did remove it :-D. We saw a lot of elders eating there and I wonder if I would return when I'm 80 years old and I don't remember this experience and I no longer have taste buds.
(1)
Samira H.
Love this place! Visited it for my first time yesterday. The food and service are both excellent. Best items on the menu are probably the appetizers: peanuts, cheese bread and salad. DELICIOUS! I literally moaned with delight. I was actually too full from the starters to eat much of the main course. Our waiter was very attentive. He refilled our drinks 3 times without us asking and even gave us extra Maraschino cherries for our Shirley Temples, haha. He was so good, we left him a $13 tip. One downside: the menu is limited, especially for a vegetarian, like myself. Luckily, they do have a single veggie option, which consists of a plate of a baked potato, steamed veggies, and rice pilaf. For the portion sizes, the prices are great! (The cheese bread and salad are free of charge.) You will definitely leave North Woods feeling full and satisfied.
(4)
Isaac L.
I remember being a child and driving by this place with my father. The fake snow on the roof always made me curious as to whats inside. My father never took me in, if he did, it is probably a repressed memory. I'm an adult now and I get to go here all the time with family. Lets just say, I'm not the one picking the place. This place is weird. It super dark inside and the bar has funny string lighting and weird colorful glass lamp shades. The staff is all old. The walls are wood logs. The floors are covered in peanut shells, probably to hide the dirt. The menu is small but its attached to a piece of wood so it weighs 100 times more than it should. Weird outdoor stuff sets the decor. Now the food. When I go here, I always get the steak sandwich since it has the most bang for the buck. Its not really a sandwich, its more like a smaller entree but its always enough to fill me up. The steak is the best part buts its not the best steak. So this place is known for three things as far as food goes; the blue cheese dressing with lettuce, the vinigrette with red cabbage and the cheese butter with bread. No I did not mix up the order. Its glob of dressing on some pieces of lettuce. The bread is saturated with butter and practically sprays your face when you bite into it. The red cabbage thing with all that vinaigrette is the ok. The other entrees are basically the same as the steak sandwich. Its meat, two salads drenched with dressing and soggy butter bread. If that makes you hungry you might want to get your cholesterol checked.
(2)
Johnny D.
Always wanted to go here since I used to pass the one on the 5 when I lived down in OC. The interior is as awesome as the outside with decent food, phenomenal cheese bread, and affordable prices you cannot go wrong. Definitely will return to try out other menu items in the future!
(4)
Eric S.
OK, so my wife, Candice, and I went to Clearman's North Woods Inn for Valentine's day. We didn't plan ahead; we were just driving up Rosemead and saw it and said, "let's go there. " The place was pretty full, and we didn't get seated right away, but that was OK because this place has a huge bar area with pleasant enough live music. So we each ordered a drink and chilled for a few minutes before we were called to our table. They had a preset menu deal for V-day, so we both went with that. It was expensive - 45 bucks per person - but much cheaper than ordering all the components separately. It came with a grip of stuff including: Two cocktails each or a bottle of wine; green salad, and Clearman's awesome red cabbage, and cheese bread, and an appetizer to share (we went with the crabcakes), and a choice of one of 3 steak and seafood entrees, each of which came with a massive baked potato, and desert. Quantity? Amazing. Quality? A little more hit and miss. The salads were great, the cheesebread is good, but... Well, I adored it as a kid, but it seems kind of greasy and heavy now. The crabcakes weren't that great. They tasted too fishy for me. Of course, ever since I had the crabcakes at Hot Stuff Cafe, which are amazing, I've gotten a lot more picky about crabcakes. To be honest, I was kind of full by the time my entree arrived. The shrimp were tasty, but unremarkable. The rib-eye steak was good, but a bit gristle-y. I've had much better rib-eye's elsewhere. Again, this place has to deal with perhaps unfair comparison. (A couple of weeks ago during "Dine LA," Candice and I went to Ruth's Chris and the steak was way better.) Anyhow, I got the cheese butter on my massive baked potato and I ate about two bites of it. Even though we had a great time, I was thinking about 3 stars at first. But I've been loving the leftovers. The food seems to have improved in my fridge. I didn't even touch my desert until last night at home: cheesecake fantastico! So anyhow, the leftovers got them that fourth star. Bottom line: old school fancy restaurant, hunting lodge decor, too expensive, massive portions, hit and miss food, cool bar. I like it, but I probably won't eat there again for quite some time.
(4)
Raymond Z.
Discrimination or unintended human error? Attracted by the restaurant's unique curb appearance, we decide to try out the place April 9th, but unfortunately, we were so piss off that we left the restaurant before even being seated... Here is what happened: we went to North Wood Inn on Saturday night and being told the wait would be 30-35 minutes, which was OK for us.. Right after we sit down in the waiting area (at a table that is closest to the greeting desk), the host bought a bowl of peanuts to the group that was ahead of us, so we were thinking, nice, what a great service and expect the host would bring us a bowl of peanut a little later. Couple minutes passed by, another group came in and a little later, they got a bowl of peanuts. Another 10 minutes went by, two more groups came in, they got their bowls of peanuts. Another 5-10 minutes went by, more groups came and I saw a total of 6 groups waiting around us and 5 of them came after us, but all of them got a bowl of peanuts, EXCEPT US !!!!!!!!!!!!! I was thinking, what the f$#%@, is it because we are the ONLY ASIAN group there, so you treat us so unfairly? Or is it because alot of your customers are non-asian, so you think we are not important? Oh well, I don't really know the answer, but we figure Cheesecake Factory would have much better service so we went there instead... Congratz North Woods Inn, you just lost a potential customer!!!
(1)
Russ V.
One of the few places that really pays attention to detail.. structurally. It's the Huge Snowed Log Cabin in the middle of City Streets. The Interior was as decked out as the exterior. There were peanuts on the table and peanut shells on the floor. Go ahead eat em' peanuts and toss em' shells on the floor, add to the decor! Cheese Bread: If there was a cheese bread eating contest here, I'd enter.. Both Red and Green Salads: Great Starters, combining both isn't a bad idea Rice Pilaf: plain, accompanies the steak well Baked Potato: with butter, its a done deal LumberJack Steak Medium: an average tasting steak.. considering the price and the included sides, it's not surprising. Great Value for a decent steak dinner!
(4)
Ming-Jou C.
"Am I in Santa's Village?" Walking in here gave me a strange feeling. From the parking lot, you walk through this low craftsman-style entrance, into this courtyard with a bunch of random fake logs. Then you go into the fake-log cabin/building, with fake snow on the roof. Now, when it's 85-degrees at night with about 80% humidity, the faux snow just seems a little out of place. Just a little. Then you walk in and it's sensory overload. Peanut shells and sawdust on the floor, the place is huge, but the ceilings are low. TY said I'm supposed to feel like I'm in a woodsy-like log cabin. I just felt like I was in the Twilight Zone. So we're seated after a 5-minute wait, even though 50% of the tables were available. Our waitress was prompt and nice, took our drink orders while we looked over the table tent menu they set in front of you. You sit in wooden chairs and a log-ish table and the menu is neat, because since it's a tent, the person sitting in front of you can read the other side. It's the little things. So since I'm running at half marathon in a couple of days, I decide to go with the broiled mahi mahi. All meals come complete with two salads (red cabbage and a regular lettuce with ranch-like dressing). I thought the red cabbage with its vinegarette dressing was great, but the other salad tasted a little wilted, probably from the overload of dressing. And why do you need two salads in the first place? They bring you cheese toast, which was good, but felt like it had been toasted and was waiting around just a smidge too long, since it wasn't super crispy, but slightly soft. Flavor was good, but how can you go wrong with cheese toast. Our food came pretty quickly and my dish came with rice pilaf (it was fine) and a baked potato. You can choose from butter, mushroom gravy and a couple of other things. I got the mushroom gravy, which was a tad on the salty side by itself, but pretty awesome when you pour it on your baked tater. It was like making your own mashies. My fish was good, and it was a pretty big portion. I think it was about $26 TY got the combo platter which came with chicken, fried scallops, steak chunks and something else. I don't know why you would take perfectly good scallops and ruin them by battering and frying them. Unless you were trying to hide something. Hmmm. I think that was $29. Overall, food was good, ambience was weird, and it's one of those places where you hear "Happy Birthday" sung every five minutes, because it's good for groups for celebratory occasions. I wouldn't go there on a date though. I guess it's good if you want decent food and a good amount of it for about $30/person. The whole place is just weird though. I don't think it's made out of real wood. And the snow just kills me. There's a Kohl's built almost right on top of Clearman - it's that close. This is for all your closet Avril Lavigne fans since she just launched her new line for Kohl's. You know you wanna go.
(3)
Jack N Mary Z.
The GOOD: The food is great! Very tasty. The atmosphere is nice, makes you feel like you are out in the mountains, like Big Bear. The BAD: The parking is now shared with a huge store (not mentioning any names) that was build there a few years ago. The service, attitude. The fees The EXPERIENCE: Since we went on a Thursday evening, we didn't wait at all and were seated immediately. The server took our order, we told him we were going to have only the salad, and wanted to share one dinner. He took our drink order and came back with very strong drinks. They made them a lot stronger than other places do. Dinner was very delicious, except when we received our bill, we were surprised they charge almost $7.00 for splitting our dinner. Oh, I'm sorry... what the heck is that all about? Maybe we don't go to a lot of restaurants to know that it's a policy where they charge you an extra fee to split the meal for you. At least tell me about it! Or, bring me the plate, and I'll do it, at no cost to me! I was furious!
(2)
Brian C.
Last weekend my wife and I stopped by for Lunch (Sunday) and Anna was our waitress. Very helpful and being served by many at this location is one of the best servers. I wanted to update from my last post about the food/steaks. Back right on track with great food (steaks were perfect and nice portions!). Thank you for the great service and great food. I recommended this to a family friend and they went there last night and they said it was amazing!
(5)
Ada R.
Food is delicious theres no wait at all ! Good service all servers are awesome ! Love this place .
(5)
George P.
Just like Ronnie....most of my birthdays with my family were spent here. What kid doesn't like eating steak, baked potato, cheese bread, tons of soda and salad w/blue cheese dressing? I sure didn't!!!!!!! At a time in my life where I wanted a cowboy party or maybe a pizza party at Chuckie Cheese! Leave it to my family to be unselfish and think of me first. Fast forward to 2010! I thought this place was engulfed by Kohl's. So I happen to hang a right and there it is! BANG!!!!!! We grabbed the steak &shrimp and the Clearman's sampler with the steak skewers, fried chicken, and scallops. Munched on the peanuts while I drifted into a flashback. This place is now smaller that what I remembered as a young fine lad. I loaded up on the cheese bread and salad that by the time my food came....I was full. Did i quit? Hell NO! Ever Forward.....Ever Forward. Steak was Ok to Good. This place is not at the same level as say Houston's, but i also doesn't cost you an Fillet Millon and Prime Rib! Service was cool. I was a tad annoyed that my waiter gave me a hassle about asking for A-1 sauce. Listen, I am paying for this meal, so if I want to dunk my junk in mustard....Be like Nike and just do it! Don't question me or I will pimp slap you with my cheese bread. The fried chicken was a bit dry and was the only item that I didn't enjoy. No dessert I guess i did quit =( Fan yes....fanatic....NO. I love the "Boat" a lot more but ,I will definitely be back. My nephew is turning 13 soon......and guess where we are all going! If you can't beat them, join them! KEEP ON Yelpin'
(4)
Nicole R.
This place has been here forever! I remember my first time, my mom said she has loved this place since she was a kid. The place looks like a cabin you would find in the woods! Its great. When you walk inside you will notice that it is dark and noisy. I don't mind that its dark but it is a bit to noisy for me. Great!...now I sound like my grandma. The decor of the place is odd, especially the paintings on the walls. There is a story behind them though. Back in the day it was supposed to be an old whore house, you would go to the bar and then point to the lady on the wall you wanted to sleep with. That is how that came about. I know its crude but its true just ask your waiter! Ok, so next you will be seated at a table that looks like a big log. On the wall are some hooks that hold a menu printed on a black pig. It is double sided, so your waiter will stick it open on the table and everybody can see it. The food here is really good...I happen to love the ribs. I am picky when it comes to having ribs. They have to be really good and I mean like really good. I also happen to love there chicken too. The reason I gave them a 4 stars is because the noise level is crazy, its hard to hear who your talking too. Also be prepared to wait for a table. In the meantime you can sit at the bar and order a drink as you wait. Check this place out. I hope you enjoy it just as much as I do.
(4)
John M.
Every aspect of our night here was fucked. A couple of my friends didn't get to eat at all. The waiter thought they asked for "salads" instead of scallops (not that we even got extra salads anyway). They were constantly badgering us to get out the door because they were closing, even thought they accepted my reservation for 30 minutes before closing time without saying a word about it. You could have warned me over the phone, rather than waiting to give me shit in person. And then, when we tried to split the bill, they charged one of my friends for 100% of the check, and everyone else for half. We talked to the management, and we're assured that the transactions wouldn't go through, and yet here I am looking at a bank account that's $70 lighter. One shitty night is bad enough, but North Woods Inn has become something of a recurring nightmare for me and my party. Spare yourself the trouble and stay away.
(1)
Kai R.
Clearman's is a SGV institution that has been around forever. They have downsized the San Gabriel footprint from 3 restaurants down to two a few years ago. In the pre-Outback, Cheesecake Factory days this was the place to go to for special occasions. In the heyday the wait could be 2 hours or more on a Friday / Saturday night. Fast forward to 2013 - other than the prices, the place hasn't changed at all in the last 20 years. Same menu, same decor, still throw the peanut shells on the floor. The problem I have is the sheer gluttony of the place - makes Cheesecake Factory look like a diet restaurant. If you order one of the dinner, not sandwich, options, you get two kinds of salad - red cabbage and blue cheese dressing with some lettuce thrown in. You also get as much cheese bread and salad that you can eat. As for the main entree, your protein will come with a football-sized baked potato (with options of half a stick of butter mixed with cheese spread or mushroom gravy) and rice pilaf. Veggies don't exist here. Protein quality is pretty good, but the prices are high (around $30-35). At that price level, I'd rather go to Houston's and get a better quality protein along with some veggie options.
(2)
Bao H.
ARRRR! I need some protein!! No I'm not a pirate - just a carnivore! So after my trip to Vietnam which I lacked protein and needed a steak; this was my first stop. Recommended by my aunt that is. I didn't care where it was just needed some meat! The steak I had was made just right - medium - not medium well or well done - it was medium aright! No sauces just make sure it has some blood :) YUM! My baked potato came with some cheesy buttery topping - what's up with that!? Even though I asked for it on the side, but no complaints. Service was decent I guess I can add. The Ambience of the place is definitely fit for a rowdy sports bar crowd, but it was Tuesday night - no game except for the Clippers zzzzzz....So I guess the rule for this place is break open your peanut shells and chuck them on the floor - I'm not too accustomed to that but when in Clearman's sure :)
(3)
Ronnie N.
I'm pretty sure I have spent most of my and my sister's birthdays here growing up. Nothing beats the cheese bread, salads (yes, I said salads!), and baked potatoes! Also they make a mean Amaretto Sour (and when I was younger, Shirley Temple). The steaks are good and the scallops are pretty amazing as well. Every time I go I tell myself I'm going to get the crab, but I just get distracted by the thought of that cheese bread and salads I forget. Even when I was a veg I would come here just for the bread, salads, and potato! (FYI, you can special order just that!) Another insider tip: Mix the salads together. You won't regret it!
(5)
Nikki A.
One of my favorite place....Blue Cheese Salad and Red Cabbage Salad along with Cheese Bread...HEAVEN!
(5)
Tim S.
Been going here every once in a while, when you get in for the first 5-10 minutes, bring a flashlight, better yet, bring a miner's flashlight so you can see your food while you eat. I love the salad with this dressing which I'm not sure what it is, but I know it's not good for me, and that's awesome! Typically I get the steak sandwich meal, it's only $12, a smaller portion but fills me up. You'd be challenged to find a place that would be cheaper with what you get. If the steak needs some help, ask for the Clearman's sauce, very good slightly tangy taste that surpasses any steak sauce I've ever tried. The cheese bread is so danged good!! Btw and Rootbeer is Rootbeer but tastes good in a glass,would be better in a big mug but the glass is fine.
(4)
Raphael M.
The atmosphere gets a 5 stars. The food.... Well, let's just talk about the atmosphere! Decorated like a log cabbin in the snow-covered North, this restaurant is oozing charm. Snowshoes and taxidermied wildlife adorn the walls. The windowless dining hall transports you from the hot, dirty suburban sprawl of the SGV into the backwoods of Michigan. Gotta love a vacation like that.
(3)
Jen V.
My family always makes it a point to eat here when visiting from out of state. My mom and her family used to live out here, and it holds a deep nostalgia that has embedded itself in her children. But for good reason -good food, good feeling, good prices! The interior is like a big cozy log cabin with Tiffany lamps hanging from the ceiling, peanut shells on floor, red leather chairs, stained glass windows with winter scenes, and oil paintings on the walls. It doesn't have a fireplace, but it does have a big bar with flat screen tvs that play sports. The front room is big and open with lots of tables, and they have a back section for a more intimate dining experience. The exterior actually looks like a snow-covered log cabin, so it's easy to spot. Also they have a spin off restaurant next door called "The Boat" that has cheaper menu items like burgers and fries.....and it actually looks like a fishing boat, which is a lot of fun! Small parking lot but they have plenty of overflow parking in the lot behind North Woods. Bowls on peanuts on the table, interesting stand up menus in the shape of iron cauldrons, and hot cheese bread that melts in your mouth are just a few of the unique items you get at North Woods Inn! Let's talk about the food -basic surf and turf items to pick from, and I've enjoyed their shrimp before, but last time I had to go with the 9oz (Jen-sized) Lumberjack steak with the baked potato. The steak was delicious -I'm known to pair my meat with a sauce I make from horseradish, sour cream and A1 sauce, but this cut was seasoning well and cooked to perfection, so I just ate it plain. The baked potato was enormous, and my mom says that they actually downsized and 20 years ago the potatoes used to be as big as the plate! Also comes with a chicken-y rice pilaf -which I enjoyed, and I'm not a big fan of rice. Each entree comes with 2 family-style bowls of salad -the sweet blue cheese salad and the sweet tangy cabbage salad. The blue cheese salad is a bit odd because it's pink -I found the recipe online and the pink color is due to the Hungarian paprika in the recipe. All you need is butter milk, garlic, blue cheese crumbles and Hungarian paprika for the dressing -the last time I had it here I was a little disappointed because they didn't put enough paprika or garlic......or maybe I just go overboard when I make it at home. The red cabbage salad is a basic cabbage with a tangy vinaigrette -it's tasty, but I prefer the blue cheese salad. They have a good variety of cocktails to choose from ($5 margaritas and martinis during happy hour), and I choose Cactus cooler -which I think had orange juice, rum and pineapple juice or something like that. It was delicious! Wrapping this up, the wait staff was friendly and attentive, the food came out quickly, and all in all it was a great experience. Tell your friends and bring the kids. I know that I've written a short review of this restaurant before, but I feel like I half-assed it, and I ate here recently and decided to go more in depth -sorry guys, I'll try not to give you anymore rushed reviews.
(4)
Christine T.
Been living around this area for years and I barely decided to try this place out. Had the filet mignon which was decent, they also charge for splitting the plate. The bread and salad was delicious! probably because of all the cheese on the bread, and all the dressing on the salad... the potato was also pretty good. They also give free peanuts and you just basically throw the shells on the floor.
(3)
Jerry P.
After visiting the Huntington Library and Gardens in San Marino as we do at least once a year, and as we did two weeks ago, we almost always stop by this Clearman's. The surrounding stores have changed and have been modernized, but Clearman's is the same. Yep, snow on the roof, and a log cabin feel. No, your not in Yosemite. This place is similar to the upper Wisconsin supper clubs, to a degree. The big bawdy bar always beckons for me to have a large schooner of beer. And peanuts are available for free by the pail full. Then on to the restaurant section, where bawdy pictured women are framed in a classy way. The two salad choices are made in front of you ( I like the red cabbage), and the steaks are always good, but not necessarily great. The shrimp was very good. And long live the cheese bread. You can spend as little as $12 for a steak sandwich, or $30 for the best steak. We ended the meal , as always, with the mud pie. Took two bites, and the rest came home. Too full. Come here to have fun and to relax, especially after walking around Huntington Library for 6 hours.
(4)
C M.
I used to love coming to this restaurant for family gatherings, birthdays, and its great for groups! LOVE the cheesy bread, the filet mignon, free peanuts, red cabbage and blue cheese salads mixed together wow, like a party in your mouth! love you how you can throw peanut shells on the floor =) Once I ordered the fish and it was dry and not cooked well so I asked them if they could fix that and they took it and replaced it right away for me and were very nice about it. I always order the baked potato with the cheese butter, omg so good! I want some right now!
(5)
Rieko O.
Unfortunately, I have to agree with Mr. K. I, too, use to enjoy going there, but on my last visit, the food was very greasy, the service was very slow and what really ruined my experience was having our dishes thrown on the table. The first time the lady did this, I thought "OK, maybe the dish slipped". But, when it continued to happen with every dish that was brought out, I got really upset. I wanted to give the waitress the benefit of doubt that maybe she was having a bad day. So, I purposely tried to be extra nice by saying lots of please and thank yous, but her attitude never changed.
(1)
leone i.
My boyfriend took me there for some comfort food, I had never been. This place is very kitsch down to the fake snow covered cabin rooftops. But I was open to it since he and his family frequent. I had the ribs..very tastey. The red cabbage salad was very good too. They serve alot of food so come with a grizzly bear appetite and all your hungers will subside.
(4)
Amanda Y.
Clearman's Worth Woods Inn was another "mystery lunch" excursion for me. The office didn't tell me where we were going, but I went anyway and we ended up at North Woods Inn. The restaurant was HUGE and it was reminiscent of Las Vegas oddly enough for me... The wait staff was friendly but a little slow, the food was ok- I had some soup and cheese bread to start, then I got the mahi-mahi fish and chips which was decent. I would stick with the salad and cheesy bread though if you go.
(2)
Hank C.
Wow. If I was rating this place for the ambience it'd be 1 star, but I'm not. Instead a 3.5/5 The wait was relatively short and as soon as I sat down I was bombarded with oily cheese bread and I couldn't resist. I had 2 slices and some of the salad which was pretty good, minus the super heavy dressing (ask for the dressing on the side if you don't like your salads soaked in it). When the steak came I repeated to myself a million times. "shitshitshitshit this is a lot of food." The entree itself was only okay with the steak being sub par. The rice pilaf was bland and the baked potato was dry and lumpy. The service on the other hand was very attentive! Be sure to come only after starving yourself :)
(3)
Erik L.
My favorite restaurant ever! Love the salad, cheese bread and steaks!
(5)
Chris S.
I love hitting up the bar here. Great happy hour, great service, and good food. You have to get cheesy bread and red cabbage!
(5)
Steph P.
If you want to let loose and clog your arteries, then this is the place to do so! Right when you walk in, you feel how relaxed it is, especially with all the peanut shells hanging around the floor. The food is truly a gut buster, for even the salads are heavy and filling! The baked potato is nice and the appetizers are good. Keep in mind that this food is unhealthy but having it now and then won't harm will it? The service is so-so but in my opinion, it should be better because this place is rarely packed.
(4)
tara q.
I love this place. Steak is a bit pricey but it's delicious. My bf and I usually split the porterhouse. It's cooked perfect every time we come there. One time they even offer to cook it medium on one side and medium rare on the other for us. I didn't even know they could do that. Fantastic salad and bread. It's yummy. Totally recommend. =D
(5)
Daniel T.
I visited this place on one occasion and me and my friends were even under the influence of marijuana. Thinking the food would taste great and satisfy our needs for a big juicy steak. The atmosphere was good walked in got sat immediately. The entertainment was good and very involved with the guests. This is where things get bad and where I get the low rating. The food was terrible. My friends steaks were drier then a bone mines was tough dry and salty. The bread tasted like salt and butter the rice was tasted like shiitake mushrooms( if you know what I mean ;() I would not recommend this place to anyone that wanted a good meal and I forgot to mention I paid about 30 dollars for my inferior meal. Never going again
(1)
Laura I.
I love this place! I've been going to this place since I was very very young. It has a great atmosphere, fancy wild wild west feel. The salads and the cheese bread that comes with every meal is worth a visit alone. Their steaks are tender and the mushroom gravy that is optional on a baked potato is to die for :)
(5)
Jenny L.
Walking into the restaurant, I felt like everyone was looking at my third eye. EVERY SINGLE TABLE stopped eating to gawk at my friend and I. I think it's because we weren't white and weren't with five million other people. I brushed off the stares, although I've just learned, my sister had a similar experience and she and her friends walked out. After reviewing their no-nonsense menu, I went with filet mignon, baked potato with cheese butter, rice pilaf and a glass of good ole H2O. I have to say, the salads are effin' queer and delicious. Creamy dressing on romaine and salty vinegary cabbage? WTF? It's a genius combo. The cheese toast? 9thousand calories but bring it on. I ate about 1/6 of my steak and decided enough was enough. I was wearing the perfect fat outfit too. Phew. Despite the staring, the almost unfriendly waitress and high prices, I think I might be back. That salad combo man, it kicked my puny ass.
(3)
Craig O.
I first went to this place over a decade ago and I knew I wanted to come back and I was not disappointed. This time I brought my fiance to celebrate my birthday. We think the whole log cabin decor with peanut shells on the ground is pretty cool. Service from our waiter Michael was great. Overate on the two salads and cheese breads (they are soo delicious!). Mike taught us the "taco salad" where u wrap the salad mixture with the cheese bread. Genius! He also told us how to prepare the leftovers to make a yummy breakfast. We ordered filet mignon an rib eye, both cooked perfectly medium rare. The cheese butter over the potatoes were sinfully awesome. They sing happy birthday to me and give me a simple scoop of orange sherbet with a candle. We are definitely coming back again. Don't know when, but definitely high in consideration for special occasions without going too fancy.
(5)
Teresa K.
I am biased in my feelings about this place because I only dine here once a year and we have been coming here for Christmas Eve Dinner in my family for at least 40 years. The entrees are not that great but the cheese bread and salads alone are worth it. This year the bar service on Christmas Eve was ridiculous. It is their busiest night of the year and there was ONE bartender and like maybe 2 bar waitresses. Really!?
(3)
Alisa Y.
This is where all the mall Santa Clauses used to meet because it's the only place where there is snow year-round. 5 stars if I could of stumbled into this restaurant asking for the presents they owed me. oh yea, I almost forgot, the food is terrible and terribly expensive. They give you rice with your cheese burgers, what the hell?
(2)
Riley B.
I come here often just to have lunch and enjoy the atmosphere, which is so different (in a good way) from everywhere else. I am a huge fan of the cheese bread, cabbage salad and blue cheese salad. Yummy. Oh yeah, and the peanuts.
(5)
Steve R.
This place is gross! Steaks are flavorless, baked potatoes are smothered in "cheese butter," vegetables are soggy, and their idea of a side "salad" is a bowl of lettuce drenched in dressing. I have no idea what people see in this place.
(1)
Valerie L.
I just love it here. My family comes here for very special occasions, and it has tons of nostalgic value. If you are driving on Rosemead, it is south of Huntington Dr, on the west side of the street, next to a monstrous Kohl's that ruins the look of the Clearman's area. The restaurant looks like a brown log cabin with a snow covered roof. The interior has a late 1800s feel to it, complete with a piano in the bar, wooden tables, and of course, the "sawdust". Once you are seated, you get bowls of peanuts. The sawdust comes from the encouragement to throw your shells on the ground. Since it does get swept, they like a constant supply of shells. If you are a first timer, I'd recommend coming here for lunch first, to assess if you like their food. They also have a to-go area right where you walk in (the proper front), where you can get bread, cheese spread, salads, and even dressing. There is also a side entrance that goes right into the bar. The women's restroom is just lovely, though I would love to have more toilets instead of a large vanity, just my opinion. It can get very loud, depending if there are large groups or not, and there's usually tons of kids in here, which I don't get; the food is a bit expensive to be taking the kiddies along. Inside is rather dark, with lighting feeling like lantern lighting. The menus are odd shaped, and hang on the wall between tables. Once seated as I said before, you get a bowl of peanuts. I came here to dinner with my husband, and we split an entree (there is a split plate charge). The entrees come with cheese bread, the lettuce salad and cabbage salad. None of those things are for those on a diet. The cheese bread is wonderful on sourdough bread. The lettuce salad is tossed with a blue cheese dressing and is always very crisp. The cabbage salad has a simple oil and vinegar. I like the steak on a stick, but this time my husband and I split the sirloin and lobster. I love lobster, and this is served in the shell for looks, with a stuffing. Our server, Michael, was fantastic; attentive, helpful, and a bit cheeky. He talked us into dessert, a chocolate cake, which as full as we were, we still devoured. All in all, I really like the food, though it is a bit expensive, and as much as I hate the ugly Kohl's next door, I'll still come over for special occasions.
(4)
Lisa L.
My family has been going to north woods forever. It is one of our favorite restaurants. Everyone loves the bread. My mom and husband both love the steak sandwich. My husband really likes the chili dogs. I like their Shirley temple and their iced tea. I love their soup and salad combo. Ever since I was a kid, this is the only thing I order on the menu. I just love their vegetable soup I would love to learn how to make it. Then, their are the peanuts you get to throw on the floor. how fun is that.
(5)
Tommy K.
I absolutely LOVE this place. I do recommend visiting the restaurant during "cold weather". It gives you that cozy feeling of being in a frontier cabin..(hence the snow atop of the cabin) Every time I've gone, sometimes the waiters/waitresses are in a moody stance. But hey, it's always busy. I'll let that slide.. PEANUTS ON THE FLOOR! It's a very dark place to eat. Which in MY opinion, is awesome. Going back to that "frontier feel", most of the restaurant is illuminated by candle-light. Perfect for a date on a Saturday night. I only come here when I have enough money to spend on a great steak. The prices are kind of high, but the amount, and portions are worth it. I can't really tell you how the menu is when it comes to other entrees, because of me 'already knowing what I want'. Everything comes with a coleslaw salad type. It's a blue-cheese/ranch dressing salad with a red cabbage on separate bowls to be mixed at your choice. OH...MY...GOD... The CHEESE-BREAD is literally "TO-DIE-FOR"! It's so good, Clearman's Spread is even sold at close-surrounding grocery stores. The All-You-Can-Eat cheese-bread is ... well, my mouth is watering thinking as I type. The steaks are cooked to your choice. (medium is my preferred choice anywhere) and the baked potatoes are just great as well. I really don't have much to say because of me not expanding my taste-buds, so that is pretty much it, The only thing that kind of irritates me, is 'the rule of sharing'. If you order a plate and a waiter/waitress sees you sharing your food, they automatically add (I think the amount of) $5 to your bill. I don't know why..I think the person who came up with THAT rule wasn't taught to share their personal items as a child...that's just me.. But since the portions are so huge, you can just ask for a "split" plate. That'll feed two people if you order a big enough entree. That's basically it.. Overall, this place has always kept my mind asking "when am I gonna go get a steak over there?" I have to go eat at their "Boat" I remember it as a child, but the memory isn't that great enough for me to review it. I'll visit soon. Kudos, Clearman's Village!
(4)
Casey S.
Excellent food and service, I had the filet supreme and it was absolutely one of the best steaks I have had in my life.
(5)
Dave H.
So nostalgic! The only thing I miss about this place is the cute waitress uniforms at some of the other North Woods Inns. If you have peanut allergies (like my son) - avoid this place! As you arrive you can grab your peanuts and drop the shells on the floor (ala luna cafe, gladstones, etc.). Great steaks here plus the cheesebread! Good ol' americana in casual atmosphere with a full bar. The food is good value for money with the portion sizes, etc. The steaks are the sellers here. Sandwiches are okay but nothing different from other places. Get a shrimp cocktail or bloody mary as well. Fun place for a casual date or with the family. If you want more casual head next door to the boat which is walk up service and also has a full bar and array of TVs to catch up on sports. For food - I would rate this 3 stars. For classic ambience and service it gets a 3.5. Cheesy yes like its famous cheese bread but still a fun dining experience different from all the chains.
(4)
Ryen R.
We visited this location a couple of weeks ago. This is one of my favorite restaurants and the food was great as usual. Our sever Anna was awesome.
(5)
J L.
Best steak ever! This place is a no frills, bordering redneck restaurant and I love it. The ribeye is delicious and tends not to be on the menu. Just enough char and cooked to your liking. Expect huge portions. Meals include cheese bread, 2 types of salad -bleu cheese lettuce and a vinegary red cabbage, baked potato and rice pilaf. And I can't forget the complimentary peanuts in shell for you to chuck all over the floor. I always leave here with lunch for the next day. Only qualm I have is that the servers are a bit awry. We sometimes come in and there is no one to really direct us. The bar area is good for dinner, but be aware that only a section of it is allowed for dining. I've observed servers telling patrons that "this section" is only for drinks but there isn't any obvious sign of which section is which. Sometimes they have live music, which is always entertaining.
(4)
Carlos M.
This place is a blast from the past. Food is good. It's the same, never changed since I went there in the 80's You can still through the peanut shells on the floor and relax.
(3)
Cecilia D.
Someone said you can't go home again but after coming back to this neighborhood icon after almost 20 years away, I was pleasantly surprised. Having just visited my sis who still lives in the area, the hubster and I passed this unmistakeable cabin on our way to the freeway and it gave me a yen for steak. I remembered the spot being kitschy with its cabin-in-winter-wonderland-theme, but I also recalled it was quite good. My steak was a perfect medium rare, juicy and flavorful. The salads were tasty and of course, the cheesy bread downright addictive. In fact, everything was really good. The service was just as delightful; our waiter looked like he'd worked there for years and was proud of the fact. So for under a $100, why not take a trip down memory lane? I'd already shown the hubster my high school after all, and this restaurant was THE date place when I was growing up. It was a perfect way to end the day after spending time with my sibs reminiscing about our youth.
(4)
TT H.
You come here to eat STEAK! Don't order chicken or fish. Service is great and the food is YUMMY. Mix your blue and red salad together, it is amazing. BEWARE, garlic cheesy bread is addicting! If you are like me, you fill up on bread and salad and end up taking your steak home. So you, might as well order your steak rare so you can finish cooking it at home later.
(4)
Lisa S.
Sorry, food was the only reason why they got 2 stars. I made reservations and noted that it was for a birthday. So naturally I would think they would bring something or ask if we would like something brought over to make that dinner more special. So again I did say I made reservations yet we waited 20 minutes but was told only had to wait 5 minutes. So just be prepared to wait even with reservation! Their hosts need to know that 20 min isn't 5 min so best to just tell them that even though you made reservations, there aren't any tables open so it would be 10-15 min? That would have been more reasonable. Although by the bar area, it was like a first come first serve with full service. I wished I had none or I wouldn't have waited 20 min and just sat down. We didn't mind the jazz music. Our waiter seemed to be in such rush. I guess business was slow? He wanted more tables for more tips? Barely smiled til the end obviously because he wanted a good tip. I had ordered no rice but veggies instead but what did I get, rice that I didn't want but he was never at our table long enough to explain to him that I ordered no rice but veggies instead. To top it off, I had to wait till our dinner was over to ask for a group picture which was horrible. I could have asked a guest there to take a better picture than that. Again rushing off without asking if the picture was good or not. Would I go back?? Probably not, I don't think the food was that good and the price I could get any other steak house with better service and better taste.
(2)
James D.
WORSHIPERS OF THE ALMIGHTY STEAK! Do you pine for the days when we killed our own steer, ripping apart skin and flesh for find that perfect amazing section of meat, and cook it over a roaring fire for all to enjoy? Yeah, me neither, but Clearman's food tastes exactly like the above. It's pricey, but you get a lot for it, such as garlic bread with lots O' butter, a salad that even I, an open carnivore approve of, and of course....the steak. Clearman's offers many steaks for many an appetite, but in my opinion, there is but ONE reason why you would go to Clearman's. That reason is the PORTERHOUSE Steak. I have to say PORTERHOUSE in all caps because the PORTERHOUSE Steak is the steak to end all steaks. All other steaks bow down in reverence to the greatness of the PORTERHOUSE steak. They also had the biggest damn potato I had ever seen. Given it was father's day when I went, but I wish our waiter had better monitored our drinks, hence why it's four starts instead of five. But I still recommend it for whenever you need to eat a large load of great glorious meat.
(4)
Charles C.
I was introduced to this restaurant through my wife's friends and we have gone back over and over again. I would like to start by saying that if you are a frequent Yelper as I am (mostly to find yummy places, not to post about them...but I am learning to do so), you would know to look at all the standard information to the right of the page. One of those categories is Price. No, this place is not Sizzler level prices, but the food is not either. It is not the Souplantation either, so if you are counting calories, you should avoid this restaurant as well. The food is on the heavier side, but is really, really good. I will admit that when we go that we target the steaks as that is what we go there for, so we can recommend those. The place is a little dark and...odd?, but I guess that is part of the fun. We have always had really good service to date.
(5)
Mullaney P.
This place used to be on point and our go-to for celebratory family dinners, but after our visit last night I'm not sure we'll be going back. The overall food quality has gone down but prices have gone up. The garlic bread, salads and baked potato were great but the steaks were just meh. They were smaller than before, weren't cooked to our specification and didn't taste as good. The rice was rather bland as well. Our kids got chicken strips and fries and the fries had obviously been out much, much longer. Guess we gotta find a new place to go...
(3)
Jason S.
I have been coming to the North Woods Inn for 35+ years. I love the salads, the cheesebread, the steaks and the ambiance. Recently I have become a HUGE fan of the cheesebread sliders that are offered on the lunch menu. Not a trendy hipster joint, it's an old school restaurant that NEVER disappoints. The Rosemead location is the best!
(5)
Melinda L.
North Woods has been my family's special event go-to place for years (including for my birthday tomorrow). In all those years we had sub-par service exactly once. They're not cheap but the great thing about this place is that unlike a lot of restaurants they'll raise prices when necessary instead of cheaping out on the quality and quantity of the food. The food is great and the portions are huge, so you do get your money's worth. North Woods is famous for their cheese bread and I'm a huge fan of their cabbage salad. They also have hands-down the best baked potatoes in the world. I don't know if it's the potatoes they use or something they do during prep, but they're fantastic. All the steak and seafood I've had there over the years has been top-notch. Just one warning on the steaks - if you order it rare, you will get the rarest steak you've ever been served. The one time I did this, it was too rare even for me (and I like my steaks still mooing) but the waiter did warn me in advance that they take "rare" seriously. He wasn't exaggerating. The only things I can criticize about North Woods: First, it can get really loud. Not unable to converse with others at your table loud, but still noticeably loud during peak hours. Also it's been my experience that for whatever reason their food doesn't really reheat well (an issue because the portions are so large that I never finish) and lastly that they won't cough up their cabbage salad recipe, which I would love to have. You can however purchase the cheese bread spread at the restaurant. This location is near Santa Anita Racetrack and is big with the track crowd, so if you're concerned about waiting for seating you might want to keep the track's schedule in mind.
(5)
Denise C.
Oh my goodness... I do love this place.. Quick warning, do not eat the peanuts, they are too filling. Just hang on a few minutes and your bread & salad will come... I've been going here for years and I have to say that my favorite items are the red cabbage with vinegar & the blue cheese salad. Of course some of the bread but not too much... Most people I know come here for the steaks but my favorite entree is the halibut. The halibut cut is just like that of a steak and grilled to perfection!!!! yummers... The service is good and they are very professional.. What is up Kohl's almost being attached????
(4)
Cindy S.
I love Northwoods Inn. When I was little I dreamed about going to the restaurant with the fake snow on top. Seriously. It wasn't till I became an adult that I came here and it did not disappoint. I have never gotten anything except the shrimp here because I love shrimp. I have tasted the scallops and those are really good as well but I still stick with the shrimp. I also love the red cabbage and blue cheese salad and bread. I like the interior but I know lots who don't. I will say the prices are very high. When I started coming here the shrimp was $20 which was still pricey but now it's $30! I still like it here but only can afford to come once a year. LOL
(4)
Joy B.
One of the great things about going out to drive unfamiliar territories that I will soon be an expert in is that we get to have lunch in a place I'd otherwise never eat at. Todays special was Clareman's. A snow capped log cabin in 73 degree weather is a sight to see. Gotta love it. It brought memories of Santa's Village-faux snow and all! Anyway, we went inside and it was so dark that it took a few minutes for my irises to adjust. When I could finally refocus and see I felt transported to the twilight zone. Crock pot dye cut menus are propped up on all the tables; old fashioned stained glass windows shine in rays of color to the otherwise dark dining room. The floor is nicely peppered with peanut droppings. There are actual signs that literally say "throw peanut shells on floor". Concerned about a kidnapping or other consequence, I decided to do what the sign said and littered like the rebel I am. The only sign of modern life was the flat screen tv on one side of the room. There were lots of older folks and some single older folks, a few youngin's with their parents, teens, tweens, and 20 somethings. It was pretty interesting that a place this strange has the uncommon ability to appeal to the masses. Saw 2 people celebrating bdays and anniversaries-they got a strange dessert in a cup. This place is great for sheer experience. There aren't many places like it outside of Disneyland. Now to the food- I ordered the broiled chicken sandwich. First, you get a big medieval style goblet of water, toast with special butter sauce that makes your aortic muscles pump overtime to move through the digestion process. But um-uum! It's so good! The dressing came next, after poking around with my fork I realized it came with salad! I mixed the purple cabbage in and that was equally hazardous to my health but again, damn good! I am usually very picky about eating healthy but I made an exception for this peculiar cabin next to Kohl's. My sandwich came, nestled between 2 more secret butter sauce pieces of bread, cabbage, a pickle, and rice pilaf. The chicken was pretty tender and not chewy or bland. After noticing labored breathing, I did the right thing at took the rest of my meal to go. We ate at noon. It is now 8:10p.m. and I am STILL full. I suspect the cheese toast is still slowly working its way down, like thick peanut butter through a straw. Yek. The #2 session that follows the departure of this meal is not going to be pretty! My system has been conditioned from my years of choosy eating to reject junk/bad/fast/fatty food the way bouncers deny the gorditas standing in line at the swankiest snobbiest clubs. Well, the fact that it was deliciouso and kept me full for over 8 hours and counting makes it ok just this once. I was almost tempted to purchase the take home tub of butter-cheese spread to make the toast at home (cause I just didn't ingest enough calories during lunch)! But once we opened the door that lead back out to the real world I came back to my senses as soon as sunlight hit my face, causing me to squint and hiss in a vampire like fashion. I was released from the log cabin spell. Full, bloated, and carrying my food baby, I waddled to the car and took one last look at the snow caps in the rear view mirror as we drove away. P.S. I hear there' another restaurant owned by the same operators called the boat (because it's an actual boat)! That will be the next adventure to explore. Hopefully I don't get land sick on the asphault sea-I've been told it can get rough out there! I highly recommend this place just so you can say you've eaten here. Just make sure to not eat for like a week after, cause you'll hit your caloric quota in one sitting.
(3)
Michele S.
I've been going here with family since I was a child. My Father would ask me if I wanted to go to the place with the animals who ran through the wall. I knew where he was talking about, they have deer and other animal heads hung up. I also remember the "nudes" on the wall. The lovely old fashioned art on the walls. This is a go to for Birthdays, celebrations or just if you get hungry for their exceptional salads and cheese bread. The red cabbage salad is like no other and believe me, i've tried to duplicate, tried many variations on recipes and nothing is like Northwoods red cabbage salad. Same for their plain iceberg salad. It is just iceberg lettuce chopped, but the dressing is exceptional and again, I have found no good substitution. And the cheesebread, oy, the cheesebread!! So fattening, but so good!! I went here recently for my birthday and usually I just have the salads, bread and a potato with the whipped cheese butter, but I felt like a filet mignon which comes with the salads, bread and potato. The filet was cooked to perfection. Truly, it's hard to get a properly cooked filet at medium rare. The inside was like butter, so tender and tasty. No, it's not cheap but sometimes good food shouldn't be cheap.
(4)
Diane H.
Since the 1970s we've made a point of visiting the North Woods Inn, many memories. This visit yesterday was our last. Did management change? Our meal was adequate but LOADED with either salt or msg, still have that taste lingering in our mouths. The salad was still dripping water from being on ice, add that to the amount of salad dressing and it was unedible. Had to search for our waiter to ask for another drink (soda and lemonade), Then had to ask the host to send our waiter to our table with our check. The ultimate insult came when my husband asked for some more bread and were told that it would cost us additional, never had that happen in all our previous visits. Very sad to see this establishment go the way of a chain family restaurant/coffee shop.
(2)
Joanna B.
I used to love NWI and have been eating here since I was a kid - does anyone remember the village at the back of the property with the similar looking stores? I hate to say that the thrill is gone- but it is. The last few times we have tried it, the service was bad - and this is after lunch - not a busy time, the food is bland and tastes frozen. I really wish they would get a restaurant impossible to come and help the food quality - so we can come back! The last time we even smelled a bad sewer smell that was the final death Nell. Go to the galley for the salad take out instead.
(1)
Sunshine P.
Have you ever tried their cheese bread? You will be surprised! It is super good. I love their blue cheese salad as well. You go to the heaven. Service is not bad, but not great either. Main entrees are....okay. Not great as the bread and the salad. The price is high. Really high. If you just wanna enjoy salad and bread, I recommend to go to" the boat."
(3)
Joe D.
Close your eyes yelpers. Think to your past. Think about a time when restaurants with crazy crap on the walls weren't chains like Applebee's or T.G.I. Friday's. Think about a time when restaurants that were family or kid oriented didn't necessarily mean that the food was crap pizza and revolved around arcade games, dirty tokens, tickets, and trinkets. Try to remember where you were taken when you were knee high and it was some kid's birthday or an older cousin's graduation party. Remember how good the food was? Remember how happy all the adults were because they were drinking big frosty adult beverages? This is that place. I remember being taken to a BBQ restaurant like this when I was a kid. It had a theme and had crazy crap on the walls and was called Moe's Family Feedbag or something. I loved going there! Then I got to be a teenager and became too cool for this type of place. Places like this got lame. Shortly after that, Dad became a vegetarian and we really stopped coming to places like this. Then places like this started to disappear from the landscape completely and I forgot that they even existed. That is until a friend of mine had a going away dinner here a few weeks ago. This place is awesome and perfect for a gathering. The outside looks like an establishing shot from an animated Christmas special. Then you get in and you feel all warm and cozy like a sweater. The wait for a table is long but there is plenty of peanuts and HUGE glasses of GOOD beers for relatively cheap prices. The cheese bread is a drug. If they adopted the drug dealer's business model and didn't charge for the first hit and upped the price for each hit after that, there would be a Northwoods Inn on every corner. As I type this, I'm slapping my arm trying to make a vein pop out. It is that good. Your food will come out very quickly after you order it. This makes up for the long wait for the table. The portions are huge. I suggest getting one of their big meals and splitting it with a friend. Even split in half, this is a huge meal. Your meal comes with two salads. If you are adventurous, try mixing them together. You'll thank me later. Is it the best steak ever? No. Is the ambiance worth it? Eff Yes. Remember when you were a kid, your dad would unzip his pants at the end of the meal so his belly could breath? Welcome to adulthood.
(4)
Frank R.
OK, I've been going here since I was 5 years old. I'm in my forties now and I'm still alive after all that bad stuff..... You can't beat the cheese bread and the salad that come with your meal. I must say though that I'm disappointed with the steaks these days. I do believe the quality of the food dropped except for the cheese bread and salad (they can't screw that up). I sadly have to say that I would rather go to a real steak house for the price I'd pay for their steaks. I still go when the group goes but that's it.
(3)
Jessica R.
This place is overpriced. The mixed salad with red cabbage is the only thing that stands out. The cheese bread is so greasy it leaves grease all over your lips. I needed steak sauce for the steak because it was too dry.
(2)
Dennis I.
I still like going to North Woods and it's one of the San Gabriel Valley's steakhouse icons. Whenever it was someones birthday my dad would always take everyone here. It was a real treat to know you were going to that restaurant with the snow on top and looks like a cowboy fort. Do they have the best steaks? not really (but decent). Is it cool? not really (but it's different) Is it a great value? not really (I mean that) Is it bad for your health? yeah baby! Do they make killer cheese breads and salads? you bet! See in the old days no cared about healthy food. That's why they make this super good cheese bread (I have a pretty good recipe for it) and blue cheese salad that probably packs more calories than a big mac meal. If you didn't know the old North Woods then you missed out the best part as they hired really hot woman who wore red check low cut dresses with short skirts and high heels. Huge cleavage action, long leg action, and all the delicious cheese bread and salad you could eat. Oh, and being a kid I can't forget the naked woman paintings on the wall! This is a real old school steakhouse from the sixties and it's still run well (sorry guys, no more short skirts and cleavage action). If you're looking for a decent steakhouse with a lumberjack (it looks like it's made with Lincoln logs) feel to it then it's worth checking out. For food, I like the NY for taste. The blue cheese salad is my favorite, but a lot of people like the red cabbage vinaigrette. Let me know if you find a better cheese bread. Huge baked potato (get whatever you want on the side for it). Don't bother with the dinner sandwich stuff (not very good), fried chicken is good, skip the fish kabob, fried fish is decent, lobster is old school (Australian) and generally good. Great for kids as you can throw the shelled peanuts they give you on the floor or at each other (which I still often do, sorry I regress here). The old timers and locals already know about it and I think it will still be popular over the next 50 years.
(4)
bernice c.
The fattiest food ever!!! Don't come here unless you want to pack on some pounds. The bread is super greasy. The food is super buttery. The salad has way too much sauce. We ended up spending $80 on the bill, barely ate and didn't bring any of it home. Good points: friendly service and huge portions
(2)
A M.
****drools.. I only come here for one thing and it's their garlic toast bread! I usually buy their garlic spread for $5 to take home ... Great hangout to watch sports.
(4)
J S.
Very disappointing, It appears that this restaurant continues its downhill slide. I guess I missed the clue when we walked in, no wait on a Saturday night. I have been going here since the 60's, and it has always been a great place to dine, a little pricy but you never left hungry and the food was excellent. Well, the service was great, the food, not to good. It appears the corporate bean counters have taken over after the owner passed.
(2)
Deborah K.
Northwoods Inn is is a ridiculously overpriced excuse for a theme restaurant. The decor is a kitschy 1950's log cabin with sawdust and peanut shells on the floor but not done in a way to make it cool like the Big Foot Lodge bar has accomplished. Sure, the cheese bread is good, but the appetizer and entree prices are ridiculous and the service sucks! Anyone who raves about the salad has obviously never had a good salad. Overdressed limp iceberg lettuce and overdressed boring red cabbage? Come on! There are a lot of much higher-end restaurants where I can spend the same amount of money and have world-class service and world-class food. Even the drink prices are out of control. $7 for the "special" drink of the evening and $32 for us to buy three shots of rum. Next time I want some of Clearman's cheese bread (the only thing really worth coming here for), I'll go down to their other restaurant, The Galley, down the street. At least the prices there are reasonable for what you get.
(1)
Virginia Y.
Super dissapointed w/ tonight's dinner, porterhouse steak was overcooked then it was undercooked even after they took it back to cook it some more. Service was a bit slow too.. salad was good though but I think I'm over this restaurant. Sucks when you crave steak and you get dissapointed like that. They gave us a comment card, I so wanted to leave a comment and tell them to use a meat thermometer to make sure they cook the steak correctly!
(2)
Mel L.
I'll second Hannah C.'s comments about the steak: They're not very good for the price they charge. You would expect a better cut of meat given its top billing on their menu, but it is very fat, not trimmed well, and not cooked well at all. I think this place survives on nostalgia rather than its food or service. Going into the restaurant it's like a dungeon, almost pitch dark. The best part about the meal is the bread, we call it cancer bread 'cuz it's full of butter and grease and salt, you can feel your arteries hardening while eating it.. Yum. Better off spending a few bucks more going to a Ruth's Chris or Morton's for your quality steak. I've also had their steak sandwich for lunch and the meat was even worse...
(2)
Bill M.
One of my favorite restaurants on earth. I start jonesing for the cheesebread about every three-four weeks. I've been going to the North Woods Inn since it was located on Huntington Drive in Monrovia. They moved it to Rosemead & Huntington in 1966, next to the Golden Cock, when the 210 Freeway was being built . The Golden Cock is long gone, and the Galley, aka "The Boat," just reopened weeks ago. As a kid, I loved the lumberjack look and feel of the place. Still do! They serve a proper cocktail, meaning the alcohol is delivered neat, in a shot glass, and the mixer in a glass with ice. This is the old school way of ensuring that your liquor isn't cut or watered or substituted. Dinners come with two bowls of salad served family-style. One is a green salad with a creamy dressing, the other red cabbage with a vinegar dressing (not mayo as some idjit claimed). The waiter mixes them at your table, then you pass the bowls around and help yourself. Combining the two salads in your bowl is the best. Along with the salad comes the cheese bread. I could (and should) make a meal of just the two salads and cheese bread. Note: The cheese bread isn't "oily" or "greasy." It is cheesy with a high butter content. (God, I get sick of being lectured about healthy eating. You don't eat here every day!) BTW, the menu clearly indicates how items are prepared, so the person who was shocked that her appetizer plate was FRIED wasn't paying attention. Also, they serve cheese bread, not garlic bread. I think any review that mentions "garlic bread" should be ignored since the writer obviously has no clue what s/he is eating. For the main course you are going to get a baked potato, rice pilaf and some form of steak, seafood, or surf & turf. Lets just say that the steaks are GREAT! Thick cuts of tender, juicy, perfectly cooked beef. The potato is offered with your choice of topping, one of which is cheese-butter. Very tasty but too rich for me. For years I relied on the Lumberjack steak which is thick, tender and delicious, but I could never finish the whole thing, even the small one. Made for a good steak and egg breakfast the next morning, though. Nowadays I have the filet which is just right. The whole meal, including a large imported beer and tip runs about $35, which I consider a bargain for the quality and quantity of food. I have had mixed results with the Mahi-Mahi, usually perfect but on one occasion slightly over cooked. The Aussie lobster tails are tasty. Service is good-excellent, not great. I miss the days when the waiters were all men in white aprons down to their shoetops and the cocktail waitresses wore really short frilly dresses with a lot of cleavage. Even our favorite things change with time. Most, but not all, of the nude paintings have had clothing added, and there is no longer a honkey-tonk piano player in the bar. The new south parking lot entrance (a result of Kohl's presence) is much less inviting than the northern entrance into the waiting area. Go, try not to be a pretentious jerk, and have fun.
(5)
Anita C.
you call this food?? i would give northwoods 0 stars if i could because this is the absolute worst restaurant i've eaten at in recent memory. i don't understand why there are mobs of people who come here. maybe to eat the peanuts and throw the shells onto the floor? how about if i grill you a steak, let you throw peanut shells on my floor, and charge you $20? with the exception that you'd enjoy your dinner! i had the sirloin burger, thinking it was a safe choice. wrong! it was slathered with this nasty red lettuce slop drenched in vinegar. i couldn't even finish it. add to it, the extra plates of the vinegared lettuce slop they give to you on the side. no thank you. maybe people enjoy the childhood memories at this place but memories don't generate good food.
(1)
Dave L.
Fake snow and log cabins... I feel like I've entered Frontierland of the Magic Kingdom! The thing to get here is steaks. You can't go wrong unless you get it well-done. Their sides include typical lettuce salad, an interesting red cabbage coleslaw, and super greasy cheese bread. I stick with the coleslaw because I like to believe it helps with digestion. The cheese bread is crazy tasty, but I don't trust the way it bubbles... Tips: Go crazy with the peanuts.
(4)
Daniel S.
The burger was decent, but even better after my friend told me to drench his chili over the top......niiiiicceee!!!
(3)
Daryl I.
Here are my favorite things about this chain of restaurants, in order of importance: 1) The garlic cheese bread. The spread is so darn good that they sell it in stores! If they keep bringing it, I'll keep eating it until I go into cardiac arrest. 2) The red cabbage cole slaw. In general, I detest cole slaw, but this version is based on red wine vinegar (so I guess it's more like red sauerkraut) and I can assure you, this stuff is great. It mixes really well with their house salad with blue cheese dressing. Our server recommended that to us! The food is pretty well executed, but don't come here expecting any bargains, and don't be expecting the menu to change during our lifetime, either. Entrees ranges from $15 on up, and there is no lunch menu. Prices are the same whether it's for lunch or dinner, which is a drag for me, because I only come here for lunch and I can't afford $20 lunches very often. Okay, maybe I don't want to pay for $20 lunches here!
(4)
Pati L.
If I had to choose one last meal to eat, it would have to be eaten at the North Woods Inn. I would have the steak and lobster with a cheese butter baked potato. The steak is good, but i have to say this is some of the best lobster you can ever hope to eat (outside of rosarito). I go here every year for my birthday, and I have never been disappointed. However, I don't recommend eating here if you are afraid of eating lots of fat. I swear, I literally (not figuratively) gained 3 pounds after eating here. I don't think anything here is even remotely good for you. Which is exactly the reason I love this place. Even the salad could give you a heart attack :)
(5)
Linda B.
Have gone here for the last 35 years. Prices just keep going up. The potato has gotten much smaller and now it tastes like they use margarine in place of the butter in their once fabulous cheese butter. The scallops were unchanged and sooo good. My husband had the New York steak and was disappointed, small and tough. Let's face it, they're known for their chicken, but a $24.00 chicken dinner is hard to swallow. They still have a boring and VERY limited wine selection. My husband likes the goblets of dark beer. Lastly, the cool Rubenesque paintings were gone and some flowery faux french impressionist scenes had replaced them. On top of all of this the table was crusty, I scraped dried on stuff with my fingernails.
(2)
Vee C.
Great if you like to hide - pretty dark inside! The two salads is great, and the guy who served it to us, I just wanted to put in my pocket and take home. The jumbo shrimp is also great. I ordered a steak but didn't eat a lot of it, because I'm not really a steak person, I was just curious about it. It was better than I thought it would be. The inside is very charming, log cabin'd out with old (really old) paintings of nude women, random kitschy stained glass windows and huge bear pelts accenting the inside. It has a a timeless 70's winter scheme, would probably be better being in the winter, but even in 100 degree weather you can pretend it's January once you're inside. Our waitress was totally attentive and checked up on us many many times. She also had this great way of speaking to her customers like they were kids and she was serving them cookies. "Would you like a drink? You'd like a drink, huh!" "You still ok over there? I'll be right back, ok? Right back!" Will be back. I love the SGV.
(4)
Darren M.
Northwoods has been a family tradition since before I was born. My mom and dad talk about coming here in the 50s and they say the menu is exactly the same. From throwing the peanut shells on the floor, to their famous red cabbage and blue cheese salads, to their buttery cheese bread, Northwoods is simply an institution. I always love their crab legs - the portion size is huge. And while their steaks have always been decent, they now have a ribeye special that is very good.
(5)
Kristie H.
Order whatever you want because when it comes down to it, you probably won't touch your dinner at all. You'll be too full from peanuts, cheese bread, and amazing salad. I would probably go with the lumberjack steak vs. the mahi mahi. The fish was a tad dry but Clearman's just tastes amazing the day after as well. Tell them to refill your salad and bread and take it all home!!!
(4)
Annemarie H.
Been coming here for years! I always get the same things: Blue Cheese Salad, Red Cabbage salad (you gotta mix them!), Cheesy bread, steak or lobster. The food is always really delicious, in big portions, and everyone who has served me has been really nice! I will continue to come to North Woods and bring family and friends.
(5)
Lina M.
Northwoods Inn, or the snow restaurant as my family fondly used to call it has been a staple in my family for many, many years. We used to come here for birthdays, mothers/fathers day, anniversaries, and various other important milestones. We stopped coming regularly about 6 years ago, as my mom got on a kick of buying just the salad and cheese bread from The Galley and purchasing steak and lobster elsewhere and preparing the meal, minus the rice pilaf at home. At the time, we started doing this, the prices had went up, and the quality had took the slightest dip. Well, fast forward to the present. My mother was in town visiting over the holiday's and my Aunt's decided to take her out for birthday brunch or lunch last minute. I had already planned to cook my mom dinner that night, so I purchased steak and lobster and planned on making my own salad and loaded baked potato for her. My point of telling you all this is to let you know why we decided to order something other than the usual steak meal from Northwoods. My mother got the broiled halibut meal. This had to be the driest piece of fish I have ever tasted in my life. It also no flavor what so ever. Thank God it came with tartar sauce, which my mother typically hates. But in this instance had to use in order to even shove down two bites of fish. I ordered the Seafood Combination. It came with broiled shrimp, cod and scallops. Bleh, let's just say thank God for the lemon slices and salad dressing. Otherwise I wouldn't have had anything to dip these tasteless, over cooked fish pieces in. The scallops were way overdone making them way too chewy. The cod had no taste, and the shrimp was really the most edible item. My baked potato was overcooked and chewy too. Other people at the table ordered steak and they were also disappointed for various reasons, including the cut, the taste, the quality etc. The salad was not up to par either. The iceberg blue cheese part of the salad was already browning and obviously that compromised the taste. The red cabbage part of the salad was also not crisp, so it didn't offer that contrasting texture it is supposed to. Even the peanuts were stale!!! The delicious cheese bread, now that I haven't been in years is really just a greasy disaster. I mean maybe we hit them on an off day? Or maybe I've grown up and dining at much better steak joints. I mean you can buy a better cut of Fillet Mignon at Costco nowadays! Which is exactly what we did. Thank God for the meal I made at home later that evening because we left completely unsatisfied and thankful we weren't picking up the bill! Thanks for the memories Northwoods, but I am going to leave it at that, nostalgic childhood memories.
(2)
Alonzo R.
The service was horrible, waiter took forever to help us, we really had to look for him the whole time. Usually we come here because it's always nice and quiet, but this time it was just loud and annoying with the music that was being blasted. We've never had to pay an additional charge for splitting a meal ever. The meal was already 20.00 so I guess it does justice to add another 7 dollars just to split for two people. To be honest all I'd careful is a refund on the whole thing. Bad waiter, unfair charges and loud ass music. I hope something can be done about this cause I really like this place, but I really don't want to go through that experience again.
(1)
Jon G.
Even though I live in Denver, CO now. Nothing compares to the North Woods Inn. I've been going there since I was in a car seat (1970) and I make sure to go there every time I visit CA. The salad w. blue cheese dressing and the cheese bread...I could live on that...lol. And not on the menu, but the double lobster tail is the best. Their steaks are always done perfectly and full of flavor.
(5)
Marie F.
We stopped in for Happy Hour after a day at The Huntington. Overall, it was a pretty good experience and the kiddos loved it. We have been going to Clearman's since they had a location on 2nd Street in LB. So long ago! Anywho, I had the salads with bread. The bleu cheese dressing is so yum but the lettuce was wilted and brown. That was not good. The cabbage salad was great as always and the bread is SO delicious. We got steak, ribs, sliders, zucchini sticks (way too few) and potato croquettes (THE BOMB). My hubby thinks the sliders are some of the best he has ever had. The peanut thing is fun and the kiddos loved that, too. We ate well for $50 so yes, value is good and it is a fun environment. We wish you were closer, Clearman's. Come to the OC!
(4)
Daniel J.
A kinda woodsy looking restaurant by my main office in Arcadia. They offer peanuts whose shells can be tossed to the floor. I've been to a place in LBC like this and it sucked harder than a down-on-his-luck-gentleman-who-just-didnt-know-Âwhen-to-fold trying to score dinner for the weekend! Anyways, iwent with the (some long name) burger w/bacon. It was pretty good, but much smaller than the name suggested; it took me longer to order than eat!! Service was ok, the guy passed my refill policy. Portion were too small for me to consider coming back
(3)
Angel S.
Took the wife there for lunch last Wednesday.Cheese toast is greasy but good.Blue and red salads are good.Portions are adequate and the service is great.I suggest not to use a Groupon here don't be a tight wad spend some money and live a little.Got the rib eye with baked potatoe and rice.Had enough steak left over for Thursdays lunch.Great place,love North Woods Inn.
(5)
Martin F.
Man ,was I disappointed ! Took the family to celebrate an event. After we sat down we ordered a beer and appetizer. We waited for the waiter to return and when he did he totally ignored us. The restaurant was almost empty. Bad vibe. We will never go back. We live 2 miles away what a shame. We tip good my wife is a server & bartender. We know how service in a well run restaurant should be.
(2)
Hmh H.
I don't know where to start - basically, this is the best place in the entire world and it puts a smile on my face everytime I go there. Food is a+, atmosphere is even better. And of course the cheese butter is fan-fucking tastic
(5)
Deanna M.
My Dad took me out to dinner for my 53 birthday. We chose this place instead of The Outback (Which I love) or Black Angus. When I saw the prices I freaked! Dang......:( I ordered the Scallops( $40.00!,) she said they are fried. I did not like that , so I got them steamed. My dad ordered the Fillet Mignon and he asked what kind of veggies comes with the dinner. The waitress said a mixed vegetable with broccoli , well my dad can't eat broccoli it makes him sick. He asked if they could take it off of his plate. She said no it comes that way. He said huh? You don't have any other vegetable to offer? Can you just take out the broccoli please. She said no again :( My mom ordered a Salad from the Bar Menu because she wanted Romaine Lettuce and all the main menu Salads come with Ice Burg. The Manager came to our table and asked if everything was OK. My dad said that he just did not want broccoli. She said sorry but the veggies come in individual packages. He said why can't you open two packages and remove the broccoli and charge me for the second portion? But once again no WIGGLE ROOM to make the customer happy. Funny my Dad never complains at restaurants this is the first Ive witnessed it. His Meal came and it had a lot of B R O C C O L I !!!!!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!! He just shook his head and said " I WILL NEVER DINE HERE EVER AGAIN!) KEY POINT: When an Restaurant is Charging $ 40.00 a plate the customer would naturally expect to get good service and the customer is requesting no broccoli , why would you serve it to them??? I understand that the the manager did not want to deal with any changes or request! OBVIOUSLY THEY DID NOT !!!!! The check was somewhere around $ 130.00 OR more we all had water except for my dad who had a Corona Beer. We did not want to pay $3.50 for soda! My Dad loves to take family, freinds and clients out to dinner all the time. Too bad he won,t be going back here! Well I grew up in Rose mead and thought it would be fun for Nostalgia's sake. NOT!!!!!!!! as DONALD TRUMP WOULD SAY " YOU ARE FIRED! What a shame NO MASHED POTATOES EITHER!!!!!!!!! HAPPY 53rd BIRTHDAY! YET RIGHT! By the way. The scallops were just OK. I recommend THE OUTBACK, YUMMY!
(1)
Leslie B.
I have been here several times, and each visit the service quality has declined. The number of staff cannot keep up with the guests, and the result for me is waiting half an hour for a drink. And if kids are running wild, the staff should say something instead of muttering to themselves. Time to find a new place for happy hour.
(1)
Steve S.
OK good steak prices seem a bit much for what you get. don't order the shrimp very disappointed only 3 hidden on a plate of rice and cabbage salad.
(4)
Sarah S.
This place is horrible, the food and service and ambiance is bad. The only good thing was that the Laker game was on. I am embarrassed that I let my date pay for this horrible food even though it was his choice. The toast is oily and soggy, the salad is dripping with dressing, the seafood taste like rubber and the filet mignon was so bad I can't even describe it. If you are looking for edible seafood or steak THIS IS NOT THE PLACE! The other chain restaurants like Outback and Black Angus are less expensive and have way better food!
(1)
Heidi W.
I am a long-time patron of the Clearmans family restaurants - have eaten at all of them at one time or another from San Gabriel to Norwalk. My father worked his way through Whittier College at Pico Rivera Steak and Stein in the early 50s and my family has been loyally going to their establishments for 60 years. But last night's meal here was the most mediocre experience I've ever had. I got a server with whom I've had problems before who did not even explain the specials (and I wanted fish). I asked about the fish offerings and they were all fresh- frozen, so I ordered the scallops which have been great before. While I was waiting for my meal, same waitress enthusiastically greeted another party and relayed the specials, among which were fresh salmon. Now I'm thinking to myself "why didn't she tell me that when I was asking about the freshness of the fish?" Hoping for the best, my meal arrives and I have these gray, formerly freezer-burnt little blobs of fish that vaguely resembled scallops. First two bites were rubbery and not flavorful. So I ask for the manager and told her everything mentioned here and she happily replaced the fish with the salmon, which was much better. Their dill butter that accompanies it was funky - too much dill, butter was not clarified so it looked like a murky yellow mush mixed too many herbs. It's really sad when a historic restaurant (now run by the "trustees" of the Clearmans family I was told) declines in quality because the tradition of pride in excellence is lost to generations of management that clearly doesn't care about the reputation their grandfather worked so hard to build. I still love their salads and cheese bread and steaks, but I'll think twice before I order any fish here again...if I go back.
(3)
Paul H.
I have been here only once but it was weird... I got the steak sandwich (open face). It came out, and it was just a steak and some rice? I asked the waiter if this was the steak sandwich and he replied "yes, it's open face". I just gave him a wtf look and he left. Isn't an open face SANDWICH supposed to have bread? I don't get it. Steak was pretty good though, was just expecting something different...
(2)
Rebecca D.
Do not order the chopped sirloin steak sandwich - horrible! Peppers and onions may be Visible with a magn ifying glass. After fifty years their owner should be embarrassed to let this come out of the kitchen!!!
(1)
Suzan P.
Food is ok. I love their salads. They have 2 salads that are supposed to be mixed together. Bread is good but greasy. If you are on a diet or trying to watch what you eat, then this is probably not the place for you. Large portions, but you can split for a split charge. The decor is awesome. It's like going back in time to a rustic lodge. All in all it's a good place to go, but can get crowded at times and the waiters can seem to be in a tizzy.
(3)
Gloria R.
I LOVE north woods inn, we have been coming here since we were kids! It's great!
(5)
San Gabriel N.
Me and my family like this place. They have nice customer service and a great baked potatoes!! At least once a month stop by and enjoy some peanuts with cheese bread!! Yummy!!
(5)
Rolando F.
This place sucks! I had their wings for starters. Plain, boring. Nothing that says wow! Dominos wings are far better! Steak sandwich was good. Although all it was, was a plain piece of stake w bread on the side, wack bread! Got their their stake plate which for their steak flavor was good. As for service, refills were not filled but 1 time. Our table remained dirty while they brought out our food, our waiter Gail sucks! Place was semi empty staff was good but their service or attention lacked big time. I won't be back.
(1)
Kari D.
I have been to another Northwoods location and the food is always great. This location was no exception. Firstly, our server (Anna) was fantastic. Ahw was prompt, attentive and super helpful. The environment was as expected, cosy and woodsy. The food was great, as usual. My boyfriend and I split the fried chicken ($6.95 charge to split but totally worth it). It was SO much food that we still brought home bread, both kinds of salad (red cabbage and blue cheese), rice pilaf and fried chicken. We'll have dinner for tonight with all that food. :-) And it was so yummy! They give you so much food for your money. It's not cheap but it's so worth it.
(5)
Roberr M.
We live around the corner and passed by for years We decided to go and it was great , we had the 32 oz rib eye and it was so delicious cooked to perfection along with it the most delicious baked potato and rice pilaf - we started with house special Mai tais and two salads with amazing cheese bread Our waitress Kim was so sweet and really was very attentive and hustled like I've never seen before The ambience is nice and campy in a way , but we sure enjoyed it
(5)
Dwain C.
I ate lunch at Clearman's North Woods Inn in San Gabriel, CA on 9/25/2014. I've eaten there many times before. This time I was with the lunch group The Lucky 13 (there were 11 of us that day). Some had their soup & salad for $6.95 while others had fish n chips ($9.95), corn beef sandwich ($10.95), patty melt ($10.95), halibut sandwich ($13.95) and shrimp cocktail ($14.95). They always serve good sized portions. Coffee was $2.50, ice tea was $2.50 and sodas were $3.50. Then there is always the free peanuts (whose sells you throw on the ground). Susan, our server, did a great job. Plus, I took photos.
(4)
Rodney M.
Always an awesome dinner!!!! Foods great. Steaks are tasty and the Two house salads are INCREDIBLE!!!..... All of this is even better when served by the skillful and incredibly sweet and helpful SUSAN!
(5)
Valentina L.
My friends took me here, this place is a FREAKING CRACK UP! A "snow covered' cabin in the woods with peanut shells on the floor! Who doesn't love that!? It is some sort of time warpy place with adorned Tiffany lamps in the ceiling and beer flows like rivers there! I was bad and had the BLACKBERRY SUNDAE-good gawd, it was GOOD...GOD! Great one man band : FERNANDO, he is AM-A-ZING! Fun to take out of town guests too! Will be back again!
(5)
Todd T.
I've been going to North Woods Inn since I was a kid and its still one of my favorite places. From the funky almost Disney-esque north woods theme to the great food its definitely a great place for meal and a fun place for a date. They tend to get a little busy during dinner time, lunch service is the best time to go.
(5)
Lina L.
My family and I been coming to Clearman's for years now and we still do. I really enjoy and love the red cabbage salad. The cheese bread is also amazing! My usual order is the Filet Mignon (medium) with the sour cream and chive potato. I hardly have any problem here maybe just once with a rude waiter, but last night I was just so furious. NEVER make a hungry girl wait to take her order and not receive some kind of attitude from me. Last night our waiter Andrew took his sweet time to come around and take our order. I had to wave down another waiter to tell him we were ready to order. Andrew did not attend us promptly, he was chit chatting and help box the table next to us. Andrew did not tell us our special, he didn't bring out the cheese bread or the salads after he took our order, and when asked for boxes he didn't bring us bags. For all my fellow Yelpers if you are impatient and starving do not (i repeat) do not sit in Andrew's section. The way he was serving he was so slow! It's a busy Sunday restaurant work faster man. Overall the food and the drinks are great here!
(4)
Ayami H.
I don't want to go to this place ever again. It's loud, messy, bugs, scallops are fried, everything is over priced.
(2)
Katie L.
Best place to go for a meal that will have you feeling like you need to be rolled to your car at the end of it. Cheese bread and giant portions make the prices way worth it and a server there named Frank, he's been there since the mid 60s and told my friends and I what it was like to work there back when it was claremans village so fun!
(5)
Floyd C.
Get the bread. Thats it, if you get one item that is the only item you need. Yes some other items are good, but you must try the bread. It is the best part of the experience. Oh yeah some drinks to wash down the bread would be good. Beer, bread diet for me. :)
(4)
Herbert H.
I have always enjoyed dining at the San Gabriel location, and the salads, chese bread, and potato are the best.
(4)
Alyona I.
One star for service! Because food does not deserve any starts at all. Disgusting, overly priced food. Prime rib dip sandwich came with a rice and salad, hmm rice with sandwich, weird. I asked to substitute rice with french fries, they sad sure, but no salad will come, okay sure. I see people getting salad, tiny-tiny plate with lettuce and some ranch., even funny... So here come my prime rib, sad looking plate like from fast food cheap place... no taste, bland, i ate half because was soo hungry, had no choice.. I cannot believe that place like this still do exist. Never coming back! Too expensive for a quality of the food.
(1)
Blake w.
Choc run sundae. Cheese butter patatoe with steak.......too good. This location has a boat "aka the galley" next door, little faster and cheaper. Great for a quick lunch. Chili is bomb but watch out for mad farts later, the combo has a meat patty in it. They got the tiny cube ice that Taco Bell used to have, I think it makes the drinks better
(5)
Marissa B.
So today we are looking at several properties for my client and we had a late lunch. We both walked into the dimly lit restaurant that looks like a log cabin with TV sets all around but no fireplace. We both ordered scallops since it is the popular even though next time I want to try the fried chicken. Had mine with malt vinegar because it was fried but I was hoping for steamed. I loved how it came with cheese bread and salad. I paired my lunch with a nice cup of hot tea!
(5)
Auto G.
If I could give this place 100 stars I would ! If nothing else, a taste of their cheese bread will make you feel like you're flying around in heaven ! The decor and ambiance are amazing and you'll feel like you got into a time machine and were transported to a snowy log cabin in the 1800s. It's an amazing place you have to see to believe. Now for the food. Absolutely the best seafood and fried chicken dinners you'll ever have the pleasure of tasting ! Giant baked potatoes ! Amazing mushroom gravy ! Great salads ! Like I said, 100 stars !
(5)
Kathy M.
We went to the North Woods Inn in Rosemead today. My meal was the broiled shrimp with small salad and cheese bread. The cost was 13.95. Sad to say, but I would have preferred a couple chicken tacos from Del Taco. The 'cheese bread' was so laden with oil (not butter) that the cheese flavor wasn't detected. In an age when we all watch our 'fats' --this bread was poison! They also brought a salad...with tons of dressing on top. They hadn't even asked me if I wanted dressing. So all in all, a real disappointment. 3 broiled shrimp, alittle rice did not a meal make! Won't go back!! Kathy from Claremont
(1)
Derek D.
The food was ok here but I don't think I will be back because the The ambience is just not my taste. Eat the peanuts throw the shells on the floor type of environment. The steaks and seafoods are fresh and has good quality. I feel like I stepped into a time warp from hell ...in my opinion.
(3)
Krystal A.
We were driving by from doing our taxes and saw this huge log cabin with fake snow on their roof. We quickly did a U-turn and swung into the Parking lot. We walked in and the darker ambiance was elegant yet confusing because its a casual log cabin look on the inside with peanut shells on the floor. Plates are $12-$50 and they have lots of steaks and sandwiches. The whole place is wood inside and the wait stag have white aprons and red vests on. It's not a cheap place to eat PROS: -Full bar -great ambiance -friendly staff -sandwiches -Amusing cabin-like atmosphere -good barkeep CONS: -Prices are a bit high considering no white tables cloths and you throw peanuts on the floor like a rodeo bar
(3)
Jazmin A.
I had been here before but i never remembered the name since it had been so many years ago. And when i entered this restaurant tonight i was so excited because i was looking for this place for so long. All i remembered from before was that se could throw the peanut shells on the floor. Our experience tonight was beyond great i couldnt ask for anything better. Our server Kim was very attentive, courteous, and extremely helpful. I recommend you ask for her when you come to eat here. I would definately be coming back. We loved it!!!
(5)
Harlan C.
I've only been to this place a couple times, but I've enjoyed it every single time. Their salad is great. It's probably the best thing that comes with your meal. I love the blue cheese dressing that you use for it. I'm not a big fan of cheese bread, but it tasted alright. Can't really say much about something I don't really enjoy in the first place. The potatoes and rice were okay as well. Nothing really special about them. Just average stuff. Their steaks however, I really enjoyed. The steak portion is actually pretty big and they give you extra food to share with another person for a bit extra. The flavor that comes with the way they cook their steak, I feel is what makes this place different than a lot of other steak places and it's what I enjoyed the most. Overall the place is a bit on the pricier side, but I think it's reasonable.
(4)
Eric P.
I'm subtracting 1 star on this review for the service. This is normally one of my favorite places to eat. But on this trip the server seemed annoyed that I had a to go box from the bar before I arrived at the table. He also seemed annoyed that I requested my leftover salad to go. (I only like the green) When he brought it to me it was in a sandwich baggie like it was marijuana. Usually they have the decency to put it in a foam container with a lid. However, I'm not going to let 1 bad server ruin one of my favorite restaurants. And for everyone that is complaining about the prices.... This is not the kind of place you visit if you're looking for a bargain. Prices are slightly inflated to keep you from dining with riff raff. You're less likely to be sitting next to some gang member with tattoos in his shaved head at $40 a plate.
(4)
Jennifer L.
Very pricey. I thought the food was good but definitely not worth over $50 a plate. Maybe I'm still young so spending more than $20 on a meal seems bizarre to me. I had the filet steak and lobster. It was good and the portions of rice, salad, an baked potato was too much for me to handle. I mean you definitely get you money's worth since it's such large portions. Overall, it was a nice lunch but definitely a special occasion type place. Plus people throw their peanut shells in the floor. Some people enjoy it, but I thought it was gross.
(3)
Cindy A.
I've been coming to this place since the age of 14/15....that's almost 18/19 years...OMG! And they never disappoint!!! The have great steaks ---but we need to talk about their salads....they are Aaaaammmazing. I'll drive to this place (give or take 30 miles) just to have their salads! They have the red cabbage salad which is infused with oil/vinegar and it taste delicious. They also have the house blue dressing salad...mind you I am not a fan of blue dressing....but their house dressing doesn't even taste like your normal blue cheese it is superb. And if you mix the two salads....it just takes it to another level!!!! Oh wait, I can't forget to mention the cheese toast bread....OMG!!!! This place is awesome...the decor, the service, the food...I mean you can't go wrong!!!!!!
(5)
Scott M.
Was a guest of my banker for lunch and had a great Halibut with the salads and famous cheese bread. The server, Susan, was attentive and helpful with the menu selections. We received excellent service and the atmosphere was perfect for discussing some pressing business issues and we were NOT rushed out to make room for the next customer.
(5)
Dara N.
I love this place! I love the atmosphere, the service, and the food. This restaurant is quite large, and the floors are filled with peanut shells. It's a bit dark in here, but overall, it feels cozy. GENEROUS PORTIONS!!! The complimentary cheese bread is freaking delicious. Maybe because I'm a cheese fanatic, but it was just so damn mouth watering tasty. Majority of the time, I ask for seconds. They also serve two complimentary salads-- purple cabbage with vinaigrette and lettuce with ranch/blue cheese(?). My boyfriend and I usually order steak here. Pretty decent cut, and it's also served with rice pilaf and baked potato. GET THE BUTTERY CHEESE TOPPING!!!!! (Again, I love cheese.) Don't order the broiled chicken, BTW. I ordered this the last time I was here, and I did not enjoy it. The chicken was extremely salty. You're better off with the fried chicken. Prices are reasonable! You can also ask them to split the dish if you can't finish it. The other person will still get the rice, potato, and half of the main course that was ordered.
(5)
Jeffrey C.
This place has the best salad and bread hands down. The food isn't bad and you do get a lot of food for the price. If you order a steak, you get a steak with a baked potato, vegetables, 2 kinds of salad and the best bread that u can't just have one.
(5)
Rock L.
Me and some friends came here tonight to celebrate my birthday. Really cozy atmosphere... Cabin type feel to the place, peanut shells and wood chips all over the floor! I love this kind of place. Good food and plenty of it! Nothing really fancy, more of a rustic-simple theme. The cheese toast is incredible! Everything else was really good too. The service is very good here. The prices are a bit higher than your average dinner out, but not unreasonable. No complaints here, very enjoyable evening! Enjoy!
(4)
David W.
For years I've driven by this establishment (and others in the chain) marveling at the exterior, from the fake snow on the roof to the giant mega wagon wheels. Finally made the effort to go with the family, and the excitement was palpable. Love the interior. It really feels authentic, with a giant stuffed bear greeting visitors (gotta try that taxidermy some day?) and a dark, roomy, atmospheric, log-cabin-like interior. The food, well, that killed the vibe real quick. For what you get, the prices are pretty steep, but I was already prepared to overpay since I chose to go in the first place. But the "cheesy bread" arrives first and it was so piping hot -- sopped in so much grease and buttery something -- I burned my fingers. Yes, I was in pain. Would I get second degree burns? Not really, but it crossed my mind. It tasted cheesy, but it was swimming in so much grease that I immediately regretted eating a full piece because I had arrived with such an appetite. Ugh. Okay, one bad item can happen,but it won't ruin my experience. Where's the main course? The salad that came with the fried chicken dish that my wife ordered was like an assembly line item -- a handful of iceberg lettuce haphazardly DOUSED in thousand island dressing, rendering it inedible. After a few bites, it sat there, lonely, not to be touched again. The fried chicken was good enough for what it was, but, again, very greasy. I ordered the sirloin burger with chili and onions. I assumed it would be served like a hamburger, but I was wrong. It arrived as a piece of bread with a sirloin patty (which tasted more like a Hungry Man TV dinner) with no top bun, drowning in a mudslide of watery chili, crying out for help. This was definitely a knife-and-fork event as opposed to a sandwich, which the item was advertised as. Third strike for me. But I was hungry, so I started to work at it. The grease of the cheesy bread still haunted by stomach though, and halfway through, I stopped, knowing that if I ate anymore, it would all be coming up again soon. Service was great, but the food was beyond reproach. We termed it "slop." So we left. With the kitschy two-person "jazz band" playing their Cheesemaster 3000 keyboard by the entrance, I felt like I was in a scene from 'Fargo.' Atmosphere: 10 Service: 10 Food: 2
(1)
Danielle G.
Went here to celebrate my dad's birthday and our server Kim was the best! Thanks Kim for making my dad's birthday special!
(5)
Angela W.
After comparing my experience with other reviews on here, I suggest trying this place for lunch instead of dinner. The prices are very good for lunch - they are only about $10 a meal. Mind you, the portions are huge. I went with my parents (to celebrate my birthday). My dad got the sirloin burger, and my mom and I split a Filet of Cod (open face sandwich) and an appetizer of calamari. My father thought the burger was so-so, but we all agreed that the cod (fried), was fantastic. The cheese bread was a little too greasy for me, but my parents enjoyed it. The dressing on the salad (which is blue cheese) tastes creamy and homemade. I'd say it was one of the best blue cheese dressings I've ever had, especially since the blue cheese taste was not overpowering. It tastes like good ranch with a little tang of blue cheese. The calamari tasted fresh to me, and even after taking some of it home, it did not become greasy or lose it's delightful crunch. I adored the interior. There are some beautiful paintings, a giant stuffed bear, and an overall old-fashioned Northern feel that I love. The waiter we got was fantastic! He was polite, answered all of our questions, gave us our food promptly, and made sure our glasses were never empty. All in all, I'm glad we went here, and would not mind coming back here again, especially at lunch time!
(4)
Hillary H.
Always a favorite! I grew up coming to this place for many special occasions and it hasn't changed in over 25 years!
(3)
Jennifer S.
This place brings back fond childhood memories. Food is good, a little overpriced, but hey, make up for it with unlimited bread!
(4)
Amber O.
Great service , food and drink! We enjoyed our lunch with Susan and her trainee Haley
(5)
Klein G.
This place sucked ass! There food tastes like dog food. And the service was not that great. If your taking some friends and family out to dinner think twice before coming here because it's not that great. Was super excited when I first entered the door but once I got inside it was a poor let down due to the ambiance. Adios was chewy and tasteless my 3 year old old make better foods. The service was slow and it was lunch with hardly anyone in the place.
(1)
Amanda W.
Fabulous doesn't even describe my experience here. Kim was phenomenal. My drinks were always full and my belly left very happy. The bread is amazing too! I think I ate a loaf myself :) thanks Kim I look forward to coming back very very soon.
(5)
Roy M.
Ah, nostalgia. I remember coming here as a kid with my family. The perennially snow-covered roof, the log cabin walls, the dim lighting, the sawdust & peanut shells on the floors, the incredible cheesebread, the red cabbage salad, the chicken dinners... There used to be a huge surface parking lot out back, another restaurant (Tail O' the Cock) just next door, and a strip mall of stores on the west. Now there's a hideous big box Kohl's department store squeezed onto the property. If I didn't know that the North Woods Inn was there, I doubt I would have been able to find it. Back to the restaurant: The portions here are generous. If you're a steak-lover, the menu will definitely appeal to you. The ambience is still warm and inviting. Warning: It can get very crowded here on certain evenings (school graduations, family reunions, etc.) Our group shared the Loggers Combo appetizer and some mozzarella bread sticks. Among the entrees we chose were: The Lumberjack steak (which comes in 9 0z and 13 oz), Sirloin burger, the Special Platter (steak, chicken, and scallops). I had the Alaskan halibut. Great baked potatoes, by the way -- like I remember them way back when. Actually everything we ordered was quite good, but the prices seemed steep to me. Also, we were not impressed by the wine selection. I would give them 3 1/2 stars, but I'm rounding up to four stars for the Nostalgia Factor.
(4)
Jenna H.
Great place with a lodge feel. Felt like we were in a ski mountain town! Huge portions, the salad combo was super tasty. We lucked out to have Cayce as our server, she definitely steered us to the right menu items!
(5)
Bri D.
We live in Rancho Cucamonga and wanted to come here to treat my sister. We went to the Northwoods Inn off of Azusa. The wait time was 1 hour and 45 minutes. We called the Northwoods Inn off of Rosemead and asked how long the wait time was. The girl said 30 minutes. We asked if we could put our name in and drove over. When we got there, the hostess said 45 minute wait and that you have to be in person to put your name in. We talked to the manager and said we would not have driven another 39 minutes away from home to wait the same time. We would have gone somewhere else. The manager say us in less then 3 minutes. Waiter was great. Food was excellent! Happy family!
(5)
Alicia R.
I would have given 4 stars but the service here for lack of better words, sucks. We came on valentines day for my moms 60th birthday and the waitress' acted like they didn't want to be here. If you don't want to work well then don't work. The food was amazing but this experience made me not want to come here again.
(3)
Marc A.
Snow in the middle of summer? Of course...Riding along Rosemead boulevard you see the log cabin covered in "snow". Upon entering you find yourself in a world were old '70s restaurant meets log cabin. The ambiance is just great and barely anyone under the age of 45. That's what makes North Woods Inn such a classic in the SGV. Had the half ribs, broiled shrimp, clam chowder, rice pilaf, baked potato and their famous cheese bread. All great portions and it'll be hard for me to walk out of here without a waddle. Free peanuts galore and you can throw the shells on the floor. Just a great place to unwind and have a great meal.
(3)
Sophia H.
Came in Friday for my Grandpa's birthday. This spot is an old family favorite. However, since it is on the pricier side we only come in for special occasions. First can I just say that CHEESE BREAD...addicting!!! Along with the blue cheese dressing! I actually hate blue cheese dressing, but I'm in love with this one!! Our server Kim was on point! She was prompt on refills, very helpful in making decisions, and had an amazing personality. The reason why she made this experience memorable is due to her patience with my two nephews. They are nothing short of obnoxious and extremely hyperactive. But she was extremely approachable with them and had them laughing by the end of the night. Which made our night and experience there delightful. With servers like Kim who do take care of their guest, it's no surprise that this restaurant is still one of my favorites!
(5)
Mike A.
Nice change from all the other overpriced steak houses. This place has it all! Great steak (ordered the New York steak, medium rare - juicy), great service (by Kenneth and hosts), and excellent portions for the price. Can't forget the cocktails, cactus coolers are a must!
(5)
Sean B.
All we wanted was a place nearby where we could eat peanuts and throw our shells on the floor. Is that so much to ask?!!? Apparently not, though it seems that LA proper is without such joint. Thankfully, the drive over to San Gabriel is not a far one. The North Woods is about what you'd expect for a cabin-themed steakhouse, complete with the aforementioned peanuts, the afore-hinted-at log-cabin theme and decor, and the gigantic, double-sided menu sitting in the center of your table that you were not expecting at all, but yet you are still not surprised by. (Sidebar - very clever, if intended, that this forces you to order right away so you can SEE your company across the table from you!) The food was just ok, but you have to take places like this as a package deal. Its got ambiance up the wazoo, but not really a steakhouse vibe. It reminds me of a place that might have been very upscale 30 years ago, but in trying to keep with the times, they've added the big screen and karaoke or live-ish performances. On our visit was a one man performer, complete with background tracks that he either sang with, or played Jazz flute (no joke) with, or jammed on a few other instruments. He was good, if for no other reason than he was not terrible. My wife got a tasty steak - it was good, I'll say that - and I got fish. I think I ordered a specific kind, but who knows what I actually ate. But who cares? My three year old was completely entertained by the peanuts, the throwing them on the floor, and the entertainment. And the family was fed. What else do you need?
(4)
David G.
This is the best and coolest restaurant in Southern California, and I have lived in So Cal for over 22 years!
(5)
Michael J.
So last week, early on a Wednesday night, we found ourselves in easternmost Pasadena. Our business meeting was over, and growling stomachs told us that it was clearly time for an early dinner...maybe even a Happy Hour. Abbe suggested the Cheesecake Factory in Old Town. I was okay with that. But then we started to get creative. How 'bout The Derby? (Too expensive!) Chinese? (Too fattening!) Suddenly 3 little words plopped from my drooling lips "How about Clearman's?" It seemed like a perfect idea. We hadn't been to the ole North Woods Inn for many moons, but fondly remembered it's kitsch confines and hearty, plentiful food. So as we drove, Abbe called for a reservation. "No need for a res," she was told, "Most everyone's over at the Galley watching the Kings and Ducks." And soon enough, we were entering a dim, stadium-sized man cave populated by a large stuffed grizzly bear in a glass case and guys, guys and more guys. It was, indeed, still Happy Hour, so we each had a libation. Rum & diet coke for Abbe at $4.95, and for me, a glass of Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio, priced at a pretty ridiculous $6.95, even with the Happy Hour Special! We chose to split a Prime Rib Dip sandwich ($12.95). Billed as "lumber jack-sized," but lumber jacks must be downsizing these days, because this sandwich was downright petite, and that's putting it mildly. The tasteless roll was nothing to write home about, and the grudging portion of meat was decidedly not prime anything. The au jus was just okay, but the rice pilaf that accompanied was a nice (if weird) touch. We also each ordered the bottomless salads ($7.90 for 2). One salad was tomatoes and iceberg lettuce with a hearty blue cheesy dressing, the other a playfully astringent red cabbage slaw. "Most of our regulars mix them together on the plate," said our nice waiter, Andrew. And right he was, because the combo, though sounding yucky, worked deliciously. Oh, and at the last moment, in a moment of carefree debauchery, we also ordered breaded Zucchini Sticks. At $4.95, they were resoundingly meh, no better nor worse than you'd find at any suburban sports bar. In fact meh pretty much describes Clearman's that night for us. Now a $41.09 tab ain't a fortune, but it certainly seemed a lot for what we were served.
(2)
N B.
Food was great. I loved their salads, only complaint is service. The girls in the front that i guess are there to "great " you, were just talking away and let us stand there for 5 minutes until i interupted them. One girl looked at me kind of annoyed and asked me what she can help us with. I said we would like a table for 3 and she just pointed to another girl down past a sitting area and said "see her" and continued on with her conversation. To me that was rude!
(4)
George K.
One of my favorites for 50 years. I love nearly every thing on the menu. I love the northwoods style architecture. I love the (no see outside windows) I forget about the hustle and bustle of the city outside. Even my granddaughter loves it.
(5)
alicia l.
Okay so we came over for dinner tonight to have dinner. We like setting at the bar and as far as we knew, we could have food at the bar. Well, they have changed their rules, no more food serving at the bar on Friday or Saturday. Also, if you order a salad, you cannot share it with anyone in your group, each person MUST order their own. What!! Oh but if two people order a salad each, they only bring you one salad to share!? What!!!! The salad can be shared if they say so????? Anyhow, we are very upset and disappointed about their new rules and no food at the bar, not even appetizers. :( Most likely this was our last time at Clearmans North Woods, Rosemead and in general!!!!! :(
(1)
Alicia R.
Amazing customer service!! Amazing salad, bread , and steak! I'm pretty sure everything here is delicious , but I did not have room for dessert. I'll get you next time rum cake!!
(5)
Joe Y.
I cannot say enough good things about Clearman's Steak House. Location & First Glance There is a Kohls clothing store next door which is great so after or before your meal you can get some shopping done. It is also located right off Rosemead which is a semi large artery connecting Pasadena to other parts of SGV (Alhambra, Montebello, etc...). The theme of this place is a little weird and seems out-of-place; really a log cabin theme? Especially in the Hispanic/ Asian populated area, but we do live in LA right so unusual is kinda hip. Expect to wait 10-20 minutes, but it is rare when it reaches the 20 minute mark. Typically it is around 10 minutes is the waiting time I am used to. Food The salad they bring with most entrees is excellent. It's a red cabbage and ice berg lettuce with their special dressing (its essentially a ranch & blue cheese dressing mix) served with freshly baked bread. I typically get the medium-sized speak. I am a big-guy; the entrees combined with the salad portions is more than enough food. Also make sure to ask for the special cheese spread on your baked potato, don't mean to sound cliche but it is indeed "bursting with flavor." The baked potato is an extremely large size to-boot. Last Thoughts Make sure you are literally starving when you come here. I really think it can be too-much food if you have your typical, normal appetite. This means you should plan on coming here so you can plan to be hungry. The atmosphere could fit all occasions from an anniversary, a date or a casual dinner with friends. For two people it will cost between $55-$65 typically (without drinks or tip).
(4)
Mary K.
We always have a great time at the North Woods in San Gabriel. The employees are exemplary. Kenneth is an excellent waiter and we always ask for him. Kenneth makes the dining experience fun, relaxing and pleasurable. Another excellent waiter is Arnie.
(5)
Bridget P.
My extended family comes here for important life events. I came with them last weekend with a very large party. The waitstaff asked us to move from the appetizer-only area into the main dining room.... but failed to mention that a live jazz band would be setting up RIGHT NEXT to us shortly. That was nice. I love live bands, but not when they're closer to me than the person I'm talking to at the table. This place is unique, kitschy, and fun. With a roof covered in snow year-round, you'll have no problem finding it. Free, ample parking too. The floor is littered in peanut shells, which you are encouraged to throw.... just don't lean against the tables and bars if you're wearing black. It's dimly lit and cavernous, and you feel like you should be swigging from a huge beer stein. You should be. The food isn't cheap. The menu consists of mostly steaks and comfort foods, along with a cocktail menu, full bar, and appetizer menu. One of the few items on the menu I could afford was the cobb salad, which was served in a bowl large enough to feed a family. Most dishes are served with buttery, greasy, toasty garlic bread, which was the best part. The beer selection was decent and well-priced, and the chocolate martinis were great. The waitstaff seemed annoyed by our large party. I had to get up and walk to the bar each and every time I wanted a drink, water, or to place an order.... and I didn't always get each one. It's a fun place, and the band was great, but it'll cost ya!
(3)
K.c. D.
Well, after my bad experience a few weeks ago, I returned. My love of the scallops, salad and bread couldn't keep me away in spite of my unfortunate experience with Jesus. My daughter and I, as usual, were waiting in the bar area for our take out, sipping on drinks, when an employee by the name of Ana came over to talk to us. She was apparently on the sidelines on that dreadful afternoon and she wanted to tell us that she recognized us as frequent patrons, and that she felt so badly for us! She said that if she could have gotten us our food she would have. She spent some time chatting with us all the while apologizing for what happened. I must say that she totally made my day! She doesn't understand the policy either, but her simple act of kindness and respect was all it took. If only Jesus would learn that. If I have to have him help me at any time in the future, I will refuse his service and ask for someone else. There is no place for rudeness ANYwhere. Thank you Ana! I hope the establishment thanks you as well!!!
(5)
Greg M.
For those of you who like a nice and concise review, this place was overall a disappointment. Wonderful atmosphere, but the meat dishes were revolting and overpriced for a palm-sized blob! Okay, now those of you who respect a full evaluation should keep reading. You'll probably find yourself drawn upon entering by the full-fledged ski-lodge decor and the peanut-eating-and-throwing custom (unless you are allergic to peanuts, in which case you definitely SHOULD NOT come :) ). I certainly had a five-star feeling about the place when I was greeted by my Stone IPA, until we were welcomed by bowls of white slosh that I was dumbfounded to discover were our "salads." Just drenched in that bleu cheese dressing, I'm telling you. And then came some soggy yellow garlic bread--albeit served to us individually by our waitress. At last came our $30 entrees on a plate nearly the size of a satellite dish, and so as I anticipated a huge juicy cut of steak, I strained my eyes only to spot a chalky-coal-surfaced blob that, as mentioned earlier, was the size of my 12 year old nephew's palm. And this was not even the smallest size on the menu. My daughter's entree of fish, and my brother-in-law's dish of chicken, did not beg to differ in quality from my own. I would have just stopped eating if the cup-load of rice and half-baked potato that took up 80% of the dish, had not been decent. I'm glad I didn't stay to try dessert.
(2)
Jessica C.
This is either a hit or miss place.. it's not for everyone and you really have to be in the mood for this place and want to spend the money for it... Since I was being treated I wasn't going to hate. I do love the old dining feel of this place, it's classic. It's not modern, it's dated, feels like having dinner at a lodge - which can be nice and comforting. Food... I think the food is good for what their going for. It's classic 50's parents night out dining. Good portions of food and I think the meal was made well and delicious. I especially loved the iced tea and the cheese bread was crazy good. I like how you can mixed the salads, I loved the special brand of butter they put on the baked potato , I love throwing shells on the floor. The staff is very friendly and attentive. Bad.... Can't say I have any.. Like I said you have to want to be in this dining mood.
(3)
Eric L.
Hmm clearmans north woods inn I have been coming to this spot for about over 5 years now when you first walk in you notice the peanut shells on the floor they actually have signs around the place encouraging you to throw em after you eat em hahaha. The food here is really good the 2 salads they give you to start off w/ & buttered cheese bread is really DELICIOUS + its all you can eat haha they just ask you if you would like more. Also when I come I order the New York steak its crazy good REALLY recommend you coming here and trying it out.
(4)
Robyn R.
Kills the craving and always fun!
(3)
Ruth L.
I use to like this place a lot. I've Been a frequent customer for years. Lately they are on a "Disappointing" spree. The service is not what it use to be, they use to be very attentive, now the severs seem to bring out smaller portions of the yummy salads and the overall portions of the steaks have gotten smaller and the prices higher. I understand inflation... But cutting down on size is a huge mistake. I ordered the combo platter of steak (medium rare) chicken and substituted the scallops for more chicken. When I got my food the steak was cooked well-done, and so was the chicken. It looked burnt. The server brought me another steak and it was cooked medium. Quality has gone out the door. I hope they fix whatever problems they are having. I really liked this place!
(2)
Liz F.
Delicious Cheese Bread. Fun to throw peanut shells on the floor. The Pomegranate Martini is yummy!! Never had bad service!
(5)
Kim B.
If you're looking for a good steak, Northwood's Inn won't disappoint! We have been coming here for years. The decor is like that of a big cabin in the woods with a snow covered roof (hence the name Northwood's) . It's rather like a SGV landmark for those of us who grew up the area. I love their blue cheese salad and the red cabbage salad is good too. My brother has been trying to duplicate the red cabbage recipe at home but he still can't quite get it right. The cheese bread is wonderful, although sometimes a bit on the greasy side. My sister-in-law is in love with the halibut here. I always order the smaller lumberjack steak, medium rare. Hmmm good! The baked potatoes are enormous!! This is not a place to come if you're watching calories! You definitely will not leave here hungry, that's for sure!
(4)
Shannon C.
So delicious. Love this place. I had the Reuben's sandwich from their new menu items list today and it was amazing. The service was excellent. The atmosphere is really cool, it's a giant snowy cabin. What more could you ask for? Huge bar, they have rooms with huge tables for large parties. Cool decorations. The salads are massive. Family size salads, if you're going to order one, plan on sharing or taking most of it home!
(5)
Lina C.
In general, I loved this place. The interior and exterior is the only reason why I gave it a four star instead of a five star. Foods great and would recommend people to come here for special evenings. After a long day of spending together, my boyfriend suggested to get steak for dinner. It was that or shabu shabu, but knowing my lover all too well, I already knew what we were eating for dinner. I'd ask him multiple times which steak place we were going to, but he only responded with "you'll see." As he pulls into the parking lot, my first impression was where are we? We were at Clearman's North Woods Inn. Funny name for a restaurant, right? If anything the place itself looked really cheesy on the outside with fake snow covering the roof; the interior was that of a woodsman's cabin home: dark and dimly lit with a warm ambiance. There was even a stuffed bear for decoration. Surprise, surprise. I wasn't too fond of eating here. What made me re-think about this place was that this place was PACKED! By the time we had our names on the list, there was already about 10-12 groups ahead of us. That alone was impressive. I have to admit, my mouth was salivating by the time we got to Clearman's and knowing that I had to wait 45 minutes for a table was a tease. Normally we stay away from appetizers unless if it's a great deal or we can't wait for our entrees, but knowing that Eric loves shrimp cocktails, we couldn't resist. There were five jumbo shrimps, slightly cool to the touch, laying on a small bed of salad. I wasn't all that impressed, but what could I expect since this place is more well-known for their steaks. Later on our waiter comes to our table with slices of cheesy bread, salad that's drenched in bleu cheese dressing, and another bowl filled with sliced purple cabbage (for those who like to mix the cabbage with their salads). The salad and the cheesy bread hit the spot. The cheesy bread seemed a little bit too cheesy after the first bite, but I made sure there was a 50:50 ratio between the salad and the cheesy bread so that there was a balance in my mouth. I love bleu cheese dressing and so I couldn't help myself for another helping or two. By the time my medium-cooked, 35 oz. porterhouse arrived I was hungrryyy and happyyy! Presentation wasn't all that great but that didn't matter after taking a bite of this big juicy meat. It's so good, you have to try it for yourself. We don't normally go to steakhouses, but when we do we go out with a BIG... SCRUMPTIOUS... BANG! Lina Chen
(4)
Mario D.
Delicious is not the word more like stupendous mouth watering enjoyment of steak chicken baked potato with butter cheddar cheese sauce on top and the cheese bread is just incredible!! And before I forget our server Susan was excellent excellent excellent in her delivery of quality customer service I was left with the feeling that I cannot wait to come back and bring friends I lived in this area all my life and never did I know that this little Gem of great taste was on the corner near Rosemead blvd and Huntington Dr and that they had all this deliciousness inside, so just putting it out there so the rest of you to check it out, u will also be convinced n satisfied! And thank you to our server misses Susan excellent customer service you delivered for a lunch today I'm a manager of a Family business and that's the kind of person that I would like behind my counters!! Susan you are an asset to Clearman's Northwoods Inn and continue giving Quality service be cause I will be back thank you once again so much!!!!!! : ) YUMMMMM N THE SUNDAE WAS OFF THE CHAIN!!!!!
(5)
Liz F.
Came here for a recent family dinner, and unfortunately the poor service left me wishing we'd gone elsewhere. ATMOSPHERE: Driving up you see the cabin and fake snow strategically dripping from the roof. Walking in to the dim interior with sawdust shavings and peanut shells on the floor are large paintings of half naked ladies and stained glass windows. Unique vibe, and plenty to stare at while you wait for a table. SERVICE: I'm sad to say the service was terrible! We made a reservation and were seated quickly, but after waiting over 15 minutes for our waitress to come over we had to flag down a manager to place our drink order. It didn't get any better when we had to flag down another waitress to take our food order another 10 minutes later. To top it off we were never given drink refills unless we flagged someone down. It was busy, but this was just odd. FOOD: My favorite items of the night were the garlic bread and cabbage salad. The garlic bread is drenched in butter and toasted till crispy (and well worth the calories). The cabbage salad had a fantastic dressing that was zesty and left you craving more. I had the chili burger and realized when it came that it was a fork-and-knife kind of burger. The chili was good and the meat was tender, but not much flavor overall. The bun got soggy pretty quickly, too. OVERALL: On the upside, they have free parking. If the service was great I would go again, but to be ignored I'd rather go elsewhere to pay these prices.
(2)
Eric U.
Exactly what I expected and more! Haven't been here in many years, but I was looking forward to the all-you-can-eat salads and cheese bread, a great steak and the cheese butter for my baked potato. Nothing disappointed. Everything was delicious. Our server, Kim, was attentive and made sure we had a great time. She was friendly, sincere, and genuine. I've been a huge fan for many year and if you keep it up, for many more years to come!
(5)
Bryan G.
Kim was a wonderful server. She was very attentive. The food was very good. She anticipated what our needs were. Wonderful service.
(5)
Jon-Ana Z.
passed by this restaurant all the time... never bothered to chk it out... a big log cabin with fake snow on the roof... major regrets! ='( turned out to be one of the best steak house... thank goodness for having a great boss!!! took our team here for holiday luncheon... and OH MY! they start you off with endless CHEESSSYYYY Bread + Red Cabbage with vinaigrette + Blue Cheese Salad (combining both salads taste even better). Steaks r soo big, juicy and cooked to perfection with rice pilaf and baked potato with cheessssyyyyy butter... soo good!!! unfortunately, can never get to the dessert as everything above is soo yummy n delicious... = food coma after ;p took my one and only middle boy for patiently waiting for me while I do my errands yesterday... he was so hungry n tired from school n bball practice... not to mention still has tons of homework to do... it was all worth it... so he says =D this place is great for big parties... service is fast and friendly! they r good with refilling everything from the drinks to the cheessy bread basket n salads... n packing leftovers... they pack it for you... n oh yeah, there's peanuts for free that you can toss shells on the floor... portions r big and averages $30 per plate... FYI - my son n I shared the rib-eye at no extra charge. but they do charge for split plate between two adults... anyway, you can always take it to go, for sure... u will look forward to eat the rest later.
(5)
AR G.
On a positive note, it was a well made steak, one of the best I've had at a restaurant, though, I ordered a medium and they gave me a rare. But, the flavor wasn't anything special, it was just well made. Not a fan of their salads either, just made the meal feel heavier. Then afterwards, like 2 hours after the meal I felt terrible, my stomach was writhing in pain. Naturally, I thought it was indigestion from having a heavy meal. But the next day I had a bit of the red cabbage salad that was left-over, again I was writhing in pain. The pain went away after a few hours, though based on my experience I would not return. Also, very expensive especially since the waiter provided minimal attention.
(2)
Colette N.
Oh man this place is...not good. Yes, the decor is adorable and kitschy but for the prices they charge they should at least back it up with good, fresh food! Now granted, I did not get a steak as I don't eat meat. Why did I go to a steak house if I don't eat meat, you ask? I know, i know. But I've always wanted to check it out and I am pretty good at finding meat-free options in even the most carnivorous of places. I've been doing this awhile. Well, no meatless options except the sides that come with the steaks and the deep fried appy platter. Alright, whatever. As I was about to embark on a night of cocktails, I went for the greasy deep fried option to coat my stomach. Yum! Well, the mozzarella sticks, onion rings and zucchini sticks were all obviously right out of a bag and re-heated. Everything came to me luke-warm! C'mon, how hard is it to make your own onion rings?? Especially at the prices you're charging. Really disappointing. However, the service was really good. The hostess and waiter were very sweet and attentive so I gave them an extra star for that. I'm not a monster!
(2)
Robert G.
I wish I could give it 0 stars. I hate this place! I remember the last time I went, I swore I would never go again... and I did ...why? Clearman's is way too expensive for the quality food and the service is horrible!
(1)
E J.
One of fav & has been for years! The best steak, cheese bread & salad!!! Looking for first rate food with big portions & amazing cheese bread this is the place!
(5)
Arnold W.
Blah, blah, blah if only it tasted the way the outside of the restaurant looked. Looking from the outside, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas with the "snow" covered roof. The interior is pretty warm and cozy too. The food, however, is kind of hearty/heavy/carbo-intense old school food. I must add the cheese bread is quite good, and very greasy, but Sizzler's probably has better. I ordered the chili burger and it was a mess. Slathered with a healthy fixing of chili that's really thick and salty, overtake the taste of the patty. The quality of the patty was just okay. Served with RICE, where's the fries!??!?? The fried chicken was okay. The salad that came with the burger was small and just straight up iceberg lettuce with bleu cheese-like dressing. Service was kind of slow too. Oh yeah, they also give you peanuts to eat ahead of time as you wait and throw the shells on the ground. Boy, those peanuts were a little stale.
(2)
KeepitReal C.
Their potato is a football, and the all you can eat salad and cheese bread is delicious. they have good clam chowder as well. if you order their steak, get it medium and butterfly'd. yum, i would go again. their scallops are delicious too !
(5)
Chuck D.
I had been to a Clearman's before, but all I remebered was the cheese bread. I had a big craving for steak the other day and went to the closest Clearman's near me, in Rosemead. The menu items were very pricy given decor and setting (coffee shop tables, no booths), but I figured the portions and quality must make up for it. I decided on the New York Steak dinner. They brought out the two 'salads' - one was wilted iceberg topped with way too much blah ranch, and one was a strange bowl of red cabbage. I love the kind of pickled red cabbage you often get at Scandanavian or German themed restaurants, but this was very salty, too crisp and not tart enough. The cheese bread had the flavor I remebered, but way too greasy. I didn't enjoy it. I had the same cheese butter on the potato - big mistake, just overpowering dark orange glop all over it. I couldn't eat more than one bite and wished I hadn't had even that. I didn't even try the rice, it looked like something you'd get at a cafeteria. I figured, well at least steak is steak. Wrong - it just oozed greasiness, it was like trying to eat raw bacon. I had it cooked medium rare, but instead of tender it was rubbery and chewy. Again, I literally did not have more than one bite. The waiter asked if I would like a box for the leftovers, and I got one to be polite - I threw them in the garbage can that was right outside the door. I wish I could chalk it up to one bad experience, but I really think this kind of place just caters to a different type of patron, the kind that used to make Sizzler so popular. I'm really being generous with the two stars since I believe they must certainly have their fans, and it's just my personal taste, but I'm never going back.
(2)
Anthony C.
This is a review of the lunch. I had a prime rib french dip... Not impressed with how much meat they gave, but the rice wasn't bad. I had a sampler appetizer and that was so-so as well. The blue cheese dressing is delicious though.
(2)
Deb T.
The best thing about Northwoods Inn is the fact you can eat peanuts and leave the shells on the ground and the Bleu Cheese dressing. Although I haven't had any of the steak dinners, I have had the Chef Salad and the cheeseburger. You definitely get your monies worth when you order, but some of the dishes are that great. The last thing I ate is the Cheeseburger and it was super heavy and filled with cabbage and pickles. Maybe it's just me, but they love their sour ingredients. The Chef Salad had plenty of cheese and meat, but the veggies were pickled. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but the vinegar from the veggies kinda took away the freshness of the salad. I usually don't visit Northwoods a lot, but, when I do, I try to order different things to see if I can find something I like.
(3)
Ivy W.
I don't understand the appeal of Clearman's. Yes, it's an interesting looking restaurant from the outside, but from the inside, I feel as if I'm at a knockoff upscale restaurant with the dim lighting. The service seems to vary from time to time. My first visit here was extremely pleasant with our waitress even though I only ordered a dessert for myself while my ex had a full-on meal; my last visit here was probably one of the worst experiences I've had in terms of dining because our waitress was rude and inattentive. Granted she'll probably receive better tips waiting on the two tables of 4 and 10 than my table of 2, I still believed we deserved better than the rolling of the eyes and impatient attitude when we ordered and when we asked for the check. Our cups of soda were also never refilled even though they sat there with just ice for 10+ minutes. In terms of food, everything including the green salad seemed overpowering. I can't speak for others, but when I have a salad, I don't expect it to be absolutely drenched in dressing. My ex really enjoyed it though. He even asked me to take the red cabbage home after he had finished his salad. I only picked at the red cabbage before I decided I didn't like it. My North Woods Sirloin Burger was not anymore enjoyable than the salad. The flavor of the meat was extremely strong, and the meat crumbled (NOT MELTED, CRUMBLED) easily. It definitely didn't help the flavor when they threw in some of the red cabbage into my burger, and the flavor of the pickles destroyed my palette. It came with a side of rice, but I didn't touch it because it was a little too salty. My ex had the New York steak (~$30) which he liked. It looked like he was having a hard time cutting through it though, but he insisted that it was good. P.S. Throw the empty peanut shells on the ground. (:
(2)
David D.
This place is great! Been coming for twenty years. I was once disapointed, but that was the server, and he's no longer there. I've probably been over 50 times... Can't get enough Clearmens! Cheesy Bread is the best. The salad is great. I usually get the sirloin and it continually surpasses my expectations. I've had every cut of meat here and they're all good. Add shrimp or lobster tail.. Nice touch. Make sure you bring your appetite! The portions aren't for those on a diet!
(5)
Paul S.
Fantastic food, been going there for almost 25 years, BUT now that I can't stand nor walk I rely on a mobility scooter. They have added a lot more tables to their bar area making it impossible to come in the parking lot door. I'd suggest that you come in the front door. I will return, but not from the side anymore. So much for ADA rules.
(5)
Jennifer Y.
The cabbage and salad with house dressing and cheese bread is insane!!!! The seafood platter is also great. The scallops are the best!!! Highly recommend that dish and the salad
(5)
Helen W.
Their ribeye steak is 16 ounces so do come with a big appetite. Love all the sides such as green salad, cabbage salad, huge baked potato (comes with mushroom dressing or standard butter and sourcream). The filet mignon is a little on the dry side (even though we ordered it medium rare). The cheese bread is always good and addictive and of course we love eating our peanuts and throwing the shells on the floor. It can get crowded and loud here but the servers always are friendly. They recently changed their decorations and now have two large bears in glass cases in the restaurant. Really adds to the woodsy atmosphere.
(4)
Madison S.
Their red cabbage is super good! Everything else is alright, this place is really consistent though. They take their time in making sure nothing is under or over cooked
(4)
Calvin W.
Peanut shells on the floor and a warning to not cook your steak more than medium to avoid losing taste! This place has never ceased to amaze me even 8 years ago when I had it the first time. Go with friends or enjoy a nice meal, just prepare the pocket book bit you won't be disappointed. Just mind the "tasteful" women on the wall.
(5)
Krikor T.
I have had both good and bad experiences here at North Woods Inn, but since The good outweigh the bad, I am giving this 4 stars. I come here at minimum once a year. I really love the atmosphere here.... But the bottom line is the food. North Woods Inn has some pretty good steaks. Not great, but definitely not average either(compared to restaurants these days). It is hard to find a good steak these days and North woods Inn delivers 9 times out of 10. and It isnt priced all that bad either. Steak quality rivals Pinnacle Peak, but at times North woods inn has better quality steaks than Pinnacle. I like the Porterhouse or the Ribeye here. Their salad and cheesebread is always good and their chili burger is great! 3.8 stars!
(4)
Lauren L.
So we didn't know what to eat for dinner and my husband saw this place and said "never been there before" and I hadn't in a VERY long time, so we stopped in. Mistake #1. Way too much food that has way too much grease, salt, butter, cheese and anything else to clog your arteries. Health conscious? Don't come here. Anyway, portions are huge, but don't split the plate, they'll charge you $7.95! Ouch! I didn't like it, my mother in law didn't like it and even my husband who likes heavy food didn't really like it. Did I mention the waitress never brought the root-beer or the toast without all the cheese and butter I asked for? Bye Northwoods Inn for another 20 years... I think it would have been healthier to eat at McDonalds.
(1)
Tony S.
Had dinner here recently This place used to be better. The food is still good, but not great like before. The Cocktail shrimp were a bit soggy. The prices have increased and the portions are smaller.
(3)
Maximus G.
We are a house divided! The wife ordered the Lumberjack steak - which was cooked to perfection and very tasty! Myself, along with 2 other family members ordered the BBQ ribs - which were terrible. They were tough, and had a layer of thick fat that had not been cooked off. I believe if these ribs had been cooked longer, they would have been good. The green salad and red cabbage salads are amazing, and the best garlic bread in town!!! You definitely leave with a doggy bag here!
(4)
Daniel D.
I love their salad and bread. service is rotten usually, but the place is touristy. I would be impressed if the service was brought back up to US standards. the steaks are mediocre, but the experience is parse. the menus are confusing but you are bound to figure it out.
(5)
Joanna L.
After walking the Chinese Lunar Fair with my niece, mom and brother, we were pretty hungry - my niece wanted to eat pasta and steak so I found a place called Nikki's however there was a 45 minute wait - despite the fact that I saw many empty tables and no one else waiting...so yeah we left and came to this place instead which was down the block. I mistaken that they had a pasta - but they didn't have any - just steak and seafood and burgers. Both my brother and I ordered Prime Rib and ordered an Filet Mignon for my niece and my mom had their FIsh n Chips. They started us with some tasty toasted garlic bread, salad and coleslaw - which almost filled me up before my steak arrived. The prime rib was pretty good though - it was huge and I couldn't even eat 1/4 of it - and the baked potato - was the size of my palm with all the tasty toppings on the side. The service was pretty excellent - our waitress was so friendly and sweet - and pretty. The restaurant definitely had a cozy cabin feel and I thought it was cool how we can throw peanut shells on the floor. Overall it was a pretty good place for some comfort food - the portions are huge and the food was pretty tasty for a very fair price. The service was nice and the atmosphere was warm and cozy.
(4)
Randy C.
Oh Northwoods Northwoods, Northwoods .... Should have went to the West Covina location like I always do, but didn't and decided to go to the San Gabriel location. Let me first start off by saying that our server Lai Dee was absolutely great; as she was super friendly, always had a smile, sparked conversation, and was prompt with requests and check-ups. So, 30 minute wait - no big deal. Grabbed a beer at the bar, sat in their bar area and hung out for a while. Took a while for the bar-waitress to say hello and when she did, she was a bit awkward. Ordered some onion rings to give them a try, as I asked our waitress how they were and she really didn't have much to say, or anything regarding their appetizers when asked. Eeehhh, no biggie I guess; maybe she was having a bad day. Name was called, and was sat down with Lai Dee; again she was great. Our onion rings were brought to our table, and there is not much to say about them than they tasted like frozen reheated onion rings (cough cough). I ordered the Ribeye dinner, cooked medium-well, with a side order of broiled shrimp (my favorite here along with their salad and cheese bread). My guest ordered the Special Platter and asked for his steak chunks to be cooked Medium-Rare. Wow, long story short (don't want to keep you yelper's reading too long) my Ribeye was cooked Medium-Rare and my guest's steak chunks were cooked Well Done. Sent the steak chunks back, and than they came back RARE. No seriously, light brown on the outside and COLD on the inside - gross. Did not complain, but made manager aware that the cook definitely needs some help on how to have the steaks cook. The part that really disturbed me, was not that the cook messed up three times (my stead, and my guests steak chunks twice) but that the manager came to our table and really didn't give a damn either. Oh well ... just Northwoods - nothing fancy ..... BUT I LOVE NORTHWOODS. Don't think I will ever hit this location again.
(2)
Natalie G.
The lumberjack steak was cooked to perfection! The potatoes are the size of a football! The martini's we spot on! Service was okay they switched waitress when our food came and the second one wasn't as nice. 26 years of service and she knew her stuff!!! Our over experience was good!
(4)
Michelle L.
If you have ever watched the show, "Fresh Off the Boat," you'll totally think, "Cattleman's Ranch." The place is huge! There are some bears around the restaurant, which was pretty cool for my baby niece. The whole restaurant is very dim, and feels pretty dated. The cheesy bread was good, although I think it was a bit oversold by Yelpers, it's really, really, greasy. I liked the vinegarette red cabbage to start, the blue cheese salad was overpowering and wet. Even though the starters were sub-par, complimentary starters are always nice. I ordered the lunch portion of the halibut steak, because my brother liked it, so I thought, "why not, he seems to enjoy it here." that thing was like a rubber chew toy. Unappetizing.. Most of the seafood here are fried, it makes me wonder if that's their way to mask the freshness of it all. I do have to say though, the fried scallops were tasty. The steak was decent too. I didn't try the chicken, but it looked kind of dry, and the rice reminds me of Uncle Ben's minute rice. I feel like the food is not as good as Applebee's, and I don't even really like Applebee's.. so..... yeah. There was one waitress, whom I found to be the highlight of our night, she was so nice and cheerful (she wasn't even our waitress), but she offered to take pictures for us, and was so sweet! For the price here, I would rather go to a more refined, tastier restaurant. Everything is pretty overpriced, and I really don't mind paying for good food, but all of these dishes felt like it was made from out of the box.
(2)
Big D.
I been coming here for over 10 years & Absolutely Love it every time I walk thru the doors.. from the moment you walk in You can taste the food in the Air. Peanut shells All over the floor, creates a one of a kind ambience that I Just Love. The dimly lot restraunt has just enough light for you to see perfectly.... no that's about the way I always go with Surf N Turf of Some sort here! Either Lobster and Streak or Shrimp and Streak. for a limited time they now offer Salmon so I opted for Salmon and Rib eye. every or meal comes with a New tasty salad only found in Clearmans. Humongous Baked potatoes that are throughly done and mounted with your choice of toppings. The steak arrives as always with the prettiest grill marks ever seen, and Flavor just dripping all over the plate. salmon was Fresh and lightly seasoned just enough with a beautiful set of grill marks both sides. There the elite in Steaks I think they're great! Try it out let me know
(5)
Kat M.
It's nice but the service is slow.. Food so so. Would I come here again? Um no. If your looking for a place to get a over size meal without any taste then yes this place is for you.
(2)
Kathi Y.
Unfortunately I have to say I was very disappointed with this restaurant. Went here as a child, so I was looking forward to the nostalgic visit. The food has been blah both times and no healthy options are available. Ordered a prime rib dip yesterday (thought that was pretty bullet proof) and it had a funny after taste. Salad only consisted of iceberg lettuce and dressing. Fries and service were good though.
(3)
Eric P.
In an time where theme restaurants are virtually extinct, it's refreshing to see a faux Alpine lodge steakhouse in my neck of the woods. I'd say, this is a blue-collar family's steakhouse where they give you large portions and overload on flavor. This isn't Lawry's or Mastro's, I mean, people throw their peanut shells on the floor, just to give you an idea. For some, the flavor here can be a bit overpowering. And, let's face it, it's probably not the healthiest meal you're going to have with all that sodium, cholesterol, and red meat but that's what the gym is for, m'iright? And be honest, we all just come here for that majestic Clearman's cheese spread. Maybe it'll give me a heart attack someday, so it's best to eat as much of it as you can while you're still young. What I love about this place is the timelessness of it. In an age where everyone wants to be hipper and innovative in food and architecture, Clearman's stays exactly the same. The steak and potatoes I have now are the same ones I had when I was a kid. And maybe, just maybe, that's what America needs right now.
(4)
Gary D.
Ok I know about the cheese bread. There are just too many other better restaurants around at better prices. I can recogize that this is a comfort food kind of spot and say go for it.
(2)
Lily Z.
+: cheesy butter bread is a delicious heart attack looking to happen, and I will gladly go down that path if I can eat this bread several times a day, every day. -: The rest of their food does not stand out to me at all. Paid ~$10-11 for fish and chips, a
(2)
Brittany S.
I've been coming here for the last 20 years and nothing really has changed- which is good! Let me start off by saying that this steakhouse would be enticing to one who favors comfort food-like steak. If you're a steak connoisseur, then this perhaps wouldn't be your place of choice (but heck, you never know!). As for me, I'm more of a decent meal, decent price kind of gal. I almost always order a steak dinner and it's good but not great. However, what makes up for what the steak is lacking is the potato with CHEESE BUTTER! That, as well as the prices, is what keeps me coming back, year after year.
(5)
Jacky Y.
Friday night, wanted steak but just want something simple so went to north woods. Walked in and there were no wait so we sat down. Not busy. Sat down for 10-15 minutes and we were never served. No water, no peanuts and no one ever came by. Horrible! Worse experience ever! Saw a bunch of waiters and waitresses either standing or walking around. Guess we were just invisible. Not coming back, not like the food was good anyways. Seriously, treat your customers with respect! I would give zero stars if I could!
(1)
Jennifer P.
This is the 4th time I've been to NWI, but this is my first time at this location. I can say, without reservation, the food at this location is MUCH better than the one in La Mirada. We came here last night and were seated promptly. Our waiter took a while to get to us and I noticed he walked with a slight limp, so I'm thinking his mobility is impaired, thus it takes him longer to get around. Listen, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt here. Anyhow, we were tended to by other staff while waiting for him, so that was nice. We got our water, salads, and bread within minutes of being seated. Big plus cuz lord knows any delays with the salads and cheese bread may result in slow singin & flower bringin!!! I had the rib eye with steamed veggies instead of rice and a baked potato loaded with that amazing cheese butter. Naturally I threw some cheese butter on those veggies. It's CHEESE BUTTER, people. Your veggies are BEGGING to be slathered in this heavenly goodness. My steak was cooked to perfection, which is the norm for this place. It was HUGE, flavorful, seasoned well, and delicious. It was so good I had it for lunch today! Love me some leftovers. My friend had the platter and substituted the scallops for more chicken. She said the steak chunks weren't that good but everything else, including the mushroom gravy, was divine. For the record, I tried that gravy. Holy flavor, Batman. That's good stuff. I'm getting that next time! The place itself is clean, down to the bathrooms. The service was 4 stars, for sure. One thing I noticed is that the parking lot is extremely well lit. HUGE PLUS. I can't say the same for the La Mirada location. It's rather dim. If I had to choose, I'd choose this location before La Mirada. I'd return - but again, this place is PRICEY, so buyer beware!
(4)
Trevor E.
This place was introduced to me by a friend who came here as a child and I've been back 4 times since despite living in Phoenix. I'm no expert, but I recommd eating here with the following considerations: - Fast first and come hungry. There is a good chance you will consume more than a days worth of calories so skip at least breakfast and lunch. You may also want to skip dinner the night before. Come hungry. - You are not coming here for the steak (or crab or lobster). You are coming primarily for the amazing cheesy bread. You have to order an entree to get the cheesy bread, You do not need the biggest steak (or lobster or crab) because you will fill up on cheesy bread and be unable to finish the big expensive steak. The steak is good but not great so consider the cheapest steak or broiled chicken. Both give a better cheesy bread to the dollar value. - With the cheesy bread you will be presented with two salads. The appropriate response is to mix the salads and not to skimp on the cabbage salad. The cabbage salad will make you fart later. Own it and fart like a king (or queen). The salad is worth the farting and balances the butter and cheese delivery system otherwise known as cheesy bread (see above). - You will get a potato with your entree. Your job is to order the cheese butter on the potato with extra cheese butter on the side. You fasted first, right? (Seriously, don't mess with a loaded potato here. The correct play is the cheese butter). - They will bring you more cheesy bread when you run out. The will bring cheesy bread two, three, four times. Honestly, I don't know if there is a cheesy bread limit. - Do not leave room for desert. You fasted for a reason and that reason was cheesy bread. - When you are done and feel too full to continue, resist the urge to eat the last cold piece of cheesy bread. It won't sit well.
(4)
Shawn M.
Blegh. I remember it used to taste better (though I always went to the Covina location). The cheese toast isn't too bad when it's properly cooked, but half the pieces come out underdone. Not a problem when the toast was free/cheap per piece, but at the price per piece now I expect it to be properly done! Drinks were never refilled... and in fact the service was horrible overall. She seemed a bit flustered and I was thirsty most of my meal trying to get a refill. The food, blech. Bland, flavorless, sterile. The rice pilaf... I have never understood how people enjoy that flavor. It's disgusting!
(2)
Steven P.
I've been coming here for about 20 years. It's not fantastic. Lots of food but for a place that specializes in steak and grilling, the steak is just so-so. I think even Sizzler steaks have more flavor. And for a place that specializes in steak, my dinner companion ordered his steak medium rare - filet mignon. Instead he ended up with a chunk of meat that was seared on the outside and completely cold on the inside. I had to find someone to find the waiter and a good 10 minutes passed before he came back to the table. Another 10 minutes before a replacement was given and even that was not quite cooked the way it should have been. In a place that specializes in grilling, there is no excuse for this. I wanted to contest the bill but my dinner pal doesn't like conflict. Also, they have one waiter working an entire room which spreads him very thin. In our dining area there were 5 tables of 4 or more people - one server. Ridiculous. I won't be going back because the prices keep going up (understandably) yet the service and food quailty does not live up to expectations.Exceptions: I will say that their fried chicken and fried scallops are excellent.
(3)
Madi Z.
This place is awesome. I've been to this location and another one a few times and every experience has been great. First of all, the outside looks like it's snowing and it's so cool! Then you walk in and you know that scene in Beauty and the Beast where Gaston is singing about being a man and such in that wooden pub? That's exactly what it looks like! And the food is so delicious. It's a huge portion so I recommend sharing. Also, eat as much garlic bread as you can because that stuff is AMAZING.
(5)
Laura L.
As good as it ever was! We come for the salads and cheese bread. The rib eye is delicious.
(4)
Jon Q.
A summary of thoughts during my visit here: -Ohh, throwing peanuts on the ground, how fun. -HOLY CRAP the prices here are insane for a place where you thrown peanuts on the ground. -OH, it comes with 2 salads... do they want you to share? -OK, lets split a meal since it sounds like the portions are huge. -Wait, a cabbage salad and a lettuce one? -This cabbage salad tastes like vinegar. -There is a lot of ranch on the lettuce, maybe we should mix them to dull the vinegar taste of the cabbage. -Much better. -Man this cheese bread is greasy. I feel like I need a cup of soapy water to help wash it down. -OH foods here! How nice, the split it into seperate plates. They even cut the rib eye in half and split the potato in half too. -There is SO MUCH BUTTER on the potato. Where are the chives, sour cream, etc? -Rice tastes like rice a roni. -Rib eye was cooked perfectly. Kind of bland though. -I guess that was not bad, oh, the bill is here. -WAIT WHAT THE F???? A SEVEN DOLLAR SPLIT PLATE FEE? -Let me see the menu, is there a split plate fee there? NOO?? -Did they say anything to you about splitting the plate being extra? NO??? -Did they give us more sides? No, the split everything in half, including the potato. Maybe a little more rice. IS THAT WORTH 7 F'ing dollars? -UGH. This already medicore meal just got disgusting. _________________- Never going back. A 7 Dollar split plate fee is insane, especially since they give you absolutely no notice before hand. Plus, the food was about sizzler quality.
What happened to this place? My friend and I would come here often for the amazing salad, bread and baked potato. After moving to the east coast and coming to LA for a visit, I was really looking forward to coming here and having my salad fix, especially since I couldn't stop in during my last visit. Well let me start off with the "blue cheese" salad. Blue cheese was nowhere to be found anywhere. It was more of a watered down ranch salad. We asked the waitress and she said it's a blue cheese ranch dressing....um why?.....Moving on, the cheese bread was more of a burned parmesan and garlic bread and the purple cabbage salad was the same I think (I never cared for it so I never paid much attention to it lol). I ordered the filet medium well and it was perfectly cooked. No complaints there. However, the infamouse cheese butter that comes with the baked potato had no flavor at all and the rice that the meal came with had a very weird flavor to it that was not good. I don't know what happened but I wish they'd go back to all of their old recipes. It just seems like they're trying to cut cost by skimping on ingredients which will only result in driving customers away vs. Keeping them.
(2)
Tad K.
Place is still as good as ever! Went with some out of town family for their first visit. Great service, fantastic salads and bread. I will say the pricing has crept up over the years, but still a fantastic meal. Went with the Special platter, that consists of Steak chunks, three large scallops, fried chicken, rice pilaf and a HUGE baked potato. Gotta go with the Cheese butter for the spud. Steak cooked perfectly, scallops done just right - another winner dinner! Thanks!
(5)
Evan F.
I have to be honest, North Woods has taken a downward spiral down the toilet. I feel like they used to use sour dough for their cheesy butter bread, and now they use crappy white bread. In addition, the entrees were awful the past two times I've been there. The ribs tasted like they were boiled in water a few days before and they slipped them into the microwave to warm them up. I don't even want to talk about the fish. Yeah, I understand if you want good fish then don't go to Northwoods, but the fish was bad. Bad as in gone bad. And if the fish is awful then why would they have it on the menu? And why would it cost $30? Not worth the money you spend to go there. Not worth going at all. Want a steak? Even if you don't have a membership, buy a Costco card and buy three steaks there ... all for less than you'd spend taking your family to North Woods.
(1)
Laura W.
Went there tonight for my husbands birthday,, Our waitress Rachel M. was very sweet she recognize us right away from a previous time and ask if was a special occasion...As usual the food was great.. We shared the Sea food platter. Everything was cooked perfect... Rachel made sure we had a wonderful dinner and even surprised my husband with Happy Birthday and Orange sherbet... Thank you! We will definitely be asking for Rachel the next time we go...
(5)
Colette Y.
Had an amazing experience with our water Peter. He was extremely friendly and very attentive. I would come back just to have him as a waiter again! The place was extremely cute and made me feel like I'm at big bear! Would definitely come again.
(5)
Bryan M.
This has always been my favorite place to eat at for my birthday as a kid. I decided to spend Valentine's Day here with my girlfriend. From their salad to their cheese bread, food is always great here! We had a reservation for 9:30pm and was seated well before our promised time. Our server Vicente was friendly and on top of everything! We both had the Lobster and Filet Mignon and left with plenty to eat the following day! We'll be back here again very soon!
(5)
Russell M.
Pleasantly surprised tonight. Usually the service is horribly slow but we had a waitress named Cacey who was fast, friendly, and anticipated our needs such as not having to ask to refill beverages. Pricing is still a little high but the ambience of the interior I believe helps justify it.
(4)
Orlando Z.
It had been12 years since I had frequnted this delightful establishment. I was pleasantly surprised to see that not much had changed. I decided to return and this time bring my beautiful girl. The food was as amazing as it was the first time I went, if not better. As everyone knows, the dining experience has to be as pleasant as the food and drinks. Our server, Kim made sure that our experience was nothing short of superb. She was very gracious and very prompt. We will be visiting Clearman's more often knowing that their product and level of service is above and beyond expectation.
(5)
Clay C.
Ok by the two star we were not happy with the experience. If a customer buys the steak and crab for 65.00 and it is not cooked to order DON'T recook the steak they just took a bite out of! Please give them a new steak as it was your mistake. Mistakes happen and if you order medium and it's is blue in the center cook the customer a new steak.The cheesy bread is always good but do yourself a favor and buy a jar to go. This place used to be great. We waited over one hour for a table that was vacant the whole time we we're waiting. This table was at the front door where we were able to view the receptionist look clueless and read down a list one by one with out any consideration to small parties or the tables available.We also watched them lose about half the of the people waiting for a table because the front desk could not think on their feet. Then the manager who we had not seen in all the time that we've been waiting finally managed to come to the front desk and actually (Serious here) walk around in circles. From my point of view there are two shames here. 1.The management company running this place doesn't seem to know what they are doing ,obviously paying their help too little. COME ON! The front desk person should be paid to think on their feet so you don't loose half your customers that could have been seated 2. The servers suffer not making as much money as they could with people not being seated because of inept management! People waited and left.Why would you have a receptionist who could just read a list one at a time and not think things out work on a Saturday night ? This is the managers fault! That being said our server Arnie was wonderful but you can't rely on the waiters who actually have an incentive to do a good job(tips) to make up for corporate's bad decisions. I think it is time to really stop going to corporate run restaurants
(2)
George E.
If you haven't been here in awhile I have good news. When you order an entree you can replace the rice with fresh vegetables. What a great change. I always order the hamburger steak. I would never eat all the rice. Now I order the vegetables. Carrots, cauliflower and broccoli. I got some cheese sauce to pour on the veggies. Magnificent. First time I ever cleaned my plate. Bravo! Can't wait to go again.
(5)
Louel L.
Oh I fucking love this place. Where else can you eat in San Gabriel Valley that has a wintery cabin feel? The roof is covered in faux snow. I felt like I was in Santa's Village. I literally slid down it on my stomach. If you haven't tried it, you should. The inside was dark. But like a good dark. Lighting dim enough to hide imperfections. So this would be a good place to take dates if they weren't true lookers. The light that was present illuminates the good ass food. And 95% of everything I've tried there was awesome. The cheese bread.... Mmmmmm... The salad... WTF, how is that so good?! And the meat!!!! I've just died and gone to heaven thinking of how good it was. But the calamari is just sad. Tasted like I was the only one to order it in months, so they had to thaw it out and cook it in the same grill they make the fries next door. But the rest of the food is plentiful so whatever. Anyway, go back to slide on the roof. You get pretty good speed. Disclaimer: I didn't tell you to do that.
(5)
Jose C.
This is a really good place if you are looking for a homely steak house. The decor is outdoorsy and the people for the most part are friendly. The only reason I did not give 5 stars is because they don't always cook their steaks with how you order. Other than that I love their potato skins, salad, and cheese bread! Yumm.
(4)
Stephanie S.
An old school classic! They don't make places like this anymore. From the log cabin building to the fake snow on the roof, this restaurant is true gem. It was a really big deal when my parents use to bring us here when we were little. We would have to wait for our table, so my parents would get us Shirley Temples, and we would sit at a table in the bar, and crack peanuts, and throw the shells on the floor with all the sawdust. When seated you get a basket of the greasiest cheese bread (u can buy the spread in most markets now!), and 2 salads, one with homeade blue cheese and the other a marinated cabbage, and I speak from experience when I say to mix them! Or you can do what my husband does, and wrap them both up with the greasy bread, and have yourself a "white guy taco".....btw he thinks you can also make "white guy tacos" at Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles. The complex where it's located has changed alot, they used to have the "Galley" AKA The Boat to locals, but much as changed. Ok......I'm starting to date myself, and get stuck in memories...go enjoy it, and then go home, because it is really yummy AND greasy! and you will want to chill!
(5)
D B.
This place is for US- locals only! If you are a health nut, if you didn't grow up on Cheese bread and throwing peanut shells on the floor and you don't like to spend money then don't bother coming here. This is for everyone who enjoys not watching their weight, who remembers going to a restaurant and have a good time in a restaurant that is not a cookie cutter franchise. The best dishes are obviously the cheese bread, the filet mignon, and the Mahi Mahi, yes I said the Mahi Mahi. It is good too. But for all the SGV locals have your peanuts and throw them on the floor too. Some places are not for everyone.
(5)
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Address :7247 Rosemead Blvd
San Gabriel, CA, 91775
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Melanie D.
I love this place. The decor is out of this world awesome! The food is tasty if on the expensive side. The clam chowder is yummy and HUGE. The steak sandwich is just the right size for me. The wait staff was very attentive and kind. This is definately a go to place for me on occasions.
(4)Lynette T.
Recently, another Yelper and I messaged each other about the cheesebread. I've been craving it since. One of my sons was out that way this afternoon, so I asked him to pick up a few things across the street at Trader Joe's. He called me from there to ask if there was anything else I needed...."CHEESEBREAD! CHEESEBREAD!" He groaned and hung up on me. I was thinking horrendous thoughts and texted "U toad. Bad son. pfffffft" How can he deny his mommy the most heavenly cheesebread in town? Shaaaaaaaaame on him. Just because he's dieting and trying to eat healthier doesn't mean I have to suffer. So what if it would have been a daunting task to drive all the home with the aroma of butter and cheese? Tomorrow.....cheesebread. Even with an ear infection and a sore knee, I shall drive there myself to get some. And I plan to wave it under his nose when I get home.
(5)Alicia A.
As far as service, food and prices you get what you pay for. Totally worth it! Excellent! I have have been to 3 different locations and enjoyed them all BUT I wasn't crazy about their luch menu from their Stein N Stein locations, I guess I expected more...
(5)Vicky M.
This place was not as great as it was a few years ago. The steak I ordered was very plain, while the rice was dry, and the Clam Chowder was not as flavorful as I remembered it to be. Food is sub-par now.
(2)Rick S.
Okay so I have also been coming here a long time and it is just a disaster. I eat at the covina one too and isn't the food supposed to be the same???? San gabriel is awful food and the service is even worse. Covina is awesome! Who ever heard of rude waiters with attitude? Well go here if you want steep prices with god awful service. I had experience with 2 different managers and Kim and Richard are I hate to say incredibly rude and have no business in thier business. Skip this place for now and hopefully it can start to turn around like its neighbor the boat.
(1)Richard G.
So, it's 95 degrees outside, yet here at Clearman's it's perpetual winter, with a nice thick layer of snow on the roof of the lodge that is the North Woods Inn. To eat here, one must either be a big believer in Santa Clause or you are a Lumberjack, either way and either one, you will find yourself fitting in just fine to the faux lodge looks and atmosphere. You will also find that you either need to be as hungry as a Lumberjack who has spent 8 hours in the woods or you are as fat as Santa and you just want to keep up the jovial jelly look. The portions are enormous, but so are the prices, so at least you get your money's worth. Unlike some places where you spend about $30 per plate and get a medium to small serving, at North Woods Inn, when you spend that much on a meal you are getting a mountain sized portion of food. This isn't a place where you are going to find fine dining or nouvelle cuisine, this is the place where you will be spending some of your hard earned dollars, devouring good old American home style cooking. That's if you are like me, born in the 1950's, and spending my childhood and youth eating meat, potatoes, canned vegetables, salad and bread and butter for every dinner meal. I like it, not everyone will. It's a great place to get together with a group of friends, chow down and have some great conversation in a kitschy but fun atmosphere.
(4)Sharon H.
This place is INTENSE! The decor alone had me thinking about past Twilight Zone episodes. Then the clientele had me convinced the restaurant was conceived in the Outer Limits. It's old school inside and out. The bathroom has foil/velvet wallpaper...even on the ceilings and every patron was 60+. The food was good but Expen$ive!!! We would've loved one of their signature martinis but again, too much $$$$. Everyone raves about the cheese butter they put on the potatoes but it can be bought in the store so...I'm no sure you have to go there to experience it. I think I MIGHT go back, if I had extra dough and I wanted to blow someone's mind, but even though the steak was pretty awesome, I don't flow with that kind of dough. P.S. Bring a sweater!! We were FREEZING! I think they're trying to ensure the patrons don't decompose prematurely. P.S.S About 2 hours later, my boyfriend and I are hitting the bathroom pretty hard. It may have been a bit much for us.
(3)Jennifer R.
I was introduced to Clearman's North Woods Inn when I was in high school many years ago. I loved it! It is casual lodge style restaurant with rustic decor. The roof is covered in fake white snow. Once inside you feel like you have stepped into a cozy cabin. There are peanut shells and sawdust on the floor. The meals are tasty and each is started with two family style salads and cheesey bread. One salad is an iceberg lettuce and bleu cheese/ranch mix salad dressing and the other is a red cabbage with vingarette dressing salad. Both are delicious and pair well with the cheesey bread. Salad and Bread are all you can eat. The steaks are cooked perfectly and are very tasty. I usually get the filet and lobster tail when I go there and both are terrific! The lobster is served popped out of the shell and the shell is filled with a stuffing which is quite tasty. The meals are served with a huge baked potato and rice pilaf. To accompany your potato, you can choose from mushroom gravy, whipped cheese butter or the traditional butter and sour cream. The restaurant has a full bar as well. If you are ever in the area, give it shot, you will not regret it!
(5)Fran S.
I didn't eat here so I can't comment on the wait staff but the hostesses here are so rude! Maybe because they're used to the regular senior citizen clientele or maybe they were having a bad day but boy, these girls were not into giving good customer service. Not to mention, it smelled like pee in there! For starters, they don't take phone orders so you cant place your order until you get there. I went to pick up a to-go order the first time I was there so I wasn't familiar with the menu. I had a few questions for the hostess looked at me like I was in idiot. There goes her tip! The food was blah. Maybe they save the good food for dinner time. Either way, I wouldn't come back.
(1)Brian S.
This is the same food you get at "the boat" with a slightly nicer atmospher and twice the price. Basically, they expect you to fill up on red cabage salad / salad with blue cheese dressing and cheesy bread so you don't notice you've just paid over $20 for six steak chunks with little seasoning! Oh how I miss the boat...
(2)Becky G.
It is almost hard to write this review. My family and I have been coming here for years and have always had nothing but exellent experiences. We ordered the lumberjack on split, I really only come for the salad, anyhow the b/f ordred some shrimp. I was dissapointed in the the cut of meat, It was tougher than I had expected. The shrimp we ordered was bland . The Salad was good so for the salad and bread alone I will give them 3 stars :)
(3)Brian C.
Cheese bread, salad, steak. Enough said.
(4)Tiana Y.
My family and I have made this restaurant a special event location for years. Every birthday, anniversary, trip back from Iraq that I have we go to Northwoods. I love the initial feel of the peanuts on the floor and the cracking under my feet that happens when I walk across them. One i sit down and start smelling the cheese bread my heart skips a beat. I usually order some type of heavily filled Alcoholic drink (I'm in Utah now) and set the menu down cause i get the same thing every time. This particular time is was my boyfriends first experience of Northwoods so I let him take it all in. I order the Fillet which is always cooked perfectly to Medium Rare like I ask and doesn't need any steak sauce along side it. The seasonings are perfect. They bring me out my cheesy bread that i have been itching for since we mentioned we were going there and I dive in. Next I pile my plate full of sweet crunchy red cabbage (and I HATE cabbage) and add some delectable blue cheese salad along side it. This is the perfect combination of savory, tangy, sweet goodness you can ever experience. Now for my entree, bring on the fillet and yes that's right my overly stuffed potato with Cheese and butter OMG how it makes so many happy memories fly back into my head. Northwoods isn't known for their cheap prices or there overly fancy aesthetics, but once you go I promise you will go back if not for anything else but to gorge on cheesy bread, steak and potato. Go and enjoy the ambiance, take your time, don't be in a hurry and indulge in all that is Northwoods, you won't be let down.
(5)M S.
I'm a BIG fan of this place. First of all, they give you a bowl of peanuts, and they encourage you to discard the shells on the floor. I'm down with that. They also serve a nice sized beer, with a good selection. Now, to the point, get the meal that includes the salad and the cheese bread. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Have you ever seen Fast Time at Ridgemont High? Of course you have. And you remember the scene at the restaurant, where the dorky guy takes out the young chick from the pizza place. You know, he forgets his wallet, and then his cool scalper friend has to come and drop it off. So yeah, this place reminds me of the restaurant they're at. Next door use to be The Boat, and now there's a Kohls, what a waste
(4)John S.
I used to love coming to this place when I was a little kid. Our family called it The Peanut Place because while you're waiting for your food you can eat peanuts at your table and throw the shells onto the ground. This may have also been the first place I ever witnessed a sawdust floor, which still dazzles me today. What was really cool about this place, though, was that there used to be this little mall in the corner of the parking lot with interesting stores, including a candy store where they sold all kinds of candy that I had never seen anywhere else--paper candy, rock candy, etc. This site also used to have a restaurant our family called The Boat Place which was a burger place whose kitchen was an actual tugboat. They've since torn The Boat Place down and built a monstrous Kohl's. Yuck. Anyway, while I did love The Peanut Place because of its sawdust floors and how it was perfectly OK to throw peanut shells on the floor, I was very embarrassed by the nude paintings on the walls. They're not offensive at all; they're actually quite tacky, but at that tender age, I tried not to stare too much because I knew I wasn't supposed to look at those kinds of pictures. I can't say much for this place's food. The baked potatoes are ridiculously large, I'm talking you-won't-believe-that-they're-baked-potatoes large. I remember the coleslaw being very spicy and very good. It's a mostly meat place, though, so the only reason I would come back is for sentimentality. Oh, and there is fake snow on the roof, fake icicles on the eaves, and mysterious windows in the dormers with scary lights in them. I was convinced as a child that there was an evil witch imprisoned in one of them. Sadly, the Kohl's they built blocks the view of some of the dormers.
(4)Marc J.
My parents brought me here regularly in the 1960s/70s. Just recently, I rediscovered it. The decor is over the top with log walls and ceilings, sawdust on the floor, like a north woods hunting lodge. If for no other reason, the decor is worth a look. Service is friendly and efficient, which is much too rare in most places. Prices are high and portions are great if you want to perpetually remain at your current weight of 500. Appetizer sizes are enough for standard-sized people, at prices less than half of entrees. You will see a lot of very large diners here - they are the regulars. Make North Woods a great place for rare visits. Enjoy the distinctive atmosphere and come back in a few months.
(4)Loretta J.
I went here with several of my friends. The cheese bread was the greatest and tastiest food item served. My niece doesn't like cheese but did enjoy the cheese bread. The salads were second best. The prices are astronomically high at $20+ per plate. After eating cheese bread & salad, you will be full. It would have been a good idea to just order appetizers but oh well. For dinner, I ordered the combination platter. It had chicken, scallops, and a bit of steak. It was also served with a huge baked potato and rice. The potato was good and steak was perfectly cooked. I didn't like the scallops and they tasted a bit like imitation crab. The chicken was tasteless. Maybe I should have just ordered a steak considering it is a steakhouse. All in all, the food was ok but I doubt I will ever return. If my friend wants to go back though, I will order steak only.
(2)Amy C.
OVER PRICED!!! FOOD ISNT AS GOOD AS IT USE TO BE. VERY DISAPPOINTED..Will not waste my money again..
(1)Christina B.
Always good!
(5)Mr T.
I like Clearman's Not for the food but for the variety and old school dining experience. Service: Very Good! Food: Steak was dry Salad: meh.....(thumbs down) Baked Potato: Off the chain (Great!) Rice Pelof: OK... nothing to get excited about. Garlic Bread.. Good. a little greasy. Price: Over Priced Decent place but for the price - Cheese Cake Factory dominates North Woods Inn and even average Steak Houses can beat it.
(3)Dr K.
This resturant kind of reminds me of that simpsons episode: "Rub the food against a paper, and if you can see through the paper it's your window to weight gain!" Parking: -lots of parking in their lot, the only thing is the Kohl's and the other places take some spaces. Decor: -It has an interesting oldy, tavernish kind of feel to it. -peanut shells on the ground -deer heads and old paintings -kinda dark, maybe creepy or romantic ish ;) Service: -Slow, very slow. Though it might have just been our waitress because the one next to ours was pretty good to her people -Took a couple of tries (asking) to get straws -And they forgot that it was our birthday person. . . twice. . . Food: (Grease me up baby!) -Free roasted peanuts, throw the shells at people you dislike (though you really shouldn't be eating with them if you dislike them ;) -First of all the small salads are freaking small -The two salads are: Lettuce drenched in ranch dressing (would recommend dressing on the side), and the other is red cabbage covered in vinegar (sour) [On the smaller dishes you still get both, just less of them] -Cheese bread is like a garlic bread that is drenched in oil and pretty salty. -Steak was good, not the best I've had put pretty decent. It's a bit expensive for what it is. I don't really recommend the porterhouse as it had a lot of fat and bone with very little of the really nice cut meat. Overall it was a decent place, but I would say go to someplace else to save money.
(3)Amy A.
First off I love the decor... everything from the snow capped roof to the red carpets. Yes it's not chic and tasteful---the whole place is dark like you're dining in a cave, and the floor is covered in peanut shells... all of it just makes me love it that much more. I'd go back just to sip on a cocktail at their festive bar (I'm dying to see this bar used in a film or something). The food is a different story... granted not everything is a 4 star and the prices can get scary but I'm very nostalgic about their cheese bread and salad and those items alone will always bring me back. My parents and I would always go there for "special dinners" when I was a child so it will stay with me. I love the soggy greasy cheese bread that has this flavor you can never get anywhere else...it's freakin nuclear fabulous....and the salads are to die for in my opinion... I love mixing the two together with a lot of pepper, cheese bread in hand and nice glass of red (now that I'm of age, before it was just a good old cherry sodi-pop, haha). Yum! You're best bet is to go with a steak, a baked potato (with any of the dressing you'd like ON THE SIDE because they are not shy about using their butters and cheeses and gravies----do yourself a favor lol) and you can either get rice and steamed vegetable. Neither of the side dishes are anything to jump up about but who cares after that amazing salad, bread and steak? =) Not me. I've heard good things about the fried chicken and would love to try it on my next visit... which I must say should be soon!!!....
(4)Eman B.
Clearman's North Woods Inn had a rustic log cabin decor and a snow covered roof. They have a number of Tiffany style hanging lamps and their food is printed on these heavy stand-up cauldron shaped menus. You sit at these long wooden tables and they start you off with peanuts instead of bread. You can sweep all your shells right on to the floor, so this is fun for the kids. I don't have kids but I'm like one, so I did it and I loved it. They have "Texas Toast" and their idea of salad is a big bowl of lettuce with dressing and another bowl of red cabbage with their house vinaigrette. The steak I had was great and the french dip my lady had was very good too. I didn't order any dessert but it looked OK from what I saw on another table. It's safe to eat here.
(4)Roger H.
Came here around my 21st birthday about 5 years ago with some coworkers. All i remember is drinking a ridiculous amount of jose cuervo + almost blacking out before the food came out. The was food served in large sized portions. Also they had a full bar before. Good place to get drunk and extremely full. They have extremely large sized mugs of beer (think of viking style).
(4)Mr F.
Too expensive for mediocre artery clogging food.
(3)Simon V.
Having passed this place more than a few times, I thought it would be interesting to try a steakhouse in San Gabriel. Turns out it's not that bad. First off, the cabin interior, the relatively dim lighting, and the large amounts of sawdust and peanut shells on the floor make for an interesting dining experience. You begin with a side of peanuts (you're encouraged to drop the shells on the floor) and water to munch on before you order. The portions are huge (as well as the prices)! We ordered the Porterhouse (25oz) Steak and shared it. Splitting entrees requires a $7 fee (kind of shady if you ask me), but we barely finished the food even after halving it. Both salads were pretty good (iceberg lettuce with blue cheese and red cabbage with vinegar), although the dressing can be a little much. The cheese bread is pretty soggy, and way too cheesey/salty. The side of baked potato with butter (more like melted cheddar and butter) was really good, although the sauce was overwhelming. Equally tasty was the side of rice pilaf. The steak was good: medium-rare, branded with grill marks, and thick as an inch, it was very satisfying. Overall, a different kind of restaurant with worthwhile options for the heavy eater. Just make sure you're ready to shell out $20-$50 bux.
(4)Pettra T.
My favorite
(5)Angelica D.
My boyfriend went to dinner here last week in celebration on winning at the horse races. We have been here before but usually get the salad and bread to go. I was bummed on the service. The server did not care to be there. She was very la la la la. I asked about the specials and she told us while she was walking away to another table and there no explanation or selling of the specials. Although we got sat right away the table was in an awkward part of the restaurant. My BF ordered the filet medium and it was purging red when it was served. He never returns food in fear of it being messed with. But for a $32 steak it better be right. Unfortunately after the refire it was not good. The server did not even thank us, we felt rushed and she made us feel like the steak being undercooked was our fault. Yes we got lucky at the races but $70 later with tip and NO alcohol I feel that there was no value or appreciation for our business. I want to feel appreciated that I chose to spend money at a restaurant and I am giving extra money for service. (we tipped her decent too) It is disappointing when you feel like you are just a person taking up a table. Last time we came in October it was our first time and it was a much better experience. I think telling the server it is your first time or celebrating an occasion you get better treatment. I think next time we will get the bread and salad (AMAZING STUFF) to-go to avoid another disappointing $70 meal OUCH!!!!!
(2)Victor M.
i came hear tonight not expecting much because i had read the yelp reviews but i think they were wrong have you tried the vegetable beef soup the cheese toast, the cabbage salad,i had the steak sandwich which was only 11.95 and it was delicious and i got really full this place is definitely worth it
(5)Si O.
Its a decent steak house. I would rate it a little better than Black Angus. The quality of the steak was decent. I had the porter house. It had way too much fat. Everything is great except the steaks. I love their cheese breads, and free peanuts. The salads are great too. I wouldn't mind just filling up on the bread and salad. It would be a lot cheaper. I will probably go back, but will try something besides the steaks.
(3)Annie C.
Filet mignon is amazing, cheese read is phenomenal and blue cheese salad is to die for.. Very quaint rustic atmosphere where you can throw peanut shillings on the floor! Very creative decor in log cabin and intimate feel.
(5)Larry J.
I love Clearman Northwoods Inn! I just wish they could expand their chain up to the S.F. Bay Area. Their steaks are incredible! Service is fantastic and I am always stuffed when I leave this place. I've been to the one in La Mirada too. I can't remember the name of the specific steak I had but damn, it was delicious! When ever I visit Southern California, I make it a point to come here for dinner. I first ate here after my high school graduation (1991) and have made if a point to eat here when I have the time appetite for a juicy steak. I'd give this place 10 stars if I could.
(5)Tim B.
This is the perfect spot for serial killers to lunch. It's so fantastically creepy (but it a fun loving Dexter kinda way). This place sucks for a vegetarian, unless you're willing to survive on cheese bread--then this place is numero uno. My lady friend is obsessed with the wings, FYI.
(4)Lauren L.
As a kid I was always amazed how it managed to snow in San Gabriel and it only seemed to land on the roof of the restaurant. You could imagine my disappointment at age 5 when mom told me the snow was just a hoax. I quickly got over the sadness and continued to enjoy the food at North Woods. I usually get the steak chunks on a skewer. At times even when I order them medium, they come out as tough as an honors statistics test. The portions are so large that you're almost guaranteed to have leftovers. My goal in the next few weeks is to hit this place for happy hour. For $6.95 you can get the same dish minus the sides in the bar. I will report back with my findings. The cheese bread is a staple here and they also sell the spread to take home to make your own. I sometimes feel the service is shady here. It seems hit and miss. I actually went 1 time with a large party. The waiter seemed to be struggling to reach my water cup to refill. I picked it up and handed it to him and he said, "Why don't you let me be the waiter okay"? haha no problem, I will let you be the waiter and you can walk away with the coins and lint I pulled out of my pocket as a tip. I don't think this place has the best steaks in town, but the bread and salads are just so good.
(4)Lou S.
Even when this place is bad it's good. Like 1979 all over again.
(4)Lisa Marie M.
Cheese bread, miracle grow baked potatoes and dinosaur size steaks -- need I say more.
(4)Mama C.
I convinced my husband to take me here after a friend and a cousin of mine gave it high raves. As mentioned many times previously, the atmosphere was... unique... and yes, plenty o' peanut shells all over the floor. As for the food, it was on the pricey side (the cheapest dinner starts at $19.95, and there's only 2 at that price: the hamburger or broiled/fried chicken dinner). With that said, you do get an enormous amount of food for your money. Each dinner comes with: Two Salads (iceberg with blue cheese dressing and red cabbage with vinegar), Cheese Bread, Rice Pilaf, Baked Potato, with choice of Whipped Cheese Butter, Butter, Sour Cream & Chives, or Mushroom Gravy Big quantity, poor quality. We both ordered one of the steak dinners. I completely agree with annie t's review about the cheese bread and salad: yelp.com/biz/clearmans-n… The cheese bread was super salty for my taste, and it really didn't taste cheesy to me. All I tasted was salt. There was way TOO MUCH dressing for the salad. My husband did like the red cabbage with vinegar, though (I don't care for vinegar). Rice pilaf was bland (but didn't expect any different). The potato was huge, but I mistakenly ordered mine with the Whipped Cheese Butter, and again, SALTY! And the steak was just OK. Perhaps my tastebuds had been tainted by all the salt and heavy dressing from everything prior to the steak, cuz I'm a steak lover. :( My husband and I mutually agreed that it would not be worth it to go back.
(2)Tanya S.
I think we can all agree that the BEST part of Northwoods Inn is their cheese bread and their salad. These two items come alongside every meal, and they are a meal within themselves. I'm not saying that the food here isn't good, but it's the salad and the bread that sets this restaurant apart from all the rest!!! This is not the place to be if you're on a diet or a healthy eater, because it's purely cheesy, buttery deliciousness! If you don't have a big appetite I suggest ordering their "sandwiches" because they're actually just small portions of the dinner entrees.
(4)Carmen Y.
I've been to Steak & Stein and the other North Woods Inn (can't remember the city) but this place is horrid! I took my son out here for lunch what a mistake. The food we ordered was so so.....I was not impressed. The worst part was the waiter! He was an old fart, who was unfriendly, had an attitude problem and got our order wrong. He never refilled our drinks (even when we asked). I highly suggest going to the other Clearman's restaurants such as Steak & Stein.
(2)Old School Yelper Y.
I used to live a block down from this place about 4 years ago. I absolutely love it! It is definitely one of the most unique steakhouses out there - you can throw peanut shells on the floor, the barmaids wear these ridiculous mini-skirt/chest-baring get-ups, and the decor makes you feel like you are somewhere in the Alps. The food is great - steaks are tasty (and HUGE), the garlic cheese bread is amazing, and the salad dressing is to die for. If you like big meals, this is place to go...you get a lot of bang for your buck!
(5)Ed Z.
Kitchy and fun. Buca di Beppo for lumberjacks and that's ok. The red cabbage salad is very good and they have Hoegaarden on tap. The kids love this place for the peanuts and the fact that they are encouraged by many signs to throw the shells on the floor. The deer and other former wildlife seem to enjoy it when they do. It is definitely old school but lot's o' fun. Aka, the 'fake snow place.' Ample parking and there's a Kohl's next door ready to take your money for your shopping convenience.
(3)Kim B.
The parking lot for this place is humongous. It's like a parking lot for an amusement park. Where's the shuttle to the front door?!? We went here for the first time for dinner last week. I've never seen so much "waiting space" in my life. There's a huge amount of seating outside for waiting as well as a huge amount inside the door AND in the bar. I don't know how busy this place gets but holy cow, they can easily fit 300 people in their waiting space. They go all out with the lodge atmosphere. There's sawdust on the floor and wood everywhere you look. Everything's made of wood. And logs. Lots of logs. It's fun. The salad and bread came first which was yummy. One is iceburg lettuce with blue cheese dressing. Tasty. The other is red cabbage with vinegar. Very tasty. And the garlic cheese toast. Yummy, yummy. We shared a porterhouse steak. It was large but my boyfriend complained that it definitely wasn't as big as the menu said it would be (I don't get annoyed by these things but he does). It was tender but a bit overcooked and completely unseasoned. The twice baked potato was good but I didn't much like the weird cheese butter concoction piped on top. Next time, I'll order it without that. Service was good, very attentive and prompt. The reason I gave 3 stars and not more: for the prices I think I'd rather go to Outback Steakhouse. The kitsch factor makes this place fun and all but the quality for the price just isn't there.
(3)Neural N.
We had a birthday dinner here last night, and it was ok to me. The Mahi-mahi was over cook, the quality of the steak is not even close to any high-end steakhouse. Service was great and in right speed. This place wasn't busy last night, no need to wait to be seated. One of us got sick after the dinner, which will be one of the reasons that we can't visit this place again.
(2)James D.
My wife and I recently ranked this place #2 in our list of worst restaurants ever visited. I'm all for the dive-bar vibe but if I'm walking on sawdust I expect sawdust prices. My mother-in-law asked the server if the fish was fresh. The slack-jawed blank stare was followed with "It's fresh frozen". That kind of sums up Clearman's - a pretty clueless eatery serving the usual American staples. Unfortunately, those staples are one-step from inedible are vastly overpriced. If you're charging over $15 for a burger you better make sure it's better than Wendy's. It wasn't.
(1)Jack T.
GF and I had dinner here on our way back to LA from a roadtrip. We came to consensus on the 3-star rating, although neither of us was that impressed with the food. It wasn't horrible, but you can't in good conscience praise it. It's OK. Edible, serviceable, filling, decent. For the most part. In figuring out an appropriate star-rating, we decided that Bahooka (about 5 miles further south on Rosemead blvd) would get 2 stars, because it also has fantastic decor, but the food there is worse. Since I was the only one familiar with the place before we went, my gf yelped it and saw that it was a $$$ establishment. The truth is, it doesn't taste like it. When we fork over $$$ cash, we eat some pretty amazing meals. This would be a better value at a slightly cheaper price point. Also, I don't mind the peanut shells on the floor thing, but this time it did occur to me that rodents must also love that. Usually, when I go to steakhouses, i order a filet mignon on the theory that it's impossible to fuck up. For some reason, this time out, I didn't think it was worth the $32 price tag. I decided to go with "Steak on a Skewer" for $23. My gf chose the "Steak Sandwich" for $11.95 and I learned something valuable from the experience. The quality of the meat between the 2 dishes is very comparable, as are the portions (mysteriously, there was no bread served with the "sandwich"). The sandwich did NOT come with the typical 2 salads (the iceberg with the creamy dressing, and the red cabbage with vinaigrette). It also did not come with the baked potato (I do quite like the mushroom gravy boat). Nor did it come with Clearman's Cheesy Bread (which I loathe because it drips with oil). But the sandwich plate DID come with the red cabbage/vinaigrette salad on the side. And I reasoned frugally that I could always order a baked potato a la carte. And I would not shed any tears over the missing iceberg lettuce or cheesy bread. And I would have saved $8-$12. So, the winning point goes to my gf on this one. One note of bad service: I asked the waiter for plain bread. He said normally that might be a problem, since Cheesy Bread is the preferred coin of the realm at Clearman's. But he might be able to make an exception in this case. I think good customer service consists of never letting the customer know how much of a pain in the ass their requests might be. I declined the extra effort he offered to slice me a couple pieces of plain bread. Where Clearman's picks up some lost points is on the decor. It feels sorta like Santa's village. The walls resemble a log cabin and there are stuffed animal heads everywhere and fake snow on the roof. It was nice to take my girl there around the holidays, but it's even more fun in the middle of July when none of it makes any sense at all. I was dismayed to see a gigantic Kohl's had taken over the northwest side of the parking lot, dwarfing Clearman's. What is this world coming to?
(3)Joseph C.
Damn, I don't know if they f*cked with me on the right day or what. I went here for a company luncheon. I ordered the Fillet Mignon. Everything from the salad, to the cheese bread, to the bake potato, and the steak. EXCELLENT. It should get a 4.5, but I averaged it up. The pink lemonade was good too.
(5)Ashley D.
I would give them a 4.5, i thought the place was sooooo cute! such a great themed restaurant and loved every bit of it! The service was good and at first they sat us in a huge round table (only 2 of us), but we asked if we can get a smaller table that was more secluded, and they were happy to switch us. I thought i was cute how they just throw peanut shells on the floor. They start off with a salad and cheese bread appetizers which is a lot, watch out because that will make you full before your entree. My friend had the new york and i had the filet mignon. We both though their steaks where good, when comparing it to ruth chris its nothing, but it was still good, i felt i needed sauce with my steak. Other than that, the rest of the food was good, nice big potatoes and sides, yummy shirley temples, and great cheese bread! Loved the environment too! It's a great place to bring a group of people.
(4)Kimiko T.
My ultimate favorite restaurant. I llllllove this place. The steaks are good, but what it's really about is the cheesebread and the salads. I love the 2 salads they give you, especially the red one. They are delicous! I usually only take a few bites out of the cheesebread since I know it's bad for you, but it's still so delicious. But it's all about the salads. Those are the best! And the steak itself is cooked to perfection everytime!
(5)Oro O.
My friend and I used to come here all the time for dinner. It is pricy food but it will definitely fill you up. The first time I came here, they threw peanuts all over our table. People crack open the peanuts and toss the shells on the floor. My favorite is just stepping on all the peanut shells on the floor ... hehe. I like the crunch noises they make.. ;b I really like the cheesebread (it's loaded with butter!), the salad was tart but tasty, and the steaks / baked potatoe's were awesome!!! *heart* My appetite's getting smaller, so I'll always have leftovers from here! When I'm feeling for something light, I just get the "Steak Chunk Tenders on a Skewer" appetizer (and yes, sometimes I don't finish that either) otherwise I try something new on their Dinner Menu all the time. :) Expect to spend at least $20 here. Maybe $40 per person.
(4)Erica H.
This is our family's go-to spot. We'll drive the 20 minutes to get here. My dad's been taking us here since we were kids. The ambiance and the service is always fantastic. The portions are huge and the prices are steep, but it all evens out. We order the filet most of the time, so I highly reccommend it to anyone who ventures out here.
(5)Kenny W.
OMG!! I don't know how they do it but, I was here 25 years ago with my grandparents and it was great, and if it is possible it is even better. The food, the ambience, the service ALL were top notch! This is the place to go, for family, to impress your date, oh yeah take her here, there is nothing bad to say about this place!!! THANK YOU CLEARMANS
(5)Reana R.
I went last week for lunch and had a wonderful experience!! The server came within about two minutes of sitting down with free peanuts and took our drink order, our drinks were sitting in front of us before I even blinked. She told us about new items and was great about answering all our questions about the menu since it was our first time going there. I ordered the steak sandwich and was able to upgrade to the ALL YOU CAN EAT for just 3.95!!! I had to try the salad and bread since everyone talks about how good it is and it did not dissapoint. Its iceburg lettuce with blue cheese and red cabbage which doesn't sound like much but she suggested we mix it together and it was to die for. The cheesebread was like nothing Ive ever tasted and we couldn't get enough. The food came right away and was cooked perfectly. Our server came to make sure we liked our food and our drinks were refilled the entire time. Its definitely worth the money and ill be back. Id recommend this restaurant to anyone!
(5)Hannah C.
I was flabbergasted to get a personal message from another yelper that DOUBTED I ever went to Northwoods because I said the two coleslaw salads were covered in Mayo. Honestly, I don't know what the disgusting creamy/sour sauce they put on was so I wanted to correct myself in saying: I don't know if it was Mayo but it sure was disgusting and not a real salad.
(1)brian r.
The Sliders are the shit! Almost make you want to cry haha. They're 3 fairly large size patties smothered with melted cheese spread and a good bun. They come with a huge portion of home made chips, and all for like 7 bucks. I'm going there tonight for beers and sliders
(5)Catherine C.
The entrees are mediocre. The cheese bread and blue cheese and the cabbage salad are the best things there and you can get those for HALF the price at the boat right next door. If your really bothered you can't throw peanuts on the floor at the boat, go to 711 and do it in your backyard. Now put on your big person underwer and get over it.
(2)Yvette M.
I visit North Woods, maybe every few years- been going here since I was a kid. The thing I look forward to every time is their salads. The green salad w/ the blue cheese dressing is so delicious that I normally do not like to order a big meal because I get full on just the salads and bread alone. Depending on how many people are there you may have to wait a bit but I pass the time w/ good conversation.
(3)Jamie D.
North Woods Inn is the place to be for a piece of juicy steak! This and being able to throw trash (peanut shells) on the floor without people giving you dirty looks. This place serves up one of the best steaks at a very affordable place. The price of the steak includes two types of different salads - Red Cabbage (my favorite...it's served with a citrusy/tart oil-based dressing) and the Lettuce (served with a creamy dressing), their famous Cheese Bread, a big Baked Potato (try it with the Mushroom Gravy...not only is it lighter but it's very flavorful and a tasty Rice Pilaf. You don't need to order anything separate at A la Carte prices. If you're in the need for an intensive IV dosage of red meat, then go for the Porterhouse Steak. I promise you won't need a steak for another year - it's that loaded!
(5)Steve M.
Made the maiden voyage to Clearman's North Woods Inn. The place's decor puked mountain lodge in a way only Disney can capture. Somewhat reminded me of the old Trails Restaurant in Duarte- food was okay but not spectacular. Prices run about $30 for a steak and around $10 for a sandwich. What stood out for us wasn't the 'heart attack' cheese bread, but the server. Best service we've experienced recently! If you're a fussy gourmet, you might want to pass on this place, but if you're looking for a casual evening with generous portions and an unhurried pace, this might be the perfect place.
(3)Mary T.
The kitschy snow-capped lodge exterior is the first hint: this is a ride! Drop any too-cool attitude and surrender to the show. Once you enter the restaurant, your senses will be on overload...The decor is theme-park silly, dim as a cave, but cozy and friendly. Every course is oversized, indulgent and delish. Don't miss the blue cheese and cabbage salads and be sure to mix them together for full impact. The cheese toast rules and will be on the menu for my last meal. Come with friends who love to eat, laugh and damn the consequences. (No dieters or vegans will be happy here.) You'll be waddling out, if you survive the appetizers, cuz the amazing steaks are huge and grilled to perfection and come with incredible bountiful baked potatoes. Haven't tried the seafood but I bet it's smothered in butter! Drinks are strong too. Had the Lemon Drop martini and felt woozy after just one, which ain't normal for this Irish gal.
(4)Montclair D.
A throwback to another era, Clearman's is a kitschy landmark--a giant log cabin with a white, snow-like roof. The interior is dark, illuminated by 100s of Tiffany-style lamps, sawdust and peanut shells on the floor, and a sharp, pungent, old spilled beer smell. Portions are enormous--a Cobb salad was in a 14-inch bowl and must have weighed 4 pounds. Our party of four for lunch ordered four salads, when two would have sufficed. Our waitress said afterwards that she was going to suggest we share, but didn't (our bill and her tip would have been less). The salad was 1960s quality--shredded iceberg lettuce, watery cubed turkey, lots of crumbled bacon and blue cheese, etc. ranch dressing was tangier than I like and generally bland.
(2)David K.
Very large steakhouse. Can't miss it when you drive by, it looks like a weird giant log lodge with snow fake snow on it. The food is just not that great for the money. If you go here get the steak, its really the best entrée on the menu the better the cut the better it tastes. The sides are unremarkable. The salads are meh. The cheese bread is more of a cheese toast, cheese bread is is bread made with cheese, this is slices of oily bread with cheese toasted on it, it really gives me flashbacks to the crappy food we were forced to eat at the school cafeterias. That having been said, Stewart Anderson's Black Angus is better so there is really no reason to go here at all.
(2)Daniel N.
Steak, Steak, and more steak. If you enjoy steaks look no further. You wont get your steak served over $100 plates or hear soothing tunes in the background as you eat . Nope, this place is strictly about shoving ounces and ounces of meat down your throat. Yup definitely not a place for the weak beef eaters. This is not a restaurant you'd want to frequent too often but its good if you have a craving for meat. A place where you can unleash your carnal insticts and devour slabs of meat like the savage carnivore that you are!
(4)William Y.
Nothing fancy, just a great steak house with large portions. I would give them four stars but the service and the interest of the employees was indifferent at best. We haven't been to the North Wood Inc in quite awhile and have definitely had a better dining experience in the past. The food is still great but they need to tighten up their staff.
(3)Jason T.
Cool bulding. The server was not very good. Kind of like a lumberjack man, maybe a theme. Food was average.
(2)Andreas M.
The steaks here are average, but their green and red salad and cheese bread are to die for.
(4)Katie R.
Family favorite for three generations now! North Woods is a quirky steak house that should NOT be judged by their steaks. The true gems to be found on the menu are the bleu cheese and cabbage salad, the very unique cheese burgers, and finally... the AMAZING cheese bread. Go for lunch and ask for those three things, and you will be a life-long patron of Clearman's North Woods!
(5)marissa w.
OK so. I like this place a lot. I love their cheese bread and king crab legs. This place give you too much food. WAYYYY too much. at least for me n my gf. So we split the king crab legs and filet mignon. The dinner is $49.95 and then theres a split plate charge of around $7, but thats only if you both want a salad, baked potato, and rice. Sometimes I dont get all the extras, but if youre realllly hungry then go for it. good bar. peanuts. sometimes kids, but theres lots of space so i dont mind here so much. go now and go early! closes at 9pm!
(5)Rod T.
Been years since I been to this place. Came here for lunch on a Sunday afternoon for a b-day celebration. Wasn't that hungry so didn't go for the steaks like others did. I went for the beef dip. Was very dissapointing. Seemed skimpy on the meat portions. Felt like I could get a better dip at Denny's with much more meat. The rice that came as side didn't really have much flavor. Tasted a little like cardboard to me. While greasy. Gotta love the cheese bread. Tasted way better than my lunch meal.
(3)Jan D.
sorry steak...but i must give the cheesy bread here the first round of applause. this bread is soooooooooo good. i believe this is as good as a bread can taste. yumm yummm.... it is just soooooo good. it even tastes great the next day.. and the best part is..is that it is never ending. also the red cabbage in some sort of vinaigrette beats the other iceberg salad in ranch dressing. but when you are there you must order the steak (porter house/filet) with rice and mashed potato (the normal american meal)and just split it with your date. I guarantee that it is a lot of food. also don't forget a glass of wine or a pint of beer, it would go great together with your meal. Oh yeah!! don't eat too much peanuts while waiting.. (you'll know what i mean when you get there). ;)
(5)Kathleen M.
OK honestly -- have you EVER driven to Disneyland from LA without wondering what on Earth is going on under that faux-snow covered roof? Well let me enlighten you -- a perfect prelude to a Happiest Weekend on Earth is what's going on. We're talking Enchanted Tiki Room-level kitsch here. A signature delicious salad dressing concoction along with Smokehouse-style garlic bread ( yelp.com/biz/smoke-house… ), non-fussy steak, over-stuffed baked potatoes, and generously-sized beer mugs make for a camplicious dining experience.
(5)lee w.
Excellent meal and attentive service...what more can anyone ask for? Very good first time experience...we will be back!
(4)Kien V.
This is a nice escape from the norm in San Gabriel Valley. Kind of reminded me of my trip to mammoth, a dark log cabin restaurant. I was hoping for the same food as the galley before they closed that down (will be open again soon). I ordered the sirloin burger with chili and onion. The beef patty was QUALITY! Literally tasted like a grilled sirloin steak grounded up. The chili was a little salty for me, i liked the galley chili better. TRY THE CHEESE TOAST, 55 CENTS EACH! I suggest 2 slices because its tasty but unhealthy. Sometimes I order just cheese toast to go for a snack.
(4)Tim C.
Kind of pricey, but you get lots of food for your dollar. Definitely go hungry. And don't be afraid of asking for more Cheese Bread.
(4)Jamie B.
This place is INSANELY surprisingly good. I ordered their seafood plate which had Cod, Scallops and Shrimp and never even got around to eating the scallops till the day after because the Cod was so unbelievably amazing. My friend ordered the steak skewers and was equally satisfied. The portions are gigantic (coming from a girl tho) so it would be easy to split an entree and app and walk away full and satisfied. The staff is friendly and the decor is..well..themed, so it is what it is. Nice big beer selection, of beer i like anyway, so that was a pleasant surprise as well. While this is quite the drive for me (least how slow my father drives), i will happily be making it again soon. In terms of steakhouses go, it's about right down the middle in terms of cost but trust when I say it is worth every penny. I was obnoxiously exclaiming "mmmm" or "oh my god this is so effing good" after every bite. Little tip, get the mushroom gravy for your potato..unreal
(5)Erika Q.
So, it's got the cabin vibe along with peanuts and sawdust and topless lady paintings? Hey, it works. "Easy on the eyes" as my husband likes to say. The bar is almost empty and we check in with the hostess. "That'll be a 10 minute wait." WHAT?! The place is empty...or so I thought. We grab drinks...one Pomegranite martini and a massive beer. OMG, what a freaking AMAZING martini. Really. It's up there with some of the best. You know it's good when it goes down a little to easy...ahem, the drink! ;) We are called all of 5 minutes later as we are shown to our seats...hello, the place was PACKED! So, I get the halibut (as I am on a fish and veggie diet - I know what you're thinking, why come to Clearman's but I didn't pick the place) and my husband gets the rib eye. The 2 salads come out: Blue Cheese with lettuce and Red Cabbage slaw. Notice I say, Blue Cheese with lettuce because I didn't see any lettuce. ;) Not bad if you like it smothered. Cheese bread...I don't get it. It's bread with some kind of cheese topping, drenched and very soggy. The food comes and I'll skip the details on my halibut (not fresh) and go right to the baked potato. Oh heaven! Crispy outside, soft middle. You know it's good when you eat the inside and the skin. The side of mushroom gravy is a little too salty for my taste but it looked good. Husband's steak was cooked perfectly medium rare except that the taste on the outside was a little "old grill" tasting. Maybe that was the way it was supposed to be but my husband said it would have been better had they cleaned the grill before cooking the steak. All in all, I ate about 10% of my meal because it was massive. The waiter, who knew we were Clearman's virgins, said he and his wife split a meal. Would have been nice to know...I give it 3 stars. 1 for atmosphere, 2 for drinks and 3 for...well, I feel generous because I would go back for the bar and I would feel bad if this placed closed like the others have.
(3)Joie P.
Oh yes, I love it. The salads...order a half and half, half red cabbage and half lettuce with blue cheese. The steaks are huge and so are the baked potatoes but the cheese butter is what this lovely place is famous for. If you are on a diet, do not go to this place. How can you go wrong with the portions...I never finish! I gave them one less star because of the priciness and although they are doing their best to take up slack while the Boat is in transition but i really don't like my Boat burger to taste like a lobster. try the cheese bread and if you can, pick up the lovely set of steak knives! Yours for only $25.99! And don't forget the mugs. (locations may vary. prices are subject to change)
(4)Annie G.
I've been driving past this place every day for about a year. Every time I passed it, especially when it's hot (and it usually is since this IS so cal), I'd think, that looks like a fun place to dine, especially in the glaring heat of the summer sun. Last Saturday, Dave and I finally tried this place, mostly because of a recommendation from his supervisor at work (a heavyset woman, to put it lightly). She said the scallops were good, and I'm a big fan of scallops in almost every nature (except the Chinese dried ones - those aren't too tasty) so we ordered the shrimp, scallop, cod combo dinner and split that (they charge 5.95 extra if you split an entree). The salad and bread came out, and all I can say is, what's with the overkill in flavor? The bread was super salty, the iceberg lettuce salad was more like blue cheese with a sprinkling of iceberg. The red lettuce salad/cole slaw was good, just because the red wine vinegarette was pretty good, but honestly they put about twice as much dressing as was necessary for the salad. I would definitely ask for the salad dressing on the side and do it yourself, especially since you have to mix the two salads together yourself anyway (it tastes pretty good mixed, except that it's such an overabundance of flavor that I couldn't take very much of it). Then our entrees came. We had asked for the scallops grilled (because they gave us a choice of fried or grilled) and the waiter said that they steam the scallops because they fall through the grill. What the heck?! It's not that hard to find a grill surface that will hold a scallop... but whatever. We chose to get them fried but the shrimp grilled. He didn't give us a choice on the cod, which came fried. I wish we had gotten everything grilled/steamed. The batter for the deep fry tasted like they had accidentally dropped an oceanfull of salt into it by accident. I couldn't eat it, it was so salty. Which says a lot, because I am Miss Deep Fry - I love almost everything deep/batter fried. I ended up taking the batter off of the scallops and the fish (oh, how I wish he had offered grilling for the cod, because the fish was actually tender and pretty good, but the batter was ridiculous!) and I don't know, that kind of killed my appetite. The baked potato was probably the best part of the meal, and I really liked the mushroom gravy. The rice pilaf - well, let's just say I eat rice almost every day, being Chinese and all, but I could not eat this. Not to say it was bad rice pilaf; perhaps I just don't like rice pilaf. Anyway, long story short, nothing was taken home (even though I am also Miss Take-It-Home and almost always ask for takeaway boxes) and Dave and I were in a lousy mood for the rest of the night. I'd give this place 2 stars for the food, because at least it was edible though there was just way too much salt in everything (except the salads which had too much dressing), but the prices bring it down to 1 star, because honestly we could have paid half as much for a worlds better meal down the street at Sinbala... or Jack in the Box.
(1)Patty C.
Yey to throwing peanuts on the floor and yey to their OMG delicious cheese bread. I don't necessarily go here for the main entree (I do get the same thing everytime I go here) but I do go for their unlimited salad and cheese bread. Imagine walking into a cabin-the tables are wood, the menu is wood, and their are peanut shells everywhere so the atmosphere is different. I have never tried their steak but I typically get the "seafood dish" (fried scallop, shrimp, rice, steak cubes, and chicken, potatoe) and split it (split charge included). I feel as if their food is to salty but SERIOUSLY more cheese bread please! Oh and their nachos are good too
(4)sandy c.
ok the other night my hubby and i were craving steak. we did not feel like trekking very far so i turned to yelp for some recommendations. after seeing all the 4-5 stars, i was super excited. i have passed by so many times but never went in. so we went for a yummy steak dinner. prices were not cheap, i think what they called a "filet mignon" was around 30 bucks. well, it was chewy, tough, and had no flavor. we did not even finish our food. we felt bad when they asked if we wanted to pack it up we said yes and then left our food there. we ran out after ditching our food only to be chased down by the bus boy holding our take out!!! at least they have good service. of all the times i have left take out behind and been sad that no one reminded me to get it.......this was one timei wished they didn't.
(1)Jimmy P.
Remember the boat? Along with this restaurant, it was a good place to go and eat. Infact my father works at Clearman's. He's a bartender and has been there for many years, so stop by, have a drink, and let the peanut shells drop on the floor. Just have a great time!
(5)Mike M.
If you think that PETA stands for People Eating Tasty Animals you have come to the right place. They have great steaks, great prime ribs, you will love the green salad, and ALWAYS order double cheese bread. I miss the miniskirt uniforms for the ladies. I miss the piano player. He was GOOD. Enjoy it while you can, they are going to tear down the entire corner except the southern restaurant. The Boat is gone, but will be coming back eventually but facing Rosemead. Parking is excellent. ==Update== The restaurant review above still applies. I still order double cheese bread. The Boat is back, but only as a decoration on Rosemead. The bar-and-grille has been moved it it's own building. It's also good. Parking is excellent at both the restaurant and at the Boat.
(5)JoAnn L.
Great place to go and get alot of food and better yet is delicious. Love the cheese bread and salads. Great place to take kids because they can throw the peanut shells on the floor, it keeps them entertained.
(5)Pancho V.
If your on a budget stay away........as with most good steak houses it's gonna cost you $$$. To start off with I love peanuts and you get to throw the shells on the floor (shut up)....they start you with Cheese bread VERY GOOD and Two kinds of a cole slaw a RED and a regular white both very good, then the Steaks very flavorful and OHHHH my god the Baked Potato with Cheese Butter is to die for!!! but did NOT dig the rice pee-laugh. Their Deserts look great also but all the times I've been there have always been stuffed and never had room for more food, maybe one of these times I will eat backwards and Start with Desert? So I say the food is defiantly very good, it's just gonna cost you!. The reason I only give it 4 Stars is the DRAWBACK: It gets way too noisy to the point it's hard to hear the person across the table from you, it's just with me if I'm going to a pricey place to eat I want to relax and it's impossible to do that here (excessive noise) .
(4)Robert T.
One of the worst dining experience's ever. Halibut was so dry and over cooked it was like eating crackers, and the steak was 40% fat. On top of that it was very expensive. Never again!!
(1)Mel y.
The last time I was here, my little sister was eating peanuts off the floor and stuffing them in her pants. I came here for my boyfriends birthday dinner, because he wanted a big beer and a big steak but didn't want a fancy steakhouse. Well, that's what he got! Their salad is the best and my rib-eye was delish! I also got a lemon drop martini that was really yummy. The service was also very good and I liked the atmosphere. I would come again on another special occassion.
(4)Sarah M.
Yum! Love their salad dressing! Scallops and shrimp to die for!
(5)David B.
love the red cabbage and bread
(5)Alicia K.
I love this place. Their steaks and seafood are a bit too pricey for me. Luckily, I always order the same thing for lunch and I am always happy. I get the open faced shrimp sandwich. When it comes you're thinking, "Seriously, 4 shrimp on a skewer atop a cheese bread? No way is that going to fill me up!" WRONG! The lunch special comes with their kick butt red cabbage salad/blue cheese dressing on iceberg. Mix the two together and it is heavenly. Get an extra slice of cheese bread and you are stuffed to the gills when you leave. My daughter loves throwing my peanut shells on the floor here since that's not allowed at home. I usually come with a girlfriend and her daughter and the two little ones split the kid's sirloin steak meal. All in all, a relatively inexpensive lunch where you can relax with the kids, enjoy good grub and the kids can make a mess (yay, peanuts!) without getting dirty looks from other patrons.
(4)Evan S.
I love their steak and prime rib. Love the peanuts on the floor.
(5)Allison K.
Let's just say I don't get it. UNLESS YOU ARE A BIG STEAK FAN, SAVE YOUR MONEY AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. (I did not try the steak, so even saying that is giving them something.) We came in through what we thought was the main entrance. I guess it was the entrance to the bar, which was a huge area with a bar and tables. Paintings of naked women on the walls as if it were an olde time saloon/brothel. Now this is nothing I haven't seen before, but I might have been put off if I had brought some youngsters. Very low ceilings, dark. Read the other reviews for the log cabin overview of the place. The peanuts are not roasted or salted, so ho hum. And who cares if you can throw the shells on the floor - I mean, is that entertainment or something? My husband and I went for lunch on our way through the area. He wanted to go because "it's been there forever." I think if you like steak it might be okay. We were there for lunch, so steak was a little overkill. I had a Cobb salad. He had a corned beef sandwich. It was all around disgusting. I asked for the salad to be chopped and tossed, with the dressing on the side. It was made with iceburg lettuce, and did not have much bacon, blue cheese crumbles, or avocado. The tomatoes tasted like they had been in the frig a week, cold and soggy and blah, and there was an olive or three, and the egg was sliced, not chopped, so that didn't work either. The blue cheese dressing helped the salad overall, but even with the dressing, I would give the salad a D for quality. Who cares if it was big? The food was terrible. I wanted to splurge on the bacon, avocado and blue cheese and it was like a depression salad. I didn't want the extra calories/fat (beside what I thought I was getting in the salad), so I asked the waitress not to bring the cheese bread, so I can't rate that. My husband had a choice of Rye or a "special roll" for his sandwich. He had rye bread. There was a lot of meat in the sandwich, but it had three slices of bread and the meat, that's it. He put mustard on it, and I asked if it was good mustard -"No. Heinz." I asked how the bread was "Nothing special." Did you get it toasted? "No" Would you have liked it toasted? "Yes" Did she offer to toast it? "No" (The bread was all soggy and doughy.) It came with rice pilaf which he said was "like Rice-a-Roni" and when I asked him what he thought about rice with his sandwich he said it was "strange". It also came with a "salad" - chopped iceburg lettuce with blue cheese dressing on it (that's what I ordered, but he doesn't like blue cheese dressing). I can see that this place might not want you to order salads, but if you are going to charge $12 or $13 for a salad at lunch it should be good.
(1)Hue M.
So I decided to treat my boyfriend to steak as part of his Christmas gift. I chose this place because of the Yelp reviews. So here goes my review... We arrived around 6:15pm, it was already packed, especially for a Tuesday night. We did not have to wait long before being seated. We didn't see much of our waiter, I actually forgot we had one for awhile until he arrived. :) Good thing the food occupied my mind and taste buds.... The salads were good. I don't think they were as great as some of the people say they are. However, the cheese bread was just yummy goodness!! I ordered the Northwood Special platter that comes with scallops, chicken, and steak chunks. The boyfriend ordered the jumbo shrimp with steak. He finished all his food and his 24 oz beer. WTF. And then ate some of mine.... Anyways, the scallops I loved, but would have preferred for them not to be battered and fried. Scallops are delicious as is. The fried chicken was delicious. The steak chunks were also really good. Overall.... I'm happy we came here. With 2 dinners, no appetizer, 1- 24oz Newcastle, tax, tip, we left paying $85. Not bad. Oh, btw, the decor is odd. But whatever. We came to eat. And boy did we eat!
(4)Gloria O.
For the prices paid for dinner menu here ($20-$40) the ambience, service and food quality leaves alot to be desired. Slop food, with too much added fat, little taste,and TOO expensive for what you get. We were seated in the rear, by the kitchen, should have gone to Sizzler, much better dining experience. Waiter took to long to come and acknowledge us, approx 10 minutes.
(2)Darlene Q.
Waiter was funny and nice. The food is always good and it's fun just eating the peanuts.
(5)Elizabeth S.
I have a soft spot for this place. My dad used to take me here for lunch almost every weekend and I would order the kid's hot dog with french fries and a shirley temple (not very steakhouse-y I know). Now as an adult I still love this place. I still can't resist the temptation of a shirley temple, but now I order either the steak sandwich or the vegetable beef soup. I rarely come here for dinner, but when I do I always like it. The portions are massive but you can split it with a friend (I believe they charge $6 as a splitting fee) and get a very decent sized meal and a much more affordable one. I came here once on New Year's Eve before they accepted reservations and that was a huge mistake. My bf and I waited close to an hour and half because it was so crowded. If you want to go here on a holiday, make sure you make a reservation!
(4)A C.
This is a great restaurant to come during Christmas season. You may toss peanut shells on the floor. The interior decor and atmosphere do give you a feeling that you were in a inn of past century and offered food and comfort. after a hard day of labor. The quality of food here is good, similar to Sizzler. The rib eye steak I had was ok. The mahi mahi was very good. This place is famous for its salad and garlic cheese bread. Make sure you don't eat too many pieces of bread before the meal. The dinner is also considerably more expensive ($25-$35) than lunch ($11-$15).
(3)Christi M.
Sadly after last night my rating of this particular location has gone down. I have been there many times and everything was always great, but have not gone in a while. We were celebrating 3 birthdays which included mine, so we wanted a great steakhouse to go to. There were nine of us in total and between all of us we spent almost$500 which is a lot, and you expect a lot. Unfortunately the food was definitely not up to par last night. My one stepson ordered the Porterhouse ($35.95) and it same out overcooked and so salty that he couldn't even eat it, and had to send it back which he never does. My other stepson's wife & son had to send theirs back because it wasn't cooked enough (like they had ordered), and because I'm on dialysis I order all of my food with no salt, but apparently even though the waitress was very clear with the kitchen my Ribeye ($31.95) came salted. Not to mention my mother ordered the Halibut ($31.95) and we had never seen a smaller piece of fish - it looked like a large fish stick in size. everything on the plate dwarfed it. Most restaurants serve Fish & Chips that are larger than the serving we got last night, and for the price it was shameful. I'm not sure if this location has just gone downhill, or if it was an extremely bad night because I think it's been about a year since we have been there. This was the one place that you could always count on to get the most amazing steaks and everything was always perfect., and I hope it gets back to that.
(2)Derrick C.
This is by far one of my favorite places to go to. The steak there pretty good as long as you order it medium rare. My only gri is that if you order your steak with anything more than medium rare your steak is a little tough..their never ending salad and cheese breads that come with your meail are amazing and to die for. I would def recommend this place for people to check out.
(4)Judi T.
Nostalgia not enough to sustain it. Went to pick up a take out order of red cabbage salad yesterday and stayed for lunch. My husband and I ordered sandwiches from the bar menu. Patty melt and corned beef. Both mediocre at best. Served with soggy homemade potato chips. Still enjoy the red cabbage, the peanuts and the ambiance though. Sigh.
(3)Christopher J.
After reading several negative reviews about the food, I went into the restaurant last night with a fair amount of trepidation. I am not a hard-core foodie, but I would prefer to spend more on a smaller quantity of high quality food than get a lot of lower quality food (e.g. Cheesecake Factory, Claim Jumper, etc) for a certain price. That said, the ambiance was interesting, the service was great thanks to a great waitress, and the food was actually okay. It was quite crowded for a Saturday night at 6. I had made an opentable reservation so we were seated immediately. The tables are huge, and it was so loud that it was hard to have a conversation with those sitting across from me. So, if you are looking for a romantic night out, this is probably not the place for you. There were many many tables of parties of 8 or larger, which is why it was so loud and boisterous. The free peanuts were unsalted, which was nice because peanuts are usually too salty. The salad was just iceberg lettuce and blue cheese dressing, and the cabbage slaw was red cabbage in a vinegar-oil-salt dressing. The waitress recommended mixing them, which did not work in my opinion due to the competing dressing flavors. I did not try the cheesebread due to the dripping butter; it was actually soaked through with butter and cheese like a sponge. I had a lumberjack steak which was thick and perfectly cooked medium rare. It was accompanied by a gigantic baked potato, to which I added butter and sour cream and not the mushroom gravy as other yelpers recommended. The quality of the steak was not great, hence the 3 stars, but I wasn't expecting Ruth's Chris or anything so it was okay. I needed A1 due to lack of flavor and seasoning. Another in the party got the same steak, same preparation, also perfectly cooked but lacking flavor and a bit tough. We could only finish half of the steak. Price: 26.95. It probably would've netted another star if the price was $18.95 for the same meal. Another in the party got the ground sirloin steak smothered in chili, which was a huge hamburger covered in chili. He said it was fine. This was only 9.95 and included a small salad and the cheesebread. Very reasonable at this price point. Other menu prices: $19.95 for fried or broasted chicken, $30.95 for halibut, $26.95 for mahi mahi, surf and turfs were considerably higher ($30-40 with the highest Australian lobster tail/filet mignon coming in at $56.95). Yipes! I can't believe anyone would order such an expensive meal here. Prices were high for what you get, but I do understand the need to raise prices to make up for the huge portions that were served. Huge portions and mediocre food seem to be the name of the game. Alcohol was very reasonably-priced. Bathroom was unpleasant and needs a serious remodel. Would I come back? No, I don't think so. I think Claim Jumper's is better (and cleaner) when I have a hankering for large quantities of the same kind of American food, and they have more to choose from. For a finer dining experience, there is a $38 prix fixe prime rib dinner (appetizer/entree/dessert/free valet) at the Terrace at the Langham hotel in Pasadena that I am itching to try.
(3)Mike L.
The best. Cabbage Salad, Blue Cheese Salad, and cheese bread cant be beat. You will be stuffed before the entree comes!
(5)Queen B.
Baby it's cold outside! But that didn't stop us from paying clearman's a visit. This is not a place I would go to on my home however. someone gave us a gift card so we used it. You think? Any way I wasn't too impressed with Clearman's I liked the decor it made you feel as if you were at a ski resort somewhere in Aspen or Big Bear. The whole place is made out of logs and there are stuffed deer head and beaver traps and I believe I saw an antique fireplace or stove of some sort. The lighting was pleasant and soothing and I liked the fact that they give you peanuts to snack on while you wait for your meal and they want you to throw your peanut shells on the floor when you're done. My meal - well, I ordered a lobster tail and they had the shell stuffed with stuffing it was different and I guess I can say I liked it. I also had a steak that I had to send back three times because it was medium rare-I requested medium well done I don't do raw meat. They still didn't cook it to my satisfaction. Our waiter was I don't know I guess I can say indifferent in a weird way, some folks were staring we began to wonder was it because we were black ( no i'm not making it a race thing) but considering we were the only black people in the whole restaurant and the waiter really didn't seem as if he wanted to serve us and out of all the times I sent my steak back it was returned to me red on the inside and undercooked. All in all I didn't feel very comfortable there and you can bet I won't be returning either. I can say I enjoyed the salad with the house dressing and cheese bread. The house salad dressing was a mixture of ranch and blue cheese - light on the blue cheese. So because I enjoyed the salad, cheese bread and throwing the peanut shells on the floor i'll give three stars.
(3)melissa d.
came here to celebrate our early 4yr ann. with a big FAT STEAK! ordered the ribeye special which came with a baked potato, rice pilaf, cheese bread (YUMMMMM) red cabbage salad and regualr salad- both were VERY good. the bf ordered the Northwoods special platter (fried chicken, deep fried scallops and steak chunks) they recommend the meat to be cooked 'medium' so we followed and glad we did because it tasted SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good! would probably come back for my steak fix!
(4)Irving L.
I went to this place for my birthday and it was also my first time, and let me tell you I didnt enjoy the food at all. The salad is all greasy and completely drenched in dressing. The food is way too expensive! Yes they do give you alot of food but its not worth it, even when you ask if you could split the plate and share with another person they will charge you 6$ dollars just to split. They drench the baked potato in butter, and the steak is very dry. I would recommend you save your money and go eat at an outback steak house, this is not the place to go.
(3)Tara C.
Aw, I get all nostalgic thinking about this place. My family has been coming here for as far back as I can remember, and I have had more than one birthday dinner here. I'm glad my taste in food has not become so fancy-schmancy that I can't still enjoy an old favorite like Clearman's. The place never changes really- from that greasy cheese bread to the dirty, fake snow on the exterior. The place is usually crowded and rowdy, but that's what makes it fun. It's dark, with sawdust and peanut shells on the floor, and the menu is pretty basic. Portions are huge, and I always stuff myself on the cheese bread and 2 salads- red cabbage and blue cheese. The steaks have always been good, and you can top them with Clearman's own steak sauce. Service can be slow but they are usually very nice. Prices are not cheap but with the amount of food you can take home, including the cheese bread and salads, you have another whole meal for the next day!
(4)Patrick B.
Northwoods Inn is a like a trip down memory lane... Over the years I've had many good meals with friends and family. Honestly, it is average food ... a bit of rustic "cowboy" sized steak, chicken and burgers. You munch down peanuts while you wait and toss the shells on the sawdust covered floor. The crowd is robust and a bit loud... but you simply join in. As mentioned here... the best part of the dining experience is their cheesebread. I could eat an entire loaf! Yes...you can find fancier restaurants with better food... but you can count on Northwoods for a good hearty meal.
(3)Dan C.
Good Steak..friendly environment...great place to go. Enjoy!
(3)Annette N.
So I take a dear friend out to dinner as an after Christmas treat for the both of us. Let me begin with the end . . . the bill, $119.00 for our meal, which included two beers and one soda, w/tip $140.00. I had the AUSTRALIAN ROCK LOBSTER TAIL & FILET MIGNON SUPREME [really, you want to call it supreme?] and he had SELECT KING CRAB LEGS & MEDIUM LUMBERJACK STEAK. To me, "lumberjack" represents BIG, and his steak wasn't big [see pic]. Okay their motto is, "Huge portions and great memories await." Oh I have memories that aren't great, as for huge portions, I think they were referring to the bill . . . Where do I begin? The Atmosphere [Sunday Night 7:30 p.m.]: I understand this is a "family restaurant" and as we walked in, I thought we were in Chucky Cheese, so I asked our hostess to be seated in the "adult section," she sat us away from the romper room area ~ towards the rear of the dining area, cool; but then proceeds to seat a "family" of six [w/ kids] next to us within 5 mins of seating us . . . knowing I didn't want the Chucky Cheese arena near me. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE KIDS, but not when I'm going for a Steak & Lobster meal, ya feel me? What a bitch for doing that; the restaurant wasn't full by any means. . . Luckily, they were not too bad to be seated next to. Okay enough of my bitching, on to my food review . . . REVIEW: The cheese bread was soggy . . . I had one slice due to feeling like I was eating a piece of bread that had been sitting in fake butter and then tossed in the oven w/that cheese spread stuff on top. I normally like have 2-3 pieces, but for the calories, this bread wasn't worth it. The salad, couldn't be plainer, it's just iceberg lettuce with a massive amount of blue cheese dressing . . . that's it, yuck. And of course their red cabbage salad . . . the two salads combined together w/a grip of pepper, made it edible. Side Entrees: My rice was "room temp," and the butter for my lobster didn't taste like butter at all, it was more like a yellow colored oil by product - not a hint of garlic either. When I used it to dip my lobster in, it hit the back of my throat and made me cough. As for my potato, I asked for the works [sour cream, butter, chives], well my potato came with the "works - minus the chives" baked in it? She never brought me sour cream, butter or chives to add to my potato. AND I remember back in the day the potato was the size of my foot, now it's a size 3 [toddler shoe size]. MAIN ENTREES: Okay my lobster was kind of "hard" and really tasteless, not hot either. My filet mignon was okay, it needed salt, or some kind of flavor, it was kind of bland. I was highly disappointed. Fran gave me a taste of his steak, once again, not hot; as for "crab leg(S)," what they should write on the menu is ONE crab leg and a HALF . . . WTF? Of course they serve the legs sliced in half, so it looks like "wow, look at all these legs," NOT, it's just one and a 1/2! CONCLUSION: It WAS NOT worth the $140.00. Service was a 4 out of 10, because of course the waitress rather wait on a group table, opposed to a couple table so she can get a bigger tip, don't get me wrong, I gave her a $20.00 tip, as per my "yelp tip card," recommended. I think she brought our food to us, after it had been sitting there for a while, thus explains the lack of hotness of our food. For that price, I'd rather go to Ruth Chris; and next time I will. I suggest you all do too. Blah to Clearman's!!!! I understand we're in a recession, but if I'm paying the $$$ to eat here, CLEARMANS shouldn't be cutting corners. I want to get my $$$ worth if I'm going to put it out. Check out my pictures, there's my proof!!!
(2)Sabrina F.
This is where lumberjacks must go for lunch. The portions are huge to begin with and then, they're ALL YOU CAN EAT. The quality of the food is equally impresive as it was all delicious and well prepared. You must try the cheesy bread! My friend and I could not stop giggling about the portion size and the prices are more than fair. I would highly recommend this restaurant for a groupd or family with a BIG appetitie.
(5)Cami M.
Went there last night with the BF for his traditional BDay dinner. I had the filet mignon & he had the king crab with filet mignon. Food: The filet mignon although was perfectly cooked and tender was a bit bland. My BF was not impressed with the Crab either, he said it didnt seem fresh. Considering we had recently returned from Vegas, the steak and crab we had at the Vegas buffets was tastier and better quality than what we had at North Woods Inn at almost half the cost. Rice pilaf did not taste like rice pilaf, seeemed very bland as well. Neither of us ate it. the baked potato was huge. I love the whipped cheese butter, but surprised they don't offer more toppings, like chives. I love the cheese bread, but this time not so much. It wasn't crispy enough, maybe too much butter. And as always, still love the blue cheese salad. The dressing is to die for. Service: Above average. We were seated quickly. Our waitress was very pleasant and checked on us frequently. I quietly asked if there was anything i could order for a birthday. They said they offer a complimentary orange sherbert. The wait staff all walked over singing happy birthday with a nice size goblet of orange sherbert and a lit candle. BF was surprised. That was fun! Unfortunately, the BF and I will be breaking the birthday tradition. The BF no longer wants to go to NWI after 25+ years! We'll likely be heading to Ruth's Chris instead. Sorry North Woods Inn... just not the same as it used to be for the price & atmosphere!
(2)Lisa V.
Haven't been in ages (I mean, like, over 25 years! No exaggeration!). And the only reason I could find to bring me back was for the little ones. My not-so-little 11 year old asked for STEAK for his birthday dinner. Now, I know I've spouted passionately in former reviews that I'm ready to pay for "quality". But no way am I bringing a kid to Ruth Chris when I know he'll eat three bites of meat and fill up on root beer along the way! So this was a practical, no-rip-off kind of choice and a chance to walk down one memory lane. The 25 year verdict? That cheese-toast just isn't as enjoyable anymore. It is SOPPING with butter and cheese (which I am certain you could wring out just like a sponge) and it is a bit too mushy to think of as toast anymore. I guess the diversity has always been lacking as is the bizarreness of the Ruben-esque paintings that adorn the walls. But hey! Guess what? The "children's steak" plate, ordered medium-rare is NOT bad (particularly for the price). And the service is...well, attentive. Additionally, the kids feel right at home throwing peanut shells on the floor and frankly, I can't get enough of watching my hubby act like he is freezing to death as we pull into the parking lot (with kids' eyes rolling). So, no-- you won't see me back here unless we get another request from the those little ones...who won't know any better for awhile.
(2)Verginie B.
First time visiting this place I was in awe. I love steakhouses and smokehouses so I felt this place is the place for steak. You are served a bowl full of unshelled peanuts and you get to throw the shells on the floor! Don't worry that's how it goes around here. It was lunch time and I ordered the steak sandwich. Oh my heavens people...the steak was mouthwateringly phenomenal!!! The presentation was appetizing. The salad was delicious!! And garlic toast yum!!! If you're a serious steak lover this is the place to be. Although be warned some of the steak plates are expensive. Enjoy!!
(5)Nicholas R.
Step into Clearman's and step backwards into time. The decor and business model is straight from the 70's. Ornate lumberjack frontier themed chotcksies as far as the eye can see and large disgusting portions of low quality food. So bad they might as well serve it in troughs. Honestly the worst meal I've ever had.
(1)John S.
Yes ! If you haven't gone, go... seriously. Even if you don't live close, make the drive. You'll be floored by the cheese bread and salad and most likely be full before the main course even arrives. One salad consists of iceberg lettuce with a ranch/pepper sort of dressing and the other is a red cabbage, vinaigrette type dressing. I don't even like cabbage but do here. The trick is to mix the two. Sounds crazy but it's awesome. Great atmosphere weather it's family time, date time or let's get filthy and pig out time. Try the Filet with rock lobster tail or just get salad and bread. The place rules !!!
(5)Nicole G.
really like the fake snow on the outside. The cute lodge decor inside is what gives this places its umph. The steak [medium rare of course], baked potato [load everything on it please!] and the veggies [i ask for fruit instead] is the way to go. This meal cannot go wrong. Its very good. Cheese bread they serve is very good if you get it right from the oven, otherwise it has that soggy effect. On the other hand their menu is very limited, it never changes [over the years and YEARS its been open] and if your a regular it could get boring. The lunch time sandwiches are good. I personally like coming more at lunch than at dinner time. Less of a line and the options are more to my liking. Can be a bit pricey for what it is but hey, everything is getting pricey now a days so just suck it up The service is good. never over the top "omg, like best service everrrr girlfriend" but it good enough for me to leave a over 20 percent tip.
(3)Chuck G.
THE LOCATION As a log lodge style of building with the roof painted snow white, located in the SGV where it has never snowed, Clearman's is a quirky contradiction from before you walk inside. THE INTERIOR More log-cabin aesthtic, stained glass lamps, log-based furniture everywhere, animal heads up on the walls. Of course I fell in love with the place when we walked in. THE FOOD I ordered the Ribeye (special that night, not a regular menu item) and my wife had the filet mignon. The entrees came with unlimited salad and cheesy bread. Shrimp cocktail has big ol' shrimp and a sauce that has more of a kick than most cocktail sauces. Good stuff. The red cabbage salad reminded me of every family reunion I ever had in Pittsburgh, it is intensely German. The second salad was a kind of iceberg-blue-cheese caesar style and wasn't drowned in roquefort like a lot of blue cheese salads. I cannot get across in words how cheesy the cheesy bread is. It is cheesier than a pile of shredded cheese would be. Savor it. Love it. THE CHEESE BREAD IS GOD. WORSHIP IT. Our steaks came with a potato stuffed with whipped cheddar cheese and rice pilaf. Our steaks were perfectly medium rare for the cuts; my wife's filet was fork tender and my ribeye was dripping juice. The potato was fantastic, as any potato stuffed with cheese ought to be. The rice pilaf was meh - the only part of the meal that wasn't excellent. Beer for me in 24-oz. schooners of malted joy, iced tea for the wife. Not an extensive bar. No dessert due to tremendous fullness. THE BOTTOM LINE Come if you love meat, kitsch, and cheese. Especially cheese. ... CHEEEEEEESSSSSSSEEEEEEEE.......
(4)Scot E.
This place is great! I just wish they did half portions! The cheesy bread is soooo good and they bring out two kinds of salad (which is all you can eat). I'm usually about full before my food arrives. Oh yea and the peanuts. You get the peanuts in the shell as a snack. The steaks are great but wow, it really is sooo much food. I have a friend whose an Ironworker (big guy), he loves this place. He wants to eat here all the time but I can't do it. I over eat every time I'm here. Last time, I got the fried chicken, thinking it's not as filling as beef. The plate was huge! So Much Fried Chicken. It was tasty though. I stuffed myself and still couldn't finish it. I had it for lunch the next day (I love cold leftover chicken). I enjoy the ambience. I think it's pretty nice inside but still you can throw your peanut shells on the floor.
(4)S. O.
We were seated quickly at our reservation time. Service was decent but not particularly fast because it was a busy night. Portions were HUGE! Mixing the salads together is a delicious MUST! Free birthday song & yummy orange sherbet! Still enjoy tossing my peanut shells on the floor!
(4)Steven D.
Sam, was Awesome!!! And the stake was incredible. Thanks for the love.
(5)Franklin M.
There were 14 in our group and we needed a place that could accommodate all of us. This restaurant has the space and the food to satisfy the group. I shared a fried chicken plate and there was still plenty of food left over to bring home. The salad is good and the cheese bread even better. There is a good selection of beer on tap, including Blue Moon.
(5)Erik G.
If you're going there for big groups then don't expect kind service. Expect to be rushed to order your food and if you get a server named Cindy she'll make you feel like you're inconveniencing her for everything you ask for. I've never felt so uncomfortable to ask my server for service. She gives you a look like you're bothering her. Not happy at all with the service. Food is good as always but I rather spend my money elsewhere next time I'm going to give a restaurant 1k of business. Maybe since the server knew that gratuity is added that the service can go out the window. Thanks for the lesson North Woods
(1)Mimi C.
Reminds me of going to Disneyland. The complimentary peanuts were nice. uh.... the steaks were dry. HUGE portions but... doesn't make up for the lack of taste. Good service though. Very attentive, but still too pricey. We played the smashing peanuts game, see who can smash the peanut shell the quickest without smushing the peanut. That was fun, and not worrying about making a mess brought out the kid in me. Cool for a one time try, but I think that's about it.
(2)Edgie T.
Welcome to flavortown! This restaurant is not for the faint of heart, be ready to enjoy uber goodness garlic cheese bread, house salad with super rich blue cheese dressing and tangy sweetness red cabbage are a trifecta of appetizer goodness! Hold off on ordering starters; lunch and dinner entrees include the three mentioned above PLUS Rice Pilaf AND Baked Potato with Whipped Cheese Butter! And the BEST PART IS, order the Rib Eye Steak! It's not on their menu but it's absolutely mouth watering and outstanding! BONUS TIP: Clearmans Garlic Spread is sold at Ralphs Grocery Store...get it and slather it on sourdough bread! i LOVE you Clearman's North Woods Inn! Thank you for making every bite worth every penny!
(5)belinda n.
$37 for 2 cheeseburgers 1 appetizer & 2 sodas free easy spacious parking large clean bathroom w/sofas & current fashion/gossip magazines sun early lunch clientele= lots of old people & families. yeah yeah yeah whyd we come here to get cheeseburgers? well bahooka decided to close last minute & we were too late for acapulco buffet in glendale & the pasadena one closed down so he we are. our burgers were a grease pit my bf who is a grease lover left about a 1/3 on the plate. the fries were steak (i prefer crispy shoestring) & our burgers came w/a crapload of grilled onions but no lettuce or tomato? on a french dip sandwhich roll? on the flipside,the cabbage salad (only red cabbage. nothing else) was great! will we return? hmm. probably not!
(3)nick g.
Lincoln logs. Paul Bunyan. Early Settlers. Oregon Trail. Bear Country Jamboree. yeah, these all flashed in my head as we came in the door. The wrong door apparently. If you walk in and see a bunch of ppl watching football on a bunch of TVs with a bar, and lotsa naked chick paintings on the wall, you're in the bar. If you go in one of the other entrances in THIS FRIGGIN HUGE PLACE you will find yourself in a peanut shell strewn floor wondering if you're going to need an axe to cut the wood to cook your own meal. All the jokes aside, this place just seems like it's a good all-around place to bring your family after a soccer game, a graduation dinner, or some other festive activity where the group is more concentrated on talking about the last play, or how the principal said that one Indian kid's name wrong, etc. The ambiance is excellent, the peanuts a nice touch. The food here is... hmm. not. very. good. It's a bit pricey for being what it is. I had a chili burger that ended up being an open-faced burger with chili sort of puked onto it. A veritable dumpage of chili upon a normal burger. It tasted decent, nothing special, but there was a reason i chose the words that I did to describe the appearance of the chili burger. I should try the other stuff before I knock the place, but the presentation of some of the other dishes was a little off-putting as well for what we paid. "Rustic" perfectly describes it. So maybe I'm in the wrong here. I'll shut up now.
(3)Aileen E.
What's the big deal about this place? So not worth it. For the price we paid I would rather have gone elsewhere. I'll admit, the salads and cheese bread are tasty but nothing to rave about. The meals we had were mediocre and something I could have cooked at home. The hub had the seafood platter and I had the special combination; nothing too special about it though. And what really bugged me about this place was when our server packed our salads to go. Stuck her hand in a plastic bag, scooped up the salad and inverted the bag. Kinda akin to picking up doggie poop. Eh - whatever. Won't be coming here again.
(1)Bryan T.
Clearman's North Woods Inn is different not unique from restaurants in this era, decade, or century. Upon entering the restaurant, I felt like I had step into a time capsule that captured the essence of living during the American Frontier. The place was dim and significantly outdated. The floor is saturated with peanut shells and yes, staff members do encourage throwing your peanut shells onto the floor. The menu did not have any pictures so I did not know where to start. Fortunately, my coworker informed me that their rib eye steak (dish is absent from the menu) is the best. When the waitress served my meal I was overwhelmed by the portion, which primarily consist of potatoes. The rib eye was delicious! However, the rest of the meal was boring. All meals are served with potatoes drench in thick butter. One bite of the potatoes made me loose my appetite for a few minutes. I was expecting the meal to be pricey but when I received the check I was also overwhelmed by the price. It was much more than I could ever imagine. This place is too expensive. At least serve me a whole cow! Overall, I only come here because of my coworkers. My coworkers have been going to this place since the 1960s. It is time to introduce them to Brazilian steakhouse restaurants, which serves unlimited amount of different steaks and multiple side dishes not to mention female Brazilian dancers all for the same price as Clearman's North Woods Inn.
(2)Jennifer Y.
This place is understaffed and the service is on par with a Denny's. It's really a better version of Denny's or Sizzlers. The other table guest thought this place was interesting. The theme, the peanuts, and the huge portions make for an OK experience. However, it's not my style. Oh, I had King Crab legs and that was pretty good! Except it was $$$...I think nearly $35 for 2 legs? Folks who ordered the other stuff, however, got huge servings.
(2)Elizabeth A.
This is my all time favorite Filet Mignon spot as you can see by how happy I am in my profile pic! I feel the prices are less than a lot of other known steak locations. You get Cheese bread, two salads, and your entree. Portions are more than enough and everything tastes amazing.
(5)Heyunclemick R.
I have been a patron for over 30 years but no more. Food quality no longer matches the price you pay. The last 3 times i have been there I walked away disappointed. On my most recent visit he sirloin I ordered was full, I mean full of gristle. Service was only average at best. They have fallen far. The bread and salad are still good, but that's not enough to drop over a C note on dinner. No way. Save your money you can get a better steak dinner elsewhere.
(1)T W.
This is probably the last place on earth that doesn't really care about proper dieting. The cheese bread is tasty but it is drenched in butter. They serve the biggest potatoes ever, and if you get their signature cheese butter, you better have 911 on your speed dial because you're sure gonna need an ambulance. The portions and ingredients will meet Paula Dean's approval. Our waiter, Andrew, was very helpful in keeping drinks refilled, and answering questions. If you've passed by this place and always wondered what's under the snowy rooftop, don't hesitate to sneak a peek at a long, and probably last standing great American meat and potatoes restaurant.
(4)Edvard A.
Best lobster tail plate ever! FYI: Get two lobster tails if Super Hungry or else one is more than enough. Went perfect with house salad/bread. Before dinner, they bring peanuts for you to eat and throw shell on floor (entire restaurant floors are peanut shells). Super friendly staff.
(5)Alex V.
delicious food, but a bit pricey for my tastes. the bread is the best!
(3)Sahararavetent O.
nothing like douchebags like the ones reviewing this place before my review to ruin a perfectly decent restaurant and dining experience i have been to this place at least 50 times and i've never left there upset once these ppl are complaining about the food in this place and one of them is saying they'd rather eat at sizzler wow, way to show the quality of food u prefer when we go to this place, we never wait long, we never get crappy service no matter who is serving us we never have food that we dont like and i'm not sure if i would complain about waiting 10 minutes to be seated the plates all have massive portions, the sodas have free re-fills the beers are always cold the two salad dish is always great and u get that cheese garlic bread with ur salad also, theres the Clearman's Galley that is right next door that has more beer selections, a walk-up order area with a number of the meals from north woods and other selections and tvs in every direction with all the sports games on how am i supposed to complain about this place again? don't worry about these reviewers this place won't let u down
(4)Mike S.
Every time I go out to visit family in the LA area we go to North Woods. It is always on the list of places to go. The last time we visited we had 21 in our group and were seated rather quickly which was impressive. I love their cheese bread and they have the best cabbage salad that I have ever had. I always eat too much of the bread and salad and end up taking most of the meal home. All the steak and seafood I've had there has been cooked to perfection. The baked potatoes are very good as well. I've never had a bad meal there. The only negative thing about North Woods: It can get really loud. It is not loud enough to keep you from hearing those at your table but it can get loud. I will be back again!
(4)Shane S.
Fondest memories of this place with my dad. I remember as a kid coming here as it was our families favorite restaurant (at least my dad's) . I loved the sawdust on the floor, the big steaks, and the colossal baked potato with the different types of sauces..... The cheese bread was always soft and cheesey, but I never wanted to get full on the bread! My favorite was the prime rib (end cut) , but for some reason has been taken off the menu for some time now. I have had the other steaks, but they are a mere shadow to my old fave! Even with that I still love the decor and the ambiance of this old school eatery.... I just wish they brought back the prime rib.
(4)Bill C.
C is for Clearman's and C is for CHEESY CHEESY (adj) Slang. inferior or cheap; chintzy. That's the definition on dictionary.com and it describes my experience at Clearman's North Woods Inn. The bread, the decor, the portions, the peanut shells on the floor, this is one cheesy restaurant. If you know the San Gabriel Valley, you know the building. A large log cabin with a bright white roof designed to look like there was a blizzard yesterday. The architect nailed that look tight down to the fauxcicles that appear to hang off the eaves. Cheesy also can mean low-end, which is how I would describe the bowl of peanuts that is served to each table. The signs say "THROW YOUR SHELLS ON THE FLOOR". I was tempted to throw the whole bowl on the floor as the peanuts were stale and gamey tasting. Even though Clearman's is primarily a steak house, they are known for their signature cheese bread almost opened faced grilled cheese, but actually something more unique than that. The decor is also unique cheesy in a good sort of way. The building replicates a log cabin, so the dark brown log walls give the place a unique style. The bar has several large backlit faux stained glass windows, roughly the size of the 50 inch plasma TV strategically placed between two of the windows. The menus are cheesy easel-like boards that hang on a wire rack on each table. They were kind of kitschy, so I guess one could say that they were cheesy as well. So there I was in the cheesy bar, looking at the cheesy décor, and watching a cheesy college basketball game between 2 unrated teams. (Indiana at Illinois). I looked at the cheesy menu and ordered the jumbo shrimp for $12.95. That includes a side salad, red cabbage, rice pilaf and a skewer of jumbo shrimp. The salad was in a small small bowl, the kind you might expect a side order of peas to be served in. The "salad" was iceberg lettuce and well nothing, it was just lettuce. The waitress didn't ask what dressing I preferred, it just came with ranch. Now, I like ranch. But I have to imagine at least some of you prefer a choice. The skewer of shrimp consisted of 3 shrimp. They were jumbo alright, maybe 2 inches each, but they seemed a bit overcooked. They were on the tough side, and kind of chewy. I got to say it, the portions were cheesy too. My waitress Shelley was polite and friendly and knew the importance of refills. I never had to wait more than a few seconds for a fresh Diet Coke. The meal was 12.95, the coke was 2.95 and with tax and tip it came to $20.00. I left thinking I might have gotten a better meal at Sizzler. This is the 3rd in my string of 26 reviews A to Z in the Los Angeles area. If you want to suggest a place further down the alphabet you want me to try, feel free to drop a note.
(2)Nikee W.
When I was a kid I was enchanted to find that there could exist a large snow covered log cabin in San Gabriel. I miss the little boat that sat next to it. It looks lonely and out of place next to that giant Kohls. I've celebrated many birthdays and special occasions here. Each time we are well attended too by the staff. I appreciate that the people who wait on us here have been doing so for many years, it's not just a revolving door of waiters and waitresses. Glancing at a menu your heart may stop momentarily when faced with the prospect of paying $20 for fried chicken, but it's worth it folks. You don't just get 3 pieces of the tastiest fried chicken of all time, you also get cabbage salad, green salad with a home made blue cheese dressing, rice pilaf, a giant cheese and garlic butter stuffed potato (or gravy, whatever your into) cheese bread and of course a few bowls of peanuts to nibble on while you wait. The steaks and seafood are old school steakhouse style, simple and hot and best cooked medium rare. The salads are my favorite, I crave them but have been unsuccessful in reproducing them at home. Food aside this place has such a homey ambiance about it. It's comfy and dark and for an hour you forget that it's 100 degrees outside. You can also buy bread and butter to take home. All in all I think North Woods is an experience best kept for a birthday or anniversary.
(5)Michael C.
Just a quick recommendation for the steak sandwich IMHO the best deal at Clearman's
(5)Kathy M.
For 55 years now my family and I have been coming to Clearman's it is our most favorite eatery we have ever been to and my folks and I have traveled a lot of places. My dad being a food salesman we had to eat out all the time. But our love for Clearman's has never changed. The salad's are our favorite followed by the cheesy bread. We love the comfortable decor and peanut shells on the floor. Enjoy our wait staff and yes they are older and many I have grown up with. Even though we live 400 miles away we always threaten to go to dinner at Clearman's and once a year we actually get to. The only thing that is so disappointing is that the old Clearman's has been swallowed up by the new department store next door. Guess they wanted a taste of the red cabbage salad too. We love you Clearman's Northwoods Inn don't change a thing.
(5)L. T.
Great cheese bread, salads but I actually like the Alaskan king crab legs, they are so good here. The service is good and the atmosphere is fun with the peanuts on the ground. If you are allergic to peanuts don't come here.
(4)Wm. S.
Good service. Good food. But if you want a quiet evening, you might consider going to a quieter restaurant. The music often too loud. It makes no sense that a restaurant would work hard to attract customers with good food and good service, but risk driving customers away with loud music. Our family would return if they could get a handle on the loud music.
(3)Michelle K.
Not a fan. Food is gross and greasy
(2)Mark M.
I like this place, always did and it never changes! Pretty big restaurant with an old mountain cabin look, with old fashion tables & chairs and peanut shells all over the floors. But the food is the star here with well cooked steaks and yummy hamburgers & killer potatoes.... And my fave...The salads and cheese bread!!! Soooo good. Popular with an older crowd, especially on weekdays between 3-6 when i was there! It gets pretty packed on weekends but it's worth the wait. If you never been to a Clearman's restaurant then i suggest you give them a try before it's too late (these type of restaurants are an endangered species) Nice big bar too!!
(5)cecy r.
It was good but nothing I'd come back for. Old school feel, decent food. Steak was prepared well and flavorfull. The best was the delicious and perfectly made Tom Collins! Absolutely hit the spot. Staff was pleasant. I'd try lunch next time just for fun.
(3)Shirley Wing L.
Don't know what happened today but my entire family was disappointed. We expected a fun environment since my family remembered great memories of throwing peanut shells. The portions are small but they got us with the overly drenched in ranch salad, garlic bread, and filling baked potato. I thought it would be super busy since it was a Friday night but they had a lot of tables open and what I did not understand was that it was hard to grab anybodys attention..:/ So we finally got to ordering..New York steak, special platter, and smoked halibut Taste: steak was cooked to tenderness but it lacked marinate. Platter had chicken scallop and steak chunks..not worth it. Halibut was smoked and not much different then halibut elsewhere Portion: we had party of 4, but only ordered 3 plates and thank goodness we only ordered 3 cuz idk how I would've felt if I spent any more on this meal.. (they charge 6.95 if you want to spilt a plate) Parking: large parking lot Price: ~$30/dinner platter Total was ~$100+ Probably not coming back
(1)David C.
I recommend avoiding the full size steak dinners. The portions are excessive and the price reflects it. Instead, get a open face steak sandwich. You get a 6 ounce steak with the same side dishes as the the full size dinners.
(5)Jeremy H.
Clearman's North Woods Inn is my dad's and my favorite restaurant. You name it: birthday, retirement, graduation, etc. you can find my family at the snow covered steakhouse lodge. One of the unique aspects of the restaurant is that there are peanut shells are over the ground. Once you've eaten the peanuts you can discard the shells on the floor without being reprimanded. Their filet migon is the best I've ever had. Hands Down! It is always juicy and perfectly tender. My dad cannot get enough for their cheese bread and blue cheese salad. The food quality is great so you definitely getting what you pay for. If you're ever in the area I would highly recommend you check it out.
(5)Melodi R.
The food and the dining experience were just ok. The friends I was celebrating with made the night amazing! The atmosphere is pretty cool but I guess I've just grown accustom to more boutique restaurants or micro brews and this is a kitschy family restaurant. So it's good for what it is, but there's better food just up the street.
(3)Aaron Z.
Before you die, make sure you go in and have their cheese bread and cabbage salad.
(4)Tina R.
Friendly Service & Loved The Red Cabbage Salad!
(3)Patty K.
Not for anyone with blood pressure problems! The cheese butter that they put on the potatoes is crazy!!! And by crazy, I mean delicious! Seriously, Broiled cheese toast, blue cheese and red cabbage salad, Giant baked potatoes with cheese butter, giant beers and meat! How could you go , wrong??? When I was a kid, I wanted to work here because of the cute little dresses the waitresses wore. Bring back the dresses!!!!
(4)Isis O.
Heart clogging food never tasted better. Service is above average to great. The scallops are amazing. The two salads that come with the entree are delish. I don't eat here very often because the food can easily lead you on a fatty down slide, but it is a nice place to eat with the family and the food has a great taste to it.
(5)Amber P.
Kitchy decor is fun, but--for me--not enough to overcome food that is: overpriced low quality greasy I guess the iceburg lettuce/ red cabbage salads and greasy cheese bread excite enough people into nostalgia that this place stays in business, but these items are simple enough to make for a few bucks at the grocery store. The food photos tell the whole story.
(1)Layla L.
Always awesome, red cabbage may give you horrible gas, but its totally worth it
(5)Sandie S.
I love the ancient wait staff!!! They're so cute and very efficient, might I add!!! It's all about the cheesy bread and salads!! I remember the steak being much better, but maybe I just over indulged in the bread. Idk :/ Not a bad place to dine, if you have no where else to go :)
(4)Frank F.
This place has been a family favorite since I was a kid, and that has been along time. The salad, cabbage salad, and garlic bread are killer. Then you get an amazing piece of meat and a huge baked potato. Always quality and a treat to go to.
(5)Gary G.
My wife & I went there for lunch today, and got shuffled for almost 2 hours because of holiday parties which took priority over us. Our server, Peter, was excellent & quite apologetic once the food arrived. The food is quite good, buy stay away during holiday periods.
(5)Eric M.
Our family comes here once a year for Christmas Eve dinner, mainly for the ambiance. The food is ok, but kinda expensive. The best thing here is the salads and cheese baked potatos.
(3)Jonah K.
This place is comical, and the food is subpar at best. Very heavy and kind of gross overall. The salads are okay, but way too much dressing. The fish dishes were okay, but lacked any kind of seasoning or flavor. The drink service at the bar is very slow unless you go tot he bar itself. The price is quite high considering the quality of the food.
(2)Rossi H.
Driving up to a chalet in the middle of LA that has fake snow on the roof.... Yeah, I am a sucker for kitschy things. The inside decor fits the exterior's kitchyness. Lots of wood, red leather, and saloon style art. I would lay money down that the interior designer worked at Knott's Berry Farm or Pinnacle Peak's before. The service is always good: nice waiters/waitress, host/hostesses... But, who really gives a crap about the decor or the service? If you like the food, you go back. You can't tell me the decor and service is great at some of the Chinese restaurants in the SGV, but you always go back for the food. It is ALWAYS about the food. And the food at Clearman's? The food is meh. It's average, fair, decent, probably not worth the price, but you get more food than you should eat and it is better than Sizzler. So why eat here? The red vinegar cabbage salad mixed with the blue cheese regular salad. Yeah, this fattie goes somewhere just for a salad. It is an incredible juxtaposition when you combine the two, and since I am getting my veggie quota in for a meal... I might as well dine on some of those amazing carb filled cheesy breads.
(4)V E.
I have driven by this place a thousand times and never walked in until last night. I am astonished at how beautifully preserved it is. It looks like a restaurant from another era, much like Chris & Pitts in Anaheim. The faux log cabin construction, sawdust on the floor, the 1960s lamp shades, and the red chairs remind me of the old restaurants from my childhood. The regular menu is priced out of my league, but they do have a tasty sandwich menu in the $10-$13 range. We had the roast beef sandwich and the steak sandwich. It was enjoyable and not that bad. It came with rice and red cabbage coleslaw. Their rice is made with beef stock and tasted like beef--I loved it. The place is rustic, has a lot of character, but, as usual with these types of places, my complaint involves the restrooms: they reek of years of disinfectant and neglect. They need to be renovated.
(3)Patty T.
If you have taste buds, RUN! RUN away as fast as you can away from North Woods! I had the Mahi Mahi and as a fish lover I left 3/4 of it on my plate! NO BOX TO GO! The 1/4 that I did eat I was trying to justify it with tarter sauce! I basically filled myself up with the bread drenched with butter because who hates butter? I also filled myself up with the salad drenched with dressing, the dressing was pretty good. Peanuts of course were good. So I had dressing, bread and peanuts for dinner. Ok so I can't leave this out...I am a lemon drop Martini drinker and when I get my lemon drop martini it had a "cherry" in it...so I try to enjoy it-not really feeling the lemon drop effect so when the waitress comes around and asks how it was I voiced my dissatisfaction and SHE suggested she makes one with a lemon slice o_O (that's how it's suppose to be made) so I say "yeah sure" ummm that's what I wanted to drink. So the second martini was good :) I must say, both Martinis were 3/4 of the way filled and everywhere else the martini class is filled almost all the way to the rim. Ok so my boyfriends plate was not good either, he ordered his steak medium well and it looked rare! Just not a good experience being first time customers. Positive feedback is: ok live music, atmosphere, bread, rice and peanuts. Also, the waitress was nice, she removed the steak from our bill but not the cherry infused lemon drop martini which I assumed she would. So I did have to ask for that to be removed and at that point she did remove it :-D. We saw a lot of elders eating there and I wonder if I would return when I'm 80 years old and I don't remember this experience and I no longer have taste buds.
(1)Samira H.
Love this place! Visited it for my first time yesterday. The food and service are both excellent. Best items on the menu are probably the appetizers: peanuts, cheese bread and salad. DELICIOUS! I literally moaned with delight. I was actually too full from the starters to eat much of the main course. Our waiter was very attentive. He refilled our drinks 3 times without us asking and even gave us extra Maraschino cherries for our Shirley Temples, haha. He was so good, we left him a $13 tip. One downside: the menu is limited, especially for a vegetarian, like myself. Luckily, they do have a single veggie option, which consists of a plate of a baked potato, steamed veggies, and rice pilaf. For the portion sizes, the prices are great! (The cheese bread and salad are free of charge.) You will definitely leave North Woods feeling full and satisfied.
(4)Isaac L.
I remember being a child and driving by this place with my father. The fake snow on the roof always made me curious as to whats inside. My father never took me in, if he did, it is probably a repressed memory. I'm an adult now and I get to go here all the time with family. Lets just say, I'm not the one picking the place. This place is weird. It super dark inside and the bar has funny string lighting and weird colorful glass lamp shades. The staff is all old. The walls are wood logs. The floors are covered in peanut shells, probably to hide the dirt. The menu is small but its attached to a piece of wood so it weighs 100 times more than it should. Weird outdoor stuff sets the decor. Now the food. When I go here, I always get the steak sandwich since it has the most bang for the buck. Its not really a sandwich, its more like a smaller entree but its always enough to fill me up. The steak is the best part buts its not the best steak. So this place is known for three things as far as food goes; the blue cheese dressing with lettuce, the vinigrette with red cabbage and the cheese butter with bread. No I did not mix up the order. Its glob of dressing on some pieces of lettuce. The bread is saturated with butter and practically sprays your face when you bite into it. The red cabbage thing with all that vinaigrette is the ok. The other entrees are basically the same as the steak sandwich. Its meat, two salads drenched with dressing and soggy butter bread. If that makes you hungry you might want to get your cholesterol checked.
(2)Johnny D.
Always wanted to go here since I used to pass the one on the 5 when I lived down in OC. The interior is as awesome as the outside with decent food, phenomenal cheese bread, and affordable prices you cannot go wrong. Definitely will return to try out other menu items in the future!
(4)Eric S.
OK, so my wife, Candice, and I went to Clearman's North Woods Inn for Valentine's day. We didn't plan ahead; we were just driving up Rosemead and saw it and said, "let's go there. " The place was pretty full, and we didn't get seated right away, but that was OK because this place has a huge bar area with pleasant enough live music. So we each ordered a drink and chilled for a few minutes before we were called to our table. They had a preset menu deal for V-day, so we both went with that. It was expensive - 45 bucks per person - but much cheaper than ordering all the components separately. It came with a grip of stuff including: Two cocktails each or a bottle of wine; green salad, and Clearman's awesome red cabbage, and cheese bread, and an appetizer to share (we went with the crabcakes), and a choice of one of 3 steak and seafood entrees, each of which came with a massive baked potato, and desert. Quantity? Amazing. Quality? A little more hit and miss. The salads were great, the cheesebread is good, but... Well, I adored it as a kid, but it seems kind of greasy and heavy now. The crabcakes weren't that great. They tasted too fishy for me. Of course, ever since I had the crabcakes at Hot Stuff Cafe, which are amazing, I've gotten a lot more picky about crabcakes. To be honest, I was kind of full by the time my entree arrived. The shrimp were tasty, but unremarkable. The rib-eye steak was good, but a bit gristle-y. I've had much better rib-eye's elsewhere. Again, this place has to deal with perhaps unfair comparison. (A couple of weeks ago during "Dine LA," Candice and I went to Ruth's Chris and the steak was way better.) Anyhow, I got the cheese butter on my massive baked potato and I ate about two bites of it. Even though we had a great time, I was thinking about 3 stars at first. But I've been loving the leftovers. The food seems to have improved in my fridge. I didn't even touch my desert until last night at home: cheesecake fantastico! So anyhow, the leftovers got them that fourth star. Bottom line: old school fancy restaurant, hunting lodge decor, too expensive, massive portions, hit and miss food, cool bar. I like it, but I probably won't eat there again for quite some time.
(4)Raymond Z.
Discrimination or unintended human error? Attracted by the restaurant's unique curb appearance, we decide to try out the place April 9th, but unfortunately, we were so piss off that we left the restaurant before even being seated... Here is what happened: we went to North Wood Inn on Saturday night and being told the wait would be 30-35 minutes, which was OK for us.. Right after we sit down in the waiting area (at a table that is closest to the greeting desk), the host bought a bowl of peanuts to the group that was ahead of us, so we were thinking, nice, what a great service and expect the host would bring us a bowl of peanut a little later. Couple minutes passed by, another group came in and a little later, they got a bowl of peanuts. Another 10 minutes went by, two more groups came in, they got their bowls of peanuts. Another 5-10 minutes went by, more groups came and I saw a total of 6 groups waiting around us and 5 of them came after us, but all of them got a bowl of peanuts, EXCEPT US !!!!!!!!!!!!! I was thinking, what the f$#%@, is it because we are the ONLY ASIAN group there, so you treat us so unfairly? Or is it because alot of your customers are non-asian, so you think we are not important? Oh well, I don't really know the answer, but we figure Cheesecake Factory would have much better service so we went there instead... Congratz North Woods Inn, you just lost a potential customer!!!
(1)Russ V.
One of the few places that really pays attention to detail.. structurally. It's the Huge Snowed Log Cabin in the middle of City Streets. The Interior was as decked out as the exterior. There were peanuts on the table and peanut shells on the floor. Go ahead eat em' peanuts and toss em' shells on the floor, add to the decor! Cheese Bread: If there was a cheese bread eating contest here, I'd enter.. Both Red and Green Salads: Great Starters, combining both isn't a bad idea Rice Pilaf: plain, accompanies the steak well Baked Potato: with butter, its a done deal LumberJack Steak Medium: an average tasting steak.. considering the price and the included sides, it's not surprising. Great Value for a decent steak dinner!
(4)Ming-Jou C.
"Am I in Santa's Village?" Walking in here gave me a strange feeling. From the parking lot, you walk through this low craftsman-style entrance, into this courtyard with a bunch of random fake logs. Then you go into the fake-log cabin/building, with fake snow on the roof. Now, when it's 85-degrees at night with about 80% humidity, the faux snow just seems a little out of place. Just a little. Then you walk in and it's sensory overload. Peanut shells and sawdust on the floor, the place is huge, but the ceilings are low. TY said I'm supposed to feel like I'm in a woodsy-like log cabin. I just felt like I was in the Twilight Zone. So we're seated after a 5-minute wait, even though 50% of the tables were available. Our waitress was prompt and nice, took our drink orders while we looked over the table tent menu they set in front of you. You sit in wooden chairs and a log-ish table and the menu is neat, because since it's a tent, the person sitting in front of you can read the other side. It's the little things. So since I'm running at half marathon in a couple of days, I decide to go with the broiled mahi mahi. All meals come complete with two salads (red cabbage and a regular lettuce with ranch-like dressing). I thought the red cabbage with its vinegarette dressing was great, but the other salad tasted a little wilted, probably from the overload of dressing. And why do you need two salads in the first place? They bring you cheese toast, which was good, but felt like it had been toasted and was waiting around just a smidge too long, since it wasn't super crispy, but slightly soft. Flavor was good, but how can you go wrong with cheese toast. Our food came pretty quickly and my dish came with rice pilaf (it was fine) and a baked potato. You can choose from butter, mushroom gravy and a couple of other things. I got the mushroom gravy, which was a tad on the salty side by itself, but pretty awesome when you pour it on your baked tater. It was like making your own mashies. My fish was good, and it was a pretty big portion. I think it was about $26 TY got the combo platter which came with chicken, fried scallops, steak chunks and something else. I don't know why you would take perfectly good scallops and ruin them by battering and frying them. Unless you were trying to hide something. Hmmm. I think that was $29. Overall, food was good, ambience was weird, and it's one of those places where you hear "Happy Birthday" sung every five minutes, because it's good for groups for celebratory occasions. I wouldn't go there on a date though. I guess it's good if you want decent food and a good amount of it for about $30/person. The whole place is just weird though. I don't think it's made out of real wood. And the snow just kills me. There's a Kohl's built almost right on top of Clearman - it's that close. This is for all your closet Avril Lavigne fans since she just launched her new line for Kohl's. You know you wanna go.
(3)Jack N Mary Z.
The GOOD: The food is great! Very tasty. The atmosphere is nice, makes you feel like you are out in the mountains, like Big Bear. The BAD: The parking is now shared with a huge store (not mentioning any names) that was build there a few years ago. The service, attitude. The fees The EXPERIENCE: Since we went on a Thursday evening, we didn't wait at all and were seated immediately. The server took our order, we told him we were going to have only the salad, and wanted to share one dinner. He took our drink order and came back with very strong drinks. They made them a lot stronger than other places do. Dinner was very delicious, except when we received our bill, we were surprised they charge almost $7.00 for splitting our dinner. Oh, I'm sorry... what the heck is that all about? Maybe we don't go to a lot of restaurants to know that it's a policy where they charge you an extra fee to split the meal for you. At least tell me about it! Or, bring me the plate, and I'll do it, at no cost to me! I was furious!
(2)Brian C.
Last weekend my wife and I stopped by for Lunch (Sunday) and Anna was our waitress. Very helpful and being served by many at this location is one of the best servers. I wanted to update from my last post about the food/steaks. Back right on track with great food (steaks were perfect and nice portions!). Thank you for the great service and great food. I recommended this to a family friend and they went there last night and they said it was amazing!
(5)Ada R.
Food is delicious theres no wait at all ! Good service all servers are awesome ! Love this place .
(5)George P.
Just like Ronnie....most of my birthdays with my family were spent here. What kid doesn't like eating steak, baked potato, cheese bread, tons of soda and salad w/blue cheese dressing? I sure didn't!!!!!!! At a time in my life where I wanted a cowboy party or maybe a pizza party at Chuckie Cheese! Leave it to my family to be unselfish and think of me first. Fast forward to 2010! I thought this place was engulfed by Kohl's. So I happen to hang a right and there it is! BANG!!!!!! We grabbed the steak &shrimp and the Clearman's sampler with the steak skewers, fried chicken, and scallops. Munched on the peanuts while I drifted into a flashback. This place is now smaller that what I remembered as a young fine lad. I loaded up on the cheese bread and salad that by the time my food came....I was full. Did i quit? Hell NO! Ever Forward.....Ever Forward. Steak was Ok to Good. This place is not at the same level as say Houston's, but i also doesn't cost you an Fillet Millon and Prime Rib! Service was cool. I was a tad annoyed that my waiter gave me a hassle about asking for A-1 sauce. Listen, I am paying for this meal, so if I want to dunk my junk in mustard....Be like Nike and just do it! Don't question me or I will pimp slap you with my cheese bread. The fried chicken was a bit dry and was the only item that I didn't enjoy. No dessert I guess i did quit =( Fan yes....fanatic....NO. I love the "Boat" a lot more but ,I will definitely be back. My nephew is turning 13 soon......and guess where we are all going! If you can't beat them, join them! KEEP ON Yelpin'
(4)Nicole R.
This place has been here forever! I remember my first time, my mom said she has loved this place since she was a kid. The place looks like a cabin you would find in the woods! Its great. When you walk inside you will notice that it is dark and noisy. I don't mind that its dark but it is a bit to noisy for me. Great!...now I sound like my grandma. The decor of the place is odd, especially the paintings on the walls. There is a story behind them though. Back in the day it was supposed to be an old whore house, you would go to the bar and then point to the lady on the wall you wanted to sleep with. That is how that came about. I know its crude but its true just ask your waiter! Ok, so next you will be seated at a table that looks like a big log. On the wall are some hooks that hold a menu printed on a black pig. It is double sided, so your waiter will stick it open on the table and everybody can see it. The food here is really good...I happen to love the ribs. I am picky when it comes to having ribs. They have to be really good and I mean like really good. I also happen to love there chicken too. The reason I gave them a 4 stars is because the noise level is crazy, its hard to hear who your talking too. Also be prepared to wait for a table. In the meantime you can sit at the bar and order a drink as you wait. Check this place out. I hope you enjoy it just as much as I do.
(4)John M.
Every aspect of our night here was fucked. A couple of my friends didn't get to eat at all. The waiter thought they asked for "salads" instead of scallops (not that we even got extra salads anyway). They were constantly badgering us to get out the door because they were closing, even thought they accepted my reservation for 30 minutes before closing time without saying a word about it. You could have warned me over the phone, rather than waiting to give me shit in person. And then, when we tried to split the bill, they charged one of my friends for 100% of the check, and everyone else for half. We talked to the management, and we're assured that the transactions wouldn't go through, and yet here I am looking at a bank account that's $70 lighter. One shitty night is bad enough, but North Woods Inn has become something of a recurring nightmare for me and my party. Spare yourself the trouble and stay away.
(1)Kai R.
Clearman's is a SGV institution that has been around forever. They have downsized the San Gabriel footprint from 3 restaurants down to two a few years ago. In the pre-Outback, Cheesecake Factory days this was the place to go to for special occasions. In the heyday the wait could be 2 hours or more on a Friday / Saturday night. Fast forward to 2013 - other than the prices, the place hasn't changed at all in the last 20 years. Same menu, same decor, still throw the peanut shells on the floor. The problem I have is the sheer gluttony of the place - makes Cheesecake Factory look like a diet restaurant. If you order one of the dinner, not sandwich, options, you get two kinds of salad - red cabbage and blue cheese dressing with some lettuce thrown in. You also get as much cheese bread and salad that you can eat. As for the main entree, your protein will come with a football-sized baked potato (with options of half a stick of butter mixed with cheese spread or mushroom gravy) and rice pilaf. Veggies don't exist here. Protein quality is pretty good, but the prices are high (around $30-35). At that price level, I'd rather go to Houston's and get a better quality protein along with some veggie options.
(2)Bao H.
ARRRR! I need some protein!! No I'm not a pirate - just a carnivore! So after my trip to Vietnam which I lacked protein and needed a steak; this was my first stop. Recommended by my aunt that is. I didn't care where it was just needed some meat! The steak I had was made just right - medium - not medium well or well done - it was medium aright! No sauces just make sure it has some blood :) YUM! My baked potato came with some cheesy buttery topping - what's up with that!? Even though I asked for it on the side, but no complaints. Service was decent I guess I can add. The Ambience of the place is definitely fit for a rowdy sports bar crowd, but it was Tuesday night - no game except for the Clippers zzzzzz....So I guess the rule for this place is break open your peanut shells and chuck them on the floor - I'm not too accustomed to that but when in Clearman's sure :)
(3)Ronnie N.
I'm pretty sure I have spent most of my and my sister's birthdays here growing up. Nothing beats the cheese bread, salads (yes, I said salads!), and baked potatoes! Also they make a mean Amaretto Sour (and when I was younger, Shirley Temple). The steaks are good and the scallops are pretty amazing as well. Every time I go I tell myself I'm going to get the crab, but I just get distracted by the thought of that cheese bread and salads I forget. Even when I was a veg I would come here just for the bread, salads, and potato! (FYI, you can special order just that!) Another insider tip: Mix the salads together. You won't regret it!
(5)Nikki A.
One of my favorite place....Blue Cheese Salad and Red Cabbage Salad along with Cheese Bread...HEAVEN!
(5)Tim S.
Been going here every once in a while, when you get in for the first 5-10 minutes, bring a flashlight, better yet, bring a miner's flashlight so you can see your food while you eat. I love the salad with this dressing which I'm not sure what it is, but I know it's not good for me, and that's awesome! Typically I get the steak sandwich meal, it's only $12, a smaller portion but fills me up. You'd be challenged to find a place that would be cheaper with what you get. If the steak needs some help, ask for the Clearman's sauce, very good slightly tangy taste that surpasses any steak sauce I've ever tried. The cheese bread is so danged good!! Btw and Rootbeer is Rootbeer but tastes good in a glass,would be better in a big mug but the glass is fine.
(4)Raphael M.
The atmosphere gets a 5 stars. The food.... Well, let's just talk about the atmosphere! Decorated like a log cabbin in the snow-covered North, this restaurant is oozing charm. Snowshoes and taxidermied wildlife adorn the walls. The windowless dining hall transports you from the hot, dirty suburban sprawl of the SGV into the backwoods of Michigan. Gotta love a vacation like that.
(3)Jen V.
My family always makes it a point to eat here when visiting from out of state. My mom and her family used to live out here, and it holds a deep nostalgia that has embedded itself in her children. But for good reason -good food, good feeling, good prices! The interior is like a big cozy log cabin with Tiffany lamps hanging from the ceiling, peanut shells on floor, red leather chairs, stained glass windows with winter scenes, and oil paintings on the walls. It doesn't have a fireplace, but it does have a big bar with flat screen tvs that play sports. The front room is big and open with lots of tables, and they have a back section for a more intimate dining experience. The exterior actually looks like a snow-covered log cabin, so it's easy to spot. Also they have a spin off restaurant next door called "The Boat" that has cheaper menu items like burgers and fries.....and it actually looks like a fishing boat, which is a lot of fun! Small parking lot but they have plenty of overflow parking in the lot behind North Woods. Bowls on peanuts on the table, interesting stand up menus in the shape of iron cauldrons, and hot cheese bread that melts in your mouth are just a few of the unique items you get at North Woods Inn! Let's talk about the food -basic surf and turf items to pick from, and I've enjoyed their shrimp before, but last time I had to go with the 9oz (Jen-sized) Lumberjack steak with the baked potato. The steak was delicious -I'm known to pair my meat with a sauce I make from horseradish, sour cream and A1 sauce, but this cut was seasoning well and cooked to perfection, so I just ate it plain. The baked potato was enormous, and my mom says that they actually downsized and 20 years ago the potatoes used to be as big as the plate! Also comes with a chicken-y rice pilaf -which I enjoyed, and I'm not a big fan of rice. Each entree comes with 2 family-style bowls of salad -the sweet blue cheese salad and the sweet tangy cabbage salad. The blue cheese salad is a bit odd because it's pink -I found the recipe online and the pink color is due to the Hungarian paprika in the recipe. All you need is butter milk, garlic, blue cheese crumbles and Hungarian paprika for the dressing -the last time I had it here I was a little disappointed because they didn't put enough paprika or garlic......or maybe I just go overboard when I make it at home. The red cabbage salad is a basic cabbage with a tangy vinaigrette -it's tasty, but I prefer the blue cheese salad. They have a good variety of cocktails to choose from ($5 margaritas and martinis during happy hour), and I choose Cactus cooler -which I think had orange juice, rum and pineapple juice or something like that. It was delicious! Wrapping this up, the wait staff was friendly and attentive, the food came out quickly, and all in all it was a great experience. Tell your friends and bring the kids. I know that I've written a short review of this restaurant before, but I feel like I half-assed it, and I ate here recently and decided to go more in depth -sorry guys, I'll try not to give you anymore rushed reviews.
(4)Christine T.
Been living around this area for years and I barely decided to try this place out. Had the filet mignon which was decent, they also charge for splitting the plate. The bread and salad was delicious! probably because of all the cheese on the bread, and all the dressing on the salad... the potato was also pretty good. They also give free peanuts and you just basically throw the shells on the floor.
(3)Jerry P.
After visiting the Huntington Library and Gardens in San Marino as we do at least once a year, and as we did two weeks ago, we almost always stop by this Clearman's. The surrounding stores have changed and have been modernized, but Clearman's is the same. Yep, snow on the roof, and a log cabin feel. No, your not in Yosemite. This place is similar to the upper Wisconsin supper clubs, to a degree. The big bawdy bar always beckons for me to have a large schooner of beer. And peanuts are available for free by the pail full. Then on to the restaurant section, where bawdy pictured women are framed in a classy way. The two salad choices are made in front of you ( I like the red cabbage), and the steaks are always good, but not necessarily great. The shrimp was very good. And long live the cheese bread. You can spend as little as $12 for a steak sandwich, or $30 for the best steak. We ended the meal , as always, with the mud pie. Took two bites, and the rest came home. Too full. Come here to have fun and to relax, especially after walking around Huntington Library for 6 hours.
(4)C M.
I used to love coming to this restaurant for family gatherings, birthdays, and its great for groups! LOVE the cheesy bread, the filet mignon, free peanuts, red cabbage and blue cheese salads mixed together wow, like a party in your mouth! love you how you can throw peanut shells on the floor =) Once I ordered the fish and it was dry and not cooked well so I asked them if they could fix that and they took it and replaced it right away for me and were very nice about it. I always order the baked potato with the cheese butter, omg so good! I want some right now!
(5)Rieko O.
Unfortunately, I have to agree with Mr. K. I, too, use to enjoy going there, but on my last visit, the food was very greasy, the service was very slow and what really ruined my experience was having our dishes thrown on the table. The first time the lady did this, I thought "OK, maybe the dish slipped". But, when it continued to happen with every dish that was brought out, I got really upset. I wanted to give the waitress the benefit of doubt that maybe she was having a bad day. So, I purposely tried to be extra nice by saying lots of please and thank yous, but her attitude never changed.
(1)leone i.
My boyfriend took me there for some comfort food, I had never been. This place is very kitsch down to the fake snow covered cabin rooftops. But I was open to it since he and his family frequent. I had the ribs..very tastey. The red cabbage salad was very good too. They serve alot of food so come with a grizzly bear appetite and all your hungers will subside.
(4)Amanda Y.
Clearman's Worth Woods Inn was another "mystery lunch" excursion for me. The office didn't tell me where we were going, but I went anyway and we ended up at North Woods Inn. The restaurant was HUGE and it was reminiscent of Las Vegas oddly enough for me... The wait staff was friendly but a little slow, the food was ok- I had some soup and cheese bread to start, then I got the mahi-mahi fish and chips which was decent. I would stick with the salad and cheesy bread though if you go.
(2)Hank C.
Wow. If I was rating this place for the ambience it'd be 1 star, but I'm not. Instead a 3.5/5 The wait was relatively short and as soon as I sat down I was bombarded with oily cheese bread and I couldn't resist. I had 2 slices and some of the salad which was pretty good, minus the super heavy dressing (ask for the dressing on the side if you don't like your salads soaked in it). When the steak came I repeated to myself a million times. "shitshitshitshit this is a lot of food." The entree itself was only okay with the steak being sub par. The rice pilaf was bland and the baked potato was dry and lumpy. The service on the other hand was very attentive! Be sure to come only after starving yourself :)
(3)Erik L.
My favorite restaurant ever! Love the salad, cheese bread and steaks!
(5)Chris S.
I love hitting up the bar here. Great happy hour, great service, and good food. You have to get cheesy bread and red cabbage!
(5)Steph P.
If you want to let loose and clog your arteries, then this is the place to do so! Right when you walk in, you feel how relaxed it is, especially with all the peanut shells hanging around the floor. The food is truly a gut buster, for even the salads are heavy and filling! The baked potato is nice and the appetizers are good. Keep in mind that this food is unhealthy but having it now and then won't harm will it? The service is so-so but in my opinion, it should be better because this place is rarely packed.
(4)tara q.
I love this place. Steak is a bit pricey but it's delicious. My bf and I usually split the porterhouse. It's cooked perfect every time we come there. One time they even offer to cook it medium on one side and medium rare on the other for us. I didn't even know they could do that. Fantastic salad and bread. It's yummy. Totally recommend. =D
(5)Daniel T.
I visited this place on one occasion and me and my friends were even under the influence of marijuana. Thinking the food would taste great and satisfy our needs for a big juicy steak. The atmosphere was good walked in got sat immediately. The entertainment was good and very involved with the guests. This is where things get bad and where I get the low rating. The food was terrible. My friends steaks were drier then a bone mines was tough dry and salty. The bread tasted like salt and butter the rice was tasted like shiitake mushrooms( if you know what I mean ;() I would not recommend this place to anyone that wanted a good meal and I forgot to mention I paid about 30 dollars for my inferior meal. Never going again
(1)Laura I.
I love this place! I've been going to this place since I was very very young. It has a great atmosphere, fancy wild wild west feel. The salads and the cheese bread that comes with every meal is worth a visit alone. Their steaks are tender and the mushroom gravy that is optional on a baked potato is to die for :)
(5)Jenny L.
Walking into the restaurant, I felt like everyone was looking at my third eye. EVERY SINGLE TABLE stopped eating to gawk at my friend and I. I think it's because we weren't white and weren't with five million other people. I brushed off the stares, although I've just learned, my sister had a similar experience and she and her friends walked out. After reviewing their no-nonsense menu, I went with filet mignon, baked potato with cheese butter, rice pilaf and a glass of good ole H2O. I have to say, the salads are effin' queer and delicious. Creamy dressing on romaine and salty vinegary cabbage? WTF? It's a genius combo. The cheese toast? 9thousand calories but bring it on. I ate about 1/6 of my steak and decided enough was enough. I was wearing the perfect fat outfit too. Phew. Despite the staring, the almost unfriendly waitress and high prices, I think I might be back. That salad combo man, it kicked my puny ass.
(3)Craig O.
I first went to this place over a decade ago and I knew I wanted to come back and I was not disappointed. This time I brought my fiance to celebrate my birthday. We think the whole log cabin decor with peanut shells on the ground is pretty cool. Service from our waiter Michael was great. Overate on the two salads and cheese breads (they are soo delicious!). Mike taught us the "taco salad" where u wrap the salad mixture with the cheese bread. Genius! He also told us how to prepare the leftovers to make a yummy breakfast. We ordered filet mignon an rib eye, both cooked perfectly medium rare. The cheese butter over the potatoes were sinfully awesome. They sing happy birthday to me and give me a simple scoop of orange sherbet with a candle. We are definitely coming back again. Don't know when, but definitely high in consideration for special occasions without going too fancy.
(5)Teresa K.
I am biased in my feelings about this place because I only dine here once a year and we have been coming here for Christmas Eve Dinner in my family for at least 40 years. The entrees are not that great but the cheese bread and salads alone are worth it. This year the bar service on Christmas Eve was ridiculous. It is their busiest night of the year and there was ONE bartender and like maybe 2 bar waitresses. Really!?
(3)Alisa Y.
This is where all the mall Santa Clauses used to meet because it's the only place where there is snow year-round. 5 stars if I could of stumbled into this restaurant asking for the presents they owed me. oh yea, I almost forgot, the food is terrible and terribly expensive. They give you rice with your cheese burgers, what the hell?
(2)Riley B.
I come here often just to have lunch and enjoy the atmosphere, which is so different (in a good way) from everywhere else. I am a huge fan of the cheese bread, cabbage salad and blue cheese salad. Yummy. Oh yeah, and the peanuts.
(5)Steve R.
This place is gross! Steaks are flavorless, baked potatoes are smothered in "cheese butter," vegetables are soggy, and their idea of a side "salad" is a bowl of lettuce drenched in dressing. I have no idea what people see in this place.
(1)Valerie L.
I just love it here. My family comes here for very special occasions, and it has tons of nostalgic value. If you are driving on Rosemead, it is south of Huntington Dr, on the west side of the street, next to a monstrous Kohl's that ruins the look of the Clearman's area. The restaurant looks like a brown log cabin with a snow covered roof. The interior has a late 1800s feel to it, complete with a piano in the bar, wooden tables, and of course, the "sawdust". Once you are seated, you get bowls of peanuts. The sawdust comes from the encouragement to throw your shells on the ground. Since it does get swept, they like a constant supply of shells. If you are a first timer, I'd recommend coming here for lunch first, to assess if you like their food. They also have a to-go area right where you walk in (the proper front), where you can get bread, cheese spread, salads, and even dressing. There is also a side entrance that goes right into the bar. The women's restroom is just lovely, though I would love to have more toilets instead of a large vanity, just my opinion. It can get very loud, depending if there are large groups or not, and there's usually tons of kids in here, which I don't get; the food is a bit expensive to be taking the kiddies along. Inside is rather dark, with lighting feeling like lantern lighting. The menus are odd shaped, and hang on the wall between tables. Once seated as I said before, you get a bowl of peanuts. I came here to dinner with my husband, and we split an entree (there is a split plate charge). The entrees come with cheese bread, the lettuce salad and cabbage salad. None of those things are for those on a diet. The cheese bread is wonderful on sourdough bread. The lettuce salad is tossed with a blue cheese dressing and is always very crisp. The cabbage salad has a simple oil and vinegar. I like the steak on a stick, but this time my husband and I split the sirloin and lobster. I love lobster, and this is served in the shell for looks, with a stuffing. Our server, Michael, was fantastic; attentive, helpful, and a bit cheeky. He talked us into dessert, a chocolate cake, which as full as we were, we still devoured. All in all, I really like the food, though it is a bit expensive, and as much as I hate the ugly Kohl's next door, I'll still come over for special occasions.
(4)Lisa L.
My family has been going to north woods forever. It is one of our favorite restaurants. Everyone loves the bread. My mom and husband both love the steak sandwich. My husband really likes the chili dogs. I like their Shirley temple and their iced tea. I love their soup and salad combo. Ever since I was a kid, this is the only thing I order on the menu. I just love their vegetable soup I would love to learn how to make it. Then, their are the peanuts you get to throw on the floor. how fun is that.
(5)Tommy K.
I absolutely LOVE this place. I do recommend visiting the restaurant during "cold weather". It gives you that cozy feeling of being in a frontier cabin..(hence the snow atop of the cabin) Every time I've gone, sometimes the waiters/waitresses are in a moody stance. But hey, it's always busy. I'll let that slide.. PEANUTS ON THE FLOOR! It's a very dark place to eat. Which in MY opinion, is awesome. Going back to that "frontier feel", most of the restaurant is illuminated by candle-light. Perfect for a date on a Saturday night. I only come here when I have enough money to spend on a great steak. The prices are kind of high, but the amount, and portions are worth it. I can't really tell you how the menu is when it comes to other entrees, because of me 'already knowing what I want'. Everything comes with a coleslaw salad type. It's a blue-cheese/ranch dressing salad with a red cabbage on separate bowls to be mixed at your choice. OH...MY...GOD... The CHEESE-BREAD is literally "TO-DIE-FOR"! It's so good, Clearman's Spread is even sold at close-surrounding grocery stores. The All-You-Can-Eat cheese-bread is ... well, my mouth is watering thinking as I type. The steaks are cooked to your choice. (medium is my preferred choice anywhere) and the baked potatoes are just great as well. I really don't have much to say because of me not expanding my taste-buds, so that is pretty much it, The only thing that kind of irritates me, is 'the rule of sharing'. If you order a plate and a waiter/waitress sees you sharing your food, they automatically add (I think the amount of) $5 to your bill. I don't know why..I think the person who came up with THAT rule wasn't taught to share their personal items as a child...that's just me.. But since the portions are so huge, you can just ask for a "split" plate. That'll feed two people if you order a big enough entree. That's basically it.. Overall, this place has always kept my mind asking "when am I gonna go get a steak over there?" I have to go eat at their "Boat" I remember it as a child, but the memory isn't that great enough for me to review it. I'll visit soon. Kudos, Clearman's Village!
(4)Casey S.
Excellent food and service, I had the filet supreme and it was absolutely one of the best steaks I have had in my life.
(5)Dave H.
So nostalgic! The only thing I miss about this place is the cute waitress uniforms at some of the other North Woods Inns. If you have peanut allergies (like my son) - avoid this place! As you arrive you can grab your peanuts and drop the shells on the floor (ala luna cafe, gladstones, etc.). Great steaks here plus the cheesebread! Good ol' americana in casual atmosphere with a full bar. The food is good value for money with the portion sizes, etc. The steaks are the sellers here. Sandwiches are okay but nothing different from other places. Get a shrimp cocktail or bloody mary as well. Fun place for a casual date or with the family. If you want more casual head next door to the boat which is walk up service and also has a full bar and array of TVs to catch up on sports. For food - I would rate this 3 stars. For classic ambience and service it gets a 3.5. Cheesy yes like its famous cheese bread but still a fun dining experience different from all the chains.
(4)Ryen R.
We visited this location a couple of weeks ago. This is one of my favorite restaurants and the food was great as usual. Our sever Anna was awesome.
(5)J L.
Best steak ever! This place is a no frills, bordering redneck restaurant and I love it. The ribeye is delicious and tends not to be on the menu. Just enough char and cooked to your liking. Expect huge portions. Meals include cheese bread, 2 types of salad -bleu cheese lettuce and a vinegary red cabbage, baked potato and rice pilaf. And I can't forget the complimentary peanuts in shell for you to chuck all over the floor. I always leave here with lunch for the next day. Only qualm I have is that the servers are a bit awry. We sometimes come in and there is no one to really direct us. The bar area is good for dinner, but be aware that only a section of it is allowed for dining. I've observed servers telling patrons that "this section" is only for drinks but there isn't any obvious sign of which section is which. Sometimes they have live music, which is always entertaining.
(4)Carlos M.
This place is a blast from the past. Food is good. It's the same, never changed since I went there in the 80's You can still through the peanut shells on the floor and relax.
(3)Cecilia D.
Someone said you can't go home again but after coming back to this neighborhood icon after almost 20 years away, I was pleasantly surprised. Having just visited my sis who still lives in the area, the hubster and I passed this unmistakeable cabin on our way to the freeway and it gave me a yen for steak. I remembered the spot being kitschy with its cabin-in-winter-wonderland-theme, but I also recalled it was quite good. My steak was a perfect medium rare, juicy and flavorful. The salads were tasty and of course, the cheesy bread downright addictive. In fact, everything was really good. The service was just as delightful; our waiter looked like he'd worked there for years and was proud of the fact. So for under a $100, why not take a trip down memory lane? I'd already shown the hubster my high school after all, and this restaurant was THE date place when I was growing up. It was a perfect way to end the day after spending time with my sibs reminiscing about our youth.
(4)TT H.
You come here to eat STEAK! Don't order chicken or fish. Service is great and the food is YUMMY. Mix your blue and red salad together, it is amazing. BEWARE, garlic cheesy bread is addicting! If you are like me, you fill up on bread and salad and end up taking your steak home. So you, might as well order your steak rare so you can finish cooking it at home later.
(4)Lisa S.
Sorry, food was the only reason why they got 2 stars. I made reservations and noted that it was for a birthday. So naturally I would think they would bring something or ask if we would like something brought over to make that dinner more special. So again I did say I made reservations yet we waited 20 minutes but was told only had to wait 5 minutes. So just be prepared to wait even with reservation! Their hosts need to know that 20 min isn't 5 min so best to just tell them that even though you made reservations, there aren't any tables open so it would be 10-15 min? That would have been more reasonable. Although by the bar area, it was like a first come first serve with full service. I wished I had none or I wouldn't have waited 20 min and just sat down. We didn't mind the jazz music. Our waiter seemed to be in such rush. I guess business was slow? He wanted more tables for more tips? Barely smiled til the end obviously because he wanted a good tip. I had ordered no rice but veggies instead but what did I get, rice that I didn't want but he was never at our table long enough to explain to him that I ordered no rice but veggies instead. To top it off, I had to wait till our dinner was over to ask for a group picture which was horrible. I could have asked a guest there to take a better picture than that. Again rushing off without asking if the picture was good or not. Would I go back?? Probably not, I don't think the food was that good and the price I could get any other steak house with better service and better taste.
(2)James D.
WORSHIPERS OF THE ALMIGHTY STEAK! Do you pine for the days when we killed our own steer, ripping apart skin and flesh for find that perfect amazing section of meat, and cook it over a roaring fire for all to enjoy? Yeah, me neither, but Clearman's food tastes exactly like the above. It's pricey, but you get a lot for it, such as garlic bread with lots O' butter, a salad that even I, an open carnivore approve of, and of course....the steak. Clearman's offers many steaks for many an appetite, but in my opinion, there is but ONE reason why you would go to Clearman's. That reason is the PORTERHOUSE Steak. I have to say PORTERHOUSE in all caps because the PORTERHOUSE Steak is the steak to end all steaks. All other steaks bow down in reverence to the greatness of the PORTERHOUSE steak. They also had the biggest damn potato I had ever seen. Given it was father's day when I went, but I wish our waiter had better monitored our drinks, hence why it's four starts instead of five. But I still recommend it for whenever you need to eat a large load of great glorious meat.
(4)Charles C.
I was introduced to this restaurant through my wife's friends and we have gone back over and over again. I would like to start by saying that if you are a frequent Yelper as I am (mostly to find yummy places, not to post about them...but I am learning to do so), you would know to look at all the standard information to the right of the page. One of those categories is Price. No, this place is not Sizzler level prices, but the food is not either. It is not the Souplantation either, so if you are counting calories, you should avoid this restaurant as well. The food is on the heavier side, but is really, really good. I will admit that when we go that we target the steaks as that is what we go there for, so we can recommend those. The place is a little dark and...odd?, but I guess that is part of the fun. We have always had really good service to date.
(5)Mullaney P.
This place used to be on point and our go-to for celebratory family dinners, but after our visit last night I'm not sure we'll be going back. The overall food quality has gone down but prices have gone up. The garlic bread, salads and baked potato were great but the steaks were just meh. They were smaller than before, weren't cooked to our specification and didn't taste as good. The rice was rather bland as well. Our kids got chicken strips and fries and the fries had obviously been out much, much longer. Guess we gotta find a new place to go...
(3)Jason S.
I have been coming to the North Woods Inn for 35+ years. I love the salads, the cheesebread, the steaks and the ambiance. Recently I have become a HUGE fan of the cheesebread sliders that are offered on the lunch menu. Not a trendy hipster joint, it's an old school restaurant that NEVER disappoints. The Rosemead location is the best!
(5)Melinda L.
North Woods has been my family's special event go-to place for years (including for my birthday tomorrow). In all those years we had sub-par service exactly once. They're not cheap but the great thing about this place is that unlike a lot of restaurants they'll raise prices when necessary instead of cheaping out on the quality and quantity of the food. The food is great and the portions are huge, so you do get your money's worth. North Woods is famous for their cheese bread and I'm a huge fan of their cabbage salad. They also have hands-down the best baked potatoes in the world. I don't know if it's the potatoes they use or something they do during prep, but they're fantastic. All the steak and seafood I've had there over the years has been top-notch. Just one warning on the steaks - if you order it rare, you will get the rarest steak you've ever been served. The one time I did this, it was too rare even for me (and I like my steaks still mooing) but the waiter did warn me in advance that they take "rare" seriously. He wasn't exaggerating. The only things I can criticize about North Woods: First, it can get really loud. Not unable to converse with others at your table loud, but still noticeably loud during peak hours. Also it's been my experience that for whatever reason their food doesn't really reheat well (an issue because the portions are so large that I never finish) and lastly that they won't cough up their cabbage salad recipe, which I would love to have. You can however purchase the cheese bread spread at the restaurant. This location is near Santa Anita Racetrack and is big with the track crowd, so if you're concerned about waiting for seating you might want to keep the track's schedule in mind.
(5)Denise C.
Oh my goodness... I do love this place.. Quick warning, do not eat the peanuts, they are too filling. Just hang on a few minutes and your bread & salad will come... I've been going here for years and I have to say that my favorite items are the red cabbage with vinegar & the blue cheese salad. Of course some of the bread but not too much... Most people I know come here for the steaks but my favorite entree is the halibut. The halibut cut is just like that of a steak and grilled to perfection!!!! yummers... The service is good and they are very professional.. What is up Kohl's almost being attached????
(4)Cindy S.
I love Northwoods Inn. When I was little I dreamed about going to the restaurant with the fake snow on top. Seriously. It wasn't till I became an adult that I came here and it did not disappoint. I have never gotten anything except the shrimp here because I love shrimp. I have tasted the scallops and those are really good as well but I still stick with the shrimp. I also love the red cabbage and blue cheese salad and bread. I like the interior but I know lots who don't. I will say the prices are very high. When I started coming here the shrimp was $20 which was still pricey but now it's $30! I still like it here but only can afford to come once a year. LOL
(4)Joy B.
One of the great things about going out to drive unfamiliar territories that I will soon be an expert in is that we get to have lunch in a place I'd otherwise never eat at. Todays special was Clareman's. A snow capped log cabin in 73 degree weather is a sight to see. Gotta love it. It brought memories of Santa's Village-faux snow and all! Anyway, we went inside and it was so dark that it took a few minutes for my irises to adjust. When I could finally refocus and see I felt transported to the twilight zone. Crock pot dye cut menus are propped up on all the tables; old fashioned stained glass windows shine in rays of color to the otherwise dark dining room. The floor is nicely peppered with peanut droppings. There are actual signs that literally say "throw peanut shells on floor". Concerned about a kidnapping or other consequence, I decided to do what the sign said and littered like the rebel I am. The only sign of modern life was the flat screen tv on one side of the room. There were lots of older folks and some single older folks, a few youngin's with their parents, teens, tweens, and 20 somethings. It was pretty interesting that a place this strange has the uncommon ability to appeal to the masses. Saw 2 people celebrating bdays and anniversaries-they got a strange dessert in a cup. This place is great for sheer experience. There aren't many places like it outside of Disneyland. Now to the food- I ordered the broiled chicken sandwich. First, you get a big medieval style goblet of water, toast with special butter sauce that makes your aortic muscles pump overtime to move through the digestion process. But um-uum! It's so good! The dressing came next, after poking around with my fork I realized it came with salad! I mixed the purple cabbage in and that was equally hazardous to my health but again, damn good! I am usually very picky about eating healthy but I made an exception for this peculiar cabin next to Kohl's. My sandwich came, nestled between 2 more secret butter sauce pieces of bread, cabbage, a pickle, and rice pilaf. The chicken was pretty tender and not chewy or bland. After noticing labored breathing, I did the right thing at took the rest of my meal to go. We ate at noon. It is now 8:10p.m. and I am STILL full. I suspect the cheese toast is still slowly working its way down, like thick peanut butter through a straw. Yek. The #2 session that follows the departure of this meal is not going to be pretty! My system has been conditioned from my years of choosy eating to reject junk/bad/fast/fatty food the way bouncers deny the gorditas standing in line at the swankiest snobbiest clubs. Well, the fact that it was deliciouso and kept me full for over 8 hours and counting makes it ok just this once. I was almost tempted to purchase the take home tub of butter-cheese spread to make the toast at home (cause I just didn't ingest enough calories during lunch)! But once we opened the door that lead back out to the real world I came back to my senses as soon as sunlight hit my face, causing me to squint and hiss in a vampire like fashion. I was released from the log cabin spell. Full, bloated, and carrying my food baby, I waddled to the car and took one last look at the snow caps in the rear view mirror as we drove away. P.S. I hear there' another restaurant owned by the same operators called the boat (because it's an actual boat)! That will be the next adventure to explore. Hopefully I don't get land sick on the asphault sea-I've been told it can get rough out there! I highly recommend this place just so you can say you've eaten here. Just make sure to not eat for like a week after, cause you'll hit your caloric quota in one sitting.
(3)Michele S.
I've been going here with family since I was a child. My Father would ask me if I wanted to go to the place with the animals who ran through the wall. I knew where he was talking about, they have deer and other animal heads hung up. I also remember the "nudes" on the wall. The lovely old fashioned art on the walls. This is a go to for Birthdays, celebrations or just if you get hungry for their exceptional salads and cheese bread. The red cabbage salad is like no other and believe me, i've tried to duplicate, tried many variations on recipes and nothing is like Northwoods red cabbage salad. Same for their plain iceberg salad. It is just iceberg lettuce chopped, but the dressing is exceptional and again, I have found no good substitution. And the cheesebread, oy, the cheesebread!! So fattening, but so good!! I went here recently for my birthday and usually I just have the salads, bread and a potato with the whipped cheese butter, but I felt like a filet mignon which comes with the salads, bread and potato. The filet was cooked to perfection. Truly, it's hard to get a properly cooked filet at medium rare. The inside was like butter, so tender and tasty. No, it's not cheap but sometimes good food shouldn't be cheap.
(4)Diane H.
Since the 1970s we've made a point of visiting the North Woods Inn, many memories. This visit yesterday was our last. Did management change? Our meal was adequate but LOADED with either salt or msg, still have that taste lingering in our mouths. The salad was still dripping water from being on ice, add that to the amount of salad dressing and it was unedible. Had to search for our waiter to ask for another drink (soda and lemonade), Then had to ask the host to send our waiter to our table with our check. The ultimate insult came when my husband asked for some more bread and were told that it would cost us additional, never had that happen in all our previous visits. Very sad to see this establishment go the way of a chain family restaurant/coffee shop.
(2)Joanna B.
I used to love NWI and have been eating here since I was a kid - does anyone remember the village at the back of the property with the similar looking stores? I hate to say that the thrill is gone- but it is. The last few times we have tried it, the service was bad - and this is after lunch - not a busy time, the food is bland and tastes frozen. I really wish they would get a restaurant impossible to come and help the food quality - so we can come back! The last time we even smelled a bad sewer smell that was the final death Nell. Go to the galley for the salad take out instead.
(1)Sunshine P.
Have you ever tried their cheese bread? You will be surprised! It is super good. I love their blue cheese salad as well. You go to the heaven. Service is not bad, but not great either. Main entrees are....okay. Not great as the bread and the salad. The price is high. Really high. If you just wanna enjoy salad and bread, I recommend to go to" the boat."
(3)Joe D.
Close your eyes yelpers. Think to your past. Think about a time when restaurants with crazy crap on the walls weren't chains like Applebee's or T.G.I. Friday's. Think about a time when restaurants that were family or kid oriented didn't necessarily mean that the food was crap pizza and revolved around arcade games, dirty tokens, tickets, and trinkets. Try to remember where you were taken when you were knee high and it was some kid's birthday or an older cousin's graduation party. Remember how good the food was? Remember how happy all the adults were because they were drinking big frosty adult beverages? This is that place. I remember being taken to a BBQ restaurant like this when I was a kid. It had a theme and had crazy crap on the walls and was called Moe's Family Feedbag or something. I loved going there! Then I got to be a teenager and became too cool for this type of place. Places like this got lame. Shortly after that, Dad became a vegetarian and we really stopped coming to places like this. Then places like this started to disappear from the landscape completely and I forgot that they even existed. That is until a friend of mine had a going away dinner here a few weeks ago. This place is awesome and perfect for a gathering. The outside looks like an establishing shot from an animated Christmas special. Then you get in and you feel all warm and cozy like a sweater. The wait for a table is long but there is plenty of peanuts and HUGE glasses of GOOD beers for relatively cheap prices. The cheese bread is a drug. If they adopted the drug dealer's business model and didn't charge for the first hit and upped the price for each hit after that, there would be a Northwoods Inn on every corner. As I type this, I'm slapping my arm trying to make a vein pop out. It is that good. Your food will come out very quickly after you order it. This makes up for the long wait for the table. The portions are huge. I suggest getting one of their big meals and splitting it with a friend. Even split in half, this is a huge meal. Your meal comes with two salads. If you are adventurous, try mixing them together. You'll thank me later. Is it the best steak ever? No. Is the ambiance worth it? Eff Yes. Remember when you were a kid, your dad would unzip his pants at the end of the meal so his belly could breath? Welcome to adulthood.
(4)Frank R.
OK, I've been going here since I was 5 years old. I'm in my forties now and I'm still alive after all that bad stuff..... You can't beat the cheese bread and the salad that come with your meal. I must say though that I'm disappointed with the steaks these days. I do believe the quality of the food dropped except for the cheese bread and salad (they can't screw that up). I sadly have to say that I would rather go to a real steak house for the price I'd pay for their steaks. I still go when the group goes but that's it.
(3)Jessica R.
This place is overpriced. The mixed salad with red cabbage is the only thing that stands out. The cheese bread is so greasy it leaves grease all over your lips. I needed steak sauce for the steak because it was too dry.
(2)Dennis I.
I still like going to North Woods and it's one of the San Gabriel Valley's steakhouse icons. Whenever it was someones birthday my dad would always take everyone here. It was a real treat to know you were going to that restaurant with the snow on top and looks like a cowboy fort. Do they have the best steaks? not really (but decent). Is it cool? not really (but it's different) Is it a great value? not really (I mean that) Is it bad for your health? yeah baby! Do they make killer cheese breads and salads? you bet! See in the old days no cared about healthy food. That's why they make this super good cheese bread (I have a pretty good recipe for it) and blue cheese salad that probably packs more calories than a big mac meal. If you didn't know the old North Woods then you missed out the best part as they hired really hot woman who wore red check low cut dresses with short skirts and high heels. Huge cleavage action, long leg action, and all the delicious cheese bread and salad you could eat. Oh, and being a kid I can't forget the naked woman paintings on the wall! This is a real old school steakhouse from the sixties and it's still run well (sorry guys, no more short skirts and cleavage action). If you're looking for a decent steakhouse with a lumberjack (it looks like it's made with Lincoln logs) feel to it then it's worth checking out. For food, I like the NY for taste. The blue cheese salad is my favorite, but a lot of people like the red cabbage vinaigrette. Let me know if you find a better cheese bread. Huge baked potato (get whatever you want on the side for it). Don't bother with the dinner sandwich stuff (not very good), fried chicken is good, skip the fish kabob, fried fish is decent, lobster is old school (Australian) and generally good. Great for kids as you can throw the shelled peanuts they give you on the floor or at each other (which I still often do, sorry I regress here). The old timers and locals already know about it and I think it will still be popular over the next 50 years.
(4)bernice c.
The fattiest food ever!!! Don't come here unless you want to pack on some pounds. The bread is super greasy. The food is super buttery. The salad has way too much sauce. We ended up spending $80 on the bill, barely ate and didn't bring any of it home. Good points: friendly service and huge portions
(2)A M.
****drools.. I only come here for one thing and it's their garlic toast bread! I usually buy their garlic spread for $5 to take home ... Great hangout to watch sports.
(4)J S.
Very disappointing, It appears that this restaurant continues its downhill slide. I guess I missed the clue when we walked in, no wait on a Saturday night. I have been going here since the 60's, and it has always been a great place to dine, a little pricy but you never left hungry and the food was excellent. Well, the service was great, the food, not to good. It appears the corporate bean counters have taken over after the owner passed.
(2)Deborah K.
Northwoods Inn is is a ridiculously overpriced excuse for a theme restaurant. The decor is a kitschy 1950's log cabin with sawdust and peanut shells on the floor but not done in a way to make it cool like the Big Foot Lodge bar has accomplished. Sure, the cheese bread is good, but the appetizer and entree prices are ridiculous and the service sucks! Anyone who raves about the salad has obviously never had a good salad. Overdressed limp iceberg lettuce and overdressed boring red cabbage? Come on! There are a lot of much higher-end restaurants where I can spend the same amount of money and have world-class service and world-class food. Even the drink prices are out of control. $7 for the "special" drink of the evening and $32 for us to buy three shots of rum. Next time I want some of Clearman's cheese bread (the only thing really worth coming here for), I'll go down to their other restaurant, The Galley, down the street. At least the prices there are reasonable for what you get.
(1)Virginia Y.
Super dissapointed w/ tonight's dinner, porterhouse steak was overcooked then it was undercooked even after they took it back to cook it some more. Service was a bit slow too.. salad was good though but I think I'm over this restaurant. Sucks when you crave steak and you get dissapointed like that. They gave us a comment card, I so wanted to leave a comment and tell them to use a meat thermometer to make sure they cook the steak correctly!
(2)Mel L.
I'll second Hannah C.'s comments about the steak: They're not very good for the price they charge. You would expect a better cut of meat given its top billing on their menu, but it is very fat, not trimmed well, and not cooked well at all. I think this place survives on nostalgia rather than its food or service. Going into the restaurant it's like a dungeon, almost pitch dark. The best part about the meal is the bread, we call it cancer bread 'cuz it's full of butter and grease and salt, you can feel your arteries hardening while eating it.. Yum. Better off spending a few bucks more going to a Ruth's Chris or Morton's for your quality steak. I've also had their steak sandwich for lunch and the meat was even worse...
(2)Bill M.
One of my favorite restaurants on earth. I start jonesing for the cheesebread about every three-four weeks. I've been going to the North Woods Inn since it was located on Huntington Drive in Monrovia. They moved it to Rosemead & Huntington in 1966, next to the Golden Cock, when the 210 Freeway was being built . The Golden Cock is long gone, and the Galley, aka "The Boat," just reopened weeks ago. As a kid, I loved the lumberjack look and feel of the place. Still do! They serve a proper cocktail, meaning the alcohol is delivered neat, in a shot glass, and the mixer in a glass with ice. This is the old school way of ensuring that your liquor isn't cut or watered or substituted. Dinners come with two bowls of salad served family-style. One is a green salad with a creamy dressing, the other red cabbage with a vinegar dressing (not mayo as some idjit claimed). The waiter mixes them at your table, then you pass the bowls around and help yourself. Combining the two salads in your bowl is the best. Along with the salad comes the cheese bread. I could (and should) make a meal of just the two salads and cheese bread. Note: The cheese bread isn't "oily" or "greasy." It is cheesy with a high butter content. (God, I get sick of being lectured about healthy eating. You don't eat here every day!) BTW, the menu clearly indicates how items are prepared, so the person who was shocked that her appetizer plate was FRIED wasn't paying attention. Also, they serve cheese bread, not garlic bread. I think any review that mentions "garlic bread" should be ignored since the writer obviously has no clue what s/he is eating. For the main course you are going to get a baked potato, rice pilaf and some form of steak, seafood, or surf & turf. Lets just say that the steaks are GREAT! Thick cuts of tender, juicy, perfectly cooked beef. The potato is offered with your choice of topping, one of which is cheese-butter. Very tasty but too rich for me. For years I relied on the Lumberjack steak which is thick, tender and delicious, but I could never finish the whole thing, even the small one. Made for a good steak and egg breakfast the next morning, though. Nowadays I have the filet which is just right. The whole meal, including a large imported beer and tip runs about $35, which I consider a bargain for the quality and quantity of food. I have had mixed results with the Mahi-Mahi, usually perfect but on one occasion slightly over cooked. The Aussie lobster tails are tasty. Service is good-excellent, not great. I miss the days when the waiters were all men in white aprons down to their shoetops and the cocktail waitresses wore really short frilly dresses with a lot of cleavage. Even our favorite things change with time. Most, but not all, of the nude paintings have had clothing added, and there is no longer a honkey-tonk piano player in the bar. The new south parking lot entrance (a result of Kohl's presence) is much less inviting than the northern entrance into the waiting area. Go, try not to be a pretentious jerk, and have fun.
(5)Anita C.
you call this food?? i would give northwoods 0 stars if i could because this is the absolute worst restaurant i've eaten at in recent memory. i don't understand why there are mobs of people who come here. maybe to eat the peanuts and throw the shells onto the floor? how about if i grill you a steak, let you throw peanut shells on my floor, and charge you $20? with the exception that you'd enjoy your dinner! i had the sirloin burger, thinking it was a safe choice. wrong! it was slathered with this nasty red lettuce slop drenched in vinegar. i couldn't even finish it. add to it, the extra plates of the vinegared lettuce slop they give to you on the side. no thank you. maybe people enjoy the childhood memories at this place but memories don't generate good food.
(1)Dave L.
Fake snow and log cabins... I feel like I've entered Frontierland of the Magic Kingdom! The thing to get here is steaks. You can't go wrong unless you get it well-done. Their sides include typical lettuce salad, an interesting red cabbage coleslaw, and super greasy cheese bread. I stick with the coleslaw because I like to believe it helps with digestion. The cheese bread is crazy tasty, but I don't trust the way it bubbles... Tips: Go crazy with the peanuts.
(4)Daniel S.
The burger was decent, but even better after my friend told me to drench his chili over the top......niiiiicceee!!!
(3)Daryl I.
Here are my favorite things about this chain of restaurants, in order of importance: 1) The garlic cheese bread. The spread is so darn good that they sell it in stores! If they keep bringing it, I'll keep eating it until I go into cardiac arrest. 2) The red cabbage cole slaw. In general, I detest cole slaw, but this version is based on red wine vinegar (so I guess it's more like red sauerkraut) and I can assure you, this stuff is great. It mixes really well with their house salad with blue cheese dressing. Our server recommended that to us! The food is pretty well executed, but don't come here expecting any bargains, and don't be expecting the menu to change during our lifetime, either. Entrees ranges from $15 on up, and there is no lunch menu. Prices are the same whether it's for lunch or dinner, which is a drag for me, because I only come here for lunch and I can't afford $20 lunches very often. Okay, maybe I don't want to pay for $20 lunches here!
(4)Pati L.
If I had to choose one last meal to eat, it would have to be eaten at the North Woods Inn. I would have the steak and lobster with a cheese butter baked potato. The steak is good, but i have to say this is some of the best lobster you can ever hope to eat (outside of rosarito). I go here every year for my birthday, and I have never been disappointed. However, I don't recommend eating here if you are afraid of eating lots of fat. I swear, I literally (not figuratively) gained 3 pounds after eating here. I don't think anything here is even remotely good for you. Which is exactly the reason I love this place. Even the salad could give you a heart attack :)
(5)Linda B.
Have gone here for the last 35 years. Prices just keep going up. The potato has gotten much smaller and now it tastes like they use margarine in place of the butter in their once fabulous cheese butter. The scallops were unchanged and sooo good. My husband had the New York steak and was disappointed, small and tough. Let's face it, they're known for their chicken, but a $24.00 chicken dinner is hard to swallow. They still have a boring and VERY limited wine selection. My husband likes the goblets of dark beer. Lastly, the cool Rubenesque paintings were gone and some flowery faux french impressionist scenes had replaced them. On top of all of this the table was crusty, I scraped dried on stuff with my fingernails.
(2)Vee C.
Great if you like to hide - pretty dark inside! The two salads is great, and the guy who served it to us, I just wanted to put in my pocket and take home. The jumbo shrimp is also great. I ordered a steak but didn't eat a lot of it, because I'm not really a steak person, I was just curious about it. It was better than I thought it would be. The inside is very charming, log cabin'd out with old (really old) paintings of nude women, random kitschy stained glass windows and huge bear pelts accenting the inside. It has a a timeless 70's winter scheme, would probably be better being in the winter, but even in 100 degree weather you can pretend it's January once you're inside. Our waitress was totally attentive and checked up on us many many times. She also had this great way of speaking to her customers like they were kids and she was serving them cookies. "Would you like a drink? You'd like a drink, huh!" "You still ok over there? I'll be right back, ok? Right back!" Will be back. I love the SGV.
(4)Darren M.
Northwoods has been a family tradition since before I was born. My mom and dad talk about coming here in the 50s and they say the menu is exactly the same. From throwing the peanut shells on the floor, to their famous red cabbage and blue cheese salads, to their buttery cheese bread, Northwoods is simply an institution. I always love their crab legs - the portion size is huge. And while their steaks have always been decent, they now have a ribeye special that is very good.
(5)Kristie H.
Order whatever you want because when it comes down to it, you probably won't touch your dinner at all. You'll be too full from peanuts, cheese bread, and amazing salad. I would probably go with the lumberjack steak vs. the mahi mahi. The fish was a tad dry but Clearman's just tastes amazing the day after as well. Tell them to refill your salad and bread and take it all home!!!
(4)Annemarie H.
Been coming here for years! I always get the same things: Blue Cheese Salad, Red Cabbage salad (you gotta mix them!), Cheesy bread, steak or lobster. The food is always really delicious, in big portions, and everyone who has served me has been really nice! I will continue to come to North Woods and bring family and friends.
(5)Lina M.
Northwoods Inn, or the snow restaurant as my family fondly used to call it has been a staple in my family for many, many years. We used to come here for birthdays, mothers/fathers day, anniversaries, and various other important milestones. We stopped coming regularly about 6 years ago, as my mom got on a kick of buying just the salad and cheese bread from The Galley and purchasing steak and lobster elsewhere and preparing the meal, minus the rice pilaf at home. At the time, we started doing this, the prices had went up, and the quality had took the slightest dip. Well, fast forward to the present. My mother was in town visiting over the holiday's and my Aunt's decided to take her out for birthday brunch or lunch last minute. I had already planned to cook my mom dinner that night, so I purchased steak and lobster and planned on making my own salad and loaded baked potato for her. My point of telling you all this is to let you know why we decided to order something other than the usual steak meal from Northwoods. My mother got the broiled halibut meal. This had to be the driest piece of fish I have ever tasted in my life. It also no flavor what so ever. Thank God it came with tartar sauce, which my mother typically hates. But in this instance had to use in order to even shove down two bites of fish. I ordered the Seafood Combination. It came with broiled shrimp, cod and scallops. Bleh, let's just say thank God for the lemon slices and salad dressing. Otherwise I wouldn't have had anything to dip these tasteless, over cooked fish pieces in. The scallops were way overdone making them way too chewy. The cod had no taste, and the shrimp was really the most edible item. My baked potato was overcooked and chewy too. Other people at the table ordered steak and they were also disappointed for various reasons, including the cut, the taste, the quality etc. The salad was not up to par either. The iceberg blue cheese part of the salad was already browning and obviously that compromised the taste. The red cabbage part of the salad was also not crisp, so it didn't offer that contrasting texture it is supposed to. Even the peanuts were stale!!! The delicious cheese bread, now that I haven't been in years is really just a greasy disaster. I mean maybe we hit them on an off day? Or maybe I've grown up and dining at much better steak joints. I mean you can buy a better cut of Fillet Mignon at Costco nowadays! Which is exactly what we did. Thank God for the meal I made at home later that evening because we left completely unsatisfied and thankful we weren't picking up the bill! Thanks for the memories Northwoods, but I am going to leave it at that, nostalgic childhood memories.
(2)Alonzo R.
The service was horrible, waiter took forever to help us, we really had to look for him the whole time. Usually we come here because it's always nice and quiet, but this time it was just loud and annoying with the music that was being blasted. We've never had to pay an additional charge for splitting a meal ever. The meal was already 20.00 so I guess it does justice to add another 7 dollars just to split for two people. To be honest all I'd careful is a refund on the whole thing. Bad waiter, unfair charges and loud ass music. I hope something can be done about this cause I really like this place, but I really don't want to go through that experience again.
(1)Jon G.
Even though I live in Denver, CO now. Nothing compares to the North Woods Inn. I've been going there since I was in a car seat (1970) and I make sure to go there every time I visit CA. The salad w. blue cheese dressing and the cheese bread...I could live on that...lol. And not on the menu, but the double lobster tail is the best. Their steaks are always done perfectly and full of flavor.
(5)Marie F.
We stopped in for Happy Hour after a day at The Huntington. Overall, it was a pretty good experience and the kiddos loved it. We have been going to Clearman's since they had a location on 2nd Street in LB. So long ago! Anywho, I had the salads with bread. The bleu cheese dressing is so yum but the lettuce was wilted and brown. That was not good. The cabbage salad was great as always and the bread is SO delicious. We got steak, ribs, sliders, zucchini sticks (way too few) and potato croquettes (THE BOMB). My hubby thinks the sliders are some of the best he has ever had. The peanut thing is fun and the kiddos loved that, too. We ate well for $50 so yes, value is good and it is a fun environment. We wish you were closer, Clearman's. Come to the OC!
(4)Daniel J.
A kinda woodsy looking restaurant by my main office in Arcadia. They offer peanuts whose shells can be tossed to the floor. I've been to a place in LBC like this and it sucked harder than a down-on-his-luck-gentleman-who-just-didnt-know-Âwhen-to-fold trying to score dinner for the weekend! Anyways, iwent with the (some long name) burger w/bacon. It was pretty good, but much smaller than the name suggested; it took me longer to order than eat!! Service was ok, the guy passed my refill policy. Portion were too small for me to consider coming back
(3)Angel S.
Took the wife there for lunch last Wednesday.Cheese toast is greasy but good.Blue and red salads are good.Portions are adequate and the service is great.I suggest not to use a Groupon here don't be a tight wad spend some money and live a little.Got the rib eye with baked potatoe and rice.Had enough steak left over for Thursdays lunch.Great place,love North Woods Inn.
(5)Martin F.
Man ,was I disappointed ! Took the family to celebrate an event. After we sat down we ordered a beer and appetizer. We waited for the waiter to return and when he did he totally ignored us. The restaurant was almost empty. Bad vibe. We will never go back. We live 2 miles away what a shame. We tip good my wife is a server & bartender. We know how service in a well run restaurant should be.
(2)Hmh H.
I don't know where to start - basically, this is the best place in the entire world and it puts a smile on my face everytime I go there. Food is a+, atmosphere is even better. And of course the cheese butter is fan-fucking tastic
(5)Deanna M.
My Dad took me out to dinner for my 53 birthday. We chose this place instead of The Outback (Which I love) or Black Angus. When I saw the prices I freaked! Dang......:( I ordered the Scallops( $40.00!,) she said they are fried. I did not like that , so I got them steamed. My dad ordered the Fillet Mignon and he asked what kind of veggies comes with the dinner. The waitress said a mixed vegetable with broccoli , well my dad can't eat broccoli it makes him sick. He asked if they could take it off of his plate. She said no it comes that way. He said huh? You don't have any other vegetable to offer? Can you just take out the broccoli please. She said no again :( My mom ordered a Salad from the Bar Menu because she wanted Romaine Lettuce and all the main menu Salads come with Ice Burg. The Manager came to our table and asked if everything was OK. My dad said that he just did not want broccoli. She said sorry but the veggies come in individual packages. He said why can't you open two packages and remove the broccoli and charge me for the second portion? But once again no WIGGLE ROOM to make the customer happy. Funny my Dad never complains at restaurants this is the first Ive witnessed it. His Meal came and it had a lot of B R O C C O L I !!!!!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!! He just shook his head and said " I WILL NEVER DINE HERE EVER AGAIN!) KEY POINT: When an Restaurant is Charging $ 40.00 a plate the customer would naturally expect to get good service and the customer is requesting no broccoli , why would you serve it to them??? I understand that the the manager did not want to deal with any changes or request! OBVIOUSLY THEY DID NOT !!!!! The check was somewhere around $ 130.00 OR more we all had water except for my dad who had a Corona Beer. We did not want to pay $3.50 for soda! My Dad loves to take family, freinds and clients out to dinner all the time. Too bad he won,t be going back here! Well I grew up in Rose mead and thought it would be fun for Nostalgia's sake. NOT!!!!!!!! as DONALD TRUMP WOULD SAY " YOU ARE FIRED! What a shame NO MASHED POTATOES EITHER!!!!!!!!! HAPPY 53rd BIRTHDAY! YET RIGHT! By the way. The scallops were just OK. I recommend THE OUTBACK, YUMMY!
(1)Leslie B.
I have been here several times, and each visit the service quality has declined. The number of staff cannot keep up with the guests, and the result for me is waiting half an hour for a drink. And if kids are running wild, the staff should say something instead of muttering to themselves. Time to find a new place for happy hour.
(1)Steve S.
OK good steak prices seem a bit much for what you get. don't order the shrimp very disappointed only 3 hidden on a plate of rice and cabbage salad.
(4)Sarah S.
This place is horrible, the food and service and ambiance is bad. The only good thing was that the Laker game was on. I am embarrassed that I let my date pay for this horrible food even though it was his choice. The toast is oily and soggy, the salad is dripping with dressing, the seafood taste like rubber and the filet mignon was so bad I can't even describe it. If you are looking for edible seafood or steak THIS IS NOT THE PLACE! The other chain restaurants like Outback and Black Angus are less expensive and have way better food!
(1)Heidi W.
I am a long-time patron of the Clearmans family restaurants - have eaten at all of them at one time or another from San Gabriel to Norwalk. My father worked his way through Whittier College at Pico Rivera Steak and Stein in the early 50s and my family has been loyally going to their establishments for 60 years. But last night's meal here was the most mediocre experience I've ever had. I got a server with whom I've had problems before who did not even explain the specials (and I wanted fish). I asked about the fish offerings and they were all fresh- frozen, so I ordered the scallops which have been great before. While I was waiting for my meal, same waitress enthusiastically greeted another party and relayed the specials, among which were fresh salmon. Now I'm thinking to myself "why didn't she tell me that when I was asking about the freshness of the fish?" Hoping for the best, my meal arrives and I have these gray, formerly freezer-burnt little blobs of fish that vaguely resembled scallops. First two bites were rubbery and not flavorful. So I ask for the manager and told her everything mentioned here and she happily replaced the fish with the salmon, which was much better. Their dill butter that accompanies it was funky - too much dill, butter was not clarified so it looked like a murky yellow mush mixed too many herbs. It's really sad when a historic restaurant (now run by the "trustees" of the Clearmans family I was told) declines in quality because the tradition of pride in excellence is lost to generations of management that clearly doesn't care about the reputation their grandfather worked so hard to build. I still love their salads and cheese bread and steaks, but I'll think twice before I order any fish here again...if I go back.
(3)Paul H.
I have been here only once but it was weird... I got the steak sandwich (open face). It came out, and it was just a steak and some rice? I asked the waiter if this was the steak sandwich and he replied "yes, it's open face". I just gave him a wtf look and he left. Isn't an open face SANDWICH supposed to have bread? I don't get it. Steak was pretty good though, was just expecting something different...
(2)Rebecca D.
Do not order the chopped sirloin steak sandwich - horrible! Peppers and onions may be Visible with a magn ifying glass. After fifty years their owner should be embarrassed to let this come out of the kitchen!!!
(1)Suzan P.
Food is ok. I love their salads. They have 2 salads that are supposed to be mixed together. Bread is good but greasy. If you are on a diet or trying to watch what you eat, then this is probably not the place for you. Large portions, but you can split for a split charge. The decor is awesome. It's like going back in time to a rustic lodge. All in all it's a good place to go, but can get crowded at times and the waiters can seem to be in a tizzy.
(3)Gloria R.
I LOVE north woods inn, we have been coming here since we were kids! It's great!
(5)San Gabriel N.
Me and my family like this place. They have nice customer service and a great baked potatoes!! At least once a month stop by and enjoy some peanuts with cheese bread!! Yummy!!
(5)Rolando F.
This place sucks! I had their wings for starters. Plain, boring. Nothing that says wow! Dominos wings are far better! Steak sandwich was good. Although all it was, was a plain piece of stake w bread on the side, wack bread! Got their their stake plate which for their steak flavor was good. As for service, refills were not filled but 1 time. Our table remained dirty while they brought out our food, our waiter Gail sucks! Place was semi empty staff was good but their service or attention lacked big time. I won't be back.
(1)Kari D.
I have been to another Northwoods location and the food is always great. This location was no exception. Firstly, our server (Anna) was fantastic. Ahw was prompt, attentive and super helpful. The environment was as expected, cosy and woodsy. The food was great, as usual. My boyfriend and I split the fried chicken ($6.95 charge to split but totally worth it). It was SO much food that we still brought home bread, both kinds of salad (red cabbage and blue cheese), rice pilaf and fried chicken. We'll have dinner for tonight with all that food. :-) And it was so yummy! They give you so much food for your money. It's not cheap but it's so worth it.
(5)Roberr M.
We live around the corner and passed by for years We decided to go and it was great , we had the 32 oz rib eye and it was so delicious cooked to perfection along with it the most delicious baked potato and rice pilaf - we started with house special Mai tais and two salads with amazing cheese bread Our waitress Kim was so sweet and really was very attentive and hustled like I've never seen before The ambience is nice and campy in a way , but we sure enjoyed it
(5)Dwain C.
I ate lunch at Clearman's North Woods Inn in San Gabriel, CA on 9/25/2014. I've eaten there many times before. This time I was with the lunch group The Lucky 13 (there were 11 of us that day). Some had their soup & salad for $6.95 while others had fish n chips ($9.95), corn beef sandwich ($10.95), patty melt ($10.95), halibut sandwich ($13.95) and shrimp cocktail ($14.95). They always serve good sized portions. Coffee was $2.50, ice tea was $2.50 and sodas were $3.50. Then there is always the free peanuts (whose sells you throw on the ground). Susan, our server, did a great job. Plus, I took photos.
(4)Rodney M.
Always an awesome dinner!!!! Foods great. Steaks are tasty and the Two house salads are INCREDIBLE!!!..... All of this is even better when served by the skillful and incredibly sweet and helpful SUSAN!
(5)Valentina L.
My friends took me here, this place is a FREAKING CRACK UP! A "snow covered' cabin in the woods with peanut shells on the floor! Who doesn't love that!? It is some sort of time warpy place with adorned Tiffany lamps in the ceiling and beer flows like rivers there! I was bad and had the BLACKBERRY SUNDAE-good gawd, it was GOOD...GOD! Great one man band : FERNANDO, he is AM-A-ZING! Fun to take out of town guests too! Will be back again!
(5)Todd T.
I've been going to North Woods Inn since I was a kid and its still one of my favorite places. From the funky almost Disney-esque north woods theme to the great food its definitely a great place for meal and a fun place for a date. They tend to get a little busy during dinner time, lunch service is the best time to go.
(5)Lina L.
My family and I been coming to Clearman's for years now and we still do. I really enjoy and love the red cabbage salad. The cheese bread is also amazing! My usual order is the Filet Mignon (medium) with the sour cream and chive potato. I hardly have any problem here maybe just once with a rude waiter, but last night I was just so furious. NEVER make a hungry girl wait to take her order and not receive some kind of attitude from me. Last night our waiter Andrew took his sweet time to come around and take our order. I had to wave down another waiter to tell him we were ready to order. Andrew did not attend us promptly, he was chit chatting and help box the table next to us. Andrew did not tell us our special, he didn't bring out the cheese bread or the salads after he took our order, and when asked for boxes he didn't bring us bags. For all my fellow Yelpers if you are impatient and starving do not (i repeat) do not sit in Andrew's section. The way he was serving he was so slow! It's a busy Sunday restaurant work faster man. Overall the food and the drinks are great here!
(4)Ayami H.
I don't want to go to this place ever again. It's loud, messy, bugs, scallops are fried, everything is over priced.
(2)Katie L.
Best place to go for a meal that will have you feeling like you need to be rolled to your car at the end of it. Cheese bread and giant portions make the prices way worth it and a server there named Frank, he's been there since the mid 60s and told my friends and I what it was like to work there back when it was claremans village so fun!
(5)Floyd C.
Get the bread. Thats it, if you get one item that is the only item you need. Yes some other items are good, but you must try the bread. It is the best part of the experience. Oh yeah some drinks to wash down the bread would be good. Beer, bread diet for me. :)
(4)Herbert H.
I have always enjoyed dining at the San Gabriel location, and the salads, chese bread, and potato are the best.
(4)Alyona I.
One star for service! Because food does not deserve any starts at all. Disgusting, overly priced food. Prime rib dip sandwich came with a rice and salad, hmm rice with sandwich, weird. I asked to substitute rice with french fries, they sad sure, but no salad will come, okay sure. I see people getting salad, tiny-tiny plate with lettuce and some ranch., even funny... So here come my prime rib, sad looking plate like from fast food cheap place... no taste, bland, i ate half because was soo hungry, had no choice.. I cannot believe that place like this still do exist. Never coming back! Too expensive for a quality of the food.
(1)Blake w.
Choc run sundae. Cheese butter patatoe with steak.......too good. This location has a boat "aka the galley" next door, little faster and cheaper. Great for a quick lunch. Chili is bomb but watch out for mad farts later, the combo has a meat patty in it. They got the tiny cube ice that Taco Bell used to have, I think it makes the drinks better
(5)Marissa B.
So today we are looking at several properties for my client and we had a late lunch. We both walked into the dimly lit restaurant that looks like a log cabin with TV sets all around but no fireplace. We both ordered scallops since it is the popular even though next time I want to try the fried chicken. Had mine with malt vinegar because it was fried but I was hoping for steamed. I loved how it came with cheese bread and salad. I paired my lunch with a nice cup of hot tea!
(5)Auto G.
If I could give this place 100 stars I would ! If nothing else, a taste of their cheese bread will make you feel like you're flying around in heaven ! The decor and ambiance are amazing and you'll feel like you got into a time machine and were transported to a snowy log cabin in the 1800s. It's an amazing place you have to see to believe. Now for the food. Absolutely the best seafood and fried chicken dinners you'll ever have the pleasure of tasting ! Giant baked potatoes ! Amazing mushroom gravy ! Great salads ! Like I said, 100 stars !
(5)Kathy M.
We went to the North Woods Inn in Rosemead today. My meal was the broiled shrimp with small salad and cheese bread. The cost was 13.95. Sad to say, but I would have preferred a couple chicken tacos from Del Taco. The 'cheese bread' was so laden with oil (not butter) that the cheese flavor wasn't detected. In an age when we all watch our 'fats' --this bread was poison! They also brought a salad...with tons of dressing on top. They hadn't even asked me if I wanted dressing. So all in all, a real disappointment. 3 broiled shrimp, alittle rice did not a meal make! Won't go back!! Kathy from Claremont
(1)Derek D.
The food was ok here but I don't think I will be back because the The ambience is just not my taste. Eat the peanuts throw the shells on the floor type of environment. The steaks and seafoods are fresh and has good quality. I feel like I stepped into a time warp from hell ...in my opinion.
(3)Krystal A.
We were driving by from doing our taxes and saw this huge log cabin with fake snow on their roof. We quickly did a U-turn and swung into the Parking lot. We walked in and the darker ambiance was elegant yet confusing because its a casual log cabin look on the inside with peanut shells on the floor. Plates are $12-$50 and they have lots of steaks and sandwiches. The whole place is wood inside and the wait stag have white aprons and red vests on. It's not a cheap place to eat PROS: -Full bar -great ambiance -friendly staff -sandwiches -Amusing cabin-like atmosphere -good barkeep CONS: -Prices are a bit high considering no white tables cloths and you throw peanuts on the floor like a rodeo bar
(3)Jazmin A.
I had been here before but i never remembered the name since it had been so many years ago. And when i entered this restaurant tonight i was so excited because i was looking for this place for so long. All i remembered from before was that se could throw the peanut shells on the floor. Our experience tonight was beyond great i couldnt ask for anything better. Our server Kim was very attentive, courteous, and extremely helpful. I recommend you ask for her when you come to eat here. I would definately be coming back. We loved it!!!
(5)Harlan C.
I've only been to this place a couple times, but I've enjoyed it every single time. Their salad is great. It's probably the best thing that comes with your meal. I love the blue cheese dressing that you use for it. I'm not a big fan of cheese bread, but it tasted alright. Can't really say much about something I don't really enjoy in the first place. The potatoes and rice were okay as well. Nothing really special about them. Just average stuff. Their steaks however, I really enjoyed. The steak portion is actually pretty big and they give you extra food to share with another person for a bit extra. The flavor that comes with the way they cook their steak, I feel is what makes this place different than a lot of other steak places and it's what I enjoyed the most. Overall the place is a bit on the pricier side, but I think it's reasonable.
(4)Eric P.
I'm subtracting 1 star on this review for the service. This is normally one of my favorite places to eat. But on this trip the server seemed annoyed that I had a to go box from the bar before I arrived at the table. He also seemed annoyed that I requested my leftover salad to go. (I only like the green) When he brought it to me it was in a sandwich baggie like it was marijuana. Usually they have the decency to put it in a foam container with a lid. However, I'm not going to let 1 bad server ruin one of my favorite restaurants. And for everyone that is complaining about the prices.... This is not the kind of place you visit if you're looking for a bargain. Prices are slightly inflated to keep you from dining with riff raff. You're less likely to be sitting next to some gang member with tattoos in his shaved head at $40 a plate.
(4)Jennifer L.
Very pricey. I thought the food was good but definitely not worth over $50 a plate. Maybe I'm still young so spending more than $20 on a meal seems bizarre to me. I had the filet steak and lobster. It was good and the portions of rice, salad, an baked potato was too much for me to handle. I mean you definitely get you money's worth since it's such large portions. Overall, it was a nice lunch but definitely a special occasion type place. Plus people throw their peanut shells in the floor. Some people enjoy it, but I thought it was gross.
(3)Cindy A.
I've been coming to this place since the age of 14/15....that's almost 18/19 years...OMG! And they never disappoint!!! The have great steaks ---but we need to talk about their salads....they are Aaaaammmazing. I'll drive to this place (give or take 30 miles) just to have their salads! They have the red cabbage salad which is infused with oil/vinegar and it taste delicious. They also have the house blue dressing salad...mind you I am not a fan of blue dressing....but their house dressing doesn't even taste like your normal blue cheese it is superb. And if you mix the two salads....it just takes it to another level!!!! Oh wait, I can't forget to mention the cheese toast bread....OMG!!!! This place is awesome...the decor, the service, the food...I mean you can't go wrong!!!!!!
(5)Scott M.
Was a guest of my banker for lunch and had a great Halibut with the salads and famous cheese bread. The server, Susan, was attentive and helpful with the menu selections. We received excellent service and the atmosphere was perfect for discussing some pressing business issues and we were NOT rushed out to make room for the next customer.
(5)Dara N.
I love this place! I love the atmosphere, the service, and the food. This restaurant is quite large, and the floors are filled with peanut shells. It's a bit dark in here, but overall, it feels cozy. GENEROUS PORTIONS!!! The complimentary cheese bread is freaking delicious. Maybe because I'm a cheese fanatic, but it was just so damn mouth watering tasty. Majority of the time, I ask for seconds. They also serve two complimentary salads-- purple cabbage with vinaigrette and lettuce with ranch/blue cheese(?). My boyfriend and I usually order steak here. Pretty decent cut, and it's also served with rice pilaf and baked potato. GET THE BUTTERY CHEESE TOPPING!!!!! (Again, I love cheese.) Don't order the broiled chicken, BTW. I ordered this the last time I was here, and I did not enjoy it. The chicken was extremely salty. You're better off with the fried chicken. Prices are reasonable! You can also ask them to split the dish if you can't finish it. The other person will still get the rice, potato, and half of the main course that was ordered.
(5)Jeffrey C.
This place has the best salad and bread hands down. The food isn't bad and you do get a lot of food for the price. If you order a steak, you get a steak with a baked potato, vegetables, 2 kinds of salad and the best bread that u can't just have one.
(5)Rock L.
Me and some friends came here tonight to celebrate my birthday. Really cozy atmosphere... Cabin type feel to the place, peanut shells and wood chips all over the floor! I love this kind of place. Good food and plenty of it! Nothing really fancy, more of a rustic-simple theme. The cheese toast is incredible! Everything else was really good too. The service is very good here. The prices are a bit higher than your average dinner out, but not unreasonable. No complaints here, very enjoyable evening! Enjoy!
(4)David W.
For years I've driven by this establishment (and others in the chain) marveling at the exterior, from the fake snow on the roof to the giant mega wagon wheels. Finally made the effort to go with the family, and the excitement was palpable. Love the interior. It really feels authentic, with a giant stuffed bear greeting visitors (gotta try that taxidermy some day?) and a dark, roomy, atmospheric, log-cabin-like interior. The food, well, that killed the vibe real quick. For what you get, the prices are pretty steep, but I was already prepared to overpay since I chose to go in the first place. But the "cheesy bread" arrives first and it was so piping hot -- sopped in so much grease and buttery something -- I burned my fingers. Yes, I was in pain. Would I get second degree burns? Not really, but it crossed my mind. It tasted cheesy, but it was swimming in so much grease that I immediately regretted eating a full piece because I had arrived with such an appetite. Ugh. Okay, one bad item can happen,but it won't ruin my experience. Where's the main course? The salad that came with the fried chicken dish that my wife ordered was like an assembly line item -- a handful of iceberg lettuce haphazardly DOUSED in thousand island dressing, rendering it inedible. After a few bites, it sat there, lonely, not to be touched again. The fried chicken was good enough for what it was, but, again, very greasy. I ordered the sirloin burger with chili and onions. I assumed it would be served like a hamburger, but I was wrong. It arrived as a piece of bread with a sirloin patty (which tasted more like a Hungry Man TV dinner) with no top bun, drowning in a mudslide of watery chili, crying out for help. This was definitely a knife-and-fork event as opposed to a sandwich, which the item was advertised as. Third strike for me. But I was hungry, so I started to work at it. The grease of the cheesy bread still haunted by stomach though, and halfway through, I stopped, knowing that if I ate anymore, it would all be coming up again soon. Service was great, but the food was beyond reproach. We termed it "slop." So we left. With the kitschy two-person "jazz band" playing their Cheesemaster 3000 keyboard by the entrance, I felt like I was in a scene from 'Fargo.' Atmosphere: 10 Service: 10 Food: 2
(1)Danielle G.
Went here to celebrate my dad's birthday and our server Kim was the best! Thanks Kim for making my dad's birthday special!
(5)Angela W.
After comparing my experience with other reviews on here, I suggest trying this place for lunch instead of dinner. The prices are very good for lunch - they are only about $10 a meal. Mind you, the portions are huge. I went with my parents (to celebrate my birthday). My dad got the sirloin burger, and my mom and I split a Filet of Cod (open face sandwich) and an appetizer of calamari. My father thought the burger was so-so, but we all agreed that the cod (fried), was fantastic. The cheese bread was a little too greasy for me, but my parents enjoyed it. The dressing on the salad (which is blue cheese) tastes creamy and homemade. I'd say it was one of the best blue cheese dressings I've ever had, especially since the blue cheese taste was not overpowering. It tastes like good ranch with a little tang of blue cheese. The calamari tasted fresh to me, and even after taking some of it home, it did not become greasy or lose it's delightful crunch. I adored the interior. There are some beautiful paintings, a giant stuffed bear, and an overall old-fashioned Northern feel that I love. The waiter we got was fantastic! He was polite, answered all of our questions, gave us our food promptly, and made sure our glasses were never empty. All in all, I'm glad we went here, and would not mind coming back here again, especially at lunch time!
(4)Hillary H.
Always a favorite! I grew up coming to this place for many special occasions and it hasn't changed in over 25 years!
(3)Jennifer S.
This place brings back fond childhood memories. Food is good, a little overpriced, but hey, make up for it with unlimited bread!
(4)Amber O.
Great service , food and drink! We enjoyed our lunch with Susan and her trainee Haley
(5)Klein G.
This place sucked ass! There food tastes like dog food. And the service was not that great. If your taking some friends and family out to dinner think twice before coming here because it's not that great. Was super excited when I first entered the door but once I got inside it was a poor let down due to the ambiance. Adios was chewy and tasteless my 3 year old old make better foods. The service was slow and it was lunch with hardly anyone in the place.
(1)Amanda W.
Fabulous doesn't even describe my experience here. Kim was phenomenal. My drinks were always full and my belly left very happy. The bread is amazing too! I think I ate a loaf myself :) thanks Kim I look forward to coming back very very soon.
(5)Roy M.
Ah, nostalgia. I remember coming here as a kid with my family. The perennially snow-covered roof, the log cabin walls, the dim lighting, the sawdust & peanut shells on the floors, the incredible cheesebread, the red cabbage salad, the chicken dinners... There used to be a huge surface parking lot out back, another restaurant (Tail O' the Cock) just next door, and a strip mall of stores on the west. Now there's a hideous big box Kohl's department store squeezed onto the property. If I didn't know that the North Woods Inn was there, I doubt I would have been able to find it. Back to the restaurant: The portions here are generous. If you're a steak-lover, the menu will definitely appeal to you. The ambience is still warm and inviting. Warning: It can get very crowded here on certain evenings (school graduations, family reunions, etc.) Our group shared the Loggers Combo appetizer and some mozzarella bread sticks. Among the entrees we chose were: The Lumberjack steak (which comes in 9 0z and 13 oz), Sirloin burger, the Special Platter (steak, chicken, and scallops). I had the Alaskan halibut. Great baked potatoes, by the way -- like I remember them way back when. Actually everything we ordered was quite good, but the prices seemed steep to me. Also, we were not impressed by the wine selection. I would give them 3 1/2 stars, but I'm rounding up to four stars for the Nostalgia Factor.
(4)Jenna H.
Great place with a lodge feel. Felt like we were in a ski mountain town! Huge portions, the salad combo was super tasty. We lucked out to have Cayce as our server, she definitely steered us to the right menu items!
(5)Bri D.
We live in Rancho Cucamonga and wanted to come here to treat my sister. We went to the Northwoods Inn off of Azusa. The wait time was 1 hour and 45 minutes. We called the Northwoods Inn off of Rosemead and asked how long the wait time was. The girl said 30 minutes. We asked if we could put our name in and drove over. When we got there, the hostess said 45 minute wait and that you have to be in person to put your name in. We talked to the manager and said we would not have driven another 39 minutes away from home to wait the same time. We would have gone somewhere else. The manager say us in less then 3 minutes. Waiter was great. Food was excellent! Happy family!
(5)Alicia R.
I would have given 4 stars but the service here for lack of better words, sucks. We came on valentines day for my moms 60th birthday and the waitress' acted like they didn't want to be here. If you don't want to work well then don't work. The food was amazing but this experience made me not want to come here again.
(3)Marc A.
Snow in the middle of summer? Of course...Riding along Rosemead boulevard you see the log cabin covered in "snow". Upon entering you find yourself in a world were old '70s restaurant meets log cabin. The ambiance is just great and barely anyone under the age of 45. That's what makes North Woods Inn such a classic in the SGV. Had the half ribs, broiled shrimp, clam chowder, rice pilaf, baked potato and their famous cheese bread. All great portions and it'll be hard for me to walk out of here without a waddle. Free peanuts galore and you can throw the shells on the floor. Just a great place to unwind and have a great meal.
(3)Sophia H.
Came in Friday for my Grandpa's birthday. This spot is an old family favorite. However, since it is on the pricier side we only come in for special occasions. First can I just say that CHEESE BREAD...addicting!!! Along with the blue cheese dressing! I actually hate blue cheese dressing, but I'm in love with this one!! Our server Kim was on point! She was prompt on refills, very helpful in making decisions, and had an amazing personality. The reason why she made this experience memorable is due to her patience with my two nephews. They are nothing short of obnoxious and extremely hyperactive. But she was extremely approachable with them and had them laughing by the end of the night. Which made our night and experience there delightful. With servers like Kim who do take care of their guest, it's no surprise that this restaurant is still one of my favorites!
(5)Mike A.
Nice change from all the other overpriced steak houses. This place has it all! Great steak (ordered the New York steak, medium rare - juicy), great service (by Kenneth and hosts), and excellent portions for the price. Can't forget the cocktails, cactus coolers are a must!
(5)Sean B.
All we wanted was a place nearby where we could eat peanuts and throw our shells on the floor. Is that so much to ask?!!? Apparently not, though it seems that LA proper is without such joint. Thankfully, the drive over to San Gabriel is not a far one. The North Woods is about what you'd expect for a cabin-themed steakhouse, complete with the aforementioned peanuts, the afore-hinted-at log-cabin theme and decor, and the gigantic, double-sided menu sitting in the center of your table that you were not expecting at all, but yet you are still not surprised by. (Sidebar - very clever, if intended, that this forces you to order right away so you can SEE your company across the table from you!) The food was just ok, but you have to take places like this as a package deal. Its got ambiance up the wazoo, but not really a steakhouse vibe. It reminds me of a place that might have been very upscale 30 years ago, but in trying to keep with the times, they've added the big screen and karaoke or live-ish performances. On our visit was a one man performer, complete with background tracks that he either sang with, or played Jazz flute (no joke) with, or jammed on a few other instruments. He was good, if for no other reason than he was not terrible. My wife got a tasty steak - it was good, I'll say that - and I got fish. I think I ordered a specific kind, but who knows what I actually ate. But who cares? My three year old was completely entertained by the peanuts, the throwing them on the floor, and the entertainment. And the family was fed. What else do you need?
(4)David G.
This is the best and coolest restaurant in Southern California, and I have lived in So Cal for over 22 years!
(5)Michael J.
So last week, early on a Wednesday night, we found ourselves in easternmost Pasadena. Our business meeting was over, and growling stomachs told us that it was clearly time for an early dinner...maybe even a Happy Hour. Abbe suggested the Cheesecake Factory in Old Town. I was okay with that. But then we started to get creative. How 'bout The Derby? (Too expensive!) Chinese? (Too fattening!) Suddenly 3 little words plopped from my drooling lips "How about Clearman's?" It seemed like a perfect idea. We hadn't been to the ole North Woods Inn for many moons, but fondly remembered it's kitsch confines and hearty, plentiful food. So as we drove, Abbe called for a reservation. "No need for a res," she was told, "Most everyone's over at the Galley watching the Kings and Ducks." And soon enough, we were entering a dim, stadium-sized man cave populated by a large stuffed grizzly bear in a glass case and guys, guys and more guys. It was, indeed, still Happy Hour, so we each had a libation. Rum & diet coke for Abbe at $4.95, and for me, a glass of Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio, priced at a pretty ridiculous $6.95, even with the Happy Hour Special! We chose to split a Prime Rib Dip sandwich ($12.95). Billed as "lumber jack-sized," but lumber jacks must be downsizing these days, because this sandwich was downright petite, and that's putting it mildly. The tasteless roll was nothing to write home about, and the grudging portion of meat was decidedly not prime anything. The au jus was just okay, but the rice pilaf that accompanied was a nice (if weird) touch. We also each ordered the bottomless salads ($7.90 for 2). One salad was tomatoes and iceberg lettuce with a hearty blue cheesy dressing, the other a playfully astringent red cabbage slaw. "Most of our regulars mix them together on the plate," said our nice waiter, Andrew. And right he was, because the combo, though sounding yucky, worked deliciously. Oh, and at the last moment, in a moment of carefree debauchery, we also ordered breaded Zucchini Sticks. At $4.95, they were resoundingly meh, no better nor worse than you'd find at any suburban sports bar. In fact meh pretty much describes Clearman's that night for us. Now a $41.09 tab ain't a fortune, but it certainly seemed a lot for what we were served.
(2)N B.
Food was great. I loved their salads, only complaint is service. The girls in the front that i guess are there to "great " you, were just talking away and let us stand there for 5 minutes until i interupted them. One girl looked at me kind of annoyed and asked me what she can help us with. I said we would like a table for 3 and she just pointed to another girl down past a sitting area and said "see her" and continued on with her conversation. To me that was rude!
(4)George K.
One of my favorites for 50 years. I love nearly every thing on the menu. I love the northwoods style architecture. I love the (no see outside windows) I forget about the hustle and bustle of the city outside. Even my granddaughter loves it.
(5)alicia l.
Okay so we came over for dinner tonight to have dinner. We like setting at the bar and as far as we knew, we could have food at the bar. Well, they have changed their rules, no more food serving at the bar on Friday or Saturday. Also, if you order a salad, you cannot share it with anyone in your group, each person MUST order their own. What!! Oh but if two people order a salad each, they only bring you one salad to share!? What!!!! The salad can be shared if they say so????? Anyhow, we are very upset and disappointed about their new rules and no food at the bar, not even appetizers. :( Most likely this was our last time at Clearmans North Woods, Rosemead and in general!!!!! :(
(1)Alicia R.
Amazing customer service!! Amazing salad, bread , and steak! I'm pretty sure everything here is delicious , but I did not have room for dessert. I'll get you next time rum cake!!
(5)Joe Y.
I cannot say enough good things about Clearman's Steak House. Location & First Glance There is a Kohls clothing store next door which is great so after or before your meal you can get some shopping done. It is also located right off Rosemead which is a semi large artery connecting Pasadena to other parts of SGV (Alhambra, Montebello, etc...). The theme of this place is a little weird and seems out-of-place; really a log cabin theme? Especially in the Hispanic/ Asian populated area, but we do live in LA right so unusual is kinda hip. Expect to wait 10-20 minutes, but it is rare when it reaches the 20 minute mark. Typically it is around 10 minutes is the waiting time I am used to. Food The salad they bring with most entrees is excellent. It's a red cabbage and ice berg lettuce with their special dressing (its essentially a ranch & blue cheese dressing mix) served with freshly baked bread. I typically get the medium-sized speak. I am a big-guy; the entrees combined with the salad portions is more than enough food. Also make sure to ask for the special cheese spread on your baked potato, don't mean to sound cliche but it is indeed "bursting with flavor." The baked potato is an extremely large size to-boot. Last Thoughts Make sure you are literally starving when you come here. I really think it can be too-much food if you have your typical, normal appetite. This means you should plan on coming here so you can plan to be hungry. The atmosphere could fit all occasions from an anniversary, a date or a casual dinner with friends. For two people it will cost between $55-$65 typically (without drinks or tip).
(4)Mary K.
We always have a great time at the North Woods in San Gabriel. The employees are exemplary. Kenneth is an excellent waiter and we always ask for him. Kenneth makes the dining experience fun, relaxing and pleasurable. Another excellent waiter is Arnie.
(5)Bridget P.
My extended family comes here for important life events. I came with them last weekend with a very large party. The waitstaff asked us to move from the appetizer-only area into the main dining room.... but failed to mention that a live jazz band would be setting up RIGHT NEXT to us shortly. That was nice. I love live bands, but not when they're closer to me than the person I'm talking to at the table. This place is unique, kitschy, and fun. With a roof covered in snow year-round, you'll have no problem finding it. Free, ample parking too. The floor is littered in peanut shells, which you are encouraged to throw.... just don't lean against the tables and bars if you're wearing black. It's dimly lit and cavernous, and you feel like you should be swigging from a huge beer stein. You should be. The food isn't cheap. The menu consists of mostly steaks and comfort foods, along with a cocktail menu, full bar, and appetizer menu. One of the few items on the menu I could afford was the cobb salad, which was served in a bowl large enough to feed a family. Most dishes are served with buttery, greasy, toasty garlic bread, which was the best part. The beer selection was decent and well-priced, and the chocolate martinis were great. The waitstaff seemed annoyed by our large party. I had to get up and walk to the bar each and every time I wanted a drink, water, or to place an order.... and I didn't always get each one. It's a fun place, and the band was great, but it'll cost ya!
(3)K.c. D.
Well, after my bad experience a few weeks ago, I returned. My love of the scallops, salad and bread couldn't keep me away in spite of my unfortunate experience with Jesus. My daughter and I, as usual, were waiting in the bar area for our take out, sipping on drinks, when an employee by the name of Ana came over to talk to us. She was apparently on the sidelines on that dreadful afternoon and she wanted to tell us that she recognized us as frequent patrons, and that she felt so badly for us! She said that if she could have gotten us our food she would have. She spent some time chatting with us all the while apologizing for what happened. I must say that she totally made my day! She doesn't understand the policy either, but her simple act of kindness and respect was all it took. If only Jesus would learn that. If I have to have him help me at any time in the future, I will refuse his service and ask for someone else. There is no place for rudeness ANYwhere. Thank you Ana! I hope the establishment thanks you as well!!!
(5)Greg M.
For those of you who like a nice and concise review, this place was overall a disappointment. Wonderful atmosphere, but the meat dishes were revolting and overpriced for a palm-sized blob! Okay, now those of you who respect a full evaluation should keep reading. You'll probably find yourself drawn upon entering by the full-fledged ski-lodge decor and the peanut-eating-and-throwing custom (unless you are allergic to peanuts, in which case you definitely SHOULD NOT come :) ). I certainly had a five-star feeling about the place when I was greeted by my Stone IPA, until we were welcomed by bowls of white slosh that I was dumbfounded to discover were our "salads." Just drenched in that bleu cheese dressing, I'm telling you. And then came some soggy yellow garlic bread--albeit served to us individually by our waitress. At last came our $30 entrees on a plate nearly the size of a satellite dish, and so as I anticipated a huge juicy cut of steak, I strained my eyes only to spot a chalky-coal-surfaced blob that, as mentioned earlier, was the size of my 12 year old nephew's palm. And this was not even the smallest size on the menu. My daughter's entree of fish, and my brother-in-law's dish of chicken, did not beg to differ in quality from my own. I would have just stopped eating if the cup-load of rice and half-baked potato that took up 80% of the dish, had not been decent. I'm glad I didn't stay to try dessert.
(2)Jessica C.
This is either a hit or miss place.. it's not for everyone and you really have to be in the mood for this place and want to spend the money for it... Since I was being treated I wasn't going to hate. I do love the old dining feel of this place, it's classic. It's not modern, it's dated, feels like having dinner at a lodge - which can be nice and comforting. Food... I think the food is good for what their going for. It's classic 50's parents night out dining. Good portions of food and I think the meal was made well and delicious. I especially loved the iced tea and the cheese bread was crazy good. I like how you can mixed the salads, I loved the special brand of butter they put on the baked potato , I love throwing shells on the floor. The staff is very friendly and attentive. Bad.... Can't say I have any.. Like I said you have to want to be in this dining mood.
(3)Eric L.
Hmm clearmans north woods inn I have been coming to this spot for about over 5 years now when you first walk in you notice the peanut shells on the floor they actually have signs around the place encouraging you to throw em after you eat em hahaha. The food here is really good the 2 salads they give you to start off w/ & buttered cheese bread is really DELICIOUS + its all you can eat haha they just ask you if you would like more. Also when I come I order the New York steak its crazy good REALLY recommend you coming here and trying it out.
(4)Robyn R.
Kills the craving and always fun!
(3)Ruth L.
I use to like this place a lot. I've Been a frequent customer for years. Lately they are on a "Disappointing" spree. The service is not what it use to be, they use to be very attentive, now the severs seem to bring out smaller portions of the yummy salads and the overall portions of the steaks have gotten smaller and the prices higher. I understand inflation... But cutting down on size is a huge mistake. I ordered the combo platter of steak (medium rare) chicken and substituted the scallops for more chicken. When I got my food the steak was cooked well-done, and so was the chicken. It looked burnt. The server brought me another steak and it was cooked medium. Quality has gone out the door. I hope they fix whatever problems they are having. I really liked this place!
(2)Liz F.
Delicious Cheese Bread. Fun to throw peanut shells on the floor. The Pomegranate Martini is yummy!! Never had bad service!
(5)Kim B.
If you're looking for a good steak, Northwood's Inn won't disappoint! We have been coming here for years. The decor is like that of a big cabin in the woods with a snow covered roof (hence the name Northwood's) . It's rather like a SGV landmark for those of us who grew up the area. I love their blue cheese salad and the red cabbage salad is good too. My brother has been trying to duplicate the red cabbage recipe at home but he still can't quite get it right. The cheese bread is wonderful, although sometimes a bit on the greasy side. My sister-in-law is in love with the halibut here. I always order the smaller lumberjack steak, medium rare. Hmmm good! The baked potatoes are enormous!! This is not a place to come if you're watching calories! You definitely will not leave here hungry, that's for sure!
(4)Shannon C.
So delicious. Love this place. I had the Reuben's sandwich from their new menu items list today and it was amazing. The service was excellent. The atmosphere is really cool, it's a giant snowy cabin. What more could you ask for? Huge bar, they have rooms with huge tables for large parties. Cool decorations. The salads are massive. Family size salads, if you're going to order one, plan on sharing or taking most of it home!
(5)Lina C.
In general, I loved this place. The interior and exterior is the only reason why I gave it a four star instead of a five star. Foods great and would recommend people to come here for special evenings. After a long day of spending together, my boyfriend suggested to get steak for dinner. It was that or shabu shabu, but knowing my lover all too well, I already knew what we were eating for dinner. I'd ask him multiple times which steak place we were going to, but he only responded with "you'll see." As he pulls into the parking lot, my first impression was where are we? We were at Clearman's North Woods Inn. Funny name for a restaurant, right? If anything the place itself looked really cheesy on the outside with fake snow covering the roof; the interior was that of a woodsman's cabin home: dark and dimly lit with a warm ambiance. There was even a stuffed bear for decoration. Surprise, surprise. I wasn't too fond of eating here. What made me re-think about this place was that this place was PACKED! By the time we had our names on the list, there was already about 10-12 groups ahead of us. That alone was impressive. I have to admit, my mouth was salivating by the time we got to Clearman's and knowing that I had to wait 45 minutes for a table was a tease. Normally we stay away from appetizers unless if it's a great deal or we can't wait for our entrees, but knowing that Eric loves shrimp cocktails, we couldn't resist. There were five jumbo shrimps, slightly cool to the touch, laying on a small bed of salad. I wasn't all that impressed, but what could I expect since this place is more well-known for their steaks. Later on our waiter comes to our table with slices of cheesy bread, salad that's drenched in bleu cheese dressing, and another bowl filled with sliced purple cabbage (for those who like to mix the cabbage with their salads). The salad and the cheesy bread hit the spot. The cheesy bread seemed a little bit too cheesy after the first bite, but I made sure there was a 50:50 ratio between the salad and the cheesy bread so that there was a balance in my mouth. I love bleu cheese dressing and so I couldn't help myself for another helping or two. By the time my medium-cooked, 35 oz. porterhouse arrived I was hungrryyy and happyyy! Presentation wasn't all that great but that didn't matter after taking a bite of this big juicy meat. It's so good, you have to try it for yourself. We don't normally go to steakhouses, but when we do we go out with a BIG... SCRUMPTIOUS... BANG! Lina Chen
(4)Mario D.
Delicious is not the word more like stupendous mouth watering enjoyment of steak chicken baked potato with butter cheddar cheese sauce on top and the cheese bread is just incredible!! And before I forget our server Susan was excellent excellent excellent in her delivery of quality customer service I was left with the feeling that I cannot wait to come back and bring friends I lived in this area all my life and never did I know that this little Gem of great taste was on the corner near Rosemead blvd and Huntington Dr and that they had all this deliciousness inside, so just putting it out there so the rest of you to check it out, u will also be convinced n satisfied! And thank you to our server misses Susan excellent customer service you delivered for a lunch today I'm a manager of a Family business and that's the kind of person that I would like behind my counters!! Susan you are an asset to Clearman's Northwoods Inn and continue giving Quality service be cause I will be back thank you once again so much!!!!!! : ) YUMMMMM N THE SUNDAE WAS OFF THE CHAIN!!!!!
(5)Liz F.
Came here for a recent family dinner, and unfortunately the poor service left me wishing we'd gone elsewhere. ATMOSPHERE: Driving up you see the cabin and fake snow strategically dripping from the roof. Walking in to the dim interior with sawdust shavings and peanut shells on the floor are large paintings of half naked ladies and stained glass windows. Unique vibe, and plenty to stare at while you wait for a table. SERVICE: I'm sad to say the service was terrible! We made a reservation and were seated quickly, but after waiting over 15 minutes for our waitress to come over we had to flag down a manager to place our drink order. It didn't get any better when we had to flag down another waitress to take our food order another 10 minutes later. To top it off we were never given drink refills unless we flagged someone down. It was busy, but this was just odd. FOOD: My favorite items of the night were the garlic bread and cabbage salad. The garlic bread is drenched in butter and toasted till crispy (and well worth the calories). The cabbage salad had a fantastic dressing that was zesty and left you craving more. I had the chili burger and realized when it came that it was a fork-and-knife kind of burger. The chili was good and the meat was tender, but not much flavor overall. The bun got soggy pretty quickly, too. OVERALL: On the upside, they have free parking. If the service was great I would go again, but to be ignored I'd rather go elsewhere to pay these prices.
(2)Eric U.
Exactly what I expected and more! Haven't been here in many years, but I was looking forward to the all-you-can-eat salads and cheese bread, a great steak and the cheese butter for my baked potato. Nothing disappointed. Everything was delicious. Our server, Kim, was attentive and made sure we had a great time. She was friendly, sincere, and genuine. I've been a huge fan for many year and if you keep it up, for many more years to come!
(5)Bryan G.
Kim was a wonderful server. She was very attentive. The food was very good. She anticipated what our needs were. Wonderful service.
(5)Jon-Ana Z.
passed by this restaurant all the time... never bothered to chk it out... a big log cabin with fake snow on the roof... major regrets! ='( turned out to be one of the best steak house... thank goodness for having a great boss!!! took our team here for holiday luncheon... and OH MY! they start you off with endless CHEESSSYYYY Bread + Red Cabbage with vinaigrette + Blue Cheese Salad (combining both salads taste even better). Steaks r soo big, juicy and cooked to perfection with rice pilaf and baked potato with cheessssyyyyy butter... soo good!!! unfortunately, can never get to the dessert as everything above is soo yummy n delicious... = food coma after ;p took my one and only middle boy for patiently waiting for me while I do my errands yesterday... he was so hungry n tired from school n bball practice... not to mention still has tons of homework to do... it was all worth it... so he says =D this place is great for big parties... service is fast and friendly! they r good with refilling everything from the drinks to the cheessy bread basket n salads... n packing leftovers... they pack it for you... n oh yeah, there's peanuts for free that you can toss shells on the floor... portions r big and averages $30 per plate... FYI - my son n I shared the rib-eye at no extra charge. but they do charge for split plate between two adults... anyway, you can always take it to go, for sure... u will look forward to eat the rest later.
(5)AR G.
On a positive note, it was a well made steak, one of the best I've had at a restaurant, though, I ordered a medium and they gave me a rare. But, the flavor wasn't anything special, it was just well made. Not a fan of their salads either, just made the meal feel heavier. Then afterwards, like 2 hours after the meal I felt terrible, my stomach was writhing in pain. Naturally, I thought it was indigestion from having a heavy meal. But the next day I had a bit of the red cabbage salad that was left-over, again I was writhing in pain. The pain went away after a few hours, though based on my experience I would not return. Also, very expensive especially since the waiter provided minimal attention.
(2)Colette N.
Oh man this place is...not good. Yes, the decor is adorable and kitschy but for the prices they charge they should at least back it up with good, fresh food! Now granted, I did not get a steak as I don't eat meat. Why did I go to a steak house if I don't eat meat, you ask? I know, i know. But I've always wanted to check it out and I am pretty good at finding meat-free options in even the most carnivorous of places. I've been doing this awhile. Well, no meatless options except the sides that come with the steaks and the deep fried appy platter. Alright, whatever. As I was about to embark on a night of cocktails, I went for the greasy deep fried option to coat my stomach. Yum! Well, the mozzarella sticks, onion rings and zucchini sticks were all obviously right out of a bag and re-heated. Everything came to me luke-warm! C'mon, how hard is it to make your own onion rings?? Especially at the prices you're charging. Really disappointing. However, the service was really good. The hostess and waiter were very sweet and attentive so I gave them an extra star for that. I'm not a monster!
(2)Robert G.
I wish I could give it 0 stars. I hate this place! I remember the last time I went, I swore I would never go again... and I did ...why? Clearman's is way too expensive for the quality food and the service is horrible!
(1)E J.
One of fav & has been for years! The best steak, cheese bread & salad!!! Looking for first rate food with big portions & amazing cheese bread this is the place!
(5)Arnold W.
Blah, blah, blah if only it tasted the way the outside of the restaurant looked. Looking from the outside, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas with the "snow" covered roof. The interior is pretty warm and cozy too. The food, however, is kind of hearty/heavy/carbo-intense old school food. I must add the cheese bread is quite good, and very greasy, but Sizzler's probably has better. I ordered the chili burger and it was a mess. Slathered with a healthy fixing of chili that's really thick and salty, overtake the taste of the patty. The quality of the patty was just okay. Served with RICE, where's the fries!??!?? The fried chicken was okay. The salad that came with the burger was small and just straight up iceberg lettuce with bleu cheese-like dressing. Service was kind of slow too. Oh yeah, they also give you peanuts to eat ahead of time as you wait and throw the shells on the ground. Boy, those peanuts were a little stale.
(2)KeepitReal C.
Their potato is a football, and the all you can eat salad and cheese bread is delicious. they have good clam chowder as well. if you order their steak, get it medium and butterfly'd. yum, i would go again. their scallops are delicious too !
(5)Chuck D.
I had been to a Clearman's before, but all I remebered was the cheese bread. I had a big craving for steak the other day and went to the closest Clearman's near me, in Rosemead. The menu items were very pricy given decor and setting (coffee shop tables, no booths), but I figured the portions and quality must make up for it. I decided on the New York Steak dinner. They brought out the two 'salads' - one was wilted iceberg topped with way too much blah ranch, and one was a strange bowl of red cabbage. I love the kind of pickled red cabbage you often get at Scandanavian or German themed restaurants, but this was very salty, too crisp and not tart enough. The cheese bread had the flavor I remebered, but way too greasy. I didn't enjoy it. I had the same cheese butter on the potato - big mistake, just overpowering dark orange glop all over it. I couldn't eat more than one bite and wished I hadn't had even that. I didn't even try the rice, it looked like something you'd get at a cafeteria. I figured, well at least steak is steak. Wrong - it just oozed greasiness, it was like trying to eat raw bacon. I had it cooked medium rare, but instead of tender it was rubbery and chewy. Again, I literally did not have more than one bite. The waiter asked if I would like a box for the leftovers, and I got one to be polite - I threw them in the garbage can that was right outside the door. I wish I could chalk it up to one bad experience, but I really think this kind of place just caters to a different type of patron, the kind that used to make Sizzler so popular. I'm really being generous with the two stars since I believe they must certainly have their fans, and it's just my personal taste, but I'm never going back.
(2)Anthony C.
This is a review of the lunch. I had a prime rib french dip... Not impressed with how much meat they gave, but the rice wasn't bad. I had a sampler appetizer and that was so-so as well. The blue cheese dressing is delicious though.
(2)Deb T.
The best thing about Northwoods Inn is the fact you can eat peanuts and leave the shells on the ground and the Bleu Cheese dressing. Although I haven't had any of the steak dinners, I have had the Chef Salad and the cheeseburger. You definitely get your monies worth when you order, but some of the dishes are that great. The last thing I ate is the Cheeseburger and it was super heavy and filled with cabbage and pickles. Maybe it's just me, but they love their sour ingredients. The Chef Salad had plenty of cheese and meat, but the veggies were pickled. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but the vinegar from the veggies kinda took away the freshness of the salad. I usually don't visit Northwoods a lot, but, when I do, I try to order different things to see if I can find something I like.
(3)Ivy W.
I don't understand the appeal of Clearman's. Yes, it's an interesting looking restaurant from the outside, but from the inside, I feel as if I'm at a knockoff upscale restaurant with the dim lighting. The service seems to vary from time to time. My first visit here was extremely pleasant with our waitress even though I only ordered a dessert for myself while my ex had a full-on meal; my last visit here was probably one of the worst experiences I've had in terms of dining because our waitress was rude and inattentive. Granted she'll probably receive better tips waiting on the two tables of 4 and 10 than my table of 2, I still believed we deserved better than the rolling of the eyes and impatient attitude when we ordered and when we asked for the check. Our cups of soda were also never refilled even though they sat there with just ice for 10+ minutes. In terms of food, everything including the green salad seemed overpowering. I can't speak for others, but when I have a salad, I don't expect it to be absolutely drenched in dressing. My ex really enjoyed it though. He even asked me to take the red cabbage home after he had finished his salad. I only picked at the red cabbage before I decided I didn't like it. My North Woods Sirloin Burger was not anymore enjoyable than the salad. The flavor of the meat was extremely strong, and the meat crumbled (NOT MELTED, CRUMBLED) easily. It definitely didn't help the flavor when they threw in some of the red cabbage into my burger, and the flavor of the pickles destroyed my palette. It came with a side of rice, but I didn't touch it because it was a little too salty. My ex had the New York steak (~$30) which he liked. It looked like he was having a hard time cutting through it though, but he insisted that it was good. P.S. Throw the empty peanut shells on the ground. (:
(2)David D.
This place is great! Been coming for twenty years. I was once disapointed, but that was the server, and he's no longer there. I've probably been over 50 times... Can't get enough Clearmens! Cheesy Bread is the best. The salad is great. I usually get the sirloin and it continually surpasses my expectations. I've had every cut of meat here and they're all good. Add shrimp or lobster tail.. Nice touch. Make sure you bring your appetite! The portions aren't for those on a diet!
(5)Paul S.
Fantastic food, been going there for almost 25 years, BUT now that I can't stand nor walk I rely on a mobility scooter. They have added a lot more tables to their bar area making it impossible to come in the parking lot door. I'd suggest that you come in the front door. I will return, but not from the side anymore. So much for ADA rules.
(5)Jennifer Y.
The cabbage and salad with house dressing and cheese bread is insane!!!! The seafood platter is also great. The scallops are the best!!! Highly recommend that dish and the salad
(5)Helen W.
Their ribeye steak is 16 ounces so do come with a big appetite. Love all the sides such as green salad, cabbage salad, huge baked potato (comes with mushroom dressing or standard butter and sourcream). The filet mignon is a little on the dry side (even though we ordered it medium rare). The cheese bread is always good and addictive and of course we love eating our peanuts and throwing the shells on the floor. It can get crowded and loud here but the servers always are friendly. They recently changed their decorations and now have two large bears in glass cases in the restaurant. Really adds to the woodsy atmosphere.
(4)Madison S.
Their red cabbage is super good! Everything else is alright, this place is really consistent though. They take their time in making sure nothing is under or over cooked
(4)Calvin W.
Peanut shells on the floor and a warning to not cook your steak more than medium to avoid losing taste! This place has never ceased to amaze me even 8 years ago when I had it the first time. Go with friends or enjoy a nice meal, just prepare the pocket book bit you won't be disappointed. Just mind the "tasteful" women on the wall.
(5)Krikor T.
I have had both good and bad experiences here at North Woods Inn, but since The good outweigh the bad, I am giving this 4 stars. I come here at minimum once a year. I really love the atmosphere here.... But the bottom line is the food. North Woods Inn has some pretty good steaks. Not great, but definitely not average either(compared to restaurants these days). It is hard to find a good steak these days and North woods Inn delivers 9 times out of 10. and It isnt priced all that bad either. Steak quality rivals Pinnacle Peak, but at times North woods inn has better quality steaks than Pinnacle. I like the Porterhouse or the Ribeye here. Their salad and cheesebread is always good and their chili burger is great! 3.8 stars!
(4)Lauren L.
So we didn't know what to eat for dinner and my husband saw this place and said "never been there before" and I hadn't in a VERY long time, so we stopped in. Mistake #1. Way too much food that has way too much grease, salt, butter, cheese and anything else to clog your arteries. Health conscious? Don't come here. Anyway, portions are huge, but don't split the plate, they'll charge you $7.95! Ouch! I didn't like it, my mother in law didn't like it and even my husband who likes heavy food didn't really like it. Did I mention the waitress never brought the root-beer or the toast without all the cheese and butter I asked for? Bye Northwoods Inn for another 20 years... I think it would have been healthier to eat at McDonalds.
(1)Tony S.
Had dinner here recently This place used to be better. The food is still good, but not great like before. The Cocktail shrimp were a bit soggy. The prices have increased and the portions are smaller.
(3)Maximus G.
We are a house divided! The wife ordered the Lumberjack steak - which was cooked to perfection and very tasty! Myself, along with 2 other family members ordered the BBQ ribs - which were terrible. They were tough, and had a layer of thick fat that had not been cooked off. I believe if these ribs had been cooked longer, they would have been good. The green salad and red cabbage salads are amazing, and the best garlic bread in town!!! You definitely leave with a doggy bag here!
(4)Daniel D.
I love their salad and bread. service is rotten usually, but the place is touristy. I would be impressed if the service was brought back up to US standards. the steaks are mediocre, but the experience is parse. the menus are confusing but you are bound to figure it out.
(5)Joanna L.
After walking the Chinese Lunar Fair with my niece, mom and brother, we were pretty hungry - my niece wanted to eat pasta and steak so I found a place called Nikki's however there was a 45 minute wait - despite the fact that I saw many empty tables and no one else waiting...so yeah we left and came to this place instead which was down the block. I mistaken that they had a pasta - but they didn't have any - just steak and seafood and burgers. Both my brother and I ordered Prime Rib and ordered an Filet Mignon for my niece and my mom had their FIsh n Chips. They started us with some tasty toasted garlic bread, salad and coleslaw - which almost filled me up before my steak arrived. The prime rib was pretty good though - it was huge and I couldn't even eat 1/4 of it - and the baked potato - was the size of my palm with all the tasty toppings on the side. The service was pretty excellent - our waitress was so friendly and sweet - and pretty. The restaurant definitely had a cozy cabin feel and I thought it was cool how we can throw peanut shells on the floor. Overall it was a pretty good place for some comfort food - the portions are huge and the food was pretty tasty for a very fair price. The service was nice and the atmosphere was warm and cozy.
(4)Randy C.
Oh Northwoods Northwoods, Northwoods .... Should have went to the West Covina location like I always do, but didn't and decided to go to the San Gabriel location. Let me first start off by saying that our server Lai Dee was absolutely great; as she was super friendly, always had a smile, sparked conversation, and was prompt with requests and check-ups. So, 30 minute wait - no big deal. Grabbed a beer at the bar, sat in their bar area and hung out for a while. Took a while for the bar-waitress to say hello and when she did, she was a bit awkward. Ordered some onion rings to give them a try, as I asked our waitress how they were and she really didn't have much to say, or anything regarding their appetizers when asked. Eeehhh, no biggie I guess; maybe she was having a bad day. Name was called, and was sat down with Lai Dee; again she was great. Our onion rings were brought to our table, and there is not much to say about them than they tasted like frozen reheated onion rings (cough cough). I ordered the Ribeye dinner, cooked medium-well, with a side order of broiled shrimp (my favorite here along with their salad and cheese bread). My guest ordered the Special Platter and asked for his steak chunks to be cooked Medium-Rare. Wow, long story short (don't want to keep you yelper's reading too long) my Ribeye was cooked Medium-Rare and my guest's steak chunks were cooked Well Done. Sent the steak chunks back, and than they came back RARE. No seriously, light brown on the outside and COLD on the inside - gross. Did not complain, but made manager aware that the cook definitely needs some help on how to have the steaks cook. The part that really disturbed me, was not that the cook messed up three times (my stead, and my guests steak chunks twice) but that the manager came to our table and really didn't give a damn either. Oh well ... just Northwoods - nothing fancy ..... BUT I LOVE NORTHWOODS. Don't think I will ever hit this location again.
(2)Natalie G.
The lumberjack steak was cooked to perfection! The potatoes are the size of a football! The martini's we spot on! Service was okay they switched waitress when our food came and the second one wasn't as nice. 26 years of service and she knew her stuff!!! Our over experience was good!
(4)Michelle L.
If you have ever watched the show, "Fresh Off the Boat," you'll totally think, "Cattleman's Ranch." The place is huge! There are some bears around the restaurant, which was pretty cool for my baby niece. The whole restaurant is very dim, and feels pretty dated. The cheesy bread was good, although I think it was a bit oversold by Yelpers, it's really, really, greasy. I liked the vinegarette red cabbage to start, the blue cheese salad was overpowering and wet. Even though the starters were sub-par, complimentary starters are always nice. I ordered the lunch portion of the halibut steak, because my brother liked it, so I thought, "why not, he seems to enjoy it here." that thing was like a rubber chew toy. Unappetizing.. Most of the seafood here are fried, it makes me wonder if that's their way to mask the freshness of it all. I do have to say though, the fried scallops were tasty. The steak was decent too. I didn't try the chicken, but it looked kind of dry, and the rice reminds me of Uncle Ben's minute rice. I feel like the food is not as good as Applebee's, and I don't even really like Applebee's.. so..... yeah. There was one waitress, whom I found to be the highlight of our night, she was so nice and cheerful (she wasn't even our waitress), but she offered to take pictures for us, and was so sweet! For the price here, I would rather go to a more refined, tastier restaurant. Everything is pretty overpriced, and I really don't mind paying for good food, but all of these dishes felt like it was made from out of the box.
(2)Big D.
I been coming here for over 10 years & Absolutely Love it every time I walk thru the doors.. from the moment you walk in You can taste the food in the Air. Peanut shells All over the floor, creates a one of a kind ambience that I Just Love. The dimly lot restraunt has just enough light for you to see perfectly.... no that's about the way I always go with Surf N Turf of Some sort here! Either Lobster and Streak or Shrimp and Streak. for a limited time they now offer Salmon so I opted for Salmon and Rib eye. every or meal comes with a New tasty salad only found in Clearmans. Humongous Baked potatoes that are throughly done and mounted with your choice of toppings. The steak arrives as always with the prettiest grill marks ever seen, and Flavor just dripping all over the plate. salmon was Fresh and lightly seasoned just enough with a beautiful set of grill marks both sides. There the elite in Steaks I think they're great! Try it out let me know
(5)Kat M.
It's nice but the service is slow.. Food so so. Would I come here again? Um no. If your looking for a place to get a over size meal without any taste then yes this place is for you.
(2)Kathi Y.
Unfortunately I have to say I was very disappointed with this restaurant. Went here as a child, so I was looking forward to the nostalgic visit. The food has been blah both times and no healthy options are available. Ordered a prime rib dip yesterday (thought that was pretty bullet proof) and it had a funny after taste. Salad only consisted of iceberg lettuce and dressing. Fries and service were good though.
(3)Eric P.
In an time where theme restaurants are virtually extinct, it's refreshing to see a faux Alpine lodge steakhouse in my neck of the woods. I'd say, this is a blue-collar family's steakhouse where they give you large portions and overload on flavor. This isn't Lawry's or Mastro's, I mean, people throw their peanut shells on the floor, just to give you an idea. For some, the flavor here can be a bit overpowering. And, let's face it, it's probably not the healthiest meal you're going to have with all that sodium, cholesterol, and red meat but that's what the gym is for, m'iright? And be honest, we all just come here for that majestic Clearman's cheese spread. Maybe it'll give me a heart attack someday, so it's best to eat as much of it as you can while you're still young. What I love about this place is the timelessness of it. In an age where everyone wants to be hipper and innovative in food and architecture, Clearman's stays exactly the same. The steak and potatoes I have now are the same ones I had when I was a kid. And maybe, just maybe, that's what America needs right now.
(4)Gary D.
Ok I know about the cheese bread. There are just too many other better restaurants around at better prices. I can recogize that this is a comfort food kind of spot and say go for it.
(2)Lily Z.
+: cheesy butter bread is a delicious heart attack looking to happen, and I will gladly go down that path if I can eat this bread several times a day, every day. -: The rest of their food does not stand out to me at all. Paid ~$10-11 for fish and chips, a
(2)Brittany S.
I've been coming here for the last 20 years and nothing really has changed- which is good! Let me start off by saying that this steakhouse would be enticing to one who favors comfort food-like steak. If you're a steak connoisseur, then this perhaps wouldn't be your place of choice (but heck, you never know!). As for me, I'm more of a decent meal, decent price kind of gal. I almost always order a steak dinner and it's good but not great. However, what makes up for what the steak is lacking is the potato with CHEESE BUTTER! That, as well as the prices, is what keeps me coming back, year after year.
(5)Jacky Y.
Friday night, wanted steak but just want something simple so went to north woods. Walked in and there were no wait so we sat down. Not busy. Sat down for 10-15 minutes and we were never served. No water, no peanuts and no one ever came by. Horrible! Worse experience ever! Saw a bunch of waiters and waitresses either standing or walking around. Guess we were just invisible. Not coming back, not like the food was good anyways. Seriously, treat your customers with respect! I would give zero stars if I could!
(1)Jennifer P.
This is the 4th time I've been to NWI, but this is my first time at this location. I can say, without reservation, the food at this location is MUCH better than the one in La Mirada. We came here last night and were seated promptly. Our waiter took a while to get to us and I noticed he walked with a slight limp, so I'm thinking his mobility is impaired, thus it takes him longer to get around. Listen, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt here. Anyhow, we were tended to by other staff while waiting for him, so that was nice. We got our water, salads, and bread within minutes of being seated. Big plus cuz lord knows any delays with the salads and cheese bread may result in slow singin & flower bringin!!! I had the rib eye with steamed veggies instead of rice and a baked potato loaded with that amazing cheese butter. Naturally I threw some cheese butter on those veggies. It's CHEESE BUTTER, people. Your veggies are BEGGING to be slathered in this heavenly goodness. My steak was cooked to perfection, which is the norm for this place. It was HUGE, flavorful, seasoned well, and delicious. It was so good I had it for lunch today! Love me some leftovers. My friend had the platter and substituted the scallops for more chicken. She said the steak chunks weren't that good but everything else, including the mushroom gravy, was divine. For the record, I tried that gravy. Holy flavor, Batman. That's good stuff. I'm getting that next time! The place itself is clean, down to the bathrooms. The service was 4 stars, for sure. One thing I noticed is that the parking lot is extremely well lit. HUGE PLUS. I can't say the same for the La Mirada location. It's rather dim. If I had to choose, I'd choose this location before La Mirada. I'd return - but again, this place is PRICEY, so buyer beware!
(4)Trevor E.
This place was introduced to me by a friend who came here as a child and I've been back 4 times since despite living in Phoenix. I'm no expert, but I recommd eating here with the following considerations: - Fast first and come hungry. There is a good chance you will consume more than a days worth of calories so skip at least breakfast and lunch. You may also want to skip dinner the night before. Come hungry. - You are not coming here for the steak (or crab or lobster). You are coming primarily for the amazing cheesy bread. You have to order an entree to get the cheesy bread, You do not need the biggest steak (or lobster or crab) because you will fill up on cheesy bread and be unable to finish the big expensive steak. The steak is good but not great so consider the cheapest steak or broiled chicken. Both give a better cheesy bread to the dollar value. - With the cheesy bread you will be presented with two salads. The appropriate response is to mix the salads and not to skimp on the cabbage salad. The cabbage salad will make you fart later. Own it and fart like a king (or queen). The salad is worth the farting and balances the butter and cheese delivery system otherwise known as cheesy bread (see above). - You will get a potato with your entree. Your job is to order the cheese butter on the potato with extra cheese butter on the side. You fasted first, right? (Seriously, don't mess with a loaded potato here. The correct play is the cheese butter). - They will bring you more cheesy bread when you run out. The will bring cheesy bread two, three, four times. Honestly, I don't know if there is a cheesy bread limit. - Do not leave room for desert. You fasted for a reason and that reason was cheesy bread. - When you are done and feel too full to continue, resist the urge to eat the last cold piece of cheesy bread. It won't sit well.
(4)Shawn M.
Blegh. I remember it used to taste better (though I always went to the Covina location). The cheese toast isn't too bad when it's properly cooked, but half the pieces come out underdone. Not a problem when the toast was free/cheap per piece, but at the price per piece now I expect it to be properly done! Drinks were never refilled... and in fact the service was horrible overall. She seemed a bit flustered and I was thirsty most of my meal trying to get a refill. The food, blech. Bland, flavorless, sterile. The rice pilaf... I have never understood how people enjoy that flavor. It's disgusting!
(2)Steven P.
I've been coming here for about 20 years. It's not fantastic. Lots of food but for a place that specializes in steak and grilling, the steak is just so-so. I think even Sizzler steaks have more flavor. And for a place that specializes in steak, my dinner companion ordered his steak medium rare - filet mignon. Instead he ended up with a chunk of meat that was seared on the outside and completely cold on the inside. I had to find someone to find the waiter and a good 10 minutes passed before he came back to the table. Another 10 minutes before a replacement was given and even that was not quite cooked the way it should have been. In a place that specializes in grilling, there is no excuse for this. I wanted to contest the bill but my dinner pal doesn't like conflict. Also, they have one waiter working an entire room which spreads him very thin. In our dining area there were 5 tables of 4 or more people - one server. Ridiculous. I won't be going back because the prices keep going up (understandably) yet the service and food quailty does not live up to expectations.Exceptions: I will say that their fried chicken and fried scallops are excellent.
(3)Madi Z.
This place is awesome. I've been to this location and another one a few times and every experience has been great. First of all, the outside looks like it's snowing and it's so cool! Then you walk in and you know that scene in Beauty and the Beast where Gaston is singing about being a man and such in that wooden pub? That's exactly what it looks like! And the food is so delicious. It's a huge portion so I recommend sharing. Also, eat as much garlic bread as you can because that stuff is AMAZING.
(5)Laura L.
As good as it ever was! We come for the salads and cheese bread. The rib eye is delicious.
(4)Jon Q.
A summary of thoughts during my visit here: -Ohh, throwing peanuts on the ground, how fun. -HOLY CRAP the prices here are insane for a place where you thrown peanuts on the ground. -OH, it comes with 2 salads... do they want you to share? -OK, lets split a meal since it sounds like the portions are huge. -Wait, a cabbage salad and a lettuce one? -This cabbage salad tastes like vinegar. -There is a lot of ranch on the lettuce, maybe we should mix them to dull the vinegar taste of the cabbage. -Much better. -Man this cheese bread is greasy. I feel like I need a cup of soapy water to help wash it down. -OH foods here! How nice, the split it into seperate plates. They even cut the rib eye in half and split the potato in half too. -There is SO MUCH BUTTER on the potato. Where are the chives, sour cream, etc? -Rice tastes like rice a roni. -Rib eye was cooked perfectly. Kind of bland though. -I guess that was not bad, oh, the bill is here. -WAIT WHAT THE F???? A SEVEN DOLLAR SPLIT PLATE FEE? -Let me see the menu, is there a split plate fee there? NOO?? -Did they say anything to you about splitting the plate being extra? NO??? -Did they give us more sides? No, the split everything in half, including the potato. Maybe a little more rice. IS THAT WORTH 7 F'ing dollars? -UGH. This already medicore meal just got disgusting. _________________- Never going back. A 7 Dollar split plate fee is insane, especially since they give you absolutely no notice before hand. Plus, the food was about sizzler quality.
(1)Shaké K.
What happened to this place? My friend and I would come here often for the amazing salad, bread and baked potato. After moving to the east coast and coming to LA for a visit, I was really looking forward to coming here and having my salad fix, especially since I couldn't stop in during my last visit. Well let me start off with the "blue cheese" salad. Blue cheese was nowhere to be found anywhere. It was more of a watered down ranch salad. We asked the waitress and she said it's a blue cheese ranch dressing....um why?.....Moving on, the cheese bread was more of a burned parmesan and garlic bread and the purple cabbage salad was the same I think (I never cared for it so I never paid much attention to it lol). I ordered the filet medium well and it was perfectly cooked. No complaints there. However, the infamouse cheese butter that comes with the baked potato had no flavor at all and the rice that the meal came with had a very weird flavor to it that was not good. I don't know what happened but I wish they'd go back to all of their old recipes. It just seems like they're trying to cut cost by skimping on ingredients which will only result in driving customers away vs. Keeping them.
(2)Tad K.
Place is still as good as ever! Went with some out of town family for their first visit. Great service, fantastic salads and bread. I will say the pricing has crept up over the years, but still a fantastic meal. Went with the Special platter, that consists of Steak chunks, three large scallops, fried chicken, rice pilaf and a HUGE baked potato. Gotta go with the Cheese butter for the spud. Steak cooked perfectly, scallops done just right - another winner dinner! Thanks!
(5)Evan F.
I have to be honest, North Woods has taken a downward spiral down the toilet. I feel like they used to use sour dough for their cheesy butter bread, and now they use crappy white bread. In addition, the entrees were awful the past two times I've been there. The ribs tasted like they were boiled in water a few days before and they slipped them into the microwave to warm them up. I don't even want to talk about the fish. Yeah, I understand if you want good fish then don't go to Northwoods, but the fish was bad. Bad as in gone bad. And if the fish is awful then why would they have it on the menu? And why would it cost $30? Not worth the money you spend to go there. Not worth going at all. Want a steak? Even if you don't have a membership, buy a Costco card and buy three steaks there ... all for less than you'd spend taking your family to North Woods.
(1)Laura W.
Went there tonight for my husbands birthday,, Our waitress Rachel M. was very sweet she recognize us right away from a previous time and ask if was a special occasion...As usual the food was great.. We shared the Sea food platter. Everything was cooked perfect... Rachel made sure we had a wonderful dinner and even surprised my husband with Happy Birthday and Orange sherbet... Thank you! We will definitely be asking for Rachel the next time we go...
(5)Colette Y.
Had an amazing experience with our water Peter. He was extremely friendly and very attentive. I would come back just to have him as a waiter again! The place was extremely cute and made me feel like I'm at big bear! Would definitely come again.
(5)Bryan M.
This has always been my favorite place to eat at for my birthday as a kid. I decided to spend Valentine's Day here with my girlfriend. From their salad to their cheese bread, food is always great here! We had a reservation for 9:30pm and was seated well before our promised time. Our server Vicente was friendly and on top of everything! We both had the Lobster and Filet Mignon and left with plenty to eat the following day! We'll be back here again very soon!
(5)Russell M.
Pleasantly surprised tonight. Usually the service is horribly slow but we had a waitress named Cacey who was fast, friendly, and anticipated our needs such as not having to ask to refill beverages. Pricing is still a little high but the ambience of the interior I believe helps justify it.
(4)Orlando Z.
It had been12 years since I had frequnted this delightful establishment. I was pleasantly surprised to see that not much had changed. I decided to return and this time bring my beautiful girl. The food was as amazing as it was the first time I went, if not better. As everyone knows, the dining experience has to be as pleasant as the food and drinks. Our server, Kim made sure that our experience was nothing short of superb. She was very gracious and very prompt. We will be visiting Clearman's more often knowing that their product and level of service is above and beyond expectation.
(5)Clay C.
Ok by the two star we were not happy with the experience. If a customer buys the steak and crab for 65.00 and it is not cooked to order DON'T recook the steak they just took a bite out of! Please give them a new steak as it was your mistake. Mistakes happen and if you order medium and it's is blue in the center cook the customer a new steak.The cheesy bread is always good but do yourself a favor and buy a jar to go. This place used to be great. We waited over one hour for a table that was vacant the whole time we we're waiting. This table was at the front door where we were able to view the receptionist look clueless and read down a list one by one with out any consideration to small parties or the tables available.We also watched them lose about half the of the people waiting for a table because the front desk could not think on their feet. Then the manager who we had not seen in all the time that we've been waiting finally managed to come to the front desk and actually (Serious here) walk around in circles. From my point of view there are two shames here. 1.The management company running this place doesn't seem to know what they are doing ,obviously paying their help too little. COME ON! The front desk person should be paid to think on their feet so you don't loose half your customers that could have been seated 2. The servers suffer not making as much money as they could with people not being seated because of inept management! People waited and left.Why would you have a receptionist who could just read a list one at a time and not think things out work on a Saturday night ? This is the managers fault! That being said our server Arnie was wonderful but you can't rely on the waiters who actually have an incentive to do a good job(tips) to make up for corporate's bad decisions. I think it is time to really stop going to corporate run restaurants
(2)George E.
If you haven't been here in awhile I have good news. When you order an entree you can replace the rice with fresh vegetables. What a great change. I always order the hamburger steak. I would never eat all the rice. Now I order the vegetables. Carrots, cauliflower and broccoli. I got some cheese sauce to pour on the veggies. Magnificent. First time I ever cleaned my plate. Bravo! Can't wait to go again.
(5)Louel L.
Oh I fucking love this place. Where else can you eat in San Gabriel Valley that has a wintery cabin feel? The roof is covered in faux snow. I felt like I was in Santa's Village. I literally slid down it on my stomach. If you haven't tried it, you should. The inside was dark. But like a good dark. Lighting dim enough to hide imperfections. So this would be a good place to take dates if they weren't true lookers. The light that was present illuminates the good ass food. And 95% of everything I've tried there was awesome. The cheese bread.... Mmmmmm... The salad... WTF, how is that so good?! And the meat!!!! I've just died and gone to heaven thinking of how good it was. But the calamari is just sad. Tasted like I was the only one to order it in months, so they had to thaw it out and cook it in the same grill they make the fries next door. But the rest of the food is plentiful so whatever. Anyway, go back to slide on the roof. You get pretty good speed. Disclaimer: I didn't tell you to do that.
(5)Jose C.
This is a really good place if you are looking for a homely steak house. The decor is outdoorsy and the people for the most part are friendly. The only reason I did not give 5 stars is because they don't always cook their steaks with how you order. Other than that I love their potato skins, salad, and cheese bread! Yumm.
(4)Stephanie S.
An old school classic! They don't make places like this anymore. From the log cabin building to the fake snow on the roof, this restaurant is true gem. It was a really big deal when my parents use to bring us here when we were little. We would have to wait for our table, so my parents would get us Shirley Temples, and we would sit at a table in the bar, and crack peanuts, and throw the shells on the floor with all the sawdust. When seated you get a basket of the greasiest cheese bread (u can buy the spread in most markets now!), and 2 salads, one with homeade blue cheese and the other a marinated cabbage, and I speak from experience when I say to mix them! Or you can do what my husband does, and wrap them both up with the greasy bread, and have yourself a "white guy taco".....btw he thinks you can also make "white guy tacos" at Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles. The complex where it's located has changed alot, they used to have the "Galley" AKA The Boat to locals, but much as changed. Ok......I'm starting to date myself, and get stuck in memories...go enjoy it, and then go home, because it is really yummy AND greasy! and you will want to chill!
(5)D B.
This place is for US- locals only! If you are a health nut, if you didn't grow up on Cheese bread and throwing peanut shells on the floor and you don't like to spend money then don't bother coming here. This is for everyone who enjoys not watching their weight, who remembers going to a restaurant and have a good time in a restaurant that is not a cookie cutter franchise. The best dishes are obviously the cheese bread, the filet mignon, and the Mahi Mahi, yes I said the Mahi Mahi. It is good too. But for all the SGV locals have your peanuts and throw them on the floor too. Some places are not for everyone.
(5)