SECO New American

This place is so SO good!
Came in without a reservation for Father’s Day and we were quickly accommodated. Service was friendly and quick.
Everything we ordered was amazing. From the drinks, to the appetizers to the entrees, all of it came out in a timely fashion.

This is a place we will come back to again for sure. We decided to check this place for lunch and it didn’t disappoint. It’s a little cozy spot tucked away from the street. The menu has a lot of great choices to choose from and the drinks are good if you wanted something other than beer or wine. I ordered the Lobster Roll sandwich that I must say I loved and might order again if I don’t go for the Kale Salad next time. :-)
Also the staff was very friendly and accommodating and that’s a BIG plus in my book.

They know what they are doing. Since my last review they have put together a great eating and socializing experience. Food and service are consistent and exceptional. Hats off to their adjustments over the past few months.
My friends and I have been impressed with the changes.

For a first time experience, I really loved everything about choosing the Happy Hour here with my friends.
The ambiance was truly beautiful! The service was amazing and the scrumptious bites we ordered were beyond description!
I specifically enjoyed an artichoke appetizer, while others had the tacos and flatbreads from a specials menu that included reduced prices on wine, beer and we’ll drinks too!
Note the pictures taken.

We went there for Pasadena restaurant week. My husband and 2 friends ordered the pre-​fixe dinner menu for $ 35. I ordered mussels and fries for $ 20.
The ‘steak’ was 3 slices of steak.
The service was good but the food was ok. I was a bit disappointed.

I went today during Pasadena Restaurant Week. I ordered the appetizer and burger. The meat was fresh, juicy, and delicious. Service was great. Our server was so attentive. I’ll return to try other items on the menu.

I went here with my mother. We had poppers (relax — chili peppers with cheese, not something ilicit (sp), besides I’m a square); fish tacos; and ravioli (me) and pizza (mom). We liked everything!
I thought the food was four stars, but I’m throwing an extra one here because the staff was incredible. They got my ravioli order wrong but promptly exchanged it and then took it off the bill without any questions. I love places that proactively try to look out for consumers. United Airlines could sure take note.

The place is pretty relaxing. We sat outside for my bf’s bro’s birthday. I got the brick chicken. It had a very interesting taste. It was tolerable but I wished that I had ordered something different. My bf got the steak. It was overly seasoned that the outside was salty as shit. The center was great, like most medium rare steaks are. but they need to tone it down with the seasoning.
The service was ok. We were a large party. Occupied two tables. One of the tables had a table attached to it, but at a lower level. We sat there because we my boyfriend and I were the last ones to arrive… so we got the kiddie table. We felt kinda irritated that they served the two tables bread and kinda ignored us. I had to call a server and ask for some bread. We were barely asked about how our experience was while the other two tables were getting more interaction from the servers. While I understand that this maybe because they were ordering more, it would have been nice if he they checked on us as well. So we kinda felt a bit neglected there.
I have no complaints about the setting. It was nicely decorated and lit well enough to take decent selfies but not so much that you’d feel like you’re in a library bout to study some serious shit.
It’s worth a try. Will we be coming back? Eh, i’ll think about it. Price was decent though.

I loved this spot when it was Crocodile Café; hated it when it was Café 140. Tried today… wow! The lobster roll was just about perfect. Butter crisped (really beautifully crisped) roll packed with lobster that was just barely sauced with lemon aioli. Yummm! I chose the kale salad… by far the best kale salad I have ever had. mixed with peanuts, mint and a touch of jalapeño in a honey soy dressing. My friends ordered grilled salmon on a bed of greens and were delighted. I will be back often for the lobster roll. When that is on the menu I never venture far.
Our server, Dina, was terrific… there when needed but never obtrusive. Hope Secco does well but since it is part of the Arroyo Chop House/​Parkway Grill, I expect it will.

Tried this place on a Monday to avoid lines and got free 90minute parking at the nearby lot just south of the restaurant. Service was quick and friendly.
We started off with the free white bread which was good! I prefer Molasses bread, but it was a nice start to the appetizers. We got their Stuffed Shishito poppers (chorizo, goat cheese, manchego, and remoulade) which was a nice and not too heavy appetizer.
For the meals we ended up trying two of their sandwiches (Seared Ahi Tuna Sandwich, and Maine Lobster Roll) along with their Fettuccini with Grilled Chicken. All were good but nothing fantastic. What stood out were their side of Kale Salad (with nuts and small amounts of jalepeno to add spice) — probably the best I’ve had (especially since I feel it’s hard to mask the bitterness of kale).
Overall a good place to go for good food. Price is on the higher end of middle-​range. Definitely worth a try– especially if you like Kale Salad!

Came here for lunch, not knowing what to expect. I had walked by this place so many times, but never felt compelled to come in. Although the firepit outside looked very cute and cozy to hang out by at night!
Well, let’s just say there are no lunch specials and you better be feelin’ fancy because the prices aren’t budget friendly. The burgers were $ 15-​$ 18, salads were in the same range (maybe some were much cheaper) and so forth. A lobster roll would have put you back $ 20+. Ouch!
I ended up scrolling through Unilocal until I found something that looked delicious, so I ordered the club sandwich with a side of fries. This is a 3 layer sandwich with avocado, bacon, avocado, tomato, lettuce, cheese and what I almost thought was tuna but was actually chicken in a creamy sauce.
Overall, FILLING. Tasty flavors, messy to eat. What really got me was that after tax and tip, this meal was close to $ 20. Was that club a $ 20 sandwich? NOPE.
Not the best deal. Decent food, but not to justify the pricetag.

with new more restaurants like sugar fish in same center parking lot was more filled
service was excellent
the kale salad was great, a couple of sandy bites
very minty, not the biggest fan of the mint
my daughter got the cheese pizza, killed it
my wife got the standard burger, very flavorful, but a little too much mayo
i got the lobster roll, it was very good
our table was too close to the bar, there were some loud women cackling nearby
i just wish people were considerate of their foul language when kids are close… no class
of all the smith brother’s establishments, the cheapest
the least complex
but the most kid friendly
would come back

My boyfriend and I came here for our 2016 Valentine’s Day dinner and I had made reservations about a week and a half prior to. This place does get packed and if you come for a fancy or popular occasion I’d recommend making reservations just because it’s easier.
Parking is located in the back and if you come Monday through Saturday you get the first 90 minutes free and pay for anything before 7 pm. After that and Sundays are free. Ironically we also went to Abricott the night before at 7 pm and parked in the same back lot — it does get packed but is fairly large enough for you to find something — just be sure to arrive a little earlier.
SECO will hold reservations until 15 minutes after the time and will release them afterwards.
Together we ordered:
Lobster bisque (⁵⁄₅) — I’m not even usually a lobster person but this was pretty darn delicious
Caesar salad (³⁄₅) — tasted like it came in a bag from Albertsons
Wilted spinach and garlic (³⁄₅) — I could’ve made something similar at home
Creamy mashed potatoes (⁵⁄₅) — I would say this by far stole the show. I’m salivating thinking about it right now mmm
Wood oven roasted chicken (⁵⁄₅) — also delicious. It’s pretty big so I’d recommend sharing
Service was pretty solid for a busy night but overall I was pretty happy with our experience here. We’ll definitely be back one day for maybe lunch.

These five stars are really about our server, Dina. I came in with a client for a business lunch, she is perfect – professional and personable. She knows when to approach and when not to. The last few times I’ve been during the week, Dina hasn’t been there. Wish she was there every week day.

Our company comes here for lunch almost few months because of the walking distance from the office. They have a great outdoor patio facing Lake Ave. This place has been remodeled few times now it looks more spacious.
I usually order the Penne Arrabiata along side a soup of the day (chicken tortilla). The pasta is a bit spicy made with Italian sausages and red bell peppers.
Lobster roll is not sushi in case you wondering. Its a huge lobster sandwich.
Customer service is attentive and overall very accommodating.

I had lunch at Seco for the first, and only time on 12÷30÷15.
The burger was okay. It would have been good if it hadn’t been swimming in condiments. The fries were great!
So, why only one star? While they were bringing me another iced tea, I noticed something brown floating around in my cup. I thought it was a tea leaf. I took my straw and removed (not a tea leaf) A Roach!!! Enough said…
Yuck!!!

I went here for a work lunch and got a kale salad as a starter and the penne ariabata as an entrée. The kale salad was AMAZING! Has a bit of a kick, but it made it super special! I recommend this for lunch! Yum!

Weird how so many restaurants will ask you to leave cause you’ve been there «too long,» even if you’re still getting stuff… I mean, I’d get it if there aren’t tables available but there were two neighboring ones right next to us that had been empty the entire time! Whatevs… ok, ok, just let us finish the last of our wine and we’ll bounce. No need to come back three times.
We were initially off to a mostly good start — ordered two cocktails and, despite getting one wrong, they quickly acknowledged their mistake and replaced the drink w the correct one — no biggie. Enjoyed the kale salad which actually tasted lots better than it looks. Plus, the have a nice covered patio to enjoy the outdoors-​ish space and still stay warm. All good.
Other oddity: the ridic amount of signage by the bathrooms. Two doors, two bathrooms should be limited to two signs, not four — esp when u serve alcohol! Lol men/​women + men? And men/​women+ women… Seems like all of these just means pick a door and tinkle.
Happy hour starts at 430 but it’s at the bar only so we never got to see how exciting it is. Ohhhh well. I’d prob still come back if other places were too crowded but prob not first choice otherwise. I mean, why risk being rushed out. No spank u.

A friend and I made NYE reservations here for a nice dinner before heading to bed (old lady here). Look, I’m not lying… This was by FAR my best meal of 2015. What have I been doing with my life!!! Yeah I met my husband this year, got promoted, blah blah blah… Most notable: I ate at seco!
The bread was great, artichokes delicious. They really just don’t miss a beat here! I had the NYE special ribeye. I need you to make this an everyday special. Steak perfect, sides good, steak perfect, sauce fabulous… Omg did I mention the damn steak?! I feel like I finally know true love. Thank you Seco… I will be back. I will marry that ribeye. I’m sorry to my boyfriend…

Best kale salad ever! Reminds me of of the taste of Vietnamese spring rolls. Very lite and fresh! Don’t under estimate this salad. Very filling.
Their sirloin steak soup was pretty good!

We ate here for Christmas Eve dinner. It was nicely decorated. I parked at Trader Joes and walked too far!) The drinks are absolutely delicious. The Flying Pair is a delicious pear drink that tastes close to lychee. Our reservation was 30 min late but the owner was generous enough to buy us a round of drinks.
The waitress had a bit of attitude with us for some reason. We had a party of 11 and the service was still good. My ahi sandwich had an overwhelming flavor of horseradish and was a bit overcooked. I loved the bread and kale salad.

AMBIANCE
We sat in the back patio in front of a tabletop fireplace… loved it! Didn’t feel the coldness due to the patio being covered by plastic maintaining a comfort level of heat while not compromising the street view.
SERVICE
Tifanny greeted us at the front door and sat us immediately after offering several options (they do have a bar). Walking in is a bit crowded but since they seat you immediately is not a problem.
We sat for 8 minutes prior to having our waitress finally greet us. She was apologetic and sweet. We know that it wasn’t her fault she wasn’t told we were there, besides we were sitting further away from her than her other tables… not her fault at all! Her service was wonderful! I believe her name was Elizabeth? I apologize, I could be wrong. She treated us to dessert at the end of our meal as an apology. Not necessary since it wasn’t her fault she wasn’t told we were waiting for her. But greatly appreciated.
FOOD
hmmmmmm…menu offered a small variety of foods that sounded delicious. Salads, burgers, pizza (wood fire baked), pasta… appetizers– great variety!
I ordered the trip tip and my friend ordered the pasta-​fettuccine. My steak was drenched in BBQ sauce! Probably tom hide the fact it was old and dried up steak! I was super hungry so I rubbed off the bbq and ate it. THIS IS TOTALLY NOT ME. I normally would send the plate back but I was very very hungry!
My friend loved the flavor in his fettuccine. Flavorful and lived the different chili based sauce it was served in.
The bread was amazing! Super crisp on the exterior and fluffy & warm in the inside! Loved it!!! We had seconds!
I had sparkling water (designated driver!) & my friend had two glasses of cognac which he greatly enjoyed! (Great selection of drinks – beer, wines, mixed drinks)
So if we seemed to enjoy this place so much why the poor review??? I’m glad you asked!
Because we spent the rest of the night with diarrhea well into the next day! I finally went to sleep at 4am and I had to get up at 7am (kiddies). NOT FUN! My friend was constipated and felt extremely bloated! Hahaha! oooooh boy it wasn’t fun! The worst $ 100 he ever spent!
Well. Let’s just say we don’t care to eat out for a while now. It’s truly sad because I always cook and this was a nice treat to get out with a wonderful friend and enjoy adult time. Perhaps I’ll make certain and read reviews next time like I usually do. My friend had been wanting to try this restaurant for some time so I didn’t look in Unilocal like I usually do. BIIIIG MISTAKE!
OK then. I’m off to replenish on toilet paper! Ciao! If you decide to give this place a try better go home soon after you eat! Just sayin’! But honestly, in hope you have a better experience if you give in to trying SECO.

Seco is great! I needed to book a holiday luncheon for work that was able to accommodate 35 – 40 people, and was having a difficult time UNTIL I came across Seco. I worked with Cristina to hammer out all of the details, and throughout the process she was very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. They have several menu options (prix-​fixe for large groups), and a beautiful patio (with heat lamps if it’s chilly) that seats a large group if needed.
During our luncheon, our server, busser, and the manager on duty were so nice, timely, and extremely helpful. Not to mention, the food was delicious!!!
I will definitely be back to dine throughout the year, and will certainly use Seco again next year for our business event needs. Thanks Seco!

Been here many times. I think they have finally found the right combination of food, drink, and customer.
Staff is personable and friendly and the food is more consistent and diverse than it was 6 months ago. Hope the positive changes continue. Love the Artichoke appetizer. Nice crowd.

Not bad, just a little boring and lacking that something extra.
The whole vibe just sorta reminds me of a CPK or Cheesecake Factory. Everything is just fine, just the tiniest step above «typical’. But nothing stands out. The kind of food that you love to steal when it’s somebody’s leftovers, but you’d probably opt for something else if you were heading out for dinner.
Service is friendly, but I feel like they try a bit too hard to be «classy». Then again, that’s sort of the case with all of the Smith Brothers’ joints (Smitty’s, Arroyo Chop House, Parkway), so I’m not surprised. They’ve dialed down the pretense a tiny bit here, but you can still sense it, which is a bit annoying.

This place is very nice, especially outside sitting area, the fire pit is beautiful to sit next to with a girlfriend; however the food really really sucks. I am sorry but you have to redo your food menu. It’s very plain and tasteless, and super expensive.
The service is very good. Design and service wise I give you 5 stars but food I give you 1 star

Another gem of the Smith Brother’s Corp., SECO New American benefits from a prime location on Lake, with patio seating that is second to none.
Their menu is just as wonderful, overflowing with sumptuous tastes and delicious flavor combinations. You can’t go wrong with the Kobe burger, and they have a healthy selection of wines available too. I’ve been on a bit of a beer craze lately, so while their beer options are not as varied, there is just enough to keep you satisfied.
Good service, ample parking nearby, and you are excellently located in the heart of the Lake Street business district — which amounts to perfect streets to roam after your meal.
I can’t find a single thing I didn’t like about this restaurant, which is a roundabout way of saying I thoroughly enjoyed it :)

Stopped by here yesterday for a very late lunch with my husband (meetings for us had run over and we were starving). This was our second visit (our first was for dinner around xmas time).
Parking: There is a garage behind, but if you want to walk a little, there’s a lot next door that the first 2 hours are free (on Shopper’s Lane).
We walked in and because it was an odd time (around 2:30pm) it was pretty empty. We opted to sit at the bar area at a high table.
We were immediately greeted by friendly server and ordered a Honig Sauvignon Blanc & Moscow Mule (yes, they have a full bar). Server brought drinks quickly, as well as, hot fresh bread. Bread was devoured quickly.
Food:
Stuffed Shishito Poppers: Fried & stuffed with Chorizo & goat cheese and served with a remoulade sauce. Unhealthy, but very good
Ahi Tuna Salad: I really liked this. A little heavy on the miso vinaigrette, so I would ask for less dressing next time.
Cuban Sandwich: Husband ordered this and he and I both liked it.
While eating, the manager stopped by to check on us.
This was the same experience I had the last time I was here, and both times we’ve had great service and great food.

This was a surprisingly nice restaurant to eat at! for dineLA or for lunch! Located on Pasadena with a nice balcony patio area to sit at to enjoy the nice sun and light breeze on a beautiful day! The inside was pretty too :) Decorated with flower bushes
Oysters on a half shell: these oysters were so small but so good! I personally like small oysters! Served with this citrus-​light sauce to dip in it. It was just so perfect to eat on a hot day! very refreshing.
Tomato basil soup: just plain dark red tomato basil soup. nothing too special about it. perfect light creamy texture to the soup.
SECO club sandwich: this was so tall and big but so good! i personally love sandwiches that have many NEAT layers to it! avocado, bacon, salami, avocado, lettuce, mayonnaise, cheese. it was so good! and the bread is perfectly lightly toasted! we had a choice of sides and chose french fries for this! just mediocre plain thin french fries served with ketchup on the side.
Filet mignon burger: this was SO DELICIOUS! the filet mignon was 8oz and it was so savory, so juicy, so flavorful, so good! perfect medium rare. served with white provolone cheese. SO GOOOOOOOD. !!! we had a choice of sides and my friend wanted mashed potatoes. the mashed potatoes were served in this cute black iron pot. the mashed potatoes were perfectly creamy and light and good! not too heavy or salty
Pros:
–friendly service — very attentive
–nice patio area with small flowers and green plants on the walls and on the fences — pretty good place to come for lunch on a sunny saturday day.
–dineLA lunch and dinner
Cons:
–street parking may be hard to find. good luck on the nearby meter parking area that is right in front of the restaurant too!

Love the location. Came in during Dine LA winter after shopping on Lake. Soup was great! Flavorful and really hit the spot. Sandwich was good. Lots of layers of flavor.
Service was great. Lunch menu had lots to offer.

I recently came here for a cocktail hour event – I didn’t eat dinner.
I enjoyed my experience at Seco and would return. The event was beer, wine and well liquor. I ordered a Manhattan and the bartender went to many steps to make this drink perfect for me when I wasn’t even paying. Loved the finish at the end of lighting the orange peel on fire and rubbing it on the drink rim. Adds an amazing layer of flavor and depth to the drink.
There were finger appetizers at the event so I sampled the fries and a taco. Everything was delicious! I really appreciated that their homemade chips are not too soggy or salty… They strike the perfect balance.