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Very cool place to get a very cool meal. Lets recap shall we. Meat (sheppard pie style) wrapped in a delicious pastry, how can you do wrong? This is a must try if you like trying non-corporate America and enjoy eating artisan food. Chicken or beef they are both great, you gotta try these meat pies.
Oh, it is love..
I've eaten every type of pasty here in like 2 days....so yummy, filling, and cheap! There is a lot of potato in the meat ones but it's understandable. The cherry and apple pasties are amazing....didn't care for peach...too sweet and pulpy. Definitely give it a try....they're convenient for work and come frozen too...
whoever said english food was bad clearly never had a pasty...or at least one from here :)
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I didnt even know what a pasty was until my visit to this spot. Bought myself a small chicken and beef since i was starving. These are good and very filling. Cooked and ready to go so no waiting around is involved.
You can't see the sign off katella since parking is tucked in an alley. I don't find these tasty enough to make the drive but if youre ever stuck at Los Alamitos Med Ctr take the stroll over to this place.
Just a side note if I'm craving a pasty I would much rather waste the carbs on an empanada from red ribbon
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The Pasty Kitchen is delicious. The menu is small and consists of chicken, beef and veggie pastys...there are kind of like hand held pot pies. They are easy to eat on the go, they keep well in the fridge if you want to buy some for lunch the next day and they are always fresh. I remember trying this place when I was in college and loving it and I've continued to come here ever since then. The pastys are cheap, less than 2 dollars for a small. It's usually the same two dudes working there. One making the pastys, the other serving them to you. It's always quick and easy. If you've never been here, the Pasty Kitchen is not a restaurant, it's basically just a grab and go kind of place but there are tables outside and there is parking behind the spot in the back. If you're in the neighborhood of this place, do yourself a favor and give it a try.
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3 different types of pasties... Beef, chicken and veggie. Sides include coleslaw, potato and macaroni salad. All very good! Great prices, nice people, already ready with no waiting. And frozen portions are available too for later.
Mmm.
Tastes just like London.
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They have a small private lot in the back that they share with two other businesses but there's plenty of street parking around this area. If you don't mind walking 3/4s of a block, you can just park in the neighborhood as well. They also have outdoor seating to eat your pasties if you can't wait.
Affordable, filling, flavorful, delicious!
And goes really well with an ice cold beer.
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I've got to say, Pasty Kitchen has definitely won me over. Not only did they rescue me from my deep state of hunger, but.. 1) the menu was small and easy to choose from, 2) the pastys are ready so there is no wait after ordering, and 3) they were delicious! I had a chicken and beef pasty. I would definitely recommend this place for a quick bite on the run. They come in small or large and are easy to just pick up and eat on the go. No mess, no fuss! Everything about this place pleased me.
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I was so excited to try Pasty Kitchen after reading all the great reviews, but have to say I was somewhat disappointed.
The chicken pasty is pretty good. I liked the little pieces of potatoes and the moistness of the pasty. If all the pasties here were the standard of the chicken pasty, I would give this place 3-4 stars.
But the beef pasty tasted weird .... strangely over-flavored without any depth, like they used lots of beef bouillon or something. The veggie pasty was kinda stinky from the soggy broccoli.
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I tried The Pasty Kitchen today while I was on my dinner break for work. It was kind of awkward when I first walked into the place because the two guys working there were the only people there and they were just staring at me. I quickly ordered a chicken pasty, a peach turnover and a soda. My total was $5 bucks which isn't too bad. Because I was the only one there, the service was extremely quick. My pasty was fresh from the oven and was full of chicken and potatoes which I really liked. The peach turnover was okay and i wish I had just ordered two chicken pasties instead. Later on at work, I began craving another pasty filled with goodness.
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If I ever go to England, I'm sure my diet will consist of pasties and Indian food. Get that black pudding away from me.
For those with deviant minds, no, there are no burlesque dancers here. I think I spent a good ten minutes explaining to my sister why it's called "pasty" as in "folks who don't tan" instead of, oh, I don't know, "meat pie".
They only take cash and checks. So I whipped out my checkbook, jotted down as much as I could to speed up my purchase and got myself a small beef pasty, my sister a small veggie one, and an apple turnover to give to my mom when we got home. Everything was wrapped in paper and dropped into a little brown lunch sack.
While pasties aren't quite an everyday meal (for those who subsist on Big Macs, switch over!), I thought the beef pasty tasted healthy and hearty. Well, as healthy as healthy can be if you think about the simplcity of the ingredients. No chemicals or perservatives. It tasted like a plain beef stew without the broth. Just beef, potatoes and carrots. Well, I hope. *is reminded about Sweeney Todd again*
I actually liked the veggie pasty much better. A lot more flavorful. Reminded me of my mom's soy sauce chicken stewed with greens. Definitely going to go with that next time.
As for the apple turnover, my mom gave me half of hers. It was a gelatinous mess--the huge apple chunks were drifting in a sea of goo. Now, I'm going to admit something: I, Sandy, love McDonald's apple pies. And you know what? I just realized there wasn't any cinnamon in the apple turnover. What in the world? How do you make an apple dessert without cinnamon? Can you believe the absurdity of the very notion? I really wanted to try the cherry turnover, but my guess is that it's going to look like I got stabbed: congealed-cherry-blood all over my clothes and dribbling down the sides of my mouth.
A note on the crusts: I saw some other reviewers mention that the crusts are pretty soft. Which I don't mind. I wouldn't mind a crispy/flaky crusty either, but I'm not too keen on a congregation of crust flakes taking over my clothes and only to find out when someone tries to guess at what I had for lunch. Did I mention I like soggy fries? I need me some In'n'Out.
Other than that, I watched Sweeney Todd a few months back and you can bet I'll be trying to drag the friends I went to watch that with to the Pasty Kitchen.
+ Very filling, delicious, and simple meal for under two dollars!
- Apple turnover. :(
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I like meat. I like pastries. MMm so I thought why not stop by to pick a couple up since I always pass this place by on the way to the 605 fwy. I ordered the beef and chicken pasty. I thought these were just okay. I wasn't expecting so much potato in each one that I couldn't really tell the difference between the 2 meat pasties. I felt like it needed a little extra kick, so I added some Cholula and I was good to go.
It is worth a try, but if I needed to hit a pastry/meat craving, I'd go for a chicken pie from Chinese bakeries, empanadas, or something from The Cravery.
Simple and cheap - the perfect quick pick-up on your lunch hour (I make it a routine stop if I've got errands to run on my lunch). I haven't tried much outside of the 'standard' chicken, beef, or vegetarian stuffed pastries, but they're all good. That and a soda and I'm set for the day.
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I have been coming here for some of these tasty baked pastries since I was but a wee lad. With new ownership now in the right hands, it is time for everyone to come back here. The beef Pasty is my Favorite. Which one is yours??
Wow these things are amazing, especially on a chilly day like this. The pies are definitely hearty. I ordered 1 large beef and 1 large chicken pie with a side of chicken gravy. My brother and I shared the both of them so that we could each get a sampling. Let's say that I could never eat an entire large pasty. These things are definitely hungry man size. These pies are so good with gravy on top.
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This has to be a hidden gem! You would not think much of this place from the outside but boy you are missing out to pass this one up! These meat pies are amazingly good and inexpensive! Order either a chicken or beef and get the gravy to accompany it! All the food is ready to go sitting in an oven for you! Don't feel like eating at their outdoor seating? Buy 4 frozen ones and get 1 free and make them at home.
Pros: Great taste for cheap and very fast service
Cons: None
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Came here on Saturday since I was in the area...kinda of...okay fine, I wasn't. I saw the reviews and I went out of my way to eat here o.o Darn you for getting the truth out of me *shakes fist* And they do NOT accept credit cards =( Good thing there was a WaMu around the corner. There was no way I was leaving that area without a pasty after I smelled what I smelled =d~
ANYWAYS! I got one each of the savory pasties and one each of the sweet ones. I contemplated getting gravy with that but I didn't want to seem too much of a pig O=)
Veggie: It tasted okay but I like my veggies a tad crunchy and not...mush =T And the beans made it kind of dry x_X
Chicken: A tad dry but nice flavor. I guess the gravy would've been helpful here ;P
Beef: *salivates* This thing was yummers =d~~~
Apple: My bf stole this...so no review from me =( Though, I don't like cooked apples so...
Apricot: This was okay, not very speicial.
Cherry: ...O...M...G...=d!!! It's not as tart as other cherry desserts =d
I agree that the crust was a tad soft but I popped one of those into the toaster oven later and waited for the crust to brown a bit more. Came out tasting fantastic! I really like their crust. It's buttery and flaky when you get it browned right =d
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Cheap and convenient to eat lunches. Its a freakin handheld chicken pot pie without the super hot oozing gravy, which you can get on the side. I love this place, its cheap and very filling.
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This is the type of place you could easily pass on by without giving it a second thought...which I did for a llllong time.
Personally I think the chicken is the bestest...filled with chicken, potatoes, carrots but mostly potatoes. You can even watch these fellas make these wondrous hand held pot pies right before your eyes. Gravy is a must or you may find it a bit on the dry side. Whats a pot pie w/o the gravy???
This is a no frills kinda joint. No place to eat inside but there is a small little seating area around the side. It's great when you're on the run and need a quick bite. Their motto is "no wait...ever" -- well something to that effect.
My only vice (which is why I knocked off one star) is their veggie pasty (filled with beans, carrots, broccoli, etc). The one I had a few weeks back was a bit 'grainy' as if they didn't wash off all the dirt too well from the veggies. Left a horrible after taste.
Nonetheless...their MEAT pasty's are truly to die for. They're sooo good, sooo fresh and soooo cheap! Worth the trip!!
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If only life were this simple and unassuming.
I've never had the gravy but I find both the chicken and beef pasties delicious. I usually eat them while driving. It never occurred me to order a large because the regular size is more than enough for me and I am a hearty eater.
The shop is micro. There is a counter, the ovens and a freezer case. That's it. There might be one table? You leave with warm meat and potatoes goodness in a brown paper sack and know that life, for the moment, is good.
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Simple, compact, cheap, delicious!
I first headed over to The Pasty Kitchen on a recommendation from my friend. I was a little skeptical at first, but being the pot pie fan that I am, decided eventually to give these lil guys a try. Glad I did! What a little gem! Luckily it is on the way to my house so it's not out of the way for me to pop on over. As of today, I've only tried the beef pasty, but I've got aspirations to try the chicken!!! And maybe even a couple of the desert ones. I can imagine it'd be the kind of place I would wanna bring my kids, if I had any. They make the things right in front of you!!! Some of us are easily amused.
A sign on the front window exclaims that there is NO WAITING... given there's no line. All pasties are fresh made and kept warm. Or you can even take home a frozen one for later. I like the little old timey oven right inside the door. Very nice touch.
This is a great little joint and you'll be doing yourself a favor if you stop by!
i miss being able to eat lunch here on a regular basis. this place remains on a list of places i visit when i'm back in ca. not really much else to add to what's been said.. the menu's simple, the food is good and cheap. i'll be back soon.
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Meat, potatoes, and carrots in a crispy crust - smothered with gravy? So humble, yet so bold. So simple, yet so satisfying. So cheap, yet so delicious. So hungry for a pasty right now!
Whenever I'm driving within a five-mile radius of the 605/405 junction, I can feel the steering wheel pulling toward Katella. What is happening? Deep within the steaming crust, the filling is so dense it creates its own gravity! Cannot resist...must go to Pasty Kitchen...must have chicken pie...must have gravy...now. 8-P~
Someday soon...it will happen...all over again. Pasty Kitchen, I'm your bitch forever.
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Ah yes. The Pasty Kitchen. How I remember my long journey through these doors.
For years I had driven by and wondered what this place was. So unassuming. So innocent looking. So....so.........boring. As the years rolled by, I wondered how this place was still in business. I would have sworn that it would have gone under, but it didn't. It's held strong and gains momentum every year. Today, I am a firm believer in the Pasty Kitchen and it is worth its weight in pastry dough, or should I say "pasty" dough?
Meat and potatoes baked in a convenient and tasty pocket. Mix in some gravy and you have an uber fantastic event for the mouth. I'll take the beef over the chicken as the chicken is a bit bland, but it's all good with gravy. Gravy makes everything better. The veggie pasty is also good with interesting seasonings, but I much prefer the beef.
Get the regular sized pockets as the large is big enough for 2-3 people....unless you're a pig like me then it's all for one and one for all, namely ME.
It's not the best but there's something about this place that just gives off that undeniable Olde World feel and that's what keeps me coming back. Sure I'd have better meat pies elsewhere, but the Pasty Kitchen definitely has more of an original feel to it than any other place I've gone to.
Eat on!
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Crisp late afternoon, I sat outside and unwrapped my meat pie. Cars whizzed by, clouds moved above a little slower, and I enjoyed my meat pie, enjoyed it very much. What is this, Yorkminster again? Nope, Los Alamitos, CA!
Small nondescript building, save the fading Pasty Kitchen sign. I went inside, three items only: Beef Pie, Chicken Pie, Vegetable Pie. Ordered one small beef and a cactus cooler, told them I'd be back in a few minutes. Came back in the few and left with a half dozen frozen pies. Dinner for the next week. Yes.
On the drive home, I was so excited I spilled the 79 cent cup of gravy that accompanied my order. Now my car smells like gravy. Which is not a bad thing, I love gravy!
And I love The Pasty Kitchen.
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My Mom makes a kick ass pasty. When I tell people about them they have no clue what the hell I'm talking about. I guess they are really popular up in the boonie BFE areas of Michigan, but most of the rest of the world thinks a pasty are those things strippers put on their boobs. They are pronounced PASS-TEE not PACE-TEE!!
Anyway, I was elated to find out there is little hole-in-the-wall place in Los Alamitos, called The Pasty Kitchen. This place seriously looks like it hasn't changed at all since the 1950s. I was a bit intimidated on my 1st visit. I almost expected a Soup Nazi type experience for ordering wrong, but they are nice and patient at The old Pasty Kitchen. The menu is simple and the prices are very reasonable.
I usually stick with the small beef, but if I'm feeling brave, I get the large. I don't recommend driving or operating heavy machinery after eating a large, because you are in for one massive food coma. You've been warned...
Don't bother with the gravy, get some HP sauce or Malt Vinegar to put on them. Good stuff.
Not as good as Mom's, but a very close 2nd. That is saying alot!!
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I grew up on these meat pies. They are home made, convenient and old school. One small one is enough, chicken or beef, then get a cherry turnover for desert. Worth going out of your way for, but this place is pretty close to the 605 on Katella in my home town of Los Alamitos on the way to Disneyland. It's a Rossmoor tradition. Check it out.
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I drive past The Pasty Kitchen every day on my way to work from Los Alamitos to Cypress. Actually, being on Katella, I pass it all the time going here and there. A friend of mine would regularly comment that he wanted to try it, since he had fond memories of eating them when he was younger. Since I've been on a foodie kick lately (trying new places left and right) we decided to stop there for lunch one day.
Fortunately I did my research and stopped at the bank across the street, since The Pasty Kitchen only takes cash and checks. A friend of mine was not as prepared, so I spotted him for lunch and probably should have held the embarassment and shame over his head for a while.
Parking is treacherous. Ok maybe not treacherous, since you do have options. You can park behind the building, which is always frightening for me, squeezing into a tight one-way entrance in a Dodge Intrepid which is roughly the size of a steamboat. You could also probably park on a side street and walk (which always seems fine until after you stuff yourself and then suddenly your car looks like a speck on the horizon). Or you could park out front on Katella and risk a semi barreling right through your driver's side door as soon as you open it.
Anyway back to the pasties. Walking in is kind of odd because since it's basically just a counter and no wiggle room, you get the distinct feeling that you just walked into a trap. Like a raccoon that just stepped into a cage, except instead of a can of cat food it's a beef pasty, not that I'm saying the beef pasty tasted like a can of cat food. At least I haven't said that yet. I felt a little flustered, since the man behind the counter was staring at us in anticipation, and I did feel kind of dumb spending more than thirty seconds contemplating, since the menu has about three things on it. I ordered two large beef pasties and a large chicken pasty for myself and my friends, they bagged them up and we went outside and sat at the tables at the side of the building.
So.. what can I say about them. I guess this review is too long already for a meat pie made in a 10x10 building. So I'll sum it up. It wasn't very special--I don't know what I was expecting. But it was like someone took a potato, chopped it up, mixed some meat into it, formed it BACK into a potato, and then wrapped it up in crust. It was sort of dry and incongruous with its wrapping, somewhat bland and generally unappealing. I guess my friend liked his because I and my other friend gave him the rest of ours and he gladly took them home.
Chances are I'll never go back there, unless I forget that I've been there before and unwittingly try it again. Not entirely far fetched.
I second Vinnie and that nerdy Hobbit shit- my grown-ass stomach is full to the point where, for the first time in ages, I only ate one of my mom's bomb ass fajitas for dinner without going back for seconds. And now I feel sick to said stomach, and might very well find myself on an epic journey- to the bathroom. To take a shit. My being more full than I have in ages aside, The Pasty Kitchen is awesome. I was in and out of there in under five minutes, got a soda, meat pie, and potato salad for under five bucks, and afterwards, felt like I had gained five pounds in one sitting and would have to sit on the can for five HOURS before eating again.
The meat pies themselves are splendid- tidy, handheld little buggers that are packed to the brim with more meat, potatoes, and veggies than should be possible given the accepted notions of time and space that define reality as we know it. Unless you get the veggie pie, which also defies logic in how much food it crams into a little pastry pocket, but without the meat and potatoes, though that sort of goes without saying.
It's tasty...the service is the very definition of fast...you'll literally have to shit a brick...and a full meal will only set you back five bucks. If you are in the area, stop by, grab a pie, and skip dinner. If you aren't, don't go out of your way- there is no indoor seating, and parking can be a bitch.
Well, off to Middle Earth. To birth a hobbit. Out of my ass. Excuse the lack of subtlety, but this place served up way more food (in such an unbelievably small package) than I anticipated. Which is kind of like how Frodo was way more heroic and stuff than that one dude with the beard anticipated because of his small package, but then he threw the ring into the volcano...like how I'm going to expel my digested meat pies into the toilet! It all makes sense now. Tolkien was a genius!
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Coming from the other parts of OC, I didn't grow up with this place. From the outside, it's super old and seems like they would serve "born yesterday" baked goods.
However, once you get inside, it's a completely different impression. They're baking right in front of you. The beef is, by far, much better than the chicken. At $2.15 a pop, it's damn cheap. Filled with an overload of potaters, carrots, beef and a little bit of gravy. The crust isn't as flaky as I thought it would be, though. A tad bit mushy and needs to be baked for another 5 minutes.
Well, the apple turnover is delish and you can't go wrong with those freshly popped babies!
Good comfort food....in fact i just had one for lunch today.....i had a chicken pasty......in there is chicken, carrots and potato....it comes w/gravy too!!
I remember these from my childhood...so friggin delicious! I recently was in the area for a dental appointment, and was super disappointed that it was still to early to buy pasty's for later. Some day, we will eat again, and I will again feel 8 years old and carefree....
Props for being the only meat pie joint in probably the whole US. But the food wasn't good at all. The beef gravy is horrid, the chicken gravy was alright. The meat pie's just tasted like potatoes.
Grew up on this place's food. I never miss it when I'm back in town. Since my first memories, they've got rid of and brought back their cactus cooler in the drink fridge. I'm not surprised another reviewer had that. I recommend beef pasty with cactus cooler to drink. Also I notice they're open on sundays now. Times change, but hardly much else has changed at this precious neighborhood pasty shop.
Friendly service. Good flaky pastry shell. Ordered 1 each small beef & chicken. Filling was a little bland for my taste.
Holly T's review is spot on. Pasties are great for quick meals. They freeze well and are good re-heated. A little on the bland side, but hey, we're talking English food here. The English aren't exactly known for having great palettes. They're known for drinking a lot and getting into violent street fights.
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OK, I have to caveat this review by saying that I am a vegetarian and did not try all of the meat pies described in the multitude of positive reviews. So, they may be good for carnivores, but vegetarians beware!
I've visited the UK on several occasions and have had very delicious vegetarian pasties there. Thinking of them makes my mouth water! Cold & dreary days and nice, warm pasties seem to go hand in hand. They had so many different types in the UK - ones made with veggie sausage, spicy ones, curry veg ones, etc. Each kind I tried from various little corner shops was delish!
So, I was really, really excited when I saw this shop on Katella. We tried the vegetarian one there and it was seriously inedible! The crust was awful, doughy and mushy. The filling was terrible, it tasted like boiled potatoes mixed with frozen mixed veg and no seasoning. Yuk. Vegetarians should not attempt this place!!!
The only reason I gave them 2 stars was cuz they were really nice.
This may sound strange, but this is one of my most favorite places to eat *ever*. I live in San Francisco almost year round now, but every time I come to Long Beach I make a stop (or two) at the Pasty Kitchen. In fact, I have been known to pack pasties in ice packs and take them on the plane with me. One of my ideal meals is a small chicken pasty and a Cactus Cooler. My best friend also agrees that this is one of the best combinations. Filling, delicious, super cheap, I don't know what more can be said. I've taken just about every one of my friends here -- and visited here pretty often when skipping class in high school.
I second (or third, or whatever) the reviewers who say to buy more than one and take it home to refrigerate it -- I find it's just as good. We usually eat on the patio by the side or in the car on the way home, since we can't wait to eat. The guys who work here are super nice and I'm happy to give them my business. The only problem I have with the Pasty Kitchen is that I have found no suitable substitute in SF... any suggestions will be gladly accepted.
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The Pasty Kitchen serves up one of the best examples of comfort food in the area. The menu is basic chicken, beef or veggie and who doesn't like GRAVY?
I find the beef with the dark gravy to be a bit on the salty side and the chicken with the white gravy to be a bit on the plain side. Your best bet would be to mix the pastys and the sauces...
The Pasty Kitchen is one of those places that you can drive by 100 times before you even notice it but if you pull over and take a cuople home you will not be disapointed.
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Go to Pasty's if you want a super quick cheap meal. My girlfriend and I went to Pasty's last week for the first time and we got 2 small meat pies (chicken and veggie) and a can of soda(they don't have fountain sodas) for just under 5 dollars! It was a great deal and the the food was pretty decent. We can't wait to go there again. I thought the chicken meat pie was a little bland, but the veggie had much more flavor to it. Next time I'll be bold and try the large beef pie. Anyone for a meat pie?? :)
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meat pie. need i say more? i only order the chicken pie and apple pie. one time i ordered the vegetarian pie and promised myself i'd never cheat on chicken again. bleh. the vegetarian tasted like they drained a can of bland vegetable soup and wrapped it in their deliciously good pie. very disappointing. stick with chicken. and the best part, you can buy them frozen so you can enjoy them every day of the week! yeah!
