Happy Trails Catering

I stumbled upon this sweet place and I’m so glad that I did. The garden area and outdoor seating was calling out to me as I walked by, I just couldn’t resist! Came here on a weekday during lunch time but it wasn’t crowded at all. I was able to snag a table right under the big beautiful tree. The scenery felt like it was straight out of a fairytale :) Tried their tomato quiche and kale salad. Great portion for the price ($ 12ish). The kale salad was tosses with lemon dressing and the flavors were light and not too citrusy, which I loved! The filling of the quiche was flavorful and tasted so smooth. Yumm! Thank you for a delicious lunch!

Picked as a maid of honor, I went here today with my best friend, the bride, to look at the venue for her upcoming wedding. Kathy took us around for a tour starting from the kitchen to the back. When you look at the location from outside, you’ll wonder how you’d fit 100+ people in there but you’ll see that their backyard is surprisingly large. The backyard with the big center tree totally took my breathe away, it was absolutely beautiful. There are few great parts of the yard for possible photoshoots with friends/​family. The backyard has all diff types of beautiful flowers and the best part of it was that the string lights were already installed and wrapped around the tree so that extra installment was not necessary. There are cute round lanterns which you can take out or keep for the event. You are free to add extra installments and decorations.
So why the negative rating?
The bride felt like Kathy was too busy talking about her company & rules and didn’t ask enough about what the bride wanted in terms of theme, color, linens, etc. We went to other venues in prior to coming here and they gave us follow ups and was super friendly and helpful, but It felt like Kathy was strictly business. Also the bride felt like Kathy was discouraging her in not going too «crazy with the wedding deco». It’s a once in a life time event… Who wouldn’t want to go all out?
The biggest con to this place is that they use the kitchen as the bride’s changing room and it’s not very appealing nor smells good. The space is really small… Maybe good for 3? people so if you have 4+ bridesmaids, you’ll be stomping on each others dresses. No place to do make up. I could just imagine the hot mess.
Also, there’s only 2 bathrooms. One for male one for female. Kathy said «so you better keep the party small otherwise we’d have to get you portable bathrooms outside» …Classy. But since when did venues suggest brides how many people to invite?
Kathy also mentioned that at 10pm the workers will start cleaning up to let the guests know it’s ending but we felt like that was a bit pushy. Other venues will let us know when to get ready to leave but will NOT start cleaning up until everyone leaves the area which is preferred since the couple doesn’t want their guests to feel like they’re being kicked out.
There’s a valet service for the event which is $ 18 – 20 per car which is pretty ridiculous considering we got offers at a higher end venues with $ 8 – 9 valet parking service.
Don’t be fooled by the pricings online because she’ll give you a complete diff prices in person which is doubled.
I won’t say the price of the whole estimation for the wedding since its different for everyone but to put it in short words, it’s just simply not worth the price for what it is and the inconvenient location. You have to street park if you decide not to have the valet service. I’ve lived in Pasadena for 5 years and unless you’re having your wedding on a weekday, your guests will have hard time finding parking spots (they’re all meters$ btw).

Attended a wedding here as a guest
Venue excels at creating a fantastical garden ambience with a mystical looking oak tree as the center piece. Pre installed string lights further add to this effect at night.
Parking is tough. I’m sure adding valet service will be difficult on some couples, and street parking is not a feasible option for a wedding.
Buffet presentation. It was quite underwhelming to watch guests go through just one table of cuisine. Let’s just say the buffet spread was so small you were worried that you’d be taking dinner from the person behind you if you tried to help yourself.

We loved this beautiful intimate garden setting for our wedding; we got married under the large camphor tree. The setting is so naturally beautiful that we barely added any touches of our own. (Granted, we also were too lazy too and wanted a simple, chill wedding). Place may be a bit difficult to find but this place is a total hidden gem.
Working with Kathy was pretty easy. She sends you a questionnaire and she prices out a proposal for you. About a month or so before the wedding, we were invited along with two other couples to taste our menu. Turned out the other two couples had the same main courses but the tasting was great since we ended changing a few items. Kathy is pretty good about trying to stay w/​in your budget offering different substitutions here and there.
While we loved our food, the one thing I wish we did was order extra food. Some of our guests did not get seconds and were quite hungry at the end of the night. Some guests also did not get much dessert. We had about 155 people so I probably should have ordered food for maybe 170? The garden is pretty small; I think max seating is 200 but we felt 150 was pretty maxed out.
Place is BYOB so we were able to choose what alcohol we wanted to bring. I’m guessing this saved us a ton of money.
We couldn’t be any happier with how our wedding turned out! Thanks Kathy!

4 Stars
Trails will work with you’re budget they are in business to server you’re needs.
Weddings, Anniversary, Home Coming, Birthdays, more. a wide variety of menu items, themed events.
The rating is based on past experience with this catering company with a beautiful facility in Pasadena.

We were considering this venue for our wedding and reception site. We did not end up going with this place so please keep in mind that the review is only for the preliminary planning process.
We liked the garden venue and the location so we decided to attend a tour that Kathy was hosting. The tour was very helpful in assisting us with ideas and logistics, and we liked the look so we decided to request a formal proposal. The proposal came out to roughly $ 210 per person when all said and done, not the $ 120-​$ 130 that is quoted on the website. That price was for a fairly «standard» wedding package, and included valet parking and a dance floor, but did not include alcohol. It is great that they will let you bring in your own alcohol, but you do pay a small per person fee for that. The $ 3,000 site fee seems non-​negotiable, even for Sunday or off-​season events.
The biggest drawback to this venue is the lack of a real bridal changing area. They offer use of the front storefront area but the area is very small and not conducive to any getting ready photos or relaxation.
Overall Kathy the proprietor is very helpful, super responsive, and willing to work with you on pricing, but for us it just ended up being too pricey for our budget so we decided to look elsewhere.

I called for wedding pricing saw the photos online an fell in love with the place! But when I was questioned as to why I chose the day I did, the lady on the phone said, «That’s quite unusual, that’s strange» and there was pause, I don’t appreciate someone’s personal opinion. I didn’t understand that. When I explained why and how it falls in our budget she said” …okaaayyy” with an attitude. It was just unnecessary and I wish she didn’t do that because I would’ve worked with her and potentially booked there! 2 stars because the place is beautiful and suits my wedding style. I just wish that woman was more welcoming and kind.

I love Happy Trails. This secret garden is the answer to all your outdoor dining needs. The gorgeous tree outback provides plenty of shade, even on the hottest of days. Also! The menu is always changing, so there are endless new and healthy (not to mention delicious!) options to try. I will definitely be back again and again. Yum!

The café was mediocre. Gotta do a full on tasting to get a real idea of what the wedding food would be like. Cute garden tho. Hiring valet parking for the wedding is an added expense.

Don’t let the name fool you – Happy Trails is nothing to do with cowboys or horses. It is, however, everything to do with creating magical, sparkling, last-​for-​a-​lifetime wedding memories. And it all begins with the Proprietress Katherine.
Beyond her obvious experience and skill as a caterer and event manager, Katherine was, during nearly a year of wedding planning, a kind of anchor for me – answering questions, clarifying possibilities, offering suggestions, when asked – and bringing an invaluable sense of calm, patience, and reassurance to what can at times be a very stressful process.
Add to this the simple, natural beauty of the garden itself – flowering walkways; stretches of lush lawn bordered with softly lit lanterns; the pretty, rustic deck, perfect for the ceremony and those special dances, underneath the shade of a gorgeous Eucalyptus tree, sparkling with hundreds of miniature lights; delicious and beautifully prepared menu options (NOT your typical blah wedding food); and an excellent wait and event staff (e.g., they made the adjustments from ceremony to cocktail hour and reception in this multi-​use space so quickly and unobtrusively) – add all this in and you have what we found at Happy Trails – a perfect, intimate – even magical – venue for your outdoor wedding or other special occasion.
Run, don’t walk, to explore Happy Trails for yourself!

Our wedding was held here just last week 6÷28÷14. It was a gorgeous day, and the venue couldn’t have been a more perfect choice. Kathy is a dream to work with, very accommodating, and very flexible. She was organized, and made sure everything was just how I envisioned it. Most, if not all, of the rentals were brought in and set up the day before during our rehearsals. Our guests couldn’t stop raving about how beautiful the venue was and how good the food was. This place is a secret garden in the middle of Old Town Pasadena. Not many know about it, and that’s part of what makes it so special. We had about 130 people, and it seemed like the perfect number. We also had a DJ, and a dance floor put in. I chose this place because I was able to have the ceremony and reception all in one place and it’s BYOB, which saved us a lot of money. The venue also provides most of the big stuff, from the food, to tables, chairs, linens, cups etc. The tree provided much-​needed shade, and was such a romantic backdrop. Like all the other reviewers say, the tree is amazing, and even more so at nighttime when the twinkle lights turn on. Service was spot-​on. It was everything I thought it would be and more.

I had the garlic roast beef on sourdough and the barley, cilantro salad. They were both very good. I got the roasted tomato pesto on the side and it was very delicious. Service was nice and speedy too. The garden is so peaceful. If my lunch wasn’t only an hour I would have loved to sit and sip on my lemonade longer while my 1 year old enjoyed the birds. Kathy is wonderful. Thank you!

I give 4 stars on the amazing location. It was quaint, cozy, romantic, and photographically gorgeous.
Food presentation of the dinner at the buffet table was a down right embarrassment. They do NOT understand presentation, or making something look nice. I give that part 1 star.
You can still have a beautiful wedding here but watch that part carefully. Hold them accountable to how it’ll look day of.

We got married at Happy Trials on August 24^th and from beginning to end, Happy Trails was the perfect location for us.
Kathy Black is the owner/​caterer and she is fantastic, friendly, warm and easy to work with. She knows her venue inside and out so she has clear direction on how to do things, however she is totally open to doing something different as well which is what we did.
Food: The food was so delicious and plentiful. My guests loved all of it and I did too! I’m a picky eater and she helped personalize the menu for me.
The décor: The place is so beautiful and pre-​strung with lights so we really didn’t have to do any decorating/​flowers which saved us a ton of money. Everyone is still talking about how amazing and beautiful the tree was.
Overall, it was a perfect venue for our outdoor, 75 person, intimate and romantic wedding. We loved it!

Happy Trails is one of my favorite lunch spots in Pasadena. If you haven’t been, it’s this cute little oasis that’s just gorgeous. While I think they mostly do catering and events there’s a great garden area in the back where you can sit and relax under a large tree and enjoy the sunny weather. My favorite sandwich is the Sage Roasted Turkey Breast Sandwich (Lingonberry cream cheese, caper mayonnaise, lettuce & tomato). I haven’t tried much else but friends I’ve gone with recommend their salads as well. If you find this spot you’ll come again.

We had a perfect beautiful wedding at Happy Trails. The garden is amazing and the food was delicious. Kathy was very accommodating in let us decorate how we wanted and even hang a chandelier from the giant tree. Our wedding was about 80 people but there was definitely room for a few more if you needed it. We had a band that played from the deck surrounding the tree and everyone was free to dance on the brick in front.
The only thing to note, if you are including gratuity in your catering costs then make sure to let them know not to let the bartenders put our tips jars. We didn’t tell them and I later saw the bartenders had put out a rather tacky tip jar with stickers on it…
Otherwise everything was amazing. I would definitely recommend Happy Trails!

I completely agree with Jennifer D.‘s and Vic C.‘s reviews. I checked out Happy Trails as a potential wedding venue, but was extremely put off by the outrageous asking price. Don’t get me wrong – the personnel are friendly and I understand that the food is included, but the venue itself is not worth what is being asked for it.
To top it all off, I got bug bites along my leg when I visited – yuck! Even the mosquitoes were warning me to stay away. That, or they were foreshadowing the fact that this place would have sucked my wallet bone dry.
The venue (yard) is tiny, the parking is metered, and the food is expensive. The marketing for this place is entirely deceiving. I would not recommend this space for a wedding. My fiancé said it best himself: «If I wanted to feel like I’m getting married in somebody’s backyard, why don’t we just use mine? It’ll save us $ 30,000.»

I scoped this place out as a potential wedding venue. It’s cute, yes, but it’s certainly not worth the exorbitant price that Kathy asks. I was quoted $ 10.5 for a wedding of only 60 people (this includes the $ 3k site fee for roughly 400 square feet of space, which is positively bonkers). I had looked at several venues before visiting Happy Trails, and I knew that for that price, I could get married at a much more impressive venue (like Hartley Botanica), invite more guests, have parking provided for those guests, and also be provided with a nice dressing area for the wedding party (fyi, you can’t get ready on site at Happy Trails unless you want to be primping in the store front next to the bakery display case).
When I told her that was above my budget, and that I would like to do everything possible to get the costs down, she offered a few options which were not really satisfactory solutions (like using plastic/​paper ware for the dinner), and then didn’t respond to my emails thereafter. She really made me feel like I wasn’t worth her time if I wasn’t willing to pay her sky-​high prices.
I ended up booking with Franciscan Gardens in San Juan Capistrano, and I’m very happy to be able to up my guest count, while still paying thousands of dollars less than what I would have paid at Happy Trails. It doesn’t have a great old tree, true, but this seems like a small sacrifice to make in order to have a reasonably priced intimate garden wedding.

Choosing wedding venue and caterer is probably the single most difficult decision in the whole planning process, but I really lucked out — I wanted a location that is full of natural beauty, and yet close to civilization so that the wedding guests (and us) wouldn’t have to drive after the drinking and partying. Sounds like a pretty impossible combination right?
Imagine my surprise when I came across Happy Trails Garden. I saw it on the web and immediately thought: «I think this is it!» The gorgeous camphor tree totally drew me in and it is a block away from old town Pasadena. When I went to see in person, the garden was even more beautiful than I could imagine! And when the sun went down, the tree lights up in the most gorgeous way.
So if your dream is a garden wedding for 20 to 200 people (I had 150), Look no more, this is the place you are looking for.
And now onto the catering. As with perhaps all brides, I barely ate during the wedding. But my guests told me that they really enjoyed the food (poached salmon, grilled tri-​tip, paella with shrimp chicken ham …), and we took home a bunch of leftover and it was delicious!
Last but not least, Kathy Black, the owner, is always warm, helpful, and flexible. Wedding planning is a very stressful project, but every time we talk to Kathy in person we’d literally feel the stress level come down. In retrospect I realized I worried about quite a few more things than I needed to — If you go with Happy Trails, my advice is, just trust whatever Kathy tells you!
p. s. A note about street noise — The garden is located right off Fair Oaks, and before the wedding, I was concerned that the street noise might be a problem (before the wedding, one is highly concerned about everything!). But during my wedding, I heard no street noise. I don’t know if it’s because it was a quiet day, or that the sound insulation was good, or that I was simply too absorbed in more important things, but it simply wasn’t an issue.
Another note about Pasadena weather. As with all outdoor wedding, there is a chance of bad weather. With Pasadena, it is possible for the heat to be unbearable during the day, but, by about 5pm it is almost always magically perfect weather. The tree also provides excellent shade that makes the temperature more moderate in both directions.
Last note about parking. Happy trails does not have parking lot for your guests, but can arrange valet service. I chose to ask my guests to park at Westin Pasadena (where we had the post-​party), and had a shuttle bus to transport my guests. The other option for my guests is to park at the Del Mar parking structure (part of the light rail station) which is just a few minutes walk away. This will likely be a much cheaper option than valet parking.

My husband and I got married here this summer. As soon as we walked to the back of this place, we knew it was where we wanted to get married. The focal point is a beautiful, old tree, and it feels like a relative’s big, backyard. It was intimate and warm, exactly what we were looking for.
Happy Trails gets my five stars for several reasons:
Kathy, the owner, is amazing. She answered our many, many questions and was always ready to answer more. She got back to us right away when we emailed or called with our questions. She and her staff are extremely professional, and the evening passed seamlessly.
The site itself is magical. We said our vows under the tree just before sunset, which was beautiful, and then as the sun was setting and we finished up our dinner to transition into dancing, the lights on the tree and around the place came up, making it look like a fairy tale.
To add to Kathy’s professionalism, she was ready for us as soon as we needed to be ready on the day. She accommodated all of our vendors and their schedules.
The food was delicious! Everyone loved the food, and I have also been here for lunch a few times, and it is just as delicious then, too.
My husband and I really wanted a warm, intimate setting, somewhere our guests would feel comfortable and relaxed and free to mingle and dance and have FUN! They definitely did and we definitely had the most beautiful night.