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Behind Bars

4.8 (25 reviews)
Closed • 5:00 pm - 11:00 PM

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Brian F.

Behind Bars is a small bar tucked in an alleyway in Old Town Pasadena. We stopped by on a Sunday evening and were told they had happy hour BOGO for draft beers. We ended up getting one beer each which came out to be $8 for two. It wasn't packed at all when we arrived but there were a decent amount of what looked to be regulars who were familiar with the bartenders. Along with the interior there was also a spacious outdoor patio. Above the bar were three TVs playing sports. They had a good amount of beers on tap, a cocktail menu, and a full bar for anything you want.

Wagyu Avocado Toast & Strawberry Bellini
Julie M.

Melt in your mouth Wagyu beef and fresh avocado is amazing!! Staff is very friendly and accommodating. Patio area is secluded and pleasant.

Pasadena Pub Runners stop # 1
Miori I.

Behind Bars, located in Mills Alley was previously known as Wokcano's bar. I used to frequent the restaurant and the bar often many years ago and it was a trip to be in that familiar space. My husband and I lead a run crew that meets once a month on Friday nights (Pasadena Pub Runners) and we chose Behind Bars to be our local business to support. My husband had communicated with the business ahead of time via IG to make sure they can accommodate 20 or so sweaty runners ready for libations. We were greeted by friendly bartenders. Beers on tap, cocktails on deck, and friendly service. My husband ordered us a couple drinks. Happy hour drink prices were very inexpensive. Can't beat that. Didn't get a chance to order food from the restaurant in the front. Might be called Mills Alley. Sadly the kitchen was closed by the time our run ended. I peeped the menu though, so I will be back. Djs were nice. Pumped us up and asked if we were coming back. They had a cool set up in the outdoor patio when we returned post run.

Gabe O.

We were looking for a new post-run hangout spot for our monthly run group meetup and decided to give Behind Bars in Pasadena a try. I reached out via Instagram to let them know we'd be coming through with a pretty large group, and whoever runs the page gave us the go-ahead. After our run, we rolled in with about 25 people--sweaty and ready for drinks. The bar is small inside, and the regulars definitely looked a little surprised when we showed up in full force. But to their credit, the bartenders handled it like pros. There's also a large outdoor patio, which later hosted a live DJ spinning music--a nice touch that kept the vibe fun and lively. I ordered a couple of beers for my wife and me and was pleasantly surprised when happy hour prices kicked in--$8 for both beers. Can't beat that. Service was friendly and efficient despite the crowd, and I had a great conversation with the bartender, who mentioned that Behind Bars is owned by the same folks behind Urban Pocha and a neighboring spot. We left to finish our run and came back later that night to keep the fun going. That's when we met Coco, who was helping her boyfriend Dumpling set up for his DJ set on the patio--super nice people, and it added to the community vibe of the place. The only downside: by the time we returned, the kitchen was already closed, so we didn't get a chance to try the food. Definitely gives us a reason to come back. Highlights: - Affordable happy hour drinks ($8 for 2 beers!) - Spacious patio with live DJ - Friendly, capable staff (especially with big groups) - Part of a local ownership group with other nearby spots - Large parking structure nearby Heads-up: - Indoor space is small--better for small groups unless you're on the patio - Kitchen closes earlier than the bar, so plan accordingly if you want food

Sally W.

My friends and I were looking for a place for girls night and happened upon this bar. The vibes were immaculate and the bartender Anthony was so much fun. Highly recommend!

Sarah G.

While in Pasadena for a wedding weekend, a group of us walked over to Behind Bars from nearby Livery Studio. Thank goodness there were some locals with us - it was located down an alley and I don't think there was even a sign! I understand they haven't been open very long...they don't even have a Google listing! What a hip little gem of a place! It was packed and hopping. The drinks were great and the bartenders friendly. We had just come from a dinner so didn't get any food, but I understand it's quite good. Would definitely check this place out again when in Old Town Pasadena!

If you want great beer great atmosphere and great cocktails hit your boy Lou up for the best hospitality ! We recently had a horrible experience at Javier's up the street and he went above and beyond to make us feel like we were at home! Best bartender in the world and best hospitality in the world from from your boy Lou!

Gin and tonic BOGO
Daniel R.

Absolutely love this place! The drinks are good the vibes are THERE and they have food. Came here to watch the World Series. Roccos was PACKED and this place had no lines. The food is good and so are the drinks. The bartender is a whole vibe. Highly recommend

people sitting at a bar
Jonathan A.

STOKED that this bar is open under new management! It looks even better than it did before and their liquor selection is amazing! Lou, the bartender there is awesome! Great service and very knowledgeable! I'm happy to have a new spot to go to in Pasadena!

The "Industry Sour" at the very new Behind Bars!  In the old Wokano space!

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1 year ago

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8 months ago

Great vibes and drinks. Anthony is an incredible bartender. We'll definitely come back again!

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4 months ago

Bartenders are friendly. Fries is great, although not much people on a Monday. I enjoyed my night.

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5 months ago

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10 months ago

Came by on a random Tuesday evening and Anthony was just the right person to be the night going! Great service, great vibes!

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1 year ago

This place is a must! Very friendly Bartenders and the vibes are always on point! Did not really order food.

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2 years ago

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The Blind Donkey

The Blind Donkey

3.9(723 reviews)
0.1 mi•Downtown
•$$

Nice dimly lit bar with good cocktails, with decent staff, been going for years, I stopped going…read morethough after the story below... Went here 6 months ago on a weekday around late evening. About an hour in, this dude comes inside with the biggest pit bull I've ever seen. It must have been bred with a horse or something, it weighs a solid 125+ pounds. Guy sits at the bar and the bartenders ogle the dog and usual. The dog lays down on the floor at the corner of the bar, on the way to the restrooms as the guy flirts with the bartenders and has his drink. 10min later this chick walking to the bathroom trips over this black dog lying on the floor and faceplants onto the floor! Lady pops up from embarrassment and dog owner grabs its chain before it has a chance to react. Fricking hilarious, but crisis averted! The guy moves to a table at the middle of the bar with the same dog at his feet. The moron bartenders don't bother to tell him to go outside or anything else. So 5 min later a guy walking buy steps on the dogs leg or tail and the thing jumps up and almost lunges at the guy and starts barking. It was frickin unbelievable how stupid he and the workers here were. Finally one of the guys in the bar says something to the bartender about the dog, and they just wave him off. Wow! Whoever owns this bar is going to get sued to no end based on the actions of the bartenders.

Chill vibes, extensive drink options, very casual in the heart of downtown Pasadena…read more Various parking options nearby in all direction. A great place to start before heading out, stop through during a shopping or restaurant hopping experience, or a fun way to end the night!

Photos
The Blind Donkey - Whiskey selections

Whiskey selections

The Blind Donkey - Garlic parmesan fries!

Garlic parmesan fries!

The Blind Donkey - Hatchet job

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Hatchet job

The Speakeasy - Naked & Famous cocktail

The Speakeasy

4.1(713 reviews)
0.1 mi•Downtown
•$$

Definitely speakeasy vibes. You will need to message ahead of time for the password. There will be…read morea bouncer outside that'll ask for it. Inside is a surprisingly large space. So much seating! I've never seen the venue overcrowded. Large menu so many drinks to try! Great spot whenever I have guests visiting

LADIES, PLEASE BE CAREFUL! Save your money and think twice before visiting this business!…read more Just as I have recommended this place to several people in the past, I believe it's equally important to share my negative experience and be honest about what happened. I visited with a group of new friends who had never been to this establishment before. Less than 20 minutes into our visit, we were dealing with a clearly intoxicated male & female sitting next to us who repeatedly accused us of bumping into him, not saying "excuse me" etc. despite the fact that we had only just arrived. He was clearly intoxicated. The situation quickly escalated into verbal harassment, and my friend and I were insulted and made to feel extremely uncomfortable. The man physically got out of his chair and yelled at us on two separate occasions, leaving us feeling unsafe and concerned that the situation could turn physical. We brought the issue to the manager's attention, expecting the situation to be handled appropriately. Instead, the individuals involved were allowed to remain at the bar. We were essentially told to sit at opposite ends of the establishment rather than seeing any meaningful action taken to address the behavior. As a customer, I should not have to leave a business because I feel unsafe after reporting aggressive and intimidating behavior. My friend and I ultimately decided to leave, despite having every intention of enjoying our evening. Several other people witnessed what happened. I am extremely disappointed in how this situation was handled. A business has a responsibility to take its customers' safety seriously, especially when someone is visibly intoxicated and behaving aggressively toward others. I genuinely wanted to love this place and had previously encouraged others to visit. Unfortunately, this experience completely changed my opinion. No one should have to choose between their personal safety and enjoying a night out. I hope management takes situations like this more seriously in the future, because the way a business responds to its customers when something goes wrong says everything about its standards and values.

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The Speakeasy - Tables and pictures at the end of the bar

Tables and pictures at the end of the bar

The Speakeasy - Bar area

Bar area

The Speakeasy - Christmas decorations!!

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Christmas decorations!!

Kings Row Gastropub - Try our award-winning in-house ground burgers.

Kings Row Gastropub

3.9(1.8k reviews)
0.1 mi•Downtown
•$$

This "sniffs in" at up to 3.75 stars…read more.. The indoor space is loud and noisy, but it is NFL Sunday the day after Halloween so that is to be expected. My friend and I got a couple of beers and caught up on the outdoor patio. It was cool and overcast and pleasantly quiet. ORANGE WIT: -- Nice golden color -- pleasing orange citrus sniff is notable -- light clear touch of sweetness -- lighter body gently leaning into medium -- tasty orange in mouth -- $9.00 for 16 ounces draft RATING = A- This area does not have a lot of pubs with lengthy draft beer lists, so we chose here again. Possibly it is too early in the Fall season, but we wished they had some coffee stouts, milk stouts or dark chocolate stouts. Most of what was on their list was not of interest to me.

Kings Row is a cool bar that has an outdoor patio and indoor seating. They've been in Pasadena for…read moreawhile. The servers are all great. Very accommodating. I use a wheelchair and they always make sure theres a space/table available for me. Im always greeted with a smile by everyone that works here. The food is super tasty. Think bar food. I love the fries and wingz So something SUPER AWESOME is they have a slushie machine. Im obsessed with slushies so obviously I had to try them. My favorite part is they constantly rotate the flavors so I always get to try new flavors. The best part there alcoholic. ;D Some people like shots, some people like beer but I truly, genuinely come for the AWESOME slushies. Also if you see the dole whip slushie get it. I day dream about my slushie adventures. Forever slushies!

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Kings Row Gastropub - Inside

Inside

Kings Row Gastropub - Best fish & chips this side of the England.

Best fish & chips this side of the England.

Kings Row Gastropub - Breakfast burritos served all day.

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Breakfast burritos served all day.

Cerveceria Del Pueblo - Pau Hana Hawaiian Sour available in the taproom and in cans to go while supplies last!

Cerveceria Del Pueblo

4.7(210 reviews)
0.5 mi•South Arroyo
•$$

Stopped by yesterday for the Que Chulas Plantas Plant Bingo event being held on the patio. I had…read moreso much fun doing plant bingo, it was fast paced and fun! The patio area is spacious and well shaded but the sun does move and it can get a little hot outside so they do recommend bringing a fan to cool off. I brought a fan but there was a nice breeze so I ended up not needing my fan! To drink I decided to try the seltzer. I taste tested the jaimaica seltzer and the passion fruit seltzer, both were delicious! It was hard to choose but I went with the passion fruit. It was refreshing and helped keep me cool during bingo. A food truck called Amor & Limon parks on the sidewalk right in front and they have delicious food if you get hungry!

My friend & I stumbled across this place after having dinner at Mijares across the street. It's a…read morehidden gem that is an oasis for beer aficionados. I don't drink beer or hard seltzers, but I kept my friend company while he enjoyed some of the South American inspired brews. IPAs, Seltzers, Ales, & n/a drinks are available and most nights there are food vendors on site, but you can also bring your own. The décor inside is rustic with brick lined walls, picnic table seating, and a small bar. There is also a projector screen to watch sports. The outdoor patio area is spacious, and they offer rotating monthly events on Wednesdays. The venue is also available to rent for private events. My friend loved the beer and recommends this place. *Private lot or street parking. *Dog friendly

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Cerveceria Del Pueblo - "Serrania" Sour beer

"Serrania" Sour beer

Cerveceria Del Pueblo - Housemade Michelada

Housemade Michelada

Cerveceria Del Pueblo - "Patria" Hazy IPA

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"Patria" Hazy IPA

Magnolia House

Magnolia House

3.9(1.6k reviews)
1.2 mi•South
•$$

On of my Pasadena favorites that never disappoints!…read more My husband and I made an easy reservation at Magnolia House for a relaxing Sunday brunch after a night of Halloween festivities. Having dined here before, I already knew we were in good hands. From the moment we arrived, the hostess recognized that we were celebrating our anniversary and made us feel welcome. We were seated inside the bungalow's main dining area, where we settled in with water and our drink orders. My espresso martini was smooth, flavorful, and a great way to start brunch. For our meals, we ordered Eggs Benedict and Huevos Rancheros, both of which made for a wonderful brunch. With fresh vegetables and thick-cut bacon, we were both very happy with our selections. Our server, Shadow, was attentive and made sure we were well taken care of throughout the meal. Magnolia House continues to deliver on everything I enjoy about a neighborhood restaurant: charming surroundings, well-prepared food and drinks, and genuinely friendly service. A wonderful way to spend a Sunday morning, and a place we'll happily continue returning to!

We came for their weekend brunch and had the house burger with runny egg ($2 extra) and their Basic…read morebreakfast. The burger comes with a thick patty but it was overcooked. We asked for medium but it was dry and completely gray inside. I had higher hopes for this one. The Basic breakfast plate was your typical eggs, bacon, potatoes and toast combo. It was good but the best item was the sourdough toast! Crunchy on the outside and soft/chewy on the inside. We also got a side of the Belgian fries which was good too. Loved the decor. There's indoor and patio seating along with a cozy bar area. Servers were great and checked in on us frequently throughout our meal. There's paid street parking on Lake Avenue but I recommend parking for free at the Macy's and Erewhon parking structure across the street.

Photos
Magnolia House - Now Serving Coffee Monday - Friday at 7:30am

Now Serving Coffee Monday - Friday at 7:30am

Magnolia House - Happy Hour Monday through Friday from 4 - 6:30PM. Enjoy $5 wine & local draft beers, $6 well drinks & $6 House Sangria, and more

Happy Hour Monday through Friday from 4 - 6:30PM. Enjoy $5 wine & local draft beers, $6 well drinks & $6 House Sangria, and more

Magnolia House - Private Lounge Area - For event inquiries, send an email to: events@themaghouse.com

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Private Lounge Area - For event inquiries, send an email to: events@themaghouse.com

Behind Bars - bars - Updated November 2026

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