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    Behind Bars

    4.8 (21 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

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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.

    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!

    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!

    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!

    Gin and tonic BOGO - A bar interior featuring shelves of liquor bottles, beer taps, and a TV displaying a baseball game, with a drink and lemon wedge on the counter.
    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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    2 months ago

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

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    4 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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    11 months 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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    Stone Brewing Tap Room - Pasadena

    Stone Brewing Tap Room - Pasadena

    (470 reviews)

    $$

    With a couple hours of free time in Pasadena, Stone Brewing Tap Room is a great place to stop for…read moresome drinks while getting laptop work done (they have wifi!), read a book, or doomscroll in a beautiful patio space watching comer & goers from the train station. I went solo but they have tables in tons of sizes so group hangs and dates are good here, too! Personally, I love a good people watching spot and enjoyed hanging out at Stone yesterday afternoon. I grabbed a tall two top in the corner of the outdoor patio and was super relaxed. The staff was great, helping me with recommendations and super quick & generous on the pours. I came in to try a 2016 Imperial Russian Stout I saw they had tapped and ended up trying taster size portions of 6 beers - all very solid. I'm biased to love deep cuts so the 10.6% Imperial Russian Stout was my fav of the day but I also enjoyed the lightness of the Stone Wil Power, a 4.5% fruited kettle sour with mango, tangerine and lychee. They have a ton of indoor seating but also the patio is just so nice & relaxing here. Very chill, quiet vibes and they open at 12pm on weekdays. Perfect atmosphere for work meetings or a liquid lunch meetup. Even the bathroom was cool with colorful grafitti abound. I liked the whole vibe of Stone. It's a cool brewery plopped down in the middle of Pasadena! For non-beer people, a Miller Lite is 4.2% in comparison so why not have a much tastier craft beer in place of that swill! Really enjoyed Stone Brewing in Pasadena and it was a perfect experience. I will absolutely be back!

    It's been a long time since I've been here! My wife and I had some time to kill before our lunch…read morereservation at Houston's across the street and decided to stop by for a drink. When did they start selling frozen margaritas?! My wife loved hers! She's not so much a beer drinker, so this was perfect! I opted for the Stone Delicious Double IPA and it didn't disappoint. The "beertenders" were also great and offered recommendations from their vast menu of beers on tap. I also noticed that they still also fill growlers, which is amazing! I'll have to bring mine next time so that I can take some home for the ones that aren't bottled or canned. Parking is readily available underground and it was $1 for us being there almost an hour. Looks like parking is $1 for the first two hours and an additional $2 for each additional hour with a $12 max. Also, don't forget to download their app and register - there's currently a limited time promotion for 50% off your first pint!

    The Blind Donkey - Highland Park 18, Laphroaig Cairdeas, top right- For What it's worth- top left - Pear Necessities

    The Blind Donkey

    (712 reviews)

    $$

    We came here for a casual dinner on a Sunday night and the Blind Donkey did not disappoint. We sat…read moreoutside because we brought our dog and there was no one else out there! The menu was scanned via QR code and it was easy enough to access. We both got burgers, mine was a beyond patty and my fiancé got a beef one. The food came so quickly and the French fries were DELICIOUS. I've been looking for a new favorite fry since Pizza of Venice was lost in the Eaton Fire and I think these may be it! Funny that we didn't try the drinks or spend time inside at the bar but from sitting outside on a cold winter night, I can only imagine the inside is even more fun!

    I've been to this bar multiple times and have always had a good experience, which is why what…read morehappened yesterday around 5 PM was so surprising and upsetting. When we walked in, there was a tall, bald male bartender and a blonde female bartender working--neither of whom I've seen here before. We ordered two drinks, but the service from the male bartender was inattentive from the start. At one point, my friend tried to get someone's attention to ask for a lime and wasn't acknowledged. She ended up grabbing a lime herself from the garnish tray--which I understand isn't ideal--but the response we got was completely out of line. The male bartender became immediately hostile and started aggressively cursing at my friend. When I calmly asked the female bartender if this was normal behavior, he inserted himself into the conversation and said, "she put her fucking hand in the fucking jar," in a very confrontational tone. I tried to de-escalate the situation and respectfully explained that there was no reason to speak to us that way, but he continued the hostility and ultimately told us to "get the fuck out." At that point, I paid for our drinks and we left. What made this especially disappointing is that this has never been our experience here before. We've always enjoyed this bar and have had positive interactions with the regular staff. If this had been my first visit, I would not come back. I understand that what my friend did wasn't appropriate, but it absolutely did not justify being yelled at and cursed out. I hope management addresses this, because this kind of behavior is not reflective of the bar I've come to know.

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

    Cerveceria Del Pueblo

    (204 reviews)

    $$

    Great little beer spot in old town Pasadena…read more We arrived around 6pm on a Saturday and the place was packed, but we were able to find 2 seats at a communal picnic table inside. Small joint but they have a few bar seats and picnic tables inside and a nice outdoor patio with more seating. They don't offer food but usually have a food truck outside. We ordered a flight of beer to try a few different styles. The guy behind the bar was great and the beers were tasty.

    Small local brewery in Pasadena that's beneficial to the community, have seen people reserve a few…read moretables for parties and they have meet-ups. For example, they have a Spanish Language Brewery Meet-up every 3rd Thursday from 7:30-9:30pm monthly. Parking is street only so be mindful of the neighbors. There is no food service at this location but they seem to partner with a couple food trucks serving tacos. Some inside open air seating but the main draw is the relaxing patio. I liked their hard seltzers with fun flavors as jicama, tamarindo and passionfruit. I didn't like so much their signature Yerba Mate Pale Ale, but thought it was an interesting concept. The happy hour special is Monday all day and Tuesday-Friday open until 6pm $2 off full pours. Very family friendly, I always see a couple tables with children and dogs at them. Maybe I'm getting to be an old fuddy duddy but I hate when parents let their kids go free range. Screaming and running around like the establishment is a park these kids becoming trip hazards. There needs to be a revamp of their board game collection. There three boxes of games that looked incomplete or used up, not good with such games as Scrabble and Pictionary. Free Wifi with log-in is a bonus!

    Magnolia House

    Magnolia House

    (1.6k reviews)

    $$

    I've heard some good things about this place and from other fellow yelpers friends, it must be…read moreworth it. Had a dinner reservation with some girlfriends celebrating two of their birthdays. The restaurant itself isn't too big but it does a pack a nice punch. Cute patio out front that takes some of the sidewalks and streets. Plenty of heat lamps which helped with the chilly nights. We got seated at one of the tables on the patios which was nice. Didn't really utilize inside area except for the restroom which it's quite cute in there. The rooms were pretty well decorated and executed. Nice bar area too. Like mentioned, we got seated on the patio and the heat lamps were great. Down to the menus, it's quite limited on dishes. Seemed like there were more shared plates versus the entrees. Drinks, it was fairly decent with their cocktails and wine. Service at the beginning was great. The staff were amazing and very friendly. We didn't order right away as we were still waiting for the last one to show. But did start off with some drinks. It didn't take that long for the first round which was nice. Food wise, the shared plate was a mixture of everything. Some of the olives, which is exactly what it is. The Belgian fries, nice thick cut fries with shredded pecorino cheese and a nice aioli sauce. We ended up getting a second order of it. The albacore tuna crudo was a hit which was really tasty. Chili ginger relish, mint and shallot, can't go wrong with that. Lastly the meatballs, tasty and very great for sharing. Entrees, the pan seared sea bass which I loved. Portion is pretty tiny which also seemed like they were a shared plate. Almost tapas styled. Nice chimichurri sauce and a side salad. The chicken Milanese also with a side salad of arugula. Simple dish but quite tasty. One of the salads that was somewhat hyped up by the waitress but it was just a salad. Decent but nothing major to rave about...lol... also the confit oyster mushrooms was major hit. Something that simple but quite tasty. And lastly the pan con tomate, rustic sourdough with tomatoes and burrata. Tasty as well. Overall the meal was good. From there, the second round of drinks did take a long time to arrive and with then plates that we shared, trying to get someone to clear the plates was another thing. Took a long for someone to clear the table before more items came. Even when the entrees came, all the empty starter plates were still there. And if someone did clear the plates, some was still left on the table. Finishing off the night, we did have the dessert which we tried all three. As it was two of our girlfriends birthday, they brought out a little bubbly for us to celebrate with the dessert. That was quite sweet and nice. Honestly opinion with the dessert, they were just ok. Nothing major to rave about. We tried all three on the menu and they were just ok. Overall, the food was great. Service was nice and the staffs were all very friendly. It did take a while for plates to get cleared from the table and second round did take a while, but it was manageable. It was a sweet gesture with the bubbly with the dessert which was greatly appreciated. The place is nice and great for catching up. Menu is limited and portions are quite small. You would have to get a good amount for sharing. Entrees, depending on what you order is small as well. But we enjoyed ourself.

    Service: 5 stars, our server Kiana was outstanding. I troubled her for a glass of ice, she…read morebrought me a glass of ice and filled it with water for me and said I filled it with water for you! She read my mind and knew without me saying. They serve lukewarm water and the a/c was on but was not on ..if u catch my drift. The front hostess was also phenomenal, I had reservation for outdoor seating but since she saw that the sun was like glaring, she asked if I wanted to change to inside. Very obliging and accommodating. Food: 5 stars, surprisingly good, right amount for us. I was full but I can see where other reviewers say portions are small. It's small if u're a heavy eater. But the quality is definitely there. Ambiance: trendy, high energy, casual vibes where u can lounge and have a beer while munching on fries...or u can choose to be poshy and have a glass of wine with a salad and Chilean sea bass. It's flexible to accommodate both as there are different sections. Parking: street metered 1 hour parking. 3 stars, not their fault but 1 hour is simply not enough. It can get super busy and the server can be pulled left and right, so cut them some slack during super busy hours. Will definitely be back. Highly recommended .

    Behind Bars - bars - Updated May 2026

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