Food was delicious and portion was perfect! Atmosphere was loud and comfortable...for a busy Saturday night dinner gathering of friends and family. Parking was fine, but the lot was dark and not easy to find-thank God for GPS! read more

I had previously liked going to Celestino but the service was not up to par in mid November and the food was mediocre. The salad had too much dressing and the pasta I got was so so and besides that it was the special of the day and twice as much as any other pasta - $48 for a lunch entree, which of course the server did not mention. Yes it had chantarelle mushrooms but I haven't heard that they were so pricey. Ravioli with Beef that my friend ordered was exactly half the price. I thought beef was pricier? If you do go, don't let the servers talk you into the specials. read more

I went to dinner with a friend there. The service was great! Our waiter was attentive and knew the entire litany of specials for the night by heart. I ordered the mushroom risotto and it was very disappointing. It was a small portion which is ok but it was cold/room temperature. Maybe it sat there too long. My friend really enjoyed her dish but when she gave me a piece to try, the meat was also room temperature. read more

When I travel to Pasadena, Celestino's is at the top of my list for Italian food. The service was outstanding with many recommendations from both on the menu and specials. My favorite is either a black or white truffle pasta in a cream sauce. read more

This is by far the best Italian food I have tasted service is awesome. Very nice. Good parking in the back. Food is delicious. Strongly recommend you go here. read more

A lovely, old fashioned Italian restaurant with wonderful pasta, good wine list, a broad menu to cover every diet, and delicious dessert that isn't super sweet. The service is attentive and the ambience feels like a cozy Italian restaurant. They also do off-the-menu requests - for example, spaghetti alle vongole (my fav). This is our go-to whenever we need a good meal and also for celebrations; a definite family favorite. read more

Classic Italian fare in the heart of South Lake District. These folks have been dishing up homemade pasta for ages and it shows. That means predictable fare at reasonable prices but it also means you won't have any real surprises either. If you're in the mood for branzino or homemade ravioli, this is your spot. If you want something more adventuresome, there are other places to try on South Lake. If you want more dramatic Italian fare, check out Drago in DTLA. Good for big groups and celebrations. read more

Outstanding food. Great service our waiter was the best reasonably priced not noisy. It's the perfect place to have dinner in Pasadena.

Classic example of what people think is good. Lol, this place sucks. The food is blah! And I think it's the same 10 people eating in here all the time because I noticed they recognized who came in the door. This place doesn't have over 800 reviews and be rated 3 stars for nothing. If I never come back it will be to soon. Good riddance and good bye. read more

Never had a bad experience here. It's a "drago brothers " restaurant which I frequently go to all of them. Pasadena is currently still seating outdoors on the patio in the front and back. Super cute intimate and cozy atmosphere. Bread is great, full bar, service is great. Oh did I forget to mention how amazing the food is . read more

Celestino Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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We had yet another family dinner here and it was amazing, everyone loved their food. We started with Burrata and fried Calamari, it was the best, lightest Calamari I have ever tasted, it was amazing. To a person everyone enjoyed their entrees. The service was outstanding, the servers are so caring in making sure everyone is happy. It is a delight to eat here and I can't wait till we get to go back again. Give them a try, you will be glad you did I promise. read more

We had such a nice time at dinner. We got to the restaurant earlier than our reservation time & luckily found street parking right outside in front of the restaurant. They greeted us & sat us down right away. Friendly staff. I think our server was Antonio. Helped us with suggestions from their long menu ... too many dishes on the menu. My hubby had the Linguine with sea food. My daughter had Linguine with truffle cheese fondue and loved it, and I had the Gnocci with truffle cheese fondue. Bread was good & we ate a bit too much of it, which left no room for desert. Menu prices were a bit high. Overall it was a great experience and we had a fun time. read more

Perfect little, Italian restaurant tucked between boutique shops in the heart of Pasadena. It is the spot-of-choice for business lunches, both big and small teams. The staff is wholeheartedly welcoming and genuinely hospitable. We came here for our company lunch which lasted two hours. I ordered the PENNE PASTA w/ VODKA SAUCE. Magnificent. It was creamy, light with a kick of pepper flakes. Pasta was between al dente and over cooked. Although we didn't get to complement our dishes with vino, the selection is vast and looks exquisite. Wonderful dining experience. Will be back. read more

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This is probably my favorite local Italian restaurant. The pastas are legit. Some must try's are: black and white pasta, prosciutto pasta, and linguine with clams. Come during lunch for their lunch specials. We celebrated a birthday here and they brought out a yummy complimentary cake with a candle on top. Definitely recommend if you're in the Pasadena area and craving Italian! read more

Celestino Restaurant - Prosciutto penne - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

Celestino's was this year's Valentines Day date local. My husband and I had an awesome date and our service was top notch. I wish I knew his name but our server is a one of the best there is. I wish I knew his name to really give him his props. He has big green eyes and salt and pepper hair. He recommended the best dish I had in a long time because I didn't want to have what was on the prefix menu. I had a spicy crab pasta and my husband had the fish and polenta, we had soup and ( I FORGOT THE APP), and a yummy pistachio desert with hot tea. Valentine's evening was particularly busy and we were seated in the back. It was icy cold and there was no other seating in the covered seating area that had heaters. If you make reservations on a cool evening, you may want to ask for a seat there. Either way, we had a lovely evening made special by Celestinos !! read more

This long-time favorite is even better post-Covid. The beet risotto with goat cheese is so original. Posts that claim the food is uninspired are crazy. As to comments about slow service, never at lunch-- yet with particular Italian warmth and attention. We were celebrating a birthday and Mario brought a luscious molten chocolate cake on the house. Just because Celestino has been here a while doesn't mean it's gotten old. Only better! read more

Amazing place!! Best customer service also! I came with a dear friend of mine last night he has been coming here for years, and he said that I would love it and sure enough! The food was excellent. Customer service was terrific too. Highly recommend! read more

Food is wonderful and well priced. I highly recommend this Italian restaurant in Pasadena. Service was great. Ambiance is nice and upscale. Just wish the hostess was better presented. Even though most customers are dressing down lately, a hostess should not be dressed in jeans and a t-shirt like sweater. We didn't realize she was the hostess at first, as the hostess table was facing away from the front door. The new bartender is going to be a really good. He is eager to learn more about wines and made a great cocktail. The staff behind the scenes are talented and were having a jolly time with each other in the kitchen ( a bit too loud in Spanish) The waiters are well trained, but speak a bit too much amongst themselves close to patrons tables. Go take a business client, family member or friends to try the food! You won't be disappointed. Hopefully, they will be impressed. Celestino's really is a gem, but needs to sparkle a bit more in order to be one outstanding establishment. read more

Dinner with friends was terrific. Service was welcoming and impeccable. Food as always was wonderful, pastas and ossobuco and branzino, everyone raved even the two younger persons. Space was warm and not noisy, allowing us to really catch up with each other. Highly recommend Celestino! read more

If you want to impress a date, bring her here. Best Italian food in all of LA. Bar none.

Manager is an ass. Argued with me in the dining room about our wait time and them followed me to our table to continue the argument. Pompous and agressive. read more

The Risotto with mixed seafood was delicious. The servers are very nice and attentive. All their suggestions were on point. The vibe is very friendly and home like. Definitely coming here again. read more

Celestino Restaurant - Risotto with Mixed seafood. - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

Mediocre food. Outside area was nice. Staff were nice but nit attentive. Food was just ok.

If you're looking for a local staple with Italian cuisine and old town charm, this is the place. The service was professional and thoughtful - they asked how the food was and if we needed anything else, while also never letting our water glasses empty. Food was delicious and the portion was perfect. Loved their jazzy vintage music as well. The environment was a sweet mix of families and older couples. It was a perfect date night, where we could actually hear each other speak. It also wasn't too crowded or a long wait. read more

3 1/2 - 4 STARS Food - LA DINE Dinner good except pasta served COLD for 2ND course. If hot, great dish. Clam soup, fish dish and dessert very good. Osso Bucco dish was also good. Service - great great waiter, but they did not have enough help in the restaurant. Surprisingly, very crowded with all the sports on TV. Wine - 2 different glasses & both good. Take Out Containers- 5 STARS - pretty cool containers with eating utensil. read more

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Was planning to take pictures of my appetizer and risotto but couldn't help myself to pause and take the photos. The dishes here are simply too good! Lunch usually has no wait but dinner usually requires a reservation in advance. The owner, Calogero, names the restaurant after his brother Celi who is the chef for the famous Drago chain in LA that includes restaurants like Il Pastaio in Beverly Hills. At dinner you will find Mario taking good care of all the patrons. So the service is always very good. Will be back soon. read more

Celestino Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

I really wasn't expecting much especially after seeing the reviews but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by great service and tasty food. All of the staff were kind and even said hi and smiled at my toddler. I ordered the filet mignon ravioli while my bf ordered the spaghetti carbonara. Food came quickly enough and was delicious. The atmosphere was pleasant and cozy which only made the whole experience better. The restaurant is cozy but has an upscale air. Overall it was a great lunch experience and I will definitely be coming back for more! I'll be recommending it as a good Italian restaurant moving forward! Be back real soon!!!! read more

I had high hopes for this restaurant as it is part of the Drago family group and I had just been to Drago centro and had a delightful meal. Last night's dinner was disappointing. Because I felt everything was done rushed, cooked without "attention" and the result was not good. We had some fried calamari : chewy, with some red pepper tomatoey non descript sauce, forget it. Then the salad with apples , endives , walnuts and an anchovy flavor, maybe the best dish . The raviolis were over cooked. The grilled Dover sole looked great ( see picture) but was also over cooked : what a waste! The filet was tender but what is this sweet reduction sauce doing here? The salmon was ok but this is becoming so ubiquitous that I wonder if we should continue to order this unimaginative dish. Deserts were ok : Panna cotta was too soft, the tiramisu was fine but not special and same remark about the ricotta cheese cake with pistachio mousse. Really an average dinner but 3 stars ( more 2.5 stars) to maybe trigger a wake up call from management!! read more

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Yelp Challenge 2015. 282/365 Portion sizes certainly don't match the prices for our weekend dinner at this tiny Pasadena Italian Restaurant. Ambience gave the illusion that it is fine dining, but don't break out your fancy attire. It was very casual here. I was hoping for a bigger meal because I left super hungry. When the plate was set in front of me, I thought to myself, oh-em-gee Is this all Im getting? Is something missing? Might as well eat all the bread you can because you will not get full off this plate. Taste wise...my angel hair pasta was infused with a massive amount of garlic and that is perfectly fine with me. The more garlic the better. It was topped with sautéed tomatoes, basil and more garlic. I asked for a massive helping of fresh parmasean cheese. Just keep on grating that cheese sir. The pasta seemed to be a little undercooked for my liking. I wasn't sure if it was just me, but my husband said my pasta I make is better. The dish was good but not as good as I expected. And. Yea...here comes the AND there was no meat with it. I am a big meat eater. I am sure they had some sort of meat to appeal to my carnivore ways but the menu was very difficult to navigate with no a la carte sausage, meatball, chicken in sight. The dish would easily been 4 stars with grilled chicken or sausage. The lasagna was also small in the size department. It had a meat sauce but I didnt see any meat. For a hungry male it was no where near enough. I felt bad for my husband. A $10 bowl of soup and s $7.00 side salad is a must to satisfy your belly. Service was very bland. Nothing overly attentive. Server did the best he could to provide service to our party of 8 . His humor was kind of cheesy. I wasn't sure if I was suppose to laugh or not. My water cup was always empty, with nobody around to fill it promptly. Our food seemed to take a while. Strangely our meal was ordered later, than the others yet we were first to be fed. We had to ask for parmasean cheese. However, they are very attentive to their tip. In fact they add it to the bill for you. Complimentary petite Birthday Penna Cotta with strawberries and a little jingle was provided to the Birthday boy and Birthday girl. This thing was really good. Light and flavorful with just the right amount of strawberries. Parking seems to be hit or miss. If you enter the front lot you have to pay $4.00 to self park or vallet. No ifs, ands, or butts about it. I read there is free parking if you enter through the back but we never saw it. There is street parking but good luck with that. My party did enjoy themselves here. Great company and good conversations. I guess that is what eating is all about. Reservations are recommended for larger parties. #758 read more

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The food is excellent, the hostess is always professional and welcoming. She took my order, refilled my drink. I would have given five stars except the bartender has no personalty, borderline surly. read more

Came here with a dear girlfriend of mine to celebrate our birthday month! it's never just one day of celebrations, it's a whole month! Carpaccio di Bue con Parmigiano e Capperi Beef Carpaccio with Capers and Parmesan Cheese- Thin slice of raw beef, garnish with capers and lemon for you to compliment your taste buds. First time having raw beef and oh goodness, it's was flavorful and great. Pleasantly surprise! Capelli d'Angelo al Pomodoro Fresco e Basilico Angel Hair Pasta with Fresh Tomato, Basil and Garlic-I also added a side of grilled shrimp and man o man, it was super yummy. Light, not greasy and healthy. Shrimp was big and wonderful. Had a wonderful thin slight of cake complimentary for our birthday celebration. Service was wonderful, very helpful and to some they may feel they were being pushy but they were just making sure that they are there to take care of you. It's a bit pricey, it's not your everyday pasta place, homemade pasta, wonderful sauce. read more

Celestino Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Food definitely not amazing, I expected more. Very average for Italian. Wasn't impressed

Despite the 3 star rating on Yelp, we still had benefit of doubt and decided to have dinner here on a Monday night. They have an outdoor dog friendly patio which made our decision to dine here and hope for the best. The restaurant was pretty packed and busy around 7pm on a Monday. We were excited and looked forward to our meal. We started off with Burrata and tomato appetizer. This was our favorite. I wanted this dish all to myself and not have to share it! My husband ordered the $40 mushroom risotto which turned out to be the biggest disaster of the night. My pheasant and mushroom fettuccine was over cooked but wasn't horrible. We voiced our concerns to the waiter regarding the crunchy risotto and he said the chef likes to make it al dente. He even said that in Italy the risotto is always cooked al dente and not mushy. We explained to him that the texture is way beyond al dente. It was more like if you were to eat rice that's been sitting in cold water for couple of hours and consumed without cooking it first. We've had risotto many times before and never have we ate it so hard and crunchy. Yes, I understand that it shouldn't be mushy but rather be able to distinguish every grain in your mouth individually. This wasn't our first time eating risotto. The waiter took the dish back to reheat it for us. Wait, what? If I'm paying $40 for a plate of risotto, shouldn't you as the waiter at least try to offer us a new serving instead of just reheating the old one? When we tried it again, the texture was still hard but bearable. Maybe they just added more liquid to soften it up a bit. For paying $40, we would expect a perfect dish. However, we both agreed that this isn't the restaurant we'd come back any time soon. Service was very slow and food was not memorable. If you like risotto with a crunchy bite, you'll love this place. read more

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A while ago I came with my Italian American friend, Austin, to check out another Ristorante Italiano so we chose Celestino in Pasadena since he works nearby. We entered, were seated, and our waiter looked like a Mafioso & sounded as though he had a gravel voiced, Joisey accent. My imagination started running away from me, and I thought this was going to be like an Italian eatery in Hoboken or Newark where customers in dark pinstripe suits gathered around a table headed by a capo. Well, I guess not on Lake Avenue in Pasadena. For the life of me, the food was so mediocre that I can only vaguely remember what we had eaten. So unfortunate since the downtown LA Drago Centro, which I believe is associated with Celestino, was so wonderful in the freshness of the ingredients, sophisticated, delicious light interpretations of la cucina Italiana leggera. The service at Drago Centro was informed & personable with emphasis on catering to the customer. Unfortunately, our waiter was more interested in telling us what was good, and when I asked him questions about some aspect of the preparation or ingredients, he seemed more interested in taking our orders to get us out the door for faster table turnover. My friend Austin was not impressed either. He commented that he had better food at places such as Piccolo in Venice, Osteria Mama, etc. Oh well, I guess that not all Celestino Drago establishments are created equal. read more

Celestino Restaurant - Celestino as seen on Lake Ave. - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

I will tell you what kind of restaurant this is. I saw a worker not wash their hands after they use the restroom. Do not eat here. I went into wash my hands before I ordered and eat, and when I see something like that, it makes me walk right out if they have no respect for themselves, they have no respect for their work or their food. I don't need to taste thier food, or experience the atmosphere less than one star. read more

The service and ambience is always top-notch. Consistently good Italian fare with a full bar and a rotating dessert menu. I'm a fan of the insalata di lattuga, the linguini ai frutti di mare and the taglioni with pesto. My family has been coming here for years and we'll be back! read more

Celestino Restaurant - Cannoli - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

Pretty nice Italian food for a higher price. I think that they have a nice atmosphere for a party or intimate dinner and plenty parking in the rear (enter from the street behind). The free fresh bread was just okay, but their balsamic vinegar was great- and came in a cool dispenser (+1 for that!). We got the squid ink pasta (great initially, but the flavor started to get flat over the course of eating the whole plate). What struck out as great was their Pappardelle (both their special duck one, and their Mushroom one on the menu). The shrimp and salad appetizer was also good as well. Would have rated this place higher if the price was more appropriate for the food quality, and if a dish really stood out, but overall was still a good experience. read more

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My husband used to bring customers to Celestine's. This makes the third time we've come to this place together, and something has been unsatisfactory two of those times. The Penne w/prosciutto, and the bolognese sauce will leave you feeling disgusted. I feel like I just ate an entire jar of grated Parmesan cheese in the sauce. We also had the linguine frutti de mare... I can't figure out what was wrong with it, but it looked and tasted like it came out of a frozen bag from Albertsons and had way to much bruschetta seasoning in it. Lol. There were Two ladies next to us who were getting their meal just as we were leaving and it was obvious from the reaction to their foods appearance that they weren't happy. We didn't complain, just forced ourselves to eat what we could, paid and left. We will never go back. read more

Two stars because it seems like their wait staff is actually trying. Everything else was a disappointment. The food portions are so small and the taste was really bland, nothing exciting and I left wishing we had just ordered pizza and picked up some side salads. They told me they didn't have a drink Menu ??? There was a long hair in our dessert and when we brought it to their attention they replaced it with one without garnish and didn't even take it off our bill. Now that I look at some pics of other patrons I'm noticing their portions are inconsistent and plating is horrible. Their specials seems to be of items they want to get rid of. read more

Old school Italian yet semi-casual restaurant; come for the delicious authentic Italian dishes & stay for the warm connections you'll have from all the staff. Friendly and amicable throughout this restaurant is the general vibe you pick up as soon as you enter Celestino's. Known for their pastas, highly recommend the most hearty and yet delicate spaghetti carbonara alla Romano, loaded with eggs, bacon, & Reggiano. Another favorite here is their Pennette Con Prosciutto E Vodka, which is essentially just as it sounds, Penne Pasta With Prosciutto And Vodka Sauce will have your taste buds bursting with incredible nuanced flavors. Only slight disappoint was their dessert, Tiramisu- Lady Finger with Espresso Coffee and Mascarpone- light and although tasty, missing the real reason you order this anyway, which is that WOW factor pop in your mouth liqueur that you expect from a tiramisu, this one was mild to none. Small set back to an otherwise most spectacular dining experience! read more

Celestino Restaurant - Free, fresh, warm, crunchy, & as much as you want, bread and butter! - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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