Maestro Restaurant
Order Maestro Restaurant Takeout or Delivery
Maestro Restaurant Photos
Business Info
Maestro Restaurant Popular Dishes
MAESTRO RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE
You might also consider
More like Maestro Restaurant
Recommended Reviews - Maestro Restaurant
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
Decided to try this spot since I have resy credit with Amex. Was seated right away and the inside is cozy and nice. Service was incredible as well. Got the sesame salad, calamari, tetela (rec from server), and carne en su jugo. Of the 4, the salad was our least favorite - didn't have any flavor/texture. The calamari is on the crunchy end (kind of like chips), tetela was ok. The carne en su jugo was good but so small. Overall, pretty disappointed by the taste of everything (on the bland side) and the price is extremely high for what the food is.
A friend grabbed reservations to Maestro's for some dinner for the night. Heard good things about this spot. Parking is in parking structures throughout this area but watch out for the one way streets. They do not validate. Parking is cheap though. Started off with the calamari, oysters aguachile and guacamole. Calamari - My favorite of the appetizers. Very lightly breaded. Not overcooked. Small but shareable amount. The red bell pepper sauce dressed underneath is deep in flavor. This was a solid dish. Guacamole - Now being a guac connoisseur I found this guac pleasant. Creamy, a little limey, good flavors. Topped with cotija and I'm pretty sure cotija was present within the guac mix itself. Nice touch. Could have used a little heat tho. Plantains ehhhh were okay. Even though the tostadas were thinner I preferred those over the plantains. Oysters Aguachile - Aight. Fresh. Aguachile mix on top could have had some heat and more true aguachile notes like cilantro, onion. But still fresh and a nice appetizer. Arrachera (skirt steak) - Delicious. Definitely a big plate. I opted for veggie mix instead of the rice to go for more low carb. Very good. The steak was cooked perfectly. Well seasoned. Spring mix was a nice touch to have something lighter. Service was very prompt and friendly. I forgot our waitresses name but she was very nice. Definitely will be back. One thing about the dishes overall is that they did stay in their lane. I didnt find them exploring too much like differences or going in a certain way. Everything was executed perfectly and what you would expect. I sampled the birria and mole enchiladas. Those made me feel like yeah this is the way they should be made. And Im only a fan of specific moles.
Came here on a Friday night with some of my girlfriends to catch up, have a good meal and a couple of drinks. For a Friday night around 7 PM the place was not packed or busy at all. There is a parking lot right behind it where I paid I $15. Don't be fooled by the five dollar parking signs, that five dollars is just for one hour. My friend did find meter parking for only three dollars. Now for the food....very average dare I say not really good? I was definitely expecting more. I had two cocktails which were good but nothing special. The atmosphere was nice and our server was fantastic however, after each of us spending $100 each, not including tip, definitely not worth the money. Unfortunately, I won't be back.
Reservations are required because they do get busy. However, same day reservations are possible. We got there around 5pm and we were surprised it wasn't busy but soon after it was fully packed. We sat in the outside patio, which have heaters. Service 10/10: our waitress was kind and friendly and gave us a background on the restaurant which interestingly has 150 kinds of tequila! Food came out quickly and most everything tasted great. My only issue was that some of my dishes lacked salt. The calamari are a must, they have a spicy kick to them. The desserts weren't my favorite because it was a bit too sweet for me but my husband loved the tres leches carrot cake.
Before making a ressie, I extensively researched this place. The reviews were mixed, with people either loving this place or finding it to just be mid at best. I really wanted to be one of those people that loved this place but unfortunately, Maestro, while having a very intriguing menu, fell short of any wow factor (except with respect to their carrot cake). In order to get the full experience of this place, I stuck to appetizers and chose the ones most recommended by other patrons. Aguachile is a dish I always like to try. Admittedly , this is the first time I have seen it offered with oysters. For me, I would rather have had the oysters the good old fashion way. While this dish still had that spicy kick to it, I didn't find the flavors to be as complimentary as with other aguachiles I have had. Next is the Tetela. While I enjoyed the bean puree, this item too lacked in an overall flavor impression. The octopus, however, was very good and all of the ingredients nicely complemented each other. The bone marrow esquite was the biggest disappointment. To be fair, this was my first time trying bone marrow and I left Maestro questioning whether I was in fact a true foodie since I did not like the gelatinous bone marrow. After some research, I learned it should be served hot so it is buttery. The bone marrow in this dish was room temperature and congealed. The "special element" to this otherwise street food item was nonexistent. The last item I ordered before dessert was the quesadillas. I honestly couldn't decide on what else to get but I was still hungry so I went with a basic item. Surprisingly, this item that got no notable mention in the reviews, was delish! I would definitely recommend giving this dish a try as I was pleasantly surprised. Now the moment for Maestro to shine in this review - the Tres Leches Carrot Cake! I cannot emphasize enough that this has to be an item you order. If you like carrot cake and tres leches cake, even if the rest of your meal is a disappointment, this item will sorta take the edge off the disappointment. As a note, the cake comes with what I like to describe as churros made out of carrot slices. These "churros" will become soggy if you take your dessert home. So, make sure you eat all of those pieces before packing up your cake. If you arrive before 5 p.m., parking is $5 at 150 E Hollywood Street. Otherwise, you can find street parking and there are other lots to choose from varying in price. Note that if you do street parking, you are not able to increase the time on your meter unless you have someone else with you who has the app and will act as if your vehicle is their's. All in all, I would not return to Maestro except for their cake; however, don't be discouraged from trying this place out because the reviews are so mixed, you ay fall into the you loved it category.
From the beautiful ambience to the amazing food and the exceptional service! Maestro is a place you want to be.
Food: My wife and I came here through our Amex Resy credit promotion, and we tried a good spread of dishes: scallops, carne en su jugo, queso fundido, calamari, and fried quesadillas. The calamari and the queso fundido were easily the standouts of the night: flavorful, well-seasoned, and plated beautifully. The entrées, unfortunately, lacked depth. They needed more seasoning, especially salt, to bring the flavors forward. One of the fried quesadillas had no cheese inside, which might've melted out during frying but still felt like something was missing. The scallops were cooked well but needed more intensity overall. Service: Service was excellent. Our servers were attentive, quick to clear plates, and kept our water filled without needing to ask. Everyone was friendly, and the pacing of the meal was smooth. Ambiance: Warm, modern, and slightly upscale with dim lighting and comfortable seating. It's a great setting for a date night or a relaxed dinner out.
Great food, staff, and environment. I'm usually not the biggest fan of elevated takes on traditional cuisine, but Maestro's might be an exception.
Our food is delicious . I am familiar with yellow Mexican rice but first time try black and green rice . The some food the portion too small . Like the scallops only couple pieces and pricey . Our server Natalie is awesome very friendly and cheerful
I get why everyone is raving about this place. The food, the vibe, the service - fire! We had the carne en su jugo and the birria. The carne en su jugo was so flavorful and juicy. It tastes exactly like the one my mom makes - as soon as I took the first bite it took me back to my childhood. The beef birria was good but was a little bit on the dryer side for my taste. We ordered the guacamole w/plantain chips and the tatela as starters. The guac was lemony and very light and almost fluffy. The plantain chips were so thin and flakey - sooo good! The tatela was ok but had a little too much masa and not enough filling in it. We parked at the public parking which was $15 for more than 1 hour. The restaurant is pretty much next to the King Taco off the Union St. side. I will definitely be back!
Honestly.. this is a hidden Pasadena gem. We found it pre-pandemic, and although Chef Elena left- the quality has remained the same after all these years! Drinks are on point, food is savory and the ambiance is a whole vibe. There's a parking structure right next door, but it's Pasadena so be prepared to pay at least $15.. unless you get lucky finding parking on the street. But it's worth it. You won't find tacos here though.. but I'm pretty sure your taste buds will thank you for trying something authentic with a twist.
I hosted my Galentine's dinner at Maestro Pasadena and it was truly such a beautiful experience from start to finish. The team was incredibly accommodating and even allowed me to bring a few small table decorations to personalize the space, which meant so much to me. Our table was set at the front of the restaurant right by the window, and the aesthetic was absolutely perfect. The ambiance felt warm, stylish, and elevated while still being comfortable enough for us to relax and celebrate. The food was delicious across the board and every cocktail we ordered was top tier. You can tell so much care goes into both the presentation and the flavors. What really made the night special was the hospitality. Our waiter was attentive without being intrusive, constantly checking in to make sure we had everything we needed. The owners also stopped by, which made the experience feel even more personal and welcoming. If you are looking for a spot in Pasadena to host a birthday, girls night, or any special dinner, Maestro is such a great choice. We had the best time and I will absolutely be back.
Came on a Saturday night. Parking is hard to come back. You'll get street parking if you're lucky. The place was packed. You need to make a reservation. The staff were great. They were dressed well, courteous, and very patient. We sat outside. It's was very nice as there was live music. We got the Tamarindo Margarita twice. It was really good. They were $17 each. We didn't like the Mezcal Negroni $16, it was too sweet. The Bourbon Old Fashion $15 was really good and a definite reorder. The Agave Old Fashioned $18 was too sweet. We got the Guacamole for $16. We liked that it came with plantain chips. We also got the Bone Marrow Esquite $34, not a fan, and Arrachera $38. The chickpea rice was really good. Overall, it was a lovely dining experience. Some of the drinks were good. The food didn't live up to its price. Would come back for the drinks during Happy Hour.
3 years ago
3 years ago
My boyfriend and I were searching for some Mexican food in the Pasadena area and we found this gem on Yelp! Highly recommend it here. The service and ambiance was great and the food was even better. We ordered the ceviche, guacamole, fried quesadillas, arrachera, and enchiladas verdes. Everything had amazing flavor, tasted fresh and home made. Only thing we probably wouldn't order again is the ceviche, but we can't wait to come back and try more items on the menu! Also the cocktails were perfectly crafted. Thank you Maestro!! read more
5 years ago
Let's start by saying I had no silverware when my food arrived LATE. I started eating Ceviche with my hands. We were a big party and everyone wanted to pay just their bill and they REFUSED TO DO THAT. Forcing us to divide it in EQUAL PARTS EVEN THOUGH SOME OF US BARELY ATE. And lastly THEY CHARGED MY CARD TWICE FOR THE SAME AMMOUNT, NOW I CALL THEM AND THE PHONE CALLS WON'T GO THROUGH!!!!!! They owe me over 100 dollars of refund and I have NO WAY OF CONTACTING THEM. please do not eat here. Overpriced as hell. Food is whatever and service is horrible. They need better Managment. Thanks And please give me my money back. read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
The place, the service, and the food is great! Drinks are delicious. It's elegant and cozy inside. Good music playing loud enough to enjoy it, but low enough to still hear each other talk. The outdoor seating is nicely decorated with lights and you have live entertainment. They do have heaters for chilly nights. The service is like no other. They're on it. The waiter was very attentive. Your water cup is never empty. Food and drinks are out relatively quick. Food is delicious. And it's wonderful how their menu incorporates simple yet sophisticated ingredients into the menu. We ordered the Tetela as an appetizer. It was delicious. I had the tacos ahogados and my friend had enmoladas both were delicious. The mole is not your traditional "more on the sweet side" mole, but still delicious and still has the taste of the mole just not sweet. For dessert we had the 3 leches carrot cake and it was to die for. If you love carrot cake and love 3 leches cake this combo is just it! For drinks we did the Tamarindo margarita and the Guayabita... both were delicious! Do make a note, their drinks are made with mezcal, however you can substitute the mezcal for tequila if needed. Some can say Mezcal can be an acquired taste. If you get to sit outdoors I hope you get to enjoy Gabriel's voice. He sings beautiful and he plays an array of genres and songs. read more
3 years ago
This review is long overdue. I love the food at Maestro's. It's delicious and generous portions but not heavy. Their cocktails (particularly the Tamarindo) are so tasty. The waiters are attentive. The patio is really enjoyable in the evening, especially when the guitarist is there. Overall it's a warm and modern atmosphere with food worth making a trek from the Westside. read more
Definitely will be coming back to Maestro, had a great meal and experience dining out their patio! We ordered the Guacamole, not realizing it was going to come with plantain chips, which were delicious and pretty filling! We also got their watermelon margaritas, which were also some of the better drinks we've had in the area! Lastly, we ordered the carnitas plate and the stars were the juicy tender meat and the tortillas! read more
5 years ago
Not only is this place super cute with the cutest bar! The food is amazing! This is the second time I have gone on a Sunday for breakfast. Every one of our plates were bursting with flavor! And let's not forget to mention the presentation each plate was so pretty. Drinks were also delicious! Can't wait to go back! read more
Met a friend for dinner a couple weeks ago. We went out for tacos on the fancier side. My order: 2 diced shrimp tacos on chubby handmade tortillas then bathed in broth. With a cucumber lime jalapeno margarita. Very summery and delicious. read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
Good food, good drinks & good vibes! I had the mole poblano enchiladas and they were delicious! We went on a weekday and they had mariachi outside in their patio area which was awesome. Added to the vibe for sure. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
The vibes here are good, and the service was very on point. Our waitress was making sure our drinks topped off at all times despite it being quite busy. The food here is good too but I wouldn't say it's the best Mexican food I've ever had. I would say what made the meal great was the dessert.... They have a guava cheesecake that is absolutely delicious. read more
1 year ago
5 years ago
One of my favorite restaurants to dine out in Pasadena. My boyfriend and I come here at least twice a month! We've tried many of their dishes, and all of them are consistently tasty. We especially looove their cocktails, and the Tamarindo is one of our favorites. All of their cocktails have great flavor with the perfect amount of sweetness. We always order their ceviche--it is more "watery" than ceviches at other restaurants (it is their style), but is very tasty and refreshing. Maestros clearly uses very fresh ingredients. I would definitely recommend ordering the ceviche as a starter :). 5/5 The oyster shooter is also very refreshing and tasty! However, because the topping flavor is just a little bit more overpowering than I like with oysters in general (personal preference), I'd give it a 4/5. Don't get me wrong, though, it is still delish! The lamb shank is also very tender and delicious. One of our favorite dishes & would definitely recommend!! 5/5 The scallops dish is also very tasty. It has great flavor and texture. The scallops are very well-cooked (very tender) and fresh. If you love scallops, definitely order this. 5/5 Honestly... I doubt you could go wrong with any dishes here. No dishes we've ordered were ever just meh. Oh, yes and for dessert...you MUST order the Tres Leches Carrot Cake! It is absolutely delicious. Not too sweet, unique, and very satisfying. Love the crispy carrots that goes on the cake too. You'd be glad to have ordered this! read more
GLOY night out! We weren't gonna let a little rain and cold keep us away from our dinner plans! Always a fun night when we're out yapping, laughing and sipping! And ya grubbin! We got a great, almost-private table to ourselves which contributed to our bluster. Surely if we sat at the other tables, we would have to keep it down a notch and be considerate of our close neighbors ... Glad we didn't! No rules to shut us down! Woot woot! Our server was really cool in adding to our photag fun! They had a bunch of roses throughout the place, seemingly leftover from V-day 3 days ago, in which we couldn't resist snapping shots with! Fun spot! Would definitely be a frequent spot if I lived in the area. Hope I can swing by again soon and try more creative, yummy items. read more
5 years ago
Went back and it's still good haha. What I ordered this time: Calamari - spectacular! Great breading, tender and the sauce underneath was absolutely addicting. Arrachera (marinated skirt steak) - okay so this dish was super filling. The steak was so flavorful and tender I almost cried. Probably my favorite thus far! The poblano and chickpea rice was great as well, I ended up picking out the chickpeas after while because I just wanted the rice alone. Still good though. Tres Leches Carrot Cake - this was good but I thought it would be better. Presentation is stellar and the unique churro like carrots on top was very cool! When I think tres leches I think a cake soaked in milk and this wasn't it. The cake is firm but most but has a thicker structure to it. The carrot purée in the side is just that CARROTS. It wasn't sweet so beware when you eat that alone lol. I saw a lot of cheesecakes going to tables so I will need to try that next. Still a favorite! read more
5 years ago
Been here twice before and the food here is amazing. I enjoyed everything I tried. I wish they have brunch not only on sundays! read more
3 years ago
The food was delicious. I ate a variety of plates from the menu. The customer service was on point. They had mariachi's. The owners came around to everyone & greeted each table giving that extra personal touch. read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
First time here and I honestly was pleasantly surprised with the service & food. It was such a cute place, I came on a date here. The food was good & the staff was nice! The ambiance was so cute and I like how their is live music. Definitely will come back. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Nice place and nice food, only attention on the automatic tips. Besides that it's a good place to dine and drink read more
4 years ago
5 years ago
Dined on 10/30 ....Sat eve @ 7:15 outside patio- 10 of us:) Awesome service and delicious authentic Mexican Dishes! I ordered the carnitas and it was great! Love the fresh Mex Torts and liquified black beans.... Very Authentic! I'm use to El Torritos Mexican Grill - love there Macho Combo, but Maestro is the real deal This is how you eat and dine REAL Mexican cuisine! Try it you wont be disappointed! Our Food server was great ! Friendly, pleasant, patient, accommodating and made suggestions (Tall white guy with ear rings-) great job! read more
3 years ago
This restaurant has been on our radar for sometime. Anytime we've walked past it, it's always crowded house with a seemingly great vibe. We finally made it to this place and it did not disappoint. Pros: Ambience (even if we sat outside in their alley) The stringed lights and succulent divider worked. Food was delicious Enchiladas with green sauce Chicken Molè Fried Quesadilla Birria Tacos (Hand made shells, a +) Drinks, pretty presentation. Taste, good not great. They specialize in mezcal and that is definitely an acquired taste, personally speaking. I had the spicy watermelon and the last drink which is pictured was good, just can't remember the name. It was a house special. Cons: Our waiter. He could use some fine tuning on etiquette. He spoke very fast and approached our table totally disconnected, paying more attention to the love entertainment than introducing himself to our table. We literally had to grab his attention by asking if he was our waiter because like I said he approached our table, stood right in front and was just watching the musician play his guitar. And...when we finally did grab his attention and focus, he was still all over the place. Being out first time we asked what was good, both food and bevs, and his answers or should I say recommendations, vague at best. Would this experience hinder our outlook on returning, probably not, but I would hope we get a more engaged, polished waiter than the one we had. Social Distance: not a thing here. Tables were very close together. We were seated outside yet, just too close for my liking. I think they need to distance the tables so your chairs are not hitting the backs of other chairs. Overall rating on dining experience: lovely read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
4 years ago
5 years ago
3 years ago
Wow!! We have dined at Maestro's before and have never been disappointed and this last visit was even better than before! The appetizers, house special, and main meals were magnificent. Beautiful presentation too! The service was warm and welcoming. We must have had our silverware replaced 3 times. Seated in their outdoor patio while listening to live music while enjoying a delicious dinner was a perfect summer evening! read more
2 years ago
More info about Maestro Restaurant
110 East Union St
Pasadena, CA 91103
Downtown
Directions
(626) 787-1512
Call Now
Visit Website
http://www.maestropasadena.com
Full menu
Hours
Payment methods
Food & Alcohol
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
Other Amenities
From the Business
More Info
Special Hours, Health Score
Maestro Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages
Ask the Community - Maestro Restaurant
Online menu says they have Vegan options, like Mole and Enchilada. Do they have plant based meat substitute or just regular veggies?
Veggies, I did not see meat substitute options when I visited last week.
Does anyone know their new phone number?
Hi Kat, we change out phone system and it was out for a day it is working again. Thank you!
Are they still doing happy hour during covid?
Do you host private events?
Hi Linda, yes we definitely do private events and even cater for larger parties. Email us MaestroPasadena@gmail.com to inquire.
Do they offer gluten free dishes?
Am guessing most of the dishes are gf. Tortillas corn only, etc. We eat gf and it's never been a problem. Had lunch there today!
Is it all communal tables or do they have private tables?
They have regular tables and a great happy hour by the way.
What prices are we talking about? The menu doesn't say. Give some examples please.
beers are $6-7 tamal $10 calamari $11…
You might also consider
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
51 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
5 months ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
23 days ago
5 months ago
8 years ago
4 years ago
5 months ago
7 years ago
9 years ago
8 years ago
4 years ago
8 years ago
9 years ago
6 years ago
9 years ago
8 years ago
9 years ago
