Venue promised guarantee for band, at the end of the night, they chose not to pay. Owner promised to pay when confronted and has ignored contact with band and management. read more

Excellent live music You may think you won't see some great bands You will It's open really late btw read more

If you are not a hipster pothead then this place isn't for you. It definitely wasn't for me, that much I know. Unfortunately it was way too loud to talk with the live band jamming a foot or two from your table. Perhaps if the music was better it would be chill... but it wasnt... On top of that literally you couldn't hear a thing anyone at your table was trying to say to the others. Pro Tip: You cant find this place unless you know what you are looking for and where to go. You had to wind your way through the alleys to make it here. In addition to that, I dont see a reason to pay a premium to drink canned beer. SERIOUSLY CANNED BEER! How crappy is that chit? *SMH* I am out of college and old enough to know that canned beer tastes canned and disgusting. Apparently several of my friends are just not as discerning or DGAF. So this bar also has an outdoor "smoking" area. Disappointingly almost all of the smokers were pot heads. They were all token and doing the puff puff pass, chillen their lives away. Since Im allergic to that kinda crap it meant that I was making a quick exit stage right. So yeah bad news for me... but not if you are a hipster pothead as I said. read more

Finding the Old Towne Pub is like going on a wild goose chase. The address is listed on Fair Oaks, but you need to circumvent the surrounding alleys to find the entrance. The easiest way to find that pot of gold is to enter from the alley on Holly St (just east of Fair Oaks). If you are coming here, take it for what it's worth. It's not about the ambiance. It's not swanky, classy or nice. It is dirty, smokey, and maybe even a little funky. It's a true dive bar that's devoted itself to booking live music. The night I went was a hipster/punk rock crowd and I could see this place booking similar acts on most nights. The bar may be small, though the sound system and acoustics actually sound pretty legit once the levels are dialed in. A major plus is the breadth of beer selection that you might not expect to find, considering it's such a dive-ey place. They serve up Magic Hat, Victory, and a few others that you won't find most elsewhere. read more

Such a fantastic bar with really cool eclectic decor and music. They have different styles of music every night from acoustic to death metal. I believe it's one of the oldest bars in Pasadena and is historic as it used to be a firehouse in the 1800's. I heard that they filmed a Tom Cruise movie in the alley outside. Great place if you can find it, it's definitely a hidden gem of Old Towne Pasadena. Plus the selection of beers can't be topped anywhere in town. Wanted to support small businesses that made it through covid and what's great is that they also have an enclosed outdoor patio. read more

I hate 95% of live, local music. Garage bands should remain in garages, not emerge to assault people who actually go to a pub to (gasp) drink. That being said, every time I come here I'm amazed by the quality of the bands. A special shout out to The Atom Age. You guys rocked. This is the kind of place I could get used to: walking distance to the Gold Line, friendly, personable service, fairly good selection of draughts (hey, if you want 2000 different beers, 90% of them undrinkable, go to one of those aging frat boy chains....you know who you are), and a diverse, easy-going crowd. Minus one point for the state of the bathroom. I mean, I get the whole authentic punk rock vibe you're going for, but I promise Henry Rollins won't kick your ass if you clean it every now and again. What's with the gratuitous "e" at the end of Town. Why not go for broke and call it Ye Olde Towne Pub? I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and think it's some sort of ironic gesture. Besides, since when do I turn down an extra E? read more

Who says that you can't find the love of your life at a pub? My fiance and I met here four years ago (to the date). On that night, my friend was celebrating his ump-ti-upm birthday and he lured us to this hidden gem in Pasadena with a live band and great beers on tap. I'm a Boddingtons girl myself, and at that time, it was so hard to find the honey ale anywhere that I'd soiled my undies when I found out that they started stocking them at the local Ralph's. Anyhow, the Old Towne Pub had it and I was sold. I bumped into my soulmate, as I was ordering the brew and he was picking up a pint of Guiness. We shot some darts, listened to the band, made out in the patio, and the rest was pub history. Thank you Old Towne Pub. We'll be sure to send a wedding invite your way. read more

I used to like this place. A welcome respite from the refuse of masses on Colorado clamoring for their Starbux, romantic comedies, and caramel apple martinis. Wait, that last one sounds good. But on Saturday night it was "bands that sound like nickelback and disturbed" night. Yechh! And it seems like this was not a fluke. More of their evenings are running this theme I am told. Good-bye pub....everytime the wind whispers "crappy music" I will think of you. read more

Upon departure towards the Old Towne Pub make sure to pack your maps, GPS, Goggles, back pack and some good, comfy walking shoes... Because finding this gem of a place is a mission and a half. Even after being there a few times, I still cannot tell you how I got there. A true wonder let me tell you. However, when you eventually do find that red brick square, it's definitely worth it. Just like any wondrous cave entrance there is a big dude checking out everyone.. Only that at this place the "doordude" is proper nice, drawing on your hand. Creative. The pub itself is a dive! Small, awkward, odd, compact, wonderful, filled with (mostly) happy people drinking beers and what not. Prices are more than reasonable and I've never had an issue with the selection... To top it off they serve Old Speckle Henn! Yummyness Goodness. The somewhat narrow space, with the small stage, will lead you to a truly groovy beer garden. It's very refreshing stepping out, to the fresh air (for a smooth cigg), holding your pint in the wide space. Aahhh. Oh do I miss the days of being able to sit down with all your Friends, with all your drinks, having a smoke... Old Towne Pub is absolutely awesome and a great spot to go out drinking with your friends, enjoying good music, good drinks... Definitely recommended if you've yet to visit.. Cheers. read more

This secret hide away of a joint holds a special place in my heart as it's one of the first places I've actually went out to go drink on the worse of the worse nights to go drinking on... St. Patty's day. Old Towne Pub was my salvation. For you see, everywhere else in Old Towne was filled with the most annoying of annoying. You know, the once-a-year drinkers who come out acting like they are both Irish and actually alcoholics on this stupid day in March. Why was I out? Well, company had me dragged out and so I complied. But thankfully they knew enough to avoid the O'mally's and O'bryans of the drinking establishment world and to come here.. First off, as others have well pointed out in their reviews.. this is hidden away. It's more or less a secret hide away. You're going to take at least a good couple of wrong turns upon your first search for it. This is not a bad thing. In fact, it's part of the charm that it has this sort of speak easy hide away joint quality to it. You really want the folks that find this place to be worthy of finding it. You have a nice little bar with a side area for bands to do their thang. Drink prices are pretty cheap and they have a pretty wide variety that will take care of the cheap PBR drinkers, but will also appeal to the beer snobs in all of us. A hidden treasure that doesn't get the crowds the other Pasadena drinking establishments get. read more

First, let it be known that this is not *actually* a dive bar. By Old Town Pasadena standards, perhaps this counts as a dive. But let's get real: the place is clean, there are craft beers on tap that cost $7 each, the bartender isn't rude, and it's not filled with sad drunks/scary regulars/sketchy characters. Being small, dark, and located down an alley does not a dive make. That being said, I came to see a friend play here and had a nice time. There's a great, small but well curated beer selection. There's live music most nights of the week, and no cover the night I went. It's a small/intimate place to hear bands. To get there: go down Holly Street, near Tibet Nepal House between Fair Oaks and Raymond. On the north side of the street you'll find an alley leading right to the pub. When I was there, an enormous dumpster was bizarrely blocking most of the way. Parking is not too hard -- lots of metered street parking, and the meters stop running after 8:00 on weekdays. There are also city garages with 90 minutes free before a certain time of night a short walk away. read more

Oh man I used to DJ here waaaaaaaaaay back in the day. hahahaha This place was one of my first weekly gigs. We used to play Underground HipHop here and the people really liked it. lol. The beers were great and cheap. and the locals were all cool, down-to-earth people. I miss spinning here...!!!!! read more

A last call would have sufficed, but instead bar tenders were cursing and screaming at customers at the end of the night with no warning or last call prior to 2am whatsoever. Very unprofessional and a very disappointing ending of the evening to many peoples' dismay. Happy Halloween, Old Towne. We will not be back. read more

This is a spot for locals or those who want to get away from the boujie crowd on Colorado Blvd. It's a quant little spot in an alley off Holly Street. Thursday night is my favorite night due to the music. Good hip hop, again not that boujie stuff. Good beer, good crowd..an array of people, which makes it interesting. Cool bartenders and overall good vibe. The back area is great to get some fresh air and great visuals of architect what is "old town." The cons: the girls bathroom is hella small. read more

My friend Alexis and I started going to this pub so often, the bartenders became some of our best friends. Dennis (the world's best bartender) is no longer there, but the new guy is just as awesome. All the people who work there are bad ass. The owner looks like a viking/frat boy and plays a mean game of beer pong. It's a "hidden" pub. It wasn't meant to be. The Container Store built a store around them, so the only way to get to the pub is by alleys. Legend has it, it was a fire house (hence the massive wooden gates in the "courtyard" - for the fire horses). Anywho, I more than highly recommend this place. They have BBQs (vegetarian-friendly options) on the weekends and beer pong tournaments. Halloween is a GREAT holiday to go here for. Check out the website for directions. The calender is no where near up to date. Pretty much you can only use the website for directions and drunken pictures from 2005. www.oldtownepub.com read more

Awesome bar! Amazing to find a true dive like this in old town Pasadena. Best spot for live music around. Friendly staff from the door, to the sound, to the bar. Stellar smoking patio, great sound, and a fine selection of beer. Go support your local dive bar and support local music! It can be a bit tricky to find your first time, so for your navigation it's down the alley at 22 E Holly st. Cheers! read more

This place could be awesome. Walk down an alleyway to be greeted by an old neon sign and saddle up to the bar and soak up your favorite libation. Local bands are a regular staple here and feature some amazing talent like Lungbutter and Jurassic Shark. The only thing lacking is the fact that every single employee here is a huge steaming pile of human excrement. So overall this place rocks if you are able to avoid contact with the staff. The customer is always right? Not here, apparently it's just the opposite, perhaps that's what they are going for. I give it negative two stars. read more

I stumbled upon the Old Towne Pub (aka Loch Ness Pub) while looking online for bars with live music in the SGV area a few weeks ago. I hit the jackpot with this one. Especially since there is absolutely no way I would have stumbled on it in real life, it is certainly tucked away. It is my favorite dive bar of the moment, combining my two great loves: live music and cheap booze. There is live music every night and the cover is always reasonable. One of the few places in LA that consistently books rockabilly/punkabilly bands. As soon as my buddies and I saw that they had the fabled Loch Ness shots for 2.00 each we had to try them. The taste can be best described as a poisonous appletini, don't forget to chase with a bunch of reasonably-priced draft beer and they will go down much easier. The only drawback would be the amps are turned up to 11 during the sets, so don't expect conversation to be easy, but you didn't come to Old Towne to talk did you? read more

After doing some research into happy hour places, I landed on this one and thought they would have happy hour on Tuesdays. After searching for a while and finally finding the alley along Holly Street, we made our way back to the bar (passing a huge dumpster along the way). It was definitely tucked back there. Unfortunately there wasn't a Tuesday crowd or happy hour. The beer on tap was decent - there were only two light beer options (one really hoppy and the other a very light beer) but $7. When you're searching for a happy hour deal that can seem pricey compared to other spots. They also don't serve food/appetizers, so we headed to Toro's (Asian fusion spot with happy hour a few blocks away on Colorado). From the reviews, it looks like the weekends are probably a better time to go to this spot. I think we were there on a slow night! I'm sure there are other better nights! But I recommend they consider ramping up a happy hour to get more customers during the week! read more

First, let me say that I am way biased. I am very good friends with the owner and the bartenders here but let me give one more reason why the Old Towne Pub is great. It hasn't been mentioned yet. If you are in a band, the pub is extremely pro-band. They give the bands 100% of what is made at the door. The cover is almost always five dollars as a tribute to the dear departed downtown LA dive bar, Al's Bar. When Murphy's Law played here, it was 5 bucks. When 400 Blows played here, it was 5 bucks. Compare that to 13 dollar covers at Spaceland. Also, if you are a touring band, the pub will ask all the other bands that played to put a little bit more money your way. I have been in a band for almost 3 years and this is one of the few gems left in the bar band business. read more

I would enver go back to this place again. When we did go everything on tap was sold out and the music was so bad and loud that it was just too hard to even hear and made your ears hurt. :/ read more

Went there Wednesday night around 9:00 AM. Cool, if aloof, bartender. No hard liquor. Weird, but interesting setting (its like someone took all sorts of random stuff and through them around a room for decor). Interesting beer selection, including a beer called...damnit, now I forgot, but I hadn't seen it anywhere else. Bartender says there is music (either a band or dj) almost every night starting about 9:30 PM. I wonder thought - is it possible they are trying to make themselves look more divey than they are? I mean, a ply-board mesh as a wall for the men's bathroom? Come on, something's up... read more

This was actually one of the places that originally sold me on the idea of hanging out in Pasadena. They have a very good range of beers here. A lot of options for the picky beer drinker. It's not as busy as the Yardhouse and it's smaller and more quaint than Lucky Baldwins. I love this place! It's small and comfortable just like me, ha! Great vibe and good old fashioned folks are usually in attendance. A good place to go if your on a pub crawl with your mates. The really cool part is that it used to be an old barn for horses that belonged to the Pasadena fire department. Later it was like a hip hang out in the 70s and the owner apparently had like massive piles of porno mags in the attic. Ha! Creepy. I've got to go back soon it's been a year or two since I've hung out here. read more

I've been back here a couple of more times since my earlier review and I've had a change of heart. This place is great when it's not a holiday and during the day when the sun is still up because it's quiet and there are very few patrons during this time of day. I came here to try out Little Mama's Yella Pilz and it was ok. It had a strong taste at first but then it goes down smooth and clean. That strong taste was sort of like a combination lemony burst and something else. However, it does leave a sort of strange aftertaste. i can't quite put my finger on it though. These last two times, I received my glass of beer without any cracks whatsoever. I'm glad about that. Maybe she had discovered the one cracked glass she gave me the first time I came here and had thrown that away. And as a final note, there is no cover charge for this place unless they had a live band booked for the night. Nevertheless, it doesn't affect me if I'm just going in there during the day. All in all, I'd come back here again but only during their non-peak hours. read more

Went there for the first time last night, friends' band played and I... drank. It's a really nice building: old, brick, cool (temperature), and ornate. Bartender was pretty nice but for some reason she looked SURPRISED when i tipped her. Don't know if regulars aren't down with tipping or something. Anyway, I tried an Oatmeal Stout and nut Brown ale, both of which were really good and not too expensive. +it's okay if money starts running low because then you can just switch to PBRs, which they have in cold, cold cans for $3. It's NOT on Fair Oaks, but after checking other reviews on here I was able to find it on my first try by just keeping an eye out for ALLEYS OFF of Fair Oaks-between HOLLY and UNION ;) read more

I like it. Everytime I've gone, there was some quirky crazy band playing. Once a guy slapped pickups on a balloon and was PLAYING it. It sounded so crazy ! And the other time a guy in goggles was just rockin out in his suit, super funny and great! The bartenders were awesome, Apple made me a fruity drink, but my bf said the dude that works there says beer and wine only. However, when I went, I asked for something weak and fruity (since I hate beer) and I got a great raspberry beer that I could actually handle. I'm a fan! And it's an adventure to find ;) Take kendall alley toward the Zoey Van Jones brow studio, and keep walking into the alley on the left. It's right there, a little door under the stairs. read more

Great dive in the middle of posh Old Town Pasadena. It's hard to find, you have to take the alley going south off of Holly between Raymond and Fair Oaks. Once you get there you will find a salty mix of friendly locals that appear to live there. They have live music quite often though the bands are hit and miss and bar usually gets over run by friends of the band. Good outside patio with tables and seats for the smokers. Only downside is having to listen the noise (read music) from Mc Murphy's next door. read more

Really cool space, really nice staff! I kinda like that it's hidden away a little bit, but for the first visit that can be a little daunting. It's easy to enter from a short alleyway off of Holly St., and a little more complex to enter through a gate on Fair Oaks. The brick courtyard area out front is a really nice place to hang out and chat whenever you're taking a break from the music and the patio out in back is a little too noisy/smoky for you. I didn't get anything to drink, but I did see a pretty awesome band and got a pretty great monster drawing on my hand. read more

Came here with some friends... actually let me revise that. STUMBLED in with some friends after a heavy night of drinking. There was a band playing some cover songs from Blink 182 (I think, I can't remember at this point... actually, by the end of the night, I don't even remember walking home... did we take a cab?), and my drunken self was in love. Tried finding it again the other day and couldn't (like my girlfriend Lisa said, it was like the one episode in HIMYM where Marshall couldn't remember the location of "the best burger ever"). Finally found it but they were charging a $7 cover because there were some bands playing (do I look like I have $7 to spare? I have to save it for Lucky Boy!). Well played, Old Towne Pub, well played. Now I will have to track you down and visit you another day... read more

Tough to find, easy to like. Reminds me of many drinking establishments in the Northwest. Relaxed dive bar feel with usual Old Town prices. Will definitely be back...if I can find it again, that is! read more

Unpretentious, dive bar, live music, good beer selection at reasonable prices - what's not to like. Unfortunately, it is for a much younger crowd than me these days. My nephew was playing in the band so I had to go. Glad I did, it is located in an out of the way place, down an alleyway in downtown Pasadena. Get directions if you haven't been there before. The crowd is mostly 20-somethings, who are into having a good time, good drinks in a good location. read more

It is a nice small bar, located in downtown area of Pasadena. They, usually, have live bands, that are playing at this establishment. The place, of course, is small. At the same time, it is clean. The drinks are fairly priced. So, if anyone is in Pasadena, I would recommend to stop by this bar, and enjoy some live music. Especially, I would recommend to visit this bar on weekends. read more

Ugh, greatest local pub in Pasadena EVER. The drinks are cheap and the locals are crazy cool! Get drunk with friends or make new ones at this beloved watering hole in Pasadena. If you're thirsty in Pas and need a nice unpretentious drink, OLD TOWNE PUB is the place. I'm sure people have talked about its location in the alley which makes it even more local-friendly. I know people that have lived in the area forever that have never heard of it. That's super cool. I love going there when it opens on a Monday or Tuesday and just sitting there enjoying a cold brew and not feeling like an outcast lol - because everyone there is drunk already too and it ain't even 5pm!! read more

If you have a punk bone in your body it will be satisfied here. Late 70's nostalgia rules at the old Loch Ness.

This place is an absolute DIVE. I went here because my boyfriend had a gig and I wanted to support him. Its hidden so I would refer to these reviews before you try and make your way out there. The staff is friendly. The bouncers were intimidating but were extremely helpful. The bartender was patient and easy to talk to. The overall venue is really small but they do have an outdoor patio that has seating. I would say give this place a chance if your willing to take an adventure. It doesn't seem like an amazing place but the people, prices, music and location make it an interesting place to be. On a good note, the bouncers pointed out that there was a "king taco" within walking distance. We walked there and back within 10 mintues and they even let us bring our food in. We ate outside in the patio, had a drink and listened to live music. :) read more

Cool concept but it's really filthy inside. Each time I've gone, the bathrooms have been flooded and thrashed. There is a smoking section attached and furnished, which is cool I guess. Nothing special about this bar though. Probably will only ever come back to support my friends band. Otherwise, there are better spots around. read more

Wednesday night at Old Town Pub... Stealthily tucked away in an unsuspecting brick alleyway. Friendly staff and crowd made the small quarters tolerable. Admittedly, the small space between the stage and bar is a pain in the Ass. Literally. This is prime seating for any handsy drunks. WARNING all Cute Butts! The live acts were enjoyable and the filler music was surprisingly good. On that note, Shout out to All Mighty. I found myself sticking mostly to the outdoor patio. Once again a bit tightly packed but good amount of seating and friendly faces. It feels comfortably isolated and I loved the brick and ivy. Sorta makes you wish it was you and your grade school chum's secret clubhouse. But it feels good to be grownup when you've got Guinness on tap and a cigarette. About that Guinness though..I ended up waiting for round two a long ass time. Long enough that i had inside jokes with the handsy drunk beside me. Too long... All in all good times, good people, chill enough spot read more

Best dive bar in downtown Pasadena (after looking around Yelp, I may need to check out some of those farther out in the hinterlands). Went there last night and enjoyed some excellent, rocking music--the two that stuck out were first band, Counterfeit Saints, very fast, enjoyed it; and last band, Dead Laszlo Speaks (sp?) , fun punk rock and a hilarious, drunken lead singer who was the self-proclaimed "most racist mexican you'll ever meet" (he was not the most racist mexican i've ever met). Bar has a reasonably good selection of beers, but the three times I've been here at least half of the kegs are out. What gives? Also, with such a divey atmosphere, better prices/specials would be nice. I had to run over to the 35er after the first band for some cheap beer. Oh well. Great night out and I'll be back many times in the future. read more

This place is a chill dive bar down an alley. Coming from Fair Oaks it is in the back of the first alley off of Holly on the right side. It is a little dingy and dark but nonetheless a cool place to have a drink and relax. There isn't much seating as far as tables so you're going to end up standing or sitting at the bar. There is an outside area which is nice for some fresh air, but still not much seating. My friends and I came in on a Sunday around 6 so it was pretty empty and there were no bands playing. I noticed they do have a stage area for bands. They have large TVs behind the bar with sports games playing. The bartenders were really chill and had a friendly vibe about them. The specials they have seem like a good deal. $3 shooters and $7 for a Coronita and a shot. The 4 stars is for the chill factor. read more

This dive bar hole in the wall bar is great! The place is small with a little stage for the small bands that they have playing almost every night. This place reminds me of the little venues in San Francisco that I use to go to to see shows up in the city! The beer prices are about the same as any other bar but one awesome thing is they serve PBR!!!!! read more