A true hidden gem and one of my favorite spots in Pasadena. Tucked away in a secret corner, this place offers the perfect blend of cozy library charm, shelves of books, and an elegant selection of wines. If you're in the mood for a classy, intimate atmosphere, this is the place to be. Just a heads-up -- it fills up quickly, so be sure to call ahead for a reservation. An absolute must-visit! read more

Very unique spot! Kind of speakeasy vibes. We stopped by for a drinks and apps before dinner. It's quite dark inside so it's a bit hard to read the menu so definitely need your phone light! Our waiter was very well versed and had great recommendations. We shared a bottle of wine, oysters, burrata, and cocktail shrimp. Everything was fresh and delicious!! The burrata looked simple, but with the crispy prosciutto and fried spinach made perfect bread bites. read more

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One of my absolute favorite date night spots - the ambience is elevated yet cozy. It's the perfect place to get a glass of wine, enjoy some music and bites, but also still be able to talk to your date. They do not take reservations unless it's a large party of 10+ which you have to email for - for smaller parties you arrive at an unassuming entrance where Tony the door guard will very helpfully guide you with options: sit outside on the patio (usually plenty of seating) or wait for a table inside (worth the wait!!!). Once he gets the OK that a table is ready, he will let your party in, you will walk inside all the way to the back elevator and take it down to the basement where the wine library is. This place is best for a party of 2 imo, and a little longer wait for a party of 4. If you get couch seating, I believe you must buy 1 bottle minimum. I would skip most food but their charcuterie boards are excellent with great variety of meat, cheese, nuts, and fruit. Their team is very helpful in helping you with wine recommendations. If you are between a few wines they may also give you samples before you commit to your glass. I like their Pinot Grigio! read more

It was our first time here and love the speakeasy feel of entering the room. The piano playing in the corner brings a nice soothing feel to the library look of the cellar. I love how the bottles of wines are within the bookshelves. The charcuterie board was a good snack for the four of us. Would definitely go back again. read more

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Very different wine bar. Nicely done inside with low lighting, couches, some table, books, and candles. It's like you stepped back in time. Old photos on the wall and a player piano. The wines by the glass are fine - nothing too interesting however. There are many more wines by the bottle. Food was iffy - pizza seemed like a frozen one and very small for $15. Like a small child's pizza. The smoked salmon was better. The player piano was a bit much. Loud, and music from the early 1900s. I think if they got rid of that and just played jazz it would be much more enjoyable. The atmosphere is cool, the music should reflect that. Adding a few more interesting wines by the glass would be nice. Only one Pinot Noir for a wine bar is odd. Also Paso isn't known for Pinot Noir. Sonoma or Santa Rita hills or Oregon would be better. read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Entrance to wine bar - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

I've been here a few times and I've always enjoyed it! If you're looking for a place away from the busy and rowdy bars, this is the place to go to. They have a piano playing. It's cutely decorated with a fun entrance. The staff was so nice and helpful. I was between a few options and our server gave me some tasters to decide. I ended up choosing the moscato and it was so delicious and refreshing! read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Inside - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Great intimate vibes with smooth piano music in the background. It's a place you would imagine a cozy wine lounge to read a book by yourself. How you enter: Pretty much, there will be a man standing with a red rope. After that, you go through the hallway and to the elevator. Food: Small light meals and snacks to eat while sipping on wine. And alcohol choices are wine only. Moscato, Piedmont, Italy- sweet bubbly wine. Highly recommend, you won't get too much flavor or scent but it tastes great! Viognier, Pasco Robles, CA- fruity fragrance, slightly tart, no bubbles. This is great with cheese and crackers! read more

Heard great things about this place only to be disappointed. Service was passive aggressive. The ambiance is loud, stuffy and seating is uncomfortable. read more

Books, wine, and live piano? Yes please This place is a combination of everything I love. There's live piano music, an amazing wine selection, and the whole space is filled with books and vintage portraits. It felt like walking into a secret speakeasy. You take an elevator down to the restaurant, and even the elevator is beautiful with Art Deco details that set the tone right away. The vibe is moody and cool, perfect for a date night or grabbing drinks and small bites with friends. We ordered the hummus platter, which was warm, creamy, and packed with flavor, and the shrimp cocktail, which came with big, fresh shrimp and a lemon wedge over greens. I had a glass of red wine and everything hit the spot. Our server was Brian, who I immediately recognized from Sushi Roku, also in Pasadena. Small world. He was just as great here--super friendly and made the experience even better. What I really loved was the whole atmosphere. The music, the library feel, and all the portraits and paintings on the wall. We kept trying to figure out the theme of who was pictured. It just felt like such a hidden gem. Definitely one of my favorite spots in Pasadena. read more

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I need to come back here to take my friends! The moscato is so sweet and delicious for the sweet drinkers out there. They even had 2 non-alcoholic wine options (both a red and a white). Our service was spectacular and so educational. We loved the Christmas piano music, book shelves, Christmas trees, and the overall vibes. We will be back! read more

First, no reservations but come at opening and you should find seating. We were warmly greeted and seated immediately. The overall look inside is of a warm cozy library. Our server had an infectious laugh peppered with his French accent. But he knew his wine and we were in great hands. We got the Beethoven Board Cheese and Charcuterie with a bottle of the waiter recommended sparkling rose. It was perfect. Great atmosphere. Great service. Great charcuterie. Great experience. read more

Service, ambiance, wine, and thr charcuterie board was so delicious! I can't wait to come back. The board was huge and I brought a lot of it back home and ate it the next day. Although I looked up reviews before going, it all still surprised me. Beautiful place for a hang out or date night, no kids allowed so it's nice and quiet. There's a self playing piano. read more

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I've been here several times and it never ceases to please. A very chill vibe, great people and the wine and service is exceptional. The Doorman, Tony is fantastic! Great personality, professional and really does a great job at setting the vibe! You can forget everything else about The Cellar and Tony would still make the vist a memorable experience. read more

Impressive place! After being greeted and lead through the private entrance, it lead us up to the Cellar. Entering in, there a beautfully decorated library filled with books and wine bottles, and the walls are covered in art. It's so beautiful. There's classical piano music playing in the background, the ambience is sophisticated, classical, and comforting. The wine selection here is great and diverse, featuring different types of wine from all over the world- this gives you a chance to sample some of the unique blends they have. The food selection is on the smaller side and more for having appetizing bites if having some small food cravings, I liked the Shortrib Flatbread. Service was great and really added to the experience. read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Beautiful piano bar - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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This place is awesome!!! I highly recommend. We went here for our one year anniversary and had such an enjoyable time. We got a bottle of Merlot that was about $60 and although seated at a long shared table, shared it with only one other person on a Saturday night which was really nice. Our server was also incredible but I can't remember her name for the life of me :( read more

great ambiance, love the dim lighting and cozy seating, great spot for a nice date. nice selection of wines as well read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - charcuterie board - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

A classy wine bar speakeasy where you can actually have a conversation with your friends. Great wine selection which is affordable. Food is limited and on the pricey side - but oh boy - presentation is on point! Service - no complaints here. They are all good but we have our faves of course Parking - street (if lucky) and parking garage on Green will be closest read more

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Nice location, quiet and cool. We had wine and a snack ....all good! We definitely will be back

Best place for dating and gathering. I took my girl here for our anniversary and we had a wonderful experience, the service was on point, the food was so tasty and well decorated. The atmosphere is relaxing, romantic and joyful at the same time. Definitely recommended, and it is worth the wait! Trust me read more

Absolutely love this place! So cute!! Nice hidden gem in old town Pasadena! Food was delicious! Staff all super friendly and nice :) read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

A lot of people say they don't know where to start with an overwhelmingly good review. Nonsense. The night at The Cellar truly began with Tony at the front door. He could have just been any old grumpy bouncer/doorman. WRONG! What a guy he is. Awesome chat for the few minutes it took until they were ready for our group of five on a late Friday night. He was just what the doctor ordered to put us in the right mood for what was to come next. Full transparency: my group and I came in not quite knowing what we were expecting, aside from some late night wine. Going in blind couldn't have turned out better. Our five jaws collectively dropped upon discovering the stunning ambiance, elegant decor, and staff prepped to deliver a top-of-the-line experience. I would go into detail on the decor and the experience when you walk inside, but I want everyone reading this review to enter with a raw reaction of not fully knowing what awaits. Lauren was the (un)lucky waitress of our table, who delivered with her swift hands a seamless opening, presentation, and pour of our bottle of rosé. When our Beethoven's Main board arrived, Lauren once more provided a breakdown of the charcuterie and cheeses we were seeing. I cannot speak for the rest of my group, but I remembered about half-a-word of what she'd told us, as my eyes were glued, marveling at the goodies that sat upon the elegant wooden board. We devoured just about every item possible on the board, even items not seen as possible, down the hatch. The cheeses, the meats, the fresh fruits, jams, nuts, garnishes. All beautifully placed with wonderful taste. We felt as if we were Dr. Frankenstein throwing together combinations of items on the board, and the freshness of the items continued to stand out, and every ingredient, every combination, every bite, just continued to impress until we had practically cleaned the board for the staff. The only negative is that this board will ruin every other charcuterie board's reputation. In all, we were highly impressed, and even more satisfied, with a location that we had chosen on a whim from the seat of a loud bar a block away. A beautiful end to our night. And a start to many more like it at The Cellar. read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Glasses of rosé circled around Beethoven's board - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

What a hidden gem this place is. You wouldn't tell by the obscure entrance, but once you step out the elevator, you are greeted with a door made of wine barrels, and the hallway is adorned with crates and wine themed decorations. BUT INSIDE - you feel like you're in a study. Transported to an old school in Europe. This wine bar makes you feel you're in a different era. The staff are super friendly, and welcoming. They make you feel super special. The last few times I've been, we've ordered a bottle to share and we felt we could sit there for hours just relaxing. read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Super cute place. We tried the chorizo bruschetta and it was surprisingly good. Not what I expected, but good. Service was attentive read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I'm blown away. Came to The Cellar with a large party of 10 people. We got to skip the line and were seated immediately. We ordered 2 bottles to share (a cab and a merlot) and both were great - a couple folks ordered their own glasses or other wines they wanted to try. Prices are about $15-20 per glass of wine. Recommend getting a bottle if you have larger parties. The ambiance inside is immaculate. Great for late night chatting, dates, or just hanging out! read more

What can i say, if's one of our favorite spots. Vibey speakeasy with a great wine selection, and the food is good too. Tony (doorman) is always friendly and personable. John (head sommelier) always has great wine selections and caters to your palate. Leo (owner) was very welcoming. Dimly lit ambience with a ghost piano player (skip the patio). Would recommend, one of a kind. read more

Stopped by The Cellar today to see what the action was all about. I did some research on the place after finding out about it online and the idea of a wine speakeasy intrigued me. As per other reviews - the door guy is the main highlight as far as human entertainment and interaction. When you enter in through the hallway the elevator makes you feel like you're going back to the 1900s. They have books (classics and pre 2000s prints mostly), games and a self playing piano. Piano played mostly classical music and a hint of the nutcracker ballet going in June. The entryway which I won't spoil here was the highlight for me. Food - The Beethoven charcuterie board is worth the cost if you are doing a date night or going with a few friends. It has cheese, meat, fruits and additional add on sides. Beginner Wine Enthusiasts - If you're looking for a place to sample and see a lot of different brands from affordable to high end you can get introduced to a good amount of wine here. Now to get to the answer for the real wine enthusiasts who want to know if they should go - For those who love wine (or Northern CA wine country) they have an assortment of individual glasses you can purchase but the good high end quality wine is only available by buying the bottle. Expect bottle service pricing like a nightclub of at least 2x per bottle. They have a few decent Pinot brands like Kosta Browne which was around $220 (a bottle at total wine and co is around $80-120). My only negatives - for true wine enthusiasts if properly stored or chilled wine is important to you this may not be the spot for you. You would assume since they stock over 1000 wines they would have a chilled bottle of their vintage wines/premium wines or at the least store them sideways to avoid the cork drying out but alas they do not. Staff wine knowledge is 0 - The servers are just purely servers. All the staff is very nice and trying their best to help create a nice ambiance and experience. They do not have premium end wine knowledge beyond stating the difference in red and white wine. Even if they can't taste all the wines they should at least be trained on the brands. read more

We had an early dinner, and came here right after they opened. While waiting to get in, we were introduced to Tony the gatekeeper of the Cellar, and he made it that much more exciting to enter! So entertaining, made the wait time go by so easy. Once inside, Brian and Ariel took such care of making it a pleasant experience and made sure we were relaxed and comfortable. Couldn't have asked for a better experience. The decor of full wood panels was gorgeous, and the melody of the piano. Perfect Lounge and with great plates to snack on read more

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Came for the first time with my book club- woo! Service- Grateful for the host that saw us looking for the entrance and so friendly-ly invited us in. He was really incredible in that way. We also were a little confused by the amount needed for minimum per area (it differs based on which area/seating you get, you have like a minimum $ so be aware of that). Ambiance- It really feels like a wine bar and the aesthetics of books and all is really lovely! The portraits around was a bit interesting for me personally, but others thought it was nice so that was that. Certain areas are louder than others so that's what impacted our choice a lot. Also, the seating options look different too so the vibe can shift! Food- Charcuterie, it came out and looked HUGE! As we ate though we realized that it was decent and not HUGE actually, but that definitely gives points for presentation and how it was taken. I loved that there were more fruits and nuts- I'm not a big meat gal and so cheese, bread and fruits are my jam (pun intended). Would come again with others that enjoy this vibe and type of thing! read more

The Cellar sells you wine and an incredibly unique experience. It's a popular date spot for good reason. Nice selection of wines that could be better with some more SoCal varieties. Some nice food options highlighted by the oysters. Service was generally good even though I came on a busier evening. It isn't easy to find but is a worth a visit. read more

I absolutely love this place! I guess if your two favorites come together, books and wine, it's going to be a great time!!

The cellar is a speakeasy located in Old Town Pasadena. Luckily there is a sign out front that attributes to the business so you are not completely lost looking for this speakeasy. The door man was so sweet and very welcoming on Thursday 12/7. He provided direction into entering the cellar which is down an elevator and through wine barrel cracks which was very cool to enter upon! The ambiance is definitely a high end, classy and swanky feel. They have tables which you can freely order from but if you want to sit in a lounge couch it requires a bottle purchase which is at $56 minimum. WOW- the charcuteries are BEAUTIFUL here and they have rather large grazing boards. The larger boards are $48 and up but can feed up to 4 people. We did the Beethoven and board (B&B) which was $110 which included a bottle of pinot and a board. I would recommend this if you enjoy reds and the board was rather filling for 3 of us, we didn't even finish it! Otherwise, the cheapest wine bottles are $56 or glasses are $15 and up. We did also order the sliders which were delicious! The only ding is they didn't have the "my girl" wine that we wanted to order and they mentioned the menu needs to be updated. Our server was also a bit delayed with the check she seemed to get lost along the way but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless. The ambiance is great for a romantic date night or fun to gather with friends and catch up. Heads up they don't do reservations or timed seating so keep that in mind if coming on a weekend that it could be busy. We arrived at 7pm on a Thursday night and luckily were seated quickly. They also have an invisible piano player which added to the feel and being surrounded by books and philosophers on the wall really gave you that true wine library feel. Overall, a great intimate spot in Pasadena, I recommend! read more

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Fun wine bar in the heart of Old Town Pasadena! Love the speakeasy ambiance. It's a cozy spot once you go inside. The door is a giant wine barrel. The perfect spot for a glass of wine and dessert. Very classy place. Overall, I recommend for a date night or a girls night out! read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - The door to arrive - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Good: food Bad: service We were second in line to enter. The bouncer "wanna be Fabio" in a loud voice for all to hear told us that the $ minimum required to spend and asked if it was ok, how rude!!!! The waitress did not put in our order and after 1 hour, yes, 1hour, we called her because she didn't bother to come to our table, and she asked again what we had ordered!! SHE FORGOT That WE HAD ORDERED ALREADY AND DID NOT PUT IN OUR ORDER!!! She did not apologize. We spoke to the "manager" and we requested to change waiter. What a shame! Such a beautiful place and such a lousy service! Never going back! read more

Waiter Manuel. This is a review reflected on you, solely. Being kind is the moral of the story, from the beginning you were passive agressive with your comments and tone. Being in a party of 4 girls coming from high tea, we were dressed in elegant dresses, first comment was asking if we were coming from church, followed by eye flutters, short "okay" with an upward inflation to a joke about the day, an impatient comment about hurrying up and trying the wine while we were talking, asked for water when we were out, were left to pour the rest of our wine, didn't ask how the food was all the while was attentive to the table behind us, the cherry on top comment was when we were discussing the bill at the end, he was hovering at the table behind ours, then when we were ready, we asked to split the bill into 2, my portion on mine and the rest on another card, he then said "this isn't like a drive through, we can't do it that way" so I asked him to explain his comment, cause it was passive agressive and rude. After he wasnt able to becuase he wasnt expecting me to call out his rude comment, I had to then break it down and specify what I had ordered, he then sold "okayyyy....so how much, cause we don't itemize?" I had to again express for him to specify how they do it cause he has still yet to explain where his attitude is coming from and explain how they do their check splits, from my understanding it just felt like he wanted to play dumb and make me to the math, one I did he was like "ohh, okay" should have asked for the manager but we paid and left, I hasnt had this experience before being a returning customer, but he needs an attitude adjustment as his attitude was completely out of pocket. Do better Manuel, you alone got your place of work a 1 star. The rest of the staff was kind, facility beautiful and food and wine was good. This restaurant is not reflected in the 1 star. read more

The Cellar is a bit of a gimmick, but it's a fun one. The service is great, and our server went to a lot of trouble to help us pick champagnes that fit our tastes and would compliment the HUGE charcuterie board we got. The ambiance is cozy and might be akin to eating in the Yale library, what with all the leatherbound books + portraits of random old white dudes. It's a fun spot and would be great for a group to hole up at one of the comfy couches. read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Charcuterie Board - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

I've been here twice. I have had a great experience both times. It's honestly so peaceful and a great place for a date. Whether you sit at a table or a couch the service is amazing wine selection is phenomenal. I definitely recommend. It's first come first serve and I think it makes for a good time to converse with whoever you are with before getting seated. read more

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I just have to say this place is magical and why have I not been here sooner. If your are in Pasadena you can miss this place because only thing you notice will be a guy standing outside but there are not big signs or flashing lights. As soon as you walk after getting off the elevator you enter this red light special hallway and all of a sudden the door opens and you are in a library. They have couches and they also have tables. The couches are perfect for if you buy a bottle and a few friends. Table is good where you can older what you like. They do have a food menu from charcuterie, flatbread, different types of Buratta cheese plates to desserts. Thai is truly a hidden Gem and a must when in Pasadena. Such a chill vibe perfect for girls night /'d date night. Thank me later xoxo read more

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We were in town for the Oasis show at the Rose Bowl and looking for a spot to grab a glass of wine. We were pleasantly met with Anthony (Tony) the door guy and he was a great introduction. He was unironically hilarious, extremely knowledgeable, witty, and clever. When we walked inside, we could not stop talking about our interaction with Tony, he was just so fun. The Cellar itself was a great experience. Loved the atmosphere. The wine was great. The service was excellent. In conclusion, we had a great time at The Cellar, but most importantly Tony was just an absolute character who we could not stop talking about, even after we had left The Cellar. read more

Came here to have a little wine and yap sesh with my friend. The photos looked really cute so I suggested we try this place out. We bought a bottle of wine, charcuterie board and their infamous burrata. Loved everything that we ordered and loved the ambiance of this place even more. It's a really cute and lowkey place to hangout with friends or have a date night. Looking forward to coming here again! read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

I held my birthday party at the Cellar this weekend. I was so impressed with the quality of the food and wine, the customer service, and the overall atmosphere of the restaurant. The Cellar worked with me beforehand to plan the menu, and went above and beyond to accommodate my 26 guests during the event. I was able to enjoy my night and feel celebrated! If you're planning on a larger group, definitely make a booking. read more