Went during vocals night and it was amazing! Great singer, great band and great drinks!

Very intimate. Beautiful atmosphere. Friendly bartenders. Drinks were absolutely to die for. I tried their take on a French 75, and it was amazing. read more

1881 - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Love this place, great local bar with live jazz! Excellent Manhattan made for by Vincent! read more

1881 - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Pasadena, California

We visited 1881 on a recent Friday night and got to see a jazz quartet. There is a $10 cover. Street parking only. 1881 is a small neighborhood bar on Washington near Allen Ave. There are a handful+ of small tables to your left when you walk in and the bar to your right. There is a secondary smaller sitting area towards the back that is elevated by a few steps near the restrooms. I did not see a back patio. The bartenders were cool, the music was good and the older gentleman coming around to pick up finished drink glasses was great. Cocktails we ordered ranged between $12-$14. Those were for moscow mules and old fashioneds... This is a mellow, local bar and I'm glad we went. We for sure will return to hear some more jazz and have drinks with friends. read more

Great music and great bartender. Such a gem of a place. Always an amazing place to go.

Nothing flashy, just a good neighborhood bar with great people and drinks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Such a cool little hidden gem. Great cocktails, awesome jazz, friendly service. You'd blink and miss it from the outside but it's well worth venturing inside! read more

Fun place. Welcoming. Intimate, comfortable seating for small talk while listening to wonderful musicians and meeting other Patrons of the Arts. I'll be back. Thank you. Great service. read more

Layback environment, the live music is fantastic and folks are beautiful and friendly. read more

We decided to get a Christmas cocktail and went to this bar since we had be alway wanted to go. Nice atmosphere ( divey & dark), definitely a place I'd go back to read more

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Great owner and vibe highly recommend. Ellen is tremendous and a big personality. Definitely make an effort to speak with her if you get the chance read more

Layback atmosphere with good music. This place attracts most locals and tend to get busy after 9:30pm. The drinks here are okay, good selection of whiskies but the cocktails are mediocre. No food is sold here except for peanuts. We were told we can bring our own food though. $10 cover charge is reasonable consider the live music. No frills, just that kind of neighborhood live music dive bar. read more

1881 - Brazilian jazz on Saturday night - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I don't even wanna say anything good about the place because it's too small to be "Jumpin"..."poppin" or in anyway popular but the vibe is Killa and the bands are "banding" (don't judge me...was trying to sound cool). Go visit though. It'll be worth it. read more

Great bar for watching great jazz. Not crowded. Mostly a cocktail bar, but they had Stella on tap so we were happy. $10 cover charge for the music is reasonable, especially if it adds to what the musicians get paid read more

1881 - Brazilian jazz players, also a singer and clarinet - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Pasadena, California

1881 for jazz on a Friday night was fantastic! A $10 cover provided fabulous music for three hours from 8:30pm to 11:30pm. On our particular night, we had a trio of drums, guitar, and bass. Street parking was plentiful and free. The bathrooms were clean. I appreciated the quick turnaround on drinks, loved my amaretto sour, and my friends loved their selections. Our tables were regularly bussed. Strangers sat next to each other. Outside food is welcome but I didn't see anybody bring anything in. No particular dress code is enforced as far as I could tell. After the show, the pasadena nightlife is just a short drive away. A dazzling night- I'd love to be back soon! read more

This is the most extraordinary bar experience in the southland. The vibe. The music. The community. It is all on display every night. What a wonderful thing to have in our backyard. read more

This is a very chill place. Went in on a Tuesday didn't have that many people. I wouldn't mind seeing how it gets on a weekend.

Hit this joint up on a Friday night for some live jazz and some tasty libations. The trio played smooth music you can shake your head to and snap your fingers. Very relaxing vibe in this small venue. Get there early because it fills up fast. We got in at 7pm to set up for our party of 12. They sell no food but are allowed to bring your own while enjoying the music. read more

Your East Pasadena neighborhood bar. Very charming, with some of the best bartenders you'll come across in this city. Not too large at all, so bar space is limited on busy nights, but it's all worth coming in for a cold one. Not too much on tap, but the bar is fully loaded with the hard stuff and all sorts of cocktails. Decor is interesting. Haven't quite figured it out, but it's all good. The real attraction here is the live entertainment. Came on a Friday and they had an amazing jazz quartet. Paid 10 to get in, but that's insignificant when you get yourself a front row seat to some world class jazz. They have other themed nights during the week, like a comedy night, so check the website. Parking is everywhere, out front on the street and next door in the Stater Bros parking lot. Also noticed that there's a taco stand behind the building! read more

I've been making it a habit of going on dates with myself (wonderful for the self esteem BTW) and I was hankerin for some good jazz. I've already visited a ton of places on jazz nights and wanted to try something new. Since, I decided Pasadena was my playground for the night, it only made sense to give 1881 a visit to listen to some good music on a Friday night. Ok, tip: $10 cash cover, but there's a wells Fargo and Chase within eye shot. (But as a single woman in heels at night, it wasn't fun walking and coming back). Got in around 9, and immediately headed to the bar. I loved the vibe. The crowd was diverse and totally fun. People were groovin, dancing, and enjoying themselves. There's definitely an air of familiarity in this place (maybe it was a special night ?) lots of hugs, hand shakes and back pats. The music was great! I was previously at the Langham hotel for their night of jazz, which was a bit too classy for what I was looking for. I wanted something meatier- something I could sink my teeth into. 1881 saved my night! The music is right up my alley, great stuff, and no one batted an eye when I was bobbing and swaying - it was that good. I had two great and stiff cocktails which ran me about ~$50 with tip so pretty average for the area. Loved my visit to 1881! I will definitely be back on Friday jazz night. read more

Fun and laid back old school bar with a classy cocktail menu and a lot of live entertainment on the regular. Also has foosball and a digital jukebox. Lots of parking in adjacent grocery lot. I prefer Friday Jazz nights and the monthly comedy show with a Manhattan or two! Service is good and the bar team is friendly and knowledgeable about the many different drink options like the Paper Plane. No food offered here but you're welcome to bring your own from a nearby spot, the Starbucks across the street, or the Stater Bros in the parking lot. read more

1881 - Manhattan - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Every Friday night, the 1881 consistently turns into Pasadena's coolest local jazz haunt. World-renowned jazz musicians mingle with old masters of the craft and young emerging talent. If you're a fan of jazz, this place is not to be missed. The cocktails are good. The whiskey selection is strong. Bartenders are cool--not bougie or stuffy--and friendly as long as you are a decent person. Just don't be a dick!! They have a decent jukebox, foosball in the back room, and usually either sports or vintage movies playing on TV. If you're cool, this place is cool. If you suck, you probably won't like it. read more

1881 - Foosball in the back room. - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Pasadena, California

Love Tuesday nights ! Great Irish singer songwriter, feels like cheers. Super friendly , great drinks

Really cool laid back place. I like live music they have here and the drink selection.

Had an amazing time at their comedy show last Saturday. The lineup was pretty funny, the bartender was awesome - great attitude and made delicious drinks. Strong and delicious. I agree with the other reviews on this thread - the vibe is super down to earth and I love that they had so many different spaces to sit and drink. Overall, so glad to find this little gem! read more

Great drinks! Thank you bartenders Relaxing atmosphere! Exceptional jazz band! Thank you 1881. , Thank you. read more

First time here. Came in a Saturday night to see the Swing Riots (quark-tet). What a cool place. What a great whiskey selection! Dive-ish. We will definitely come back. No food, eat before you come. Sounds like they also have great Friday night jazz. Scotch, Whiskey and bourbon drinkers will love this place. read more

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This is one of the closest bars to my apartment, and I love it! Although the exterior looks pretty divey, the interior strikes a perfect balance of being cozy, clean, comfortable, and classy, without any pretentiousness whatsoever. The bartenders are friendly and they have a fantastic, affordable cocktail menu, without the price point you'd see over on Colorado Blvd. I tried the cucumber basil gimlet and loved it! There is also a super cool jukebox that you can control from a phone app, if you wanted to DJ! I hope to come back for live jazz on Fridays. Great place to take a date. I'm kinda glad it isn't within walking distance, or I might be here multiple times per week. read more

I went for jazz night last night. Couple of things I want to point out considering the worlds circumstances with COVID. This place asked to see proof of vaccinations and you must wear a mask to order at the bar. THANK YOu! I do wish more establishments took this serious! I had a Irish mule and Jameson. Drinks were reasonably priced and yummy! Great crowd, great service and the music was phenomenal! I highly recommend!! read more

It is a great place! People are friendly, there is live music. The cocktails are fantastic! They have my favorite one ... the Moscow Mule with Bushmills or Vodka :) you wont go wrong! All of the bartenders are very proffesional and kind! You will have lots of fun over there! read more

Great vibe! Small bar with good and strong drinks, the bartender was chill and fast with my order. I went on a Friday night for the live jazz and it was a great time with my husband! They've got all the standard fare as far as drinks go, but no kitchen, so be sure to eat nearby. read more

This place is the spot to be anytime of the day because the drinks are always made well. Every bartender I ever had made my drink perfect. Very chill place and vibe. read more

This place has a great vibe! Great drinks and bands intimate nice club.. you'll enjoy this neighborhood hang out!

1881 guarantees a fun time! The bartenders are attentive and we always meet interesting people. On Friday nights live bands play and we have never been disappointed! A good time is always had by all! read more

Great bar. Old school feel. Warm place. Neighborhood vibe. Good cocktails. Great music nights. Friday jazz nights with Joel Taylor especially great. read more

I love the new owners but I'm biased, I grew up with them!!! This place looks incredible since they took over. The artwork and interior is clean and classy. They have a space up front for performing and the mix drinks are fantastic! read more

1881 - My favorite bartender :) - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Pasadena, California

Great bar that was reborn from the old 1881 bar. The management/owners have done a tremendous job of refurbishing the previous business: paint, lighting, chairs, stools and DJ equipment, new drinks. Very good acoustics working well with the new digital jukebox. No more pool tables and that's okay( there's plenty of other places to play pool . read more

Love it. Great cocktails. I came early in the evening and it was super chill. Great date spot.

Attended the Hardboiled comedy show on 3/18/23 and mostly had a great time. Amazing comics pulling truth from their guts and telling very unique and specific personal stories that were honest and frequently hilarious. Things went a little sour when one of the comics (Ellen Harrold?) singled us out and kind of shat on us for interacting during her set. As audience members we were giving great positive energy up to that point and it felt rude, unnecessary and mean-spirited. Would love to come back and maybe even participate in the show (I'm a semi-retired comedy performer myself). Dug the vibe for most of the night but that definitely tainted the overall experience. If i was really being a dick and deserved to be called out by that performer (and even the host piled on afterward) I would understand. But we were really just trying to be part of the fun and were mildly disruptive at most. Too bad it had to go that way but overall would recommend the night, the space and the show as a truly fun night out. Next time maybe just shit a little less on the paying clientele. read more

Stiff drinks, kind people, great jazz/blues music and occasional free food (Bbq ribs/chicken.) We had fun!