Overpriced for very mediocre, bland food. The service is also surprisingly unwelcoming for a "neighborhood" place.

Ive been here more times that I can recall. I'm never disappointed. The servers are the best, the bartenders always bring smiles and love. The food is good too. This is the best HH spot during the week. The whole block on a Thursday lights up. Either way you feel the love when you walk in so happy I'm so close to this place. Also, great music selection and they throw the games on in the back :) this is a must visit! read more

See all

If I was a local, this would be my new spot. Ambience is great at dinner time. Service is friendly the whole ride...food and drinks excellent. Shareable menu if you don't want full entrees. We tried the black beans, Cilantro rice, Birria tacos, Brussel sprouts and esquites. If you want to have a tasty vegan option for dinner come here. Everyone there whether it was a customer or worker, seemed like it was a good time. We didn't feel rushed at all. I'll be back. It's worth it. read more

Aro Latin - Black beans and esquites sides to try - Latin American Near Me - South Pasadena, California

See all

This is a great little date spot. I've come for both happy hour and dinner and both were lovely experiences. For happy hour my friend and I split the carne asada fries and chicken nachos. I was happy to see a healthy dollop of guac on both. We were actually pretty stuffed after eating them and didn't even finish. I had the red sangria which was interesting. A bit more on the mulled/ syrupy side with a cinnamon stick. I liked my second drink better as it was the spicy margarita... just the right amount of kick. For dinner I was delighted by the burger. All the crunch of their pickles and other toppings paired beautifully with the beef and bun. My only complaint would be that I asked for medium rare and it came out well done (see pic) read more

See all

Happy to update my review My last visit I could see new vegan items and I'm excited to try them all. I started with the Coles de Bruselas, which was fantastic, maybe the best Brussel sprouts I've ever tried. A perfect ratio of salt to sour with the soy sauce and citrus flavors. I can't wait to try the rest of the vegan offering. ¡Bien hecho aro! read more

Aro Latin - Aro's Coles de Brussels is fantastic! - Latin American Near Me - South Pasadena, California

Nice service beautiful. Good food chill, happy hour is from 4 to 6z Not that busy so it's nice to go read more

Aro Latin - Chill recommend - Latin American Near Me - South Pasadena, California

Food was great, atmosphere was also pretty interesting, and the service was 10/10. However, the water tasted really strange. It tasted like it was taken out of a 100 year old wooden barrel. Same with the Coke I got. Once the water/drinks situation gets fixed I will give it 5/5. read more

Fantastic Happy Hour in South Pasadena! Friendly service and fun atmosphere. Came on a Thursday for HH. Note that this coincides with the South Pasadena Farmers Market, which can make parking a little more challenging. We were able to be instantly seated in a booth, although this place is definitely popular! Likely due to the great social hour deals, which we indulged in. To drink, we tried both the red sangria as well as the hibiscus margarita-- very tasty! I'd definitely get any drink on their menu as they do a good job. For food, we tried: - Chicken empanada -- a good size and very tasty. Given we wanted to try a variety of dishes, we opted to split one between two people. I'd do the same again. - Asada fries -- this was a giant dish! So, so many fries with lots of topping. I don't expect culinary perfection when it comes to asada fries-- what I expect is greasy deliciousness. In that regard, it delivered. - Ceviche de Mango -- mango in your ceviche?? This was the first time I've had this combination and it definitely works! There was a good amount of both ceviche and mango, which I appreciated. - Oregano shrimp -- honestly, of all the dishes this was the one I would skip. The shrimp is good, but they aren't that big and there's only 5 pieces. Felt like other dishes are more enjoyable and better bang for your buck. Definitely a fun spot to catch up with a friend or go out for a date! If I lived closer, this would be a regular spot. read more

See all

Nice happy hour! The food is delicious and fresh. We come here about once a week, you should come here too and enjoy the good food and ambiance. read more

This is one of few eateries in South Pas on Mission that is open late. Dropped by for dinner last night. We ate outside on a picnic table type thing. I ordered the arroz con coco and calabasa fritatas as appetizers. I imagined the arroz con coco to be similar to Thai sticky rice but nope! It's sweet and it felt like it was prepared with shredded prepackaged coconut strips. It was ok in my opinion. The calabasa fritatas were served with a tzatziki sauce/ Greek yogurt. It was an interesting pairing considering this is a Latin restaurant. I ordered a hibiscus agua fresca... super disappointing.. it wasn't sweet at all so I asked for sugar. My entree were the tacos de cazuela (pork belly). The meat was on a skillet and it came with (4) tortillas. My food was piping hot! I like hot food but I dropped a tortilla was how hot it was. I'm not sure if the meat or the pico had a bit of a kick since I built my tacos by putting both on the tortillas. I had plenty meat leftover so the portion size is great. Can't say I loved it but at the same time, it wasn't bad either. Friend ordered leche de Tigre. He said it was good. I didn't try his meal. I'm interested in giving this place another go and trying some of the other apps and entrees. Lots of items on the menu sounded intriguing. There was a live DJ that started playing at 930pm. I asked if the music was a regular weekend thing and I was told no, every once in a while. read more

See all

My first time trying this spot and I am in love with it!! Quaint and hip at the same time!! All wrapped up in South Pasadena. My friend is a regular but I tried it last night for a quick bite to eat and drink. The food was excellent! I had the enchiladas and they are amazing! We also ordered nachos and margaritas voilà! I came home happy and full. The staff is excellent! Bartender, Tevin serves a mean Mezcal margarita and Chandee is a great server and stunning as well. Please try this place. Well worth it! read more

We made OpenTable reservations for 10:30am for Mother's Day. When we arrived the business was closed and the hours stated that they open at 12pm. They should not be taking reservations for hours that they are not open. read more

The food was delicious. But the pricing was a bit odd. The Happy Hour dishes are super small. It's best to get the tacos, that's the best deal. The Asada Skewers are delicious, but not worth $11. Tiny. Drinks are great. read more

See all

10/10 margaritas, the freshest. Tevin is a real one. Everyone here is so sweet and the food is great. read more

Wow, love this place! Went a second time, everything was delicious. Went with a group and service was on point! Friendly servers, they took good care of our whole party. Everything we ate was fresh, tasty and delicious!! Cool relaxed vibe, great spot. Their fresh corn tortillas were my favorite. read more

This place has been on my radar for quite some time, and I finally had the opportunity to check it out. They have a variety of vegan/vegetarian items on the menu (in addition to GF), so I figured it would be a good choice for dinner with some friends. I tried calling to make reservations, but no one picked up the phone so I stopped by and made them in person. The hostess was adorable and very fashionably dressed. When my friends and I arrived the next day we were greeted by a different hostess, who was also sweet and had a great sense of style. Our server, Salomon, was fantastic. We started off with drinks and an order of the Guacamole & Salsa. I had the Aro Margarita. It was well balanced and quite tasty. The chips were fresh, and the guacamole was delicious. One salsa was spicy and the other mild. Both had a good flavor but the spicy was my favorite. We also shared the Coles De Bruselas and the Platanos. The Platanos were prepared perfectly, and the crema was a nice balance. The brussels sprouts were flawlessly sautéed with just the right amount of crispness. I highly recommend this dish. Our non-vegetarian friend ordered the Empanades De Pollo (marinated chicken, chipotle, green peppers, & Chile Morita Salsa topped with goat cheese and pickled onion.) She loved them. One friend had the Baja Tacos, which came 3 to an order and featured battered snapper, Pico de Gallo, cabbage, & a Chipotle aioli. Another friend selected the Vegetable Enchilada topped with Suiza Salsa and was served with a side of rice and black beans. I had the ARO Salad with locally sourced mixed field greens, Roma tomatoes, sweet peppers, red onion, topped with breadcrumbs and slivered almonds with a honey mustard dressing. Everyone loved their entrée choices - everything was delicious. The presentations were beautiful, the portion sizes were perfect, and the flavor combinations were creative and paired well together. The servers that brought out our food were attentive. We were too full for dessert, but we did order another round of cocktails. This time I tried the Spicy Margarita. It was yummy with a little kick at the end. During our meal I noticed the camaraderie between the employees - like a group of friends spending time together. They all seemed to enjoy their job. We had a really nice time, and I look forward to coming back soon. Tip: Gender neutral restrooms. Plenty of parking on the street. read more

See all

The "manager" was so RUDE!!!! We were a party of 9.. We asked for separate checks. They said they can't. So after we ate the mediocre food we asked for the check. The "manager" threw it on the table. Now mind you we were a group of happy and cordial people. Yet the "manager" was rude to us the whole time. On top of that the interior was dilapidated, dirty, and falling apart. I will never go there again and I encourage you not to patronize Aro Latin. The only saving grace were the bus boys. They were kind, helpful, and accommodating. read more

This has become my go to place in South Pasadena. Great selection of tequilas and mezcal. Friendly, helpful staff. Epic hamburgers. read more

Aro Latin - Tequila - Latin American Near Me - South Pasadena, California

See all

I came here expecting to eat Vegan foods and was told that it wasn't available for dine in and that it is take out only, but on their website there is no mention of this. Highly disappointing as I had my other friends coming to meet me at this place. I got up and left and we went elsewhere unfortunately. I highly adviste them to change their website to be more clear about this since there will be others like me who show up with more people and after finding this out leave..... If this changes and the food is available to dine in....I'd be willing to give this place a try eventually.... read more

The food, the service and the ambiance was 10/10. I felt welcomed and to top it all off the drinks felt like I was drinking a $50 craft cocktail. read more

First timer and everything was absolutely amazing. Stephanie our waitress was the best, attentive, helpful, and friendly. The drinks were amazing. I enjoyed that bartender also visited the tables. My bf and I split food, we had the shrimp tacos and chicken enchiladas, very tasty. There was unfortunately a homeless woman who tried to grab the door stopper and when Stephanie stepped in, the transient got violent. Stephanie was amazing, she held herself classy and managed the situation. We will be back! read more

Meh, nothing to brag about. Food is ok. Drinks are good. Staff is nice. Locals locals locals read more

Aro Latin - This is what they call scallops, hahaha - Latin American Near Me - South Pasadena, California

The food was delicious but the restaurant had a funny smell to it. Once agin food and servive were good. We had the "Guacamole", "Veggie Enchiladas" and "Chicken Empanadas". Tasy and spicy sauces that came along with it were good. read more

See all

Excellent service, nice outdoor seating, and quite yummy food! I came with a large group - and we were admittedly a little rambunctious. The servers were all very friendly and patient with us. FOOD: Chips and guac (4/5) - delicious guac with a nice kick to it. Salsas were also a good level of spicy. TIRADITOS (5/5): SO delicious! Really fresh tuna with a delicious garlicy blend on top. My only comment is that it was a little oily. But the flavor was amazing. I also tried the Paella which was a solid 4/5, and the ceviche which was delicious. I could have gone without the potato chips next to it - the corn chips that came with the guac were a better pair. read more

This is amazing! The food, the staff and the drinks are all top tier. We've been coming here for years! My daughter loves it so much she wanted her birthday dinner here when she was 6! They even have live music with a very talented song bird! Almost forgot to mention they also have an amazing happy hour! read more

It was our first time here. We are coming back soon and with friends. The music was fun, the drinks were good, and it was spacious enough for conversation. The service was great. The portions were abundant and the food was delicious. read more

Aro Latin - Pork ribs, green salad, and mango salsa - Latin American Near Me - South Pasadena, California

See all

Aro Latin is my favorite restaurant! The food here is always so good, I love their Baja tacos and I always have to get the chips with guacamole and salsa. I can never leave Aro without getting a margarita because they are so refreshing. This restaurant has such a great vibe, I love hanging out here even after I finish my food. The staff here are so friendly and always make it a memorable experience! read more

Awful presentation of food. Service was good. Ambiance-ok I will only drink there-never eat. read more

Everything about Aro Latin is great. Good wine, great bartenders making drinks, beer... but the food is awesome! They do have vegan options which is also a plus. Love the Cilantro Rice, beans and plantains. Branzino is so dang good (and a big whole fish). Red Snapper is delish. All the tacos are yum. Small menu but A WHOLE LOT to offer! There was a time we were going weekly... and twice a week! LOL One of our favorite restaurants for sure! read more

First experience having brunch here - not so great. Second time coming back for drinks - much better! My coworker loves this place and raves about the margaritas so I tried one. It was really good, the bartender put a chilli rim around it. We decided to share the chips and guacamole and plantains to start off with. I wasn't even hungry but enjoyed a bite of the chicken empanadas and the lamb tacos my other coworkers ordered. Also tried some ceviche which was also good! And to make the night complete, we got dessert - the flan! It was pretty delicious and was a nice touch after all the savory food! So one bad brunch experience is forgiven after a fun night of delicious drinks and food! read more

See all

Monday Margaritas delish! Fish and Shrimp tacos even better!!! Love their fries as well!!!

Food is absolutely delicious. Such a homemade with love taste. The Staff are professional, friendly and helpful. Beautiful restaurant to sit in, relax and enjoy. On Thursday when we went in they had a lovely singer and musician. I had the chicken enchiladas with roja sauce and my husband had the chicken enchiladas with mole. Refried black beans and rice are sooooo good. We will be back! read more

I am writing this as my husband & I are just leaving your restaurant tonight...My husband & I are absolutely in love with this charming establishment, with exceptional food, and we are definitely regulars here. However, we were disappointed as we were treated very poorly tonight by the bartender working, a older latino man with a goatee. My husband & I always tip great to the servers, which is why we know how unprofessional & unacceptable his behavior was towards us. It was a very chilly Saturday night, your restaurant was very quiet, with only one other couple dining at a table & 3 people at the bar, so we asked him if it was ok if we could bring our 12 pound little dog inside, he replied, "NO," so we ate outside, with no questions asked. However, within 30 minutes later he seem to let another couple in & were immediately seated inside with their little dog. At the end of our meal, I went up to the bartender & asked him "why we were denied," & he we immediately was embarrassed, as all the bar guests were looking at him, so he came from behind the bar & told me they were a service dog. I said, "you didn't ask me if my dog was a service dog when I asked if we were allowed to sit inside & you didn't ask them either," because I asked the other people working... (by the way, my tiny little dog is a service dog) I said, "very interesting..." & I walked away, paid the bill & left the server a great tip because the server was exceptionally nice & professional & the food is unbelievably delicious, unlike the the bartender, who seems to be running your business very poorly. I am a food critic and we own 2 businesses as well & we would never discriminate against guests. We absolutely love supporting small businesses, however, I will always remember his face & how discriminating he was towards us tonight. Hope your customer service improves. read more

Great happy hour with a enticing selection of vegetarian options! And strong margaritas and sangria which is super fun. Veggie empanada: 8/10 I loved it but it is small. Has a nice crunch and mild blend of tender veggies with a green sauce and cheese on top - solid appetizer Veggie taco: 7/10 because I like spice and maybe could benefit from guacamole or side salsa in it (I added it from our order of chips and guacamole). With my addition I bump it to a 8 :) Esquites: 9/10 YUM a slightly fancier version of street corn dishes but good portion and flavor of spice, lime, creaminess and bite Finally, it's cute and spacious inside, service was good and they have street parking nearby + clean bathrooms. Would love to try their other cocktails next time!! Would come for nighttime drinks read more

See all

We came in around 3:45 on a Monday for happy hour and it was pretty quiet with just a few people at the bar. The bartender told us they don't start serving food till 4 so we sat at the bar and got some drinks. I had the happy hour margarita and it was pretty tasty. We just ordered small plates off the happy hour menu. We started with the chicken empanada and ceviche. I wasn't excited about the ceviche because it was mango and ahi and I don't normally care for mango with seafood, but the mango was so mild it was delicious! The empanada was good as well. Next we tried the chicken quesadilla which was pretty good, and the fish taco which was my favorite! So yummy! We got lucky with parking on the street right in front. The atmosphere inside is comfortable and trendy, we enjoyed it. read more

See all

It's been a few years since we last visited Aro Latin and we don't know why we haven't came here more often. We stopped by to grab a drink but ended up having dinner here. The outdoor tables are heated up with propane heaters so the diners can stay nice and toasty throughout our meal. I know that they were short staffed because their service was slow, but our server Christian was fantastic. We each wanted a glass of wine but since they did not have a wine list, Christian took out some wine to have us taste it before having us commit to it. Foodwise it was great. We shared a plate of Tiraditos (sliced Ahi Tuna), Salmon Belly hangover soup and Shrimp/Scallop Tostada. Everything was very tasty. We will definitely come back to try other things when we are more hungry next time! read more

Amazing food flavorful and delicious is understated. great selection of drinks and superb service, ambiance top class.. friendly and attentive staff.. read more

Aro Latin - Salmon con esparragos - Latin American Near Me - South Pasadena, California

See all

Taco Tuesday 5 stars. Baja taco and skirt steak delish. Service 10 stars . Ambiance 7 stars. Sangria was sweet but, I'd do it again. Wine by the glass priced reasonable. We will see you next Tuesday (if not sooner). read more

Super cute local spot in South Pas. We came here for happy hour, not too busy on a weekday. Really friendly bartenders and servers. Very home-y feel. Margarita and sangria were great. Esquite was flavorful and corn was fresh and crisp. Empanada was okay, not my favorite. Will def want to come back and try more of their food! read more

See all

I went here a couple times in the past for afternoon cocktails and it has a great atmosphere, great decor and a great bartender. I believe the first time I ever went here it wasn't long after they had opened their doors and I was kind of excited to sit at the bar and have some drinks. I have yet to eat here but everything looks great and I've heard nothing but great things about them. I hope to see you again soon for some great cocktails and a delicious vegetarian meal. read more