This place is a hidden treasure, wasn't expect a high qualities and excellent services with this price range at the beginning since it was a random picked from yelp. However, I was totally wrong and left with surprised and satisfied. I will definitely come again. read more

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The atmosphere and service is impeccable! I stumbled on this restaurant by accident tonight and decided though I was solo I would check it out. Katie greeted me with a warm smile and gave me a seat at a nice 2-top. The place is bustling with patrons which is a great sign. I was very hungry so I wanted to order everything on the menu. Here's the good and the bad: I started with the bread plate (delicious homemade piping hot bread slices - dark and light, with amazing butter). 5 stars! Then I had the poached shrimp. I didn't expect it to be cold but it was what you'd expect of cooked shrimp albeit only 3 pieces. The accompanying cauliflower florets and shredded carrots & cabbage was a lovely touch and filler for the plate but no matter how esthetically pleasing it was it fell short on my pallet. If you're not a fan of really pungent red or white vinegar you can forget about munching on those delictible looking veggies. I tried but I had to leave more than half of them behind. If they had been warm and drizzled in butter with garlic, I would've finished every last bite. Speaking of warm, I think a menu should let you know if an item will be served hot or cold. So sadly, I give this starter only 2 stars. My side dish. For my side I order some lovely broccolini. Again estecially pleasing to the eye but my mouth was a little befuddled. There's a nice light sprinkling of paremesan on top but the broccolini is served a bit charred. I feel that's an acquired taste you either love or you don't. I fall in the latter camp but I still think overall this was a lovely side dish and I was able to eat half of it so I'm teetering between 3 and 4. If it weren't charred, I'd go with the latter but in this case I give it a neutral 3 stars. Now on to the entree (#1 of 2). Yes, I know you're wondering how ONE person can have 2 entrees. Well I didn't persay. I first ordered the duck. I love, love, love duck, but was EXTREMELY disappointed with this plate. 1st off there was only 5 bite size pieces of duck on the plate. I know duck is a little pricier than chicken, but come on, I purchase and prepare duck all the time and assure you it's no more than 20% more so to be that skimpy is unacceptable in my book. Nonetheless, the flavor of the duck was superb! So what was wrong besides serving so little? I ordered it "medium" yet it was barely chewable & not because it was a bad piece of meat. It's not steak afterall, it's poultry. There really shouldn't be a choice of temperature. It should simply be prepared to be fully chewable, juicy and still tender (which admittedly is a lot trickier with duck than chicken but a good chef should have no problem perfecting the timing to serve a delictible duck). Sadly, this was not. But the biggest foul was the sauce and chick peas that accompanied the duck on the plate. Visually, it was a dream, but as soon as I tried the peas and sauce and shockingly realized they were COLD, I was sorely disappointed! Who pairs duck with cold sauce? I don't know, maybe some chefs do but in my book this was an utter FAIL and for $28 (which I was happy to cough up for a great piece of duck), I was not happy to spend that much for 5 bite size rubbery pieces, no matter how great the flavor of the duck. This was literally only worth 1 star in my book!!! But then came Katie to save the day! :) She asked how everything was. I didn't want to get into a long diatribe of complaining about nearly each plate so I focused on the entree only. As soon as I told her how disappointed I was with the actual meat and the pairing with cold sauce chick peas, I asked if I could swap the plate for something else and she immediately agreed. So I chose the chicken shnitzel for my entree #2 and let me tell you, this hit the lotto! I've never been a huge fan of shnitzel but since she said it was their most popular entree I went for it and it was perfect! There are 2 LARGE perfect slices of chicken cutlet, lightly breaded and served HOT (literally 6 times more meat than the duck)! It was topped with warm sliced cabbage and a lovely purple pearl onion. DELICIOUS! I finally hit the jack pot! 5 stars! 5 stars!!! Lastly, I had the coconut cream with chocolate cake. Another jackpot! Imagine a perfectly moist rich piece of chocolate cake topped with a prefect fluffy coconut cream topping, but then take it up a notch with toasted coconut slices, fresh berries and chocolate sauce! Yes! True decadence!!! 5 stars!!!! Before I forget, let me tip my hat to the lovely Ms. Katie. I initially published my review as 3 stars but as soon as I got to my car I realized I had to upgrade to a 4 star. Katie listened to all my feedback with a smile. She omitted the poached shrimp from my bill. Yeah! And she swapped my entree with no complaint. She wears multiple hats btw and I saw her do it all most importantly with a constant glowing smile! I will be back, largely due to Katie! Double stars for Katie - 10!!! read more

Bacchus Kitchen + Wine Bar - The fabulous coconut cream and chocolate cake! - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Wonderful! I emailed the team a specific dine-in question and received a response right away. Their communication is great, and they were very accommodating. The ambiance was nice, service was great, and the food was excellent. My fiancé ordered the steak and it was cooked to perfection. This is a great local restaurant. read more

My husband and I had the great pleasure of dining here on Tuesday and loved every minute of our experience. Being fairly new to Pasadena we have been searching for a great, easy restaurant nearby and finally found it! All the dishes were prepared perfectly and had their own special twist. We started with a watermelon salad, interesting/ different and went well with the grilled brocolini that we tried as an app. It was fabulous, not to be missed! My husband order the seasonal fish, that was cooked perfectly and not over-done, he loved it but was jealous of my scrumptious sirloin steak with Japanese steak sauce, red rice and baby bok choy.... I did share ;) I am not usually a fan of Rose but our waiter Brandon introduced us to an excellent one that we both enjoyed. He really knows his wines and the entire staff there was wonderful. We will be back soon. read more

Bacchus Kitchen + Wine Bar - Don't miss this dish!!! Grilled Sirloin with Japanese steak sauce. - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

What a great little place. Truly enjoyed our dishes. The wine list is short but offers a nice assortment for a fair price. Definitely a place to come back to. read more

We live close to this place but had never stopped by before tonight. But we are so glad we finally gave it a try! Everything we ate was delicious. We ate delicious seafood, delicious bread, and delicious cheese. And there were many other delicious-looking things on the menu that our bellies simply could not fit, but whose deliciousness we will have to confirm in the future. What a great place! Try it out and eat local, Pasadena! read more

With all the rave reviews, we decided to order take-out for a family dinner. What a disappointment. The mezze tasted, in the words of our daughter, like expired ones from Trader Joe's. The charcuterie platter for $22 was a few slices of prosciutto and assorted salami tossed into a box with some nuts. The "medium" steak was barely cooked rare and the foie gras charred on the outside and jelly-like on the inside. The fries were soggy and drenched in pepper. The fish was ok but unremarkable as were the desserts. Either the fame got to their heads or a trainee chef filled in, but we certainly won't try it again. read more

I wanted the go someplace special for my husband's birthday and not hassle Old Town parking so I decided to give this place a try. OMG, was this place good! My husband started out with their Spanish clam chowder and just for kicks, we decided to order their bacon fried rice as an appetizer. Both were excellent; especially the clam chowder with real clams still in their shells and a nice slice of bread to dip in the broth. The next time I go back I think I'll order the clam chowder and a small salad as a whole meal. For our main courses, he ordered a shrimp dish on grits (the grits were more like a patty) accompanied by chiote and I had the Cajun burger with fries and curry catsup, a burger which unfortunately will be discontinued after this week. We couldn't finish either due to the huge plate of bacon fried rice we'd had earlier. Even though we were full, we couldn't turn down their chocolate mousse dessert. My only regret is not ordering a cup of coffee to go with it. Service was great,the ambience was wonderful and I can't wait to go back and try it again! read more

Had an amazing gnocchi special here. Free parking and nice ambience inside and out. Very local feel with a classy vibe. Extensive wine list as well. read more

I really like the price point of this place and I find the food to be excellent. Ambiance is charming. I come early and find it to be pretty kid friendly. 3 stars because I brought my mom for her birthday and brought a cake, and they charged me $15 to serve the cake. I wish they had told me about the charge when I gave them the cake, I would have brought it home to eat instead. Kind of left a sour taste in my mouth just seeing that on the bill. read more

Here's the deal. Be prepared to lay down a C-note for two people... easy. And not because of the entrees, which are above-average priced at $18-40, but because of the sides (a serving of roasted potatoes, or french fries, *or* carrots is $7 each!) and the wine (averages $15 per glass!!) (And don't even get me started with the $25 corkage fee.) So, for example, an order of seared scallops with roasted potatoes and a glass of wine will run you $51. And that doesn't include a bread plate ($7!), an appetizer (a modest plate of shrimp fitters is $12), and a salad (the cheapest one they've got is $10). If two people each ordered an entree with a side and a glass of wine, and shared an appetizer and a bread plate, they'd better be prepared to part with $121, and that's before tax and tip and it doesn't include salad, dessert, a second glass of wine, or a cup of coffee. (Thankfully, there was no charge for the water.) Now, if the food and service were out of this world, it might be worth it (it's not The French Laundry or Guy Savoy, thank goodness). But the food is just good and the service is alright (the $14 apple/walnut/goat cheese salad was, admittedly, very good). I ordered a beer and they'd run out, so I ordered another beer, and they'd run out of that one, too (what? on a Friday night?!?). Then, when I got my plate of $30 scallops with cauliflower puree, there were a total of -- count'em -- *three* scallops (that's $10/scallop, in case your calculator isn't handy). Sheesh... who knew the world was running out of scallops?!? They were good, for sure, but not *that* good. Look, I get the fancy pairings of foodstuff with the clever gastro-chemical ensemble and expensive wine list, but honestly, if you're gonna charge as much as this place does, it's time to regroup and make it an event and not just experience. And probably a good idea to make sure to have some beer on tap for those Friday nights. read more

Fine dinning indeed! My favorite chef! Chef Claud. What an artist! Wish I lived closer....

I stepped in to this new "wonderful" restaurant and found myself and my guest in what appeared to be a small, poorly decorated, extremely noisy space with tables. The "exotic" menu was too gourmet for my taste and the portions were small but expensive. I ordered a lettuce wrap but got three pieces of butter lettuce with three lumps of pork on them - too tough to cut with the table knife and unchewable. The waitress offered to bring be a sharper knife, ha, ha!! I offered to pass on that ridiculous suggestion and sent the meal back!! My guests meal was just as unappetizing and was sent back as well. We drank the wine, paid the bill and left, never to return. We will stick with the Pasadena cuisine like Parkway Grill, Arroyo Chop House ... etc. read more

This is a nice small restaurant and I would come back here just for the cheese and charcuterie plate, which made up for the cold burger and slow service. Ambiance: Nice place, not kid friendly though. We've sat inside and on the patio. The patio was very nice, but loud, since a delivery truck idled right next to it for about 20 minutes. Inside is nicely done, very simple rustic styling, but it was extremely dark. We arrived around 8:30 PM and it was dark enough where you might need your cell phone flashlight to read the menu and you might not be able to see your food that well. Service: Service was okay - I'd give it 2.5-3 stars. The staff is slightly indifferent to most people, and our waitress took a very long time, on a not very busy night (maybe 2-3 tables in addition to us at the time we got there) which was annoying. But when she was with us she was helpful. However, the main course took about 30 -40 minutes to get out to our table and it took about 15-20 minutes for her to pick up our check. Food: The menu changes frequently. The last time we were there, we ordered a 2 beers, the cheese and charcuterie plate, the pork loin and the Cuban style hamburger. The taste of the food warrants 4 stars. The cheese and charcuterie plate came out first for us because we wanted it as an appetizer. It was delicious. The cheeses were fantastic and the meats were equally as delicious. It also came with some candied nuts, honey, and I think some dried fruit. My favorite part was that the toasted crostini came in a separate bowl and that they were generous with the quantity of crostini. I would come back for this alone. My husband ordered the pork loin and it was fantastic. Tender and moist. He also loved the Brussels sprouts. I ordered the Midnight Burger, which was a Cuban sandwich inspired burger. Huge problem with it - the burger I was served, was cold. I noticed because the cheese wasn't even melted, or even slightly bendy from heat. The burger was cold enough that the cheese just sat on the patty. Upon cutting into the burger it was overcooked (it was done well, I had asked for medium) and the meat was room temp or even colder to the touch. It felt like a previously cooked patty was taken out of a refrigerator and partially re-heated, but bizarrely it was slightly charred on the bottom? I mentioned it to the waitress and she was at a loss for what to do other than take it back to melt the cheese (which would have made the overcooked burger even more well done, and possibly added to the excess char on the bottom of the burger), but I didn't feel like sending it back because it took forever to arrive and I just wanted to move on with the meal. I was so bummed about the subpar burger experience that I ended up just eating the fries, but my husband ate half and said it tasted great, if overdone. I ended up eating the leftovers the next day and it did in fact taste good. Too bad the overwhelming disappointment of being served a very cold burger with non-melted cheese and no solution put a damper on the experience. Overall we enjoyed the experience but wish the service was faster and that the burger wasn't cold. 3 stars overall. read more

We have been back twice since the beginning of the pandemic and have been disappointed by the very limited menu and the prices not only is very limited but they had also ran out of several of the items by 7:15 when we got there. I was craving foie gras so I ordered it, it was ridiculously small for the over 30 dollars price tag. I understand restaurants have suffered during this pandemic but everyone has so trying to make up for the lost income by over charging is not right. I am not sure that we will be back. read more

The model example of a neighborhood gem. So nice to have this addition to the north Pasadena region. Tasty, solid food, good service and cool decor, with outdoor seating to boot. The restaurant supports local Pasadena businesses by using their products so you'll find bread from Seed Bakery, coffee from Jamestown roasters and beer from congregation ale. I hope they play with the menu more, perhaps keeping great staples but also offering a few adventurous dishes here or there. The other sister restaurant, The eatery, does a great job with that. Regardless, this is a great place to visit. read more

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Excellent, innovative delicious food. Owner is friendly and always willing to chat. Good parking options. They do not rush you so you can have a leisurely evening with friends. Great wine selection too. read more

Still awesome, my wife and I have become regular attendees to this restaurant, recommended to friends, and participated in special events as we are able (did a mothers day brunch in 2018) best idea ever!!! Event/Staff was kid friendly, our 2 year old had a blast! Owner and staff are accommodating and kind!!! Menu continue to change with new and exciting entrees. If you have an opportunity, I recommend the bay window tables (kinda in a corner, help keep things quiet on busy nights). Only tough part is parking so if you go late or on a busy night, may want to call ahead or let the staff know you are having trouble finding a spot, they have always found a creative way to get us parking space. read more

This is a great restaurant. I wish we lived in Alta Dena so it could be our neighborhood restaurant and we could go weekly. We tried dishes from their spring menu. The tandori shrimp was amazing.-- crispy but moist big shrimp with great flavor. The bread was in house baked and delicious. The gnocchi was some of the best, up there with Bestia, Ink and Redbird. Burger was like a Cuban burger with crisp pickel, mustard, chibatta roll. Fries were fresh cut and fried to perfection. We are telling our friends and coming back. read more

The non-chain, high quality dining place I have been looking for in Pasadena! Food was excellent and the balance between price and portion was appropriate. Atmosphere was great and service was good. We had the porchetta and roasted duck, both were flavorful and perfectly prepared. Everything on the menu sounded creative and delicious. We will definitely be back! read more

Went last Saturday night had a food and wine pairing which was superb. Friendly and helpful staff. Wish I discovered this restaurant sooner. Will definitely be going back again. read more

I have nothing bad to say about this restaurant. The food is superb, the service is wonderful, and the atmosphere is charming. Even though it was my first time here, I felt like family. Bridget is probably the best server I've interacted with in my restaurant-going history. The menu is small, but far from simple. There's much variety and there are always specials. Favorites were the cheese and charcuterie plate and the crème brûlée. Hats off to this beautiful gem in Pasadena! read more

Third day opened and Chef Claud is keeping the kitchen moving. The sturgeon croquettes were amazing. We really enjoyed the beet and asparagus salad, refreshing and clean like spring day. The tamales were some of the best I had in a while. The lamb belly had a very intense flavor but we all agreed it was delicious. Great start for this new venture of the very talented Chef Claud Beltran. Service is knowledgable and friendly. The dining room is inviting with well spaced tables. A very eclectic wine list that is well priced and suitable to the cuisine. A great addition to east Pasadena. read more

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My husband and I came here for the first time last night and had a great time. The gnocchi especially was so good! Love the atmosphere inside, and the romantic lighting was just right. Will definitely be coming back. read more

The food was absolutely delicious. My husband and our friend orders the steak which just melted in your mouth. I ordered the scallops which were delicious but come on $28 for 3...THREE scallops!!! I go to nice restaurants and don't have an issue shelling out the money but I sure as hell do when I only get 3 scallops! We also ordered their bread platter and for $7, you get 4 lovely small pieces of bread and butter. I can go to Arroyo Chop House pay $7 and get half a loaf of bread. We also ordered the melon and prosciutto appetizer special which was nothing special and the presentation was something I'd prepare at home for my husband and kid. The mozzarella salad special was on the other hand delicious. Service was great if you were dealing with anyone but our actual waitress. Our water was constantly being refilled. Our waitress didn't know the specials, was hard to find, and we found ourselves refilling our wine glasses. We finished our appetizers and she still hadn't come over to ask what we wanted for our main course. Perhaps she was having a bad day but Star, our waitress, was terrible and i could see the frustration on other patron's faces too. I wanted to try their desserts and loved the fact that they had French press local coffee but quite honestly, she ruined our experience and I don't know if I would go back because of the poor wait staff and the high prices for 3 -4 pieces of food. read more

This place is AH-mazing! The food is seasonal and fresh, the dishes are artistic and adventurous, and it's a locally owned place (support local! especially now!). Their service is very considerate. I can't recommend it more. read more

INTERESTING, BUT COULD IMPROVE Ate here for the first time. Inventive menu with high quality ingredients, but portions were small (especially considering the prices) and service was spotty. Still, the place was full and people were enjoying it. They just need to work on the details and it could be a long-term success. read more

Amazing charcuterie plate. Excellent wine recommendations. Will definitely be back.

Great food, great service. Party of 5. 2 pork dinners, 2 burgers & 1 scallops. ALL excellent. Gratis appetizer was excellent. Service was exceptional! Server, Nita, was great recommending wines & entrees. Host (& busser in the making) Liam was such a great help & very attentive with water & making sure our party was taken care of. He is a real asset to the restaurant for sure!!! read more

Great restaurant and great food and wine. Live in neighborhood and feel lucky to have this nearby. Love the atmosphere and service too

This was a great place to have a romantic evening or just a night out with some friends. There is a feeling that you are old friends when you sit down. The fare was spectacular! read more

We had a girls dinner planned there last night. We couldn't get a babysitter at the last minute and decided to give it a try with the wee ones in tow. The staff couldn't have been nicer.. especially the hostess. She brought over a little snack for our kids while we waited for our main. The food arrived quickly ,was delicious and beautifully plated! There are so many interesting items on the menu! Its nice to get this kind of food without having to drive Downtown Los Angeles. Cant wait to go back! read more

The food is awesome and the wine selection is outstanding.. I love this place. One of my favorite restaurants in Pasadena!!

Long waiting time for all the courses (but not the check). The food was overpriced for the quality.

Update on Bacchus - after several more visits since my initial one, my experiences have vasty improved. The food can be hit or miss at times, but for the most part it's a big hit and the kinks are worked out. It's almost always an enjoyable night out. Kudos to the entire team for making this a great neighborhood spot! read more

The duck, the duck, enough said. Okay, I should also mention excellent service and the well thought out wine list. But the duck served rare, in the French style, with a well seasoned crust is the best I have had in Los Angeles. read more

We went for a guys night out...all 14 of us. Had a fantastic night...great service, nice steak, perfectly selected wines, and best company ever. Our server was nothing short of fantastic read more

Bacchus Kitchen + Wine Bar - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Very much enjoyed our first visit to this restaurant about three months ago. The menu was very interesting. We are vegetarians and it offered us a number of options. The waiter also explained numerous other options for us. Very engaged. Dinner recently was different. There was one entree suitable for vegetarians. When I asked the waitress what else she might recommend. Her response - there are salads and we can make you pasta. That is the worst response a vegetarian wants to hear. We hope for more creativity. Wasn't happening. So I ordered the single veg dish - a stuffed pepper. It was extremely sweet and lacked any real taste otherwise. I ate maybe 1/3rd of it. Our guests, who were excited to try this new place, were equally disappointed. The flair and creativity of the chef was missing. Finally, the service was terrible. Over three hours (we would have preferred it be 2 hours), we saw our waitress all of three times. It took 25 mins for someone to take our initial drink order. We were literally sitting there looking around wondering when she might come ask us to order. Finally, I had a view of the kitchen. At one point while we were waiting for our waitress to come take our order for dessert (which we ultimately did not order), I saw one of the waitresses and one of the cooks expressing their affection for each other - the cook grabbed her butt with a very big squeeze and they briefly exchanged sweet nothings to one another. He then went back to cooking. Too bad sweet somethings never came our way. Bottom line - nice aesthetic, good experience on prior occasion. Missed the mark on many fronts this time. read more

We are so happy to have Bacchus Kitchen in the neighborhood! The gingery delicious Japanese wedge and beet and asparagus salad were a great way to start off the meal. Both salads were so fresh, crunchy and delicious. The wine! Someone went to great lengths to find a few delicious bottles that are well priced and a perfect complement the menu. As for entrées we had the New York steak and the barramundi. Both had a spicy and innovative presentation, full of flavor. Service! The right amount of attention and they even entertained all of our probing questions. This reminds me of the moment that Blairs opened on Rowena in Silverlake more than a decade ago. Move to north Pasadena, eat at Bacchus. Be happy! read more

Claud,,Sean and Kat never disappoint! I've tasted the best Rose's here, enjoyed amazing jazz music and never had a bad meal. I especially love the tradition of an amuse bush and each entree has been spicy, unique and beautifully presented. You should go! read more