The place, the service, and the food is great! Drinks are delicious. It's elegant and cozy inside. Good music playing loud enough to enjoy it, but low enough to still hear each other talk. The outdoor seating is nicely decorated with lights and you have live entertainment. They do have heaters for chilly nights. The service is like no other. They're on it. The waiter was very attentive. Your water cup is never empty. Food and drinks are out relatively quick. Food is delicious. And it's wonderful how their menu incorporates simple yet sophisticated ingredients into the menu. We ordered the Tetela as an appetizer. It was delicious. I had the tacos ahogados and my friend had enmoladas both were delicious. The mole is not your traditional "more on the sweet side" mole, but still delicious and still has the taste of the mole just not sweet. For dessert we had the 3 leches carrot cake and it was to die for. If you love carrot cake and love 3 leches cake this combo is just it! For drinks we did the Tamarindo margarita and the Guayabita... both were delicious! Do make a note, their drinks are made with mezcal, however you can substitute the mezcal for tequila if needed. Some can say Mezcal can be an acquired taste. If you get to sit outdoors I hope you get to enjoy Gabriel's voice. He sings beautiful and he plays an array of genres and songs. read more

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This review is long overdue. I love the food at Maestro's. It's delicious and generous portions but not heavy. Their cocktails (particularly the Tamarindo) are so tasty. The waiters are attentive. The patio is really enjoyable in the evening, especially when the guitarist is there. Overall it's a warm and modern atmosphere with food worth making a trek from the Westside. read more

Maestro Restaurant - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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4 for food, 5 for creativity, 4 for service. This place is so close to being great . The menu is elevated Mexican. The chef has done really good with basic ingredients and the food is beautiful. But you CANNOT serve the bone marrow cold on the inside when it's hot in the surface. Cold bone marrow is just then a chunk of fat. Great concept, not executed correctly. The queso fondu was not melted all the way, there were chunks of hard cheese with some melted ones. Again, fondue is suppose to be melted. The kitchen knows this? Don't rush the food and serve it cold?? But the flavors were spot on! Please fix your execution. Cocktails are great. If you like mezcal and tequila... this is your place. Nice vibe, creative food. It was a Thursday night but the service seemed rushed. Slow down and get it right and we'll be back. 180$ for 2 with tip and 1 cocktail per person. read more

Let's start by saying I had no silverware when my food arrived LATE. I started eating Ceviche with my hands. We were a big party and everyone wanted to pay just their bill and they REFUSED TO DO THAT. Forcing us to divide it in EQUAL PARTS EVEN THOUGH SOME OF US BARELY ATE. And lastly THEY CHARGED MY CARD TWICE FOR THE SAME AMMOUNT, NOW I CALL THEM AND THE PHONE CALLS WON'T GO THROUGH!!!!!! They owe me over 100 dollars of refund and I have NO WAY OF CONTACTING THEM. please do not eat here. Overpriced as hell. Food is whatever and service is horrible. They need better Managment. Thanks And please give me my money back. read more

Maestro Restaurant - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

Great business with gourmet Mexican food options that liven the palate and eyes! The drinks are fabulous too!

Decided to try something new and wasn't disappointed. Service was great, very friendly. It wasn't loud at all, very cozy feel. The food was fresh and delicious. We had mole enchiladas, and carne en su jugo. I would have liked some beans or rice with my enchiladas but otherwise delicious. Give it a try. read more

What I can I say this place is amazing. It started with a conversation with the wonderful host Cassidy. She not only welcomed us, but she allowed us to celebrate in a great way today. She makes you feel right at home. Make sure you ask for her she is the best. The food was phenomenal. We ate so fast that we forgot to take a picture. We came while there was a Mariachi Band playing and the live music was great. I suggest everyone go and support this great establishment. Don't forget to tell Cassidy hi first. read more

Great little hidden spot in Old Town Pasadena off of the strip. We had the Tetela and Tacos Ahogados to start a night or drinking. Both were amazing! Also had a Mezcal drink (can't remember which one) which was also my introduction to Mezcal. I think I'm hooked! We then had a taster of Tequila, Mezcal, and another Agave drink which sealed the deal. The best part about this spot was the waiter educating us on the different drinks. Everything here was new to me and I was impressed by all of it. I'll hopefully make my way back to try more food & drinks! read more

The food, oh my, I don't think I've ever had Mexican food like this before. It's not the best Mexican, gourmet style food I've ever had in my life, but it certainly is a contender. I can see the love for Mexican cuisine that the chef has with his really fun takes on the flavors of chilies and meats and sauces. Compliments to the chef, I'll save up again to try to come by for a second experience and try other dishes. read more

Definitely will be coming back to Maestro, had a great meal and experience dining out their patio! We ordered the Guacamole, not realizing it was going to come with plantain chips, which were delicious and pretty filling! We also got their watermelon margaritas, which were also some of the better drinks we've had in the area! Lastly, we ordered the carnitas plate and the stars were the juicy tender meat and the tortillas! read more

Maestro Restaurant - Plantains and Guac - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

This is a never fails to deliver restaurant. The ambiance is lively and friendly. The food is excellent. The service is fun. Harold

Not only is this place super cute with the cutest bar! The food is amazing! This is the second time I have gone on a Sunday for breakfast. Every one of our plates were bursting with flavor! And let's not forget to mention the presentation each plate was so pretty. Drinks were also delicious! Can't wait to go back! read more

Maestro Restaurant - Churro French toast - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

Met a friend for dinner a couple weeks ago. We went out for tacos on the fancier side. My order: 2 diced shrimp tacos on chubby handmade tortillas then bathed in broth. With a cucumber lime jalapeno margarita. Very summery and delicious. read more

Maestro Restaurant - Shrimp tacos in broth - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Good food, good drinks & good vibes! I had the mole poblano enchiladas and they were delicious! We went on a weekday and they had mariachi outside in their patio area which was awesome. Added to the vibe for sure. read more

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The vibes here are good, and the service was very on point. Our waitress was making sure our drinks topped off at all times despite it being quite busy. The food here is good too but I wouldn't say it's the best Mexican food I've ever had. I would say what made the meal great was the dessert.... They have a guava cheesecake that is absolutely delicious. read more

Maestro Restaurant - Enchiladas - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Loved this restaurant! The food was delicious and not your typical rice and beans Mexican food. It is an elegant and savory type of food. The presentation was fantastic and the drinks were amazing. I had two watermelon margaritas and they were great not only in flavor but they were presented in a very classy way. We were a party of six and we all enjoyed our food and most certainly our drinks. The service was outstanding! We sat outside on a beautiful evening the atmosphere was just right, they had a single guy with his guitar playing soft and inviting music. Will definitely dine here again. read more

The food was delicious. I ate a variety of plates from the menu. The customer service was on point. They had mariachi's. The owners came around to everyone & greeted each table giving that extra personal touch. read more

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One of my favorite restaurants to dine out in Pasadena. My boyfriend and I come here at least twice a month! We've tried many of their dishes, and all of them are consistently tasty. We especially looove their cocktails, and the Tamarindo is one of our favorites. All of their cocktails have great flavor with the perfect amount of sweetness. We always order their ceviche--it is more "watery" than ceviches at other restaurants (it is their style), but is very tasty and refreshing. Maestros clearly uses very fresh ingredients. I would definitely recommend ordering the ceviche as a starter :). 5/5 The oyster shooter is also very refreshing and tasty! However, because the topping flavor is just a little bit more overpowering than I like with oysters in general (personal preference), I'd give it a 4/5. Don't get me wrong, though, it is still delish! The lamb shank is also very tender and delicious. One of our favorite dishes & would definitely recommend!! 5/5 The scallops dish is also very tasty. It has great flavor and texture. The scallops are very well-cooked (very tender) and fresh. If you love scallops, definitely order this. 5/5 Honestly... I doubt you could go wrong with any dishes here. No dishes we've ordered were ever just meh. Oh, yes and for dessert...you MUST order the Tres Leches Carrot Cake! It is absolutely delicious. Not too sweet, unique, and very satisfying. Love the crispy carrots that goes on the cake too. You'd be glad to have ordered this! read more

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GLOY night out! We weren't gonna let a little rain and cold keep us away from our dinner plans! Always a fun night when we're out yapping, laughing and sipping! And ya grubbin! We got a great, almost-private table to ourselves which contributed to our bluster. Surely if we sat at the other tables, we would have to keep it down a notch and be considerate of our close neighbors ... Glad we didn't! No rules to shut us down! Woot woot! Our server was really cool in adding to our photag fun! They had a bunch of roses throughout the place, seemingly leftover from V-day 3 days ago, in which we couldn't resist snapping shots with! Fun spot! Would definitely be a frequent spot if I lived in the area. Hope I can swing by again soon and try more creative, yummy items. read more

Maestro Restaurant - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Went back and it's still good haha. What I ordered this time: Calamari - spectacular! Great breading, tender and the sauce underneath was absolutely addicting. Arrachera (marinated skirt steak) - okay so this dish was super filling. The steak was so flavorful and tender I almost cried. Probably my favorite thus far! The poblano and chickpea rice was great as well, I ended up picking out the chickpeas after while because I just wanted the rice alone. Still good though. Tres Leches Carrot Cake - this was good but I thought it would be better. Presentation is stellar and the unique churro like carrots on top was very cool! When I think tres leches I think a cake soaked in milk and this wasn't it. The cake is firm but most but has a thicker structure to it. The carrot purée in the side is just that CARROTS. It wasn't sweet so beware when you eat that alone lol. I saw a lot of cheesecakes going to tables so I will need to try that next. Still a favorite! read more

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Been here twice before and the food here is amazing. I enjoyed everything I tried. I wish they have brunch not only on sundays! read more

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Ok so.... These days it feels like most restaurants are complete shit. Expensive as hell, garbage service and mediocre food at best. I really do wanna try new places ~ but it's so rare they are any good. And then you get the bill. I'm not cheap. I'm not broke. I'm old school middle class. I ain't rich. I'm happy to pay for good food and good service. Tonight I came back here and was so thoroughly impressed with the service AND the food AND the ambiance.... I can't even. Y'all need to make this your regular spot. Delicious food- it's exciting! Not boring! And the service is the SH!T! Cannot recommend this place more. These people have earned your business. Come support them and have a great night! read more

Pasadena has many great restaurants This has both indoor and outdoor seatings The outdoor has heat lamps . We ordered multiple items Scallops which were good but only three on the plate. Skirt steak which had great flavor. But served on a pasty block or rice. My wife had a mole enchilada which was cold and had to be sent back. So she ended up eating after all of us so that we could all eat warm food. Parking in street or structure We paid 12 dollars read more

First time here and I honestly was pleasantly surprised with the service & food. It was such a cute place, I came on a date here. The food was good & the staff was nice! The ambiance was so cute and I like how their is live music. Definitely will come back. read more

Maestro Restaurant - Taquitos - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Nice place and nice food, only attention on the automatic tips. Besides that it's a good place to dine and drink read more

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Vibe is cool but not worth it. A lot of the people that we sat down with complained about their food lacking flavor. the chicken enchiladas were sloppy and BLAND. Zero effort there. Stay away from those. Staff was incredibly slow to clean our table along and rarely came by to fill our water. They don't split checks. Everything about this place is meh, minus the cocktails... they were fine. read more

so overpriced for food that tastes like it was store bought. and not worth it for the service that i received either.

I enjoyed my time at Maestro even though I've had some equally flavorful Mexican cuisine for much less. The presentation was on point which adds to the European styled elegance of the restaurant. I had the chilaquiles with a spicy tomato salsa with an sunny side egg on top... very tasty . I look forward to coming back and trying other items on the menu. I hear that they have a nice happy hour! read more

The food was incredibly fresh and flavorful and the service was great too! Definitely would recommend this to friends for a great meal.

Amazing music !! Yummy food ! The service was amazing as well. One of the best places in pasadena !

The food was INCREDIBLE, the drinks were AMAZING, loved the outdoor patio & music. Jose was our server and he was OUTSTANDING! We will definitely be back! read more

Dined on 10/30 ....Sat eve @ 7:15 outside patio- 10 of us:) Awesome service and delicious authentic Mexican Dishes! I ordered the carnitas and it was great! Love the fresh Mex Torts and liquified black beans.... Very Authentic! I'm use to El Torritos Mexican Grill - love there Macho Combo, but Maestro is the real deal This is how you eat and dine REAL Mexican cuisine! Try it you wont be disappointed! Our Food server was great ! Friendly, pleasant, patient, accommodating and made suggestions (Tall white guy with ear rings-) great job! read more

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This is our second time going to Maestro in the last month. Our first time was to celebrate my birthday with my amazing in-laws, so we had to go check it out on our own and try something else off of their amazing menu. I cannot say enough good things! First of all, the watermelon basil margarita is a bit of heaven in a glass! Maybe a little too easy to drink, but that's never a bad thing. The guacamole and plantain chips are perfection. As I mentioned, they have a GREAT menu! It's actually hard to choose a dish. So far, we've tried the arrachera, enchiladas, birria and sea bass! All were absolutely delicious, but the flavor in the arrachera (skirt steak) was to die! This time, on Saturday night, they had live music outside and the musician was incredibly talented and engaging. Our servers and the host staff are incredibly friendly, warm and attentive. We can't wait to go again to try something else! read more

This restaurant has been on our radar for sometime. Anytime we've walked past it, it's always crowded house with a seemingly great vibe. We finally made it to this place and it did not disappoint. Pros: Ambience (even if we sat outside in their alley) The stringed lights and succulent divider worked. Food was delicious Enchiladas with green sauce Chicken Molè Fried Quesadilla Birria Tacos (Hand made shells, a +) Drinks, pretty presentation. Taste, good not great. They specialize in mezcal and that is definitely an acquired taste, personally speaking. I had the spicy watermelon and the last drink which is pictured was good, just can't remember the name. It was a house special. Cons: Our waiter. He could use some fine tuning on etiquette. He spoke very fast and approached our table totally disconnected, paying more attention to the love entertainment than introducing himself to our table. We literally had to grab his attention by asking if he was our waiter because like I said he approached our table, stood right in front and was just watching the musician play his guitar. And...when we finally did grab his attention and focus, he was still all over the place. Being out first time we asked what was good, both food and bevs, and his answers or should I say recommendations, vague at best. Would this experience hinder our outlook on returning, probably not, but I would hope we get a more engaged, polished waiter than the one we had. Social Distance: not a thing here. Tables were very close together. We were seated outside yet, just too close for my liking. I think they need to distance the tables so your chairs are not hitting the backs of other chairs. Overall rating on dining experience: lovely read more

Maestro Restaurant - The one drink I liked - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Wow!! We have dined at Maestro's before and have never been disappointed and this last visit was even better than before! The appetizers, house special, and main meals were magnificent. Beautiful presentation too! The service was warm and welcoming. We must have had our silverware replaced 3 times. Seated in their outdoor patio while listening to live music while enjoying a delicious dinner was a perfect summer evening! read more

Maestro Restaurant - A house special. Homemade tamale with bone marrow, charred corn, cotija cheese. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

We went there yesterday to celebrate my sister's birthday. They were able to accommodate 1 more person, their service is very friendly, food is delicious. They have a complete bar with a tasty variety of cocktails. Ambiance was nice. Musician was excellent. I wish I lived closer. The lamb was and Carme en su Jugo were very yummy! read more

Solid spot for upscale Mexican food. Cocktails are excellent with the house margarita pretty irresistible. Tequila selection is top shelf with many excellent and rare bottles on offer. Service was attentive. Atmosphere is attractive and charming. Seating very comfortable. Would definitely return. read more

honestly thought it was going to be a hipster place with a washed down version of Mexican food BUT it was not at all it was delicious and so flavorful. Perfect spot for a birthday dinner or date night the outside seating area had heaters and the service was great. Their Jamaica alcohol drink (forgot the name) was great as well. The chicken mole plate *chef's kiss* read more

Maestro Restaurant - Chicken mole - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

I had dinner here the other night and thought it was very okay. For three people, we shared the following: -ceviche ($14): shrimp, octopus, chile manzano, cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes -molote ($10): organic blue corn masa, huitlacoche, black bean puree, quesillo + raw tomatillo salsa -duck ($25): pan seared breast, pipian sauce, tamarind demi + roasted romanesco Of the three dishes, I thought the duck had the most flavor. It was perfectly seared, with a nice crisp skin and I enjoyed it with dabs of the tamarind demi. Ceviche was very okay - heirloom tomatoes were not yet ripe so they were a little on the hard in texture. Nothing particularly memorable about this dish. Molote was also very okay. Although it was filled with huitlacoche and gave it a good, hearty texture, the black bean puree + tomatillo salsa did little to enhance the flavor. The bar was adorable. If I ever find myself in this neck of the woods again, I would stop by for a drink and skip the food. read more

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I've been to Maestro several time, primarily for dinner/happy hour. It is super nice to sit out on the patio/alleyway, especially for Thursday night Mariachi. The cocktails and food are superb. Prices are a little high, of course, but everything is always fantastic and worth it. What I really appreciate is the excellent service from the staff and servers - they are always so attentive and helpful, but not pushy or overbearing. read more