I'd had a perfectly fine lunch here once, so I thought an early 4:45 PM birthday dinner would be smooth sailing. When my friend and I arrived, only four tables were occupied across the three dining rooms--it wasn't busy yet, which is exactly why I'd booked so early. I asked the host if we could take the empty corner booth in the main dining room. He curtly refused--"reserved," he said--even though it stayed empty for the next two hours. Instead, he led us to a tight spot squeezed between two other tables with diners, which made for a noisy, uncomfortable experience given how many tables sat completely vacant. I mentioned this to our waiter, hoping for a better seat. He checked with the host and returned with only one "alternative": a table right next to the bathroom entrance in the other room--despite many better seats just steps away. With no other option, I begrudgingly took it, since I didn't want to derail my own birthday plans. From there, the indifference only deepened. Both the host and our server treated every concern like a nuisance, responding with sighs and curt shrugs. They seemed far more invested in defending their seating choices than in actually serving paying guests. read more

Loved this restaurant, especially the Seafood paella dish: loved how each bite of the al dente Spanish rice was infused full of seafood flavor - did not taste like rice at all. Even left overs tasted good. The arugula salad was a hit with all the salad lovers. Dressing was not too overpowering but light and refreshing. The proveleta left me wondering how did they cook the bottom to have just the right amount of caramelization and still keep the middle and top gooey and stretchy to smear over the thinly sliced and crispy baguette? The prime rib was as tender (wet aged for 21 days they said, meaning it soaks in its own juices instead of hanged. It had a South American twist by pairing it with 3 chutneys (one was a parsley, another tasted lightly of a Cole slaw and another of bell peppers). There was a couple making out at the bar during the late lunch hour but other than that the place looked classy and clean inside, staff was nice and nothing to complain about. read more

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Service was pretty great and food was amazing. Loved the sweetbreads and mushroom risotto. Recommend sitting outdoor when the sun is down. read more

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The food is great. I suggest getting the tomahawk steak the whitefish platter and seafood rice. The service is fantastic. Our waitress was on it. The ambience is good. Doesn't really match the food because it's kinda like a sports bar environment. I thought it would be a homely feel! But overall great restaurant.restaurant. read more

My wife and I were staying in Pasadena recently and ate at Malbec Argentinean Cuisine three times over three weeks. We live in San Diego and Travel to Europe often, primarily for food and wine. This restaurant is now one of our favorites and worth coming up from San Diego to eat at. The food is spectacular, everything from the sides (in particular the mushrooms and spinach adds), empanadas, steaks, all amazing. I was especially impressed with the wine list, really well done. Finally our server Rosa, was fantastic, a genuinely friendly person that made each visit even better. Highly recommend. read more

The food and ambiance was great (5/5 for food!!!). The steak was delicious and cooked perfectly, tasted even better without the sauce in my opinion. The paella was very flavorful and had a good amount of various seafoods in the dish. My favorite was the grilled octopus under the appetizer menu. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside and the sauce paired well with it. I also enjoyed the beets and burrata appetizer. I lowered the overall rating though because service was okay. I asked for water multiple times and a setting plate/napkin but didn't get it for a while. Had to wave down the server multiple times before they came over. Unfortunately that kind of downgraded the overall experience throughout the meal. Although they did look very busy so maybe they just need more servers. There's a good amount of street parking, might be busier on Fridays or Saturdays but can find a spot probably in one of the secondary streets. read more

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Quite good food. Good entree portion sizes but small appetizers. Very friendly waiter who accolades dietary restrictions and gave great recommendations. Cute place for a date night read more

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. The food was good and our favorites were definitely the empanadas and steak options, but overall it did feel a bit expensive compared to other options in the area. Extremely dim in the restaurant and the acoustics made it feel really loud although it wasn't too busy inside. I could definitely see myself coming back for a special occasion. Not too much parking so it'll be prepared to make a few laps or to park a few blocks away on the street read more

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restaurant is cute and cozy and quiet - big clean windows and restrooms. Service was great, server was very attentive and came around quick and was extra diligent with us helping make our food selections easier. Perfect date type of spot to make your significant other feel extra special! Food was delicious, meats were perfectly cooked, octopus wasn't as tender as we like but the sauce made up for that- salad had all fresh ingredients and paired up really nice. Dessert had to be indulged after such a good feast, and the flan and coffee were an absolute delight. Place was almost perfect/ only downside is the street parking situation- over all this is a place that deserves all the stars! read more

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Malbec had been on my list for a while and I finally got a chance to try this place. Tuck in a neighborhood of Pasadena on a quiet street with plenty of street parking. Ambiance of the place is pretty cool and makes it a perfect spot for a date night or a family outing. Service was quick, we had reservations and we were sited right away. Our server was great and went over the menu and gave us enough time to order food. We ordered: Fish of the Day (Pesca Del Dia): Perfectly seared from skin side served with potatoes and greens. Fish was done amazingly well. Soft and juicy from the inside and had little crust on the outside. Flavor of this dish was very well balanced and I highly recommend this dish. Ravioli (Ravioles De Eapinaca): WOW, this plate was delicious. About 6-7 pieces of ravioli stuffed with cheese and veggies - with tomato based sauce. It was perfectly balance and highly recommend this dish if you like ravioli. Skirt Steak (Entrana a la Parrilla): Classic Argentian skirt steak. You cannot go wrong with this plate. It steak was served to its perfection along with three different sauces (Chimichuri being one of them). For dessert we had - Crème brûlée (Crema Catalana): Great dessert served with fruits, cooler from the inside and a perfect crust on the top. Over all, service and food were top notch and I highly recommend this place. Will be coming back to try different dishes! read more

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This place was absolutely classy & delicious! Great to celebrate all events and bdays& work events . You feel like you are in an another country. The service was top notch . They made our bday celebration super memorable and so enjoahle read more

I have been dining at Malbec for several times. I came here for business dinner, girls night out dinner and a romantic date night. In all occasions, their services were great. The food is really good. My fave is the seafood paella, it was very flavorful. I also enjoyed the skirt steak with the chimichurri sauce. The wine selection is great and offers good pairing for all the dishes. I'd definitely come back for more fun and delicious meals. read more

We ordered the beef and spinach and cheese and empanadas, skirt, steak, and ribeye, ham stuffed pasta with cheese, a side of veggies and a side of yucca. Service overall was great, the server was attentive. Ambience is nice with dim lights and open kitchen concept. Will come back again read more

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Excellent Service, friendly knowledgable waiters, GREAT food including seafood and steak, great prices. Seriously a great restaurant in Pasadena. read more

I myself am Argentinian and I practically live everything here and I enjoy as well trying different things and the service

I personally have been here before and all I remember is that it was great but I did not post a review, but I will review last night. There were six in our group, four of us Leos, hence, a raucous bunch. Hurricane Hilary was howling outside but that did not deter us in having a great meal, well served and absolutely delish. We will be back. read more

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Great service. It's a classy place without the attitude. All are welcome. No rush, take your time, ease through your meal. The entire menu looks great. So hard to decide. Only decision I made is that I'll be back to try something different. We ordered 2 steaks. Cuts like butter. Mushrooms...amazing. Paella for me could have used a bit more spice but still delicious!!! Malbec wine was perfect with my meal. Walk in, relax and enjoy a great meal in a relaxed environment. Now it's dessert time and as before, hard to decide on just 1 so we picked 3. read more

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Environment very clean and neat. The service was extremely friendly and extremely quick. We didn't have to wait long to get seated or to receive our meals which were also very amazing! We had the entraña and the tartare and the frito mixto. All worth trying, you won't be disappointed read more

Malbec Argentinean Cuisine - Tuna Tartare - Argentine Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I'd like to preface this review with the fact that I'll be returning to try stuff that's on their regular menu to give this place a fair shot. This review is mainly about the Dine LA menu offered in 2023. Most places that participate in Dine LA usually put things they're known for on their menu as a way to entice folks to come back and try more. If I judged this place entirely on this year's menu I'd never go back. It was a poor showcase of their strengths or it was an off night for the kitchen, who knows. Let's start with the appetizers. Mussels and crudo were great. The Vithel Tone was an acquired taste. If you don't know what it is I'd suggest you ask questions before ordering. We also got the ceviche sampler which I wished our waiter had told us the size of it would be 3 shot glasses full versus a larger serving. The sampler itself was great. The size left a lot to be yearning for. Then we get to the entrees. I feel like Argentina has a reputation for good steak. The restaurant was filled with the smells and sounds of hot steaks being served so I had high hopes. When the Churrasco Al Gorgonzola came out, those hopes subsided. The good news is you can have the sauce on the side so you can decide how much blue cheese you'd like to drench your steak in. The bad news is despite ordering medium rare I got a closer to well steak. The spinach and potatoes had no flavor (who doesn't season fries?). The desserts were mediocre. But I guess you don't go to a steakhouse for sweets. Overall point is, I look forward to coming back to try the dishes they actually excel at. read more

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Went for a birthday dinner celebration on Monday. The meat is the best I've had in Pasadena area, sorry Fogo De Chao but the meat quality here is waaaay better. Need to go back for a plate of lamb chops just for myself. Service was great as well. read more

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Now now let's talk Malbec. I've heard some mixed things about Malbec, so I was a little skeptical at first. I got whatever the bone marrow pasta was called. My first bite smacked me all the way to Argentina. It was amazing. It's a little on the pricey end, but you really get what you paid for. I've been back multiple times now. Even taking my Argentinian girlfriend. She very much approves. The first bite of the empanada my god, gave her a whole ass ratatouille moment. It reminded her of the ones her mom used to make her. The service was also really good. Shoutout to my girl Rosa she was the best. Slinging out my Diet Pepsi's (I drank 4) with a fat smile every time. The ambiance is also really nice. Definitely date worthy, for sure will get some extra points on a first date. Overall really good food, good service, notable place definitely will be back. read more

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We celebrated my friend's bday for lunch and she loved it. We had the salmon and the entrana (skirt stake?) with a side salad. Everything was cooked to perfection, juicy and tasty! We also tried the chocolate mouse which was over the top and very sharable. To drink, one cup of delicious coffee...No wine :( as we were both driving with long distances to cover. Splurge birthday :) read more

Me and my bf went here on a date and we absolutely loved it, food was amazing RibEye was by far the best we've had at any restaurant. Service was incredible our server was Lauren he was absolutely fantastic. Also the wine selection is really good we had the Humberto Canale Malbec and it was really good. We went on a Thursday evening around 5pm and ambience was nice and quiet. Will definitely go back again read more

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There are a lot of factors to consider when evaluating a restaurant, but for me, at the end of the day it's all about the food. On that score, Malbec did NOT disappoint! Tip: They offer three different types of Chimichurri here Chimichurri sauce can sometimes greatly improve the taste of a meat dish. That said, the steak here was so perfectly cooked and seasoned that it didn't require Chimichurri, salt, or any other kind of seasoning - it was a thing of Beauty! The Yukon Gold potatoes that were served with it were also delicious, and an excellent compliment to the meat. Adding to the enjoyment of our dining experience, the ambiance was sublime, and the service was impeccable :-) We were completely stuffed by the end of the meal, but we managed to save room to share a crème brûlée, which was wonderfully executed and exactly the right touch to finish off our dinner. Highly recommended! read more

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This cute Argentinian restaurant had good food, drinks and incredible service. Will definitely go again. read more

Malbec Argentinean Cuisine - Argentine Near Me - Pasadena, California

I enjoy rack of lamb & the lamb chops. I ordered the same & they were tender, juicy with good flavor. I couldn't finish them & took them home. My wife agreed they were top rate. Also relatively reasonable. read more

Excellent food and warm customer service. The salmon was juicy and the steak was cooked perfectly. We got lucky with window seating and and a wonderful ambience. Beautiful birthday experience too! So want to return soon! Gilberto our server was amazing and made it wonderful. read more

We had a wonderful date night here at Malbec. It was my first time here and we ordered a bottle of wine and shared the grilled octopus and the potato dumplings. It was a wonderful meal and evening. I will come back again. read more

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A friend took me to lunch at Malbec this week during DineLA. The food was superb! The service was impeccable. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Malbec Argentinean Cuisine - Churrasco Al Malbec - Argentine Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Lovely attentive service. They came around and asked for feedback a little too often though before I even got a chance to enjoy Good romantic ambiance, although a little too dark for some people. Clean bathrooms although it was so dark in there like an Abercrombie store. You would not be able to see any food stains. First up, fresh lovely bread with a yummy chimichurri that complimented it perfectly The ceviche was amazing, the mix allows you to try all the fish, i believe my favorite was the yellowtail, and my least favorite was the octopus. The salad was lovely and perfectly seasoned with all fresh ingredients. The fries had a nice texture and the herbs thrown on top added a lovely vibe. The ribeye steak for me was tender but way under-seasoned and even though they brought out 3 different type of vinegar-based sauces, it could not save it since i wish there was more salt/pepper on it. And nobody wants to pour salt on the steak themselves after because the inside wont get the seasoning. Arroz dish was bland and boring. read more

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Waitress Ruth was rather inattentive. Took forever too give me my bill. Kept walking around and ignoring me. I sat at my table over and hour. Wont come back. read more

I ordered the Arroz Con Marisco which the waiter recommended. Don't listen to them lol, it was nasty. Over cooked Octopus, how do you mess up on that? It doesn't take long to cook it, it was rubbery, blah! Borderline salty too! My boyfriend's dish was yummy! Spinach Ravioli but you don't come in and eat Italian food. I want Argentine's food! Overpriced not worth it, I like the decorations though. read more

If you are a vegetarian this is not your stop. Malbec is about meat, meat, and oh yeah meat. Can't forget the wine especially a nice Malbec wine. Went with a large group and had the sample entrees. You order several cuts of meat and ordered a few side vegetables sides. The ribeye is a nice, fatty, and juicy cut. The red sausage is also excrement. Side of mushrooms and asparagus with the meat and it hit the spot. If looking for a fine done sit down meat option restaurant then this is a place to stop by. Will keep this place in mind again when looking to go as a group of 6 to 10. read more

Set in the cute quiet area of Pasadena is a nice Argentinean restaurant. Met friends here and we were warmly greeted and sat in a nice booth. All of my party each ordered the skirt steak and I ordered the Canelones duo. The skirt steak was cooked to perfection, flavorful & juices were flowing. The Duo de Canelones were each filled with a different filling one with short ribs and the other with cheese. I loved both of them. We shared on the empanadas as the start and these were filled with delicious fillings. We want to return here and try the other menu items. We completed our delicious meal with the flan which is my favorite with authentic flavors. read more

Malbec Argentinean Cuisine - Duo De Canelones - Argentine Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Great place in Pasadena for Argentinean food!! Parked on the street and walked to the restaurant. Saw that there were people waiting for a table, but since we had reservations, we got seated right away. Waiter was very friendly and welcoming. Came here for DineLA and ordered off that menu. I got the the cebiche mixto which was the fish of the day and octopus, hubby got the almejas con chorizo which was clam necks and Spanish chorizo for our appetizers. For our mains, I went with the barramundi and my hubby got the duck. They were out of the lamb ragu, which the waiter said was his favorite. Bread with chimichurri came out to start - very crispy and the dip was delicious! Next came the cebiche and clams - both excellent! The clams came in this spicy sauce and had bread to dip. The cebiche was very fresh and had a lot of flavor - came with chips to dip. We were tempted to get more bread to dip in these two great sauces, but knew we'd be too full. Our mains came out and were both really tasty. The duck came with polenta and creamy spinach. The barramundi came with shrimp, capers, mashed potatoes and veggies - carrots and squash. We were stuffed but we had dessert coming! We got the don pedro which was vanilla gelato and wafter cookies drizzled in caramel. Also got the crepes de pera and had a pistachio gelato and berries. Soo goood but we were sooo full! Had to take a walk around the block before getting in our car! Will definitely come back! read more

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I wanted to go to a romantic establishment for Valentine's Day weekend, and after some deliberation, my wife and I ended up choosing Malbec. We got a reservation for 2. I ended up parking at a nearby parking garage and then walking over. I was not in a steak mood that evening, so I asked the waiter for recommendations. I ended up getting the Noquis, which is a look like the Italian gnocchi. My wife ordered the arroz con mariscos, which was quite similar to paella. They serve complimentary bread with chimichurri. The bread was decent. The chimichurri was a bit on the blander side for me. I found the noquis to be solid, but definitely on the saltier side for me. It was a bit too heavy for my tastes. I really liked the scallops of my wife's paella, but the rice itself was a bit salty. Overall, decent Argentinean restaurant in Pasadena, but the food is definitely on the pricey side and the flavors are ok. read more

Malbec Argentinean Cuisine - Arroz con Mariscos - Argentine Near Me - Pasadena, California

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A good spot. I like that it's a little far removed from the busier parts of Pasadena. Been here a few times and they're very consistent. The appetizers are must try. Fried calamari and shrimp is amazing. Battered very well, nothing overwhelming. The grilled octopus and potato confit is also a recommend. Make sure to get bread for the mussels and sausage in their marinara sauce. Wife and split the Arroz con Mariscos. It was good but just slightly watery. Could have used some lemon. Service was fine and everyone was friendly. read more

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The seafood rice dish the server recommended with the tomahawk was excellent. The service was also great.

Malbec Argentinean Restaurant is in Pasadena located on Green Street. There is indoor & outdoor seating, parking is street parking & readily available. The atmosphere is friendly with several tables in two dining rooms, and seats also at the bar. The Hostess was very friendly & so was our server. Food selection is great! The wine choices are my fav, server can help make a selection. Love the assortment of sauces that accompany your meat dish. Anytime a steak or beef meal is desired, we go to Malbec! read more

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Mother's Day lunch. Got seated quickly and waited to have order taken. Getting food took a while but it was a little busy due to the day so it wasn't to much we could do about it. Food was delicious and worth the wait. Here is the list of menu items we got: Malbec Salad, Napolitana de Lomo, Suprema Florentina, Papas Provenzal (garlic fries). The only complaint is I asked for the check and some boxes twice before I got them. So waited over 15 minutes from the first time I asked until I actually got the check and boxes. read more

Malbec Argentinean Cuisine - Suprema Florentina - Argentine Near Me - Pasadena, California

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