Interested in being a member of the Athenaeum, but have no idea how to go about joining? The only way to join the Athenaeum is to be a member of the Caltech/JPL community, either by working or studying there, or to be a member of the Caltech Associates, which is a support group for the Institute. Members of the Athenaeum are able to enjoy wonderfully prepared breakfasts, lunches and dinners. There are special events like wine maker dinners and holiday events like Mother's day brunch or the Christmas Buffet, and there are summer long kid friendly events with themed BBQ's. An amazing thing that I have participated in on many occasions are their alcohol tastings. Last week was a beer tasting where we could sample 30 different beers from all over the world, and it was only $20! Being a member of the Associates not only gets you access to the Athenaeum, but also to the Caltech gym, the Caltech library services, exclusive seating at all the Caltech Public Events and Lecture Series, and exclusive access to intimate dinners with Caltech faculty to discuss their amazing research. To learn more about the Associates and how to join the Athenaeum please visit, http://associates.caltech.edu/ read more

We are members of the Athenaeum... had my wedding here. Love the place!!! They do have amazing buffets - beats any Vegas buffet easily! One of the best prime ribs around, with king crab legs, raw oysters, sushi bar, etc etc. If you get a chance to go, do it! Service is always friendly. There is a set gratuity so no hassling of that sort. Now onto the wedding... these are things guests told me after the wedding: "Wow - that was an amazing steak" "The most beautiful wedding I've been to" "The food was so delicious" "Loved that you got the whole place to yourself" My husband and I are foodies ... so food was top priority at our wedding. I have been to enough weddings where I left hungry because the food was that bad. I vowed not to have that at my wedding. Can't thank Dior and the Athenaeum staff enough for my wonderful wedding :) FYI - you do have to be members (or sponsored by a member) of the Athenaeum to have a private event there. read more

I am related to someone with a membership and been going for many, many years. The food has always been exceptional. I even got married there and my daughters want to get married there. The staff is highly trained and the venue beautiful but not pretentious. Just an example of how they go out of their way to give you the best experience, I could not get away from talking to guests so I removed my nothing special veil on a chair. During dinner it was gone but a waitress came up to me with a beautifully wrapped tissue package. She had neatly folded up the veil and wrapped it like it was from Vera Wang without my asking or knowledge. Wow, thoughtful. The prices are on par with the food being served. Love the international food nights. It's a pre-fix several course experience and a tasty way to eat like you are in another country. The drinks are good, not the biggest martinis but the wine list does not disappoint for those who enjoy vino. The service is really impressive. In the summer, the outdoor dining on the lawn at the Rathskeller (spelling) is light and less formal. Always fun to bring family and friends. They usually have a different summer infused drink menu, the Blackberry Lemonade - delish! It doesn't matter whether I have had the Octopus tacos or burgers, it was all cooked to perfection. One cannot say enough about the venue and service. 5 stars as they know how to keep it classy. read more

My sister got married here, so every day for Mother's Day we have brunch at the Athenaeum. They always kill it with the food options. It is served buffet style, and they have amazing breakfast, salad, dinner and dessert options. There seafood options are fantastic and I look forward to it every year. You should become a member your Mother would appreciate it. read more

My husband and I have eaten here countless times. The food is divine, the ambiance is lovely, and the service is impeccable. We got married in a church, but had our reception here. We've been married for almost two years and people are still talking about what a great time they had at our wedding. When we were first trying to figure out where to have our wedding reception, we knew the Ath would be a contender. Our goal was to have a beautiful atmosphere, but we had to have delicious food. Nobody wants hotel food--rubbery chicken and overcooked steaks (always with a side of sad, over-buttered string beans and a lone baby carrot with the stem "artfully" still attached). We called around at several venues, and the Athenaeum's prices are competitive. And, did I mention that the food is delicious? We had a hard time deciding on the menu at our tasting because everything was so mouth wateringly good. From entrees to side dishes, the Athenaeum has delectable options for every kind of palate or dietary preference. At first, we were fairly certain that we were going to have a sit-down meal. Then, we tasted all of the options and thought, why NOT do buffet? Who cares if it's less "formal"? We decided we'd rather put our money into more food options, and food quantity, rather than to pay for extra staff to serve plates. With a buffet, everyone can get something they love, and go back for more if they really enjoy something, which is exactly what happened. My favorite dish was actually the cheese ravioli. Words can't describe how creamy and amazing these were. I was so busy with visiting guests that I didn't eat much that day (the typical plight of the bride), but apparently the prime rib from the carving station was the greatest thing ever. We had a modified cosmopolitan as our signature drink. It was fun, and probably also ended up keeping our bar tab in check. Guests liked seeing it being poured through our ice sculpture. (I know, it's kind of over-the-top, but when other, than our wedding, were we going to have an excuse to use a monogrammed ice luge???) The Athenaeum is such a respectable place that I felt comfortable about having open bar there. When you're planning, you hear horror stories about how certain hotels fudge on the bar tab, or simultaneously open several bottles and then charge you for every open bottle, or whisk away half-consumed drinks so that the guest will have to go get another cocktail. Not here. I felt confident that everything was run in an honest manner, and the final bill, which was in line with our expectations, proved it. We had dining inside the building, and our dance floor outside. We got married in autumn, and the weather ended up being perfect, but we're glad we had everything set up as we did. The outdoor space was great for the cocktail hour and dancing after dinner. There was plenty of space for our 130-ish guests and our band. We had several areas with tables and chairs set up for folks who were tired from cutting a rug, or our older guests who appreciated a seat while still being able to socialize and watch the action on the dance floor. The patio is absolutely enchanting. The white lights streaming across the open ceiling make the area absolutely magical at night. We wished we could have had the outdoor chandelier, but they won't hang it until Thanksgiving-time, and our wedding was just before then. The other minor downer is that, because the Athenaeum is located in the middle of a residential area, music has to stop at 10:00. I completely understand how annoying music blaring for the neighbors must be...but I wish we could have danced for another hour or two. We were having so much fun and then, like Cinderella's coach, it all had to end and turned into a pumpkin when the clock chimed. (At least ol' Cinderelly got until midnight!) :) The location makes for lovely pictures. I wish I would have pestered our photographer to take pictures of us in the rose garden, but I was in "I do" la-la land and was kind of just walking around with my head in the clouds. There are so many options for great photos, so make sure your photographer scopes out the site and takes advantage of them. Arrange for valet parking for your guests. They'll thank you later, when they don't have to walk 8 blocks to their cars in formalwear. Living up to her name, Ruby is a gem. She was our coordinator for the Athenaeum and she held our hands every step of the way from picking linens to politely shooing guests who had entered the cocktail reception too early. She's been doing what she does for a long time, and it shows. Wedding preparation is overwhelming, and she helps to lessen the burden. I just wish I had someone like her to help me with all the rest of the planning! If you're looking for a reception venue, the Athenaeum is worth considering. I think our wedding was the best I've ever been to....but I'm probably biased. :) read more

The food is fresh, tasty, and relatively inexpensive but you have to be a member of the Club. If I lived in Pasadena and I'd eat here regularly. read more

Perfect 25th anniversary celebration on December 21, 2017!

I met a friend here today at the Anthenaeum's private Hayman lounge/bar. Totally cool. The bartender was in a formal suit with bow tie. The feel of the bar is very traditional. Lots of wood. I was enjoying libations amongst academic types (professors, scientists). Had a great time. If you know someone that works/teaches at Cal Tech, tell them to entertain you here read more

This is my favorite buffet restaurant. Every Mother's Day , we have to come. The ambience, the food and the service is so good. We enjoyed so much. I give them 5 stars. read more

Fall in love with their Wed Prime Rib buffet - king crab legs, cocktail shrimps, oysters, sashimi, etc, etc.. Desserts are excellent. The feast, service, and place are simply superb. read more

I recently shot a wedding there and I must say I love the ambience there. The food was, to my surprise, actually very good. The service has also great - apparently all the guests appear very happy and they're even very courteous to us vendors. The Athenaeum is definitely an excellent choice as a wedding venue. read more

First, you have to know a member to order food. Free parking was available but the lot isn't large. I heard that this outdoor space including the kitchen was recently completed. It is fantastic and worth every penny they sank into the project. The seating area is spacious and very comfortable even on a hot evening. Don't fill up on the free popcorn because the food is really good and generous portions. I ordered the lobster roll. At $22 it's a bit pricey. But it was the best lobster roll I've had - so much firm, sweet lobster falling out of the lightly toasted and buttered roll. Served with shoe string garlic fries that were OMG good. Paired with a lovely pinot grigio and I was in heaven under the Pasadena summer sky. read more

The Athenaeum - lobster roll and garlic fries - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Pasadena, California

If you have a membership because you are a grad of Caltech or work at JPL or just plain rich to donate...then this place is pretty awesome. I was there for a work offsite meeting and the food and service is quite amazing. The inside is not your traditional sleek modern office space rather a feel of posh & tradition which kind of makes sense for Caltech but at the same time...it is one of the leading schools for innovation...sometimes you feel like the buildings would mimic that but not this place. read more

Whenever I can, I come here. I can't do it as much now that I don't live near by. The atmosphere is great and the food only amplifies this. Overall a great spot. read more

I came here several times because a friend is a member at this prestige place. But the service here is terrible. All the waiters look like robot and not even beyond the computation of fast food restaurant. I am always wondering why no one complain? read more

I live in Manhattan where there are a lot of private clubs, both affiliated with schools and not affiliated with schools, mansions and just a plethora of venues. The Athenaeum is not quite up to the level of what you would find on the East Coast but is as close as good as you are going to get for the West Coast. I came here for a wedding and this venue is optimal for a classy and intimate beautiful wedding with a guest size of around 150 guests. Any more and you should find another venue that is larger and can accommodate more guests. Pros of this venue are the great backdrop for taking pictures, a beautiful venue to entertain your guests, the exclusivity of having to bring a member to do a wedding here, the venue only doing one wedding a day here, being able to do the wedding rehearsal and lunch on-site the day before the wedding (they have both a lunch buffet and menu option), and my personal surprisingly favorite part, the amazing mezzanine for the bridal party and mother of the bride and groom. You can retreat to the mezzanine to get dressed which is better than any hotel room as their are multiple mirrors, toilets and lots of couches which make it possible for a large group of women to all get ready at the same time if they want. The mezzanine was also great to retreat to between activities and even has a dining table area where the bridal party can eat before the wedding or during the cocktail hour. Cons of this venue was the rather mediocre service from the staff during the wedding. I asked for a champagne glass for the toast and they acted like they would oblige but they never brought. I ordered coffee and it never came and I couldn't enjoy it with the cake. They were rather stingy with the wine for dinner and only came around once. It was open bar but with the bar being set up in another room so far away from the reception area it actually makes it difficult and discourages guests from ordering drinks. The venue did not seem to be holding up their end of the bargain in terms on delivering on the experience the bride and groom had paid for their guests. You also absolutely need a wedding planner and your own staff of wedding coordinators if you do your wedding here. The staff here are quite hands off and this is really more a private faculty club. The dance floor is also too small if you want a lot of dancing at your wedding. Overall though I enjoyed the wedding I attended here and think it is still a great choice for couples who can afford this venue and are members and can have their weddings here. read more

The Atheneum is a classy dining room in the oldest part of the Caltech campus. The food is really good ... excellent actually ... and the service, although a little bit formal and old-fashioned, is pretty fast. from sandwiches to full dinners everything is to be had here and astonishingly creative and tasteful. In the adjacent hotel, Einstein once had his room. read more

I love The Athenaeum; I've been here for weddings, Easter brunch, Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas dinner. The buffets for the holidays are just fantastic; the food is always prepared well and the choices are very well-rounded. I also love the carving stations at the buffets. For weddings, The Athenaeum is so elegant and hardly needs any additional decoration. The cocktail hour was lovely. The passed appetizers were tasty and the bar was well-stocked. The service is always attentive and punctual. I love coming here. read more

As someone who ends up having to eat at the Athenaeum often, I have to be honest when I say that I really don't care for it at all. It's expensive, they still insist on serving things like Foie Gras and Veal on their menu and they don't offer up any vegan items. I'm always left hungry, even after the chef prepares me something off the menu (which ends up being roasted veggies and maybe some rice). It looks like a very old club, the crowd is usually quite old and the menu caters to the older generation. For a young person, this is not the place to dine. It could really use a face lift in a all departments. That's just my two cents as I realize that some people love it just the way it is. read more

Lucky for me, my brother is a Caltech Alum :) This place is definitely beautiful though I prefer eating inside than outside. The service is excellent. The staff pays great attention to detail. I never had to ask for my glass to get filled and if I accidentally dropped my napkin, they would pick it up and get me a new one. Not that I'm recommending to do so for fun ;) Food itselt was alright. I prefer lots of flavor and lots of meat. I would probably not recommend coming here to enjoy a phenomenal meal. It's more like a quiet atmosphere to enjoy the scenery and be able to talk with friends without being overheard. Or for just one of those days, you would like to escape the lively night life of LA. read more

This is OK for a private club but not outstanding as a restaurant. It's good to have a place just for the Cal Tech staff.

First-time here and what a wow of a San Marino club. The old building is just majestic and awe inspiring. So lunch was rather good with a staple fish aND chips which was fresh and light. Really good since I always have low expectactions with this fish dish. Then a great strawberry and ice cream sundae. Yummy Ville. If a member invites you definitely go! read more

Easter Brunch Easter Brunch at the Athenaeum is a special treat. Spending time where Einstein and similar have been is inspiring. The massive feast is presented on several tables and manned carving / serving stations. With reservations at the first seating we enjoyed the food area artistic and detailed set up before things were rearranged. Mr. Monk would approve of this first view. Two ice sculptures and melon art were part of the theme decorations. Mr. Bunny poses for pictures and leads egg hunts for the kids. Great wait staff and live piano music add to the dining pleasure. Concentrating on selecting uncommon, for us, items on our trips back to the food area is satisfying. A unique happy experience. Chuck & Vickie read more

I'm a Caltech student and have been here multiple times. The salad bar at lunch is great. But dinner is overpriced and the staff acts too bougie. read more

Came here for a business meeting. I lived in Pasadena for 10 years and I never knew about this member's only place. The décor was great. Incredible service. I got an eggs scrambled with the grapefruit juice. Food was well prepared. I really felt like I was back in time. If you know someone who is a member, I would definitely try it out. read more

The lunch buffet at The Ath made me think that it's worth the membership, if you qualify. Otherwise, time to make some Caltech friends. Enjoy the beautiful setting and the signature strawberry lemonade. read more

My friend is a member of the Athenaeum so I'm fortunate to be able to dine at this elegant and historic club on occasion. During the summer we were able to savor a gourmet 3-course meal for only $25.00. The meat is always cooked perfectly to order and their desserts are dressed with mouth-watering fresh berries. Even if the food were not so delicious, I'd be thrilled to drink in the richly-paneled surroundings. What a treat! read more

We go here for many holidays so I have only had the buffets. Which are very good with huge amount of food to choose from. The decor is awesome and the staff is friendly and helpful even under holiday conditions which says a lot. Always look forward to going back when the next Mother's Day or Easter comes around. read more

Worst dining experience so far in California. Horrible service, and mediocre lukewarm food. This place deserves to go out of business

Excellent and professional staff, artfully crafted dinners and special events. The Christmas buffet in 2009 was amazing. If you are not a member, find a friend who is a member and ask them to invite you. read more

We the Citron's of San Marino are members here and have had two wedding receptions here and many a meal were consumed. The food is a solid 3.5 star and the service is a solid 4 star. My sisters receptions were very nice. I would recommend going here if you get the chance. They also have a sandwich shop downstairs. read more

I was recently a guest of a member. I cannot imagine why more folks who might qualify as a member don't. I intended to pay for lunch since I basically invited myself through a friend of the member. That was very embarrassing! Only the member can actually purchase a meal! So we'll send her flowers instead! I'm presently studying the Atheneum as it relates back to Plato and Aristotle, so this was tremendous! It's what Ralph Lauren lifestyle is about! Exceptional building-opened by Einstein, idyllic grounds, not far from the "sister" Huntington Library. I'm surprised that there are three $ for the pricing as even their lunch buffet was only $11.50-- in Old Town Pasadena? I had a french dip sandwich and fries--which was exceptional! I filled out a membership form before I left! read more

I shot a wedding here last May and this is one of my all-time favorite venues. Two things that really stand out for me is the beautiful columns that look so amazing in photos, and the way they lit the grounds at night was as well very dramatic and photogenic. Food and service was phenomenal! See some sample photos on this slideshow: http://troadecphotography.myshowit.com/rocconicolewed read more

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Yesss! love coming here with my girls. very affordable and great food. this place is really beautiful

This is a unique little known venue inside of caltech. I had no idea it existed until we recently received an invitation to attend a wedding here. WOW were we impressed! The venue is actually a club that is remiscent of days way back perhaps the 20s or 30s. My understanding is that it operates as a wedding venue on weekends and a "members only" restaurant on weekdays. The food was delicious and the service was 5 stars. Too bad we can only dine here if invited by a member. I can see this place being a special occassion type of place for members of the establishment. read more

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I came here for a girlfriend's party. Grounds and ambience were absolutely delightful. I was also pleasantly surprised that the food that was provided by an Athenaeum sponsered caterer was very scrumptous! Overall it was such a nice cozy place to have a party. I would love to do an event here, it's too bad I can't because they only allow access to this place to members. read more

Always love a good luncheon and the healthy choices. Perfect Cali cuisine, although it is fairly formal.

I went there for a wedding and all I can say is RUDE and DISORGANIZED. The banquet manager needs to be fired or take a class in manners. Too bad, because the grounds and the building are very beautiful. Anyone that is planning on having a wedding here should really make sure that this woman is under control or else you run the risk of offending your guests. read more

Pricey. Better is the beer downstairs. Must be a member to eat here. Befriend a grad student and they can take you. Just give them cash for your drinks. read more

Food in the main dining room is decent, if a bit dated and unimaginative. The casual basement bar, the Rathskeller, is terrible. They offer a boring beer selection and food that's as greasy and tasteless as it is expensive. Add a bank of televisions playing sporting events and the acoustic chaos of concrete walls, and it's a place worth avoiding. Except during the few month when you can drink mojitos on the lawn, it's worth walking two miles to find a decent pub elsewhere. The staff are great people, but their company doesn't make up for the disappointing fare. read more