amazing Mediterranean buffet, very fresh & the meat was well cooked! our favorite was the steak! outdoor seating was wonderful under the trees, not many people- great ambiance. read more

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I visited Pasadena Community College last month as a writer in residence, and while I was there, the English department faculty took me to The Athenaeum for lunch. I'd never heard of the place, but when I told my husband I'd eaten at some kind of cool Caltech club, he knew exactly what I was talking about--he'd been for a client meeting. I guess this is the neighborhood go-to for impressing non-Pasadenan guests. The place was super old school: high, grand, detailed ceilings; lush drapes and tapestries; ornate wallpaper and oil portraits on the walls. It was gorgeous, the vibe just the right side of musty--old and old-fashioned, sure, but still commanding respect. We checked in and gave a member number (the member was a higher-up at PCC, and the professors I ate with were as pleased to be there as I was), and were led to a table in a large, lovely dining room. We were on a schedule, so we opted to eat at the buffet, which was set up in our part of the room. There was a nice spread available, with soups and salads and a couple of meaty entrees. I had a warm cup of cream of cauliflower soup, and helped myself to several appetizing salads. I particularly enjoyed the orzo salad, which came with some squash and onion and other vegetables. It was flavorful with a lot of great texture. The corn salad was also pretty good, vibrant and refreshing, and I liked one with arugula and peaches and quinoa. There was some kind of Asian chicken salad, which is always the same level of okay to me, and an artichoke and mushroom salad that tasted strangely raw. As for entree stuff, there was tri-tip with horseradish sauce and something called chicken pizzaiola. These were fine. The beef was a little tough, but I liked the chicken, which came in a tomatoey sauce. One of the professors I was with was vegetarian, and the kitchen gave her a vegetarian entree so she wasn't just stuck eating salads. Always appreciate accommodating service. I skipped on dessert, but I ordered a strawberry lemonade for some reason, and this was really sweet and satisfying. It came in a big fancy glass. I enjoyed my lunch at The Athenaeum. The food wasn't remarkable, but I loved the atmosphere, and the whole thing felt like a neat, special treat. If you ever get an invite to this members only Caltech club, don't pass it up. read more

This review is for the Athenaeum as a wedding venue. I was invited to a wedding at the Athenaeum on a HOT Summer afternoon. I believe that this venue is private and invite only. Out of respect to the bridal party and guests, I did not post any pictures on Yelp. The wedding ceremony was located outside with the backdrop of the Athenaeum's arches which was quite pretty. Unfortunately, where the guests were seated in an open area with no shade. However, they provided umbrellas to help with the heat and a water station. After the wedding ceremony, guests were treated to cocktail hour of a plethora of yummy appetizers and open bar. I was impressed with the selection of the open bar that consisted of hard alcohol, beer and a nice spread of non-alcoholic drinks. Inside the Athenaeum consists of many different rooms with an old school feel to it. It was quite fun to navigate to the different rooms. The wedding reception was held in the outdoor patio and dinner was typical wedding food (entree, vegetables and side of bread). I do admit that the dinner portion was quite small, but the appetizers during cocktail hour made up for it. Service was top notch. Overall, I would recommend the Athenaeum as a wedding venue. I would like to make the disclaimer that it can probably accommodate up to 200 guests at most. read more

was here for a wedding this past sunday. Outdoor ceremony, which is located right next to the reception. For reception, it was held at an open / outdoor area, surrounded by pillars and the open area was covered by this beautiful tent / drape. the venue is nice.. but one thing i dont like about is that the pillars blocked the view of the stage.. i dont think i would have my wedding there.. it was hard to see if you have the wrong seat. but other than that.. this place was sophisticated and classy! dinner menu for the night: Tuscan Stuffed Chicken, filled with prosciutto, mozzarella and spinach, and parmigiano herb risotto. The risotto was EXCELLENT! it was sooo gooood! Macadamia Crused Mahi Mahi, roasted pineapple salsa, red mango rice and tempura green beans... the mahi mahi was so soft and fresh. I like the mahi mahi a lot.. more than the chicken. read more

Always have a nice breakfast experience here every week when I come here. Miguel knows exactly what I want and I don't need to order for years. The quality of their coffee is one of the main reasons for me to eat there. read more

The Athenaeum - Breakfast time - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Pasadena, California

Although I am not a member, thanks to a family member who does have a membership, I have been lucky enough to be a guest at "The Ath" for multiple private events as well as the 2019 Holiday Gala. The club is very exclusive; membership is limited to Caltech faculty, staff, graduate students, undergraduate seniors, alumni, trustees, Associates of the California Institute of Technology, and staff of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Palomar Observatory, and the Huntington Library and Art Gallery. From the moment you enter the property, you know you are somewhere special. Built in 1930, the building was designed by Gordon Kaufmann in a style known as "Californian", similar to an Italian villa. The interior decor features beautiful oak and walnut hardwood throughout. The decor is finely appointed with brass, marble, and antique fixtures throughout. Normal dinner service consists of a well stocked buffet, with many seafood, meat, vegetable, and desert options for every taste. The Holiday Gala was table service with a fixed menu. In either case, the food has always been excellently prepared and delicious! For the events I have attended, they have had bars with a limited selection, which in my experience has usually consisted of one red, white, and sparkling wine, and a single offering of your standard sprits: a blended scotch, bourbon, gin, vodka, and brandy, as well as a few standard mixers. They can not make you many cocktails, but can offer you a handful of the standards, i.e.: gin & tonic, old fashioned, etc... There is a full bar in the basement, The Rathskeller, however, it is exclusively for members, guests are not served, and any drinks served there must remain there. The staff is always professional, courteous, and attentive, but not the most genial, however, that is probably by design. I have enjoyed every visit, and I hope to visit again very soon. read more

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We had our wedding here...wow, 2 weeks ago already! This is the perfect place to have your special day...nothing can beat it, nothing! We went through pretty much every venue possible in the Pasadena area. At the end, the last two choices were The Athenaeum or Craven's Estates which was the Pasadena Showcase House for 2010. The following reasons made the choice for us: 1. More than 95% of the guests were from out of state so less than 100 guests total. 2. My husband fell in love with The Athenaeum when he was the groomsman at his best friend's wedding 8 years ago. 3. Even though it is a member's only venue, my husband has reciprocal privileges through his faculty club. 4. We knew that we needed someone amazing like Dior, the event manager . 5. We frequently dine here and love the food, architecture, history, etc. When we met with Dior, the event manager, we instantly fell in love with her. She is very trustworthy, very patient with all her clients, kind and caring, and will be there for you until the end...literally :) Our package was around $20,000 including the venue and catering. This was a very good deal since it would have cost us much more if we chose a date closer to the "wedding season." Oh I must mention their vendor list. It is a wonderful list of all the vendors The Athenaeum trusts. My florist, harpist, DJ, photographer, minister etc were all from the list and everyone was amazing! Believe me, you do not want to take chances with any of your vendors involved in your wedding...you have enough stress and sleep deprivation on the actual wedding day anyways... Yes, you do have to have membership as an alumni, faculty, etc, or reciprocal privileges like my husband through another faculty club, or a sponsor who is a member to have your wedding here. But if you are one of the lucky few who has access to this wonderful venue, GO FOR IT! IT'S SOOO WORTH IT believe me...we loved every minute of our wedding and no regrets. * Location: Very convenient, beautiful, perfect * Service: Top notch. Dior is amazing!!! * Food: ***** Very upscale. * Price: It's not cheap but is it worth it? YES! The Athenaeum will be our special place for rest of our lives together :) read more

The Athenaeum - Our wedding reception at The Athenaeum - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Pasadena, California

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This is a beautiful place in a gorgeous setting. I especially like the Rath Al Fresco- dining on the lawn. The menu while small is upscale as are the drinks. What could be better than dining on the lawn seated at tables covered by white linen table cloths? read more

The Athenaeum is a "members only" club and not accessible to the general public. Note that this goes for dining and using the venue for private events, including weddings. (One of my coworkers had her wedding here a few years ago.) If you know anybody who is a member, then you can be extra nice to them and ask if they would take you here. Membership is available to those who work at Caltech, JPL, Huntington Library, CEFCU, etc, Full requirements are listed on their website. The Athenaeum in Pasadena is modeled after the one in London. Yes, even Albert Einstein has dined here. The actual architecture and venue itself is gorgeous and very elegant. Note that there is a dress code. I've been here a couple times for lunch in the Main Dining Room and also in the outdoor patio. The service has been good and the food as well. During lunch, they do offer an "Express Lunch Buffet" which includes salad bar, carvery, hot buffet entrée, and hot side dishes. Their regular lunch menu includes items such as soup, salad, sandwiches (lobster roll, short rib tacos, duck sliders, kobe burger), and entrees (grilled salmon, chicken, filet mignon, chile verde). They change their menu items so it may not be the same every week. Anyway, if you ever find a chance to dine here or check the place out, I definitely would take advantage. 140/100 Reviews for 2014 read more

This review is for the Easter Brunch. It is the best Easter brunch on the face of the Earth. The menu is extensive from crab legs to anything you can imagine. If you know somebody or ever get a chance to do it be prepared to be blown away! I can't wait for Easter this year so I dive in to this buffet again. The service is phenomenal and the atmosphere feels like you dining with some of the smartest people in California.... oh wait you are. read more

The Athenaeum - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Wonderful atmosphere and delicious dinner. Came here for a holiday event and just loved it. Really special to see the wall of Nobel prize winners in the library, too. Highly recommend checking it out. Wonderful history in this place. Tip: desserts are the weakest part of the menu. I would skip dessert next time and get a cocktail Instead. Everything else was delicious. read more

Meh. Even though this is a "members only" club place for dining, I felt it was truly lacking and disappointing. To those who don't know a member or can't get in to try this place, don't worry. You're not missing out on anything amazing. I came here on a Wednesday night for their seafood buffet. Everything tastes mediocre. Desserts were not so tasty. (Then again I'm a dessert connoisseur). Some were overly sweet, others just tasted like badly homemade dessert. The only dessert I thought was somewhat up to par was the taro ice cream. Even then it was just ok. Seafood wise, crab was a little fishy and too rough in texture and salty. The shrimp was large sized and tasted pretty fresh. Oysters were give or take by chance. Some were tasty, others tasteless. Prime roast beef was overcooked and too rough/tough. Yorkshire pudding was too hard and crispy. Even the insides were too crunchy. Cheese selection was very average. Nothing special. Freshly made to order fried rice was too salty. I liked the option to custom order and pick the ingredients though. And the highlight of my day.. The alcohol tasted GRRREEEEAAAATTTT! I got the mirage martini and it tasted like strawberry juice except it was made with pear vodka, strawberry purée, house sour and so on! So yummy. Girly cocktails for life!!! Servers were fast, polite, and knowledgable. Great service. Tip: remember to bring your ID if you want to drink. They card everyone under 35 and make no exceptions. read more

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Just a review for the downstairs bar - while the top floors are quite fancy, the downstairs bar is an awesome hangout place on campus. The place, called Rathskeller, looks like it is out of the Big Bang Theory set (vs. the above floors, which are clearly trying to model Harvard pretentiousness, and I would know). The chill atmosphere, good and uncrowded areas to relax, and good company make this a great place - and it is flip-flop friendly! Also, the beer and food is cheap as dirt (Stella for $3... and better beers accordingly priced), and actually pretty good - try the burger special on Mondays for $6, it can't be beat! To get in, befriend an Ath member! They're usually Caltech graduate students, postdocs, sellouts (read: rich alumni), or faculty. read more

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I was invited to the Athenaeum by my ex-CEO a few weeks back to discuss a project with Cal-tech. I've heard of this place only a few times in my life because I have no ties with Caltech and know maybe a couple people that went to school here. Outside seating during a perfect California evening with sangria and amazing food. Don't think it can get much better. read more

As a JPL employee, I was a card carrying member of the Athenaeum for about a year. In the end we decided to drop our membership in favor of a Disneyland annual pass, which is about half the price for California residents. The Athenaeum is a beautiful place to dine, despite it's very old and stodgy clientele. However service can be quite bad. Everyone is always friendly, but we've been served by CalTech students on a few occasions who knew nothing about the menu for example. The food can be hit or miss too. I've been served poorly seasoned steaks that are still cold in the middle for example, and meat quality does not compare to local favorites like Ruth's Chris or Arroyo Chop House (a person fav). Pasadena has some truly great restaurants so I think it's imperative that the Athenaeum raise it's standards. read more

This place is simply phenomenal; however, this is for members only, not open to public. We came here for Xmas buffet dinner; it was remarkable. -- Service is first class. -- Food is outstanding. -- Ambiance is miraculous. -- Price is reasonable. BTW, the cream for coffee was pre-heated. read more

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Great food. Wonderful atmosphere. Very historic. Did you know Einstein stayed at length at the hotel above the Atheneum? Fascinating!

I joined my parents for dinner here and was pleasantly surprised by the serene surroundings. I'd driven up from Newport, so I was definitely looking forward to a glass of wine and some time to relax after all the traffic. Staff was courteous and efficient. Foodwise, they sure serve small portions! I had the iceberg salad (without the most calorie laden ingredients,) and the ahi tuna (which was really about 4 tiny hunks accompanied by a few slices of veggies... can I get a full asparagus spear or something please?) For dessert, I had the apple tart, which was ok, but nothing amazing. An hour later, I was starving again. Wait, did I just have Chinese food? I kid. I kid. I'd say you should probably make sure you're not starving when you go here, but it was really good food and it didn't make me fat. Since it is already bikini season, I'd say that's a plus and it definitely merits a spot on the regular rotation. Good thing my parents are members, I guess. Overall, it's members only, but it reminded me of a similar club we had at USC but decidedly older and more focused in the Pasadena neighborhood. read more

If your frend is being wooed by Caltech for new professorship, make sure they put you both up in one of the better suites during 2nd interview. (Einstein suite too pretentious- try another one with private balcony). Since Natashka is sucker for old-style LA glamour in academic atmosphere, Atheneum really got my juices going. I have to say that stuffy old 13th century accomodations back at Cambridge were neither as capatious nor did they offer Kobe beef in dining hall. That being said, its still true that Brits know how to have more fun than Pasadena Nobel laureates. At least for time being. Natashka is working on laureates. read more

The Athenaeum - the 100 degree nights at the atheneum - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Pasadena, California

- Beautiful outdoor ceremony location seating 200 guests - Beautiful conservatory with an open bar for intermission drinks between the ceremony and reception - Beautiful semi indoor reception location to keep you out of the rain but still providing fresh air (well as fresh as LA can provide) - Beautiful flowers and table setting - Beautiful bride that made me cry when she appeared Other things where I can't use beautiful as the adjective include - Surprisingly yummy buffet food - Sizable dance floor to get your groove on Not so cool - Since it's located on the Caltech campus you run the chance of rowdy students making some noise during the wedding. The Caltech cannon went off before the reception started which totally caught me off guard and I thought of myself "ahhhh bomb?! gunshot?! why is america so wack?!!". ok maybe I've been watching too many movies read more

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I don't know who pays to dine here regularly, but my sister used her friend's student membership (only $10 per month instead of hundreds) to treat our family to a nice lunch post-dissertation defense. Very regal outdoor seating with tall columns and open, elevated dining stage. Most of us got the lunch buffet ($13), and I got the Ath's specialty strawberry lemonade to drink. It came in a huge glass/cauldron, so a lot of juice. On this particular day they had pappardelle pasta, which is my favorite and tasted great topped with beef goulash. I would dress up at least a bit to come here, to match the other diners. We also came in the late afternoon the next day to meet up with my sister's labmates for a more informal social gathering on the lawn outside the main building. There was a wedding reception going on on the patio, which I understand is a common event here. They have popcorn and one can order other bar-type appetizers and entrees to go with drinks or mocktails. read more

The Athenaeum - Lunch buffet 8/14/14 - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Pasadena, California

My family and I were lucky to have been invited by a member for their Mother's Day brunch. The dining room was spectacular, my daughter put it best saying it almost felt like eating at Hogwarts. The buffet was definitely one of the best I've ever experienced. Crab legs, oysters, and homemade ice cream were all personal favorites, as were the specially cocktails - I had Aztec coffee with tequila. Service was attentive and friendly. Looking forward to another invite soon. I hear the winemaker dinners are amazing! read more

The Athenaeum - Center atrium with the buffet. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Going to the Athenaeum is definitely an opportunity you don't want to miss out on. Unless you are invited you cannot dine there! The exclusivity itself made the experience amazing! I ordered the lobster roll and it was pretty delicious! I don't think the food itself was on par with the setting and the ambience but it was still delicious. There is outdoor seating and indoor seating. Definitely the indoor seating is a more beautiful experience. If you are outdoor it's not much of a fine dining experience. It's pretty much self serve. All in all I was happy to be able to have this experience at this prestigious venue where supposedly Albert Einstein dined at. I feel smarter already! read more

The Athenaeum - Lobster Roll with corn and coleslaw - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Pasadena, California

Came here as a guest two nights ago and really enjoyed it. Great outdoor setup right now, quite pretty. The burger and shrimp roll were tasty, and our server Carlos was amazing! read more

Oh boy, what an opportunity to eat at this place! Walking in, you definitely get a feel of the rich history of this place. Fortunately, they installed A/C :) Cam here as a part of my graduation from my certificate program - to be honest the food was good, but nothing beyond expectations for a place of this caliber. If you are coming for the food: if you have a chance to come, sure, but I would honestly not go out of your way to eat here. Starter: Bread and butter, salad Main: Steak, String beans, Mashed Potato Dessert: ice cream, fruit, chocolate lava cake sorta. read more

PROS: The Ambience is WONDERFUL! I especially like the outdoor seating options. Quality and taste of food is delicious Customer Service is tops Beautiful venue for an event or weddings CONS: It's members only so you have to be a member or be invited by one. While there take a stroll on campus to the turtle pond which is a calm break from the crowd at the Athenaeum. read more

The Athenaeum - Outside from the lawn - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Pasadena, California

We were lucky enough to get the hook up from a friend's friend. You either have to know a member or be a member to get in. I've always wanted to come here to check out the buffet. I've been a fan of buffets since I was a kid so I've done my share of buffets, good and bad! The hall where the prime rib buffet night is held is so classy! Tapestries, high ceilings, an overall European castle type decor. Food was pretty good! Nothing amazing though. Maybe it's because some hot foods were just room temperature. They sit it out at 5:30pm so if you get there then maybe it'll be hot. We started 6:30pm. I think they should probably use better heating under those servings. Cold foods were nice and cold though. The smoked salmon, shrimp cocktail, and oysters. Anyways, service was ok. They were good at taking the plate away and pouring our drinks but the guy taking the order for drinks just didn't get what we actually wanted. We had to say it three times. Downstairs is the game room and it really does look like a regular game room with a bar. Kind of cool but nothing special. read more

The Athenaeum - buffet night weds! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Pasadena, California

Likes: Festive decor during Christmas time, love all the glowing pretty lights, friendly service, buffet style food including king crab legs, sushi, prime rib, assorted desserts, etc. Dislikes: Some of the desserts were kind of dry inside. Valet took forever to bring out car - they were getting cars for people behind us in line read more

Wednesday is a great buffet, but any other night enjoy an amazing prix fix menu! Great atmosphere and ambiance, if you are ever invited, GO! read more

We got married at the Athenaeum in September 2019 and loved the venue and the experience! The getting-ready room for the bride was a highlight and we loved being able to take our photos around the Cal tech campus. We had the wedding outside under the jacaranda tree, cocktail hour inside, and reception in the courtyard. Our guests raved about the venue and the food was amazing (actually way better on the wedding day than even during the tasting). We had about 150 guests and it felt like a perfect size for the venue. read more

The Athenaeum - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Pasadena, California

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A members club restaurant. Went there for lunch with my boss and coworkers. I had the hummus wrap and it was DELICIOUS! Can't wait to go again and try something else. read more

Having been to several private clubs in LA and New York, including universities' clubs, I have to say the food here is mediocre. Although it's part of Caltech, people not connected with the Caltech community can also become members for a fee. Membership seems popular in the surrounding Chinese American community in San Gabriel Valley as I was repeatedly asked if I want to join by different members. The historic ambience is the attraction here. Service is ok. Overall, I think it's a good place for professors and students to have a meal a bit more formal than usual but not exclusive or fine enough to be considered a top private club. read more

Commenting on the restaurant aspect only! Had lunch here today as a guest. It was about the 10th time I've enjoyed a meal here. The service is fabulous and the food is excellent -- perfectly cooked. Today I had the lunch buffet and everything was delicious. Had the berries with ice cream and Grand Marnier for dessert. Everything was super yummy! But I think the best part about the Athenaeum is probably the gorgeous venue. I am lucky to have friends who invite me to join them for an occasional meal there! read more

I have been putting off writing a review of The Ath because it is a Member's Only establishment and I didn't want it to seem like I was "nanny nanny boo boo" I'm a member and you're not...but the truth is, nanny nanny boo boo I'm a member and you're not. Sorry. Anyway, if you know someone who is a member, have them take you there because the food and service are amazing! Wednesday is Prime Rib night featuring a buffet that rivals the best buffets in Vegas. For about $30 you can feast upon soups, salads, sushi, a raw bar (including king crab legs and oysters on the halfshell,) sides, hot entrees, prime rib, and desserts (including mini gourmet pastries, housemade ice cream, crepes and flambes of all kinds.) The lunch buffet is $11 and fantastic. There are always special events like International Food nights which are great. The Rathskellar, the bar and game room downstairs, has a fabulous happy hour including $3 beer and $5 Kobe burgers. Groucho said he would never join a club that would have him as a member, clearly he never ate at the Ath. read more

Attended a winter wedding reception at the Athenaeum late last year and it was gorgeous! The grounds and property are beautiful, as I'm sure you've seen on blogs and such (Google "Athenaeum wedding photography" and you'll find a bazillion). Random tips and thoughts: *You do NOT have to be a member to have your wedding here but it is pricey *The tented reception area (and outdoor patio/bar area) are warm enough for the winter, but pay for the space heaters *Lots of parking for guests in the neighborhood residential area (and the lot) *The catering and bar vendors were great, and I think they're on the "list" *Festive holiday decorations if you have a wedding near the holidays--just know it'll be there and plan for it/account for it in your discussions with your florist/planner/etc *No real on-site coordinator--you need to hire your own Would totally recommend having your reception here if it's the style you envision and its in your budget! read more

Attended a wedding and reception. The couple picked a great spot. Food at the dinner banquet was great. This was not standard banquet quality. It may have been the best chicken served at a banquet that I ever had. Cannot say anything good about the beet salad. It was 1 star. But chicken was 5 star. Stayed the night upstairs. This is private club so the hotel is small, boutique style. Beats the hell out of a Hilton. I think it is overpriced for what you get, but, since it is so convenient I can handle the price. Plus, parking is included. The rooms are small, European style. But very clean and tidy. Staff was all smiles, professional and friendly. The place is private, but if I attended another event in the area I would definitely try to stay here. read more

This is a private club so if you get an invitation, grab it. We were lucky enough to say in the Einstein Suite and we loved it; we felt smarter just being there. The main dining room food was superb and bot the prices of the menu items and wine list were much lower than one would expect and the wine list was deep and well thought out. Margaret, the hotel manager is so helpful and a doll and Donna at the front desk is wonderful. We look forward to returning. read more

I really don't find it fair to rate The Athenaeum as a whole. There are so many different parts and pieces to the faculty club. So here's my breakdown: Rath Al Fresco - overall 4 stars FOOD - 4 stars. Had the pizza, it was great! Not oily and piled with lots of toppings. The grilled artichoke was also very tasty. SERVICE -3 stars. Everyone was friendly and the bartender was helpful with their nice selection of beers. He even let me have a tasting before I committed to a beer. Family BBQ Luau - overall 1 star FOOD - 2 stars. The lomi lomi salmon was too salty, the mahi mahi was cold, therefore ended up being fishy, fried rice was made with an "Uncle Ben" type of rice rather than with Jasmine rice or short grain rice and the #1 thing wrong with the food is that they ran out of Kalua Pork when we sat down at 7:30pm. My friend stood near the empty chafing dish where the Kalua was suppose to be and was advised by 4 different people that there was more and they were on their way to get it. 20 minutes later, a server finally came out and said they ran out. At that moment, they should have pulled the Kalua pork sign and removed the empty chasing dishes. I also noticed the kids tables ran out of food. SERVICE - 1 star for Executive Chef Kevin Isacsson. We made a comment to the captain about our disappointment. He then went back in to ask the Chef if there was more Kalua. Apparently, the Chef's reply was, "Yes, we're out. There's nothing I can do." Frankly, there is a lot that he could have done: 1) He could have calculated the # of people that RSVP, by the # of tables reserved and by the # of seating blocks there were. Simple math that any chef should be able to perform. This would have told the Chef how many pounds of pork to purchase. 2) There should be a cut-off for RSVPs a few days before the event so that the Chef can appropriately order the amount of food that is required. 3) He could have calculated the actual amount of Kalua and deployed the trays out a few per seating versus just taking it all out at the beginning of the luau. 4) Yes, I realize they ran out of food and there was nothing that he could have done, but a more compassionate answer from the chef would have probably prevented this negative review on his luau. I find this extremely unprofessional and frankly displays to me his lack of experience with catering and a lack of compassion for the event and the satisfaction of his guests. read more

Beautiful outdoor location with a gorgeous "Mediterranean-style" building which opened in 1930. The entry has beautiful paintings on the curved ceiling, there are gorgeous dark-wood doors and panels throughout, and there are lovely outdoor patios with columns and greenery. The Athenaum is a number of different things: 1. Private club open only to certain people affiliated with Caltech/JPL/Palomar/Huntington Gardens or one of The Ath's reciprocal clubs. 2. Nice restaurant. Food is generally excellent. Occasionally there is a dish which doesn't quite merit an "excellent" rating, but it's always at least pretty good. 3. Hotel. There are 28 rooms upstairs, ranging from standard hotel rooms (2 twin beds or queen bed or king bed) to suites (4 suites available: Einstein, Millikan, Hale, and Noyes). Albert Einstein actually stayed in the Einstein Suite when he was a visiting scientist at Caltech! 4. Special events venue. Very popular for weddings. Been to two weddings here in the past two years! You must either be a member to have a wedding here, or you must be sponsored by a member. The service charges are smaller for members than for sponsored guests. The Private Events Manager, Dior Chase, is extremely nice and has great advice and suggestions. Service: Very good all around (the dining areas, the hotel, the private events, etc.) Parking: On-site private lot for members and guests only, sometimes serviced by valet (during busy periods). Also plenty of free street parking on California and Hill. read more

A great place to eat and enjoy good company. The food is always excellent. Membership is required or you can be a guest of a current member. read more

The Athenaeum - Very nice architecture - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Pasadena, California