I've been here several times and it never ceases to please. A very chill vibe, great people and the wine and service is exceptional. The Doorman, Tony is fantastic! Great personality, professional and really does a great job at setting the vibe! You can forget everything else about The Cellar and Tony would still make the vist a memorable experience. read more

Great intimate vibes with smooth piano music in the background. It's a place you would imagine a cozy wine lounge to read a book by yourself. How you enter: Pretty much, there will be a man standing with a red rope. After that, you go through the hallway and to the elevator. Food: Small light meals and snacks to eat while sipping on wine. And alcohol choices are wine only. Moscato, Piedmont, Italy- sweet bubbly wine. Highly recommend, you won't get too much flavor or scent but it tastes great! Viognier, Pasco Robles, CA- fruity fragrance, slightly tart, no bubbles. This is great with cheese and crackers! read more

Books, wine, and live piano? Yes please This place is a combination of everything I love. There's live piano music, an amazing wine selection, and the whole space is filled with books and vintage portraits. It felt like walking into a secret speakeasy. You take an elevator down to the restaurant, and even the elevator is beautiful with Art Deco details that set the tone right away. The vibe is moody and cool, perfect for a date night or grabbing drinks and small bites with friends. We ordered the hummus platter, which was warm, creamy, and packed with flavor, and the shrimp cocktail, which came with big, fresh shrimp and a lemon wedge over greens. I had a glass of red wine and everything hit the spot. Our server was Brian, who I immediately recognized from Sushi Roku, also in Pasadena. Small world. He was just as great here--super friendly and made the experience even better. What I really loved was the whole atmosphere. The music, the library feel, and all the portraits and paintings on the wall. We kept trying to figure out the theme of who was pictured. It just felt like such a hidden gem. Definitely one of my favorite spots in Pasadena. read more

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Good: food Bad: service We were second in line to enter. The bouncer "wanna be Fabio" in a loud voice for all to hear told us that the $ minimum required to spend and asked if it was ok, how rude!!!! The waitress did not put in our order and after 1 hour, yes, 1hour, we called her because she didn't bother to come to our table, and she asked again what we had ordered!! SHE FORGOT That WE HAD ORDERED ALREADY AND DID NOT PUT IN OUR ORDER!!! She did not apologize. We spoke to the "manager" and we requested to change waiter. What a shame! Such a beautiful place and such a lousy service! Never going back! read more

I need to come back here to take my friends! The moscato is so sweet and delicious for the sweet drinkers out there. They even had 2 non-alcoholic wine options (both a red and a white). Our service was spectacular and so educational. We loved the Christmas piano music, book shelves, Christmas trees, and the overall vibes. We will be back! read more

First, no reservations but come at opening and you should find seating. We were warmly greeted and seated immediately. The overall look inside is of a warm cozy library. Our server had an infectious laugh peppered with his French accent. But he knew his wine and we were in great hands. We got the Beethoven Board Cheese and Charcuterie with a bottle of the waiter recommended sparkling rose. It was perfect. Great atmosphere. Great service. Great charcuterie. Great experience. read more

Service, ambiance, wine, and thr charcuterie board was so delicious! I can't wait to come back. The board was huge and I brought a lot of it back home and ate it the next day. Although I looked up reviews before going, it all still surprised me. Beautiful place for a hang out or date night, no kids allowed so it's nice and quiet. There's a self playing piano. read more

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Impressive place! After being greeted and lead through the private entrance, it lead us up to the Cellar. Entering in, there a beautfully decorated library filled with books and wine bottles, and the walls are covered in art. It's so beautiful. There's classical piano music playing in the background, the ambience is sophisticated, classical, and comforting. The wine selection here is great and diverse, featuring different types of wine from all over the world- this gives you a chance to sample some of the unique blends they have. The food selection is on the smaller side and more for having appetizing bites if having some small food cravings, I liked the Shortrib Flatbread. Service was great and really added to the experience. read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Beautiful piano bar - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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This place is awesome!!! I highly recommend. We went here for our one year anniversary and had such an enjoyable time. We got a bottle of Merlot that was about $60 and although seated at a long shared table, shared it with only one other person on a Saturday night which was really nice. Our server was also incredible but I can't remember her name for the life of me :( read more

I absolutely love this place! I guess if your two favorites come together, books and wine, it's going to be a great time!!

Super cute place. We tried the chorizo bruschetta and it was surprisingly good. Not what I expected, but good. Service was attentive read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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A classy wine bar speakeasy where you can actually have a conversation with your friends. Great wine selection which is affordable. Food is limited and on the pricey side - but oh boy - presentation is on point! Service - no complaints here. They are all good but we have our faves of course Parking - street (if lucky) and parking garage on Green will be closest read more

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Absolutely love this place! So cute!! Nice hidden gem in old town Pasadena! Food was delicious! Staff all super friendly and nice :) read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

A lot of people say they don't know where to start with an overwhelmingly good review. Nonsense. The night at The Cellar truly began with Tony at the front door. He could have just been any old grumpy bouncer/doorman. WRONG! What a guy he is. Awesome chat for the few minutes it took until they were ready for our group of five on a late Friday night. He was just what the doctor ordered to put us in the right mood for what was to come next. Full transparency: my group and I came in not quite knowing what we were expecting, aside from some late night wine. Going in blind couldn't have turned out better. Our five jaws collectively dropped upon discovering the stunning ambiance, elegant decor, and staff prepped to deliver a top-of-the-line experience. I would go into detail on the decor and the experience when you walk inside, but I want everyone reading this review to enter with a raw reaction of not fully knowing what awaits. Lauren was the (un)lucky waitress of our table, who delivered with her swift hands a seamless opening, presentation, and pour of our bottle of rosé. When our Beethoven's Main board arrived, Lauren once more provided a breakdown of the charcuterie and cheeses we were seeing. I cannot speak for the rest of my group, but I remembered about half-a-word of what she'd told us, as my eyes were glued, marveling at the goodies that sat upon the elegant wooden board. We devoured just about every item possible on the board, even items not seen as possible, down the hatch. The cheeses, the meats, the fresh fruits, jams, nuts, garnishes. All beautifully placed with wonderful taste. We felt as if we were Dr. Frankenstein throwing together combinations of items on the board, and the freshness of the items continued to stand out, and every ingredient, every combination, every bite, just continued to impress until we had practically cleaned the board for the staff. The only negative is that this board will ruin every other charcuterie board's reputation. In all, we were highly impressed, and even more satisfied, with a location that we had chosen on a whim from the seat of a loud bar a block away. A beautiful end to our night. And a start to many more like it at The Cellar. read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Glasses of rosé circled around Beethoven's board - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

I'm blown away. Came to The Cellar with a large party of 10 people. We got to skip the line and were seated immediately. We ordered 2 bottles to share (a cab and a merlot) and both were great - a couple folks ordered their own glasses or other wines they wanted to try. Prices are about $15-20 per glass of wine. Recommend getting a bottle if you have larger parties. The ambiance inside is immaculate. Great for late night chatting, dates, or just hanging out! read more

What a hidden gem this place is. You wouldn't tell by the obscure entrance, but once you step out the elevator, you are greeted with a door made of wine barrels, and the hallway is adorned with crates and wine themed decorations. BUT INSIDE - you feel like you're in a study. Transported to an old school in Europe. This wine bar makes you feel you're in a different era. The staff are super friendly, and welcoming. They make you feel super special. The last few times I've been, we've ordered a bottle to share and we felt we could sit there for hours just relaxing. read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I held my birthday party at the Cellar this weekend. I was so impressed with the quality of the food and wine, the customer service, and the overall atmosphere of the restaurant. The Cellar worked with me beforehand to plan the menu, and went above and beyond to accommodate my 26 guests during the event. I was able to enjoy my night and feel celebrated! If you're planning on a larger group, definitely make a booking. read more

Stopped by The Cellar today to see what the action was all about. I did some research on the place after finding out about it online and the idea of a wine speakeasy intrigued me. As per other reviews - the door guy is the main highlight as far as human entertainment and interaction. When you enter in through the hallway the elevator makes you feel like you're going back to the 1900s. They have books (classics and pre 2000s prints mostly), games and a self playing piano. Piano played mostly classical music and a hint of the nutcracker ballet going in June. The entryway which I won't spoil here was the highlight for me. Food - The Beethoven charcuterie board is worth the cost if you are doing a date night or going with a few friends. It has cheese, meat, fruits and additional add on sides. Beginner Wine Enthusiasts - If you're looking for a place to sample and see a lot of different brands from affordable to high end you can get introduced to a good amount of wine here. Now to get to the answer for the real wine enthusiasts who want to know if they should go - For those who love wine (or Northern CA wine country) they have an assortment of individual glasses you can purchase but the good high end quality wine is only available by buying the bottle. Expect bottle service pricing like a nightclub of at least 2x per bottle. They have a few decent Pinot brands like Kosta Browne which was around $220 (a bottle at total wine and co is around $80-120). My only negatives - for true wine enthusiasts if properly stored or chilled wine is important to you this may not be the spot for you. You would assume since they stock over 1000 wines they would have a chilled bottle of their vintage wines/premium wines or at the least store them sideways to avoid the cork drying out but alas they do not. Staff wine knowledge is 0 - The servers are just purely servers. All the staff is very nice and trying their best to help create a nice ambiance and experience. They do not have premium end wine knowledge beyond stating the difference in red and white wine. Even if they can't taste all the wines they should at least be trained on the brands. read more

We had an early dinner, and came here right after they opened. While waiting to get in, we were introduced to Tony the gatekeeper of the Cellar, and he made it that much more exciting to enter! So entertaining, made the wait time go by so easy. Once inside, Brian and Ariel took such care of making it a pleasant experience and made sure we were relaxed and comfortable. Couldn't have asked for a better experience. The decor of full wood panels was gorgeous, and the melody of the piano. Perfect Lounge and with great plates to snack on read more

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So lovely! i didnt have any wine unfortunately as I drove but the cheese board and hummus were amazing. The place has a excellent ambiance w the books, decor, etc. As the night went on and everyone was drinking the place became very interactive, sociable and fun. Prob would have even been better if I could have tried their wine, but even without it was a lovely experience. read more

The Cellar is a bit of a gimmick, but it's a fun one. The service is great, and our server went to a lot of trouble to help us pick champagnes that fit our tastes and would compliment the HUGE charcuterie board we got. The ambiance is cozy and might be akin to eating in the Yale library, what with all the leatherbound books + portraits of random old white dudes. It's a fun spot and would be great for a group to hole up at one of the comfy couches. read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Charcuterie Board - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

I've been here twice. I have had a great experience both times. It's honestly so peaceful and a great place for a date. Whether you sit at a table or a couch the service is amazing wine selection is phenomenal. I definitely recommend. It's first come first serve and I think it makes for a good time to converse with whoever you are with before getting seated. read more

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Came for the first time with my book club- woo! Service- Grateful for the host that saw us looking for the entrance and so friendly-ly invited us in. He was really incredible in that way. We also were a little confused by the amount needed for minimum per area (it differs based on which area/seating you get, you have like a minimum $ so be aware of that). Ambiance- It really feels like a wine bar and the aesthetics of books and all is really lovely! The portraits around was a bit interesting for me personally, but others thought it was nice so that was that. Certain areas are louder than others so that's what impacted our choice a lot. Also, the seating options look different too so the vibe can shift! Food- Charcuterie, it came out and looked HUGE! As we ate though we realized that it was decent and not HUGE actually, but that definitely gives points for presentation and how it was taken. I loved that there were more fruits and nuts- I'm not a big meat gal and so cheese, bread and fruits are my jam (pun intended). Would come again with others that enjoy this vibe and type of thing! read more

I just have to say this place is magical and why have I not been here sooner. If your are in Pasadena you can miss this place because only thing you notice will be a guy standing outside but there are not big signs or flashing lights. As soon as you walk after getting off the elevator you enter this red light special hallway and all of a sudden the door opens and you are in a library. They have couches and they also have tables. The couches are perfect for if you buy a bottle and a few friends. Table is good where you can older what you like. They do have a food menu from charcuterie, flatbread, different types of Buratta cheese plates to desserts. Thai is truly a hidden Gem and a must when in Pasadena. Such a chill vibe perfect for girls night /'d date night. Thank me later xoxo read more

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We were in town for the Oasis show at the Rose Bowl and looking for a spot to grab a glass of wine. We were pleasantly met with Anthony (Tony) the door guy and he was a great introduction. He was unironically hilarious, extremely knowledgeable, witty, and clever. When we walked inside, we could not stop talking about our interaction with Tony, he was just so fun. The Cellar itself was a great experience. Loved the atmosphere. The wine was great. The service was excellent. In conclusion, we had a great time at The Cellar, but most importantly Tony was just an absolute character who we could not stop talking about, even after we had left The Cellar. read more

Came here to have a little wine and yap sesh with my friend. The photos looked really cute so I suggested we try this place out. We bought a bottle of wine, charcuterie board and their infamous burrata. Loved everything that we ordered and loved the ambiance of this place even more. It's a really cute and lowkey place to hangout with friends or have a date night. Looking forward to coming here again! read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

My boyfriend took me here for a date night and I love the ambiance of this place! You have to walk down what seems to be a random hallway to an elevator that takes you to a basement! Behind the basement door is a beautiful wine library! The host seated us on a cute little loveseat. We ordered the bottle and Beethoven and a short rib flatbread to share! The board was so big and it felt very intimidating! We didn't think we would finish it, but it was just the perfect size for the both of us! They use ingredients based on what's in season so you never really know exactly what you're going to get! read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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The cellar is a speakeasy located in Old Town Pasadena. Luckily there is a sign out front that attributes to the business so you are not completely lost looking for this speakeasy. The door man was so sweet and very welcoming on Thursday 12/7. He provided direction into entering the cellar which is down an elevator and through wine barrel cracks which was very cool to enter upon! The ambiance is definitely a high end, classy and swanky feel. They have tables which you can freely order from but if you want to sit in a lounge couch it requires a bottle purchase which is at $56 minimum. WOW- the charcuteries are BEAUTIFUL here and they have rather large grazing boards. The larger boards are $48 and up but can feed up to 4 people. We did the Beethoven and board (B&B) which was $110 which included a bottle of pinot and a board. I would recommend this if you enjoy reds and the board was rather filling for 3 of us, we didn't even finish it! Otherwise, the cheapest wine bottles are $56 or glasses are $15 and up. We did also order the sliders which were delicious! The only ding is they didn't have the "my girl" wine that we wanted to order and they mentioned the menu needs to be updated. Our server was also a bit delayed with the check she seemed to get lost along the way but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless. The ambiance is great for a romantic date night or fun to gather with friends and catch up. Heads up they don't do reservations or timed seating so keep that in mind if coming on a weekend that it could be busy. We arrived at 7pm on a Thursday night and luckily were seated quickly. They also have an invisible piano player which added to the feel and being surrounded by books and philosophers on the wall really gave you that true wine library feel. Overall, a great intimate spot in Pasadena, I recommend! read more

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Fun wine bar in the heart of Old Town Pasadena! Love the speakeasy ambiance. It's a cozy spot once you go inside. The door is a giant wine barrel. The perfect spot for a glass of wine and dessert. Very classy place. Overall, I recommend for a date night or a girls night out! read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - The door to arrive - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I've come here twice now and it's always a good time. If you are looking for a place to chill and drink wine, this is the place to be. Cute speakeasy moment where you go down the elevator and enter a basement looking room. The ambience is very dark, minimal lighting. Very romantic. You can either sit at a table or the couch but the couch has a minimum purchase. My last visit was with a group of 4 and we decided to do the 2 bottle minimum to sit on the couch. I will say it was hard to hear each other over the loud piano playing. And the couches are deep/far from each other but not too bad. Website says there is a dress code but everyone was just dressed normally/casually. Looks like they don't really enforce it. read more

I love coming here for a bottle of wine and some appetizers! The ambiance is definitely the reason I come here. Charcuterie board is always a solid choice no matter which one you get! The ceviche was just ok. read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Inside lounge - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Get a charcuterie board and some wine. Listen to a piano playing and be enthralled with the books all around. Service is great very attentive. The ambiance is like you're back in your college library cramming for finals but this time I get to enjoy wine and eat better than I did while in college. And this time I'm taking with my wife about our life instead of thinking the final is going to destroy my life. Lovely place to go and it's a great place to take people for the first time always a fun to see their faces when you first go in! read more

My new favorite place- great ambiance, smells are amazing, super attentive service. The charcuterie board was INCREDIBLE and the wine selection superior. read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Charcuterie board - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

A true hidden gem. I can't believe a place like this exists and I just now found it. We had a bit of trouble finding it, but there was someone outside who told us exactly where to go. By the time we came to the front, they were already expecting us. We were seated almost immediately without any reservations on a weekend night. The vibe is a mix of a classy wine bar with a cozy speakeasy feel. The wine list was impressive, it's hard not to want to try it all. There's also small plates to eat available as well. We got the hummus plate and loved it. Highly recommend. A true Pasadena gem. read more

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Magical speakeasy atmosphere. Great service, very attentive and knowledgeable. Our charcuterie board was so delicious. Enjoyed a wonderful pinot noir. Can't wait to come back with more friends. read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Entrance. - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

This was hand down one of the best date nights we had in a while. This speakeasy was so amazing! They have sooooo many different types of wine, you can have sweet or mild or strong and the servers can help you find the perfect one. The vibe inside is TOP TIER just don't come super hungry, they have more appetizers and small plate. If you want to impress your boo make a reservation! read more

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Service was good there is not one particular server for your table which is always nice that you can just call on any server passing by. All servers were friendly and helpful with suggestions. The hostess was very accommodating and welcoming. Ambiance was definitely great for a date or a quiet night out with friends. Would definitely recommend for meeting up for drinks and small bites. read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Beethoven's charcuterie board very nicely presented and assorted with fresh and dry fruit. - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

The Cellar is truly a Pasadena gem, but Tony at the door is always the highlight. He is fun, personable and affable, and makes experience better. He is the best welcome the Cellar could ask for! Also the chocolate cake here is one of the best desserts in Pasadena, bar none. read more

In the words of Lady Gaga, "talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before". I loved The Cellar. And I will dream only of The Cellar until I return. We just came in for a quick glass of wine and were served immediately. There's an amazing selection of wines by the glass and a full book of wines by the bottle. We got the Heroe Viognier out of Paso, and loved every sip! This place is a library meets a speakeasy meets a wine bar meets the Elks lodge, in the best way possible. The lights are low making it eerie and romantic alike. The perfect vibe for many moods! read more

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One of the nicer and quieter speakeasy's I've been too. The library theme was cool, I like how they stored wine on the shelves between the books as well. We got the couch seating and spent a few hours here and really enjoyed our time! The selection of wine was massive, we liked what we chose! The charcuterie board was a a little disappointing. We got the meat and cheese board which I think there should have been way more of considering the price. Most of the fruit was mushy unfortunately. The rest of the board was great though, just wish there was more meat and cheese! read more

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Charcuterie and meat board - Wine Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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