Thank you for still carding me...bless your soul. I would go to a dive bar over a crowded night club, its just better. You dont have to go overboard on your outfit, you dont have to elbow people to get a drink, you can have a conversation without yelling and the juke box brings back some good memories. This place is the perfect dive bar. No dumb ass fights like you would have in Old Town Pasadena. There is parking in the back and street parking in the front. Drinks are not expensive and they are not stingy on the hard stuff. There are two pool tables, dart board and juke box. Lots of seating so no need to wait people out. Bartenders are fast and security is cool. Its a nice place to drink. Dennys is across the street if you get hungry or need to chill before your ride home. read more

The Colorado Bar - Old Fashion, double dhot tequila, apple ale...gryk b rmky..good hahaha - Dive Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

Normally I wouldn't leave a review for a place like this because it's my watering hole, however... This is the best dive bar in Pasadena and surrounding areas. The bartenders will be your best friends as long as you behave. The drinks are awesome and the vibe is exactly what you want it to be. They deserve all the business but only show up if you're cool because it is after all my after work watering hole read more

Don't come in here unless you are dressed like you are going to a country club. This is the first dive bar that has made itself believe that it's nice enough to implement a dress code. They didn't allow my buddy and I in because I had a tank top on. It's summer. If you really want to enforce etiquette, you shouldn't be wearing hats indoors like the bartender was. Hilarious. That's like Mcdonalds requiring you to wear leather shoes read more

My favorite local bar. Love Nelson and Tony :) Good drinks, jukebox, pool tables - I'm a happy girl read more

It is what it is: a dive. Ladies? Come with a group of guys you trust. The bartenders are pervs and the clientel can be "grabby." I think they actually congregate outside the ladies room by the pool table to imagine you peeing inside! Be prepared to have your clothes permeated by the stench of stale smoke. Pros: Cheap alcohol. If you can hold your own with the bartender you might get a free one, you sassy lass. Free parking. Cons: Smoking inside. Really? No thats not cool - that's gross. Good for a visit, I wouldn't make it a regular visit - I love my lungs too much. read more

Nice, dark place to drink. Street parking. Nice bartender. Next to Guitar Center. Juke box is fun. Spend a bit extra and play your entire album! Haha. Two pool tables. I'm here at 4:51 PM on a Wednesday and could play both tables if I wanted too. Empty, which is nice. Hey, got off work early. Judge me otherwise. Teehee. read more

The Colorado Bar - One half of the bar, juke box. Good to be alone sometimes. - Dive Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Cool little dive bar across the street from Denny's. My friends and I were looking to play pool and just relax. They have a cool little jukebox near the entrance of the bar with a wide selection of music. Just to be clear, there are only 2 pool tables at Colorado Bar. However, people there are super friendly and let us use the pool table even though they got there first. Apparently, there's an 85 year old man who comes in a whoops everyone at pool. Unfortunately, he didn't show up while we were there, but I'd like to see that! read more

friendly atmosphere, dive af, this place has an 80s feel to it and the jukebox at the door really helps. Come here on the weekdays if you dont want to try to fight the crowd of people trying to get drunk. The Voodoo on tap was out last time my friends and I went and he gave us the last drink on the house, what a great guy. My friends who have frequented this place more than me suggests this is their go to bar. Just hand the bartender your card and they will open up a tab for you and charge all your drinks onto your card. Careful though, this could go south really fast if you are in the mood ;). I was kinda let down since this place does not offer any snack options but for what it's worth, if you're drunk enough, drag your ass across the street to denny's for some drunken steak is always a good option at 2am. read more

Such a nice place! Very nice, calm atmosphere. All the bar tenders are really nice, except for the blonde white lady. If I see her I'll just go to a different bar. The other ones are very nice and welcoming though, and when they are there it makes this bar perfect! read more

This place is a great dive bar. A limited selection (no Moscow Mules here) of mixers, they have a good selection of beer. There's pool in the back, and booths and tables in the front. No frills, kind of loud and too far away to become a neighborhood bar for me, I could definitely see it as a neighborhood bar for people in the area. read more

I decided to grab a beer after wokr yesterday, so my buddy took me to this place and I gotta say the it's a pretty cool spot tho. Bartender was really nice, place was really fresh inside and definitely I'll go again to grab another drink there. read more

A very cute little bar on Colorado that serves as a much less crowded alternative to your usual Old Town bar vibes. The staff here was very accommodating, quick, and friendly. They treated us like old time friends and made us feel welcome. The drinks were reasonably priced and well-made. I'll definitely be back! read more

The Colorado Bar - Lemon Drop - Dive Bars Near Me - Pasadena, California

Hands down best bar in Pasadena! I've been coming here for a while now, I'm a big drinker and frequent a lot of bars. This is a dive bar that isn't a dive bar. The people are great here. Employees are awesome and the atmosphere is very welcoming. If you wanna have some drinks and have a good time, come to the Rado read more

The bartender kick me out for no reason. No worth it. This bar was cool until it wasn't. Just be careful. I had to get the police involved for inappropriate behavior. read more

We walked in and a friend had AN Adidas tank top so we couldn't have a drink. Kicked us out. So stupid. Mind you, it's 81° in Pasadena on Oct 3rd 2021. Google it. The minute we walked in, sorry guys you needs sleeves. ‍ read more

Great place great staff. Fun dive bar with pool tables, juke box, and open seating. This place has really cleaned up from what it was back in the early 2000s. I do find it funny that most of the 1 star reviews are people who got so drunk and out of control they had to be removed. The people who get 86ed this way have a 1 star night while everyone else has a 5 star night. Keep up the good work with keeping the uncontrollable obnoxious self centered and sometines violent drunkards out of the bar! read more

There is only one thing I like more than my family and that's getting crunk with my fam and playing stupid games like darts and pool and talking about random misadventures and the time we... Had a giant sleepover and tee-pee'd the neighbors house then got in beat down trouble in the morning when our parents found out or Our Vegas trip this past summer when we went through enough drugs and alcohol to kill 3 large elephants, a giraffe, and maybe a rhino. I will never be the same again... or When we turned the last hour of my sisters wedding into a rave and got kicked out of the Ritz because we were playing daft punk all night long. "One More Time..." or The time we pulled a 12 hour sesh at the Rhino and spent our rent to make it rain all night... or The time we almost died climbing up some random mountain because we though it would be cool and it "looked easy" from the bottom. ----- So that had absolutely nothing to do with the Colorado but it seems as though every time we get together at my aunt's house in Alta Dena we always close out the evening at the Colorado over pitches of beer and shots of Jameson. Its divey, its chiill, and its our go to spot in Pasadena. Plus they have the best Jukebox in the whole world... read more

I walked in and Hole's Malibu was playing on the jukebox. "Crash and burn All the stars explode tonight How'd you get so desperate? How'd you stay alive? Help me please Burn the sorrow from your eyes Oh, come on be alive again Don't lay down and die" I was meeting a date here. Drinks were cheap. How did I get this desperate? "Hey, hey You know what to do Oh, baby, drive away to Malibu" After three minutes. I wanted to drive to Malibu, Orange County, Downtown, anywhere to get away. "Get well soon Please don't go any higher How are you so cold when You're barely on fire? Cry to the angels I'm gonna rescue you I'm gonna set you free tonight, baby Pour over me" I looked around at the two older guys playing pool. The two lesbians on a date. The jovial bartenders. Who's going to rescue me from this uncomfortable booth where millions of fat asses had left a dent, causing me to sink into the seat? "Hey, hey We're all watching you Oh, baby, fly away to Malibu Cry to the angels And let them swallow you Go and part the sea, yeah, in Malibu" I felt the cold stare of the dead fish on the wall. He was caught in 1979. He looked oddly comfortable on the aging red barely velvety flocked wallpaper. "And the sun goes down I watch you slip away And the sun goes down I walk into the waves And the sun goes down I watch you slip away And I walk" He offered to walk me to my car. I walked quickly, pausing briefly and then waving good bye in the now sunless day. "And I know love will tear you apart Oh and I know the darkest secret of your heart" Yeah. Sure. No. More. "Hey, hey I'm gonna follow you Oh baby, fly away, yeah To Malibu Oceans of angels, oceans of stars Down by the sea is where you drown your scars" I hopped on the freeway, heading the opposite direction of Malibu. I liked the Colorado Bar and I'll be back. Our two drinks, a tonic and a vodka tonic were $6. I have no idea if the bartender actually charged for the tonic. In any case, I put down $6 and the date put down $1 (he originally had $2 out and took back a buck!). The well vodka is Stoli. Yes! "I can't be near you The light just radiates I can't be near you The light just radiates" That's right, I can't be near you. But good luck with everything. read more

Do not hate me for only giving three stars to the 'Rado. I don't do this with malice. I do this because people count on me to tell the truth. This is a great dive bar. The walls are painted black, the lighting is dimly fluorescent, the bar stools are old, and the jukebox holds some decent tunes. The doorman is cool. Beer is CHEAP, which is fucking awesome, no lie. Parking is FREE. But seriously, with the indoor smoking? That's just nasty. I don't want to come home smelling like a cigarette. HOWEVER...that said...would I come back here? Hell to the yeah. But mostly because my beloved Jenny J. and Frank L. adore the place. And also because I love cheap beer. read more

One of Pasadena's best kept secrets. Always has a cool mix of patrons, good prices and good vibes. Stephan, the bartender always makes you feel at home when you're there. read more

MY FAVORITE DIVE IN CALIFORNIA! The Rado & I go way back. When I lived in P'town, I went through a very single streak, and the Rado was one of the first bars that I ever felt comfortable hanging at - alone. I know, what a loser, but hanging at home alone or going out with all your couple friends got lame too. It was laid back (still is), you can smoke there, the drinks are cheap & strong, and you can run a tab, and NOT be hit on. The old flirty guy...he's the owner and he's harmless. So...I ended up getting a job here, and worked here through law school. It feels like home here...make that a home that smells like cig's & stale beer. The crowd changes throughout the day...BTW they open in the AM.... read more

Wow. Wow. Wow. If you want a place where everyone knows your name, this is it! My ex used to be a regular here (I don't know if he still is or not), and while we were dating, we used to stop in here for a nightcap. When I saw this place on yelp, I just had to add my 2 cents! I'm a dive bar girl. Like, Griffin, the Chalet, Bigfoot Lodge, Golden Gopher, etc. . . this is. . . a different kind of dive bar. You can smoke in here - which is a turn on for smokers (no, I don't smoke any more), and I'm sure if you look at the walls closely, you'll see a thick layer of smoke lining the wallpaper. The drinks are el-cheapo, and you can play pool. Wow. This place brings back some good memories. If you're looking to impress your date, skip this place. If you're looking for something classy, go to a wine bar. If you're looking for something chic, this isn't the place. But if you're looking for a local hangout, a place where you're bound to run into someone you knew growing up in the area. . . The Colorado is definitely the spot to hit up. This bar is as dive as they come. read more

I come from a large Asian immigrant family and for us, Thanksgiving festivities are an ALL DAY affair. We usually get to my aunt's house in Alta Dena at 1pm to eat, drink and mingle till the wee hours of the morning. It's like a Vegas buffet, but much much better. Throughout the years, I have learned to pace myself and not pass out into a food-induced coma. A mastered balance of discipline and appetite endurance. After eating three to four rounds of food and hanging with the family all day long, people grow weary of the same environment. Which ultimately leads many to ask where the nearest bar is. What I'm talking about is hard liquor and a few cigarettes away from the family oriented fashions of the holidays. The Colorado is the perfect place to escape and feel a sense of long awaited relief. After downing many sweet lady cocktails and glasses of amazing wine at my Aunt's house, I needed some alcoholic sustenance in the form of straight Jameson whisky. Last time I came here, you were able to smoke indoors (post indoor cigarette ban) and it was a lovely thing (if you are a smoker) but recently the city of Pasadena has cracked down on this practice and this policy has since been removed. Oh well. Reasonably priced drinks, great staff, no bullshit, and a few pool tables. Fits my criteria for a good bar. Drank the night away with my cousins and had a very splendid evening. It is a great place for meeting friends and a wonderful place to enjoy passing the time. The Colorado is one of the best dives in Pasadena and an ideal destination for post Thanksgiving parties. Highly Recommended read more

Long story real short: cheap drinks pool table juke box narrow bathroom cheap drinks parking at Guitar center Across the street from Denny's (so you can sober up before driving) Poobah Records next door (so you can shop on impulse and support this tiny record store) It smells of cigarettes though there is no smoking cheap drinks and the drinks are cheap The bartender gave me squid jerky. Its like beef jerky but made of squid. Yes, gross. It was wicked. I could not eat it. cheap drinks. My friend invited me here since I rarely visit people when I come to Pasadena. I dont like this place. read more

The last time I came here I ordered a pitcher of beer and two shots. When my bill came I quickly became suspicious when I saw the total: $72 dollars. Naturally I inquired about the over charge and the bartender (Nelson) and was told to "get the fuck out". He ripped my bill up and kicked me out. Maybe they've changed a bit but if you used to come here back in the day you know that they used to yell profanities at their customers. At first you think it's kinda funny right up until they decide to overcharge you and should you dare even ask about the charge they'll show you the door. Colorado you've got a nice face lift and finally moved the cigarette smoking to the outside where it belongs. The positive changes earned you a couple of stars but any establishment that treats their customers the way you treated me will never receive a positive rating from me. Dear yelp HQ: this is my first hand experience. Thanks again for not deleting real reviews by real people. read more

By the end of the night, my friends and I were singing along with the jukebox. "One looovvee, one heeaaaarrrt! Lets get together and feeeeel allll right..." It's a dive bar. They had friendly bouncers, a pool table or two, a dart machine, and plenty of tables to bring together friends and chat away. It's not my favorite dive bar, but it's local, casual, and they serve cheap pitchers of beer. "Let's get together and feeeel allll right..." read more

There are few things better on a Tuesday night than going out and throwing back a Guinness or 5 with your gal pal and talking about how retarded the opposite sex can be while eating BBQ potato chips and smoking ciggys in a stank environment with a bartender who doesn't require you to put a credit card down cuz he knows your ass isn't goin anywhere all the while listening to a jukebox crankin out some pretty sweet tunes. I love a good dive bar and after hanging here for a few hours last night, I've decided that this is one of the good ones. Only drawback is I don't live in P-town so it's a long drive home, but for those who live around here and wanna go to a place where you won't get hit on by every Tom, Dick and Joke, then here ya go! read more

I used to dig this spot. Then I realized hot chicks do not come here. Yeah, yeah, it ain't that kind of place. If you like drinking, smoking, and drinking, this is the spot. Be warned, you will get cancer the next day. I'm tired of waking up feeling like I've swallowed a carton of Newports... I DON'T SMOKE! The beer is cheap, the staff rocks, but the concept stinks. Like I've said before, I'm over it. read more

This is an awesome dive bar and it's always a good time. I used to live in walking distance from this place and loved it. They have pool, darts and cheap drinks. You can walk in any day of the week for a good time. There are no windows inside so when you're there you have no recollection of time. Which could either be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your situation lol. It is however an interesting crowd with a lot of regulars it seems. If you're in Pasadena looking for a dive bar, look no further! Oh and I love the old school jukebox, you can take over the bar with your tune selection. :) read more

Diviest of the dives... and in Pasadena! One day after work, a friend and I were deciding where to go. I had taken off my coat jacket and we were hanging outside having a smoke. I asked two guys walking by where a good local bar is in the area. They took one look at me and suggested the Colorado. Boy, were they right on! After walking into the dive, I knew I was home. I L-O-V-E dive bars. I spent a ton of time in great dives in Portland and this is the first "official" dive bar I have come across in LA... well besides the Tonga Hut. Cheap drinks, juke box, pool tables and a very... well let's say, eclectic crowd. This is a great place to have a beer after work. read more

"Yeah, it's the local dive bar where you should always expect a fight." I Lol'd when my friend told me this, and thought, why would I not go? Like all the other reviews, the bar looks great, divey, dark, dingy. Good music, old pool tables and bar stools. The owner was tending the bar, and he was pretty nice. Three Stars? I didn't realize until we left, but the owner more than doubly charged us for pool. When we walked in, we asked how much pool was, and he said it took quarters. We got change for a couple bucks and played a few games while enjoying their great selection of beer. After leaving the bar, I realized owner/bartender added at $10 pool fee to the bill. I've never been to a bar that double charges for pool ($10 + quarters for 2 games? seriously?). Minus a Star! Minus another star? Where's the humility in people? Apparently my friend was right; if you look at the wrong person the "wrong" way, they'll "'sup, bro?! whatcho lookin at, foo'?" I was playing pool with a friend adjacent a group of 5 guys and one chick, they all had this crazy machismo wanna-be gang banger mentality. Maybe it was the slow night, or the booze, or maybe they were just random assholes (or maybe I was, but I'm not so idiotic to screw with 5 dudes that are trying to poke their one chick). In any case, it was an interesting night, but not as poetic and cool as all the other reviews. I'd go back with a friend on a busier night. read more

Seriously, as soon as we got home we ripped our clothes off.....and started a heavy duty load of laundry! Definitely a dive bar. I almost didn't feel like I was in Pasadena. Still fighting off my cold on Friday Night, the indoor smoking did NOT help whatsoever. I smelled like nastiness after wards and it seriously hurt my lungs when I inhaled deep, for the next two days. Everyone pretty much only had beers (I was DD), so I didn't hear any remarks on the drinks. There was no cover, and the staff was really nice. My friend from SF had requested some songs on the juke box but they never played, at least not in the last 4 hours. I liked the feel, I'd prefer this over any of the trendy clubs in old town any day, but like some, not digging the indoor smoking. Maybe even just an indoor smoking "section" would be better. Bathroom, was eerily dark and red, and when you turn on the light, (after searching for the switch touching gross bathroom surfaces), it is pretty frightening. I think the best was watching one of their staff pull out a keg from the women's restroom....very interesting. read more

Chill spot. When I came with friends it wasn't super crowded and the bartender was cool. Nice spot to have a drink with friends. They also have a few pool tables. read more

I'll get to the point- I come to this bar a lot because their drinks are cheap. The bartenders are usually really great and if you come often enough, you'll learn who to go to for a heavy pour. Honestly though, they're always really nice. It's definitely a dive bar, so don't being someone you're trying to impress after a nice meal (unless they're okay with that). It's very casual, and has ample seating. They have pool and a jukebox, but that's about it. There's a good amount of street parking nearby and a Denny's across the street if you get pissed and need to sober up. The crowd varies here. You get young, old, sad, happy, over excessive displays of PDA outside- you name it. So if you're down with that, come by! read more

Growing up my mother would never let me get grass stains on my pants. I mean come on Mom, I'm seven, let me be free and kinda gross. Sadly, I lived a relatively clean life. Now that I'm in my mid-20's I like to explore the not so clean and even grungy. The Colorado is quite literally the definition of a "Dive Bar." But, what makes this place great is it's sufficient beer selection and noise levels. Last year I had a birthday celebration here and I could not have been more pleased with how it turned out. 30 people were able to get a few tables together and talk. Crazy right? Another time I went to The Colorado and horse jockey bought me a round of drinks. That alone is worthy of a return trip and a 4 star rating. read more

My favorite bar so far in Pasadena. Every bartender is great and very friendly. The bar us clean, nice inside, and they play great music. They have great beer, liquor, and even some good wines. read more

The appropriate words don't exist to describe this place. I've been frequenting this place on and off since I was old enough to order a drink. Now, almost a decade later, I'm moving out of L.A. and this is the one place I will probably miss the most. Nelson, Johnny, and Tony are the greatest and most real people you'll meet. Come in more than just a couple of times to establish a rapport with them. They'll remember you, and they'll make you laugh. It's a dive, but it's the dive of your dreams. The jukebox is stacked, and everyone who is not an asshole is welcome. Anyone who has anything negative to say about this place is probably someone who disrupted the good vibes that the owners insist on keeping. If you're a sloppy drunk or rude, you will be shown the door -- that's why this place is so great. read more

The Colorado Bar was a great find or should I say stumble. Navi around the Pasadena area sucks. Pretty much got lost to the point where I was soo thirsty, I stopped at the first place that had the word "bar" in front of it. I brought my friend that was visiting from the UK. The establishment/dive bar reminded her of Moe's Tavern in Springfield. Kinda did look like it. Unfortunately, they did not serve Duff. When we walked Inside there were 4-5 different groups, seemed like a local hang out spot. They have a juke box that was playing Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Zapp and Roger, Jackson 5 and early 90's Rock. By the end of the night/last call the whole bar was taking shots together. It was a good night. I was going to give this bar 4 stars, but I remember the bartender walked up to our car window and asked if we were okay to drive. 5 stars for caring read more

Dive bar in Pasadena? Does not compute. Does not compute. I had to experience this for myself and guess what? It does exist--all with pool tables and cigarette butts littering the floor. It's totally no frill up in this place. Make friends with Nelson cause he's got a Scottish accent; it makes me think of Sean Connary or that other teacher guy from Head of the Class. I have to disagree with my fellow Yelpers when they say that drinks are cheap here. It's more like average to above average. Maker's Mark neat for 6 bucks? And chasing it with a pint? $10 total? That ain't cheap in my book. read more

Came in on a Saturday night during Memorial Day weekend. I am not really from Alhambra area and decided to check out the dive bars nearby (very tired of the club and overpriced LA) I wanted good drinks and wanted to shoot some pool with my boyfriend. We got there and the music they played was awesome! It went from Otis Redding, Amy Winehouse to Michael Jackson! I was really surprised on how clean the place was and the owner was there helping the bar out!!! That was VERY REFRESHING TO SEE!! Made the whole experience worth it! Pool tables were good but they need new cues only a couple were good out of the few that were there! They also have a free dart game! As for drinks and pricing...my boyfriend ordered the first round of drinks and the lady must have liked him because the drinks were on point and the price was GREAT until...I went and ordered us another round. LOL I did not retaliate at the time because I thought that was the price until my boyfriend said she overcharged ME a dollar! Gee, I should send him to get our drinks more often!! I advise that if you go in with your significant other...send your bf to the lady bartender! They treat them better!! Overall the price for the drink either mine or his was on point! Not complaining. I will be returning to this bar when I am in town again!!!! read more