Amazing food and atmosphere, def one of the best restaurants in
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Daniel Lee
This place is excellent. Every dish we tried was good, but the standouts for me were the clam toast and crispy potatoes. The bread for the toast was perfect and the potatoes were just the right amount of fluffiness on the inside and crispy outside. My mouth is watering just writing this. The trout was worth getting as well. I will definitely be back to try more dishes.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crispy Potatoes, Clam Toast
Iris Andreeva
Good place to eat after visiting Pasadena Playhouse theater
Björn Ludwig
Really good food and a great wine list. You can enjoy the service. The menu provides the possibility to have a taps like dinner. Dinner was a pleasure.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Marcus Fan
Excellent. Probably my favorite restaurant in Pasadena. I adored everything I tried with the exception of the over cooked pork. In particular their pan con tomato is exceptional. They actually import in the bread from Spain and it is pitch perfect.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jaya Lin
Exceeds expectation.The restaurant sits in the same courtyard as the Pasadena Playhouse. We thought it’s another trendy over-the-top gimmicks. Turned out not so.The review is for our dining experience at the bar/ communal table area. Ordered an old fashion, and Chelou 75. Pleasantly impressed by how decent they are, we decided to try some food and got salad, crispy potatoes and duck to share. All very tasty. The greens are fresh, nicely dressed. Potatoes are crispy but still buttery soft inside; the duck is very nicely salted and roasted with tender strips of meat falling off the bones. We followed chef’s notes on how best to eat it - you gotta mix it so on - and it is absolutely delightful. On top of all this, service is attentive. Over all, a very pleasant and delicious experience. I would recommend anyone to check it out at least once if you are in the neighborhood.
Karina N
I recommend going but they have to work on wine selection
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
LosFelizNatv
Dinner at Bar Chelou marries the world of classic French cuisine with its delicious technique and sensibilities, with bold and subtle Asian and Spanish flavors, with the freshness and bounty of California produce. The union is sometimes strange but rewarding to the diner who appreciates and wants that unique dining experience. The wine list matches the cuisine very well with some off beat bottles almost tailor made for certain dishes. A few things I would highly recommend is the Squid with Swiss Chard, the Duck Leg, and the Lemon Chamomile Semifreddo. Enjoy.
JakeS
We had a fantastic time. All the servers were great. The food was just delicious. The ambience great. We had been wanting to go here for a while and it did not disappoint at all. Will definitely be back the next time we visit the Playhouse. Carrots, Crispy Potatoes, Salad, Pork Chop, Praline dessert... All awesome.
MeriZ
Very cozy restaurant, with incredible ambience. Food/sweets were amazing too! Drinks were ok, but nothing special. Downside - 4% health tax is not a good look on any restaurant and customers wouldn't ask you to remove it simply because its not polite. Pay your staff better! Or include it in the price of the food item.
Walking into Bar Chelou, my husband and I didn't know what to expect, but we left absolutely impressed. From the moment we stepped in, the staff greeted us with warmth and professionalism, guiding us through the menu with helpful suggestions.Now, let's talk about the food. Every dish we tried was nothing short of amazing! I opted for the duck with couscous, and it was a flavor explosion! Cooked to perfection, each bite was a delight. Meanwhile, my husband thoroughly enjoyed his short rib plate - tender, succulent, and bursting with flavor. The crispy potatoes were so good that we couldn't resist ordering another round.To accompany our meal, I indulged in the homemade lemon drop martini, and it was simply delicious. The attention to detail and quality of ingredients truly shone through in every sip.Not only was the food exceptional, but the restaurant itself was clean and tastefully decorated, adding to the overall dining experience.In conclusion, Bar Chelou exceeded all our expectations. With outstanding food, impeccable service, and a welcoming atmosphere, this place has easily become one of our favorites. We'll definitely be returning to explore more of their delectable menu offerings.
Ok, well full disclosure my dinner here was expensed and not by me so. Everything was great. It's a tapas/"small plates" situation so if you really want to chow down order a bunch of dishes. Stand out dishes were the potatoes, the carrot salad and the Trout but it was all pretty great. Service was almost Michelin star level i.e. high staff to diner ratio, you could tell they know what they are doing and weren't under staffed. Cocktails were great, wine list was good. Def would go back.Vegetarian options: SomeDietary restrictions: FewParking: There's a lot across the street and street parking.Kid-friendliness: No. Don't bring kids here not that kind of place.Wheelchair accessibility: Yes
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crispy Potatoes, Caramelized Banana Bar, Carrots
MaryR
Nice stop for before the play. I was very noisy so don't go if you want a romantic evening or a place to talk. The food and service were good, but... It was so cold inside, you could not enjoy the food as you should. Luckily the plates were served warm so the food was spared the blowing AC.
We arrived and were seated at exactly our reservation time. Sat for 15 minutes with no water and no contact with wait staff. Once our server showed up everything was great. Prompt, attentive service. Fun, exciting, interesting food. Music was WAY too loud. The crowd noise was good, but music was bad... An enjoyable time was had by all.
Amazing food and atmosphere, def one of the best restaurants in
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This place is excellent. Every dish we tried was good, but the standouts for me were the clam toast and crispy potatoes. The bread for the toast was perfect and the potatoes were just the right amount of fluffiness on the inside and crispy outside. My mouth is watering just writing this. The trout was worth getting as well. I will definitely be back to try more dishes.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crispy Potatoes, Clam Toast
Good place to eat after visiting Pasadena Playhouse theater
Really good food and a great wine list. You can enjoy the service. The menu provides the possibility to have a taps like dinner. Dinner was a pleasure.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent. Probably my favorite restaurant in Pasadena. I adored everything I tried with the exception of the over cooked pork. In particular their pan con tomato is exceptional. They actually import in the bread from Spain and it is pitch perfect.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Exceeds expectation.The restaurant sits in the same courtyard as the Pasadena Playhouse. We thought it’s another trendy over-the-top gimmicks. Turned out not so.The review is for our dining experience at the bar/ communal table area. Ordered an old fashion, and Chelou 75. Pleasantly impressed by how decent they are, we decided to try some food and got salad, crispy potatoes and duck to share. All very tasty. The greens are fresh, nicely dressed. Potatoes are crispy but still buttery soft inside; the duck is very nicely salted and roasted with tender strips of meat falling off the bones. We followed chef’s notes on how best to eat it - you gotta mix it so on - and it is absolutely delightful. On top of all this, service is attentive. Over all, a very pleasant and delicious experience. I would recommend anyone to check it out at least once if you are in the neighborhood.
I recommend going but they have to work on wine selection
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dinner at Bar Chelou marries the world of classic French cuisine with its delicious technique and sensibilities, with bold and subtle Asian and Spanish flavors, with the freshness and bounty of California produce. The union is sometimes strange but rewarding to the diner who appreciates and wants that unique dining experience. The wine list matches the cuisine very well with some off beat bottles almost tailor made for certain dishes. A few things I would highly recommend is the Squid with Swiss Chard, the Duck Leg, and the Lemon Chamomile Semifreddo. Enjoy.
We had a fantastic time. All the servers were great. The food was just delicious. The ambience great. We had been wanting to go here for a while and it did not disappoint at all. Will definitely be back the next time we visit the Playhouse. Carrots, Crispy Potatoes, Salad, Pork Chop, Praline dessert... All awesome.
Very cozy restaurant, with incredible ambience. Food/sweets were amazing too! Drinks were ok, but nothing special. Downside - 4% health tax is not a good look on any restaurant and customers wouldn't ask you to remove it simply because its not polite. Pay your staff better! Or include it in the price of the food item.
Restaurantji Recommends
Walking into Bar Chelou, my husband and I didn't know what to expect, but we left absolutely impressed. From the moment we stepped in, the staff greeted us with warmth and professionalism, guiding us through the menu with helpful suggestions.Now, let's talk about the food. Every dish we tried was nothing short of amazing! I opted for the duck with couscous, and it was a flavor explosion! Cooked to perfection, each bite was a delight. Meanwhile, my husband thoroughly enjoyed his short rib plate - tender, succulent, and bursting with flavor. The crispy potatoes were so good that we couldn't resist ordering another round.To accompany our meal, I indulged in the homemade lemon drop martini, and it was simply delicious. The attention to detail and quality of ingredients truly shone through in every sip.Not only was the food exceptional, but the restaurant itself was clean and tastefully decorated, adding to the overall dining experience.In conclusion, Bar Chelou exceeded all our expectations. With outstanding food, impeccable service, and a welcoming atmosphere, this place has easily become one of our favorites. We'll definitely be returning to explore more of their delectable menu offerings.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crispy Potatoes, Marinated Olives
Ok, well full disclosure my dinner here was expensed and not by me so. Everything was great. It's a tapas/"small plates" situation so if you really want to chow down order a bunch of dishes. Stand out dishes were the potatoes, the carrot salad and the Trout but it was all pretty great. Service was almost Michelin star level i.e. high staff to diner ratio, you could tell they know what they are doing and weren't under staffed. Cocktails were great, wine list was good. Def would go back.Vegetarian options: SomeDietary restrictions: FewParking: There's a lot across the street and street parking.Kid-friendliness: No. Don't bring kids here not that kind of place.Wheelchair accessibility: Yes
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crispy Potatoes, Caramelized Banana Bar, Carrots
Nice stop for before the play. I was very noisy so don't go if you want a romantic evening or a place to talk. The food and service were good, but... It was so cold inside, you could not enjoy the food as you should. Luckily the plates were served warm so the food was spared the blowing AC.
Don’t sleep on the clam toast!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crispy Potatoes, Clam Toast, Carrots, Scallop Tartare
We arrived and were seated at exactly our reservation time. Sat for 15 minutes with no water and no contact with wait staff. Once our server showed up everything was great. Prompt, attentive service. Fun, exciting, interesting food. Music was WAY too loud. The crowd noise was good, but music was bad... An enjoyable time was had by all.