New bars around Pasadena to know: early November

The new-opening news around Pasadena has been quiet for a couple of weeks, so this edition is a look at where people are actually landing right now. The two standouts are rooms with real character: Magnolia House, the craft-cocktail lounge poured into a more-than-century-old craftsman bungalow on South Lake, and Foothill, the East Pasadena restaurant and cocktail bar that keeps turning up as a Yelp favorite. Around them, this week's hot lists still surface the names that have been drawing crowds all fall. I am Alejandro Espitia, a Broker Associate and REALTOR with Apex Realty and Investments, licensed in California (01213999) since 1996, serving Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Gabriel, and Riverside, fluent in English and Spanish. Every spot below comes from the venue's own site or current local coverage, with sources at the bottom of the post.

Magnolia House: craft cocktails in a century-old bungalow

Magnolia House at 492 S. Lake Avenue is a craft cocktail bar and lounge housed in a craftsman bungalow built over a hundred years ago, once a family home and, later, a post-Prohibition liquor store. Today the lounge pairs wrap-around couches, copper tables, and eclectic artwork with a cocktail list, draft beer, wine, and market-driven small plates drawn from kitchens around the world, with specialty coffee in the mornings. It keeps showing up on Yelp's hot new bars list for Pasadena, and the Visit Pasadena directory and OpenTable both carry hours and reservations, with the full program on the Magnolia House site. It is the kind of room that feels like someone's living room, if someone's living room had a proper cocktail program.

Foothill: a cocktail bar with a kitchen in East Pasadena

Foothill at 2835 E. Foothill Boulevard in East Pasadena is a restaurant and cocktail bar that Visit Pasadena describes as a Yelp favorite, with a casual, laid-back vibe. The cocktail program leans sweeter and uses house-made syrups and seasonal, locally inspired ingredients, while the kitchen turns out elevated takes on American classics, with patio brunch on weekends and a happy hour worth knowing. It is a dependable, friendly stop that does not take itself too seriously, and the Foothill cocktails page has the current list, with the full picture on the Visit Pasadena directory.

Still topping the hot lists

Brand-new bar openings have been rare this week, so the current Yelp hot new bars search for Pasadena keeps circling the same reliable names: GRANVILLE's rooftop bar, Bull And Barrel inside Alexander's Steakhouse, the hidden rooms Behind Bars, The Dungeon, and 10 1/4, the speakeasy Ladies and Gentlemen, and the classic The Raymond 1886. And in South Pasadena, Sid's Bar, the relaxed cocktail room inside the restored schoolhouse that also hosts Sid the Cat Auditorium, continues its rotating cocktail and DJ nights, a favorite the LA Times and Time Out both named among the best new bars of the year. It is a good month to work your way down the list.

A note on details: bar hours, kitchen times, and live-music schedules can shift, so please confirm directly with each spot before you head out, and use the links below for the latest. If you hear of a bar around Pasadena I missed, text me and I will add it to the next edition.

Sources: Magnolia House, Magnolia House, Visit Pasadena, Magnolia House, OpenTable, Foothill cocktails, Foothill, Visit Pasadena, Hot new bars, Yelp Pasadena, and Sid's Bar, Time Out.