New cocktail bars in Pasadena to know
A warm, sourced guide to the new cocktail bars in Pasadena worth knowing: The Dungeon, a hand-painted speakeasy-style lounge tucked beneath Der Wolf in Old Pasadena with craft cocktails and karaoke nights, and 10 1/4, the tiny hidden whiskey bar reached by phone booth inside Freddie's 35er, with hours, entry details, and links for each.
By Alejandro Espitia
Pasadena's cocktail scene keeps getting more secret, and two rooms are worth knowing right now. The Dungeon, a hand-painted speakeasy-style lounge tucked beneath Der Wolf in Old Pasadena, pours craft cocktails with karaoke nights and a late-night party energy, and 10 1/4, one of the tiniest cocktail bars in Los Angeles, hides inside Freddie's 35er behind a phone booth entry. I am Alejandro Espitia, a Broker Associate and REALTOR with Apex Realty and Investments, and Pasadena is my home turf. Licensed in California since 1996, with 200+ homes sold serving Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Gabriel, and Riverside, and fluent in English and Spanish, I keep an eye on the neighborhood's best new places so you know where to go. Every pick below comes from current local reporting and listings, with sources at the bottom of the post.
The Dungeon: a hand-painted speakeasy beneath Der Wolf
The Dungeon is the basement speakeasy-style lounge beneath Der Wolf at 72 N. Fair Oaks Avenue in Old Pasadena. It is a “sexy, dim, cool” subterranean room with custom hand-painted artwork on every wall, craft cocktails, karaoke nights, late-night drinks, and full-service food and bar. Hours run Thursday through Saturday 8:00 pm to 1:00 am and Sunday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, with the space available for private events Monday through Friday. The phone is (626) 219-6054. More on the Dungeon page at Der Wolf, and it is one of the stops on Visit Pasadena's speakeasies and hidden bars guide.
10 1/4: the tiniest cocktail bar, reached by phone booth
10 1/4 Pasadena is one of Los Angeles' smallest cocktail bars, tucked downstairs inside Freddie's 35er at 12 E. Colorado Boulevard. You enter by going below, opening a booth, and picking up the phone to give the code word, then settling into a small, intimate room with dim amber lighting and a focus on craft and vintage cocktails with a whiskey lean. It holds a “Whiskey Wednesday” night and a secret tiki takeover. Hours are Wednesday 6:00 pm to midnight, Thursday through Saturday 8:00 pm to 2:00 am, and Sunday 7:00 pm to midnight, closed Monday and Tuesday, and the phone is (626) 356-9315. It appears on Time Out LA's bar guide and the Visit Pasadena directory.
More names on the hidden-bar circuit
Around these two, Pasadena's speakeasy circuit keeps a few other rooms worth knowing: The Cellar, an underground wine library beneath Colorado Boulevard, Ladies and Gentlemen, the password-only basement speakeasy in Old Pasadena, and Osa Rooftop above the AC Hotel all get their own write-up in our hidden new bars guide this fall. The Visit Pasadena speakeasies guide and Pasadena Magazine's “Pasadena Poured” are the best longer reads on the whole scene.
A note on details: bar hours, kitchen times, and entry details can shift, and the hidden rooms change their hours and code words quickly. Please confirm directly with each spot before you head out, and use the links below for the latest. If you have a favorite new Pasadena bar I missed, text me and I will add it to the next edition.
Sources: The Dungeon, Der Wolf Pasadena, Speakeasies and hidden bars, Visit Pasadena, The Dungeon, Yelp, The Dungeon events, 10 1/4 Pasadena, Time Out LA, 10 1/4 Pasadena, Visit Pasadena, 10 1/4 Pasadena, Yelp, and Pasadena Poured, Pasadena Magazine.
About Alejandro Espitia
Your guide to the neighborhood, and to real estate
I am Alejandro Espitia, a Broker Associate and REALTOR with Apex Realty and Investments, licensed in California (01213999) since 1996, with 200+ homes sold serving Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Gabriel, and Riverside. I am fluent in English and Spanish, and I specialize in real estate and home financing, so whether you are buying, selling, or investing, I help you find the right home and the right loan with straight talk and a steady hand.
Apex Realty & Investments
CA license 01213999
Broker Associate, REALTOR
English and Spanish
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Raise a glass to the hidden Pasadena
From a hand-painted basement lounge to a tiniest-in-the-city phone-booth bar, Pasadena's new cocktail rooms reward the curious. If you need a recommendation, a real estate question, or a hand with buying, selling, or financing your home, text Alejandro at 626-314-9170 or use the form above. He is always happy to help you feel at home.
Related services
Lovely as they are, the cocktail rooms are best reached by a short walk from home. See how Alejandro helps buyers, sellers, and investors on the services page.