Take back the night
Pasadena and environs offers lots of options for good times
By John Sollenberger 12/24/2009
If you’re visiting from out of town for the holidays, Rose Parade or Rose Bowl Game, you probably know about Pasadena’s more famous destinations. However, if you’re in the mood for a drink, a bite to eat and a night of music, you might want to explore some places where the locals go, which may not appear in the usual visitor’s guides. If that’s the case, check out some of these clubs, and tell your friends!
Mr. T’s Bowl
5621 ½ N. Figueroa St., Highland Park
(323) 256-7561 | mrtsbowl.tripod.com
You can’t actually bowl there any more, but for more than 40 years, Mr. T’s Bowl has been a launch pad for new bands from around LA. Thursdays through Saturday nights, you can catch not just one, but several up-and-coming acts. You never know, you might see the next big thing in a cozy setting. The unobtrusive little place has a full bar; 21 and over.
Café 322
322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre
(626) 836-5414 | cafe322.com
This respectable Italian restaurant is open Tuesdays through Sundays for lunch and dinner. The food is excellent, there is a full bar and entertainment happens most nights of the week. The music tends to be on the softer side of the spectrum. You can see jazz, folk, soft rock and more. Friendly staff, too.
The Redwood Bar & Grill
316 W. 2nd St., Los Angeles
(213) 680-2600 | theredwoodbar.com
If you’re willing to make a quick run down the Pasadena (110) Freeway to downtown LA, a warm, intimate place awaits in the form of The Redwood Bar & Grill. You can get a great meal of pub fare, from appetizers to sides, salads, burgers and sandwiches. Have a drink at the full bar and catch top entertainment by established acts and exciting newcomers most nights of the week, usually with several acts per night.
Arcadia Blues Club
16 E. Huntington Drive, Arcadia
(626) 447-9349 | arcadiabluesclub.com
This is the place in the west San Gabriel Valley to catch top blues acts from around LA and all over the country. These are all-pro shows, with bands boasting proven track records. In addition, a full bar and excellent cuisine won’t leave your stomach singing the blues.
The Buccaneer
70 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre
(626) 355-9045 | myspace.com/piratedive
This little place has been a fixture on the Sierra Madre hillside for years now. A small-town dive atmosphere with a pirate theme makes it all the more fun, with a pool table, darts and other games and a full bar. Drinks are cheap and stiff, and the place has a loyal local following. Bands in a wide range of styles, from locals to out-of-towners, play here a couple of nights a week. It’s just a fun, unpretentious place.
Coffee Gallery Backstage
2029 N. Lake Ave., Altadena
(626) 398-7917 | coffeegallery.com
Up front, it’s an art gallery and coffee house. In the back, you can see and hear world-class folk, Americana, country, blues, Celtic music and more. Most acts play low-volume, acoustic shows. Coffee Gallery Backstage is known for being a listening room, in a mature atmosphere. World-famous performers from the past and present play here; they have to have proven track records to get on the stage.
The Rancho Bar
2485 N. Lake Ave., Altadena
(626) 798-7634 | ranchobar.com
This is a real locals club. You can get in a game of pool or other fun games, have a drink at the full bar and kick back in a casual (some say dive) atmosphere. Bands perform here on an occasional basis, usually Fridays and Saturdays, performing blues, blues-rock, country-rock, soul and more. That’s why it’s of the best-kept secrets in Altadena.
Old Towne Pub
66 N. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena
(626) 577-6583 | myspace.com/oldtownepubpasadena
You’d never know the place was there, walking up Fair Oaks Avenue in Pasadena’s trendy Old Pasadena district. It’s hidden behind the Container Store that sits in the Pub’s former parking lot at the corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Union Street. The funky little beer bar (wine too) is a Pasadena icon, starting out as the Loch Ness Monster in the early ’70s, then changing owners and names (but not its attitude) in 1990. This is where the Doo Dah Parade, the counterculture’s answer to the Rose Parade, was born, out of a beer-soaked bull session back in the late ’70s by a bunch of locals. However, you can see bands of every description, from up-and-comers to established local favorites to the occasional touring act most nights of the week. Totally casual, no-frills atmosphere and a mixed bag crowd of all ages and descriptions. Enter through the alley off Holly Street between Fair Oaks and Raymond avenues.
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