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Bar Chelou, Pasadena, CA

Bar Chelou

4.8
4.8
475 Reviews
$50 and over
Contemporary French
  • Innovative
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
Bar Chelou is a neo-bistro that is both a distillation of Chef Doug Rankin's broad gastronomic interests and a deeply personal expression of his individualistic style.

'Chelou' (French slang for ‘strange’ or ‘unexpected’) is both the name and unifying theme of the restaurant, which draws from a range of culinary traditions and service styles to create something personal, novel, and fun.

The restaurant is located within the Pasadena Playhouse complex. If you plan to visit the Playhouse after dinner, please book a 5:30p reservation to ensure ample timing for your dinner. We also offer concession cocktails before a showing and during intermission.

NEED TO KNOW
Wine corkage is $30 per 750ml bottle with no limit; we do not offer corkage for wines featured on our wine list.

Ample parking is available on surrounding streets and at several paid lots within a one-block radius.

Gift cards are available for purchase on our website.

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary French, European, Spanish
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 5:30 pm–9:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (626) 808-4976
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Neighbourhood
    Pasadena
  • Cross Street
    Located next to the Pasadena Playhouse on El Molino Ave.
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 475 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Bar Chelou in Pasadena is celebrated for its "exceptional" service, "delicious" and innovative dishes, and vibrant atmosphere. Guests rave about the "crispy potatoes," "amazing trout," and "fabulous carrots." The restaurant's strategic location next to the Pasadena Playhouse makes it a perfect pre-theater dining spot.

476 Reviews
  1. Ben

    New York City

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 14, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful, memorable dinner! Service was impeccable and the duck was a highlight.

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  2. Andrea

    Los Angeles

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on February 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Will absolutely miss this spot… a real L for the Pasadena dining scene. :(

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  3. Jamie

    VIP

    Los Angeles

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on February 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We’ll miss you! One of our favorite spots. Sad to see you go.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Hope

    Los Angeles

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on February 10, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing food, cool interiors. Great vibe. Will miss them when they leave. Wish we weren’t all the way across town 🥲

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  5. Natalie

    VIP

    New York City

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on February 8, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My favorite restaurant in the world. Farewell, my love!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Phillip

    VIP

    Las Vegas

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on January 29, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food and service were excellent! We definitely will come back!

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  7. Jacob

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 27, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food and service were exceptional! Not one bad dish. We traveled all the way from studio city and it was completely worth it. The fake bday cake dessert was a cute gimmick, but maybe a comped actual dessert for a group who’s celebrating a bday and had a tab as high as we did? Just a thought.

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  8. Carla

    VIP

    Detroit

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on January 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful romantic location and interior. We had the duck, snap peas, carrots, and bread. We could have made a meal of just vegetables sides-very creative. We ate everything. The music was very loud, which does not include lingering. (Since they were very busy, that might have been intentional.)

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  9. Daniel

    VIP

    Los Angeles

    5 reviews

    2.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on January 21, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Food was too salty Looks like the chefs are not tasting their food Service only came to my table 4 time One to take me water order Second to take my food order Third to drop and pick up my check All diner time which was 2 hrs was sitting with no interaction of the servers or managers

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  10. Mackenzie

    Los Angeles

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 20, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was amazing but it’s sooooooooo expensive for such a small quantity. We had to go to in and out after.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Bar Chelou is rated 4.8 stars by 475 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

Google Map for Bar Chelou

37 S El Molino Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101-5220

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Located next to the Pasadena Playhouse on El Molino Ave.
  • Neighbourhood
    Pasadena
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 5:30 pm–9:30 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary French, European, Spanish
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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