Powered By OpenTable: Restaurant Reservations. Right this way.
Restaurant Reservations - Free • Instant • Confirmed

  • AKA Bistro - Pasadena

  • Online Reservations

Reserve at AKA Bistro - Pasadena

Date

mm/dd/yyyy

Time
Party Size

  • on 1,234 lists
  • Keep track of the places you want to try and share wish lists with friends!
AKA Bistro - Pasadena
AKA Bistro - Pasadena

AKA Bistro - Pasadena Details

  • Dining Style: Casual Elegant
  • Website: http://www.akabistro.com/
  • Email: napasimon@sbcglobal.com
  • Phone: (626) 564-8111
  • Hours of Operation: Lunch: Daily: 11:30am - 3:30pm

    Dinner: Sunday - Thursday: 3:30pm - 9:30pm, Friday - Saturday: 3:30pm - 10:30pm
  • Payment Options: AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
  • Cuisine: American, Steak, Seafood
  • Executive Chef: James Lambrinos
  • Dress Code: Casual Dress
  • Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
  • Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Counter Seating, Delivery, Farm to Table, Full Bar, Gluten-free Menu, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking Area, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine, Wine Bar
  • Catering: Please contact Robert Simon for more information.
  • Private Party Facilities: AKA Bistro - Pasadena is great for hosting birthday parties, wedding rehearsals, business luncheons and many other events.
  • Private Party Contact: Igancio Juarez (626) 564-8111

Getting there

  • Cross Street: Fair Oaks
  • Public Transit: The metro stops at Holly St. or Del Mar Station are both walking distance to the restaurant.
  • Parking: Valet
  • Parking Details: We validate for valet parking and there are multiple parking garages in the area that offer 90 minutes free parking.
A word from AKA Bistro - Pasadena
Conveniently located in Old Pasadena's stylish One Colorado Plaza, a/k/a is the latest concept by renowned restaurateurs Deborah and Robert Simon, who have also operated Bistro 45 for the last 20 + years in Pasadena, and previously launched the a/k/a concept in St. Helena two and a half years ago… to critical acclaim. Drawing flavors and menu focus from California wine country sensibility and from specific, sustainable, and, where ever possible, organic sources is what a/k/a is all about. a/k/a's sophisticated yet comfortable ambiance is highlighted by gracious and abundant hospitality, and a diverse menu featuring choices for every taste. Chef Jonathan Wiener's vivid flavors pair naturally with an exceptional and well-priced wine selection and hand-crafted brews from California.Continued
Foodspotting photos
See all photos >
Awards voted by OpenTable diners
  • Diners' Choice WinnerAmerican
  • Diners' Choice WinnerGreat for Lunch
  • Diners' Choice WinnerOutdoor Dining
Diner Reviews
  • "It was our first time at this spot. Really good food and they were willing to make a few substitutions. We split the goat cheese salad (it's big). My husband had a rib special and I had fish. Both were yummy. The brownie dessert wasn't that great so skip. The wine list is decent but the margarita were a bit heavy on the roses lime juice."
    Dined on 2/28/2014
  • "A bit difficult to find (not uncommon for Pasadena). Service just a bit off (took second request for bread, not terribly quick to return for payment), and I thought the soup, while good, could have been hotter."
    Dined on 2/23/2014
  • "A staple of the Pasadena area restaurants. Great food, Great Wine and Great Service! You can't go wrong here!"
    Dined on 2/22/2014
  • "The staff was very attentive and pleasant. The food was very good. The patio dining was a pleasure. The waiter even offered complimentary port for my friend and I."
    Dined on 2/20/2014
  • "Valentines Day date: Ask & got a secluded table - thank you The service was excellent, nice personality and attentive, we both liked the ambiance. The beet salad was excellent, Halibut was very good & the risotto watery. Most likely will make a return reservation."
    Dined on 2/15/2014
  • "This restaurant used to be wonderful. I was so disappointed when we went for dinner this Sunday. Menu was uninspired and the food we ordered was under par. We considered not ordering and leaving after one cocktail but thought we would give them a chance. Mistake!"
    Dined on 2/2/2014
  • "Dark inside in the evening but there is a large outside deck that opens onto a charming courtyard. A very interesting menu with different options -- well prepared. I had the chicken salad with avacado, craisens and a light lemon dressing on a bed of greens. It was very good, healthy tasting and light. My husband's rueban sandwich was lean and well prepared. A very good meal."
    Dined on 1/31/2014
  • "Great atmosphere and food; friendly and generous staff"
    Dined on 1/10/2014
  • "The restaurant manager was great however our server was terrible. The dishes recommended were lackluster at best. With a wealth of choices in Pasadena we won't be going back."
    Dined on 1/5/2014
  • "First time to this location and the food and overall ambience was excellent. Varied menu that alloed young teenagers to enjoy themselves. We had a very secluded table near the wine room making it easy to mingle and enjoy our guests. Highly recommend this place in Old Town Pasadena as I have tried alot of places and this one is a gem."
    Dined on 1/4/2014
  • "Our reservation requested a vegan meal, but they didn't seem prepared to service a vegan diet. The vegan food was a flavorful plate of vegetables prepared off menu, but wasn't sufficient to sustain a person past an hour and there were no vegan desserts. During the dessert order, two people requested tea. The group finished dessert before we were able to get anyone's attention about the tea that hadn't arrived, so we cancelled the tea and ordered the check. When they brought the check, they brought tea--on the house--and apologized. The manager and the server were nice and seemed to want customers to be happy. The restaurant has a comfortable, modern atmosphere inside and great outdoor seating."
    Dined on 12/31/2013
  • "AKA Bistro was a great experience. It has a courtyard out front for those waiting to meet up with friends, it has great seating outside when the weather is nice, and it had reasonably priced food that was all good. We were seated inside since we had a group of 8. All of us tried something different from the menu (Burgers, Soup, Salads, Sandwiches) all were good. The service was attentive without being too much, i like that they have three or four people all checking on us vs. having to wait for one server. Definately will return."
    Dined on 12/27/2013
  • "We came here for the first time and we were impressed. The wait staff was very friendly and welcoming and the food is delicious! We really enjoyed the Sautéed Calamari and the Mojitos were excellent. We were treated to a sorbet assortment, and I thought the Pear sorbet was refreshing. We met the managers, Max and Nuelle and they were very kind and appreciated that we came for the first time. We will definitely be returning !"
    Dined on 12/21/2013
  • "AKA Bistro was a great place for my dept holiday party. I enjoyed the food so much, I went back with a friend. Good food, pleasant atmosphere. It was a great way to end a day a work."
    Dined on 12/19/2013
  • "AKA never disappoints..wonderful outdoor patio, great music, good menu selection and fantastic wine list..will return"
    Dined on 11/25/2013
  • "Thoroughly enjoyed the mussel entree. Portabello mushroom fries are great. Drink service and atmosphere fabulous. We were dining late with medium sized party and never felt rushed by staff. Very friendly and helpful. Highly Recommend for all occasions"
    Dined on 11/22/2013
  • "Robert Simon has another winner with AKA. The menu plays up the best of the season so the flavors are always fresh. The portobello fries are served piping hot with an aioli mayonnaise that only makes you wish for more. I'm never disappointed here...and a recent birthday party held here was perfect ...the food, the wine, the staff...all made for a truly nive event."
    Dined on 11/20/2013
  • "We went late on a Friday at about 10:00 PM and the restaurant was fairly quiet at that time. The menu had several unusual items. I had a roasted chicken quinoa salad that was excellent. My husband had grilled and sauteed calamari which was also very good and so nice not to have the traditional deep fried. I had an excellent glass of red wine from Santa Barbara. The service was good. There is a large outside deck overlooking a square that is very charming."
    Dined on 11/15/2013
  • "Grilled octopus was exceptionally tender and flavorful with wonderful seasoning and crisp veggies. It's a delicious and different presentation that I'd enjoy again and again. The steamed mussels with toasted bread and aioli were also very tasty. The mussels were small yet flavorful and abundant. Happy Hour wines were also very good. A great neighborhood find, especially if you are going to the Norton Simon just up the street! We were there at 5 pm so it was quiet, so it's hard to judge the noise level at that hour."
    Dined on 11/2/2013
  • "The location was good and the staff was friendly but the food was too salty. The portabello fries was covered with salt as well as the fries. Also the Caesar salad was drenched in dressing."
    Dined on 10/6/2013
  • "We went on a Saturday night, and the restaurant was crowded and very noisy--even the manager agreed that the table next to us was over the top, but because they were friends of the owner, he couldn't shush them. Food: the hamburger was good but not as good as some other local restaurants. The mac and cheese was excellent in every way, but the brussels sprouts were only so-so. The pork chops were tasty but tough. All in all, we probably will go there very rarely."
    Dined on 9/15/2013
  • "$40 for a filet mignon is a bit pricey for this place. Menu is strange for an "American" bistro. Host was not particularly friendly. Service was o.k."
    Dined on 9/14/2013
  • "Perfect on all dimensions: greeting, service, atmosphere and most of all thr Food. Filet mignon, chicken, homemade pasta, portabello fries wrere prepared and served impeccably. This was a special occasion and it was memorable. Thank you. We will be back!"
    Dined on 9/13/2013
  • "We were celebrating a birthday and decided to try AKA for our dinner. We booked online and mentioned one member of our party was in a wheelchair. Upon arrival we were seated in a very nice room. The service was great, the food was fantastic and our evening was a success. This was our first visit, but it won't be our last."
    Dined on 9/10/2013
  • "It was terrific to find this restaurant by searching "best dinner Pasadena" as an infrequent Pasadena visitor. The dinner we had was fantastic, particularly the cucumber soup w/lemon sorbet! We will be back!"
    Dined on 9/8/2013
  • "Dined here post-Labor Day with a Friday 6:15 PM reservation requesting inside seating. Nice table for four. All good! We all enjoyed the Deep-Fried Portabella Mushroom Strips! Tantalizingly good, with a delicious dipping sauce! We followed with Bruschetta, good but not particularly unique. Entrées were delicious and distinctive. Three of four rated excellent. Our Server needed a little work, but I'm confident that coaching and counseling can yield an excellent Server. Don't give-up on her! All-in-all, a very nice eatery! Just needs some fine tuning of Service. We'll be back!"
    Dined on 9/7/2013
  • "Food was very good...everything seemed fresh, and tasty with a creative twist on classic dishes. There is something for everybody, from portobello fries to mac n cheese to filet mignon. Desserts, drinks and service also very good. Manager is very attentive and friendly addressing whatever is needed without being overbearing. Definitely will be back soon."
    Dined on 8/29/2013
  • "AKA Bistro was such a great find. The food is amazing. The ambiance was really great - dim lit, romantic, tall-backed/private booths. And the service was personable and friendly. I had an overall really great experience. I definitely recommend this place for date night! Must order the meatballs! Melt. In. Your. Mouth!"
    Dined on 3/31/2013
  • "I liked AKA for the fact that they had interesting food and it wasn't too overpriced. There was an array of options and I could have gone with a number of things calling my name. The meal was a little heavy for lunch IMO, but that didn't stop me from cleaning my plate. All-in-all, I was happy and will return again!"
    Dined on 8/22/2013
  • "The food was really good, very fresh and flavorful. There was a bit of a wait before the waitress came over & took our order and when she did, I asked for my salad to have the dressing on the side. It came with dressing on it, and when I told the waitress she seemed a bit annoyed and asked if I wanted to send it back and wait to have a new salad made. I was really hungry, so I just kept it. It was very good, but I felt that she could have been apologetic & more helpful."
    Dined on 8/24/2013
  • "From the day before we arrived the service started. First I received a call from Justin confirming our reservation and the specific table location had requested. Upon arrival the table was already set and we were taken to our table immediately by the hostess. She was very pleasant. The wait staff was on tip of things from the moment we seated and we did not have to wait for a thing. When dinner was over and we were almost leaving the manager came over and offered us the House Port. I wish I could remember his name, but he will know who I am, I promised to bring him a bottle of Triple Cream Sherry the next time I come...which will be soon. I wish I had more time to write more, all I can tell you is go enjoy AKA-Bistro Pasadena and enjoy!"
    Dined on 8/18/2013
  • "a very nice place.with good food and somewhat good service. i say somewhat because at the end, our waitress disappeared for over 15 minutes and we had to finally ask another individual for our bill. if not for that, it would've been perfect. we'll give it another try in the future."
    Dined on 8/11/2013
  • "I went in for lunch with my children... The owner graciously gifted us steak fries. That made my children very happy. My son loved the Mac and cheese, my daughter loved her Reuben sandwich and the portobello fries were delish. My younger daughter declared this is her new favorite restaurant!"
    Dined on 8/2/2013
  • "I was really looking forward to eating here after I read all the great reviews but my experience with the bad service overshadows the great food. At one point we waited for over 20 minutes for one beer. The excuse was that they had to chill the glasses. Then when we asked for water for the table, we had to ask 3 different waiters to remind them we needed water, not to mention that our waitress kept disappearing and seemed annoyed when we asked her for the desert menu. The food was great and really tasty, I ordered the beet salad and also had their meatballs which were delicious, but would not return due to their poor service."
    Dined on 7/28/2013
  • "Our delightful waitress Jasmine made this a truly special experience!!"
    Dined on 7/20/2013
  • "Although this is a spin-off of another local establishment, it is an original bar/restaurant among numerous chains in the Old Town Pasadena area. While our dinner wasn't bad (my wife enjoyed her fish special - grouper; my duck breast was well prepared and edible), it really wasn't anything special either. I did appreciate the wine list with decent by the glass selections. We were dining on a Friday evening in summer while a free film was being shown outdoors in the plaza adjacent to the restaurant (so there were lots of people out and about) - the place was half empty and the vibe was a little north of anemic."
    Dined on 7/6/2013
  • "They were able to accommodate our request for patio dining on a busy night. The waitress was very friendly and the food was great. We'll be back."
    Dined on 7/7/2013
  • "Very good food. Terrible service. There were only a few tables in use. Servers "looked busy" but rushed by with no eye contact. Every little thing took a very long time to arrive and one drink never did arrive. The manager helped once. We were really disappointed because we had a meal here several week ago and all was good and service was excellent. However, Robert was there in person that day.."
    Dined on 6/17/2013
  • "Remember Cafe Jaccoulet on Raymond years ago? That was Robert's 1st, I think. It was our favorite spot until he relocated to Bistro 45. Cafe Jac is back, updated for the new millennium. Great bar, great wine, great food, and Meredith is the best barkeep ever, not to forget Robert's hospitality. Quaff a glass of bubbly in the big chairs by the huge window, your heartthrob will love it."
    Dined on 6/21/2013
  • "This was a place I wanted to go for father's day.. I was looking for someplace to have fish and when I checked the reviews and decided to try something different, this hit all the stars! the food was a treat to the senses and more than met my expectations. I will be coming back again and again!"
    Dined on 6/17/2013
More reviews ›
Larger map ›
Smaller map ›
Diners' Choice Awards
  • Pasadena / San Gabriel Winners
  • American
  • Great for Lunch
  • Outdoor Dining
Learn more ›