How is Bar Chelou restaurant rated?

Bar Chelou

4.8

475 Reviews

$50 and over

Contemporary French

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

About this restaurant

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
Website
https://www.barchelou.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress

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

Featured in

Editor’s choice: 12 favorite restaurants in Los Angeles

Popular dishes

Marinated Olives$7.00
Pan de Cristal$7.00
Crispy Potatoes$13.00
aonori, aïoli
Clam Toast$15.00
leeks, escabeche
Burrata Toast$17.00
paleta ibérica, pickled peppers
Ramp Toast$16.00
km39, sorrel
Breakfast Radish$13.00
fromage blanc, furikake
Boquerones$14.00
piquillo pepper
Scallop Tartare$20.00
green garlic, meyer lemon, serrano, chips
Salade Verte$15.00
cava vinaigrette, quinoa, guindilla peppers, manchego
Carrots$19.00
coconut dressing, lime leaf, peanuts, shoestring potatoes
Bloomsdale Spinach$14.00
roasted garlic broth, brown butter
Shelling Beans$14.00
bottarga, dill, sea beans
Sprouting Cauliflower$11.00
almonds, sichuan au poivre
Snap Peas$15.00
chistorra, cured egg yolk, anchovy
Squid $21.00
seaweed, swiss chard
Cheeses$22.00
plum & timur berry jam, pan de cristal
Meats$24.00
jamón ibérico, coppa
Ibérico Pork Chop$36.00
cabbage, fennel pollen furikake
Duck Leg$34.00
yu choy cous cous, spicy labneh, macadamia dukkah
Rainbow Trout$45.00
corn rice, garlic chive pil-pil
Dry-Aged Short Rib$55.00
blackberry black vinegar, perilla
Lemon-Chamomile Semifreddo$14.00
calamansi, sweet fritter
Raspberry & Sumac Sorbet$14.00
poached rhubarb, vanilla, sorrel
Bruleed Cheesecake$14.00
toffee date cake, spiced coffee anglaise
Matcha Mousse$14.00
butter mochi cake, coconut sorbet, green tea tuile
Caramelized Banana Bar$15.00
peanut butter crisp, banana custard, milk chocolate mousse

What 475 people are saying

Bar Chelou reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.8Service
4.8Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Bar Chelou in Pasadena dazzles with its "exceptional" food and "impeccable" service, featuring creative, shareable dishes and a chic ambiance. Diners rave about the duck, crispy potatoes, and trout. Although portions can be small, the "gorgeous" decor and friendly staff make it a "top pick" for dining near the Pasadena Playhouse.

479 Reviews

B
Ben
New York City1 review
5.0
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.
Is this helpful?
A
Andrea
Los Angeles9 reviews
5.0
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. :(
Is this helpful?
J
Jamie VIP
Los Angeles10 reviews
5.0
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?
H
Hope
Los Angeles3 reviews
5.0
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 🥲
Is this helpful?
N
Natalie VIP
New York City9 reviews
5.0
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?
J
Julianne
Greater Boston2 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 7, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Had the pleasure of dining here just a couple days before it closed for good in Pasadena. Just delicious! Looking forward to dining at Bar Chelou's next chapter, wherever that may be.
Is this helpful?
a
artgarfunky
Los Angeles33 reviews
3.0
Dined on February 7, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
The confit duck leg and cocktails were really good. Other dishes, including dessert, were hit and miss.
Is this helpful?
P
Phillip VIP
Las Vegas5 reviews
5.0
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!
Is this helpful?
J
Jacob
San Diego1 review
5.0
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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C
Carla VIP
Detroit12 reviews
5.0
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.)
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Bar Chelou is rated 4.8 stars by 475 OpenTable diners.

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

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

Additional information

Cross street
Located next to the Pasadena Playhouse on El Molino Ave.
Neighborhood
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

Website
https://www.barchelou.com/
Phone number
(626) 808-4976

Featured in

Editor’s choice: 12 favorite restaurants in Los Angeles

Bar Chelou

About this restaurant

Permanently Closed

There’s more to explore

Additional information

Editor’s choice: 12 favorite restaurants in Los Angeles

Ibérico Pork Chop

Rainbow Trout

Ramp Toast

Main

Marinated Olives$7.00

Pan de Cristal$7.00

Crispy Potatoes$13.00

Clam Toast$15.00

Burrata Toast$17.00

Ramp Toast$16.00

Breakfast Radish$13.00

Boquerones$14.00

Scallop Tartare$20.00

Salade Verte$15.00

Carrots$19.00

Bloomsdale Spinach$14.00

Shelling Beans$14.00

Sprouting Cauliflower$11.00

Snap Peas$15.00

Squid $21.00

Cheeses$22.00

Meats$24.00

Ibérico Pork Chop$36.00

Duck Leg$34.00

Rainbow Trout$45.00

Dry-Aged Short Rib$55.00

Lemon-Chamomile Semifreddo$14.00

Raspberry & Sumac Sorbet$14.00

Bruleed Cheesecake$14.00

Matcha Mousse$14.00

Caramelized Banana Bar$15.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

How is Bar Chelou restaurant rated?

Permanently Closed

Additional information

Featured in

Editor’s choice: 12 favorite restaurants in Los Angeles