Bar Celona

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46 E Colorado Blvd (at Fair Oaks Ave & Raymond Ave)
Pasadena, CA 91105

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(626) 405-1000
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Bar Celona - Pasadena, CA
Bar Celona - Pasadena, CA
Bar Celona - Pasadena, CA
Bar Celona - Pasadena, CA
Bar Celona - Pasadena, CA
Bar Celona - Pasadena, CA
Bar Celona - Pasadena, CA
Bar Celona - Pasadena, CA
Bar Celona - Pasadena, CA
Reviews
( 14 )
( 16 )
( 18 )
( 6 )
( 10 )

Best

So I decided to go here with my husband for dinner tonight, just for something different. Having been to Spain and loving the food in Barcelona, I thought this would be fun to try...

Worst

Rude service, bad food. The only thing this place has going for them is the look of the place. Hopefully they do some improvments soon!! Pros: ambience, trendy scene Cons: ...

User review by jeanstrr 5/19/2006

biggest compaint is the rude staff. i called in advance and was told by TWO people that the lounge is STRICTLY first come first serve - NO RESERVATIONS. we came around 9pm...the place was pretty dead. we ordered the sangria which was relatively good, but did not live up to all the hype about it. the place didn't start to get crowded until after 11pm. even though we had a big group and staked out our spot early on, some idiot rudely said there was a ""reservation"" coming through and that ""we'd have to make room for them""...even though their policy is first come first serve. no please or thank yous, btw. if you want a place to hang out with your friends with comfy seats and don't care much about anything else, go to bar celona. Pros: nice decor Cons: strict dress code, rude staff, overhyped everything more
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What a night! 2/23/2006

We had made reservations and when we arrived we had to wait about 10 minutes to be seated. The server greeted us to our table. We order some tapas and for entrees the fillet mignon and a paella valenciana. The food was amazing. The service needs some help, like food coming out a little late and not refilling our water, but the great food made up for everything. Try the crab croquettes and the meat and cheese plate, delicious, and the Nora white wine. Pros: Foods, Wine, Ambiance Cons: Service more
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What a night! 2/23/2006

We had made reservations and when we arrived we had to wait about 10 minutes to be seated. The server greeted us to our table. We order some tapas and for entrees the fillet mignon and a paella valenciana. The food was amazing. The service needs some help, like food coming out a little late and not refilling our water, but the great food made up for everything. Try the crab croquettes and the meat and cheese plate, delicious, and the Nora white wine. Pros: Foods, Wine, Ambiance Cons: Service more
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Service is Horrible 1/24/2006

My wife and I arived on a Saturday night around 6:30. The hostess asked if we had reservations and I told them no. They seated us promptly. The place was pretty empty. So we get seated in a really bad spot against the wall where its hard for a waiter to get into. We get served water and bread but never saw a waiter. We waited 15 mintes and my wife let the hostess know about the service. The hostess let the waiters know. We waited another 5 minutes and walked out. Waiters were standing around on their cell phones doing nothing. We were dressed casual with coats. When we left the hostess said thank you for coming. I just told her service was really bad and we would not come back. Don't subject yourself to this bad service when there are plenty of other places with good food arounnd. Cons: service more
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Service is Horrible 1/24/2006

My wife and I arived on a Saturday night around 6:30. The hostess asked if we had reservations and I told them no. They seated us promptly. The place was pretty empty. So we get seated in a really bad spot against the wall where its hard for a waiter to get into. We get served water and bread but never saw a waiter. We waited 15 mintes and my wife let the hostess know about the service. The hostess let the waiters know. We waited another 5 minutes and walked out. Waiters were standing around on their cell phones doing nothing. We were dressed casual with coats. When we left the hostess said thank you for coming. I just told her service was really bad and we would not come back. Don't subject yourself to this bad service when there are plenty of other places with good food arounnd. Cons: service more
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Delicious 11/1/2005

My friend took me here for my first try of Tapas. It was incredible! Everything we ordered was amazing, the flavors in the dishes complimented each other very well. On a previous occasion I had gone to the bar/club section and my friend ordered Empanadas, but I didn't like those, too much fried dough for my taste, but the atmosphere was great. People could just lounge around or dance a bit. Pros: awesome tapas, good white sangria more
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Delicious 11/1/2005

My friend took me here for my first try of Tapas. It was incredible! Everything we ordered was amazing, the flavors in the dishes complimented each other very well. On a previous occasion I had gone to the bar/club section and my friend ordered Empanadas, but I didn't like those, too much fried dough for my taste, but the atmosphere was great. People could just lounge around or dance a bit. Pros: awesome tapas, good white sangria more
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Spain has come to old Town 7/27/2005

I travel a lot and when in spain have always enjoyed the tapas restaurant. This is right on the money and so much more... live music, great staff... and a great bar scene. who knew Pasadena could be so hip!! Pros: Food, bar scene, service more
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Spain has come to old Town 7/27/2005

I travel a lot and when in spain have always enjoyed the tapas restaurant. This is right on the money and so much more... live music, great staff... and a great bar scene. who knew Pasadena could be so hip!! Pros: Food, bar scene, service more
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Should have known why there was no one there... 7/13/2005

This place is horrible. Service and management totally unable to provide for patrons. Food came out cold, inadequate portions, and definitely not worth the price. Reservations were lost, and we waited because there was not enough staff to seat us. more
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Should have known why there was no one there... 7/13/2005

This place is horrible. Service and management totally unable to provide for patrons. Food came out cold, inadequate portions, and definitely not worth the price. Reservations were lost, and we waited because there was not enough staff to seat us. more
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Well its not Spain but... 4/27/2005

I ate at Bar Celona about two weeks after getting back from Spain, and I ended up setting myself up for defeat. The tapas were not as creative or as good as I thought they should be, and the selection was a little smaller than expected. The tortilla was bland despite being topped with a sort of salsa. Also, paella typically takes about 30 minutes to prepare and ours came out in much less time than that. Keep in mind however, the name represents what their strongest attribute is. The wine list was good and the bar scene appeared fun and lively and quite aesthetically pleasing. They have tons of mixed drinks and I don't think I would mind going back for happy hour. I think when it comes to the food though, I'll hang on to my memories of Spain. Pros: WIne List, Bar vibe Cons: Tapa Selections, Instant Paella more
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Well its not Spain but... 4/27/2005

I ate at Bar Celona about two weeks after getting back from Spain, and I ended up setting myself up for defeat. The tapas were not as creative or as good as I thought they should be, and the selection was a little smaller than expected. The tortilla was bland despite being topped with a sort of salsa. Also, paella typically takes about 30 minutes to prepare and ours came out in much less time than that. Keep in mind however, the name represents what their strongest attribute is. The wine list was good and the bar scene appeared fun and lively and quite aesthetically pleasing. They have tons of mixed drinks and I don't think I would mind going back for happy hour. I think when it comes to the food though, I'll hang on to my memories of Spain. Pros: WIne List, Bar vibe Cons: Tapa Selections, Instant Paella more
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Entertainment on the Plate, and Hoof 4/7/2005

With a terrific spread of finger foods and stomach filling paella, mojitos and sangria, Bar Celona is a great upscale location for a friends' birthday treat, a special date, or warming a business relationship. And more... a springy hardwood dance floor, DJ, and bi-level bar with a seating pit lined with cushy sofas for the weary of body. The architectural layout of the building, and the multi-level interior add a layer of accoustical sophistication to the whole design, giving diners, dancers, and drinkers quiet spots within the larger milieu. For romantics that require a bit of moonlight, there's even some outdoor seating with shrubs and heaters. It is, in short, the smartest club/restaurant/bar I've encountered in many a year. I'm impressed. Pros: pure night time fun, snacks to full meals, great layout Cons: very busy at night more
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Entertainment on the Plate, and Hoof 4/7/2005

With a terrific spread of finger foods and stomach filling paella, mojitos and sangria, Bar Celona is a great upscale location for a friends' birthday treat, a special date, or warming a business relationship. And more... a springy hardwood dance floor, DJ, and bi-level bar with a seating pit lined with cushy sofas for the weary of body. The architectural layout of the building, and the multi-level interior add a layer of accoustical sophistication to the whole design, giving diners, dancers, and drinkers quiet spots within the larger milieu. For romantics that require a bit of moonlight, there's even some outdoor seating with shrubs and heaters. It is, in short, the smartest club/restaurant/bar I've encountered in many a year. I'm impressed. Pros: pure night time fun, snacks to full meals, great layout Cons: very busy at night more
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Decent tapas, nothing too spectacular 3/22/2005

The tapas here are decent, but nothing stands out in particular. They do have some different items on the menu including a sausage dish and a calamari dish that isn't fried. Sangria here is pretty good though, but overall, nothing too spectacular. more
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Decent tapas, nothing too spectacular 3/22/2005

The tapas here are decent, but nothing stands out in particular. They do have some different items on the menu including a sausage dish and a calamari dish that isn't fried. Sangria here is pretty good though, but overall, nothing too spectacular. more
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Nice addition to restaurant row 3/2/2005

This tapas bar is in the former Sorriso space, and it looks pretty much the same, except for Spanish paintings on the wall instead of Italian. The tapas are reasonably priced, but the quality/taste is uneven, varying from not very good to excellent. Recommended dinner tapas: fried almonds (sounds weird, but good), chicken empanadas, fried potatoes (very garlicky). The frittata sounds delicious, but tastes surprisingly bland. The beef/pork meatballs would have been delicious, but they were extremely salty. Pros: Not crowded, Value-priced, easy parking Cons: uneven quality more
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Nice addition to restaurant row 3/2/2005

This tapas bar is in the former Sorriso space, and it looks pretty much the same, except for Spanish paintings on the wall instead of Italian. The tapas are reasonably priced, but the quality/taste is uneven, varying from not very good to excellent. Recommended dinner tapas: fried almonds (sounds weird, but good), chicken empanadas, fried potatoes (very garlicky). The frittata sounds delicious, but tastes surprisingly bland. The beef/pork meatballs would have been delicious, but they were extremely salty. Pros: Not crowded, Value-priced, easy parking Cons: uneven quality more
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A Nice Spot! 10/13/2004

Finally, something a little different in Old Towne. I believe this is the only Spanish restaurant in Pasadena and it's got a great vibe to it, not to mention it's location is best. There were no waiting time, but the bar was busy. The food was average (the portions were not enough compare to other Spanish cuisines elsewhere). It's a great spot to hang out for a drink and some food on the night out. Pros: lay out, location Cons: , $$$ more
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Menu for Bar Celona


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Great happy hour at this modern Spanish tapas restaurant & late-night lounge in historic Colorado Boulevard retail district of Old Pasadena!

Owner Message

  • Here at Bar Celona, we offer modern Spanish dining with a unique twist . Our menu feature not only the popular tapas offerings, but also a full lunch time menu of salads and sandwiches, and several entree selections, including a variety of paella, for those arriving with a more substantial appetite. Bar Celona's wine list includes a wonderful and reasonably priced selection of popular wines. There is no experience quite like entering Bar Celona- the music that instantly relaxes you, the aroma of fine food and wine that stirs your appetite. Award winning sangria, both red & white...the clink of glasses at the Martini Bar. The glow of candles throughout the beautiful room...the hustle and bustle of the patio tables along busy Colorado Boulevard where the parade never ends. Call about our live Flamenco band nights! This is Bar Celona. Eat. Drink. Play. Have Fun

Editorial

  • This lively small plates restaurant in the middle of Old Town Pasadena uses indigenous Spanish ingredients to prepare modern renditions of hot and cold tapas, three kinds of paella and both red and...

  • 3/31/2005 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Sun-Thu 11:30am - 12am Fri-Sat 11:30am - 1am
  • Payments: Master Card, Visa, American Express, Cash, Discover
  • Neighborhoods: South Pasadena
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