dos besos

"Dos Besos can be summed up in three words: Lovely. Charming. Delightful. That might sound a bit banal, like how you'd describe a friend's cute(ish) baby or an arthouse film you didn't understand. But in the case of Dos Besos, a Spanish tapas and paella restaurant in Pasadena, we really mean it. It's a perfectly nice restaurant in Old Town with pleasant service and very good, occasionally great, food. It's ideal for nights when you want to put on a slinky little top and be charmed out of your seat while sipping sangria and eating fantastic seafood paella. You’ll be comfortable here with coworkers, in-laws, or someone who bases their entire personality on a love of cured meats." - brant cox, sylvio martins, andrew ryce

"A lot of Spanish restaurants serve paella, but none of them have the cojones to call themselves paella specialists. But Dos Besos can rightfully make that boast. At this stylish yet casual spot in Old Town Pasadena, the paella takes 30 minutes to make and arrives near perfect. The paella valenciana feeds two to three and comes with mussels, clams, calamari, shrimp, and two very large prawns sharing a kiss in the middle. The rice, however, is the real star, with its crispy socarrat and garlic-wine broth seasoning every spoonful." - sylvio martins, garrett snyder

"A lot of Spanish restaurants serve paella, but none of them have the cojones to call themselves paella specialists. Dos Besos in Old Town Pasadena can rightfully boast said cojones. At this stylish yet casual spot, the paella takes 30 minutes to make and it’s near perfect. The paella valenciana feeds two to three and comes with mussels, clams, calamari, shrimp, and two very large prawns sharing a kiss in the middle. The rice is the real star, however, with its crispy soccarat and fragrant garlic-white wine broth." - sylvio martins

"Paella Del Mar Spanish food had a big moment in LA this year, with places like Bar Moruno, Dono, and Cobras & Matadors popping up across town. But none of them pulled off paella quite like Dos Besos, a Spanish spot that opened in Old Town Pasadena earlier this year. The paella del mar is studded with gem-like shellfish and calamari rings, but the rice below is undeniably the best part. The fat, saffron-infused grains come out tender on top, crispy on the bottom, and flavored with generous amounts of garlic and white wine broth. Just keep in mind that each pan requires a solid 30 minutes to prepare, so be sure to place your order with that first round of sangria if you're not on Spanish time." - nikko duren, garrett snyder, brant cox, sylvio martins, arden shore

"Opened in April 2022, known for paella and drawing a local crowd." - Farley Elliott