Old Towne Pub

We went here spontaneously for a vinyl D&B event which is hard to find in Pasadena. Overall, easy vibes and an industrial garage feel for the DJ. The place is small but intimate, and a nice outdoor patio with smoking and patio tables available. If you are considering going for a music event here, I would recommend as a nice local music venue without mainstream vibes.

This place is so fun. Tucked away inside a secret lair, in the middle of Old Town Pasadena, this pub with a dream come true to see live music. I heard that Van Halen got their start here and we saw an amazing Ween cover band called Buckingham Ween, they rocked it so hard it almost melted my face. I can't wait to come back here, the promoter was amazing, Blues for Sallah, in the crowd was social and cool. I wish I could give six stars across the board. I'll be back soon, and hopefully you'll be there too.

Great venue to see new bands, enjoy some cold beer and hang out with friends. Parking was a challenge due to Oasis concert at the Rosebowl, but found parking in nearby structure for $20. We will be back! Great taco stand near back patio closed at 8pm, was able to grab some nachos, quesadilla and 2 tacos to bring in and enjoy my beer with.

Awesome dive bar tucked in an alley in Old Town Pasadena. The train is a few blocks away at Memorial Park.

Me and my husband came in off the road traveling from TX and stopped in!! What a great atmosphere, our bartender Jennifer was amazing!! The food was great and music was on point!!! We WILL back

Well, I haven't been here in about 40 years and it's kind of interesting when you come back after so long. In a way, it looks very similar, especially the courtyard. I really like the building that it's in as it is so old that you can see generations of improvements on it. The drinking is another story. You should always buy alcohol when you go to a bar like this especially listening to music but the night I went they ran out of any decent beer and so experience was less than optimal. The music was good and the courtyard of course is cool to sit in but it's just doesn't have it all together anymore and that's just too bad. Again it could just be the night I went so...

Grateful Dead nights on some Fridays. Excellent spot for an intimate show.

First time at this pub! Loved it! Saw The Scene: The Band the other night. They were great and it was a fun atmosphere!

This is located in an alleyway add of holly ave. We circled the block a few times before we found it. It's walking distance from the schoolhouse garage, has street parking, or there are several other premium parking structures nearby. The bar is a little dingy, a little divey, but not sketchy at all. Bathrooms are nasty, though. And 2 pinball machines! There's a small outdoor patio area. The live music is a lot of fun and the cover price is very reasonable. As far as I could tell, they didn't offer any good but the bartender was able to make beer recommendations. They don't have a huge selection, but they do have decent quality beers and a cider on tap.

Not so hidden but a little off the beaten path. You'll find old town pub tucked away off of Holly street. A intimate place to see local acts perform. A good sound system and a covered patio. Maybe the music scene is dead during the holidays but for those natives ditch the drive to LA and head local. a small scale of "the smell" and "amoeba records" and "headline records" with a bar. No, there is no record shopping here but a quaint stage good sound system and a potential new band worth the door cover. Cheers.

Friend and I had a great time here seeing one of our favorite bands. Headliner was also great. Cover was $5. Everyone working here was friendly. The venue may be small but it's the perfect size to see your favorite or up and coming bands up close.

I'm giving this place 3 Stars for it's potential. It's located in an alley but actually not as scary as it sounds, alley is short and well lit, you should see the "Pub" sign right away if you're in the right alley. The bouncer was nice and helpful when I asked about the parking situation. I walked through the entrance and right away, it was clear that there is a bathroom next to the entrance, you can smell the bathroom as you walk by. Glad I didn't have to use the restroom while I was there because I did not want to see what it looked like... or smell what it smells like from inside the bathroom if I can already smell it from outside. I hope the business takes this as a sign to make sure the employees or somebody, is cleaning the bathroom. The pub is very small which actually seems like it would be a cool local hangout for someone who frequent s the neighborhood pub. I went to see a band play and had a great time. They have a patio area that's spacious compared to the inside. The decoration inside the pub is cool. The locals seem to really love it here. I'm giving it 3 Stars because I think it has potential to be cleaner. It's a fun small place to see a band play.

This is my absolute favorite spot in Pasadena, the beer and wine selection is great, the inside of the bar is absolutely fantastic there's so much character, the bartenders, security and owner are super friendly, back patio is gorgeous. The bands are phenomenal I can go on for days. Love this place 10/10 must go!

If I can give it a 10 I would honestly the staff and the nice lady behind the bar are friends people always have great music playing beers always good really good vibe I would recommend to anyone to come down and have a good cold beer with some good music

I always like to start reviews on a positive note. The bartender was friendly and worked hard, doing her best to accommodate the entire bar end to end. They have a KISS pinball machine. Good selection of beers. Divey bar in a pretty neat spot inside a plaza with a seemingly random chess tournament going on while rockers shook the walls with their live music. Bizarre but cool. The downside: they list a website but it doesn't exist! They list a phone number but it's always busy! Positively impossible to find any info for who's/what's on the calendar. Just frustrating. That's not enough of a complaint to warrant a 2-star rating but the total lack of security is. While watching one of the bands, some dick went up to one of the guitarists and turned his tuner mid performance and then scampered back to his seat. I thought maybe they knew each other and he was playing a prank but then saw him turning the pegs on another band's instruments. Can't blame the bar for this but then I went outside and caught him and his weird friend arguing with members from one of the bands. It was getting pretty heated and the security guy kept them apart but was doing the bare minimum even though these two freaks were getting really aggressive and basically asking to be pummeled. They got escorted down the alleyway and then one of them pulled a freaking knife out. The so-called security just chuckled, "Ah, they're just kids." Um...what?! I thought that was the end of that and went back inside. 15 mins. later they were back inside! Only for a moment, but on the way back out, one of them pushed someone who wasn't even being confrontational. I wasn't directly involved, but felt pretty sketched out when I finally left, wondering if I was going to get knifed right in front of the place just because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Too bad. What could have been a really fun night turned out to be a bummer and the bar can definitely be blamed for that. Thankfully nobody actually got hurt. I don't think.

My OG go to bar for Pasadena. Popular fun and affordable. The staff is great and if you ride a motorcycle parking is free and unlimited. Bands are usually way more entertaining than expected. The patios and outside are huge and always a great overflow when it gets popular. Cheap drinks , thanks!

Place is legendary for good music and times. Bartenders are all friendly and helpful. Tiny at the front keeps the place safe and this is a true blue hole in the wall staple of Pasadena...I mean it's in an alley how many bars can say that? hehe

Always love the old towne pub. Great atmosphere, bands, bar. People and service are good. Can't wait to go back again. Finding it's not the easiest but that's part of the fun.

Friendly lady bartender. Always seem to miss the bands. Always seem to arrive too late. It's a more smaller dive bar with a small stage. Outdoor seating was enjoyable. Beer and whiskey bar. Look down the alley ways as this place is tucked away and not on the main road.

Kind of a weird vibe, some of the beers on tap weren't available. Service was just ok. Honestly could take it or leave it

This is the first time I am hearing actual music coming from the pub, every other night is truly disgraceful

This place is so cute & European style with brick walls and an outdoor patio with fairy lights everywhere. I came the other night to see my friend's band, HAND DRAWN MAPS play and had some instruction how to find the front door since it's not actually on Fair Oaks. Park on he street or the adjacent parking lot off of Union and make your way to 22 Holly Street. There, you'll find an alleyway which is where you need to go. The bouncer is huge but super nice and paid a cover of $5/person. The Pub itself is dark and small, but very rock n roll and cozy. The crowd is super cute, nerdy/hipster and never felt any ego whatsoever (so common in LA)! The bar only serves beer and wine which again, is very European! Loved the flags of different countries hanging from the ceiling too. Not much seating inside; it's mostly taken by the bar and small stage. And there's a tv too. Overall, cute, cozy and chill - but of course, quite loud with music. If I'm on the area, I'll be back!

Beers, throwback decor, live music, pinball machine, cool outside smoking area, polite bartender, perfect~

Rude, unprofessional, slow bartenders. I came this past Saturday night and both the male and female bartenders working around 11pm were very rude to customers in addition to very slow service. Also beers were warm.

Old Towne Pub RULES. Ignore any reviews that say otherwise. If people don't like it, they're simply lame, and you don't want to hang out with them anyway. Why does OTP rule? Because it's a throwback in time to the 90s rock and bar scene, with live music most night s, no damn TVs playing sports, a huge beer selection (so you can get a crappy cheap beer if you want...which we all do at times, or you can get a top notch craft beer too if you want). The look and feel inside this place and on their awesome patio is just so unusual for the Los Angeles area. Reminds me of great bars from my college days. And the fact that there are live bands and people who appreciate that live music and cheer and applaud the bands, and even do a little dancing sometimes, just warms my heart. Again: OTP RULES!

Great bar with great live music! They get all sorts of bands to play from SoCal with different styles of rock. Sometimes they'll have metal, other times punk, even some out-there prog rock. The staff is extremely friendly and approachable. Do be warned, the only harder liquor they serve is soju. Personally I like that because it means you don't typically see people getting too rowdy. This place is a Pasadena institution, the city wouldn't be the same without it.

This place is kind of fun. Going down a back alley to find this little hole in the wall adds a bit of excitement and makes you feel like you have found a spot that others don't know about. Of course they do, and it is a small joint and laid back with a little courtyard out back. As long as people aren't smoking back there it's very pleasant. It is a dive bar. It is dark and it can be either packed and ridiculously loud or completely empty. They also have live music often which adds to the crowds and noise level. On nights it isn't too crazy and the smoking isn't too bad, I like this place and typically stop by if I am in old town Pasadena. Added bonus points if Apple is working.

Enter at your own risk! The club itself is a terrific throwback to British pubs from yesteryear. Bartenders were cool. The issue I had was that there was a regular there who was actively messing with the patrons and the musicians on stage, but because security knew him they would not do anything about it. Eventually he started fighting with multiple patrons, and the patrons themselves asked security to remove the guy. But the door guy said he was a regular and to cut him some slack. The kid then pulled out a steak knife and threatened to stab a girl. He was again let back in the club freely multiple times until half the club got into an argument with the kid that almost became a full-blown bar fight. Eventually about 14 people forcibly ejected this kid and had to stand at the door to make sure he could not get back in again. I would also like to point out this kid could not have been above 22 years old. The whole thing was incredibly ugly, and I was just absolutely dumbfounded by the lack of seriousness the security took over a kid with a knife, threatening to stab people on the spot. As a result, I could never go back there, never recommend anyone go back there, and certainly would not tell a band to play there. I never thought I would say this about anywhere in lovely Pasadena, but enter at your own risk.

Very cool old school pub, entrance kinda hidden from outside...feel like playing hide and seek to get there...Seem like they change live music style/bands every night. Cool back yard ... only downside... the air circulation was not ok, too many smokers, they let people smoke at the back yard. If you can't handle cigarettes smell I wouldn't recommend.

What an amazing pub!! There's something whimsical and magical about it. Like entering Diagon Alley in Harry Potter. The main entrance to the pub is, you guessed it, in an alley. And once you step through the gateway you enter an incredible space with multi-colored lighting, tons of artwork all over the walls, ceilings, air vents, a pin ball machine... a wonderful outdoor patio that seems secluded in its own little world. There is also a cool stage and they often have live music!!! The drinks are pretty delicious and reasonably priced. The staff is extremely kind! If you want an incredible, intimate yet pub like experience. I DEFINITELY recommend Old Towne Pub!

Awesome bar! Amazing to find a true dive like this in old town Pasadena. Best spot for live music around. Friendly staff from the door, to the sound, to the bar. Stellar smoking patio, great sound, and a fine selection of beer. Go support your local dive bar and support local music! It can be a bit tricky to find your first time, so for your navigation it's down the alley at 22 E Holly st. Cheers!

Such a fantastic bar with really cool eclectic decor and music. They have different styles of music every night from acoustic to death metal. I believe it's one of the oldest bars in Pasadena and is historic as it used to be a firehouse in the 1800's. I heard that they filmed a Tom Cruise movie in the alley outside. Great place if you can find it, it's definitely a hidden gem of Old Towne Pasadena. Plus the selection of beers can't be topped anywhere in town. Wanted to support small businesses that made it through covid and what's great is that they also have an enclosed outdoor patio.

Warning to bands: DO. NOT. BOOK. HERE. My band plays 100s if shows a year across the country and this is only the 2nd venue we've ever came in contact with where we have played to a full room and then when we asked about a payment we're told "Sorry bro, you're getting nothing". We were supposed to have a guarantee that was communicated with us via email prior to the show. Absolutely no idea of that when we got there. Afterwards we asked the staff if we could get paid anything... $20... heck, even $10 to get us back on the road and they said "Nope bro. Sorry. Nothing." Heck, I even spent $30 at the bar myself and couldn't give us a dime for playing there. A bunch of sketchy people that clearly do not care one bit about the bands they book. Would recommend anywhere else in the Pasadena or LA area.

This place is a joke. The prices are absurd and they don't even have waited service. U have to stand in line for a long time to order and pay and then get ur food!!! Like a fast food restaurant with high end prices. The food is average. Two stars for live music.

Venue promised guarantee for band, at the end of the night, they chose not to pay. Owner promised to pay when confronted and has ignored contact with band and management.

Old Town Pub continues to be one of Old Town Pasadena's hot spots! I heard that the management had changed in Old Town Pub since early last year and it has improved a lot since then. Theres usually a band, a dj, or a performance going on here from Thursdays to Sunday. It never gets old, which is why I love this place. The drinks are good and well priced, I mean you're in Pasadena, so every bar is a little pricey, but they do have PBR! Old Town Pub has plenty of regulars from what I see, probably because of the awesome bartenders or the ambience, maybe both. OTP would be a great place to hold parties or events, it provides a good amount of space and the location is prime. Ive recommened it to friends in the past and they loved their experience here. So if you're around the area or even if you're just looking to hit up a bar in Old town, check out Old Town Pub.

Oh you think you're all cute, huh? You think it's fun trying to find your way to this place? Try finding your way back out after downing all the pisto you could take for the night. Came here with a homie the other night. We made a right, went straight down and then a left to get to this joint. Or was that 2 lefts after the 1st right.... I don't quite remember given the fact that my jack in the box cup was almost empty by the time we found the spot. I'm pretty sure any diva-like lead singer in a band has to remind themselves "No stage too small... No performance too big" when they play here. There they were jamming out on the "stage" off to the corner. Here we were having some beers, chillin on some bar stools that looked like they were ready to give out. Learn from my mistakes and don't come in some cute heels (no matter how much you think you've down played the outfit). Your Homegirl, Violy

Excellent live music You may think you won't see some great bands You will It's open really late btw

Old Towne Pub is located in Old Town Pasadena. It's located inside of an alley way. You'll probably get lost if you don't look for that alley way. If you are heading up on Fair Oaks, stay on the right side and look for a green gate. Go through there, and you'll see the pub. This pub is cheaper than other bars in old town, strong drinks and they usually have a live band playing! Drinks specials are written on their wall/mirrors. It's a pretty divey/hipstery pub, that is if you don't care. There are no tables, unless you are outside at the patio. There are chairs, benches and car seats. Yup, soft and comfortable car seats by the table. Be the first to claim it, you'll thank me later when the place gets packed and you have seats for you and friends. If you're planning to come here to just catch up with friends, I would suggest you to sit outside OR don't bother coming here because it gets pretty loud and packed when the band begins to play. Other than the band, there's also darts and pinball machine as entertainment! Downside? Women's restrooms doors does not have locks. It's just a wooden door that closes each stall and there's only two stalls. So ladies, just make sure to have a girlfriend with you to keep an eye out. Overall, chill place during the day and cheap.

We 'v been this pub a couple times, but I never really remember the name of this place. Guess I was always too drunk to realize where I was already :( j/k Last time we were there because we stayed at the Marriot down the street, we didn't have to pay cover charge because of our hotel stay. There was a live rock band performing, some girls were dancing to the band, it was interesting to watch. :) This bar looks old, but I like it, they have some nice ale, I love ale, the bartenders are always so friendly. they have DJ and dance floor at the patio on weekends. the best about this place is everybody is so friendly, and drunk... :P we can always have a very good time, just drink, chill and have a good time, not to worry what to wear, people watching all those craps like in Hollywood. Very good place for some low key times, relaxing times with friends or a date.:)

Cozy hidden dive bar of Old Town! I didn't even know this place existed, it's like you have to come with someone who's been or else you get lost trying to find it. Tucked away in an alley, you can easily think you've went the wrong way (especially if you already started getting your drink on). =p It's charm is cheap drinks, it's like there's Happy Hour prices all the time! The down-to-earthiness is much appreciated in a place like Old Town which is filled with Gastropubs and shi shi foo foo places galore. Decor isn't much just some neon signs and bare bones bar furniture, do like how the beer selection is written on the mirrored wall behind the bar, beats the harder to read 'hipster/gastropub' chalkboards signs. Apple was the only bartender that weeknight, but that's all the bartender Old Towne Pub needed cuz she kicked butt! Not really knowing what to order she suggested this beer that tasted like cherries, extremely delicious. It wasn't Sam Adams Cherry Wheat, since it was darker in color and had a slight tartness to it. I can't remember the name right now but if you ask Apple she'll tell you. =D Another reason why this place is so great is live music from local bands. The night I stopped by there was this band called Monster playing from the Pomona/West Covina area, they weren't half bad for how young they look. Their friends/groupies really helped fill the Pub, earlier it was kinda on the you-can-almost-hear-crickets-chirping level. XD Not much of a place to have a conversation since the music can get quite loud in such a small place, but perfect for getting your buzz on (or continuing it) and support the music. Rock on Old Towne Pub, ROCK ON!

Came here last weekend to watch a friend's band play. I made the mistake of not referring to trusty Yelp; if I had, I wouldn't have circled the block 4 times looking for the place. You can't really find it off Fair Oaks, and will be frustrated that the numbers jump from the 40s to the 70s. A friend had to come outside and get me, and you'll avoid my mistake by entering through an alley off Holly near Fair Oaks instead. Not the friendliest bartenders, but drinks are CHEAP..... I paid $12 for a strong rum and coke and a glass of chardonnay. A good list of $2 shots too, the round we ordered of Watermelon Crush shots was surprisingly strong (most cheap shot specials are mostly Kool-Aid). VERY divey atmosphere, and very, very crowded. I really enjoyed the quality of the ska punk bands who played, which seemed way above the normal garage bands you see at these types of joints. The crowd was a little crazy and we almost got knocked over or had people dropped on us a few times, without anyone seeming to be regulating (but maybe that's why some like this place so much). The bathrooms were small and a little dirty with non-locking, saloon-type stall doors, which were NOT good for tall people like me. Overall, it was worth the $5 cover and I'd come back.

I was sitting in my hotel room and did a quick yelp monocle search to see which bars were around. Old Town popped up and boy what a find. Set off the street in a back alley off Holly, this small bar is worth the search. We were there on Friday night and the place was jamming with live bands and good people. Beer selection is great with plenty of micro brews to be had. I instantly like any bar that has The Reverend on tap. But I think the real greatness of this bar is the vibe you get from the staff. The door man collecting the $5 cover charge greeted us warmly. The bartenders, even though they were busy, took the time to say hi and made an effort to get our drink order. This vibe transcends throughout the bar making it a very cool place to listen to some great local musicians. Also, thanks to the patron that brought cookies. The chocolate oatmeal cookie was a perfect compliment to my freshly poured glass of The Reverend.

I've been coming to the pub for years and have enjoyed all of my visits. This is a great hidden gem located in Old Town away from trendy Colorado Blvd. Many of the locals in Pasadena can be found here on any given night. Pasadena is a large city but coming here one sees and experiences just how much of a small town feel it can really have. Last night I went to Hope Barry's retirement party and had a blast. Now I don't know Hope but that's the beauty of coming to the pub one can always expect to have a great time no matter what band is playing or who's having the party at the pub. Everyone that goes to the pub, and works at the pub, usually has a really laid back down to earth personality.

It is a nice small bar, located in downtown area of Pasadena. They, usually, have live bands, that are playing at this establishment. The place, of course, is small. At the same time, it is clean. The drinks are fairly priced. So, if anyone is in Pasadena, I would recommend to stop by this bar, and enjoy some live music. Especially, I would recommend to visit this bar on weekends.

This place was one of the last stops that I made in my Pasadena adventure of that night it was definitely the cherry on the top it was an experience in itself walking in to this place I liked that the bouncer marked my hand with an ex gave the experience a grunge Factor and then when I walked in there was live music and not too expensive drinks there is a nice cozy back yard where they sell artwork definitely love to return gem of Pasadena that is hidden in a alleyway very hard to catch

This is my favorite fucking place. Drinks, lights, music, community. That's all I got for yall

It opened again about a month ago or so. Live music again. Still a great dive with outdoor seating as well.

My buddy likes this place and he knows that I love live music so he brought me here. Yeah, you've got to navigate some alleys to get here so it's kind of hidden which makes it a bit cooler I guess. There was a cover charge for the music which was fine. I don't think it was excessive. The bands were just ok. The reggae band that was the main draw wasn't bad but wasn't great - a bit repetitive but I was just chilling for the night. Bathroom was tiny and divey as expected. The bartender was fine - it wasn't that packed so no complaints there. Maybe I came on an off night. It had some potential and I could see how this place might be a lot of fun.

The Old Town Pub is the secluded hidden gem of Pasadena. It's not easy to locate but you will be rewarded once you find it. Make your way down the dimly lit & alley and enter the magic of The Old Town Pub. The doorman/bouncer "Tiny" is anything but Tiny and is way cool. The bartender's are attentive and friendly. The sound man "Disco" was enthusiastic & helped to make all the live bands: Dirty Cakes, The Obscure (The Cure tribute) Teenage Goo Goomucks (The Cramps tribute) sound amazing. Local craft beers on tap were cold and they also have a selection of Sake and wine. Enjoy the patio seating outside with ivy covered brick walls that make you feel like your on vacation at a European pub. Overall, The Old Town Pub is a really fun bar that's off the beaten path and once you've found it you'll be sure to return

A last call would have sufficed, but instead bar tenders were cursing and screaming at customers at the end of the night with no warning or last call prior to 2am whatsoever. Very unprofessional and a very disappointing ending of the evening to many peoples' dismay. Happy Halloween, Old Towne. We will not be back.

Awesome place! My friends and I were doing a pub-crawl and came across this place. The place was dope, the people were great and there were two bartenders working, one guy with glasses and a cute blonde with short hair that were so helpful and fun! There weren't very many people in the bar at the time, about 9:30, but the bartenders really did a great job with making things fun! Will definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants a great time!

Took my little sister here for her 21st birthday on a Saturday night and it was great! Didn't realize that they don't have a full liquor license (they served us soju instead of vodka) but the live music was a lot of fun and the crowd was laid back and cool. It wasn't super packed for a Saturday but I would absolutely come back. Also, I would recommend coming when it's warmer out--the backyard patio looked amazing.

Nice little place to do shows! the sound guy was great and the people were very supportive to local bands! I like the atmosphere very dark and gloomy place! great to film a video or a horror movie. Historic place hidden in old Pasadena. Our second time playing there, don't mind doing another show for our local friends!

Great place to come and just hang out and listen to music bartender super chill people that come in really chill will definitely come back.

5 solid stars. Enter through an alley. off the street. Cool brick building. Walk in ... amazing decor. Some classic pinball machines on one side, a really cool bar on the other side. An *amazing* stage with super cool lights and, finally, a super cool patio with chairs and tables. This is one of the coolest bars I've been to and probably the coolest in Old Town. The bar manager, Aaron, had mad everything skills. He was setting up the stage for the band, doing the sound check, all the while pouring beers for people and providing unreal customer service. This guy's multi-task skills are through the roof. Friendly as hell. You know, in a small bar like this, the guy whose running things sets the tone. Lots of amazing music. We listened to an electric folk band with fiddle and banjo ... the works. Following them was a hard rocking band. Both high quality bands. People weren't boogying much, but they were having major fun. Highly recommended.

The vibe there is so homely, wonderful beer and wine at a great price. The service is also great. Really nice patio area