The Boulevard Bar

It is always a pleasure to spend an evening at this establishment. The atmosphere was lively and inviting, making it a great place to relax with friends. I was impressed by the quality of the drinks 🍻 and the friendly service provided by the staff. 😊

Fun Karaoke! Not sure if this is Pasadena’s only gay bar. It has been here for sometime. Nice small town feel inside. Great friendly staff. Great memories visiting friends here when we wanted a low key night out.

I’ve been a customer of this bar for almost 20 years and I really have to say that I love this place. From the special events to karaoke and running into friends here makes it all worth it. I even met my partner here. Truly a special place.

Amazing time at The Boulevard. As a single women traveling I instantly felt safe and welcome. Between the staff and patrons I didn't feel alone or awkward for a minute. The drag show was incredible, especially with no cover?! Make sure to tip well! Karaoke was so much fun! Everyone gets really involved. Drank angry orchard which was $8/ea all night. Didn't order food. Would definitely recommend this place!

Best local neighborhood bar around. Great place to grab a drink, sing some karaoke, and even catch a drag show or two! Steve (the owner) is great; he’s hilarious and makes all his customers feel like family.

I had a lovely time here last night with my gf and metamour. The atmosphere was cozy (with excellent halloween decor), the bartender Steve was friendly, the regular crowd was lively and welcoming, the drinks were strong, I danced and sang and laughed (and lost a ring and don't even care 😆)

The -2 stars is for the damn patrons, the female variety who get drunk and right up in your face singing and clapping and then literary hang on you like you’re their best friend. No hunty, mind yourself and others’ personal space. Last night I wasn’t even finished with my first and only cocktail and my fiancé and I looked at each other and said, let’s go. Meanwhile, the staff is super friendly, bartenders pour enjoyable but expensive cocktails, shows are fun, and karaoke is typically a great time. A makers and Ginger and a Jack and Diet were $11 each. You used to be able to go here for less than that.

I’ve had really good times here. Nice ppl and fun ambience. I wish it wasn’t cash only (especially considering that the cocktails ain’t exactly cheap) and I wish they’d hire a bouncer (you can never be too careful these days), but other than that, I really appreciate this place.

The Boulevard is a MUST whether you're a local or visitor! A nice little hole in the wall LGBTQ+ bar with pool, karaoke, and great deals. Steve's service was amazing and hospitable! I'm not from here but he made me feel so safe, at home, and welcomed at the Boulevard! Drinks were made in less than a minute and the deals were amazing. I went with a friend who she and I played pool, danced in the back room, and sat at the bar sipping onto our drinks made with love... Will definitely be returning soon!! Made my California experience unforgettable!!!!!

Established in 1979, this is a no frills, LBGTQ+ friendly neighborhood dive bar. There is a pool table in the back and a karaoke stage in the front. The drinks are stiff and the customers are lively & fun. The locals come here for nightly Karaoke, and they also have drag shows every Friday at 11 p.m. I came here many years ago, but it still looked like I remembered. Bartender Chad was friendly and attentive. I liked his vibe. I sipped my vodka soda while soaking in the ambience. I would have stayed for another, but this place is cash only and I don't carry much on me these days. There is an ATM machine in the back, but I'm old school and don't have an ATM card. LOL!

I love our one and only pasadena gay bar. Fun ambiance. The staff is always fun, kind and attentive, and their events only continue to get better. I just wish that they would accept credit cards (but I assume there's a monetary decision behind this) and that they opened before 8pm more often. I'd support a Blvd happy hour !!!

Came here a few weeks ago after one of the most stressful weeks I've had a in a while.. one of those where you get off a shift and and just want a nice buzz and a meal before bed lol. I stopped by at around 11:30pm on a Sunday. I was able to find street parking very close since I stopped by when I assumed it would be slow. The inside was small but very nice with the lots of pride decor everywhere. Thankfully there were only about 8 other people in there at the time so it was very chill and I was able to enjoy my drinks in peace. The bartender was nice, he offered a Tajín rim instead of salt on the margarita which I always appreciate! Only cash with an ATM in the back, I cant remember how much each marg was but it was either $8 or $10. Overall a pleasant experience. I'm sure it gets poppin on the weekends here and would be better with a group, maybe I'll be back with friends!

First time here last Friday night. Had to park around the corner and up the street, but that's no biggie. Quite frankly this is the best little hole in the wall gay bar on the planet. The bartenders are exceedingly good looking, very cool, and do perfect pours. Drinks are reasonably priced, but do note that they are cash only, so plan accordingly. The karaoke was great! I didn't participate, but it seemed to be well organized and the guy running it was a hoot! One part sarcasm and one part hilarity. Honestly folks, this place is legit. Just don't come in drunk, and don't be a self absorbed twat, and you'll have a great time with everyone.

Always a happy place to be , where you can be yourself without judgement. I celebrated my birthday here last night and the show was awesome ! Drag queens were full of energy . A place to unwind after long day at work, sing your heart out at their karaoke nights . I support this epic place and I support LGBTQ ‍ and we support Steve .

Love this dive bar!!! Couldn't ask for more. Strong drinks. Pool table. Karaoke. Locals. Friendly bartender. This was my first time at a lgbtq bar and my first drag show. I'm heterosexual and married but was in town one night only and wanted to sing karaoke and this was the only option. I had a blast! Yes there are particular rules but I did my research and walked in asking questions (yes a bit of BDE ) the bartender was amazing the queens were amazing I appreciated that the KJ sanitized the mic after each performance. And I got some good notes from the queens . So...bring cash. Don't be pretentious. Enjoy

Yes!!! Such a great time at The Boulevard. Love the gay hangs, with good vibes and great entertainment Park in the residential area around the corner (No parking lot) CASH ONLY AT THE BAR $3 atm in the corner No cover Proof of vaccination & ID at the door Fridays are Karoke & @ 11pm an amazing Drag Show, hosted by the fabulous Portia ensues! Drinks are decently priced, served by shirtless dudes with smiles and friendly service ($28 for 3 gin and gingers, about $9.50 each) 1 free pool table Not a typical gay bar with porn on the TV screens, but a clean and friendly place to call home. To enjoy a drink, sing some songs (or watch those that have the balls to sing, noone is judged here!) And watch some great drag performances. A great place to celebrate a birthday or have a fun night out. Gay or straight, a judgment free zone where the love and booze be flowing. A great time for all. Portia mcing was amazing! She really brings the house down and has a great energy! Catch her hosting every Friday and bring those $1 bills for the queens!!

The owner kicked my girlfriend out for resting her head for a few minutes and told her she was wasted even though she was stone cold sober, drove me there, and was supposed to be my ride home. She ended up having to take her car home and I had to pay for a ride. The owner also harassed another memeber of my party and told her she was too drunk as well and she also was sober on arrival. It seemed like the owner was on a mission tonight... Post note: the owner responded super inappropriately and threatened to call the cops on sober patrons who weren't causing any issues. People did leave with her, I wasn't there for the interaction and I didn't realize how bad it was until people fully told me what actually happened in the morning. To say "many a review like this" says everything you need to know. If you come here you may be unjustly harrassed for something extremely minor. Nobody in the situation was belligerent (other than the owner) and nobody was causing issues with other patrons. If theres other reviews like this then the owner really has a pattern of disrespecting his clientelle. There's a reason this bar has a 3.9 rating....

This was a lot of fun to get strong drinks and spectate kareoke! Definitely recommend, will come back if we are in the area again

Alright first off I've only been once and I'm not the target demo. However, my wife and I had a fucking blast. She paradoxically had both crippling social phobia and immense desire to sing in public. Here she was cheered on and made to feel amazing. We made the mistake of believing this is like other bars karaoke nights and waited to put our names in. This isn't like other places where roughly 25% are gonna sing. In this place everyone had a tune in their back pocket to belt out. The dj/manager makes sure everyone gets a chance before the boldest get the second go. We were served by a super friendly young man named Johnny who is young enough he could have been my prom night mistake but sang like an old soul. It was fun and positive and I'm very thankful. To the ladies who got up to cheer my wife on, you are fucking real ones. And Amber we found your thing after you left and gave it to the bar. Five Fucking Stars.

Visited this karaoke bar with a friend from out of town for pride weekend and we were NOT disappointed. The ambiance was AMAZING. Our drinks were yummy and the singers were great! Overall great vibes and definitely a safe place for queer folks and allies to let loose. If you're in Pasadena, I recommend checking this place out

Pretty good time lol good folks great service. Great drinks nice staff. Good pool table in the back

First off, the bartender was great. Super friendly and poured heavy too! I came with a group of 4 for karaoke but was really disappointed. My first friend texted their song request but the queued song was incorrect. We spoke to the manager who said he would fix it but my friend still ended up on stage trying to sing a song he didn't know. My song went fine but my two other friends popped up in the queue and then their names both disappeared seconds later. I asked if they had accidentally been skipped but the manager claimed they had been called 3 times each..which definitely did not happen since we were all in the front row eagerly waiting. I did not want to argue after reading other poor reviews about interactions with the manager so we left after that. Other notes: cash only, limited seating, friendly crowd

I meant to write this back in January/2023 when we were there. We had a blast. Me, my husband, and a friend went on a Friday night for the drag show. Had an awesome time. Loved the drag show and enjoyed being out among kind and fun people. I'm a nondrinker but my husband and friend had cocktails which they did not care for. We tipped the drag queens a lot. Bring some cash for that. Well worth it.

First of all, Steve, I have never been to your bar before last night. You have me confused with a different black girl. Second, my water bottle had water in it, not liquor, and I would've been much more inclined to actually leave it in my car if you weren't a complete asshole from the time we arrived. Not only to me, but I saw you be rude to other customers as well. You need an attitude check. And this is coming from someone in the service industry. Original review: The bar itself is great, but the bartender on staff when I went on a Sunday night for karaoke was the rudest person I've encountered in a while. He was not only rude to me but several other people while I was there. He made me feel extremely unwelcome and I definitely won't be coming here again.

I love this place, the owner Steve is a great guy and his bartenders Johnny and Jamal are super nice, If you want a place to have a birthday, sing karaoke see a really good drag show or just hangout this is the place to do it. The Boulevard Bar has been in the community for years when other bars have come and gone. There is always something going on so go on in and say Hi.

Popped by here on a whim the Sunday before Christmas while friends from the OC were in Pasadena on a staycation and had one of the most memorable experiences. As soon as we walked in, we knew this was our spot for the night and many others in the future if we are in the area. And this was all driven by...STEVE. Steve is warm, wonderful, funny, sarcastic, proud of his establishment. Judging by all the regulars that swung by throughout the night and seeing his warm interaction with them, you know he and this bar are loved. The space is cozy and clean, complete with a pool table and a mini stage for karaoke (or drag shows!) Karoake brings the people together and that happened here for sure. Steve subs in as the DJ as well, and his energy and outlook just cracked me up. I'll be honest, my friends chose this place because they were seeking a gay bar for the night, were curious about the spot based on what they read online AND amused by Steve's responses to the 1-star reviews on here. We heard the backstory for each and let's just say, those are the "yelpers" that give us a bad rap, the ones who threaten owners negative yelp reviews for bad experiences that are due to THEIR fault. Check it out for yourself - you won't be disappointed. And Steve, I hope to be back soon.

This place has changed. The hours are much later. I wanted to stop by at 5:00 pm and they weren't open Yet. Shame, this place use to have better hours.

Boulevard is like going back in time and space.... Perhaps Des Moines in 1980. A classic dive hole in a wall in a good way. The bartender is old school...a bit cranky, amiable, droll, with lots of May West-W.C Fieldesque one liners. Full bar for basic cocktails and then some. Don't expect elaborate mixology and craft beers. However, try Steve's Rootbeer Float which is a sweet dessert drink with flavours of coffee, orange rind, cinnamon, cloves, allspice in a complex heavy cream medley. I fell in on a Wednesday, and it was Karaoke (kah rah oh keh) night by 9:30pm. Downhome with the bartender also acting as the MC. Very retro, small town feel. If you want more flash, razzle dazzle, go 30 miles west to Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood. 4- Yelp stars.

The environment of this place was very cute and welcoming. Karaoke was cool. The only thing was that I could not get drunk! They have a cash only policy (what year is it again?) and I would have gladly taken out cash except I didn't have a debit card! Expired and have been waiting for my card to come in the mail. Shame. I had to go to another bar a few blocks down where they took card! Would highly recommend changing the cash only policy. Charge more for your drinks if you need to. Oh well, maybe next time.

So, I decided to wait a while prior to leaving this review after visiting one time the first weekend in April. The pros to this establishment are many. First, the bar is kind of low insofar as there are not a lot of karaoke options in the area. So if you'd like to karaoke, this spot is one of your only choices. Second, the clientele are extremely talented with a diverse range of musical styles. The cons? The two drink minimum policy. For those with health or addiction issues, this venue is rather exclusive. I ordered three waters for the table and - having worked in the service industry as a younger person - voluntarily tipped three dollars. Additionally, my companions ordered three rounds over the course of the evening. Theoretically, this was enough to push us over the two-drink minimum as a party. When my karaoke request was repeatedly denied, I questioned the proprietor and explained my situation. He said that his staff doesn't charge for water. That said, I explained that I did voluntarily tip $3. He then challenged me to visit the friendly bartending waitstaff. As it was quite busy and at least an hour had elapsed, they could not remember whether or not I had left a tip. At that point, the proprietor said, "You're a liar!" In front of the entire bar. Unfortunately that was not a good look for him or his establishment. At that point I challenged him to pull any video footage he may have, welcoming him to check the veracity of my account. At that point he declined and retreated back to the karaoke booth. This could be a terrific establishment if not for discrimination against those with specific health conditions or addiction issues. Perhaps a good solution might be an alternate karaoke fee for non-drinkers? I would have happily paid and such unprofessional and exclusionary behavior on the part of the proprietor could have been avoided. That said, if you enjoy getting your drink on and don't mind a bit of verbal abuse, this is the spot for you!

Best Karaoke/ drag show in the area Drinks mehh, choose veer here!! Parking is tight.

I love this place I can't wait to go again, it was sooo much fun the night I went was karaoke night! They also have a pool table and I love playing pool too also the service when I tell you it's amazing it's too bitch in my book. Everyone is so sweet and nice when I walked in I felt positive fun vibes here! I hope next time I go they have some food, I love to eat and I hope they have some good food. If they have I would be so happy the drinks are fire! And delicious

as someone who has worked in hospitality for most of my life, i am not a big reviewer. at all. i find it kind of horrible. however, i use yelp to find places etc. steve, you are really putting in the work battling these horrible 1 star reviewers - so annoying. you do a good job with your bar and the public is impossible to cater to, at times. especially the type of people that run here to slander a business. keep up the good work. my wife and i live in pasadena and have frequented this bar for the last year. i would not call us regulars, but we def bring people in and go as much as we can! we love the karaoke nights. as a lesbian, i never expect any special treatment at gay bars as they are mostly built for gay men, but we have never had a bad time here and have always been treating with respect, despite not having a c%*k lol. the karaoke is run great in my opinion. never have we ever been pushed to the bottom, as some of these reviews write. this is a great, festive, lively and community driven bar here in pasadena and we should all be grateful to have such a place! see you tonight!

Went in last night to do karaoke with my friends and the KJ was very rude and was saying that he didn't have ANY of the songs we wanted. Which is odd because WHO DOESNT HAVE "LOVE ON THE BRAIN" BY RIHANNA?!

So many lost opportunities for what could have been a nice local spot. So not welcoming.

My friends and I have been here a few times and every time we've had a great experience. The drinks are good. The bartenders and staff are super friendly, cool and attentive. The vibe is welcoming, fun and chill. Definitely recommend this place.

Best karaoke and drag shows anywhere in the Pasadena area... always a great time with friends! Amazing sound and lightshow, true karaoke bar with every song you can ask for.

Great neighborhood bar, and a fantastic local alternative to the bars in Weho or DTLA. Drinks, Drag, Pool, and Karaoke- who can ask for more. Thank you Steve for continuing to serve our community. Cheers sir!

This was my first time here and my last. From Phoenix Arizona. Never have I EVER been treated with disrespect. The bartender, young fellow, thought he was the king of the place. Only asked for a spit cup, nope. Don't think he knows what that is. Said no and said I have to wait. I will NEVER visit this place again. And to add. Two Domestic beers and two shots, $31?? Damn!!!!! Not worth it.. over priced. Treat family like family kid!!

Okay, thanks Sathy, Panda, Jennifer, Niki, and Vince for dragging me here on a Wednesday night to have drinks and to watch the Drag Queens (transgender) perform! It was a fun experience for a straight guy. LOL. I must admit, the Drag Queens are beautiful! Very nice people, very feminine, and extraordinary performers. They lipsync songs, danced, and seem to be very affectionate people. Of course it's a business, and they earn money mainly through tips and the bar probably also pays them too. They serve simple mixed drinks and beer both on tap and bottle. Not too much of a selection on the tap, but mixed drinks might have more varieties depending on the bartender. Boulevard is a small neighborhood dive bar. The transgender performs twice a week from what I was told. They are very nice people, and I learn to accept them for who they are. I came more for the experience, and to hang out with some fun Yelp buddies. Just have fun and don't think too much. :)

Love this place - inviting, friendly, and fun. So glad to be raising my kids in a city where Boulevard exists!

Steve the bartender is unmatched. If you don't like him you're honestly an individual who is out of touch with reality. GET A GRIP lmaoooo but for real. Fun little bar that cares about its guest's! SHOUTOUT TO STEVE

I've been coming to the Boulevard for a few years now, religiously on my birthday. Each and every time I can venture out, this is my go to! I love this place, the ambience, people (STEVE), bartenders, and just the entirety is great! This place has NOT DISAPPOINTED me or my group of friends and family, not once!!! If you're in the area you have to come check it out, whether it's for a good Drag show or Karaoke... or maybe to get plastered on tequila shots for your birthday! ‍‍‍‍‍ it's definitely worth a drop in. Hey, BTW... if this isn't your scene, then don't bother because this bar is only for the deserving! Thanks guys for a great Saturday night!!!

GAY BAR SMALL TOWN DIVE BAR REALNESS!!! This hidden gem makes me gag for joy! Can here for Karaoke memorial day weekend and must of sang like +10 songs.... I spent less than $20 on several drinks that were well made... a tad watered down... then again my tolerance level is "supreme lush" vs. entry level. I plan to go back VERY VERY SOON. Everyone here is so open, genuine, encouraging and engaging. Pool table in back. Small cozy bathrooms. Juke box. Flirts. Plenty of seating. If you're doing karaoke the mic cuts out right after you past the first bathroom... (I like to work the room).

I've been coming to the Blvd for the past 5 years. It's not the fluff of weho but it's always a good time. During the pandemic shut down the owner made some cosmetic repairs. What I absolutely love about the owner Steve is he was amazingly socially responsible during COVID. He was one of the first and only places in summer 2021 to require masks and vaccination cards. He was really looking out for the community and doing his part to keep us safe. Anyone who works as hard as Steve to keep the community safe will always get my business.

This place claims to check vaccinations but There are people inside I've talked to that are not vaccinated and seems they only pick and choose who they let in this establishment. I've tried this place multiple times to give the gay community support but it's been multiple times where I've entered and walked right back out once I've experienced unfair game to customers

This place is pretty cool. It's a small little hole in the wall in a quiet area. I went here on a Saturday and it was karaoke night. The inside of the bar is cute and colorful and the bartender was very cute and attentive. I went in there alone and the people at the bar were very friendly. This is more of a male gay bar and not many women here. The younger men were friendly but some of the older gentleman were not so welcoming. If you are a gay woman you won't meet too many women here. Besides that, it is a cool karaoke bar and a lot of the singers that sang are super talented. I only stayed for one drink and left because it just felt like a boys club. I still recommend because the service was great and if you like to sing karaoke they have a cool setup for that.

I had fun watching those singing Karaoke nice crowd honestly just wish there was more of a mix....

This place is perfect. It's a cute and small neighborhood bar in East Pasadena, CA. All ages here. Saturday is Karaoke night. Two Captain Morgan and cokes cost me $20+$2tip. Plus the best part is that they accept Venmo to pay for drinks. Smoking area is out front and you have to park in the neighborhood down the street or two blocks away, but it was no big deal. The neighborhood is supper safe.

Great people, great bartender, and the karaoke was on point and the drag queen show mesmerizing! Will definitely go back

So I was driving down Foothill the other night and I saw some lovely rainbow flags and when I looked over I noticed it was a gay bar...so of course I Was excited to try out and support a new gay bar! Of course with any business I always try to read signs before entering to see what they expect even though I always wear the mask. So naturally that's what I did there...but the only sign I saw was one that said to have your ID ready. Ok cool, I go in and it's small and cute. But this older man walks up and asks if I'm vaccinated, I politely say no. I'm expecting him to say to have my mask on unless drinking or something. But he says something to the affect of "what you choose is your business" kinda thing and told me I had to leave. Don't you ever assume someone is not vaccinated because they are anti-vax. You do not know me, you do not know why I have been unable to get the vax at this exact moment. If you are only going to allowed vaxed individuals, you should have a sign in front that says that instead of rudely assuming things. If this was handled differently I wouldn't have even reviewed until I went back to check it out, but I will definitely not go back..but everyone else, I hope you have fun!

I went here for the first time on a Friday for drag night and karaoke. Everyone here is sooo friendly and kind. The bartenders were really attentive and fast. I love that they check for vax cards! This made me feel much safer with the way the world is right now. The show was entertaining and also hilarious! The crowd was smaller this night but loud and fun for everyone that sang! You'll feel like you've got a big family rooting for you at your school musical, lol! This place is going to be a regular for me from now on. Support gay and queer businesses

This place is small but it packs a punch full of fun! The vibe is casual and chill and the karaoke is lit! I will say we found the drinks to be weak, unfortunately, but that was the only downside we experienced. While they don't have a parking lot, there is plenty of street parking nearby so it wasn't an issue for us. Note that it is pretty small and can be hard to spot as you drive down the street so keep a watchful eye!

Hey , I love this little bar . The owner is an old school abrasive gay but he means no harm. A fun time always.... Not your West Hollywood bar...oh and come here ready to sing like it's your last damn tour. "Good luck and don't fuck it up", or, Steve will judge your ass...but hey, criticism is a good thing. There's been times I've came to this bar and sang song after song after song after drink after drink after drink with no problem. The crowd is always good with some down to earth individuals . No egos ; just excellent hometown fun. My favorite drink here is the Captain Peach or whatever the hell it's called. Anyways check this spot out if you are ever in the area

Great drag shows! Best gay bar in San Gabriel Valley. Convenient location. Drinks are great and happy hour prices!

I read this article online about the history of this establishment and decided to try it out. Right when I arrived with my friend we were welcomed by Steve and we absolutely loved his drinks, great vibes, and awesome music! Will definitely have to go back again! Such a friendly environment!

I love this place. I can say the karaoke is great. The drag shows are always the best and the dog got a new look for 2020. He got a Mohawk.