Bar Chelou

4.8

475 Reviews

$50 and over

Contemporary French

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.

There’s more to explore

Discover countless more restaurants like this one with our app.

Scan the QR code to discover countless more restaurants like this one with our app.

Open app

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
Area
Pasadena
Cross Street
Located next to the Pasadena Playhouse on El Molino Ave.
Parking details
Public Parking
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 OlivesUSD 7.00
Pan de CristalUSD 7.00
Crispy PotatoesUSD 13.00
aonori, aïoli
Clam ToastUSD 15.00
leeks, escabeche
Burrata ToastUSD 17.00
paleta ibérica, pickled peppers
Ramp ToastUSD 16.00
km39, sorrel
Breakfast RadishUSD 13.00
fromage blanc, furikake
BoqueronesUSD 14.00
piquillo pepper
Scallop TartareUSD 20.00
green garlic, meyer lemon, serrano, chips
Salade VerteUSD 15.00
cava vinaigrette, quinoa, guindilla peppers, manchego
CarrotsUSD 19.00
coconut dressing, lime leaf, peanuts, shoestring potatoes
Bloomsdale SpinachUSD 14.00
roasted garlic broth, brown butter
Shelling BeansUSD 14.00
bottarga, dill, sea beans
Sprouting CauliflowerUSD 11.00
almonds, sichuan au poivre
Snap PeasUSD 15.00
chistorra, cured egg yolk, anchovy
Squid USD 21.00
seaweed, swiss chard
CheesesUSD 22.00
plum & timur berry jam, pan de cristal
MeatsUSD 24.00
jamón ibérico, coppa
Ibérico Pork ChopUSD 36.00
cabbage, fennel pollen furikake
Duck LegUSD 34.00
yu choy cous cous, spicy labneh, macadamia dukkah
Rainbow TroutUSD 45.00
corn rice, garlic chive pil-pil
Dry-Aged Short RibUSD 55.00
blackberry black vinegar, perilla
Lemon-Chamomile SemifreddoUSD 14.00
calamansi, sweet fritter
Raspberry & Sumac SorbetUSD 14.00
poached rhubarb, vanilla, sorrel
Bruleed CheesecakeUSD 14.00
toffee date cake, spiced coffee anglaise
Matcha MousseUSD 14.00
butter mochi cake, coconut sorbet, green tea tuile
Caramelized Banana BarUSD 15.00
peanut butter crisp, banana custard, milk chocolate mousse

What 475 people are saying

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 delights with "amazing food," "unique and delicious" dishes, and "incredible" cocktails. Guests rave about the "cool ambiance" and "excellent service." The restaurant is a "great spot" for pre-theater dining with its convenient Pasadena Playhouse location. While noise levels are high, the "memorable" experience is worth it.

476 Reviews

B
Ben
New York City1 review
5.0
Dined on 14 February 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 12 February 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 12 February 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 10 February 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 8 February 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?
P
Phillip VIP
Las Vegas5 reviews
5.0
Dined on 29 January 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 27 January 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.
Is this helpful?
C
Carla VIP
Detroit12 reviews
5.0
Dined on 25 January 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?
D
Daniel VIP
Los Angeles5 reviews
2.0
Dined on 21 January 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
Food was too salty Looks like the chefs are not tasting their food Service only came to my table 4 time One to take me water order Second to take my food order Third to drop and pick up my check All diner time which was 2 hrs was sitting with no interaction of the servers or managers
Is this helpful?
M
Mackenzie
Los Angeles2 reviews
2.0
Dined on 20 January 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food was amazing but it’s sooooooooo expensive for such a small quantity. We had to go to in and out after.
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Bar Chelou is rated 4.8 stars by 475 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

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.
Area
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 Parking
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

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 OlivesUSD 7.00

Pan de CristalUSD 7.00

Crispy PotatoesUSD 13.00

Clam ToastUSD 15.00

Burrata ToastUSD 17.00

Ramp ToastUSD 16.00

Breakfast RadishUSD 13.00

BoqueronesUSD 14.00

Scallop TartareUSD 20.00

Salade VerteUSD 15.00

CarrotsUSD 19.00

Bloomsdale SpinachUSD 14.00

Shelling BeansUSD 14.00

Sprouting CauliflowerUSD 11.00

Snap PeasUSD 15.00

Squid USD 21.00

CheesesUSD 22.00

MeatsUSD 24.00

Ibérico Pork ChopUSD 36.00

Duck LegUSD 34.00

Rainbow TroutUSD 45.00

Dry-Aged Short RibUSD 55.00

Lemon-Chamomile SemifreddoUSD 14.00

Raspberry & Sumac SorbetUSD 14.00

Bruleed CheesecakeUSD 14.00

Matcha MousseUSD 14.00

Caramelized Banana BarUSD 15.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

How is Bar Chelou restaurant rated?

Is Bar Chelou currently accepting bookings?

Permanently Closed

Additional information

Featured in

Editor’s choice: 12 favorite restaurants in Los Angeles