Bacchus' Kitchen

AndyMike Emata

Housed in a quaint brick building transports away from Pasadena and into Western Europe. Bacchus' Kitchen is a New American take on classic, mostly European dishes. The wine bottles are modestly priced ($35-$80) with a few available by the glass ($13+). A handful of beer and water to choose from, including a 2019 vintage of Pasadena Water for $0 (we had a chuckle when we saw that on the menu). They also have San Pellegrino sodas and espresso beverages. We ordered a bottle of Altolandon Doña Leo (a Spanish Manchuela white wine), appetizers lamb belly and lemongrass curry with tiger shrimp & clams, main dishes pan seared scallops and beef bourguignon, and shared the panna cotta. The meal started with an amuse-bouche consisting of a crustini topped with a sliced and peeled tomato, sea salt, olive oil and fresh basil. It was a nice pallet cleanser for the appetizers. This was the first time I've had lamb belly. I've had countless pork belly, so I was intrigued to try a lamb version. Lamb belly doesn't have the same fat-to-protein ratio as pork belly, so don't expect a thick layer of crispy fat. The more lean crispy meat had a beautiful concentration of the delicious gamey lamb flavor, which contrasted well with the white vinegared apples and fennel. The lemongrass curry with tiger shrimp and clams were even better than the lamb belly. A lovely medium spiced lemongrass curry with fresh clams and large tiger shrimp. The two slices of rustic toasted bread was the right medium to sop-up the curry. The pan seared scallops were perfectly cooked medium with a golden brown crust. The tender center had a delicate ocean brine with a subtle sweetness. The large couscous with carrots, fennel root and garlic was a lovely side with sugar snap peas and wild mushrooms over a creamy tomato sauce. My fiance had the beef bourguignon. I only had a bite, so I can't go into too much detail, especially since it's not photographed in this review. The mashed potatoes were creamy and the mushrooms brought out the savory flavor of the meat. The panna cotta was amazing. The vanilla bean topped panna cotta sits on a puree of passion fruit and is complemented by blackberries. All in all, we'd come back for the lemongrass curry tiger shrimp and clams, the pan seared scallops, beef bourguignon, and panna cotta.

Herbert Monterrosa

World class entertainment, food and service. Chef Claud is an amazing chef!

.Bacchus Kitchen & Bar in LA is a fantastic place for a relaxed dinner. The menu is full of flavorful, contemporary American dishes, and the wine list pairs perfectly with everything. I had the roasted chicken, and it was cooked to perfection—crispy skin and juicy meat. The ambiance is cozy but upscale, and the service is impeccable. It’s a great spot for a quiet evening out, whether it’s a date or a small gathering with friends

Excellent Restaurant, fine food, good wines, super-friendly service. Very relaxed atmosphere, no rush.

A nice selection of unique food items, all delish. If you’re not sure about which wine to select, they can guide you in the right direction at the price point that works for you. Extra bonus, the music venues and wine club are not to miss. 💗

My wife and I had a grilled flat iron steak with crispy fingerlings, black garlic red wine sauce, and sauteed celeriac. Perfectly cooked and delicious. Service was efficient but the place was packed so not a lot of personal attention. Nice inside seating area with comfortable chairs.

We go for the Christmas show with the Clayton’s. Always a good time and a lovely dinner.

Great food - the lamb chop and croissant bread pudding are chefs kiss!

I was there for a wine dinner. How creative the menu was! Paired perfectly with the wine. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was great. I've been for regular dinners too, and they are just wonderful. They also have live jazz concerts. It's not easy to find as there is vague signage. So come and try Bacchus. You will come back!

I hosted my father’s memorial at Bacchus Kitchen in Pasadena, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. My father was a jazz musician, so having great live music was important—and they absolutely delivered. The food, service, and atmosphere were all perfect. Claude, the owner, was incredibly hands-on and handled every detail with genuine care. He even showed up in person to make sure everything ran smoothly. I’m deeply grateful for the warmth and professionalism they showed during such an important event. Highly recommend.

Excellent food, ambiance and service. Everything we ordered was great, but the street sprouts (a take on elote with brussels sprouts) and the Wagyu skirt steak really stood out. Also, the scallops were cooked, perfectly.

One of the main reasons we moved to this area 10 years ago was due to having restaurants walking distance! Bacchus has been our go to date night spot ever since! The service is exceptional, the menu always offers amazing and delicious offerings, always changing it up! The weekly emails are hilarious, they host incredible music events and now offer a wine club. It feels like going to a friend’s house for dinner.

Jocelyn Gonzalez

We go for the Christmas show with the Clayton’s. Always a good time and a lovely dinner.

des S

I hosted my father’s memorial at Bacchus Kitchen in Pasadena, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. My father was a jazz musician, so having great live music was important—and they absolutely delivered. The food, service, and atmosphere were all perfect. Claude, the owner, was incredibly hands-on and handled every detail with genuine care. He even showed up in person to make sure everything ran smoothly. I’m deeply grateful for the warmth and professionalism they showed during such an important event. Highly recommend.

Alexandra Rowinski

Excellent food, ambiance and service. Everything we ordered was great, but the street sprouts (a take on elote with brussels sprouts) and the Wagyu skirt steak really stood out. Also, the scallops were cooked, perfectly.

Tom Cole

Great food - the lamb chop and croissant bread pudding are chefs kiss!

Daniel Lova

Excellent Restaurant, fine food, good wines, super-friendly service. Very relaxed atmosphere, no rush.

Emily M

One of the main reasons we moved to this area 10 years ago was due to having restaurants walking distance! Bacchus has been our go to date night spot ever since! The service is exceptional, the menu always offers amazing and delicious offerings, always changing it up! The weekly emails are hilarious, they host incredible music events and now offer a wine club. It feels like going to a friend’s house for dinner.

Aimee B

A nice selection of unique food items, all delish. If you’re not sure about which wine to select, they can guide you in the right direction at the price point that works for you. Extra bonus, the music venues and wine club are not to miss. 💗

Lendo Bailendo

.Bacchus Kitchen & Bar in LA is a fantastic place for a relaxed dinner. The menu is full of flavorful, contemporary American dishes, and the wine list pairs perfectly with everything. I had the roasted chicken, and it was cooked to perfection—crispy skin and juicy meat. The ambiance is cozy but upscale, and the service is impeccable. It’s a great spot for a quiet evening out, whether it’s a date or a small gathering with friends

Jim Beebe

My wife and I had a grilled flat iron steak with crispy fingerlings, black garlic red wine sauce, and sauteed celeriac. Perfectly cooked and delicious. Service was efficient but the place was packed so not a lot of personal attention. Nice inside seating area with comfortable chairs.

Gregg Oelker

I was there for a wine dinner. How creative the menu was! Paired perfectly with the wine. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was great. I've been for regular dinners too, and they are just wonderful. They also have live jazz concerts. It's not easy to find as there is vague signage. So come and try Bacchus. You will come back!

It’s my first visit but this restaurant has been serving good food for more than six years. The interior is charming, intimate and dimly lit. The staff is friendly and helpful. They feature live performances but was none on our visit. The spaghetti squash and burrata appetizer needed a kick and the crab cakes needed more crab meat. The rest of our food was well plated, well seasoned and flavorful. We loved the seared scallops, grilled pork chop and steak frites. The chocolate terrine was dark and rich. I don’t usually like tres leches but this cake was rich and paired well with the guava sauce and berries. Brandon made our dining experience memorable.

Went for Valentine’s Day dinner… keep in mind that most “holiday” meals with a set menu are generally inflated in costs. But showcase the “best of…” the restaurants offerings. In this case the food was tasty…IF you have the stomach capacity of a 4 year old. You know those fancy restaurants that have one or two bites of food and some swirled sauces on the plate for presentation… welp, this was a version of that. Portions were ridiculously small almost angry worthy. The food quality and flavor is good but cmon, 4 pieces of tofu? In an Italian restaurant? Beet salad with literally one slice of beet and 1.5 bites of cabbage? It was like getting served after dinner mint sized portions for your actual meal. Server was nice, I’d give a 4 out of 5 since he did not follow up at all after the initial order or check on drinks. Oh and an automatic 20% gratuity on the check. All in all the food is tasty, service is good by today’s lower standards, but the price to value ratio is -5 stars But hey if you’re on a diet, this is the place to go!!! 5 bites and your whole meal is done!! Might be worth a chance to try again on a regular menu and dining evening…we’ll see

Susanna SS

It’s my first visit but this restaurant has been serving good food for more than six years. The interior is charming, intimate and dimly lit. The staff is friendly and helpful. They feature live performances but was none on our visit. The spaghetti squash and burrata appetizer needed a kick and the crab cakes needed more crab meat. The rest of our food was well plated, well seasoned and flavorful. We loved the seared scallops, grilled pork chop and steak frites. The chocolate terrine was dark and rich. I don’t usually like tres leches but this cake was rich and paired well with the guava sauce and berries. Brandon made our dining experience memorable.

Evan M

Went for Valentine’s Day dinner… keep in mind that most “holiday” meals with a set menu are generally inflated in costs. But showcase the “best of…” the restaurants offerings. In this case the food was tasty…IF you have the stomach capacity of a 4 year old. You know those fancy restaurants that have one or two bites of food and some swirled sauces on the plate for presentation… welp, this was a version of that. Portions were ridiculously small almost angry worthy. The food quality and flavor is good but cmon, 4 pieces of tofu? In an Italian restaurant? Beet salad with literally one slice of beet and 1.5 bites of cabbage? It was like getting served after dinner mint sized portions for your actual meal. Server was nice, I’d give a 4 out of 5 since he did not follow up at all after the initial order or check on drinks. Oh and an automatic 20% gratuity on the check. All in all the food is tasty, service is good by today’s lower standards, but the price to value ratio is -5 stars But hey if you’re on a diet, this is the place to go!!! 5 bites and your whole meal is done!! Might be worth a chance to try again on a regular menu and dining evening…we’ll see

The atmosphere was great. To be fair this was our first visit. The menu was limited to which was fine. We mainly picked this place because it was walking distance from our place we were staying and the biggest factor was they are dog friendly.

Natalie Khan

The atmosphere was great. To be fair this was our first visit. The menu was limited to which was fine. We mainly picked this place because it was walking distance from our place we were staying and the biggest factor was they are dog friendly.

The server seemed aloof as if she was just going through the motion. I don’t know if she had teeth - she never once smiled. The food was overpriced with a very slim selection. They should remove wine bar from the name because that also was slim selection. Lastly - if you are vegan not much here for you! Always a challenge going to restaurants with food for the others around the table and not you. That said - the cauliflower soup was good. The artichoke and bok choy were delicious. Unfortunately I won’t be going back. Too many other choices in that price range with a wider selection.

Melanie Vasquez

The server seemed aloof as if she was just going through the motion. I don’t know if she had teeth - she never once smiled. The food was overpriced with a very slim selection. They should remove wine bar from the name because that also was slim selection. Lastly - if you are vegan not much here for you! Always a challenge going to restaurants with food for the others around the table and not you. That said - the cauliflower soup was good. The artichoke and bok choy were delicious. Unfortunately I won’t be going back. Too many other choices in that price range with a wider selection.