This edition of the nightlife roundup maps the drinking rooms that are newest and most talked about around Pasadena: La Cave, the intimate French wine bar in Old Pasadena from the pastry chef behind ID-Eclair, and the Dungeon, the women-owned basement speakeasy under Der Wolf with hand-painted art on every wall. It then recaps the rest of the 2026 bar map so newcomers get the whole picture in one stop. Every address and detail below was verified on September 29, 2026 against the venue's own page or a published story, and hours that conflict between sources are flagged rather than smoothed over. Your host is Alejandro Espitia, Broker Associate and REALTOR with Apex Realty and Investments, California license 01213999, with 18+ years across Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Gabriel, and Riverside, in English and Spanish.
La Cave: the French wine room in Old Pasadena
La Cave at 163 W. Green Street is the intimate, speakeasy-style wine bar from Romuald Guiot, the French-trained pastry chef behind the vegan patisserie ID-Eclair next door at 169 W. Green Street, with kitchen time in a three-Michelin-starred French house and a run to the finals on Food Network's Spring Baking Championship. The wine list leans mostly French and international, with a specialty in Alsace and pours of biodynamic, Bordeaux, and Burgundy by the glass, including boutique producers and aged bottles. The room pairs the list with artisanal French small plates, cheese boards, and plant-based desserts, and reviewers hold it around 4.9 stars on Yelp, calling it one of the best spots in Old Town. It runs Wednesday through Sunday from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday, at lacave.la, and Pasadena Magazine featured it in its 2026 drinks guide. Call (626) 365-1157.
The Dungeon: the women-owned basement below Der Wolf
The Dungeon is the basement speakeasy under Der Wolf, the Bavarian beer hall at 72 N. Fair Oaks Avenue: women-owned and locally owned, described on its own page as a dim, cool bar with custom hand-painted art on every wall and a full-service bar. To find it you walk down below Der Wolf, which is part of the fun, and Yelp reviewers keep it around 4.8 stars across a dozen reviews, praising the drinks, the room, and the staff. Hours currently conflict between sources: the venue's own site lists Thursday to Saturday from 8:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. with a Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., while its Yelp page lists different windows, so this guide flags the conflict rather than picking one side. Check the venue page linked below before you go, and call (626) 219-6054.
The 2026 map, recapped
For newcomers, the newest rooms still set the map. Bar Betsy at 871 E. Mariposa Street in Altadena remains the newest bar opening near Pasadena, opened April 13, 2026 as an all-day cafe and evening wine bar. Sid's Bar at 1020-1022 El Centro Street in South Pasadena keeps its rotating cocktails and DJ nights inside the former school auditorium next to Sid The Cat. Osa Rooftop at 540 E. Colorado Boulevard stays Pasadena's only rooftop bar, Magnolia House at 492 S. Lake Avenue pours craft cocktails from a Craftsman bungalow, and Bacari is confirmed for One Colorado's Hugus Alley with a soft opening targeted for early 2027.
Bars to know around Pasadena, verified September 29, 2026
| Bar | Where | Why it is notable |
|---|---|---|
| La Cave | 163 W. Green St., Old Pasadena | French wine bar from the ID-Eclair pastry chef, by-the-glass pours, cheese boards |
| The Dungeon | 72 N. Fair Oaks Ave., under Der Wolf | Women-owned basement speakeasy, hand-painted walls, full bar |
| Bacari (opening) | 41 Hugus Alley, One Colorado | Mediterranean small-plates group, soft opening targeted early 2027 |
| Bar Betsy | 871 E. Mariposa St., Altadena | All-day cafe and evening wine bar, opened April 13, 2026 |
Names, addresses, and details verified September 29, 2026 against venue pages, the Old Pasadena directory, and published reviews. Hours vary and change with the season.
Hours honestly: the Dungeon's own site lists Thursday to Saturday 8:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. with a Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., while its Yelp page lists different windows, so this guide flags the conflict rather than picking one side. La Cave runs Wednesday through Sunday 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. per its Yelp page. Confirm each venue's page before you go, and remember that speakeasy math is simple: the harder the front door, the more the room rewards a reservation.
Where the picks are verified
- La Cave, official site
- La Cave, Old Pasadena directory
- The Dungeon, official page at Der Wolf
- Best places for drinks in Pasadena 2026, Pasadena Magazine
- La Cave reviews, Yelp
What the newest rooms say about the neighborhood
Old Pasadena's nightlife map keeps gaining depth in both directions: a quietly serious French wine room a block from Green Street's restaurants, and a painted basement speakeasy under a Bavarian beer hall on Fair Oaks, with Bar Betsy carrying the flag in Altadena and Bacari on the way at One Colorado. A bar map is a neighborhood truth table, and this one reads as a district that still rewards a night out and the walk between stops, which matters if you are weighing a move to the walkable blocks around it. Alejandro Espitia of Apex Realty and Investments brings 18+ years of local real estate and home financing experience to that read, in English or Spanish, for buyers, sellers, and investors across Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Gabriel, and Riverside.
Want a neighborhood read to go with your night out? Text Alejandro at 626-314-9170, or use the form below to leave your name, email, and optional phone number, and the Find Homes and Loans desk will reply personally.
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