The Barkley Restaurant & Bar - South Pasadena, California

Will V.

I came in today, for the first time, on Thursday, 04/10, around 3 PM. There were two patrons at the bar top and a cool, friendly bartender, Kiara, came out and took care of me. She was very warm, attentive, and easy to chat with. The place was clean, the bathroom was clean, chill vibe, the locals were friendly, and I felt welcomed. The happy hour prices are very fair and the happy hour nachos were so good! Shout out to chef Pancho! I was told he has been there for a very long time and I know why!

They are cash only (there is an ATM) although I understand you can start a tab with a matching ID. Just pay cash to make it easier for everyone involved. Clean bar top, clean bathroom, plenty of space inside, easy and plentiful parking, and it just seems like a cool place to check out, especially on the evenings and weekends. Once again, the service and food were amazing and the happy hour prices are totally legit!

I am a bar guy, I've been to plenty of bars, low end, upscale, and everything in between, and this place is on my list of places to come back to. Thanks again to Kiara (bartender) and Pancho (chef)! I'll be in again soon!

Daniel F.

Free Ska shows on Fridays. Randomly dates

Nice area. Free parking 🅿️. Cheap brew. 🦜 Pirate bar. Not far at all. Just gas and date ur set. South Pasadena #100 top nicest city's in California. Facts.

Gill L.

My favorite bar in South Pasadena! This is such an unique place with history and style! It is cash only but the food here comes in BIG portions and many varieties of craft beers, cocktails and wine. The best part of this restaurant is their live performances. I cannot emphasize how much I enjoy just sipping my drink and listening to jazz, country, and just artistic performances done by very capable musicians. Not to mentioned there's usually not a lot of people here either. Bring some cash and come check out this hidden gem 💎 in S. Pas

Mirtha H.

my first impression was that it is quite dark, with all the wood paneling. It is in dire need of a remodel, the booths are torn and there must have been duct tape where I sat, that had rolled up - I thought I was sitting on my purse strap. Too dark to see what exactly it was. The toilet tank is missing the lid.

Quite lively for a Tuesday evening, most looked like "regulars", and a bit of an older crowd but nice atmosphere. The band was awesome!!! I counted 14 musicians. It would be amazing if there was a dedicated area for the band.

The breading on my fish could have used another minute, to fully cook the breading, but both fish and fries were served hot. And malt vinegar was provided, as well as plenty of tartar sauce.

Leonard M.

Have eaten there a few times, but they aren’t very customer friendly. For example, I was having a sandwich that came with onion rings or fries and I asked for half and half and they wouldn’t do it. I asked the bartender to ask the cook if he would make an exception and the bartender said the owner will just get mad at him. That’s how much they aim to please. So I stopped going .

Michelle L.

Must have been a great place 40 or 50 years ago. Great bones if a classic mid-century dark clubby steakhouse. It’s current incarnation is kind if sad, but I love imagining it its heyday.
It’s cash only with a very small, fried-cetric menu with zero panache or imagination.
Kind of funky and a little sus with the cash only thing.

Theresa M.

The customer service was great. The bartender was very friendly and welcoming. The food, not so much. I had the fried fish sandwich with onion rings. The fish didn't have much flavor, I even tried to add tartar sauce and buffalo sauce. Still didn't help. The onion rings were good. My husband had the steak quesadilla. The flavor wasn't there, very bland. The french fries were warm, not hot, so that didn't help. I had a margarita, not tasty, at all.🙄

They have live music in the evenings, but we didn't experience that as it was 5:30 PM. 🤔

They are a cash only business. They don't take credit cards.

We wanted to support a black-owned business. Unfortunately, we're not encouraged to return.

Alfredo ?. S. B.

I was only there for the band in the evening. Had a wonderful time.