Old Towne Pub

Old Towne Pub has been operating since 1973 in a tucked-away location that requires a small act of navigation to find. The address is technically 66 North Fair Oaks Avenue, but the entrance is accessed through Hayes Alley, off 22 East Holly Street, in the middle of Old Pasadena's most historic block. The building itself was used as the fire department's horse stables in the late 1800s, and the exposed brick walls and compressed interior carry that character forward. It is a room that earns the word intimate. The pub self-describes as Pasadena's best live music and beer bar, and since 1973 it has backed that claim by programming live original bands seven nights a week. The genre range is broad but leans toward classic rock, hard rock, punk, and reggae, with almost anything in between showing up at some point on the weekly calendar. The beer selection is thoughtful and the prices are fair, with motorcycle parking free and unlimited out front for those who arrive that way. The crowd is a genuine cross-section of Pasadena, from longtime regulars who have been coming since the 1980s to younger faces discovering live music for the first time. There is often a door charge on weekends when live music is scheduled, but no cover on slower nights. For Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley, Old Towne Pub occupies a unique and essentially irreplaceable position in the live music landscape.