Maestro

Step into Maestro and you’ll find yourself in a warmly lit, refined space that attracts a lively crowd of Pasadena locals ready for a good time. The restaurant has that polished yet relaxed atmosphere where birthday celebrations and date nights unfold against a backdrop of excellent food and craft cocktails. Despite its Old Town Pasadena location, this spot draws diners from all over who’ve heard about what’s coming out of the kitchen.

The menu at Maestro is a celebration of Oaxacan cuisine with a strong emphasis on expertly prepared seafood. The oysters here are something special—topped with a spicy shrimp aguachile that adds a vinegary kick to each briny bite. The scallops are another standout, arriving buttery and substantial over a bed of huitlacoche rice that brings an earthy, almost risotto-like complexity to the plate. But if there’s one dish that demands your attention, it’s the lamb barbacoa—a massive braised shank lacquered in an irresistible chili sauce that arrives with fresh tortillas for building your own tacos.

Beyond the food, Maestro knows how to craft a cocktail. The barrel-aged Agave Old Fashioned blends tequila and mezcal beautifully, while the Mezcal Campfire with chartreuse and maraschino hits that sweet spot between sweet and spirit-forward. There’s a reason the energy in this place tends to run high as the evening progresses.

Whether you’re celebrating something special or just craving Mexican food that goes beyond the ordinary, Maestro delivers. From the tetela stuffed with huitlacoche to the unexpected genius of their tres leches carrot cake, this is a menu where you genuinely can’t go wrong. Close your eyes, point at something, and prepare to be impressed.