After two years of service, Pasadena’s beloved award-winning restaurant Bar Chelou, will close its doors on Sunday, Feb. 16.
“We are saddened to have to share some news with you,” said a post on the restaurant’s Instagram page. “After careful consideration, we have decided not to extend our lease, which is set to expire at the end of the month. The timing presented us with an opportunity to reconsider our path forward following the Eaton fire just a few miles from us in Altadena. Thus we have made the heart-wrenching decision to close our doors in Pasadena.”
“We are immensely grateful to our customers for their support over the past two years,” the post continued. “Stay tuned to our Insta for more exciting updates on Bar Chelou’s new permanent home later this year.”
Bar Chelou, located in Old Town Pasadena, is spearheaded by chef Doug Rankin who was mentored by chef Ludo Lefebvre. The restaurant opened in January 2023 and quickly found praise from the likes of the New York Times and other publications as one of the best restaurants in Los Angeles.
The menu at Bar Chelou featured dishes such as Clam Toast, Ibérico Pork Chop, Rainbow Trout, Pan de cristal and Lamb Legs. Patrons who frequented the restaurant said it was great for casual meetups and date nights and accessible for those interested in elevated dining. Some on Yelp likened the menu to New York City’s dining scene.
Pasadena residents and foodies from beyond fell in love with the mix of Spanish, Asian and French flavors offered at Bar Chelou. Some of the customer base were also devoted followers of Rankin. His previous Bar and Restaurant in Silver Lake had a similar concept but closed during the coronavirus pandemic, but he brought over some of his team when he opened Bar Chelou.
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In an article with Eater, Rankin said that the restaurant’s business slowed in Pasadena after the Eaton Fire. Although the eatery and bar closed only for a couple of days after the devastating wildfires, he noticed the restaurant’s traffic was down, and because his lease was expiring this month, he decided to close the eatery.
Several patrons took to social media to voice their sorrow at hearing the news about the closure.
“This makes me so sad. I loved having such an amazing place around the corner,” an Instagram user replied to the post about the closure.
“Went there for the first time on Monday night and had the trout; it was outstanding. I’ve been thinking about the banana bar desert for the past couple of days, too. Such a bummer,” a Reddit user posted on r/FoodLos Angeles.
Rankin told Eater that he plans to move the restaurant to Denver, Co., but he isn’t opposed to returning to Los Angeles in the future.