561 Restaurant

01/08/09

What a great experience!

by afoodie at Citysearch

I view myself as a fairly savy diner and dine out often. If you are looking for an experience in dining this is your kind of place. You need to go in understanding that this is a classroom for the students, once you understand this you will be blown away with the quality and creativity of the food. Granted the service is not 5 star but it is a great opportunity to spend time with aspiring chefs and restaurateurs!

Go there to have fun and enjoy the experience. Zagat and Michelin have also rated this restaurant.

02/02/08

Worst dining experience ever!

by oooogatz at Citysearch

My husband and I love good food and have eaten at some of the best restaurants, including the Culinary Institute of New York which was fabulous. This was one of the worst dining experiences we've ever had. Aside from the fact that it took over one hour to get our food, what finally came was more than disappointing. The bouillabaisse was a lukewarm tiny portion of two little clams, one very small piece of fish and a few spoons of what tasted like tomato paste. It was also to include mussels but they ran out. My husband's very small portion of fish was cold by the time it arrived and tough.We had a bottle of wine so our grand total was over $200. Stay away from this place!

• Pros: none
• Cons: Bad service, horrible food, overpriced

08/25/07

They obviously don't teach service at the CCIA

by jllevin at Citysearch

I had made reservations to go to Resaurant 561 for my son's birthday, as we had gone there several years ago and had a very nice time. Keep in mind, that I had informed the restaurant in advance that we were celebrating a special occasion. However, until last night, I have NEVER walked out on a restaurant before in my life. After being seated with my wife and 2 children, we sat for a full 10 minutes during which NOONE came by to take our drink order, or even give us a glass of water. Meanwhile, at least 5 or 6 waiters and waitresses stood idly by in plain view near the open kitchen. I don't know about you, but when a restaurant charges $28 for a New York Steak, and touts itself as an upscale dining restaurant of the world class California School of Culinary Arts, I expect not only world class food, but world class service as well. In my mind, leaving a customer sitting there for 10 minutes basically ignoring you completely is far from world class. Suffice it to say we will not be dining there ever again. I understand that this is a teaching restaurant, but I also understand that when a customer is treated as if they are not even there, then the quality of the food no longer matters.

11/20/06

Diamond in the rough

by aquawarlock at Citysearch

First off: it's a cooking school restaurant (and trains both chefs & waitstaff) - so do be patient and open to creative interpretations of food. And don't be surprised by a few lapse in service.

That being said - I've had some spectacular dishes here for a fraction of the price I would pay at other fine dining restaurants. The 8 to 9 course tasting menu (Thurs & Fri) is a bargain for what you get, around $35 for lunch & $65 for dinner.

For a cheaper alternative, go to the school cafe next door, which offers more casual dining at a lower price tag.

• Pros: food can be good
• Cons: expect service lapses

09/19/06

I could've gone to vegas..

by godsd0ll at Citysearch

THE FOOD TOOK 2-3 hours........... by the time we got our food we were long out of topics to talk about, could hardly keep our eyes open.... way past my bedtime.........

besides that, service was excellent. food was excellent, but portion was very small for the price. I would recommend the yam and the mac n' cheese. If the food takes 45mins, i would still go back.

• Pros: service, food
• Cons: food takes FOREVER, price

04/18/06

Awesome dining experience

by tall49guy at Citysearch

My dining experiences have all been awesome there. My friends and I marvel at the menu variety, the care in preparation, outstanding service. The desserts are second to none. Obviously, the awards given to this establishment are warranted. If you are in a great big hurry to eat, this is not the place to go. You should savor a place like this and its offerings. Every time I leave, I swear to myself that I will never eat anywhere else because I have just had the greatest meal ever!!!

• Pros: Selection, Preparation, Desserts
• Cons: you must be kidding

04/06/06

Future chefs dish up imaginative French-Californian plates in Pasadena's playhouse district.

by Martha Burr at Citysearch

The Scene
At lunch, sunshine spills into the spacious Mission style room's exposed brick, stained glass and vintage wood as business folk crowd in. Quieter evenings host a mix of the culinary school's after-work chefs and casual Pasadena gourmands.

The Food
This showcase of the California School of Culinary Arts features an ever-changing, sophisticated menu prepared by advanced students (under professional chefs) and training staff. Seasonally based French-California cuisine can be daring and charmingly unpredictable. Starters steal the show here, like the fresh symphony of fall flavors in roasted fuyu persimmon salad with shaved fennel, spiced pecans, arugula and fresh pomegranate. Steamed cockles are tender, meaty morsels frolicking in a bold, savory chorizo-garlic-sherry broth, perfect for sopping up with divine bread. Entrees feature pan-roasted skate with potatoes, creme fraiche and bacon, and unctuous braised short ribs with horseradish and shallots. A lovely surprise is the fresh, earthy herbed pappardelle with winter vegetable Provencal and pesto.

12/02/05

Very Expensive for what you got!

by gerryjim at Citysearch

We had dinner here tonight and were not impressed. Extremely expensive with food that was average. Wine list is pricey. I thought the prices were suppose to be more affordable because students were waiting on you and making the food. Not So!

10/07/05

good food, slow service

by sinyaw at Citysearch

I dined here before with my daughter and order the taste menu with pairing wine flight. It was good and memorable. This time, I brought a group of 6 and expected a repeat experience and some bragging right.

It was not so great.

The waiting was agonizingly slow. The meal lasted from 7:15 to 10pm. We waited 40 minutes for the desserts to show up. I couldn't keep my eyes open driving home.

Well, I probably won't come again. For the price, everything should be perfect.

03/24/05

Excellent, Excellent, Excellent!

by netter1 at Citysearch

The most wonderful things about Bistro561 are the freshness of the ingredients and the "eager to please" attitude of the staff. However, sometimes they can be a little overwhelming...the staff, not the ingredients. It's a high end restaurant, but casual enough to visit directly after work. The salads and appetizers are just the right size to start off a good meal, and the desserts are just enough to finish off the evening. Even though it's in the Theater district of Pasadena, you don't have to wait for the next Playhouse event. Go and enjoy!

• Cons: Limited parking