The Blind Donkey: Old Town’s Whiskey Watering Hole

There’s plenty of spots to grab a beer in Pasadena, but places that specialize in whiskey and whiskey cocktails are few and far between—The Raymond’s 1886 bar is the most notable example that comes to mind.

Old Town seems to be especially dry as far as whiskey joints go so lucky for the neighborhood that beer bar master Ryan Sweeney of Glassell Park’s Verdugo Bar, West Hollywood’s Surly Goat and Downtown’s Little Bear, teamed up with partners to try his hand at another alcoholic libation with The Blind Donkey whiskey bar.

The Blind Donkey opened at 53 E. Union Street last month and still has a lineup of better local beers in the tradition of Sweeney’s other bars, but focuses on whiskey-based cocktails and offers a list of over 65 whiskeys and scotches that can be consumed by the glass or some are offered as part of a tasting flight if you wish to explore the nuances of different strong liquors before you stumble out of the place.

An old-fashioned with Robin’s Nest seasonal jam graces the cocktail menu, as does a well-balanced concoction of Buffalo Trace, honey-thyme syrup, lemon and Cock and Bull ginger beer dubbed “Nick of Thyme”, among other creations.

While Blind Donkey’s cocktails aren’t as pretty in presentation as those made by other whiskey bartenders with a doctorate in Mixology, their understated appearance matches the décor, which has a laid back vibe accentuated by brick walls and an arcade game in one corner. Those who want to square off in a game of chess can also do so at some of the checkered tables.

The small food menu has substantial comfort foods like chili fries, grilled cheese on a stick, fried pickles and a cowboy burger—bacon, cheddar, onion rings and barbecue sauce—that help to balance out all that whiskey.

The Blind Donkey is open Monday-Friday 4 p.m.-2 a.m. and Saturday-Sunday 1 p.m.-2 a.m.