Los Angeles
The Dungeon
The Dungeon is the basement bar at Der Wolf restaurant in Old Town Pasadena, accessible on Friday and Saturday nights from 8pm. The space is low-lit and intimate, with hand-painted murals covering the walls, including a zombie Napoleon and a series of troll-faced beer barrel drawings that give the room an eccentric energy. The cocktail list is short and house-made, with the old old-fashioned getting specific praise. Drinks are reasonably priced relative to the Pasadena area and the bartenders tend to be friendly and engaged. It operates as a complement to the main floor restaurant above rather than a standalone bar, which keeps it quieter than most weekend nightlife options in the neighborhood.