Osa Rooftop — Restaurant in Pasadena

To say our experience at Osa was disappointing would be putting it mildly. My friend and I were genuinely looking forward to trying this place after seeing it hyped up all over social media. Rooftop spots are rare in Pasadena, so we were excited to check it out. Unfortunately, Osa was a complete letdown from the moment we tried to book. First red flag? There’s no phone number to reach the actual restaurant. The number listed online connects you to the hotel, which is unhelpful and unwilling to assist. So, if you have any issues with reservations or want to notify them you’re running late—good luck. I had trouble using OpenTable to finalize our reservation and had absolutely no way to get help. Off to a frustrating start before we even got there. We had a 7:00 PM reservation on a Saturday night, arrived on time, and were told no tables were available. We were stunned. The only option they offered us was a small, dark indoor booth near the bar—completely opposite of the rooftop vibe they advertise. We specifically came for the rooftop view, and yet we were being told to sit inside. There was no way to specify seating preferences when booking, so this issue is entirely on the restaurant—not the customer. We opted to wait for an outdoor table. At check-in, we were told a party was just finishing and the check was being closed. That was at 7:00. Spoiler: that party didn’t leave until after we had finished our own meal at nearly 9:00 PM.So no, they weren’t “just finishing”—and clearly, there are no time limits on tables, which is ridiculous when you have guests with reservations waiting nearly an hour to be seated. While we waited, three different staff members told us they would help, none of whom followed through. No updates, no sense of urgency. We were left standing around, eventually squeezed onto a stiff high-top table near the bar—still waiting, still hungry, and growing more frustrated by the minute. We were finally seated at 8:00 PM—an entire hour after our reservation. The server gave us a shot of margarita “as an apology,” which felt more like an afterthought than any real gesture of hospitality. To make matters worse, the layout of the restaurant is chaotic and poorly thought-out. There are way too many communal tables, which makes zero sense if you’re a party of two. Smaller groups are shoved to the side, while large tables monopolize the better seating and views. It feels disorganized and exclusionary to anyone not dining in a group of four or more. Now to be fair—the food was decent. But let’s be clear: given the lack of service, hour-long wait with a reservation, disorganized staff, and terrible seating setup, it is absolutely not worth it. Osa may look good on Instagram, but don’t be fooled. No phone number, no time limits, too many communal tables, and way too long of a wait—even with a reservation. This place is all about appearances and lacks the fundamentals of good hospitality. Save...

AC Hotel Pasadena is my go-to hotel when I’m here for business. This recent trip was the first time Osa was open for me to visit.

The good: Like everyone has mentioned, amazing views and vibes. I can see why it’s a good date spot.

The bad: I was quite underwhelmed by the food. I prefer limited menus because you tend to find that every item is usually stellar, however that was not the case here:

OSA’s tuna tartar lacked flavor. It essentially tasted — and looked — like guacamole with tuna added on top. The seaweed chips that accompanied it were stale and difficult to use to scoop the tartare with because they were so soft.

The peach burrata… they were out of peaches and substituted with mandarin oranges. The substitute in theory sounded to good but the plate was presented in a way that appeared deconstructed, given the key ingredients separately and were expected to make the dish ourselves.

the steak frites… this was perhaps the greatest disappointment: 1/ the kitchen was out of French fries. You cannot have steak frites without the fries. 2/ we asked for medium rare and the steak arrived more on the medium side AND precut. A whole, intact steak is part of the dining experience and when I mentioned to the manager that we found it extremely odd that the steak was pre sliced for us we got a puzzled look.

To the restaurant’s credit, the manager cared enough to listen to my feedback and comped the appetizers. All in all, I would recommend Osa for drinks with a view,...

My experience at OSA Rooftop was so upsetting that I feel I need to share it.

During what was supposed to be a special evening out with my boyfriend and his parents, our server’s behavior completely ruined the night and ultimately hurt my relationship. The server openly flirted with my boyfriend in front of me and his family, even going so far as to try to give him his personal phone number and Instagram handle. It was incredibly inappropriate and disrespectful.

To make matters worse, he deliberately spoke to me in Spanish, knowing I don’t speak the language, and made mocking comments—including calling me “hangry” when our food took over an hour to arrive. This name calling occurred more than once and when confronted, the waiter said that’s how he “jokes with people.” It is not my intention as a customer of a restaurant to be insulted by someone I’ve never met, let alone restaurant staff. Instead of professionalism, we were met with rudeness and behavior that crossed the line.

This experience left me embarrassed, disrespected, and deeply disappointed. A night that should have been fun and memorable turned into something I’ll never forget for the wrong reasons.

OSA Rooftop may have a nice setting, but no atmosphere can make up for staff who treat guests this way. I hope management takes this seriously so no one else has to go...