Tomorrow is the day. On Wednesday, Sept. 17, from 4 to 8 p.m., Mijares Mexican Restaurant will mark its 105th anniversary at 145 Palmetto Drive with an after-work celebration built around the staples that drew generations through the door: familiar plates, friendly service, and a proper toast.
For once, mañana—Spanish for “tomorrow”—isn’t a polite delay. It’s the date on the calendar. Regulars who have been saying, “We’ll get back there soon,” won’t need another reminder. The milestone arrives midweek, the tone is come-as-you-are, and the point is simple: gather, eat, and raise a glass to a Pasadena fixture that has kept at it for more than a century.
Why this matters
A 105th anniversary is less spectacle than proof of habit. Mijares has been family-run since its beginnings, and the routine—warm tortillas, straightforward plates, an easy welcome—has given the place a dependable rhythm. It’s the sort of restaurant that becomes part of a city’s shorthand: a standby for birthday dinners, after-game meals, and quick meet-ups when no one wants to overthink where to go.
Tomorrow’s observance is a thank-you to that routine as much as it is a celebration of longevity. The appeal is continuity. Staff who know the menu by heart, diners who know where they like to sit, recipes that don’t need a preface—these are the small assurances that keep a dining room full.
What to expect
The evening is set up for an easy drop-in: a four-hour window, late afternoon into dusk. The kitchen will lean on house favorites; the bar will be ready for toasts, with tequila and margaritas in the spotlight. The vibe aims for unhurried and social—more neighborhood party than program.
If you are a planner, tomorrow offers a tidy schedule: arrive after work, meet a friend you’ve been meaning to call, and stay long enough to mark the occasion without turning it into a late night. If you are a procrastinator, consider this your nudge. Mañana becomes hoy at 4 p.m.
A quick look back
The restaurant’s story is straightforward. It began as a family operation and grew into a Pasadena standby by keeping the focus on the plate and the guest rather than on reinvention. The dining rooms and patios have hosted decades of local life—quinceañeras, graduations, anniversaries of all sizes. The anniversary simply acknowledges what the community already knows: consistency, carried over years, becomes tradition.
A note on tone
This is not a gala and not a send-off. It is a midweek milestone for a place that has stayed itself. The humor of mañana applies without overstatement: after many postponements on personal calendars—busy months, busy seasons—tomorrow is the date to finally go.
Practicalities
When: Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, 4–8 p.m.
Where: Mijares Mexican Restaurant, 145 Palmetto Drive, Pasadena
Why: To mark 105 years for a family-run Pasadena mainstay
How to approach it: Think casual celebration—an after-work stop that can be as quick or as linger-long as you like
If you go
Arrive with an appetite and a plan to keep it simple. Order what you already love or what someone at the next table swears by. Make room for a toast. Share a story about the first time you came here or the person who brought you. Milestones like this are less about ceremony than about showing up.
Tomorrow, mañana is the big hoy. See you at Mijares.
For 105 years, Mijares has been more than a Pasadena institution — it has been a reminder of how food, prepared with tradition and care, can become a family’s story and a community’s comfort.
Mi Casa Es Su Casa will host its annual tequila tasting on Wednesday, Sept. 17, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Mijares, 145 Palmetto Drive in Pasadena. For more call (626) 792-2763.
The event will feature a selection of premium tequilas, chef-prepared small bites, fiesta-inspired party favors and live music.
Tickets are available in advance through Eventbrite.
