Foxtail doesn't feel like Bakersfield. The decor, lighting, the whole ambiance is brilliant…read more Service is fantastic. They are attentive and prompt. No food here- drinks only. Cocktails are very well made-craft cocktails. They had 90's playing when we were there and it was great.

Cute bar lounge with chic vibes and fab cocktails! Perfect spot for a girls night out--great music,…read morecozy seating & nonstop laughs!

Nobody plans to spend an evening in Bakersfield. You pass through it on the way to somewhere else…read more-- Mammoth, the Sequoias, the long flat grind up the 99 to Sacramento -- and if you stop at all, it's for gas or a bathroom or because your BMW's brakes have decided, somewhere around the Grapevine, that they'd rather not. Thank you, Weatherford BMW of Berkeley, for the near-death experience and, inadvertently, for one of the best nights out I've had in years. Stranded and waiting on repairs, we checked into The Padre, the only hotel in Bakersfield that feels like someone with a subscription to Dwell had a hand in it, and set out walking through a downtown that time has treated with more kindness than reputation suggests. There's a Woolworth's luncheonette still hanging on. There are old brick facades and wide sidewalks and the particular quiet of a Central Valley evening when the heat finally breaks. And then, on 18th Street, there is Tiki-Ko, and suddenly you are no longer in Bakersfield at all. You are, instead, inside someone's magnificent obsession. Tiki-Ko is a proper tiki bar -- not a tiki-themed cocktail lounge, not a place that bought some bamboo at a craft store and called it atmosphere, but a genuine, committed, floor-to-ceiling shrine to mid-century Polynesian fantasy. The carvings are real. The lighting is correct -- which is to say, barely there. The mugs are serious. There are pufferfish lamps and carved totems and the whole glorious taxonomy of tiki ephemera, accented here and there with a skate-culture edge that keeps it from feeling like a museum. It's reverent without being precious. The drinks are the real thing. Mai Tais built with actual orgeat. Zombies that earn the name. The bartenders make them with the kind of care and enthusiasm that tells you this isn't a gig -- it's a calling. They want you to be here. They want to talk about rum. They want you to try the Painkiller. In a city that most Angelenos regard as a punch line, somebody built a world-class cocktail bar and filled it with joy, and the regulars clearly know it. You will not plan a trip to Bakersfield. But if you find yourself there -- by mechanical failure, by accident, by the peculiar mercy of a bad brake job -- walk downtown. Find the tiki bar. Order a second round. Stay longer than you intended. Bakersfield has been underestimated, and Tiki-Ko is the proof.

Visited The Sinking Ship with friends and enjoyed ourselves very much. The drinks were good and the…read moreatmosphere was really cool. It was a fun evening in a laid back environment, the bartenders were nice and the lady clearing tables was pleasant. The only thing I, personally, didn't enjoy was the weird ambient soundscapes. A little music would have been nice, rather than the creaking ship noises and ghostly wailing.

The Padre Hotel is a historic vintage jewel with updated slick styling…read more Service is outstanding from (Sara) front desk, (John) Brimstone Bar, (Alexis Food services Mgr) Farmacy Cafe to (Iman) housekeeping. The only hotel we will use when visiting Bakersfield.

Beautiful, classic hotel in Downtown Bakersfield!…read more We love staying here. Again, this time around we booked a Head Honcho Suite. They are so nice and spacious. This stay we were in room 403. The bed was super comfy and we even caught a Back To The Future Marathon on TV :) This room was a corner room just as our previous stay (in room 404) but this room's view was much better. It was right on the front corner of 18th & H Street. The sunrise was spectacular! My favorite is the jetted tub. It's super relaxing for a great "staycation" It's really cool and fills from the ceiling. Put on a Padre robe and relax! The best feeling after a long day! Can't wait to visit again hopefully visit the bar and restaurant next time.

Went thereafter Saturday for my friend bday party. The var was classy nice benches and barstools…read more The KJ was great the crowd cheered every one on and danced. The prices are good as well.

The female bartender was not only rude, but just trash. She yelled at us in front of all of the bar…read morebecause we didn't pull out our ID's quick enough for her. This was a regular place I'd visit. No mas. Not ever again. I won't spend a penny here again .

Close and comfortable extraordinary jazz performances & the people are so nice and relaxedread more

I've been here once with friends. Its a pretty chill place. The music was amazing and the owners…read morewere nice and friendly. They sell food I just wish they had more of a selection as far as alcoholic drinks but what they had did the trick and we were all having a blast! I definatoy recommend this place if you want to listen to some good jazz. :)

I've been here twice now. Here's things we love about it:…read morethey greet you right away when you walk in, it's clean, aesthetically pleasing, and close to the Fox Theater and The Well Comedy Club. The first time we came here, my husband and I came for dinner and drinks, both were amazing and the service was perfect. The server checked on us enough but not too much to make us feel rushed. Tonight we just went for drinks as we were in the area before the event we were going to started. My husband had an old fashioned and I had a lemon drop martini, we sat at the bar. The bar tender was friendly and her drinks satisfied the thirst.

Had higher expectations, but it was a solid 3/5. I ordered…read morethe spicy chicken sandwich, which a very thin piece of chicken, the spicy bbq was overpowering. Wish they did a standard crispy chicken sandwich with a thicker cut of the thigh, rather than pounding out the breast to be mostly breading. The side garden salad was very fresh and crisp. The service and drinks were decent, could be improved but not bad. It was kind of pricey for a cocktail - $18 for a Tito's vodka lemon drop. (They up charged for top shelf). It took 10-15 min to get our check after we stopped eating for a server to notice that we were done. Ambiance is cute, pretty causal. I would give it another chance if I'm in the area.

The Best Music in town, right in the heart of downtown Bakersfield. I enjoy the drinks and my wife…read moregets down on the dance floor. RECOMMENDED.

Crash is a nice place for really good signature drinks. One of the best espresso martinis I've had…read morein downtown Bakersfield.

Crash lounge is hands down one of my favorite downtown Bakersfield lounge bars. This classy "dive"…read moreis the best chill spot for a weekday or weekend sip. There's always great music and great service. Stop in and have an award winning Basil Gimlet Martini made by Elias!

Bottleshock is amazing! the outside seating is so nice and feels like I'm in my own backyard…read moreenjoying Sangrias. They have good snacks like charcuterie boards and bruschetta or they usually have food trucks on weekends/event days. The staff is always great and super friendly.

Came back after about a year to Bottle shock and we happened upon their 2 year anniversary of the…read morenew owners buying the business. It was a lively fun family party atmosphere. It seems like they have a lot more events happening like movie nights and live music and just lots of stuff. We enjoyed our glass of pinot noir and Tempranillo and they were giving out small slices of pizza as part of their anniversary so I munched on that. They offered us a glass of champagne too but we declined. We sat watching the football game on the tv and enjoyed our date. For the night we went, it definitely felt more like a party place, people were drinking a lot of beer, taking shots, etc. but not sure if that was just because of it being their anniversary. We had fun!

Girlfriend Saturday brunch at the Botanist. Emily our…read moreserver was so friendly & accommodating. She helped make this a brilliant lunch for us. If you go for brunch on Saturday definitely get there early as they fill up fast and don't take reservations. As the place fills up the noise does escalate. But it's a happy fun atmosphere. We all had the breakfast smash burgers which were juicy and delicious! We ordered a side of the Green Dukkah Fries, Yum Yum! I had the Lime & Lechee cocktail, my friends had sparkling wine & red wine. Everything was scrumptious! As always a fun place to go for fine cocktails & good grub!

Speakeasy vibe. An absolute must check out when spending time in Bako. Food is excellent,…read moreconsistent and reasonable pricing. Service attentive and waiters/waitresses pleasant and happy to serve. This is a go to spot for anyone traveling through Kern County.