Great atmosphere with friendly and knowledgeable staff. Had a great time learning about Bourbon and whiskey too. Nit into that? No problem. Lots of different drink choices. Highly recommend anything with Buffalo Cream (Bourbon cream liqueur) especially a root beer float! read more

Cask Strength Bar and Kitchen - New York steak with Brussel sprouts - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bakersfield, California

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Decided to try this place even after hearing bad reviews but went on a Friday night with my wife for a nice bottle of wine and appetizers, ordered a $120 bottle of Silver Oak, after about 15 minutes the server brings the bottle to the table BUT the bottle is already uncorked, The server then states they opened the bottle inside and dropped the cork and asked if I wanted the cork replaced or a bottle topper (mind the cork was stuck in the bottle). I asked why they would open it inside and not at the table which is customary, she responded with our server doesn't know how to open wine bottles. They left the bottle with us, after she left realized the cork in the bottle was from another wine, completely ridiculous. When you look at the menu, you would think the place is an upscale restaurant, with a $64 steak that is served a la carte BUT then you realize they serve it with paper napkins, but again this is the owner that ran The Mark into the ground. If you are wanting to try somewhere new, choose another place. read more

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First time was ok. Our drinks were good & put together well. Definitely enjoyed the distillery aesthetic. We had wings, a couple tacos & the chili verde Mac & cheese which was really good. Our servers were friendly, when they attended to us. Wasn't necessarily a deal breaker to keep us from coming back. Just something that was observed. read more

This perfect little corner in DT Bakersfield has had a multitude of personalities. Before Cask, it was The Mark, before that maybe Kosmos or was it Goose Loonies? Whatever it was, it's had some facelifts, name changes, and yada yada over the years. In its day, The Mark did some magnificent aesthetic overhauls. Adding patio spaces, private lofts, and tons more. I'm not entirely sure what happened with The Mark, but restaurants being restaurants Cask Strength Bar & Kitchen was born! We were invited in late January one bday afternoon by some friends. Now let me tell you, this is a whiskey, bourbon, sazerac bar. If you like your bourbon and bitters, this is the bar for you. Me on the other hand, I was an absolute nuisance. You see, I'm a martini girl. Vermouth, gin or vodka and all the salt and high blood pressure you can muster - that's my cocktail of choice. When we tried to order an espresso martini, we were met with some hefty Rock-like eyebrows. Speaking only basic bartender, even I knew that meant "WTF girl, don't you see I'm the only bartender back here? Please for the love of God order something else...." And we did, for fear we end up Rock Bottom. In the end, our drinks were good and bartenders more than capable, if not slightly understaffed. Knowing what I know now, I will order appropriately. read more

I wanted to like this place because I love supporting small businesses in Bakersfield. However, my boyfriend ordered a grilled chicken sandwich, and while he was eating, a small bug was crawling all over the bread and the vegetables, and I was appalled. I called over to tell someone something, even though he didn't want me to, and the worker didn't really even respond. He just said sorry and thought maybe the kitchen should make us a new one? I said no I'm fine really and he said okay so I asked for the check... he didn't even have the decency to remove the food from the tab. Also, the bartender took our orders and never came back around for us to get another drink. 0/10 not a good experience at all. Will not be returning. Still left a tip. They should've definitely tried to make it right with a little more effort. read more

I am very disappointed. My family loves eating out. We are very patient and enjoy having long dinners with conversation. All of us have worked in food service so we know the demands and consider ourselves very understanding. It's opening weekend so it's expected that they would still be ironing out a few kinks. Unfortunately, our experience was terrible. When we arrived at the restaurant was packed, they are having a very busy first weekend. I noted that the capacity sign said 45. I'm pretty sure the restaurant/bar was at capacity the entire two hours we were there. With a line out the door. I waited at the entrance for 15minutes before even being acknowledged. When the guy came he was very pleasant and seated us. The ambience: The restaurant is beautiful, with an urban industrial rustic hipster feel. The servers wear very cool leather aprons. The bar is very impressive and elegant. There is not much seating maybe ten tables. The door to the kitchen was open and you could see inside the whole time. The floor is polished concrete and there's nothing hanging on the walls so it is very loud and echoey. There was music on, I think country but it was impossible to make out. It was hard to hear the people at our table which made conversation difficult. The server came to our table and told us the kitchen was a little behind so things would take awhile. We were not deterred because we were there to celebrate my mother's birthday and expected to be having a nice long dinner with many drinks. She took our drink order and got us waters. She brought our waters and took our appetizer order. We ordered three appetizers. The manager then came over to drop off our drinks from the bar. My mother had the Nana's lemonade and loved it. My dad had an old fashion and thought that it was pretty tasty. My aunt had ordered a Diet Coke but the mix was off. Instead she decided to have Moscow Mule which she enjoyed. They took our dinner order. We ordered a filet mignon, grilled salmon, New York, and cranberry apple pecan salad. And then our appetizers came out. We had the Garlic Parmesan truffle fries, southwest empanadas, and the cilantro chicken eggrolls. They were all decent tasted like typical bar food. The portions were pretty small there were four of us and the eggrolls and the empanadas both came out with a plate of three. Then no one came to our table for about an hour. When they came we got another round of drinks and they filled up our waters. After another hour we notice a table that sat after us was starting to receive their food. Their plates came out one at a time. The first person's plate was finished before the second two plates arrived. We still had nothing and all our drinks were dry again. Finally our server came over to ask us what our order was because apparently the kitchen had lost it. We sat for about 2 1/2 hours waiting for food that was never coming. Tired and grumpy and with headaches from all the loud noise and lack of food we decided to give up. The server said she would have to ask her manager if she could remove the food from our order that we didn't get so we weren't charged. She came back with our $60 check: Four alcoholic beverages, a flat Diet Coke, and three appetizers. The manager never spoke to us, nothing was comped, and not even apologies were offered. Leaving upset, tired, hungry, and with a headache. I love the downtown scene so perhaps I will try them again when they're a little more established. read more

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We had a date night and fiance recommended this place..it was the first time for the both of us and I loved how the place looked nice and bright and so clean looking..if your into whiskey than you need to come here..we had the empanadas and they were really good...and we had a lemon drop..ok so to me honestly I think it's a great first date spot..a place to meet your date and see how it goes..lots of people and all ages..they also have a dinner menu ..we didn't do dinner but we will next time..so whatever occasion you may have date night or first time meeting night or just to relax with a drink and good people than you should try this place. read more

Cask Strength Bar and Kitchen - Lemon drop was good but kind of small. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bakersfield, California

I had Nana's Lemonade, it was delicious. Ordered a handful of appetizers. The garlic parmesan truffle fries, empanadas, and the chicken egg-rolls, all were typical bar food. Nothing to rave about but satisfying all the same. Of course it's opening weekend so they are still working out the kinks so we were told that dinner might take a while to get to the table. The kitchen was having a hard time keeping up. The staff were all super friendly. The wait staff kept our drinks full! Unfortunately the kitchen "lost our ticket" so dinner never came. Can't review the filet that I didn't get. I would give it a couple weeks before trying it again. Definitely leaving disappointed. After 2 hours of waiting, they did nothing to try and make up for their error, not even an apology!! read more

Cask Strength Bar and Kitchen - Cask Strength Bar!! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bakersfield, California

Cannot believe people left low reviews for OPENING WEEKEND! Ignore those. This place is delicious. Hidden gem and brand new. We both got steak and it was delicious. The drink menu was expansive and the focus on whiskey for their cocktails was interesting and I managed to get one of the best whiskey sours I've ever had. If you're looking for a meal that won't break the bank and is leagues ahead of other food in the area, look no further. This place is freakin' great. read more

My Aunt and I went to Cask to grab a bite to eat before a comedy show at the Fox down the street. We knew it would be busy being a Friday night and the night of a show, so we anticipated a wait. We walked in and were greeted by a gentleman who told us there were two parties ahead of us, but we would be sat third and we could grab a seat at the bar if any opened up. We only had to wait maybe ten minutes before seats opened up at the bar. We were happy. We ordered our food, three items from the appetizer menu, at 6:10. At 6:50, our food still hadn't arrived and the people who were sat at a table behind us at the same time already had their food and were almost finished. I politely asked the bartender to check on our food because we had a show to get to. She asked the bartender next to her for help, and that bartender told her to ask someone else. She returned to me saying our food would be another 5-7 minutes. She apologized and said it was her first night. Twenty minutes later, at 6:10, now an hour after we have ordered, our food still wasn't out. I flagged down the gentleman who originally greeted us at the door because it was brought to my attention that he is in fact one of the owners. I told him we had been waiting an hour for our food. He said, "oh, let me go check". No apology, but he did go check. At this point, I'm pretty upset and no longer understanding. It feels blatantly obvious that our patronage is not appreciated or wanted. I went to the restroom and was met by this gentleman on the way, he told me our food was being plated and it would be about two more minutes. I returned from the bathroom, two minutes later, and our food still wasn't there. My Aunt went to the restroom and when she returned, the food still wasn't there. Our food was brought out at 7:20, an hour and ten minutes after ordering. The other owner brought our food out, didn't look at me, or say anything to me, and actually made the new employee hand us our food. No apologies from either owner. No one asked how our food was. The male owner came over to us a few minutes after our food was dropped off and said "I took your raviolis off". That was literally all that was said. I was so offended and angry by our experience. I thought about saying something to the owners, but this whole experience, their obvious lack of caring, made me feel it would be pointless. We scarfed our food down and rushed out to make it to our show. Needless to say, we won't be back. read more

This is one of my favorite bars in Bakersfield. The drinks are fantastic, the staff is amazing, and the atmosphere is so fun! The amount of whiskeys they have is almost overwhelming but the bartenders are helpful in making suggestions. I love this place each time I come. read more

Cask Strength Bar and Kitchen - Inside of the bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bakersfield, California

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Amazing! Hope they're in business a long time! Party of four tonight. First off waitress/manager was super helpful, great personality and fun. Service goes a long way to bring back a customer and she's got it. We had an old fashion, Freddy's Float, beer, and a peach lemonade. Would definitely order these again. To be honest I saw the menu and thought, it's awfully small, and wasn't sure we would all find something we wanted to order. But I five in head first with the chicken cilantro egg rolls. Good flavor, fresh and crispy, not soggy or greasy. Not sure how they're going to too this experience off... Well they succeeded. None of us could finish are meal, even the guys. Maple bacon burgers were a huge hit. They didn't want to put them down and the fries were great too. Shrimp scampi was very good, quite delicious, but would have preferred the asparagus cooked a bit longer. Ok now, let's talk Salmon, it's not known to have a buttery flavor but this one sure did. Perfect flake, wonderful flavor. Baked potatoes were delish with a chive compound butter. For my side I was impressed with the flavor of the brussel sprouts, they had a maple bacon flavor and I would get these every time!! read more

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Super cool bar, with great food, better drinks, and fun friendly staff can't wait for summer to hang out on the patio and chill! read more

Cask Strength Bar and Kitchen - Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bakersfield, California

If you love whisky then you'll love this place. Ridiculous selection and you can rent lockers to keep your own booze there as well. I went in for appetizers and had the most amazing steak tips in a whisky bbq sauce reduction. I could eat that everyday. It was that good. Also had the flat bread and and a few other app's but the steak stood out by far. Everything we had was very tasty. read more

I really had a good time. The atmosphere was relaxing and absolutely hip. Sitting outside in downtown Bakersfield was quite enjoyable, and we were lucky to have very comfortable weather. The food was absolutely delicious, and the service was top-notch. The only issue would be finding parking; you'd be lucky to find a close by parking spot. read more

Cask Strength Bar and Kitchen - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bakersfield, California

Came here with my girlfriend for a girls night out. We did not realize it is a whiskey bar but they have all types of alcohol! So anything you might want, they have and can make for you. But if you want anything whiskey, this place is it. It's small but has a great vibe to drink and hang with friends or a date night. The service was great and the food was good. Just a little pricey. We got the two slider appetizer and it was 24 bucks. But it was good so it was worth it. Give this place a try!! read more

Great Experience. Best Whiskey in town! Really good happy hour menu, and friendly staff and bartenders that are attentive to the customer. Highly recommend! read more

I have been here a handful of times and love the food and atmosphere every time. The owners are kind and the service is always great even on busy nights! I recommend the steak bites and the empanadas! You can't go wrong with the peach lemonade! Thank you for your service and for never losing your smiles! This is a go to for drinks and appetizers, you'll see the bartenders are passionate about their drinks! Savanna is a great server too! read more

Cask Strength Bar and Kitchen - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bakersfield, California

Everything we ordered was delicious hot and fresh. The service is prompt and friendly. This is a great lil country bar and restaurant. Great music playing overhead and their liquor selection is abundant. I don't understand why this place only has 4 stars. The only negative is that there is limited seating and probably rough getting a table during busy time. Wish this place was in my hometown Vegas. read more

Cask Strength Bar and Kitchen - Huge selection of liquor - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bakersfield, California

Service is not it. They really need to work on service skills. The food was ok at best. It has potential but very disappointed in the lack of service. Good luck. read more

Awesome bourbons selections. Wow! Prices are decent and I'll be back for a whiskey tasting for sure

Good food and excellent service! The atmosphere was nice too. Scan for the up to date menu. read more

Cask Strength Bar and Kitchen - The Menu changes, scan this for an Updated MENU. 4-29-23 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bakersfield, California

Decided to check this place out after seeing so many posts about it on Facebook. First thing that caught our attention was the long copper bar top and the library style bar shelf setup. The lights behind the bottles make the bar the main staple of the restaurant seeing as it amplifies how extensive the whiskey selection is. Food was phenomenal! My favorite dish was definitely the flatbread! The NY steak is definitely worth trying as well. I was unsure what to expect in regards to the steak simply because I know this is more of a casual setting type of restaurant but I was blown away with how delicious and properly seasoned and cooked it was! This is most definitely a place worth trying. A great little date night spot or even an after work bite. The staff is friendly and helpful and more than willing to craft you a delicious cocktail with your spirit of preference (seeing as this is a whiskey bar but I'm not a big whiskey drinker myself ). Overall, a solid experience. Will be coming back! read more

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We were excited to try a brand spanking new restaurant downtown. Especially since they had a nice bar and the few things I saw ahead of time seemed promising. We went on maybe their second night open, so we were not expecting perfection. Not even close. There is a major adjustment time for any new business and food service has to be the toughest. We waited quite some time at our table between drinks, food ordering and food arriving, but we were on a date night and we have tons of grace to give. The food... besides a few little adjustments that need to be made, was delicious. I'm not going to detail every single thing they fell short on because that's asinine and weird to do for a new spot that just opened up. I will say the flavor of the NY steak was killer. The Brussels Sprouts were TO DIE FOR, lamb chops were good and the portions were super generous. My husband's Old Fashioned was so good, it wasn't super strong (which may be a turn off for some, but I took a sip and actually enjoyed it!) The composition of the drink was stellar. Overall I can see this place kicking butt when they get rolling. read more

Cask Strength Bar and Kitchen - Lamb chops, mixed veggies and garlic mashed. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bakersfield, California

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We love this spot! They have the best sweet potato fries in Bakersfield! Great spot for whiskey, environment is welcoming and the staff knows their drinks! read more

Walking into the place, it's small but welcoming. We arrived about 10 min after it opened so it was my husband and I, plus another couple at the bar. The waitress was helpful and nice. The food, though, not that great. I ordered the steak with loaded baked potato and my husband ordered a cheeseburger with fries. The food wasn't nasty, it just didn't have flavor... like at all. Considering there was only 4 people in the place, There was also quite a bit of wait for the food. But at least we tried the place. It does have a nice atmosphere. I wouldn't mind coming again for drinks, but not for food. read more

Great drinks, very cool decor and fast service. I like that they have a patio too (I hope they add some shade out there though!)

Such a good restaurant! The atmosphere is clam and peaceful. The drinks are very tasteful and strong in a good way! Food was delicious and fulfilling. Staff was amazing and makes you feel welcome. Well definitely be back and recommend. read more

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We had ordered the shrimp tacos, the salsa had a nice kick to it. Full bar as well, the only reason I didn't give it more stars is due to the service. We did come for a comedy show, so the place was busy. They forget to bring our food out and our drinks took awhile to come as well. We'll go again on a slower day. :) read more

Great steak bite tacos. Titos mule was excellent. The whiskey barrels on the wall were really cool! Staff was friendly and making sure we were good. Definitely recommend! Tons of liquor options too. read more

Great watering hole for an afterwork drink and appetizers. Great selection of whiskeys and knowledgeable staff. Little loud though if you are looking for a dinner spot. read more

Great spot. The food is is really good. Drink were on point . The bartenders are all very friendly.

FYI they measure their drinks! We had an amazing bartender Jackie, she finished our stay with a smile and great hospitality. Can't remark on the food because we just stopped in for a couple of drinks. read more

Excellent drinks, great food, loved the overall ambiance. Something about the older buildings in town....some noise (echo) abatement needed. Overall, the best spot we visited while in town. Love the marketing and the 'theme'. Food was delicious and fellow patron's food looked delicious as well. Our dish stayed warm until it was devoured!! We would definitely re-visit this hot spot. read more

CAsk literally did not want to serve me without speaking a word. I do not recommend this place. I was only here for Ice cream but they wouldn't know cause they judged me before even talking to me. read more

My friends and I get together about once a month. We decided to give Cask and Strength Bar a second visit after a successful first visit when they first opened. When we arrived the place was busy. We had a group of 8 and the staff was quick to greet us and promise us a table as soon as one came open. Once a few tables were available they put a few together to make room for all eight of us. Once we were seated we were greeted by a very handsome waiter (I don't recall his name). He went over the menu choices with us and gave us some great suggestions. I had a steak and it was made to perfection. One of my other companions had the salmon, and she said it was terrific. Everyone around the table raved about how great their food was. The owner Brian came by the table to say hello and make sure everything was good, we all thought that was extra special. If you looking for a great place downtown with good food, service, and a great vibe, Cask and Strength Bar and Kitchen is the place to be. I look forward to many more visits to this great restaurant. read more

Had the steak bite tacos and grilled salmon with Brussel sprouts and garlic bread. It was so delicious best place I've been in for a while. They have a fabulous selection of whiskeys but if you want a good martini they have that too. Heard they just opened and glad I stopped by. The employees are all friendly and very helpful. Definitely will be coming back and spreading the work read more

Food was amazing, atmosphere was great, planning on coming back soon! Def a hidden gem!!!!

Waited for 20 mins at a table. Not service. Not a single waiter passed by. We left while watching only two people at the bar work. It's funny how when a big group comes in they all rush to them. Very disappointed. read more

The food and drinks were AMAZING! Also our waitress Jackie was super nice and attentive, she had the best recommendations! She made the experience even better! Definitely recommend checking it out. read more