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El Buen Pastor

3.8 (136 reviews)
Closed 10:00 am - 10:00 pm

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EL BUEN PASTOR ATMOSPHERE

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Janee M.

Absolutely amazing! Ambience and food a ten! Service amazing , we had the rivet appetizer but the tortilla soup was amazing!

El pastor tacos lunch special

Service was bad because they messed up our order and didn't check on us for refills or condiments at all. however the food was amazing. If I could give the chef one hundred percent of the tip and the server zero I would. The ambiance and food is great. If not for the server this restaurant would be 5 stars.

Caesar salad + kids tacos
katey a.

I wish this place had better food or maybe it was the chef of the day. Everything was quite expensive and lacked flavor. I really want to give this another try but I wasn't very happy. The one thing I enjoyed the most was the free salsa and chips. I couldn't get over it. We got 4 shrimps for $30.... I think they should make sure we know how much we're getting. A lot of our food tasted pretty bland. We spent over $500 and left feeling hungry because we didn't really enjoy it. I booked this place for my birthday we had about 25 people and they gave us the back room. It had lots of privacy and we got constantly were getting checked on, it was great! Refills and food coming Constantly.

Dessert sampler platter. Order it, you'll love it
Matthew C.

My wife and I were excited to try this spot as we pass by regularly on our commute. We specifically came in a bit earlier on Saturday just to avoid the crowd and we must've timed it just right as there were only a few people dining. Very nice restaurant. Seating was very comfortable with outdoor seating options as well. Very nice bar, the decor was especially nice. We were warmly greeted as we walked in and promptly seated. I had to try the arroz con leche cocktail (great flavor, just what you would expect without being too sweet) and also put in an order for their "21+ over guacamole". To start they brought us a basket of tortilla chips drizzled with a mole sauce topped with cojita cheese Super good, very tasty. The salsa on the other hand was way too spicy. The server was nice enough to offer an alternative salsa, but again, also way too spicy. ‍ For some reason despite how slow business was, we were halfway through our drinks and had completely finished the chips before our guacamole was prepared. You have to try this blend of guacamole though! They make it fresh at your table with added pineapple, jicama, jalapeno, lime, watermelon and a shot of tequila. My wife and I both loved it! A very refreshing bite with added sweetness, super good. I ordered the combination pastor plate. I really enjoyed the shrimp poblano enchilada, very good. The black beans were also very good. Unfortunately the chile relleno was way too spicy and the pastor was disappointing. Lacking both flavor and seasoning with the same texture of sliced ham. For dessert we shared the dessert platter. Great choice! I loved the tres leches cake and coffee flan, and we both enjoyed the crepes and flautas. Perfect portion and sharing size. This place is definitely worth trying and I would definitely return for drinks, dessert, and appetizers. Each plate was really beautifully presented, and I loved the added aesthetic with the flower. I really wish they would take the spice down a notch though, some of us prioritize taste and flavor over spice, both of which can't be enjoyed when the food is just too spicy. Staff was very friendly but as slow as business was, service was equally slow which could definitely be an issue.

Sandra M.

Everything was very good! The service was good and the atmosphere was great! I think they were a little understaffed as we did have to wait a while for our drinks, to take our order as well as to get to go containers. But they had two large groups in for lunch and other lunch patrons. Maybe they weren't expecting that many people.

El Buen Pastor Mexican Restaurant, Bakersfield, CA - December 10, 2024 - Chips with mole sauce
Bruce O.

El Buen Pastor Fine Mexican Cuisine - Bakersfield, CA December 10, 2024 We came in a little after noon on a Tuesday. We were traveling west from the Lancaster area and were ready to eat. It just so happened that where we pulled off the freeway there was El Buen Pastor Mexican restaurant. We got very lucky to just happen to chance onto it. It is a very nice restaurant with an upscale bar, a modern cheerful dining room with both booths and large tables and chairs. We got a nice booth set up for two. All the staff we met were sharply dressed and very courteous and attentive. I could hear the Spanish accents in their voices and I knew we were about to be treated to some authentic Mexican food. First up, the chips and salsa. This wasn't any old chips and salsa. The chips were fresh and came in yellow, red, and green colors with a nice dark molay sauce and grated cheese on top. The salsa was very unique as well. It was almost like a sweet enchilada sauce. We liked it! My wife and I took a look at the menus and each decided to try a lunch special. She got the beef quesadillas with guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo. I ordered the three taco plate (Al pastor) with rice and beans, Both meals were very tasty! And the price was very reasonable - $12 for each plate. Deal! I think we'll be making this a regular stop next time we come through town!

Horchata agua fresca
Lydia V.

I have an update... I recall when we ordered the Tlayuda... it came with three meats. However, when we ordered ours on Father's Day, it only came with two. I called the server over to ask her to confirm that it came with three meats as the menu specified, specifically I was looking the cecina and I let the server know that in the menu, it calls out the former, marinated pork, and chorizo. She looked at the play and said, pointing to the marinated pork that that was the cecina... it was pork cecina. Maybe it was an oversight or maybe they were too busy to care... but that is not sitting well with me now. Keep the menu when you order and verify that it comes with everything it says in the description!

Pastel de tres leches made from scratch a must try

Servers are always very kind and helpful, even if they are a little busy. Very attentive.

Chips and salsa. Chips have mole sauce and cheese.
Jessica C.

The area itself in Bakersfield isn't ideal , we stumbled on the restaurant after cleaning our storage down the road. But I'm so glad we did, this place is a Gem!!! It's a must visit!! Staff and service were courteous and friendly. The ambiance and dining experience feels more upscale than similar restaurants. Food was amazing every time I have gone, which is 4 times now. If you enjoy seafood, they have a great selection on the menu.

Chicken tacos

They have some good choices for food and everything is tasty! The inside is pretty and the customer service is great as well.

Mixed fruit
Alfred B.

Food amazing. Service amazing. Atmosphere amazing. First time here amazing. This buffet after Sundays church. Was just a blessing highly recommend if you like fine dining and amazing Mexican food However upon leaving. And let me say it was me my woman and our son 3 people. Upon paying the waitress very fast on the tip menu picked the highest percentage of tip like without me seeing the menu and just wanted me to pay 134.00 when 3 adult is 29.99. This lady wanted to tip herself 35.00 for pouring soda just once and did nothing else and I had already left a tip on the table for her. So unhappy with that.

The absolute best flavor I've ever tasted!! From the refreshing cucumber water to the chips and salsa... to our meal, VERY VERY GOOD! We got the molcajete after asking for recommendations from our server and it did NOT disappoint! So glad we decided to stop as we passed through on the freeway. Great service and even greater food!

Tacos Pastor- sampler
Michele T.

We stumbled upon this place as we were passing through Bakersfield overnight and Wow were we surprised! The restaurant itself is modern and beautiful- ambiance on point. The staff was very welcoming and extremely attentive. The food far exceeded our expectations- absolute perfection.. We live in Scottsdale, Arizona and this place was on par with some of the finest restaurants we frequently dine. The attention to detail, the authentic flavor, the presentation, service and atmosphere meet all the upscale dining requirements. You will not be disappointed! It also gave high end Tulum resort vibes. Lastly, it was an exceptional value and experience.

Chilaquiles divorciados

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This place is awesome!! Service was incredibly friendly. Food was delicious. Best part was the live music! Cannot wait to return.

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Tiki-Ko

Tiki-Ko

4.5
(289 reviews)
6.0 mi
$$

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.

Haven't been in here for probably 15 years. It's changed- a bit. I love Tiki bars and I go to every…read moreTiki bar I can find. It's tiny- like a lot of tiki spots. Decor is nice. Little hidden gems. Lighting is dark with bits color and neon popping through. The Bar Top curves around the bar- there are two booths that seat 5-6 and two short tables next to them- one seats 4- the other will comfortably seat two. There are a few bench style seating areas at the front with some short coffee tables. Think- skater tiki bar. The drinks were good- small menu if you're not sure what you want or are new to tiki. Both sides of the menu are the same menu. There are some nice mocktail options as well- you don't see that often. The service for me is mixed- it wasn't busy- steady but not busy- 1/4 full. I ordered two drinks to start for our table- (no cocktail servers here/not unusual for a small Tiki bar) I asked for a soda water- the bartender looked at me without a word- popped open a can of soda water and walked away. When he walked back by, I asked for a glass of ice- he said nothing and I got an eye-roll huff. I almost left. I don't think providing a glass with ice to pour your canned room temp soda water in, is too wacky an idea to be perturbed by the request. The female who took the order was friendly, smiled and was professional. We got a third cocktail- the Mai Tai. The grumpy bartender was friendlier this time. So, that helped. Maybe he felt overwhelmed and I threw off his groove by asking for water- then a glass... either way- being annoyed wasn't cool. The music.... Wasn't Tiki- it threw off the "Tiki Vibe" and made it feel typical small local bar that serves only Tiki drinks with some Tiki decor. It didn't take you to the land of Tiki- disappointed. Drinks were good.

Photos
Interior booth
Interior booth
Sunken Ship
Sunken Ship
Interior. bar area

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Interior. bar area
Casa Mariachi

Casa Mariachi

3.6
(16 reviews)
6.0 mi
Speaks Spanish
Family-owned & operated

great service i fast service clean place anything you get here really good the food is amazing…read morehomemade tortillas

A TRANSITIONING JOINT... would be the best description of this Mexican restaurant. It's got a big…read moresign out front stating "under new management". I saw fairly positive reviews from locals so I thought my Mom and I would check it out. Unfortunately, we came out underwhelmed. My Mom's order was totally hijacked. She ordered a specific meal alongside mine. Later, when my meal was ready and served, we get a surprise. Our waiter states he forgot to tell her they ran out of the meal she wanted! So here I am with my hot meal and I have to pick at it in front of my Mom while she has to wait all over again! My food started getting cold because I didn't want to be a jerk and eat my whole meal in front of her. Unfortunately, my Mom had to order something she didn't want. Once the food finally came out (shrimp fajitas), we find that her shrimp was NOT properly cleaned. I thought they were tightwads with the amount of shrimp they gave her, she could've received more. Our waiter apologized, but he started to avoid us out of embarrassment, this wasn't very professional. Our meal was awkward because it sucked seeing my Mom disappointed and unsatisfied. The ambiance was pretty quiet, so this made it extra uncomfortable. Overall, I won't be back soon as I don't live near Bakersfield. My food wasn't bad (green enchiladas), it was actually pretty good. However, due to the bad impression from the service and weak communication of the staff, I wouldn't be back soon even if I lived close. Casa Mariachi really needs to work out the kinks.

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Casa Mariachi
Casa Mariachi
Casa Mariachi

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El Buen Pastor - mexican - Updated June 2026

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