Had no idea this place has been open for four years, and I'd never tried it…read more Went on a Thursday night, we ended up being the only ones there. I understand weekends has live music. It's rustic and clean, it's very clean. There's a very large side room for events etc. the main bar area is small with some nice chairs to sit in and the large tv was set to a fireplace. The floors are covered in various beef/farm brands, adds to the rustic western vibe. Bartender was friendly and attentive. She kept busy cleaning and dusting bottles- like I said- it's clean. Drinks for a "speakeasy" were not special. Very typical bar drinks- no special menu etc. I visit a lot of speakeasy's- this is, speakeasy-ish. Our two drinks & a club soda were nearly $40. They were made well. Unfortunately, they didn't have the ingredients to make the drink I had asked for. Overall, I'd like to see this place on a weekend night with music. The drinks were over priced for what they were- IMO. That said, I'll likely return, at least once. Still bummed KC doesn't have a nice speakeasy.

Our favorite local spot with THE BEST ambiance. I have never had a bad experience here…read more Haley is a delight and is very knowledgeable as both a bartender and server. We love coming here just to see her. This is a great spot for a quiet date night. It can get pretty pricey, but half of what you pay for is the location and the service, which is second to none. This is a great spot to host a private party as well and does require a password to get in. A great way to ensure your party stays private!

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.

The Botanist is such a vibe. From the outside, The Botanist is unassuming. But don't be fooled, a…read morehidden oasis lies just beyond the front door. The food was toptier. I was especially surprised by how great their chicken wings are! They also make a mean old fashioned. Our server was very welcoming and attentive. If you're looking for a nice, positive, and slightly secluded/intimate vibe with great drinks and food, I definitely recommend The Botanist.

The atmosphere The…read moreservice she was attentive, got everything right. The food the menu is pretty limited. The NY steak wasn't worth the price- The tacos were nice and well seasoned. The fries were amazing. The drinks- craft cocktails

Eye St. Pub is a classic and fun spot to kick back and enjoy a delicious cocktail, spend time with…read morefriends (or strangers), and chat with the amazing team of people that work here. Every time I hang out at Eye St. I feel safe and cozy, which is always a plus. Bar area and restrooms are always clean. The jukebox is available and bumpin', there are TVs for live sports and entertainment, & the crowd next door at Rooster's is dancin' away and keeping the energy high. If you haven't already, swing by Eye St. and grab a drink, chat, enjoy the tunes and the friendly faces all around. The owner and crew know exactly what they are doing here, and they never disappoint, so don't miss out!

Can already tell this pub will be in our regular rotation. They did it right! And how fun that the…read morehonky tonk bar is just down the hall. Loved the vibe, loved our drinks. I believe Manny was our bartender - he was excellent. Will be back soon!

Great food and great service also great atmosphere, I highly recommend this restaurant.read more

My wife and I visited on a Saturday for our five-year wedding anniversary. I booked ahead my…read morereservation through Yelp. At the last minute, I actually had to move my reservation by 30min, so I called the restaurant and they were very accommodating, which I appreciated. Being a Bakersfield native I definitely wanted to check this place out being that I had visited Chase Bank prior to the vault taking over. I was absolutely amazed by the decorating on the interior. They literally left no stone unturned. Every single corner of the restaurant is beautifully decorated. I do love the whole vault theme. It definitely just feels like you're stepping back in time. The food was fantastic. On a Friday and Saturday night, they offer a prime rib special. The plate itself ran about $52. But it was well worth it. The prime rib absolutely melted in your mouth. It was paired with a beautifully baked potato. It was also served with a side of horseradish sauce as well as Au'ju, We also tried out the brussels sprouts appetizer. They were absolutely amazing. Flavor was spot on. And I would definitely recommend it if you're just wanting to try something a little bit different. Our meal also came with a soup or salad. My wife opted for the Caesar salad, with house made croutons which she said was great tasting. I opted for the soup of the day, which was an Italian wedding soup. Again great tasting everything tasted fresh and was piping hot.

I met a friend here for dinner and drinks. I've never been before and I found out It's under new…read moremanagement. I was surprised when I walked in because I thought the place was much bigger. It is a long and narrow establishment with a trendy vibe. Decorated with wine barrels and bottles which give it an industrial feel. We were greeted by a server immediately upon entering but he wasn't very friendly. I placed an order for a Tito's press for my first round and the hubs ordered a Tito's and tonic. For our next round I ordered a Tito's and tonic and was given another vodka press. After scanning the QR code and checking out the menu, we decided on the shrimp ceviche as an appetizer with the shrimp tacos and a chicken taco salad. The menu is soooo small! I came in with an appetite and there wasn't much to choose from. The hubs said the ceviche was too salty but the shrimp tacos were good. I thought the taco salad was delicious and I finished it all. My friend ordered the garlic shrimp and also said they were salty and at $24.99 for just 6 shrimp, she would not order them again. The weirdest part was there was a big labradoodle inside the restaurant! I thought it crazy at first since there is a patio that is just fine for dogs. Look, I'm a dog lover, but inside of a restaurant is crazy to me! What if people are allergic? What if the dog jumps on the table? This dog was roaming all over the place...it was under our table looking for scraps and I even seen it sniffing a patrons legs at one of the high top tables. Anyway, this place is decorated super cute, the food was okay and the dog seems to be one of the owners so it seems it's going to be there indefinitely. I don't think I'll be going back but you should give it a try.

I'm always looking for a good whiskey bar and Cask Strength fit the bill…read more All of the folks behind the bar were friendly and fun to have conversations with. My bartender, Alec, made a great Old Fashioned. I only came in for a couple drinks before a show downtown, but I was recommended their Chili Relleno. And thank goodness I was. It was delicious. They were kind enough to turn on the Dodger game when I asked and I ended up spending well over an hour watching my team secure a win before heading out. The location is awesome and pretty much anything you'd like to do downtown is walkable distance to and from the bar. The bar has changed ownership recently. But with drinks this good, yummy food, and stellar service, Cask Strength Bar and Kitchen has a bright future in Bakersfield!

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.

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!