Food was great and the service even better! Will be back hands down. Had a 50's diner vibe to it which I also enjoyed .

I love visiting Ruben and Frances and supporting our local Happy Jacks! These people care about community and serve up a delicious Ortega Burger. I love sitting at the old school counter and chatting with others in the shop. I didn't even miss the fries (they don't serve them), keeps my carbs down to save room for the PIE. I tried the peanut butter pie and it was to die for. 10/10 stop in (lunch only) read more

Take a Trip Back in Bakersfield Time! Pay a visit to Happy Jacks! They no longer serve breakfast, but lunch is available at 10, when they open. They have salad with "Goodies," such as cubes of ham, with delicious, homemade, Russian/Catalina dressing. The burgers are great too! read more

Used to come here years and years ago but stopped because the lady was always rude. Came here today with a party of 5, NOPE STILL RUDE AS HELL so we walked out. Too bad because the food used to be good. Spend your hard earned money elsewhere. read more

Foods always good use to come here with my grandpa for alot growing up, and the lady believe shes the owner was rude asf to the females but nice asf to the guys. The lady next to us was on the bigger side as am i and she asked her to sit in a wide chair when she first came in because she didn't want her property damaged, when she was taking my order i was already annoyed with the disrespect, i ordered a soda and the guy i was with ordered a coffee she told me loud as hell that i cant be drinking from his cup and that shes going to he watching. I told her if i wanted coffee id get coffee. Burgers and pies are good but not good enough to be disrespected. Wont be back sadly. And to be working there and be that unprofessional is crazy to me. read more

This food was so bad hadn't been there in years went today ordered a chili size burger patties horrible, Was going order a hot ham cheese sandwich said they no longer sale should be taken off of menu right ? Still on menu , they did make just a grilled sandwich and that was horrible also , should have taken everything back for refund , will not be going back !!!! read more

The food was average. The problem was with the owner being so rude to female customers very nice to the male customers . I was treating a friend for lunch and it turned out to be a horrible experience. Never will go back read more

Went to lunch here with a friend. They are super friendly. The burgers are wonderful, they are served alone. There are potatoes but they are not French fries but they're good. The place is cute, cash only, and it's only bar seating no tables. I've wanted to visit and try it for a long time and to find out it's been here for 45 years and under previous owners before that for 15 years says a lot about it. It's working tasty so no need to change it, so give it a try. read more

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I've had to have driven by this place a thousand times and never stopped to eat. It's got a cute, homey exterior and seems inviting, so we finally gave it a try. There are a few tables outside, which would be nice on a sunny day, but today was chilly and damp. When you walk in side, it cozy and a little tight. There is only counter seating. Find a place and sit down. The servers are right there. The cook is 10'feet away. Your order is taken immediately. I got the Ortega Burger and my wife got a regular burger. No fries. Jack's potatoes were on the menu, but they no longer serve them at lunch. The burgers came out in a reasonable time and were good. Nothing spectacular, but good. The atmosphere was fun. You get to interact with the server and her sister, check out all the Yoda paraphernalia, and listen to counter-talk conversations. It was good we gave it a try. read more

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I was really looking forward to trying Happy Jack's -- the food itself was good, but unfortunately the service left a bad impression. Our waitress may have just been having an off day, but several of her comments came across as unnecessarily judgmental. She criticized my choice to skip the house spread on my burger, made remarks about calorie counts (even said we should skip the PB Chocolate Pie if we were "watching them"), and commented towards us that she'd never hire someone who couldn't do simple math when we were discussing the splitting of our bill. While she had a friendly tone overall, those comments felt out of place and only directed toward our party. It made the experience very uncomfortable. I suggest trying the food but getting it to-go. read more

This is the best burger on the planet. I moved out of the area many years ago, but I will make a 5 hour drive every once in a while just to get this burger and some Dewars chews. read more

Great food. Pies are a local must do. Thanks Francis. You and your family are good people

This place has some really good food! It reminded us of in and out a bit lol.... Everything was just pretty perfect food wise, minus a couple things like forgotten bacon on one of the burgers and our potatoes being made long before our burgers instead of being served with them. It's a pretty small place, there's no traditional tables and chairs inside, just a long counter/bar with stool type seats. Maybe 20 seats in total? Plus some tables & chairs set up outside. There was about 10 people already dining inside, pretty diverse crowd, classic 50's music softly playing in the background & the place just had an old town country feel to it lol, it's cute! & it was clean! I did notice the older waitress/owner treating the younger waitress like crap a couple times... Some of the other reviews on here about her attitude are crazy shocking! I don't think we witnessed the worst of it, but it was enough to get your attention and make it a little uncomfortable. She even slammed the paper menu back down In front of me when I tried to hand it back to her, not knowing I was supposed to use it as a placemat... Also I wanted to note that since it's so small, it can get a little awkward as far as how close, at all times, the waitresses & customers are to each other. Lots of weird eye contact! Will we be back? it's hard to say, as the food was worthy, but IDK, her attitude does put off a bad vibe! Paid 28$ and IMO it was worth it bc of quality & portion sizes. read more

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Have to get here sooner so we can have dessert... however, dinner with the kids left us all very HAPPY. Ambiance is a bit chill and relaxed in the afternoon, but they so get busy for lunch. We will have to try them for breakfast.... Save room for dessert! Banana cream pies have bananas in EVERY bite... apple crumble a la mode will change yours mood for the better ... and my absolute favorite, strawberry Shortcake ... Let's just say I can lick the plate if no one was looking. Don't forget::: They operate CASH ONLY Have FUN!!! read more

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Delicious juicy home style burgers n pies ! Very friendly and filling burgers ! The setting is cute and homely

First time here and it was amazing. The service was phenomenal. My fiancé had today off and we decided to try it out. I'm so glad that we did. I tried the bacon burger and my fiancé tried the Ortega burger. Both were big and juicy. We got a slice of peanut butter pie and it was delicious. That wasn't even the best part. We were served by Frances the owner and her granddaughter Tori. They have impeccable customer service. We brought our 3 month old son and they just adored him. We felt so welcome. The atmosphere here was cozy. We absolutely loved it here. Everything about this place was outstanding. Definitely 5 out of 5 I'll recommend this place to everyone I know. read more

Happy Jacks Hamburger & Pie Shop - Frances, Tori and Makayla holding my baby Roo - Burgers Near Me - Bakersfield, California

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Good burgers and pie. Chili size was good. A little pricey, but what isn't. Food great flavor.

A family member told me about this restaurant, so we met and checked it out together. The restaurant is small and only has a counter inside with outside seating. The owner was working and told us about the restaurant. She's a great person to chat with. I ordered the Bacon Cheeseburger and cheesy potatoes. The burger looked amazing and the flavors worked well together. It has a slice of red onion and sweet pickles along with lettuce and tomato with their own sauce. Overall it is up there with one of the best burgers I've had. The cheesey potatoes were also great. They are a different side then you usually get with hamburgers. If you're in the area and have cash. Yes they only take cash, do yourself a favor and give this restaurant a try read more

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Can't stop thinking about my burger. (Almost) Everything about it was perfect. The patty was a good size, it wasn't messy for how jam/packed it was, and all the ingredients inside went together so well. The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of were the pickles. I prefer dill pickles rather than the sweet ones. read more

Happy Jacks Hamburger & Pie Shop - Holly's Special (jalapeño cheeseburger) - Burgers Near Me - Bakersfield, California

I've been wanting to try this place for awhile but never have cash or when I do they're closed - finally the stars aligned and had cash and they were open. Easy parking, counter seating only. Walked in and heard the lady say something about a pick up order but her back was turned so I sat down. She looked at me annoyed and asked in a much louder voice whether I'm picking up. I said no. She looked bewildered and said THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING YOU WHEN YOU WALKED IN AND YOU DIDN'T ANSWER. I let her know I had no idea she was talking to me because her back was turned...I wish I had left but I ended up picking up the menu. The side I picked up was the breakfast side and she snatched it out of my hand and turned it over and told me they're no longer serving breakfast. It was super aggressive and if I wasn't so hungry I would've left. I let her know I had another person coming and then she asked me who's paying. I hadn't even ordered yet but I let her know it'll be my husband. She then rants about it being weird for her to ask at the end of the meal who's paying so she asks in the beginning. Literally makes no sense. The place is dull, old and nothing special. The burger was good, I wouldn't say overpriced. I did ask for ketchup but didn't get yelled at. Only told it's all sugar, which is whatever. She did yell at the 2 guys next to us for getting separate potato orders. Another thing I thought was gross was her counting all the money on the counter and then serving people pie and using her bare fingers to balance the pie she cut and served. Had the Rudy pie, unimpressive. The potato's do need seasoning. Overall, the burger is good and I'd try it at least once. Will I go back? Maybe. But I'll order to go. If you're going to eat there the entire experience is guaranteed awkward and frustrating, read more

My co worker and I came for lunch and it was our first time in! The ladies at the lunch counter were very friendly and prompt. I believe they have their grandkids working there which was pretty nice! You could feel the family love for sure. Our burgers and the jacks potatoes were so yummy! Everything was made perfectly. This is a cash only spot so make sure to bring enough cash to try a slice of pie! (I didn't) lol so I will definitely be coming back to try some. Also love all of the Yoda memorabilia! read more

Happy Jacks Hamburger & Pie Shop - Bacon cheeseburger with jack's potatoes - Burgers Near Me - Bakersfield, California

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Amazing!!! Tasty food. Will definitely come back. Service was great and the vibe in there was awesome

Food was pretty good. I had the salad for lunch with their house dressing. Service was quick & attentive.

If you look closely to photos of burger you can see the shape and the way the meat tastes you can tell it's those cheap uniformed packs of hamburger meat and a terrible quality hamburger meat at that. But that's not the only thing that left a terrible taste in my mouth. The lady m/owner seems as if she teleported from the 50's and is a complete rac*st American. She's one of thee rudest people I have ever encountered that runs an establishment. Frances's attitude matches match the low quality of that hamburger meat. read more

We were excited to try this family-owned local business, but we were pretty disappointed in the food. Atmosphere was fine, it was nice and cool in there for a warm summer afternoon, it appeared clean. The service was great, with two very friendly women working the counter who didn't seem to mind a little conversation. They each asked us several times if we wanted a refill or if we needed anything else. Unfortunately, as soon as our burgers came out I could tell the bun had previously been frozen, it was pale and didn't smell fresh, the texture was exactly what you'd expect from a previously frozen hamburger bun. The burger had quite a bit of sauce, but nothing seemed to have much flavor aside from the tomato. They also have potato chips on their menu for $3.00, so I assumed they were homemade, but they were tiny bags of Lay's potato chips. For two burgers, two sodas, and two bags of chips was $30.00. Needless to say, we will not be returning. read more

Great, classic burger for a reasonable price (cash only of course). The pie was good too! The atmosphere is the real attraction though. Small, bar only seating served by the family who owns it. Simple in a good way. read more

Still the best burger in town. Great chili too. Francis and her husband are local and loved.

It's a nice quiet location downtown with great service and good prices. I had the bacon cheeseburger and I have to say they don't skimp on the quality of the bacon. Thick cut and was a couple inches longer than my burger. Beef was flavorful and well cooked. My only issues is I think burger and fries go hand in hand and that isn't an option here. Side note I am reserving a star for the pie that I didn't get to try. I will be back!! read more

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Came here on a casual Friday, and they treated us very poorly, and I have never experienced such discrimination at a restaurant but I suppose my identity had something to do with how I was treated. This place is pretty racist and shameless about it, and I'm aware I live in Bakersfield, and people have personal agendas but still no reason to treat us or be racist like that especially when you're a business, be professional we don't live in the 1950's. It's embarrassing being that the old and keep a mindset that doesn't apply. And also talking about politics isn't intimidating anyone we know you're too scared to say how you really feel. It bet it sucks to be a business like that read more

Wonderful company and customer service. Feels like home. Been coming here for years. They have The best enchiladas and eggs anywhere!!!

We got the Holly's Special which is a jalapeño cheeseburger and the patty with homemade chili. We also got the cheesy potatoes and a price of the coconut cream pie. Everything was delicious. The star was the pie. It's the best pie I've ever had. The crust was crispy and flaky at the same time the filling wows cold and just the right consistency and the top was homemade whip cream! The staff and owner were amazing and we highly recommend. Now on a permanent rotation for lunch. read more

Small cozy diner off of 20th and G streets in downtown Bakersfield. Warm homey ambience reminiscent of years gone by. Melamine counter with wooden stools, wood-paneled wall with a hodgepodge of framed pictures of athletes, family, an assortment of plaques, and Star Wars Yoda pieces. Piped-in music from years gone by adds to a nostalgic feel. Came for the pies. Was hoping to have a slice of their delicious banana cream pie but settled for peanut butter and chocolate pie because it wasn't available. Also tried the Ortega Bacon Cheeseburger. It was simply delightful. Service was warm and accommodating. Our server was the wife of the owner/cook. Delicious food, great service, and a homey old school appeal. Worth the trip to downtown Bakersfield. read more

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Once again happy jacks did not disappoint. Went this time with my hubby around 10:40ish close to their breakfast ending, but we made it on time. This time it was a bit busier then the last time I went but still was able to find a seat and was greeted as we walked in. It took a bit long to receive our meals, possibly a bit close to 20 minutes.. but it hit the spot once we started eating. Husband enjoyed his Chile verde omelet and I got the same as last time the pancake combo. This time around our total was about $26.75 for 2 meals, a soft drink and a water. read more

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Happy Jack's is a cool, little small place. I went there as I was driving to Las Vegas and found it to be a friendly place with great service and even better food. I was so happy that I made the stop there for food. read more

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Very small old restaurant that is quite popular. First time here, I had the cheeseburger with jalapenos, lettuce and secret sauce. My wife had a bacon cheeseburger. Both burgers were very good however this place does not offer French fries or onion rings so $8.75 and $9.75 for burgers without French fries is about $2 more than they should be charging for a burger. I also had 1 slice smallish peanut butter pie at $5.50 ! Really! Tasted very average. So the bill for 2 average cheeseburgers, 1 slice of pie and 2 soft drinks was $28.00. Sorry not worth it. I won't be back. read more

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The burger was fan-freakin-tastic!! Not one complaint on the food I got but they don't have fries which was a lil disappointing haha The service was phenomenal, our waitress was so nice and very helpful being our first time! Finally the whole restaurant was unbelievably cool, feels like the ambiance hasn't changed in decades but in a good way if that makes sense! Haha once of the best burgers in kern county! read more

Happy Jacks Hamburger & Pie Shop - Burgers Near Me - Bakersfield, California

This small diner in downtown Bakersfield has some how escaped me for the last decade. The vibe is very homey. They do have a strange obsession with Yoda and the decor shows it. The staff are friendly. It felt like I was eating with family. They love to chat with the customers. My wife and I both ordered burgers. They came out relatively fast and very fresh. The buns started too disintegrate towards the end, but it was good. I'm not a fan of the potatoes. Kind of a cheesy home fry. I wish they had regular fries. The special pie was decent. The crust was a little gummy though. They do not take credit cards. read more

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A really tasty old school burger with fresh topping. The Rudy pie - the peanut is not like peanut butter but more like a peanut flavor filling- not dry snd sticky. Really nice. Current hours are 6 to between 2& 3. Happy Jack's is trying to staff up and return to more hours. Yelpers please be attentive snd update. read more

Happy Jacks Hamburger & Pie Shop - Hours 'situation' as of Oct 2021. They close between 2 & 3 and are trying to staff up. - Burgers Near Me - Bakersfield, California

I came in and got the worst experience. The lady was so condescending . I just can't believe it would not come here again

Things have changed a bit since 1976. The average cost for a gallon of gasoline was $0.59 and Elton John was topping the charts back then. One thing that hasn't changed much is Bakersfield's best burger and pie shop, nestled behind the Fox Theater and Fire Station 1 in downtown Bakersfield on the northwest corner of 20th and G Streets. Frances and Ruben Morales have been the proprieters of Happy Jack's Pie 'N Burger since they took over from the original owner in America's bicentennial year. If only the countertop in he old fashioned dining room, which seats just 20 hungry customers, could speak - it would regale you with the tales of generations of firemen, cops, lawyers, and downtown businessmen alike. Upon entering this tiny diner, I am always greeted warmly by Mr. and Mrs. Rosales. My go to order is the ortega cheeseburger ($7.50) and a slice of banana creme pie ($5). If I'm extra hungry, I'll spring for a bag of Lay's chips ($1.80). Remember - there's no fryer at Happy Jack's, and there never has been. If you fancy fries or rings, you're out of luck but the cheesey potatoes are a great alternative! Frances and Ruben are quick to take my order and will keep me entertained with conversationuntil it's ready within just a few minutes. Over the years they have gotten to know me well and it's always a treat to see them. Reminder... CASH ONLY!! Complain all you want, but this way of doing business has worked for almost 50 years and I doubt they plan on changing it any time soon. read more