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.

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!

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!

This was one of the many bars we stopped at while in Bakersfield. The bartender was really cool and…read morehad a lot of funny jokes--I don't know if he was working for tips, but he definitely earned it. Met a guy who said it was his birthday and showed me his ID to prove it, so I bought him a beer. The place has great energy. They have a pool table and, I believe, a dartboard (I'm not great at either). The drinks were strong and delicious, and the place was clean.

My best friend wanted to celebrate her birthday 80s style downtown. This was my first time here and…read moreit was really fun! We got there by 9 pm, and our group was able to sit at two tables. The atmosphere was laid back. It seemed to have a regular clientele. Bartenders were very friendly with everyone! The drinks I had were very good, more ice and juice than alcohol but still good. The prices we paid were about $5 to $10 per drink. There was an ATM on the side of the room, but I'm sure there's a fee to use it. So bring cash with you!!! There was a jukebox, but you have to download an app and add money through it to play a song of your choice. It was loud in there, but we were all still able to talk to one another. Although there was music, it didn't look as if there was a dance floor. It was a pleasant bar, sure I'd love to go again.

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!

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.

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!

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!

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!

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.

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 .