Excellent dinning experience! Came across this restaurant while walking around Cincinnati downtown. With an calm and rustic atmosphere this restaurant has some phenomenal tacos and margheritas. Services was outstanding. If you are in the area give this place a try. You will enjoy every bite of it. Cheers! read more

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Great cocktails and service. The food was pretty good - not the standout I was expecting from the reviews but it was ok. We had a reservation since we were seeing a play nearby - so we were seated immediately. Service - other than the bar - was prompt. We ordered cocktails. Then read over the menu. Ordered an appetizer. Then had it delivered, ate half of it and then ordered our tacos before we ever got our drinks from the bar. But the cocktails were fabulous! Espresso Horchata for my daughter and the Caballero Old Fashioned for me. My daughter was told by a friend that that tacos were tiny. The waitress told us the tacos were tiny before we ordered. Still, we were surprised by how small they really are. We looked at the photos shared in reviews and they're $4.5 each - so, we thought they would be a smaller street taco size. The tacos are brought out on a pizza pan and sat on a raised stand. So, all the photos - including mine - are shot from above. They look almost double in size in the photos than they actually are. I ordered two tacos, my daughter ordered three. We also ordered the Esquites appetizer. We left still hungry. If it wasn't for the nacho chips , that were suggested by the server to go with the Esquites, we would've been starving. We both ordered the Pollo Verde taco and the Short Rib taco. My daughter also had the Fish taco, which she didn't finish due to not caring for it much. As far as the flavor of tacos - they're ok. The short rib and the chicken were both dry and lacking in flavor. The tiny shells fell apart - so eating with the hands became very messy. We did like the Esquites appetizer, which paired well with the crispy nachos. Overall - the place is lively and has great cocktails. The service was great and the food was ok. read more

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Best taco and margaritas in Cincy! We came here some food per our friend recommendation. It was described as ,"You can choose anything on the menu, and it will be good!" Little did I know that this place will blow my mind. Their margaritas are housemade on the rocks. It is very tasty and very strong. Be careful. It's so tasty you won't even know you're drinking alcohol-but in a good way. I had the pineapple margarita that had a pineapple wedge. It immediately brought me back to the beach! The tacos, I recommend their short ribs and al pastor. Both were meaty, juicy, and delightful. Also, we had the short rib queso. As a cheese lover, it has been broiled with crumbled queso fresco on top and radish slices. I asked for an extra side of pickled peppers and radishes - that my friends were game changers! The flavor and textures were a perfect dance in my mouth. Moreover, the service was superb! Our waitress was attentive and introduced us to the menu. She even split the margarita into two smaller glasses for my date and I to share. The manager was super sweet, too. She told me Guy Fieri visited their restaurant a couple of weeks ago and offered to show us his picture and signature. I was grateful for how warm they treat their customers here. The music was the vibe, there was outdoor seating, and their napkins were 5 a star. Yes, I said napkins. I knew as soon as I picked one napkin that this place was going above and beyond. read more

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Great, popular place in downtown Cincy! You can order tacos, share plates and and mingle with others as well. I ordered a few tacos and thought the food was decent. But coming from a place where there are so many options for tacos, the tacos were ok. I really thought the service should have been better though. The place was crowded, so the staff couldn't pay much attention to our group as much. A group of us ordered tacos, and they all appeared at once....making it a bit difficult to know which tacos were which and whose they were. Otherwise, a decent, and clearly popular choice for those in town for sure. read more

Bakersfield OTR - Fish and shrimp tacos (sorry bad photos here) - Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

One more time. We came here again after a late night FCC game. What an easy place to have a light but satisfying meal. We got two Tomas each and guacamole. We got great service and attentive but patient staff. I loved the open garage doors to people watch the night life of OTR. This is just the best tacos in OTR. Don't forget a margarita! read more

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Best guacamole in town, and a wide array of excellent tacos. Always good service. This is a favorite dinner spot for my whole family. My only complaint is that every time they refresh the menu they remove my favorite thing. I've had several favorites disappear, and I'm always crushed when they update the menu until I find a new favorite. I'll forgive them, though, since they have so many good choices. Perhaps this is just their way of keeping me from getting in a rut. read more

Great taco experience on Vine Street! I recommend getting one of each: - Margarita - Queso - Tacos We started with the pineapple margarita, which helped ease us into the rest of the meal. These are house-made, and the fresh pineapple wedge and salt rim were a great combo! Lovely margarita, and I've also heard good things about their house version. Special note: we mentioned sharing the marg, and they served it in two glasses for us. Great unexpected service! The braised short rib queso rocked... but I have a recommendation. Enhance it by ordering extra pickled peppers and radishes. Adding these took the queso up a level! The cheese is really good, full flavored, and baked wonderfully. We ordered 4 tacos, and I'll rank them from best-to-least (all were good): 1) Braised short rib 2) Carnitas 3) Pollo Diablo (warning: very spicy) 4) Fish They are small in size, but it's a good portion and fairly priced. As a couple, we each got a few bites to sample each. Great service, cool atmosphere, rocking music... we'll be back! read more

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Had lunch with my son at Bakersfield in Cincinnati. We had fish and shrimp tacos with pineapple margaritas which were delicious!! read more

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Buzzing Tacos + Cocktail destination which is a must visit while you're in the Queen city. Everything is fresh& tasty. Servers are genuinely nice & provide good recommendations. My favorite were the spicy chicken tacos! Drinks are good, tad sweeter but strong. It's a loud place inside if you don't mind it. The ambiance inside could be better, brighter. read more

Bakersfield OTR - Tacos - Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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When I order something online for pick up, I don't need you to gaslight me into your cooking abilities. I don't need you to lie to me about how much time it's going to take for you to cook this food since I'm not sitting there waiting for it. I'm at home comfortable when you lie like Bakersfield does, and say my food will be ready for pick up 10 minutes before it actually is, that pisses me off. (if you're on the side of well, it's 10 minutes and food service. What does it actually matter? Then why doesn't the restaurant be honest with the amount of time it's going to take. It's just 10 minutes. Is it because it's embarrassing that it took you 20 minutes for two tacos and a chips and queso, probably but at least it's honest.) read more

We got a pineapple margarita pitcher that was great, the tacos were fresh and delicious, and the chips and guac were amazing! It's a great place to catch up with friends or a date since it is a higher scale Mexican restaurant but prices are pretty reasonable! Everyone was nice and service was as quick or as a slow as you would want it to be. read more

Bakersfield OTR - Chips, Guacamole, Queso, Pineapple Margarita - Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Love coming here! I only come when I have a reservation because the wait is usually long. My staples here are the Bakersfield margarita w salt and the chips and guac. Tonight I got the fish, shrimp, and short rib tacos. All were hit! They're pretty small so get 2-3 per person. My plain husband just got the meat and tortilla with no toppings. We had guac leftover and asked to take it home and our server also brought us fresh chips to take home. Service was great! Only downfall is that we were upstairs and it was super loud. read more

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We wanted to try the Ohio location since my favorite spot of theirs is in Indy on Mass Ave. they are pretty much the same other than the Indy location seems bigger. The food came out hot and fresh as we sat at the bar. It was a Thursday so not too busy. As always the food was really delicious! I could eat here every day. read more

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Every time I think about Bakersfield I immediately crave queso and their short rib tacos. I've been going for years and have tried most of the tacos but always end up back with my tried and true. read more

Bakersfield OTR - Short rib tacos and Queso - Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Great service , ambiance brilliant. Food was outstanding! I had empanadas delicious and my niece had the tacos and they were wonderful

I've never been much of a tacos fan, but Bakersfield really changed my mind on it. The tacos (2 shrimp, 2 fish, 2 short rib) tasted so delicious and flavorful from the meat, while the cabbage, radishes, onions, etc. gave it such a fresh flavor on top of it. The queso was addicting. I can't imagine what the loaded one must taste like. Our waitress was very nice and happily gave advice on which tacos to try. I definitely enjoyed how chill and relaxing it was in the restaurant, especially after a full day of walking. If you're not really into tacos like me, give Bakersfield a shot. They may just spark your love for tacos. read more

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Ate here twice within a week. The tacos were fantastic, the setting is nice and bartender very with it. The second visit was slightly confounding. The patio is nice but as we sat, a manager seemed very annoyed and more so when we asked for plates in addition to our taco racks. "I guess, it's special to eat off plates," I remarked to the table beside us. They too said they had to ask for this most fundamental of table items. When the plates were brought to the table, they were set down stacked, not placed with each guest. The manager projected a huffiness. read more

Went here with my boyfriend about a month ago on a Tuesday night. We had the best experience! Place was very relaxing for a nice dinner and the food was light. Got seated right away. Our server was so friendly, I wish I could remember his name to give him a shoutout. We really appreciated how he was so thorough in explaining the gluten free menu, he even handed me a seperate menu so it was easy to distinguish what I could have! I absolutely loved the pollo verde and pollo rojo tacos. My boyfriend really enjoyed the fish and baja shrimp tacos. I also ordered a mexican soda which was delicious. The manager was very friendly and visible, he came to our table to check in on everything which was really nice. Overall we had a wonderful experience and would return again! read more

Excellent Mexican food! Great atmosphere. Wonderful friendly staff. Service was friendly and efficient. Pitcher of Margarita delicious. Three amigos having lunch and everyone was very happy. read more

Bakersfield OTR - Chips and guacamole, chips and queso, roasted stuffed poblano and pitcher of margaritas. - Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Wow! We got delivery through Uber and we were so pleasantly surprised with how fresh our food was!! The torta is SO delicious!! Short rib taco was so flavorful. Guac?? Soo fresh!! We will for sure be adding this to our roster of places we frequent! read more

Bakersfield is always my go-to spot in OTR when I'm craving a great marg and a flavorful taco. My friend and I arrived at prime dinner time hours on a Thursday, but were still seated right away with excellent service. I ordered a pineapple margarita to start which was phenomenal, and my friend and I decided to split the chips and guac. As an avid guacamole fan, Bakersfield's is amazing. I went with a baja shrimp taco, a pollo verde one, and a carnitas taco. All came out in record time, and were delicious! I especially liked the carnitas taco with the toppings it came with. For the price, I would advocate that these are worth it. Overall, the atmosphere was very enjoyable. As it was a Thursday, it wasn't too crowded, but there were definitely plenty of customers around enjoying their food and drinks as well. I would highly recommend! read more

Bakersfield OTR - Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I've loved Bakersfield ever since it opened in the pre-Covid years. Consistently excellent tacos, queso, and cocktails. Last week I hosted a party featuring the Taco Night Dinner and Nacho Bar as carry out. It was a huge hit with my guests-- delicious, plentiful food. Their corn tortillas are the real thing, and the protein fillings rock. The fish tacos were my favorite this time, but I like the vegetarian tacos, too. Tasty salsas, better than your standard rice & beans, and of course the spicy queso kept everyone happy. Also, the staff was super helpful responding to my questions and making the whole process flawlessly easy. read more

Had dinner tonight. Food was decent. We ordered six different tacos off the menu. The chicken tacos were very good. The Al pastor was okay. Lacked some flavor. Alex was our server and was good. He seemed a bit stressed, but a nice guy. The dolly salad with chicken was very good and was a very nice size for the price. The margaritas were good. We sat upstairs on the rooftop and it was a very nice night. The vibe was very nice and enjoyed the experience. Would go back to try out other items. read more

Great place. In town for a Saturday wedding. Glad this place was recommended for Friday. We had made a reservation. Nice margarita. Fabulous small tacos. Cauliflower side was really good. Short ribs and cheese app really good too. Lively. Fun. Reasonable prices for nice food options. Pastor, short rib, shrimp, and fish tacos all tasty. Even their chips with three dips hit the spot. Cheers. read more

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The food here is amazing! Margaritas are the best I have ever had. Service is spot on. Very cool vibe as everyone is so friendly. Such a cool building. Had dinner on the patio. Try the shrimp tacos. In fact all the tacos are so good. Great parking access across the street. Perfect date night choice. Enjoy!!! read more

Went for lunch on a Monday. My friend and I each ordered two tacos and split some chips and queso. I had a carnitas and short rib taco. Both were great, I enjoyed the carnitas the most, that's just my personal preference. The queso was the best I have ever had. We were too full to finish the queso/chips so took home. Highly recommend. (shout out to are server, Brenda, she did a Great job.) read more

Long time patron of Bakersfield... Covid messed with OTR. Well, happy to say, it's back! Cody was our bartender. Very attentive, super friendly and hyper efficient. Makes a great "skinny marg". The short rib queso is amazing... literally could eat a bucket of it. The fish taco "hot" out of the kitchen is so silly good. read more

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Some of the best dayum tacos in the city! A true staple, we'd die in OTR without Bakersfield. I live for their Pineapple Margarita. The Pollo Diablo and Al Pastor tacos are my favorite to shamelessly devour. Love their chicken taquitos as well. The vibe here is rustic and chill. This place does tend to get crowded though! Especially on weekends. So best to call ahead to avoid a long wait. read more

The current edition of Bakersfield makes full use of (formerly) Kreuger's Tavern's rooftop bar/patio and dining space. A great change to maximize outdoor space, and the ability to get a table. They still have great flavors and tasty food, but I feel like the size of the tacos are small compared to what I would expect in most other settings. My date enjoyed her chicken and carnitas, as well as the strength of her pineapple margarita, and I was impressed by the guacamole. I ordered a half Loretta salad and for the price I was pretty impressed with the size, and the dressing had the right amount of "pop". The dish I ordered, the chicken torta, was massive and.... honestly not great. It wasn't bad by any means, but I actually expected the fried chicken itself to have better seasoning or flavor. I'm about 95% sure the avocado mayo was actually just salsa verde, but their salsa verde is delicious and slightly spicy, so that saved the dish. That and the fact the chicken cutlet is every bit the size of my head. Wait staff were attentive, food came pretty quick, and even with the tables close together and the hard surfaces we were able to carry on a conversation comfortably in the outdoor setting. Definitely recommended. read more

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We had never been down to the OTR Washington park area before but now covid is somewhat in the rear view mirror, we stopped by The Bakersfield for something different. This is a busy little place and we were seated at the bar which was fine. Our bartender was very friendly and went over the menu and answered any questions. We each got the Pollo Diablo, the Al Pastor and the Short Rib tacos. The Diablo spice level is that of a jalapeno and was our favorite of the three. We also ordered the Trio appetizer with the two sauces and guacamole were equally good but each different in flavor so it would be hard to choose if only getting one. My husband ordered a beer and I ordered the Watermelon Margarita and then a shot of Mezcal. The Margarita was just ok although strong, it seemed a bit like a premix and not as fresh. Love the atmosphere of this place and the location. read more

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What a fun place! It was so busy when we arrived, glad we made a reservation in advance. we were late by 20 minutes but the host stand still had a table for us! And in the quieter upstairs bar area. Server was delightful, friendly, and gracious, especially as our food order was incorrect and to our birthday guest. Food was fresh, served quickly and quite delicious. 2-3 little tacos definitely enough of a portion, especially after enjoying the triple dip appetizer. Oh, and don't forget to get yourself a margarita! So tasty and refreshing, not too sweet for the pineapple margarita, and just the right amount of smoky to the mezcal margarita read more

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Bakersfield is a safe and solid option for tacos and margs in the OTR area. As usual, the tacos were solid and I personally love the Willie salad. We wanted to try some of the new appetizers, so we ordered the papas rancheras and empanadas. The empanadas were decent, the potatoes could have been much crisper. I'm glad we tried them, but would stick with queso/guac as an appetizer next time. Still a good meal overall! read more

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My husband and our friend go every Tuesday for our weekly Sip N B*tch session. The consistency of the food is fantastic. The ingredients are always high quality. Personal favorites: chips and guac, short rib queso, Al Pastor tacos, fish tacos, and the short rib tacos (featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives), and the pineapple margaritas (shout out to Erin for being a killer bartender). The atmosphere is also fantastic. Good music, awesome staff, and the manager is great. There's also outdoor seating upstairs. He always stops by to chat, as do several of the other servers (WITHOUT neglecting other tables). Only "downside": I really miss the cranberry ginger margarita. read more

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We stopped here for something quick as we travel home and was greeted immediately and sat with the nicest waitress. She was on top of drinks and our order. We got a small variety of tacos and they were super delicious. The short rib and pork on the Al Pastor- we seasoned well and great with the paired pineapple and cabbage/ radish. Must try this location it seems to be great for any time! read more

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Came here mid day Saturday for the Cincy taco week special. Started with the trio dips which were two salsas and quac. They were all phenomenal. The chips are light and crispy. The taco special was a carnita taco with creama. Very good! For $2 each, a great deal. This was my first time here. I want to go back again and in Columbus too. Some interesting looking salads on the menu. read more

Bakersfield OTR - Carnitas - Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

(4) ~ very solid lunch option in the OTR MENU: ** Water = (4) very good, must be filtered;) ** Guacamole = (4) very good & chunky;) ** Pollo Rojo (chicken) Taco = (4) very tasty ** Baja Shrimp Taco = (4) very good * Salsas (Re & Green) = (3.75) Good, the Red is smokey & the Green is clean * Esquites = (3.75) Good. Note: This is a cold temperature appetizer, not like the Elote appetizer which is served warm. *** Still wish the offered dessert;)lol read more

Wow this place had some great tacos & delicious margs. We started at the bar since they were understaffed and needed some time to get our table ready. The bartender was the worst and started us off on a bad foot. Idk if he was having a bad day or what but he barely acknowledged us and was very rude. When I was ready to pay for our drinks he kept ignoring me so I just walked away and he still never said anything. After that interaction everyone else was super pleasant and helpful and turned our experience around. We had a super amazing waiter and I can't remember his name but whoever was working on Sunday around 1pm servicing the outdoor tables deserves a raise!! Now to the food: We got the trio which was two types of salsa & guac. I'm not a huge salsa girl but wow the green salsa was sooo good. The guac was also super fresh and flavorful. The tacos- with multiple food allergies & restrictions at the table from dairy to meat to gluten... everyone was able to find something to eat and it was all delicious! I got the fish and shrimp tacos and both were absolutely amazing and fresh. It was my first time in Ohio and this spot made me fall in love with the OTR area. Will happily come back here if I'm ever in town again! read more

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Cute place. And great food!! The guacamole was so good and every type taco I had was fresh and delicious (shrimp, short rib, and al pastor). Also the margaritas were very good. Staff was friendly and gave good service. read more

My wife and I came here around Independence Day with a group of friends. We'd been barhopping and decided it was time to grab some food. We ordered the roasted cauliflower shareable, guacamole, and chips and salsa for the table. The chips were delicious, piping hot, and crispy to perfection. They came with a salsa verde and rojo. The rojo was spicy, and the verde had tasty lime and cilantro flavor. The guacamole was smooth, creamy, and properly seasoned. The roasted cauliflower wasn't my favorite, but everyone else seemed to enjoy it a lot. My wife and I ordered six tacos to split, which ended up being a good amount. Everything looked good, but we opted for the Baja Shrimp, Short Rib, Hongos, Huitlacoche, Carnitas, Pollo Diablo, and Pollo Verde. We had a table of eight, so we probably ordered 30 or so tacos total, but we had efficient and high-quality service the entire time. Every taco had unique, delicious qualities to it, and no two tacos tasted similar. My favorites were the two pollo tacos. The pollo diablo was very spicy, but had beautiful flavor: the spice served to complement the dish, rather than overpower it. And the pollo verde was absolutely phenomenal. It was fresh, and maybe even sweet? Fantastic. Overall, I thought the prices were reasonable for great food and great service. Will definitely come back when looking for high-quality tacos. read more

Okay wow!!!! This place was AMAZING. Even during covid, there was a space outside where you could sit. We were between 2 other high top tables. For the 2 of us a pitcher of the spicy margarita was perfect. The chips and guacamole are a must as a starter. We got 3 tacos each of different kinds. I have to say allll of them I would gladly take another one of. They were so filling but also the right portion for what we needed. I actually think about these tacos pretty often as well.... would love to go back! read more

Bakersfield OTR - Chips and quac + spicy margarita - Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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