Great place to hang out…read more Come through!!!!! The owner is the BEST!!!! Great service!!!

Very tasty hookah, nice vibe with billiards, cards, and board games, and good prices!read more

10 years we been comin to this joint. I thot I'd leave my two cents to see if I could help da place…read moreout Food is great. Always fresh. A little pricey but u get big portions. Shawarma dope. Kabob dope. Garlic sauce hummus n salad. Even the fries. All good stuff My gripes is: Please put a little $$ into yo restaurant. Missing outlet covers, menus hard to read cause the tv broke. Please add a second trash can to the entire restaurant. Fix the sewer smell? Cleaning would be nice too. bathroom is kinda yuck. Soda area could use some lovin. I think da food doesn't match the atmosphere. I prefer to take it to go if u catch my drift

The only thing I'd have to say is they should change their gloves more often. The guy at the…read moreregister had gloves on, went outside, came back, picked up a coin off the floor, and then went back to the register and started helping prepare food . The food is delicious, and the place is spacious and nice, but please change gloves more often.

I didn't realize Flame and Skewer had a location downtown…read more We stopped in today to order a chicken kabob plate for myself and a mixed kabob (beef and chicken) plate for my husband. Food is good at all locations, the taste the same, but my dislike came for the portion of the chicken. We got short changed and only had 4 pieces when I swear it's more at other locations. Service was good, the purple haired girl who tends the front is nice and, just by asking if we want hot sauce goes above and beyond. Usually at other locations you have to ask for it. Restaurant was fairly busy but clean and well stocked.

We came here this afternoon and was pleasantly surprised by how spacious it was inside. The girl…read morebehind the register was nice, and it looked clean. We waited about 15 mins for our food so it wasn't bad at all. I will say I have visited the other locations for Flame and Skewers and this was my least favorite. It felt a little muggy indoors, I ordered a bowl to go and they forgot our garlic sauce (it's my favorite) so I was pretty disappointed. I also got a side of French fries and they were mushy and not crispy. Overall the food was good, but I think I'll continue to go to either of the other locations.

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.

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 .

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!

Speakeasy vibe. An absolute must check out when spending time in Bako. Food is excellent,…read moreconsistent and reasonable pricing. Service attentive and waiters/waitresses pleasant and happy to serve. This is a go to spot for anyone traveling through Kern County.

If a dive bar and a queer bar were to combine, The Mint Bar is exactly what comes to mind. Located…read moresmack dab in downtown Bakersfield, this spot features cheap drinks and a relaxed vibe. What I appreciated was how laid back the patrons and staff were. They have an outdoor space with a few patio benches and a tv outside. Short & Sweet - it's a safe space for everyone and all in Bakersfield. Not too shabby of a spot.

Not knowing what this place was, heard music and out of curiosity I walked in .... oh boy lol…read more This is an eclectic group. No cover charge Pool table outdoor space with music Plenty of parking as it sits near the corner Came in and left

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!

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!

Asked advice for a dessert drink. Friendly, 1960's style split down the middle, long dark haired…read morebartendress suggested a Bailey's Kahlua & Cream or Peachy Frangelico.  She's professional, informative, empathetic, good customer rapport as well as having a cultured sense where she could be quite comfortable working at a très haute restaurant. Did customer call out Tony? I went for the Peachy Frangelico. Excellent with hazel nutty, white chocolate taste. refreshing bitterness as an end note to the overall sweet peachy fruitiness and nuttiness.   Laid back atmosphere, and contemporary urban music like from Amp or New Music is not so loud that it interupts conversation. Darts for a Brit pub touch.  Mixed crowd, mellow scene. Kick back, unpretentious,  relaxed, chill out kind of place. Neighborhood bar. VIP may stand for Very Informal Place. 4 stars

The VIP Lounge has been in business since 1976. Just a great neighborhood bar. Dark & moody with…read morethat old school vibe. Red leather banquets, tables with red leather chairs, very comfy by the way. A fairly long bar seating 11-12 . The lounge is very well maintained. The carpet & room is clean and the upholstery is in great condition. A good selection of libations. TV's for the sports fans. A juke box for your listening pleasure. A dart board for those so inclined. Karen was my friendly mixologist today. She seems to have quite the Sunday afternoon crowd. She knows everyone, is friendly providing excellent service.