There are 3 things I miss now that I live at the beach; my son, my friends and Jake's! Whenever we visit Bako, Jake's is on my list! Their pit beef is my all time favorite food! It melts in your mouth! Their sides and cake aren't bad either. If they had better parking options, margaritas or would let me open one in Morro Bay, I'd give them five stars!!! read more

My husband & I always split an order of chicken taco salad. That, plus add a piece of chocolate cake to share - " which do you want? cut or choose? " and we leave deliciously filled. I agree with the other reviews that their menu is a bit on the pricey side. However, the portions are plenty for two people. read more

Depending on who you talk to Jake's usually has a rep as being overrated or underrated. The food is sometimes overcooked. The bread can be dry. But other days it is AMAZING. Consistency is the thing Jake's need to improve on. And better customer service when its not busy. Jake's is A-OK read more

UPDATE- While I have loved Jake's for many years after today I will never be back to that establishment. I was visiting from out of town and was meeting a pregnant friend with her two twins. It was during lunch time so my friend was searching for a table for my baby and I. After looking for almost 15 minutes she found a table. She then was confronted by a woman claiming to be the owner that tables were for customers with food. In all my years of going to Jake's, I have never heard of such a ridiculous policy. This is not a "hangout" type of place. It's a restaurant where you order at a counter, immediately get your food, eat and leave. What kind of person makes a pregnant woman with two small children, who are extremely well behaved, stand??? When I confronted the woman after I arrived she was unapologetic and unbelievably rude. After all the hassle we lost our appetite for their food and decided to eat elsewhere. I am still in utter shock that someone referring to themselves as the owner could treat their customers with such disrespect. read more

I had ordered my food over the phone to eat my lunch during my lunch break. As a paying customer, I was asked to leave along with my coworkers because we had ordered our food in advance. read more

First timer. Great hospitality, and service. Nachos were really good. It's good food, although beans and pulled meat were somewhat bland. Salsa was pretty tasty. read more

Wow. I've been here countless times and have never received the service I did today. They refused to seat my husband because the lady assumed he was "saving seats". I was just around the corner over at the soda fountain trying to juggle filling two large drinks and holding our food. You don't turn away someone with an infant, obviously his hands were full and someone else had his food. Instead of being nice and courteous about the situation she straight turned him away and said he cannot sit there. Wow, just wow. Then after my husband told me what happened and offered to go somewhere else to eat our ALREADY PAID FOR MEAL, he took our son to the car to leave and she approaches me. The woman offered me a table. I just told her that it was apparent that we weren't welcome to dine, that she turned away my newborn son and my husband because of her judgement. My husband had already loaded our son in the car so there really was no point in us taking him back out after Jake's Tex Mex made us feel unwelcome. What a way to feel on Valentine's Day. Thanks for making a mother, a father, and a newborn feel like idiots for choosing the wrong place to eat today. Next time, don't be judgmental and condescending towards a parent. Instead offer customer service and assistance with tact and manners. Don't ass-u-me anything. read more

food is good employees have terrible customer service they are all rude and stuck up teenagers

I LOVE THIS PLACE. I was born in Bakersfield and now live about 4 hours away, every time I pass through I stop and grab their frito salad. Their tri-tip is also really good. The pit-beef is my favorite, love it. Their chocolate cake is also amazing. Definitely something I crave when I'm not around. I think it says they're open on Sunday on their website. . .they're not. Don't be fooled. read more

Came from So.Ca needed to eat and gave this place a chance. Super friendly service and really tasty food! Glad I came!

Still a good place to eat once in a while but the food taste and quality is not what it use to be and the consistency is not there. It certainly doesn't help that prices don't leave a good taste in your mouth. read more

Always a winner! Food is made to order to satisfy your hunger. Don't forget the dessert! Cake and cookies!

Best place in town to eat!! I can not believe it did not break the bank! People are friendly feels like home

After a long, hot Saturday morning of 3 youth football games in 106 degree Bako, my family of 4, with 2 boys under 6, went into Jake's for lunch. It was cool and crisp inside, we were greeted by the loveliest ladies with smiles and convo. The food is amazing and priced well. Want to give a big THANK you to the ladies at Jake's today for the wonderful service! read more

I visited Jake's on a Thursday for a business lunch. I figured that arriving at 11:30am would beat the lunch rush. Not so! Thank goodness my dining companion arrived early and snagged us a table as I had to wait in a line 15 people deep to get in the front door. This is always a good sign - unless you are in a hurry. The format of Jake's is similar to a school cafeteria. You enter the front door, immediately enter the food service line and run your tray along a rail adding what you wish at various stations until you finally reach the cashier. This is where you also get cups to pour your own fountain beverage. The menu is simple. You can get a plate with deep pit beef, garlic baked chicken breast or tri-tip. You have your choice of two sides and different types of bread. There are also burritos with the same meats but I always get the full meal and I always get the deep pit beef. I just don't know of anyone else in town that does pit beef as well as Jake's. It is always tender and juicy with an excellent flavor. This visit was no disappointment. For sides, both my companion and I chose cowboy potatoes. Since we sat near the cashier I took note that almost every single plate had this same combination of beef and potatoes. Probably because these potatoes are so awesome that you just can't walk buy them without saying, "I'll have some of those". I chose the macaroni salad for my second side. It was just a perfect blend of ingredients. I chose a Pyrenees sourdough bread to go with my meal. The deep pit plate is $11.50 and for the quality of food is a good value. I love how a Jake's employee came out to ask us if she could clear our table and wipe it down while we sat talking after our meal. It was a very polite and classy way of saying, "Hey guys, we need the table for people to eat" without ever saying it. We got the hint. I honestly think it is time for Jake's to open a second location in town. They can't expand in their present location and parking is a nightmare. Best best, park on a nearby residential street and get your exercise on with a walk. The food here is awesome! read more

When last dining at Jake's I couldn't help thinking of the TV show "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives". Technically, Jake's isn't any of these. But is has ambience, it has character, it sometimes has long lines out the door, it sometimes has little table room. But, it also has great food made the way you would make it at home - or better. Jake's is moderately priced which raises your expectations above a dive. Recently, we had the salad light, pit beef plate, two sides, two drinks, and cookies for about $35. But the place has imagination - just like a hometown small, privately owned restaurant should have. They aren't restricted by a chains national predictable menu. Try the Texas sheet cake and barbeque salads. Yep, just like you would expect in El Paso, Brownsville, maybe even San Antonio. Pretty authentic. It's based on the owners experiences growing up in Texas with a blend of Mexican fare. It's fresh, generous portions are regularly more than you can eat at one sitting. There's no frills here. Just good food, time after time. Oh - the recently added cookies are to die for. VERY good. The best part, Jake's isn't trying to be something it's not. It's just trying to be REALLY good at what it knows. It does a very good job for the place it is. read more

WOW LOVEEEE!! Lemon cake is unbelievable, owners are the nicest people on earth, and the food is consistently fantastic. If you want a great Mexican restaurant this is your spot! I've tried so many different burrito's at the most famous spots in DTLA and they don't even come close to the level of Jake's!! The salad's are also great for a healthy alternative that tastes just as great! read more

This place is amazing , tasty food. It's kinda on the pricey side but TOTALLY worth the buy. Everything there is great! My favorite though is the salad lite & works burrito! Must try this place ! read more

Update - the owner, Sarah, replied to my review explaining the history behind the restaurant's cuisine. I was too harsh initially, and I appreciated the effort - she clearly cares deeply about her family's restaurant. I bumped my rating up to a 3. read more

Best food in Bakersfield!! Extremely clean and everything on the menu is delicious!!!

Great sandwiches, salads, and plates of stuff. Make sure you get there early if you're having lunch as it gets very busy by 11:45. It's definitely on the pricey side, but also very good. Oh, you must also grab a slice of cake, and don't settle for anything but the largest piece in the stack. read more

food is delicioua!! with the exception of the potatoe salad, it is awful. overall the food is awesome but 10 dollars for a tri tip sandwhich is just ridiculous. read more

Have been a customer for 15+ years; used to be a reliable place that you could go to for good food. Things have changed, and not for the better. Salsa bar is gone (really?) and replaced with bottled hot sauce and tiny servings of individually packaged unfamiliar salsa. They also dump spoonfuls of pickled jalapeños on your items now. The usual menu items (chicken, pit beef) are still there but the quality is hit and miss depending on the time of day or day of the week. Lots of new staff members who are not so friendly - not sure if the place is under new ownership or management, but they've taken a local icon and reduced it to an upscale fast food joint with an overpriced menu and bad parking. Very disappointed, they've lost this customer. read more

Bomb food, I only wish I came here more often, but the food portions are big and I require an eating partner. Do not ever skip on cake! Even if you don't want it at the time get it to go and save for when you're drunk later on in the day. Because eating this chocolate cake after a few beers is magical. Seriously yummy food. read more

Different not your average restaurant, nice decor . The only thing is that the seating is very limited you better act fast if you want to have somewhere to sit and they don't reserve. Will give another shot in the nearest future . read more

Everything here is delicious! I especially love the desserts. The cake and cookies are so good. Great service. The owner is amazing. Will be back again and again. read more

Went to Jakes Tex Mex after a volleyball game. not only was their Tri tip amazing but their customer service was excellent! It's hard to find good customer now a days and they by far exceeded our expectation! Definitely will be back! read more

Really great food! The only thing I wasn't expecting was a cafeteria style serving system... But that chocolate cake though!

Great food, nice workers. Is a little loud and it gets busy because the food is so good. Love this place. The price of a plate is 9-11$. Not bad priced. They also have seating in the back that you can sit at or if you have a party they would reserve that for you. read more

One of the best in town. A favorite of mine is the Salad Lite with chicken,don't be fooled by the name, it's a huge meal. The place has great atmosphere and friendly staff,always great. read more

I love the food, but the service is horrible. I called ahead to place my order because I have a pretty short lunch break and when I attempted to eat my food there one of the staff came over and told me I had to leave because I didn't stand and wait in line. I won't be going back. It's a shame really because their food is very good. read more

I have to say "I did not like it!" This placed was bad. The food tasted processed and the refried bean we got had the can ring on it still. Talk about a microwave and heat place. I will not be back. Yelp ya let me down on this one! read more

Bakersfield Classic, I've been going here since I was 10 years old.

Have not been to Jake's in five or six years, but a friend wanted to eat there for dinner, so off we went. The service was quick, the food was delicious, the teenage employees were extremely happy to be serving their customers. The one and only problem was the prices. I obviously missed the pricing at the door menu because I would have turned around and walked out. Nachos with a drink is $14.00. That is one person eating nachos. The food is not $14 good. I'm glad other people love it, they can have it. I will try again in another four to five years. read more

The reason for 4 stars is because their prices are a little high but the food is worth it! Great Tri Tip Sandwich!

Food is great and the staff is very friendly! And there is not a better piece of chocolate cake in town!! We have been eating at Jake's for over 25 years and we love it! read more

We have always enjoyed stopping into Jakes for a health quick bite to eat BUT tonight was the last straw. We were coming into town after a long day at the hospital and ordered food over the phone and when we arrived the food was not ready so we paid and told them that we would just go ahead and eat there. Someone came from the back and told us without hesitation that we CAN NOT dine there. It's not fair to the customers that are waiting in line and we would need to go through the line. I was too tired to argue with her so we took our food home. She was rude and that's not how you treat customers. I would have overlooked this but in the past I have been denied paper plates because I did not place my order with catering. Paper plates can't cost that much especially when I was spending over $200 and then another time they refused to give me spoons since I didn't order beans. Instead of focusing on all these petty things they should be focusing on the quality of their food. The last two times the food was subpar and the prices continue to escalate. NEVER GOING TO JAKES AGAIN!!!!! read more