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    The Botanist

    4.4 (425 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

    The Botanist Photos

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    THE BOTANIST ATMOSPHERE

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    Hipster
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    Laura G.

    I was taken on a date here on Valentine's Day . It's such a beautiful vibe , the music was great , and the wait time wasn't bad at all surprisingly. They had VEGAN tacos and many other vegetarian alternatives. The drinks were very popular , I ended up loving the cocktail pineapple drink. I will come back again soon ! If you love dark / dim / romantic/ and vintage... THIS IS YOUR NEW FAVORITE SPOT

    The White Vespa!
    Rodney B.

    I don't know how I've missed making a review of this place. Wonderful downtown location. I believe the owners are the same owners of Smitten. One of our favorite date spots. I believe it's more an intimate location but they'll serve ya, even if you're wearing board shorts and flip flops. I believe we have been to this location 4-5 times now and have never been disappointed. I've lacked on date nights to give you photos and videos of some locations but I'll be better about it in 2026. The place is dimly lit, very dark and moody atmosphere, which makes the place feel very nice and romantic. They have a little parking spot on the east side of the building but plenty of street parking. Their menu is very neat and they prepare the few things on their menu very well. Their bar menu is very simple but elegantly prepared. We have yet to have anything we wouldn't recommend. Great steaks and other entrees, great appetizers and an all around drink menu. Great date night place or a great place to get the night rollin. More pictures and videos to come in 2026 and have a great one and see you at the next spot.

    Diego B.

    First time here and we had a great time. The place was small inside but the food and drinks were really good. The service was slow. The service was slow all night I even had to take our check to the hostess up front to pay because our server never came back to get it. Prices are on the high side.

    Botanist loaded fries made vegan
    Angelica K.

    This was such a nice surprise while in Bakersfield overnight. Located in the arts district and parking was easy. I was so happy to find tasty vegan options in Bakersfield. Warning - the portions are huge. You can split with two to three people. Food was really good and I enjoyed my meal. Service was good but sitting at the bar, I heard all the personal convos between staff and now I know their entire lives. I usually don't mind but awareness would be nice. Being able to order took a little longer because of the conversations. Maybe I just chose the wrong seat because it was all the staff huddled in one area chatting. (So if you're wanting to sit at the bar, avoid the left side where orders are being placed.) Other than that. The ambiance was great but if you have a hard time seeing be aware, it's VERY dim lighting. Cute and elegant atmosphere that gives an intimate cozy vibe.

    Joey V.

    Worst experience ever. The place is dark, but that was fine. It goes with the ambiance of the place. Food? What food. I had to cancel my order because my wife's food came and 10 minutes later, she's almost done eating and I'm still sitting waiting on my food. No one checked on us. No one asked us. Hell, they didn't even bat an eye when I told them to cancel my order. Then we had to flag our waitress down just to pay our bill and get out. What little food we did get was ok. $42 for my wife's steak was not worth it. The appetizers weren't bad. Would we eat here again? Probably not. Service was one of the worst. If you like being ignored while you wait for your food, this is the place. Otherwise, there are so many better options in the downtown area.

    Pineapple mint fizz
    Angela C.

    The food, the atmosphere & service were phenomenal! The food was amazing! I can't believe I waited so long to try this! The service was fabulous! Our server Emily was so kind and suggested the best brunch dishes. We had the jam & toast with garlic butter, the breakfast smash, & green dukkah fries. I had a blackberry basil spritz & my hestie had the pineapple mint fizz. Wonderful choices! Definitely will be back! I want to try the coffee old fashioned.

    Fish & chips
    Sadia H.

    The Good? Cool Gothic Speakeasy vibes. The bad? The volume of the music. Makes conversation difficult. My friend asked the waitstaff if they could turn the volume down. Their response was the boss prefers it. Good choice of music, though. Also, it is a little too dark. I used my phone's flashlight to look at the menu. The mediocre? The food. Small menu. Limited choices. Additionally, separate charge for French Fries unless you're ordering fish & chips. Which I did. Average. Good tzatziki, though. The portions are small for the price. All in all, nice set-up. Pricey but perhaps that is intentional as they want to extend the bougie atmosphere.

    Katherine D.

    Can I just say, I am absolutely obsessed with the vibes and aesthetic of this place. The overall atmosphere is cozy, romantic, and fun. Vibe service is friendly and truly caring. We got such a nice and helpful waiter. She was amazing. Now the good part. The drinks and food! The tea time for two was so good, flavorful, and such the perfect combination of flavors to really feel like you're just sipping on tea with a kick. The food was delicious and I absolutely need to come back to explore more of their menu. Overall a great place for a night with your girls or romantic date night!

    Lanze A.

    Always love it when Bakersfield gets cool things! Botanist is a good fancy place for hanging out, taking out business partners, or feeling like you don't live in Bakersfield. I really admire the decor in this place as I bet sourcing everything took a lot of work! The bar looks insane, and I would really like to know if most of this stuff was DIY. Immaculate vibes. This place gets full fast so make sure you come early! They have limited seating, so you may have to be close to some other patrons. The bartenders were the nicest. Feel free to ask them questions about their seasonal creations!

    Rudy N.

    Stopped by the place before dinner at home. Placed an appetizer flatbread and had a few drinks. The dimmed light was a vibe, the decor was off the wall. The service was great. I would definitely come back for drinks and dinner.

    Seasonal Drinks
    Alice A.

    The Botanist is chic, special and very intimate. It's a place that is great to go with a friend or date or group. It checks all the boxes. An added plus is that it is open every day. The drinks and food are amazing and ingredients are extremely well thought out. I have a lot of favorites but really love the grilled cheese with veggies. Amazing!! Everyone is inviting and friendly from the moment you enter. I always feel as if I entered through a special portal. It is so uniquely decorated and arranged. You sometimes feel as if you are in a movie. Again, the smallest details are well thought out. I really encourage you to have your own experience and I know it will be a good one!

    Isabela M.

    Instantly seated on a Friday night. I ordered the botanist loaded fries and my friend ordered the buffalo chicken fries (not pictured). Both were so good. The strawberry margarita was amazing.

    Hanna C.

    The vibes here are always great! I have been here a couple of times now and the service is consistently good. The earl grey martini was so delicious. While the street tacos were good, they were not the best I have ever had. The highlight for me is the tea time cocktail which is not pictured. It is meant for sharing and comes in a very cute tea kettle. Each glass includes a flower ice cube which is such a beautiful touch.

    Smash burger

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    23 days ago

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    1 month ago

    Super cute place. Great place to enjoy a nice cocktail . Great service. They also serve some great food items

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    21 days ago

    This super cool, low key spot is a must!! Their drinks are amazing and the food was delicious. Definitely will be back with more friends.

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    Tiki-Ko - Inside decor - Tiki-Ko

    Tiki-Ko

    4.5(283 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    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.

    Tiki bar located in Downtown Bakersfield that kind of acts as two locations or spaces. There's the…read moremain bar at the corner and if you go outside and walk a bit down the sidewalk, there's 'The Sinking Ship' with a more heavy nautical and speakeasy vibe (where you enter and walk down some stairs and find a lush decor). I only had a drink upstairs at the original bar and I ordered my default go to when I visit new tiki bars and am unfamiliar with their menus and that was the painkiller. The service or person behind the bar was chill and super friendly. I came in on the earlier side of a Friday evening, so although people were trickling in, the place wasn't packed. Since I was only able to stay for a drink, I just wanted to walk down and check out 'The Sinking Ship' and was thoroughly impressed by the decor (well pretty much for both spaces). Definitely a place I'd love to grab drinks with friends or spend more time at.

    Photos
    Tiki-Ko - Interior booth

    Interior booth

    Tiki-Ko - Sunken Ship

    Sunken Ship

    Tiki-Ko - Interior. bar area

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    Interior. bar area

    El Puesto Cocina & Lounge - Chilaquiles verdes with added eggs and steak.

    El Puesto Cocina & Lounge

    3.8(271 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$

    If you are looking for a peaceful escape from the office grind, timing is your best friend. We…read morerolled in for a Wednesday lunch with the coworkers and found a literal oasis. With only two other parties seated, it was blissfully quiet. This is a rare treat when you actually want to hear your colleagues speak. The Main Event: Enchiladas con Mole. I opted for the $14 Lunch Special, and the value to flavor ratio was off the charts. The Enchiladas con Mole were a revelation. They were deep, complex, and packed with a spicy punch. The Sidekick: The beans were just okay, but with mole that soulful, I was not complaining. The Refresher: The Cucumber and Lime Agua Fresca was the MVP. It was crisp, refreshing, and the perfect cooling counterpoint to the heat. I genuinely wish I had ordered a second one. The Vibe and Service: The decorations are absolutely darling and make the experience. While our server was perfectly nice, they were a bit of a disappearing act despite the empty room. I am definitely curious to come back for dinner though. They have a great setup for live music that looks promising. Know Before You Go: The Receipt Trap: Heads up! They added an automatic 18% gratuity to our check. I am not sure if it was because we were a party of seven, but I did not notice until after I had already added a tip.

    Brayan was our server today El Puesto on White Lane. The…read morehomie went above and beyond for us when the lunch buffet ran out of an item, he went and come out with it fresh 5 mins later. The live mariachi put the whole vibe together with the music in the background. Food was amazing, price for the Unlimited buffet was perfect for the selection and the quality of food. Will definitely be coming back soon!

    Photos
    El Puesto Cocina & Lounge - The live band. Great music!!!

    The live band. Great music!!!

    El Puesto Cocina & Lounge - Ensalada El Puesto Con Pollo

    Ensalada El Puesto Con Pollo

    El Puesto Cocina & Lounge - Café de olla with Maria cookies.

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    Café de olla with Maria cookies.

    Valle Flavors Of Mexico - Ribeye tacos

    Valle Flavors Of Mexico

    4.0(149 reviews)
    7.5 mi
    $$$

    Ambiance- wow, love the new interior, new building- cute decor. It is a bit too noisy…read more Service-Valerie our server was promote & took our drinks Foods taquitos de rez was ok. The taquitos were crunchy and the beef was moist and very tasty and flavorful. The salsa dip was good & spicy. My Cadillac margarita was good. The glass size was too, short/small because I like to pour my gran marnier into my drink. I look forward to another visit and fast another food item.

    If you are looking for a dark and calming atmosphere for a celebration, this is the spot. I came…read morehere for a friend's birthday and the decor really set the mood. The wine wall is a standout feature and makes for a very interesting backdrop. The Main Event: Crispy Fish Tacos: The food was absolutely amazing. I ordered the fish tacos and they were served on a blue corn tortilla with pickled onions on top. The crunch was perfect. The Salsa: It had a serious kick, but the flavor was so good that I could not stop adding more to every bite. The Sides: I have never had rice like this. It was incredibly moist and flavorful. The beans were also a hit and were cooked just right. The Table Consensus: My friends ordered the carnitas and a salmon dish. Every plate was licked clean. It is a bit on the pricier side, but the quality is definitely there. The Service: Initially, the service was great. They kept our waters full without us asking. However, as the night went on, our server became a bit less attentive. The Finale: We finished with the cheesecake. To be honest, it was just okay. It did not live up to the high bar set by the entrees, so I would probably skip dessert next time. Know Before You Go: This place is perfect for a group that values atmosphere and high quality Mexican cuisine. Just keep an eye on the clock if you need quick service toward the end of your meal. Overall, it was a great birthday experience and I would definitely return for those tacos.

    Photos
    Valle Flavors Of Mexico
    Valle Flavors Of Mexico
    Valle Flavors Of Mexico - Outside

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    Outside

    The Stockyard Whiskey Bar - Bar and the Fabulous Miss Latti playing the tunes tucked back there

    The Stockyard Whiskey Bar

    4.9(7 reviews)
    0.8 mi

    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!

    Photos
    The Stockyard Whiskey Bar - Buffalo Trace

    Buffalo Trace

    The Stockyard Whiskey Bar
    The Stockyard Whiskey Bar - Bar lounge

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    Bar lounge

    The Botanist - cocktailbars - Updated May 2026

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