The Yummiest Restaurants in Bakersfield

"First off I really like how friendly the staff is. The service from everyone I interacted with was exceptional. The inside is a bit small but I've never seen it so busy that it is difficult to get a seat. They also do take out too so that's always an option.I ordered a #4 Torta y Taco combo with carne asada as my meat. I was eating in the restaurant so I got complimentary chips and salsa. The chips were sturdy, warm, and had a strong corn flavor. The salsa was very refreshing and had good flavor. It took about 6 minutes for my entree to arrive. It's a full meal that includes rice, pinto beans, and lettuce. The cheese on the beans is a nice touch and adds extra flavor and texture. The rice and lettuce were pretty standard and didn't stick out for any wrong or right reasons. The taco was hot and I really loved how the edges of the tortilla got crispy. The torta was a bit of a miss but still good. Some of the onions felt funny (outer layer?) and the bread was uninspiring. I really liked the inclusion of avocado though.Overall this is a good restaurant and I see myself coming back here every now and then."

"The pupusas are delicious. The beans are super flavorful!! There is a little wait of around 20-30 minutes for your food, but they are making your pupusas right there. From the little window, you can watch the senora making the food fresh. We got the pupusa especial (two pupusas and rice and beans), an extra pupusa, the quesadilla pan dulce, and a jamaica.We got a revuelta (pork and cheese), frijole (bean and cheese), and loroco (squash blossom and cheese). Of the three, the s tier was the loroco. It's has an almost meaty flavor and is super flavorful. The cabbage and salsa were also tasty. The quesadilla pan dulce is like a corn pound cake. It's really yummy!!This is a nice stop on your way between the bay and la. There's a covered picnic area that is nice. There are only hand washing stations, but there are a lot of gas station around it, so you can wash your hands and use the restroom around here!! Highly recommend this as a stop!!"

"Glad to be working back downtown! My favorite taco joint is still serving up that good ol' street tacos with the same taste as I remember them! Can't go wrong with Al pastor tacos and this place serves up the best in my book. Never mind the sketch location, Los Tacos De Huicho has a great open dining room with plenty of seats. The best place about this place is the condiment bar. There are 3 salsas to choose from, and did I say, still same great taste from 10 years ago?! The pickled red onions and the blistered Serrano chilis are always a must! Coming here next time for the flautas and maybe some sopes! Muy delicioso!"

"What can I say!! Best salsa ever! Coldest beer! Chips fresh and hot!! Great waiter!! (Berny) Owner Gustavo very hands on!!"

"This review is definitely long overdue. We've been here numerous times now, when we first visited Taco Bros a little bit ago it was when they were located downtown. I believe in my own opinion that they have one of the best biria in town. They don't only have biria though, so don't shy away from their other stuff.Prices are not too bad. What is the reason why we visit this place frequently? Because they have a drive-thru and it's easy for us people that's on the go. The downside of using the drive-thru during lunch and dinner rush is the long lines. If you follow them on instagram they have deals/offers sometimes, so follow them if you're a fan of their food so you can stay informed.Their food always stays consistent and their breakfast burritos is probably one of the cheapest in town. I've never ordered anything here that I didn't like. Staff is usually pretty friendly. The restaurant inside always looks clean and even the seating outside is usually pretty clean."

"Interesting menu. The carnita sandwich.and potato tacos were . Great! Great service too. It is a food truck, but they have nice seating outside."

"I am really loving the Vegan bowl option at Fresco Mexican Grill locations. Gives new meaning to the word, drive-thru. I can finally have a healthier alternative and not have to get out of my car, lol. As always the Vegan bowl was on point, affordable and very filling. The people working also provided me with excellent customer service."

"Came here on a weekday afternoon for an early dinner with family. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal and the service here. We were seated right away and they had various portable AC units as it was triple digit heat that day! I had the molé enchiladas and found them to be incredibly delectable. Highly recommend this dish if you are a molé fan! I also ordered the Chelada, and didn't realize how huge it was LOL it came in a large goblet and with shrimp. It was delicious! I personally did not like the dim lighting especially when it was really bright and sunny outside, so the contrast didn't make sense to me and it made my eyes hurt to be honest! Other than that, the service was great and so was the ambiance! They have several large-screen TVs playing sports and more. I absolutely loved the neon artwork throughout and the bathrooms were in good working order and clean. I will definitely be back! Great food and great times."

"As always, we had an absolutely amazing experience! We've been coming here for years and they always do a great job. We had a big group, 25 people, and Trisha, and a few others (I didn't get there names sorry) just all came through and Super Womened our entire group. Great food, great team work, everything was fresh and correct, and as always a great atmosphere!We sat outside, they had large coolers which we didn't need because the Oct. weather was great, they turned on the club lights (around sunset), brought an outdoor speaker which we were able to Bluetooth connect to and play our own playlist, and the did the happy birthday song with cake thing, and they took plenty of pictures of our group with our phones. It was more than what we expected! Thank you Trish, and the entire team at Los Molcajetes for all your wonderful hospitality We will continue to come back!"

"I went here with my boyfriend for a little date. The decor and area was so nice and clean from the outside and inside. I loved the ocean theme and the little aquarium they had. Our female waiter was so kind and helpful. She checked on us everytime. Our food also arrived quickly, and it was delicious. The portions were great. We will definitely come again."

"Las Salsas never fails to not only fill us up but for a good price. The food is always made to order with love and care. The service is wonderful we never had to look for someone to fill our drinks or give us extra napkins. The environment is beautifully decorated with Mexican revolutionary zappata. I really enjoy the home feel when walking into this restaurant. Thank you for having a place we can call home."

"I am not from Ridgecrest; I was just passing through and saw this restaurant and decided to try it.The decor is okay. It is a little dark and gloomy. But besides the ambiance, the food is very good, and portion sizes are decent. Looking at the menu made me laugh, because like four pages of the menu is nothing but business cards from services in Ridgecrest. The wait staff was fabulous. We were greeted when we entered and left."

"I guess most people don't know that you can select the restaurant, but this is for the food truck.Anyways. Food here is very good. Went with the wife and we split some tacos - pastor and asada and quesadilla (a giant quesadilla) with steak. Everything was good. Some may view it as an issue, as I have seen in some review, but i do not - they cook your food to order so it can take a minute. People who work there are polite enough. The place is clean and the food is good. Not much more you can ask for from a food truck. They do have tables and umbrellas which is nice, so it is fancy food truck. Not knowing the drink situation, we brought our own, but they have drinks and water. I would be curious if you could bring beer for dinner. We did three tacos and a quesadilla and it was to much food. Look forward to returning."

"I visited Havienda Don Cuco with my family during an unfortunate reunion to celebrate the life of my uncle. We all met up here for the first time in a long time. The staff were super professional and kind with the busy commotion. The restaurant itself is cozy and nicely decorated. Because we were a large group, we sat in the middle at the large table. We had called earlier in the day to reserve a spot and everything was prepared for us upon arrival. The menu had lots of options for everyone, including my vegetarian aunt, so this was great. We all enjoyed our large meals (enough to take back to the hotels and enjoy later). All of our drinks were always filled, which is amazing considering there were 15 of us. I was really impressed with how hard working the staff were for this and was the highlight of the restaurant hands down."

"Just visited this restaurant today 8/31. I ordered three tacos and a 6oz consommé, they were all delicious! I ordered at the drive-thru and the food came out super fast and was freshly made. The staff was also super nice and friendly and brought out the food with a smile and a nice gesture to enjoy my meal. Thanks guys, you made my day and will definitely come back!Pro tip: eat right in the parking lot or inside, they are best eaten right away fresh before they get soggy"

"3/29/23 Getting lunch! Chicken and shrimp Molcajete Mixto with salsa verde ordered with extra hot sauce on the side. The worker was kind and said it would be ready in 15 minutes. I went in to get it shortly later.Small wait and greeted by a worker. The order was ready and brought out. Paid for the order and left. The restaurant is nice. Spanish music playing. Lunchtime! Large order. Split. You definitely get your moneys worth! My half was absolutely delicious! Flavorful! It comes with corn tortillas. Authentic and delicious! Tasty beans, rice and fresh salad come with it as well! Great hot sauce too! Mother said her half was the bomb! Great and fresh! Lots of leftovers! Another meal for both! Good service and delicious Chicken and shrimp Molcajete Mixto with salsa verde! Highly recommended!"

"Another morning where I woke up and wanted nothing more than to go to Arizona for breakfast. I had albondigas soup but also got the Chile verde chilaquiles and never a disappointment. I got it to go this morning, it's my comfort food during the winter months. It was a packed house when I showed up to pick up my food which always makes me happy. Such a relaxed and chill environment, and always see familiar faces there. The albondigas is my favorite in town, it is much more basic then other places having always, a quarter of a potato, and 4 balls of meat, but their broth is what I enjoy. I always add rice to mine and have to put the signature chile verde sauce in it and my favorite is with their flour tortillas. It's enough for me to snack on all day."

"We were starving at the end of our day road trip to Tulare from Los Angeles. We first tried to eat at another restaurant a few miles away, but the vibe was obnoxious and too loud to have a decent meal. Luckily we found Vejar's to save the day!Family style restaurant with a bar/lounge connected. The food was good, service was friendly and pretty fast. Plus, to my son's delight, they serve breakfast all damn day. Win!Tip: Check in on Yelp for 10% off a combo meal."

"This place has a Resturant side and bar side. Sat at the bar side; which was pretty busy and very chill. Service is good though. Ordered some drinks ....i ordered a pina colata... which was superb. Cool; refreshing; made me think I was in a tropical paradise for a minute. My other half and friends ordered beers. We decided we were a little hungry and needing something to munch on : so we ordered espe chips. Where have these been all my life? So good; the chips were thick; able to hold the toppings on well. The flavor; a little spicy; but tasty and addicting at the same time. Yum!"

"The service was so friendly! The people were very attentive. The walls had neat murals. Dark and dim lighting. There was a stench that smelled like urine when we were there. I had a cheese quesadilla that was standard and my mom had a cheese enchilada with beans and rice. My mom took one bite of the beans and spit it out because they were so hot, burned her mouth and when you actually looked the beans were bubbling with heat. We both had waters and the bill was $29.12 seemed a bit steep. So my stars were definitely for the excellent customer service"

"From the outside you might think it's not a good restaurant. Don't judge the book from the cover. Service was excellent, food came quick, and everything was so delicious. The waiter was so attentive and very friendly. My husband was so happy with the service that he left a pretty good tip. It is a small restaurant but they have it well decorated. Its ambience was cozy and welcoming. They have enough room to seat. We order quesabirrias, chicken sincronizadas, pozole, green chicken enchiladas, and ramen birria. Let me tell you, if you want to taste the real Mexican flavor you have to visit them. My husband said that he really love the quesabirrias. That their flavor was the best he had ever had. The sincronizada was a little spicy because it had some pickles jalapeño inside. But still delicious. My daughter said the pozole was excellent. The flavor was on point and the meat was tender and flavorful. My mother in law loved the green enchiladas. She said the sauce was very tasty and spicy, But still manageable. My ramen soups was the bomb. I added some lemon and chile and it was so, so delicious. We were very satisfied. My ramen soup was big portion that I had some for lunch tomorrow. For drinks, we got Jamaica drink, and soft drink. I also got a piece is coffee flan for free. I got a coupon checking in on Yelp. It was so, so good!! Yum!! Highly recommend. We will definitely come back and try something different or the same thing!!"

"El Tapatío is a Porterville institution. if you have not been and are in the area, they are certainly worth the visit. Expect giant portions and delicious fresh tostadas to go with their house salsa. Even after eating a large lunch I had enough leftovers to share between my wife and I for dinner. They were very busy at lunch, so was a little bit slow, but that can be forgiven because the value is there."

"Had breakfast here with family and it was decent, menudo was plenty and tasted good. The shrimp cocktail did curb my craving but have had way better.Service was great and place is clean. Plenty of private parking."

"I love and adore dive eateries if the food kicks azz. Grandma's Tamales is an exemplary dive....nothing fancy, down to earth, no nonsense, rock bottom price, good bang for the bucks. Grandma's ain't going to win a prize in Architectural Digest, but I feel as though I'm in a more traditional street market in México. Only draw back...why does Grandma's on East California Avenue  close so dang early? Probably because Grandma's gettin' on and tuckers out easily. But Grandma is smart as a whip since the whole place on East California Avenue is like an outdoor patio from years ago before anyone even thought or heard of the Pandemic. Walk up to the counter. Look up at the menu board and order. Food comes out pretty fast especially for slow precookedfoods like stewed Guisados, Frijoles, Arroz. All they have to do is scoop it out. 1)  Chile Verde Plate: The Salsa de Chile Verde seems meaty, chicken broth based along with thickening purée of acidic, citrusy sour Tomatillo, that originally looks like a green tomato surrounded by a thin papery leaf, piquant Jalapeño, onion, garlic, maybe some black pepper & cilantro. Slow braised in the Chile Verde, the shredded pork has almost the same consistency as North Carolinian Pulled Pork BBQ. This shredding allows the pork to absorb all the rich, satisfying Chile Verde flavours.  1a) The Frijoles de Pinto is earthy tasting, dark reddish brown possibly due to addition of a bit of tomato sauce and thickened from cooking in its own juices. Scattering of Totopos/fried Tortilla chips to scoop up some of the smooth, pasty Frijoles. 1b) Arroz is tinged with tomato sauce, friable, dry. Standard, nothing out of the ordinary. 1c) Tortillas Hechas por Mano: At the East California Avenue, two ladies are out in front. One forms a hand full of the Masa/corn dough into a ball, and places it in a wooden press to form a flat round Tortilla. The second lady puts the corn Tortilla on the grill to toast it. These Tortillas are very thin & light colored so it's either made from very white corn or the corn is mixed with wheat flour for a stretchier texture which is my guess. $10.29....How did Grandma figure that price?  Maybe she's into kicking back & smoking some major ganja. 2) Chile Relleno: Classic treatment using "sweet" Passilla chile stuffed with mildly stretchy, white cheese. It is dipped in egg beatened w/ flour that when fried creates an eggy, soft, puffy coating. The Pasilla chile is still a bit tough so frying a little longer would have softened it more. Salsa de Chile Colorado has a mild chile heat as well as tomatoey Umami countered by a touch of bitterness from the Pasilla. The bland eggy coating absorbs this flavourful sauce. Darn good, and it's accompanied by Frijoles de Pinto & Arroz. 3)  Tamales: a) Tamal de Puerco con Salsa de Chile Colorado: Fragrant corn Masa, that may be enhanced with Umami filled chicken stock, is firm yet slightly cushy, smooth surfaced. Chew & it becomes creamy with a underlying richness from possibly lard fattiness. The thickened Salsa de Chile Colorado has long lasting piquancy & red chile mini pieces. Garlicky, "smokey" from maybe oregano, thyme, Epazote. Tomato based gastrique. Carnitas-like, chunks of meaty, moist, pork loin.  This Tamal de Puerco is not for "hot", piquant chile wussies. b) Tamal de Pollo con Salsa Verde: Same tasty Salsa Verde as the Puerco de Salsa Verde which infuses into the chopped, shredded, pleasantly mushy, white meat chicken. Not particularly piquant.  c. Tamal de Queso y Jalapeño: Standard, possibly white Oaxaca, Asadero-style cheese & slices of green Jalapeño chiles. Excellent, almost home style Tamales. I imagine there would be a line during the winter holidays.  Cool place to eat Mexican food that doesn't seem to be "gringoized"  I prefer eating at the E. California Avenue branch sInce it feels as though I've been teleported to México.  4- stars"

"Quick and easy I love this place is the only Baja food place I will eat At. It is the only place (Chipotle & Victors ...Mehhh)That doesn't make my stomach upset when I'm done eating it. The service is always great. When certain staff are on the shift, some of the staff are pretty moody with substitutions.. I usually notice when they're there and I let somebody skip me in line if they're about to serve me. Not that they have a major problem with me however it might be me. I doubt that very seriously it is definitely them, but I know better than to have them serve my food and as usual I have no problem the place is always clean & the Horchata probably some of the best I've had next to the Vallarta market. There mango and corn salsa make everything taste better. I suggest you try it on anything you get there. So that's it for me they've never been let down and I appreciate them being close to my house.. not really they usually take my money twice a week when I should probably be eating at home but you can't be good food for a great price so I'll keep coming back."

"I am super impressed with this spot. It has really become a quick go to for me for tacos. They have meat and potato tacos, as well as breakfast burritos. I tend to get the asada with medium salsa. I like the simplicity and freshness of this place. They have added 2 tables if you want to eat in.Now as for the rest of it, this place is well stocked. Almost a mini grocery store! There's a fresh vegetable section, the pastries are pretty delicious with good variety and reasonable pricing. There's lots of treats to be found around here, good selection for tea flavors. There's tons of spices and seasonings for your meats and the deli counter is huge. They do cakes, piñatas, and have a small dairy section. There's seafood as well. Every soda flavor you could ever need including glass bottle real sugar kinds. I definitely love exploring here and finding new things to try or old favorites. The staff is super friendly and welcoming. The line is never too long. The food always comes out quickly. There's really nothing bad I could say about it! Definitely everything you need for a great cookout is here. Look no further!"

"Our family loves this place! Excellent customer service, great food selection, and the ambiance is perfect for the family or friends to enjoy a delicious meal! We love supporting local businesses and couldn't be happier with the wonderful quality of food available, prompt service, great recommendations on when you are ready to order. We have ordered from here takeout before and I can't believe I never wrote a review! What a crime! Please follow the delicious aroma from outside and make your way inside! You won't be disappointed! Wonderful Mexican cuisine!"

"First time coming here!! I've always heard of this restaurant but I just never had the chance to try out. My friend really likes this restaurant and so we all chose this as our place for dinner! I ordered the Burrito Especial and our dishes came out probably 10 minuted later? It was pretty quick or maybe my friends and I were so busy catching up that lots of time has passed. But still, the food arrived 10-15 min later and it was delicious oh my. I jusy love burritos so much. Their chips and salsas were really good. Especially the salsa and I'm not really a salsa typa person but that salsa was addicting. The interior of the restaurant was also something i liked. It felt very home-y :) the only thing i noticed was lack of ?? Air conditioning. Or maybe it was just me. I felt like I was slightly sweaty through out the meal."

"This place has the best carnitas chimichanga! I am obsessed with it! The red salsa is a little too spicy for me but I like the green salsa. I have definitely been telling my friends about this place! My co workers have tried some of my chimichanga and agree the carnitas is delicious!"

"This is my all time favorite Mexican restaurant. Everything is good the service is even better. My family always gets treated amazingly by all of the staff. Their chili verde is one of the best restaurant chili verdes ever. Yes there is a difference between home made and restaurant level but this is the closest to homemade I've ever had and if you've seen me I haven't missed too many meals. You've got to try this place it is amazing."

"Homey and family business. My brother has lived in Bakersfield for over 10 years. Thank you Yelp for introducing to this spot.My brother enjoys tamales around the holidays and we are not going to see him for Christmas. This restaurant was open on Thanksgiving until 4. I got a dozen tamales- jalapeño cheese, pork, and chicken. I didn't have to call in advance I was able to walk in and order the tamales at the register! My brother is a big guy and had a midnight snack after Thanksgiving. He reported the perfect amount of meat to masa ratio. You can see a woman in the front making homemade tortillas in the front. So yummy and fresh. Definitely recommend!"

"This is still my favorite drive thru Mexican restaurant in Central California as well as my go to stop driving from SoCal to NorCal on the 99fwy. What better than to grab a bite to eat, feed the car sone gasoline too then be back on your way super quick & efficient?!-their drive thru is soooooo easy!-you can go inside and order too and that's fast too! -Everyone is really nice here!--Now don't go here expecting a nice sit down restaurant because it is for sure NOT that. This is a place to get delicious food to go. The best part is the food is DELICIOUS!!!They have the best tasting beans (my kids, me, everyone love their bean & cheese burritos) and their tacos are amazing! You must get their carnitas in some shape or form since the carnitas are so flavorful and perfectly cooked where they're soft with the crispy edges and the do a great job taking out the fat so you get quality meat in every bite - not big chunks of fat like other restaurants...I always get their carnitas street tacos!Their red and especially their green salsas are so flavorful! Perfection!"

"I didn't have a lot of high hopes for Bakersfield...we were there on a day trip and were looking for a place to eat. I have a rule, that the farther you get away from Mexico, the food doesn't taste as good. Go to San Diego, it's great. Go to San Jose, not so much...but what about somewhere in between?El Puesto Cocina & Lounge is located in a somewhat run down strip mall. The windows were blacked out when we parked. It looked abandoned. Then you go inside. Like entering the TARDIS, it's bigger on the inside...full of beautiful decor, wonderfully crafted tables and benches, a giant wall of liquors and spirits, and in the back, a stage/lounge area for some nightlife.Luckily we had come for lunch and were given two options: a la carte menu or the brunch buffet for 15 bucks (not including drinks). An all you can eat Mexican buffet? We said yes to that immediately.The buffet wasn't that big, but it had everything you could want...rice and beans, chorizo scrambled eggs, cheese enchiladas, and then the rest of warming trays were filled with all sorts of stewed meats and veggies. On my first round, I tried a bit of everything and while some were better than others, it was all good. The stand out for me was the shredded beef. Perfectly slow cooked, tender, but falls apart when you touch it with a fork. Along with the gravy/sauce it sits in, it was a great bite.At the end of the buffet line was an older woman making fresh tortillas on a flat top. Sometimes she'd give you one right off the grill, but even the ones that were sitting in the warmer for a few minutes were worthy of high praise. My idea about proximity to Mexico was falling apart, but having an abuela make fresh tortillas remained true.On my first visit to the buffet, I did not notice that the other side of the counter was a taco bar where you could make your own street tacos. They only served carne asada and al pastor, but that was all you needed. Even sitting in a warming tray, the meat was tender and still had that crunchy char from the flat top. The red and green salsas, spicier than expected, offered the right amount of heat and acidity to the savory, good kind of greasiness tacos offer. After a second plate, we were so full, but definitely wanted to come back for more.I had both no expectations and all the expectations about this place and Bakersfield coming into the restaurant and all of those thoughts were completely blown away and unproven. Sometimes, take the leap, try something new, and you'll be rewarded."

"Hadn't been here in a while so thought we would give it another try. Everything about this place is just meh. The food, the atmosphere, the service. The place is not cool in the summer and the food is rather small portion for the price. Personally, I think you can get better Mexican food elsewhere in town for a lower cost. Don't think we will be back."

"Dion B. Server was fantastic 5 , zero complaints. Food was excellent, homemade tortillas make the meal extra special. Only reason I rate four star is the ambiance. Does not feel like authentic Mexican restaurant. One tweak of dimming the lighten would make all the difference. So bright and cafeteria feeling."