The Most Scrumptious New American in Bakersfield

Buck Owens' Crystal Palace

★★★★☆ 3.6 (493) • $$

"I haven't been here in ages, but I had a great time. This was a special event of Blues Grass music put on by Guitar Masters. It was a tribute to the 100th birthday of Earl Scruggs with the California Bluegrass Allstars. Such talented musicians playing music that is very much a part of American history. It was a sold out concert and the place was packed. My server was very sweet and attentive, unfortunately I forgot to get her name. They had a limited menu for the event. I ordered the onion rings. OMG they were gigantic! They had a panko crust & were crunchy & delicious! Served with a Ranch dressing. I had some delicious red wine as well. What a great time was had by all."

Zingo's Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.8 (243) • $

"Here we are again... we walked out hungry for the rest of the menu. This place NEVER disappoints. We tried something new today, and man, oh man!!!! It was all finger-lickin' good!!! Bellies full to the brim, but we wish we had more chambers in our stomachs to try something else... we had to order the fish N chips (on top of our orders), and it did not disappoint. The owner said we should try the fried okra too, but we had no room for it. The portion size is so big... we had to take our leftover food home. They cater to large families too.. there was a couple long tables they put together to accommodate 15 plus members. This place NEVER disappoints. The staff is super friendly and you can tell they love their customers. The food brings us back... but the staff adds that whipped cream and cherry on top! What do you suggest we try on our next visit??"

Frosty King

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (39) • $

"You can't go wrong with local Frosty King's. This location is on steroids thou! They offer tons of options. I just went with a large shake and a chicken dinner. Shared of course because it was a huge portion. Great location and excellent customer service."

Cowpuncher's Saloon At Fountain Springs

★★★★★ 4.9 (8)

"The staff at the cowpunchers saloon really treated my wife and I so well. We stopped in after our dinner reservation at a nearby restaurant were not honored (Dutch frontier closed and didn't bother to tell us after we had reservations booked 6 weeks in advance). Cowpunchers was so packed we couldn't be seated but they accommodated us at the bar seating and went above and beyond to make our night special. Definitely great food and great people here at cowpunchers. Shame on the Dutch Frontier owners for treating us so terribly with no apologies or forewarning."

Agave Grill & Tequila

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (224) • $$

"We always enjoy the food here. Great portions, we always take half home for our next meal. Service was outstanding, our drinks were never empty. They also kept the chips and salsa replenished. *We ordered:San Diego burritoVeraCruz burritoSteak and shrimp plateCarnitas burrito. 2 raspberry teas1 Dr. PepperEverything was perfect, can't wait to return."

Seasons Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.2 (269) • $$$

"What an oasis. First good meal on the trip. The prices were reasonable and the food top notch. I had a crisp Romain salad with cucumbers and the flat iron steak cooked perfectly rare+.My husband had the rack of lamb and the chops were meaty and tasty. The bread was great too!Excellent!"

Kern River Brewing Company - The Backyard Pub

★★★★☆ 4.4 (14)

"A local institution with beers created and nurtured onsite and available throughout the KRV. Great apps and diverse menu w daily specials that deliver flavor and quality. Enjoy both the original and back porch menus."

Just Wing It

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (324) • $$

"Came in to have a nice cool drink and I was so happy to see my Bartender Jamie is phenomenal very professional and serve you right. The whole vibe is amazing this time I'm solo but between the good music and great sports on I'm chillin. I must say you come here you won't be disappointed at the bar food is good too but this round I'm just sipping."

BV Grill

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (3)

"Stayed here for a Harvest Host event. Great stay! Plenty of parking but this is about the food. Large well seasoned patties, bacon, LTO and crispy crunchy fries, including a drink. Wife had Ortega burger that was great as well. We were pleasantly pleased! Give them a try!"

Urbane Cafe

★★★★★ 4.5 (110) • $$

"I love all of the healthy choices at Urbane Cafe! My favorite dish is the salmon bowl, but they also offer other options, such as sandwiches, salads, and soups. The cilantro torta and southwest are two of my sandwich go-to's. My son loves their cookies and flavored lemonades. The kids' menu has plenty of great options that kids will actually eat!The staff at this location is amazing. They are always very friendly and helpful."

Cellar Door

★★★★☆ 3.9 (103) • $$

"I just love this place! It reminds me of a Speak Easy without the secret door! The chef is a master mixologist of any drink you can imagine & his sauces & flavors are so unique & will leave you craving everything enough you WILL be back! Like I said the ambiance reminds me of a Speak Easy & the dining is fancy & has a gourmet flair to each dish! Every drink & dish is made with such love & pride. They also have opened a morning cafe with mouth watering French pastries from the new bakery, Bread Savage across the street. You've gotta try both!"

Sassy Bird

★★★★☆ 3.7 (459) • $$

"Stumbled on this place a couple of years ago, and I always stop here if I'm in the area. The staff here is friendly, always, and today we got greeted and helped by the owner. Anthony is very friendly and welcoming and made us feel right at home. Anthony didn't hesitate to recommend fan favorites, he took our order and repeated it to make sure it was accurate. Food took a bit of time, and it was worth the wait. The chicken tender was hot fresh out the fryer, and the sassy Mac bowls were on point. The place was packed and lots of takeout orders, everyone came and left with a big smile. We sat outside, enjoyed our food on the benches, and people watched as the sidewalk was busy.All in all I recommend this place for the friendly service, the good food, and the overall value for the portion."

Bravo Farms

★★★★☆ 4 (914) • $$

"EXCELLENT PLACE!! Driving home on the 99, we stopped here for an early dinner. Food was delicious. I had the Classic Tri-tip Sandwhich. The tri-tip was smoked perfectly, it was flavorful and tender. My friend got a Nacho dish with tri-tip and feta cream drizzle. And we tried the cheese curd - sooo good! You have to try it.Service was good. We walked up to the counter to order, then we sat ourselves. Workers were pleasant and the food came out in a timely manner. There is a bar area, but we sat at a booth near a window. The place was clean.Food is great! The salads are huge. I definitely need to come back when driving to SoCal on the 99, or in Kettleman City off the 5. It's the perfect pit stop to eat, shop, and relax."

Boss Hogg's Country Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.3 (118) • $

"Fast paced with great service and no nonsense dining. Great coffee and diner type food. Great place to eat!"

CraSh Lounge

★★★★☆ 4.2 (97) • $$

"I'm totally surprised I haven't reviewed CraSh Lounge before, as their food has always been surprisingly good. As of last weekend I've finally been able to try their cocktails. On a suggestion of a friend I ordered a Moscow Mule. Not being something I typically order in places other than Basque spots down in Old Kern, this drink topped them all. Seriously - fresh grated ginger, folks. Fresh! That makes all the difference in these relatively easy made drinks. If you're feeling especially sassy, try the Blueberry Moscow Mule. I hear they even add fresh blueberries if they're in season - yum!And for you Bleu Cheese Stuffed Olive fans, they have those too. So your favorite martini can be made right. Their food menu isn't huge, but there's plenty of yummy meaty and cheesy options to absorb those cocktails. While CraSh isn't open late, it's a great place to start the night with friends. Definitely will be my future first stop when bar hopping DT."

Cask Strength Bar and Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.1 (75)

"Good food, great whiskey and good service. A special spot. I'll be back and bring friends!"

Mango Haus Lounge

★★★★☆ 4.2 (32)

"This is honestly my favorite date night restaurant in Tehachapi. I like that the menu is a little different and unique. Love their cocktails and burgers and even their brunch is delicious. Our favorite is the buffalo cauliflower and the pork belly."

20 Mule Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.2 (96) • $

"Iconic restaurant across the street from the 20 Mule Team Museum in Boron. It seems to be an older establishment. The menu is American and Mexican cuisine. There is something for everyone here.I had the Taco Salad. The flour tortilla bowl was freshly fried, crispy, and still warm. The ground beef in the salad appeared to be a hamburger patty that was broken up, not highly seasoned but tasting very flavorful. This restaurant is known for their burgers and I can see why based on the ground beef in the salad. (By now, I was kind of wishing that I had ordered a burger instead.) The rest of the taco salad was perfectly acceptable with fresh lettuce, pico de gallo, and avocado. A torta with carnitas was the daily special. The sandwich was very filling, with savory, good tasting carnitas. The meat was tender, too. There was plenty of sandwich for another meal. Salsa and chips were good. The homemade salsa tasted fresh and had a nice mild chile heat. Definitely get the chips and salsa as an appetizer.Service was quick and efficient. The dining area can accommodate larger parties. The ambiance had an older, well worn establishment vibe to it. This place definitely warrants a return trip especially in conjunction with a tour of the museum across the street. I will certainly try a burger the next time."

Wiki's Wine Dive & Grill

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (556) • $$

"Great place to watch your favorite sports and good Ambiece, food,music it was nice to heard this nice Band call Waterfall, Shanna O'Brien and tge other cute lady I think her name is Dede or didie ‍ but she play diferen instruments i love it miss the owner Mike just visiting for today leaving tomorrow."

Pinehurst Lodge

★★★★☆ 4.4 (80) • $$

"An out of the way and lovely stop for drinks and food. Friendly bartender, with tasty, casual food. We ordered at the bar two MaiTai's and put in our food order as well. Then we decided to retreat to the empty deck in back. It was quiet and relaxing. Our order came quickly of jalapeño poppers. I got the fried chicken sandwich which was messy to eat but rather tasty. The fire place area looked cosy for a cold night."

Ewings on the Kern

★★★★☆ 4 (540) • $$

"We came here on a double date when visiting some friends. This is such a beautiful restaurant. It overlooks the river and it's high up with a nice view. So picturesque. It is a $$-$$$ restaurant, so be mindful it's for a nicer dinner. They have a limited menu, but everything looks so good. We ended up getting mac & cheese, coconut shrimp, and zucchini spears for appetizers. I really like the mac & cheese and zucchini spears. So good!I got the salmon risotto and my partner got the sirloin steak with sides veggies. My salmon risotto came with a soup or salad starter. I got the clam chowder soup. It was really good! The salmon risotto is pretty good. The salmon was cooked really well. The risotto was very citrus-y. It had a lot of lime in it, which is not what I'm used to for risotto. But it was still pretty good overall.Really enjoyed it here. If I am e er back, happy to eat here again"

Greenhouse Cafe

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (263) • $$

"Service was good, I have no complaints about it at all. She even slipped me an extra cookie at the end of the meal. The place is clean with plenty of seating. I came in here to write a review because the Cajun chicken sandwich might've been one of the best sandwiches I've ever had and I walked away wanting another one."

Ol Buckaroo

★★★★☆ 3.9 (595) • $$

"I ate here after spending the day at sequoia national park, and wow it really hit the spot!! I came in a party of 6, and everyone really loved their food and the service was friendly and welcoming. The inside decor was cute, but to be honest with you, the patio is really just peak ambiance. We didn't sit outside because it was too cold, but I would definitely recommend sitting outside if you can! The outside patio has string lights, and is overlooking the river. The sound of the river is so relaxing. The Brussels sprouts appetizer was TO DIE FOR!! I have never had Brussels sprouts so delicious , I find myself wanting to try to make them at home since I live 3hrs away and won't be able to make it back anytime soon."

Karen's Kitchen 2

★★★★☆ 3.9 (182) • $

"The food was great and Laura's service was incredible. Wil come back again. The ambiance is adorable"

Scramblez Palmdale

★★★★☆ 3.9 (136) • $$

"Every Sunday we use to go to Scramblez after church. Always friendly service.Then covid hit and we stopped going.Recently while my husband and I went on vacation the kids (adults) door dashed from here and raved about how good the food was but expensive. Brings us to today.We call in an order and a lovely gentleman picks up, I believe his name was Jim.We ordered Chorizo and eggs, hash browns and pancakes, French toast and I order the California Eggs Benedict. We took our time to get there and the courteous gentleman called to confirm we placed our order at the correct location because there's 2 places in the AV. That was so nice of him to call us and tell us our order was ready too.We head on in and it's clean and smells delicious. We're greeted by Jim who goes over our order and our total was something like $49.00 plus we gave them a $10.00 tip. Now the food,The California Eggs Benedict was delicious! It sat there a while because we don't live to close but the flavor of the hollandaise sauce soaked into the bread (English muffin) the egg was perfect topped with bacon and avocado. It came with home style potatoes but I gave those to the kids. My daughter had the French toast and she said it was the best she's ever had. The butter was so good and it came with hash browns. My son had the chorizo and he said this place is the only one to ever get it right. Just like he likes it! Can't wait to go back! I took a pic of the daily specials."

The Blossom Bar and Grill

★★★★☆ 4.4 (25)

"After seeing people talk about this place I thought it would be nice to try it out. My husband ordered the Cajun Chicken noodles and I ordered a salad. We shared the bang bang shrimp and those were so good! My salad was good, I felt it could've had a bit more vinaigrette on it. I tasted my husband's food and that was very good! Pasta was cooked perfectly! I do wish they had a cocktail menu. They only have a beer and wine menu. They do seem to have a full bar from what I saw. We just ordered a beer. The food was good, but the comfort of eating there was a little uncomfortable and annoying, but not too bad. It is a hotel restaurant so each experience will be different for everyone based on the guests who stay there. The people at the bar were very loud and kids were running around being loud as well. Also upon entering the dining area I smelled a strong odor of parmigiana cheese. I personally can't stand that smell! Not sure why that smell lingered the whole time we were there. I found it to be unpleasant. The service was good though! Also to add, their menu does change often. Some stuff stays, but for the most part they mix it up and have different things which is nice."

Super King Express

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (19) • $

"This joint is the middle of the Hood! But god is it good! I went ahead and tried the number 11. Western Burger. I can't even explain how good the burger was. Amazing food. Taste delicious! But be warned it is the hood, hood! Just dont get out ur car, have it in Driver even when waiting and you should be good."

Mango Haus

★★★★★ 4.5 (265) • $$

"Mango Haus in Downtown Bakersfield is such a special place! Located in the beautifully converted Hill House, it's like stepping into a tropical oasis, even though the surrounding area might seem a bit iffy--don't let that stop you. Mango Haus has come a long way from its early days as a vegan spot (with another name) in the Southwest, and you can truly feel the passion the team pours into every dish. Everything is made fresh, and it shows in the flavors and care that go into the food.With a great lineup of fun cocktails, it's the perfect spot to meet up with friends, relax, and enjoy the laid-back, vibrant atmosphere. Mango Haus has definitely earned a spot in my heart!"

Zaytoona

★★★★☆ 4.4 (579) • $$

"This is the second time I ate here. This time the rice was cooked perfectly and everything was great. We wanted to try the Dubai chocolate which is what brought us in. I think next time I would get the chicken kabob dinner option as it comes on a kabob and I feel would be more flavorful and juicy that way and then just share it since it is a large portion. The kids are picky so daughter had cheeseburger which she said was good and other use the coconut shrimp and absolutely loved it. Definitely will be coming back."

Spencer's Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.8 (185) • $$

"Spencer's Northeast Restaurant We enjoy popping into the northeast Spencer's Cafe. The food is consistently good, the service is always great, and the coffee is always hot and fresh. We wish they could be open all day. The Northeast needs a place where we know that the dinners will be great also!"

New Vintage Grill

★★★★☆ 4.2 (767) • $$

"I love this place everything is clean and pleasant out on the patio which I enjoy during the nice months. The food I've eaten was very good however like some other places way too much for me -I do wish I could find a dining companion who would split a meal but do it goes. I've been wanting to try their party melt I adore an excellent one which I have not had in probably 20 years! Rye bread caramelized onions and a burger with melted cheese who doesn't like that? !? The last time I went about 3 months ago got lunch special their hamburger it was excellent but again way to much I amNot a person who likes to take home most food as I don't like the taste of a reheated burger so it's a waste. I do wish more restaurants would start to offer smaller versions at least at lunch! Wait staff were professional checking on us and refilling our glasses without hovering. The New Vintage Grill is a great place to go and relax and enjoy some great food."

Pete's Place

★★★★★ 4.6 (60) • $$

"and oh my God, that cappuccino cake is to die for. good straightforward food, always my go to the place when I want actual dinner or lunch ..."

Merry Go Round

★★★★☆ 4.4 (548) • $$

"This was a fantastic dinner spot on our motorcycle trip through the area. It was nice and warm inside to warm us up before going camping in Alabama hills. The restaurant is small inside but the circular design is very neat! We had a big table in the middle for all 9 of us. My hubby and I split the flat noodle bowl with beef, chicken, shrimp and veggies. It was delicious and they provide a nice big portion for the $21 it costs. The table also got some appetizers that were good. I loved the Chinese new year paper place mats and the decor within the round restaurant. Plus they provided fortune cookies at the end which is always a star in my book. I would definitely come here is you are looking for this sort of cuisine. It hits the spot during a camping trip!"

Casey's Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4 (29) • $$

"We've been here a few times and I don't know why I didn't write a review. Casey's was always a solid place to go and it's even better now. I love the remodel. Our service was attentive and my water glass stayed full. My wine was brought out promptly. The servers were so caring and helpful. It's Ridgecrest for those of you who are out of town. When you're busy and forget to get lunch let alone remember to drink water, you sit down and ask for a glass of water, and when it's brought immediately, it's appreciated. When it's refilled immediately, it's above and beyond. Casey's goes above and beyond.I love the tri tip salad. Fries are well done...crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside with the perfect amount of seasoning.Hubby got the light portion of the tri tip tonight. You may want to ask for bbq sauce on the side if you're a tri tip lover. Tonight I had the fried shrimp and fries. I love the cracker crust on the shrimp. They were perfectly cooked. I wish I had cocktail sauce instead of tartar sauce and didn't think to ask if they had any. But the shrimp were delicious as is.Tonight's only negative was the jalapenos in the blue cheese salad dressing. And the parking was a bit grumbly. But it means the place is good and there were a lot of people there. Thankfully we were seated right away. A lovely lady came within 2 minutes and got our drink orders and boom, within another 2 minutes, I had water and wine. I love that.Our server arrived promptly. And she was a delight. Thank you for a relaxing evening after a long day."

Bobby Salazar's Express

★★★★☆ 3.6 (15)

"Wow, just updated The Barn Summit, it's the same place.First off, it's got chevron gas! Plus restroom access. But it's got great looking fried chicken, but I got the corn dogs and deep fried burritos.Also other foods, but I was in a hurry, it was called Bobby Salazar's.Customer service was good, the food server handed me the food and the cashier handed me the mustard, I'm guessing because of covid-19. They looked really good, only issue, they weren't hot, just Luke warm, what a disappointment. Oh well, I got gas and bathroom break, and man, Tehachapi was windy and cold, I thought I was in Chicago!"