Recent Business Reviews: Bakersfield.com

Burger King

You are looking at the Trebuchet MS word format from Microsoft Word 2003! It doesn’t look too bad either; I love the shapes of letters “b” and “m.” Both of them remind me of an Atari 5200 game: “Beamrider.”

But knowing that is not important. This here is my review for this Burger King location off 8200 Stockdale Hwy L. Burger King’s chain has so many stores, it’s made to be the biggest fast-food burger chain next to McDonald’s. They serve a variety of food other than burger sandwiches, including chicken fries, onion rings, cheesecake, icee beverages, and so much more.

The store I’m reviewing has a one-way drive-thru, and the car line goes quick from my own personal experiences. There’s also a dining room of cute, yet grand size; and the restrooms are open to the public.

As far as cleanliness goes, this is one of the best fast-food locations that I have ever been to. There is absolutely nothing on any of the tables, the soda fountain is looking sharp, and the floors are well maintained.

(Dang, what happened to my text? It changed shape, and... stuff. Oh well, I'll just use my imagination and pretend like nothing ever happened.)

Customer service is pretty nice. The workers are focused on your personal needs, and are very friendly about it.

Speed of service? Top-notch, absolutely top-notch; you usually get your order within 3 minutes.

Now, onto the food quality and taste of the food. How is the quality? How is the taste? Well, to be perfectly honest, it isn’t perfect; and I’ll explain it in a little bit.

The quality of the burgers themselves is truly outstanding, and they taste great. I like how the vegetable toppings compliment the meat and bun as a whole, rather than being indifferent. If you have ever had burgers at Denny’s Family Diner, you’ll immediately know what I’m talking about.

As for the fries… geesh, compared to today’s competition, they don’t have alot to punch at. They are fries that have been French-cut, and that leaves much to be undesired. I now prefer potato sides from places like Carl’s Jr. or Jack in the Box; they leave some skin on them.

The soda fountain is just AWESOME. Instead of having to press a tiny button to get a soda, you can just press on a big touch-screen bubble. So much easier to use; plus, the soda tastes great!

I conclude this review, and will definitely say that I, the Very Mad Fast-Food Geek, recommend this joint.

Here’s my rating: 7 BK Cupcake Sundae Shakes out of 10 (FAIR)

Camino Real Restaurant

I love this place! The food is always so fresh and original. The atmosphere is calm and the place is so clean. I never leave a place satisfied or happy i am a tough critic but this place nailed it. I will continue to support this locally owned and ran restaurant as long as i live and will continue to tell my freinds and family about this place. The staff is so polite and professional ask for alesandro hes a great host/owner who goes above and beyond for his customers he waited on me and my family as well as the tables around us and did a great job. If you havent tried camino real you must they offer the best mexican food and some california favorites.......try the mixed drinks and the margaritas are always top notch. Camino Real is Bakersfields Better kept secret! Like Alesandro told me the better place is Camino because better is always better than best. Pete Tittl got this place right!

Vallarta Mexican Grill

Some really amazing Mexican Food, and lots of it. Their prices are very reasonable. I have there 5 or 6 times over the last year (Oct. 09) and have never been disappointed. I have concentrated on the burritos, while my wife goes for the enchiladas. The rice is very good and the beans creamy and hot. The tortillas are always fresh and large (For the burritos) And a very large percentage of meat. You also get chips and salsa with every meal.

The one down side might be the service, but the waitress has always been friendly, just a little inattentive at times.

I will absolutely use them again and again. Really, a great bargin.

California Pizza Kitchen

I’ve had the CPK frozen pizzas from the supermarket but decided to give the restaurant a try. Called to make a reservation for Friday night before the “Cirque Dreams- Illumination” show at Rabobank but leaned that they don’t take reservations. Instead, they allow 1-hour “call aheads” before the expected meal time. On a side note, when will Bakersfield restaurants finally learn that reservations are an important aspect to their success?

I immediately noticed that this is a very, family-friendly place since there were kids coloring with crayons at almost every table. We ordered the Singapore Shrimp Rolls to start which was fresh and light. My aunt had the appetizer, Lettuce Wraps, as her main dish. I had the Thai Linguini which was no comparison to the Thai Chicken Pasta at the Cheesecake Factory. We do not normally order dessert but decided to get the Sticky Toffee Cake. I have never had an “Oh my, God!” moment in this town after eating something really good. However, this was my first. I would encourage all patrons to get this dessert the next time you visit CPK. You can all thank me afterwards.

I know what everyone is thinking: You got Asian food at CPK? Yeah, yeah, I did, but I will definitely be back to try the pizzas another time. Besides the good food, the venue was very clean. Whenever a table had left, the busser who had the “Donald” hair was very good at clearing the table for the next guests. He even wiped down the booths. Another reason, our waitress, Desiree, was super and very friendly. Last reason, I loved how the manager was eager to help his waiters/waitresses by serving plates to various tables. Love that gung-ho attitude!

AT The Oaks Pet Hospital

Dear God do NOT take your pets here!!! The Dr. seems okay...but the groomer and kennel is the worst I've ever experienced!! The groomers are as mean and hateful as it gets. The things I have seen and heard, I should have called the animal control and the police department.

Seriously, the WORST EVER!!!!!!

Naked Al's Tattoos

I got my first Tat at Naked Al's this past Saturday, Oct 24th. Colby was great. He let me look thru 100s of eagle designs until I picked out the one I wanted. And we're not done. I'm having my bass guitar added on my next visit. Everyone at the shop was friendly and encouraging. I'll definately be back. Dave Sanders Bassist for CATCH22

Noriega Hotel Restaurant

My step father was French Basque, and I grew up going to the Basque restaurants in Bakersfield. It's been 13 years since I lived there, but whenever I come to town, Noriega's is definitely on my list! I love the bar. There's no other bar quite like it!

Indian Delhi Palace

I visited this restaurant for the first time with a couple of friends. We liked the buffet and everything was cooked well. A bit spicy than usual but then I can deal with it. Unfortunately, the decor is mediocre at best, and the ambiance is lacking.

Desi Cafe

Last week a dining companion and I went to the Desi Cafe for the first time; however, I was familiar with the dishes served there having ordered through Restaurant Runner several times. My companion on the other hand had never eaten Indian food. We went during the lunch hour. My companion chose the lunch buffet. While the lunch buffet looked very appealing, I knew the spices would be mild so I ordered off the menu so I could get the heat I craved. I asked for everything extra spicy. I know this is probably not for everyone. They will adjust the spice to suit your palate I ordered the Chicken Vindaloo, Channa Masala, Raita and garlic naan. The server even brought out papads. The Chicken Vindaloo and Channa Masala were dynamite (no pun intended). My companion enjoyed his buffet choices especially the Tandoori chicken, the butter chicken and vegetable korma. The service was outstanding and our server was so friendly. The interior is small but cozy. It even has a full bar. I would highly recommend Desi Cafe and will definitely be returning.

Indian Delhi Palace

We have enjoyed their daily buffet several times and did again on 10-24-2009.

It is a homey family run restaurant with good food. It is spiced more so than other Indian restaurants in Bakersfield but that suits us fine. The Chicken Tikka Masala is excellent, the Naan is thinner and crispier than others, but it is good. The vegetable dishes were very good especially the Zucchini. They served a goat dish which we have never had before. Interesting! The rice pudding here is not as runny as others and has a nice taste.

They have separated the dining area from the bar and it is much nicer than before.

Service is good and you will enjoy a nice meal at the Indian Delhi Palace.

Camino Real Restaurant

After riding the Spooktacular we wanted fish tacos and beer. Since our last trip to another old favorite was disapointing, we decided to try El Camino Real.

Wow!

We had the grilled fish and adobo fish taco plates with black beans and sweet potato fries. The tacos came with red cabbage that seemed pickled and finely shredded with a small avocado slice in each one. My adobo was spicy and just salty enough after the ride to perk me up. The different sauces were outstanding. I asked for some salsa and was handed a perfectly prepared serving with spice, heat ,and flavor thatv was just perfect for the beans anf fries.

Our waitresses were attentive without hovering, helpful and sparkly.

When friends from out of town want excellent Mexican food, ECR will be first on my list.

Monroe Construction

Well, I called to ask who the President or CEO of the company was because I wanted to kno who I was dealing with and I was told they don't give out that information and then I was hung up on. If I can't ask who I'm dealing with and find out then why should that company have my business.

El Adobe Mexican

Obviously a very unethical business-will never, ever set foot in this place and will let everyone I know why they shouldn't either. Better start looking for a new line of business-karma's gonna bite you in the butt.

Los Molcajetes

Excellent food and service.

Good Music....a little noisy, but if you like action while you eat....this place is a thumbs up.

Akira's Japanese

Stay away....there are a lot of better sushi places and a lot better service.

Camino Real Restaurant

We love going to this restaurant. We love the food and the staff. The rice is so fluffy and great! Tocos Adobo is one of my personal favorites. My husband always gets something different and the kids always go for their "Alex Special!" The staff really make a special effort to make sure we are comfortable and that we like our meals. Thanks to Alejandro and staff for making Camino Real our FAVORITE restaurant!

Home Town Buffet

We go once a week and I am always amazed. The salad bar is good, some of soups are excellent (try the cheese soup), the meats are good! Weakest part to us is the dessert bar but you can always get decent soft serve with hot fudge. The meat loaf is better than Moms, the steaks are tender and juicy. Considering the price, I am amazed they are so good. Love some of the veggies like the spinach souffle and the cabbage. The place can be noisy, the rest rooms can be messy but overall the quality of the food is good and consistent. The selection is good and the people are friendly. Try it when you want good food at a reasonable price.

Subway Sandwich Shop

i love the blonde girl name laura shes really nice and so is vikki and oh yeauhh trevor i think but seriously you guys should realzie you have beter empoylees

and these are people who are rude and have a attuide allen debbie and zuly these people always talking spanish rude comments hair in my food debbie she throws my food and she gives mean looks

El Adobe Mexican

What the heck? Did you pay someone to dog the other mexican restaurants? It would help if they didn't copy and paste the same review in every section.

That is poor practice. I will never be back to El Adobe, period.

El Adobe Mexican

El Adobe is disgraceful. You can obviously tell that they went to every other Mexican Restaurant's site and gave them a bad review. I really find it horrible that a company could stoop so low in this time of economic crisis. And btw, El Adobe's food is the worst, they overcharge for drinks and make the costumer feel unwanted. If you are looking for excellent Mexican food, my suggestion is El Sombrero off Golden State. Now that is quality Mexican food! Don't support El Adobe and their shady business practice!

La Cabana

THIS PLACE IS HORRIBLE! THE FOOD IS DISGUSTING! AND IT LOOKS SO UGLY! NOT NEAT AT ALL! THANKS BUT ILL STICK TO THE BEST MEXICAN FOOD, EL ADOBE!

Anita's Mexican Grill

THIS PLACE IS NOT GOOD AT ALL! HORRIBLE SERVICE AND FOOD! I WILL NEVER BE BACK! ILL STICK TO THE BEST RESTAURANT EVER, EL ADOBE! THANKS ANITAS NASTY FOOD

Cazuelas Mary

THIS IS A HORRIBLE WANNABE MEXICAN RESTAURANT!! THE FOOD IS NOT GOOD AT ALL! THE PORTIONING SUCKS! THANKS BUT ILL STICK TO THE BEST RESTAURANT IN TOWN, EL ADOBE! BYE CAZUELAS CACA

Rancho Grande

this restaurant is soooo GHETTO! IT IS SO UGLY! THE food is not even good! who would want to come here to have a good time?> seriously ill still to the best restaurant in town, EL ADOBE! THANK YOU VERY MUCH BYE RANCHO NASTY

Camino Real Restaurant

this place is soooooooo disgusting!!!!!!!! the food is nasty and the service is horribLE! THEY DONT CHECK FOR REFILLS!!! they are overpriced for crappy food! i will never go back again! ill stil to the best restaurant in town which is EL ADOBE!!! bye

Desi Cafe

AWESOME!

Valley Gun Inc

Ken has followed in Maylon's foot steps with a great customer service team. I have been a loyal customer for over 40 years. Have I had an experience there where I did not get their undivided attention - yes. Have I seen very busy sales people who could not take the time to chit chat for endless hours while other customers were waiting - yes. Have I been greeted with a frienly hello every time I walked in -yes.

These folks are human - not a Miss Manners Etiquette contest contestant. I feel sorry for hunter82, he will lose out on many years of experience and knowledge when it comes time to buy. Or perhaps he is one of those who come into a local shop, ask questions, handle merchandise, pick up a catqlog, look for an excuse not to buy, and then go home to shop the internet to save a buck. Then he can mount his scope on his own rifle instead of having it installed with the right tools by someone who knows what they are doing.

Ken and Crew - Thank You for a job well done. I will be still coming back for years.

Mc Murphy's Irish Pub

PEOPLE ARE SO IGNORANT ANY BAR YOU GO TO THERE IS TROUBLE A BUNCH OF DRUNK PEOPLE ALL RALLIED UP TOGETHER NEVER A GOOD COMBONATION FOR ANY VENUE . MC MURPHYS SERVES LUNCH FROM 11AM-2PM THE PHILLYCHEESESTAKE IS THERE NUMBER ONE SELLER ALTHOUGHT THESE PEOPLE TALK DOWN ON THE PLACE THERE FOOD WILL PROBABLY MAKE UP FOR ANYTHING BAD ANYONE HAS TO SAY ABOUT THE PLACE ITS A MELLOW ENVIRONMENT DURING THE DAY SERVICE IS GREAT AND THERE IS NOTHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ....

Wasabi Express

OMG WORST SUSHI EVER!!!! I am 4 months pregnant I ate some of their California Rolls and got real bad food poisoning, I was sick for a week and had to go to the hospital and get put on a IV and get on meds, that knocked me out for 2 days. I lost 2 days of my life over this horrible place. I very much doubt the cleanliness at this place, The guy working there was weird as well. This is a warning for people interested to eat here beware! If I could rank this joint lower I would!

Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill

Eatery (noun): a business establishment where meals or refreshments may be purchased.

And what is Rubio's supposed to be? An eatery! :P

My God, Rubio's is like the worst restaurant chain that anyone could go to. I TRY to prevent them.

Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill

Wow, I was surprised to read the negative review. I have been going to Rubios for years now, and have loved it everytime. I ALWAYS have the worst luck at eateries ... not here. I have enjoyed everything, everytime. The manager and staff always seem so happy, and are very nice. That in itself is a treat these days.

I like their street tacos to snack on, and their guac is my favorite in town.

Valley Gun Inc

I have shopped at Valley Gun for over 20 years. I have observed the patience and extra time the staff has spent with customers time and again. I tell people you go to Valley Gun for the depth of knowledge and the real effor they put in to help you with your Sporting needs.

I know Craig personally, while he may seem rough around the edges I have NEVER seen any rude behavior exhibited. The customers that come in are a cross section of Bakerfield, some have difficulty expressing themselves due to language issues. That may have been a factor in the previous review.

I find it amusing that in a City filled with Gun Stores that are only interested in your wallet, the one place known for helpful and knowledgable employees is singled out.

Internet & Gaming Zone

Great Customer service and nice place!

T-Bones Ranch House

My wife and I ate at T-Bones and had the worst meal I've been served in Bakersfield in 25 years. The grilled asparagus I ordered in place of the baked potato was cold, dried out and stringy end to end. The rib eye was cold no flavor (except cold uncooked fat) and +/-45% fat. I would not spend $70 for dinner for poor service and food with good steaks available in town.

Banfield The Pet Hospital

I will never use Banfield for my veterinary hospital again! The prices are outragous. I took my Dachshund there this morning with diarreah and blood in her stool and they wanted $380.00 just to take her blood and when I said I was going to take her somewhere else, they charged me $44.95 just for talking to the Dr. That is outrageous and I will NEVER use them again. I ended up going to Bakersfield Veterinary on Harris and the staff was much more helpful and I walked out of there with a $145 bill for more than what Banfield was charging just to take her blood.

I would not recommed this establishment to anyone!

Brazilian's By Leah

It was my first time getting waxed, and Leah made it so comfortable. She is really sweet and professional. The price was the best I could find anywhere and the atmosphere in the salon was unassuming and comforting. I will definitely be going back.

Central Tailor Shop

I do not know if this is a good Tailor shop, however the phone number listed is not correct. It belongs to a private residence.

Java Detour

I stop by Java Detour 5 days/week. They are great! The coffee and the service are exceptional to the other nasty tasting coffee houses. I wouldn't take my business anywhere but here no matter what the price! Good Job Java Detour and Staff. You are great!

Ladies and Gents Bridal

Don't quite know how to express this....staff ACTED helpful without actually BEING helpful. ??? Not impressed.

Kandid Kamera

Great guy, great price, great pictures, but not always easy to get a hold of.

Cafe Med

We used Cafe Med to cater an event. LOVE Harlan, LOVE the food, but beware....when Harlan is not onsite, the servers do pretty much whatever they want. Like: ignoring guest requests, talking on cell phones, mocking guests, giving alcohol to minors. Keep an eye on them. I will say, as long as the staff was being supervised, everything was amazing. Harlan was incredibly helpful with planning other details of our event. He really helped relieve some stress.

Ladies and Gents Bridal

I had a wonderful experience at Ladies & Gents Bridal. I made a last minute decision to marry in Vegas and had 1 week to plan. I visited quite a few different bridal stores just in Bakersfield. I ended up staying with L&G's because I found a beautiful reasonably priced gown and was told it could be fitted and ready before I left for Vegas. I did have to come twice for fitting (forgot my shoes once) but the dress was altered and ready to go as promised. I think the pricing is a little high for the alterations but it fit perfect. The young lady who helped me was very courteous and I never felt ignored. Nor did I feel that any of the assistants were unprofessional. I was very pleased with the customer service and would recommend them to anyone (if shopping in Bakersfield).

Comfort Nails & Spa

Overall a bad experience!

Rates listed 65 for the brazilian wax , I even confirmed from the lady but at the end I was told "its actually 65 and up So you have to pay 80".

Besides that a lousy job done, had to go and pay second time to get it redone.

Not recommended at all.

Ladies and Gents Bridal

Staff was great knowledgeable and helpful. I loved the dresses to choose from found my dream dress on the same day I went in. They were really helpful I got everything in one place my fiance tux, bridesmaids and even shoes!!!

Kandid Kamera

Incredible photographer, just got my wedding photo's back and they are some of the best shots I have ever seen! Bobby is incredibly easy to work with, and is so much fun during the photo's. He was a blast, and the photo's are priceless. His pricing is about standard, although he could easily charge much more for the work that he produces! So happy!

R Tillery Power Sports

R.Tillery does a great job of keeping my bike going. They do all my maintanence and upgrades I need. Scott always does a great job without leaving me broke in the process!

The Granite Outlet

You guys did not give us the lowest bid but we are very glad we went with Granite Outlet. The work you did in our kitchen is simply amazing! THanks for such beautiful granite counters! - Shaun & Liz T.

Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill

Break out the tux... and the sandals, ‘cause adog262 (aka the Very Mad Fast-Food Geek) is going to review this Rubio’s location off of 9200 Rosedale Highway! This establishment has one dining room and a salsa bar. For more restaurant reviews, feel free to visit my profile. :)

To start off, I would like to give a praise for this fabulous geography. Why? Because Rosedale Highway has a ton of stores to visit, and this Rubio’s store is near where everything is. However, as you all may already know, location alone doesn’t merit visits to anywhere. What I will be going over are the types of food served here, the service, and the overall execution. Does this place have what it takes to get willing customers, or is it just another sack?

The Rubio’s chain is somewhat of a small one at best (only about 180 designations), and they serve a variety of dishes such as tacos, burritos, enchiladas, taquitos, quesadillas, nachos, salads, and desserts.

Don’t think of this rather-bland description as a hint of there being a small menu. Unlike Chipotle’s limited choices, Rubio’s has a variety of choices. The meats include fish, cabo, chicken, mahi mahi, carnitas, shrimp, and steak; and even then, you can pick the style of them. For instance, you can get a Healthmex Mahi Mahi Taco or a Grilled Mahi Mahi Taco. It’s still mahi mahi but… I guess you could do that.

The sides to choose from are limited. Basically you can choose either beans, rice, or chips. That’s it, plus there are 2 types of desserts: brownies and churros. So while it is possible to get plenty of choices for your base (burrito, taco, etc.), you don’t get many items that could come along with it.

Interesting Note: there are NO tostadas here. Why?

The Rubio’s website is pretty friendly to visitors. It tells you in the menu’s drink section, “Order a Regular or Large size soft drink, and get a cup to fill at our soda fountain or premium tea dispenser.” WOW! I never knew that they gave me a large cup when I ordered a Large size soft drink! (sarcasm XP)

But before I get into a heated up battle, I would like to note that the customer service here is OK. It’s not bad like Taco Bell on Hageman Road or El Pollo Loco on Stockdale, but it is not great. The dining room is quite clean too, so I don’t have to actually “search” for a table.

Now, onto the main reason of going anywhere to dine at: the food. To say the very most of everything, it’s horrible. To go into it in further detail would require some simple thinking: the dishes served have to actually be exciting, not bland. And Rubio’s menu, to say the least, is very, VERY bland. It’s so bland, I’m actually thinking, “Why did I eat here?”

All of the meats (and I have had them all) aren’t cooked very well. For example, whenever I had their chicken, it tasted like some frozen TV dinner cooked up in a microwave. And if I am not mistaken, wasn’t Rubio’s claim to fame that they were consistently concerned over product freshness? I don’t believe that an uncooked piece of chicken is an excuse of pureness. All of their meats, whether it’d be chicken, steak, or mahi mahi, have to be grilled HOT. This goes for casual diners, as well as those who are concerned over quality and freshness.

Their salsa bar is not in pretty good shape either. Just about all of their choices of salsa are bad because not one of them have a sweet tang. And to makes matters worse, they aren’t spicy either. So if you are the type of person who would just love to have chips and salsa, you’d better look elsewhere.

Their beans and rice were OK, but not as good as those of their competitors. The rice isn’t bad in the sense that they leave on plenty of spices and moisture to the mass, and their beans… well, let’s just say that Green Burrito’s version of them is better. Once again, too bland and not deliciously sweet in the slightest.

Their desserts are alright, I certainly am in favor of having a delicious brownie after a meal of 2 grilled mahi mahi tacos. But… once again, not sweet in the slightest. Their soda fountain may be quite good, but I am still hungry.

Question: what do most Tex-Mex style places serve as add-ons? Guacamole and Sour Cream. Most places have those to add onto a dish medium, and Rubio’s versions of them are awful. The problem is that they are not sweet or delicious, plus there is not enough thickness to their mass in order to accommodate them. What a pity, and a disappointment.

In conclusion, Rubio’s (or at least with this store location) needs a ton of improvements. There are too few pros to oversize the cons. This is a type of establishment that I, the Very Mad Fast-Food Geek, don’t recommend.

Rating: 2 Mahi Mahi Tacos out of 10 (BAD)

… I wonder about the origin of “mahi mahi”…

Kern Security Incorporated

Please contact our Customer Service Department at 661-588-4357 ext. 227 so that we may go over any problems and reach a resolution.

Kern Security & Fire

Customer Service

Unity Church of Bakersfield

I love this church -- it's non-judgmental and accepting of all who enter. Rev. Chuck has a way of speaking that doesn't preach so much as teach and I always walk away feeling better, more spiritual and lighter of heart.