Brimstone Bar

This will go down as the worst dining experience I have had in years, maybe ever. I was staying at the Padre (which was lovely) while traveling for work. Exhausted from a full day of travel and totally jet lagged I decided to stay close to the hotel.
It all started innocent enough, I liked the vibe and there were a fair amount of people hanging out. The bartender came over and asked what I’d like, so I asked for a menu. She recommended the salmon burger as it was a Monday so burgers were the special. I took her advice and asked for the salmon burger minus the pickled onion and a glass of red wine. She returned a few minutes later, with the wrong glass of red. She then went and got the correct red. A few minutes later she asked what food I wanted, so I reminded her, salmon burger with no onions.
A couple minutes go by, she returns and asks if fries were OK, I say yes, she asks what kind, rattles a couple off and I pick truffle fries. Mind you it has now been 10 minutes since I originally ordered, but I’m not stressing at this point, I’ve got my wine and a good book.
About 20 minutes later my food arrives, with onions all over the burger… fine, I can pick them off. I try my best to flag her down for some silverware and a napkin, no luck as she has her back to the bar and is chatting with her coworkers, so I just grab a couple bar napkins.
The burger was OK, the truffle fries were really good.
Now here is where a mediocre experience takes the turn to utterly awful and bizarre.
9:20– I ask for my check
9:25-check arrives, but it is incorrect, I’ve been charged full price for the burger, which is almost double, so I ask her to fix
9:45-still no check
9:50-she come and checks on my end of the bar, she looks at me and gives me a thumbs up? I must have looks confused so she asks if I’m all good. I say yes, but I’m waiting on my check… for some reason this strikes her as a huge insult and she goes super defensive. Then walks away, at this point the other people around me start asking «didn’t you ask for your check half an hour ago?»
Yes, yes I did.
10:15– still no check
10:20-a regular and the woman next to me ask for the checks… the regular kindly asked for everyone to see if she would respond better.
I GET THE CHECK!!! But wait, it’s now doubled in price, this my friends is not my check. However hoping to speed things along, I give her my card and ask for an itemized receipt.
10:30– she returned with the same wrong check, no itemized receipt and without my credit card.
10:35– the manager appears and asks if he can help, I ask for my check and credit card. He give me the wrong check and someone else’s credit card. Wow.
10:40– finally get the correct bill, and they have lost my credit card, but there is no apology from George, the manager… so at this point I have been done eating for an hour and a half, and I just want to scream. I then crawl over the side of the bar and find my own credit card sitting in the ice well. It takes me three seconds of searching.
Kanista (the bartender) does not seem remotely remorseful about any of this, and I leave (yes I still tipped, I’ve grown up working in restaurants and it could be a shared tip pool or something) but I will never go anywhere near that bar again.
Worst. Experience. Ever.

Stopped at the Farmacy café at the Padre hotel on the way home from Tejon Ranch outlets. We decided to order food from Brimestone grill also located inside the Padre Hotel. The better half and I decided to half a Chorizo burger with truffle oil fries for $ 2 extra. The fries were excellent and well worth the extra $ 2 cost. The burger however was disappointing. The description of the burger made it sound out of this world, however in reality, it left a lot to be desired. I could not really find the guacamole on the burger much less taste it. It was suppose to come with habanero cheese however I failed to taste any habanero or spice on the cheese. The meat patty was too dry and overlooked. It was hard to taste the chorizo. With as much fat as chorizo has I thought the burger would be juicy but it was quite the opposite. I removed the bun to look inside the burger and noticed some burnt crust on my meat patty, clearly someone way over cooked my meat. It turned out to be a huge disappointment. I’ve tasted juicier burgers from fast food joints!

Ambiance is the first thought that comes to mind. Nestled atop the 3^rd floor patio of the Padre Hotel, this restaurant offers beautiful outdoor seating. The twinkly lights and outdoor fireplace really set the tone for a fun night. There were plenty of outdoor heaters going, but it actually got too warm at one point and neither of the 2 waitstaff knew how to lower them or turn them off.
The service was friendly, but a tad slow given that we went early and were 1 of 4 parties seated. They had a new menu available but didn’t have all the drink options stocked in their rooftop bar, so that was a bit of a bummer.
We started with the crab and artichoke dip. The dip had large chunks of crab and made for a hearty starter. The portion of dip is huge and the number of baguette slices was few. We had to ask for additional bread, which took a long time to come out.
I had the green burger which was a black bean/​quinoa patty topped with Ortega chilies, cilantro and avocados. This burger was delicious! I vices the onion rings, which I regretted. They were perfectly crispy, but way over salted. My husband ordered the fish and chips. The portion came with 4 large pieces of cod and fries. The dish was fried perfectly and the fries seasoned with just the right seasoning.
If you’re looking for a hidden gem here in Bakersfield, try this place out!

The drinks & food are good, the service is hit or miss, and it’s all overpriced because it’s the Padre.

My boyfriend and I frequent this place whether it’s for brunch, dinner, or just drinks, and we always receive exceptional service.
The atmosphere is welcoming wether you sit at the bar or in the general seating areas. (We prefer siting at the bar) the bartenders and servers always seem to know their stuff and if they don’t, they will find out for you. It’s also nice to be recognized and remembered from previous visits. The loudness level is slightly less than that of a sports bar which is nice, I’ve been here on a first date and stayed for hours of conversation.
The food is consistent, flavorful, and fresh. My go-​to is the smoked chicken salad which comes with iceberg lettuce, smoked chicken, sliced apples, walnuts, red onion, and a sweet dressing. I’ve also had their chilaquiles (with a made to order egg on top,) the bison burger (superb!) and the classic padre burger. (Burger and 16oz of non craft beer is 14 bucks on Sundays 6p-​9p) Appetizers aren’t exactly my thing here, but I see many people ordering wings and nachos.
Drinks are no exception here, they sure have the skills and willingness to make you that perfect drink (my go-​to is an old fashioned) the bartenders are attentive and friendly. My only recommendation would be more craft beer on tap!
I would say this place has it down! They never disappoint and I will continue to frequent and support this wonderful downtown business.

I assume this is one of the best spots in Bakersfield. It is my first time in town, so if everywhere is like this, Bakersfield is much nicer and cooler than I thought. Fun little hotel bar with TVs, a pool table and a good menu of yummy food. Highly recommended.

Came here on a Friday night. Had a date night with me sweetie. I have also come for lunch. Let’s start with the lunch. It was marvelous. I ordered a burger and fries and they were both very good. Actually the cheeseburger was off the hook good and the fries were average. Still, it was a great lunch with good service in a clean restaurant.
At night time they are awesome. We don’t do the club scene, so we just sit down at the bar. The bartender is super fast, and mixes crazy good mojitos. Since I was driving I had a nice wine, and my sweetie ordered the mojitos, and usually I can’t stand them, but she convinced me to try it. I have changed my mind. I hate all mojitos but these.
Down side is they close the grill at 11pm and didn’t put out any snacks with the drinks. Alcoholic beverages on an empty stomach are not a good idea. The bar stools were rickety and in need of repair. Also, they need to establish a well defined place for walk up customers to order drinks instead of forcing their way between customers who are seated at the bar. I like my personal space and hate strangers rubbing their bodies all up on me. Hands off the old guy millennials. We don’t like you touching us. Learn some boundaries.
Other wise it is a great place for a cocktail and well made ones at that.

The Padre Hotel is the place to visit.
Brimstone is a cool bat with great service, stout drinks, and a good menu yo select your appetizer, entrée, or anything else in between.
The hotel has a great vibe, with many different types of dining options.
Definitely a place to visit and get your grumbling stomach filled.

Since my previous review I’ve been to Brimstone a couple more times. Man, they need to amp up their service! It’s too slow for the small amount of people that are in there eating. And recently our bill was messed up as well. When you are waiting on two-​three tables at most, there’s really not an excuse for that. If you are confused just do a run down with your patrons of what was ordered before you total up the bill. Not a big deal.
Additionally, one of my favorite things-​the $ 12 bottomless mimosas with brunch is no longer available. To do that you have to go into the Belvedere room and pay up and have the fancy brunch buffet. Brimstone used to be packed for brunch and people watching sports-​not any more. It’s easy to see why.
I still think they have a yummy menu, with lots of varied options. They just need to work out some other things in the meantime.

Came here today for a friend’s birthday as she wanted to have brunch. Online (and on my menu) it says $ 12 bottomless mimosas. When we tried to order it a man that appeared to be a supervisor or manager shot us down. We were then offered a pitcher of mimosas when what they actually did was charge us for champagne bottles and gave us a small amount of OJ. This was after an incredibly long wait. I mean a crazy long wait. We were told the champagne had to «chill». Found it funny since the restaurant had «flowing champagne» at their $ 29 brunch. After waiting more than 30 minutes we got our champagne. Took longer for the waters and coffee. The food itself was less than spectacular. The gravy for the biscuits and gravy was gross, the friend chicken was under cooked as was the sausage. It was down right disgusting. I would never come back here again. Service and food were terrible!!!

Had the Padre Burger, added fried egg and bacon. I ordered it medium, came out perfect. It was juicy, well seasoned and full of flavor. Only had a water to drink, but they have several drink specials and a wide selection from the bar.
It was reasonably priced, but the egg and the bacon were $ 1 each.

So this place is «upscale» for Bakersfield, but the service is crap. I came with some friends around 10pm and we enjoyed a few drinks, a few mistaken orders, and double charged items. Yeah, they tried to double charge me for telling them to remake the food they screwed up on. They also tried to double charge my friend because he upgraded his order to a meat and cheese board rather than just cheese.
I also find it weird when the service complains that their system is crap.
Clean it up Padre, clean it up.

This bar/​restaurant at The Padre Hotel is really quite good. They have an excellent and growing selection of both single malts and bourbons, and the menu has an excellent variety of food. I just finished a two week stay at the hotel, and everything I’ve had at the Brimstone has been excellent. Highlights are the scotch (did I already mention that), very good martinis, the buffalo wings which were big/​crispy/​juicy/​and very tasty, and the truffle fries. Also mention the Cuban sandwich and club sandwich were very good as was the burger.
All around can’t go wrong. Good crowd as well.

Service is so so. The drinks are good. The food is delicious. I really love taco tuesday and going here on weeknights when it isn’t as busy. It’s definitely one of the most upscale bars in Bakersfield. The bathrooms are also pretty cool.

First off: Benjamin is a 5 star server!!! Tip this man, he’s lovely and cordial! He made my night: D
Second: FOH and BOH need to tighten the F up and get it together! If there are menu changes, DO NOT leave your servers with their reproductive bits swinging in the breeze!
The menu offered a grilled romaine salad, w/​sautéed mushrooms and Humboldt Fog cheese. NONE OF THESE THINGS HAPPENED! My salad was raw and chopped, my sad little mushies drowned in a weird sauce, and my Humboldt was craptastic blue crumbles D:
The food quality is good. The flavor is good. BUT, the divergence from the menu description is ridiculous.
I understand that Bako is Central CA’s dirty family secret, but this is a 4 star boutique hotel… get your house in order!
I also understand that most people will be none the wiser, but change your menu to match or tell your servers WTF is up! Furthermore, I’m a snobby tw*t, I know… but, I ordered something and I expect it to match the menu.
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST: the liquor offerings are great, but the cocktailing ability of the bar staff is lacking. It’s not awful, it’s just meh. I blame the bar manager for not ordering real cherries.
I feel that this review is fair, and something the staff can work with to make Brimstone a better place to visit.
The End. Fin. High 5.

Went on a Friday for a quick lunch. I ordered the chefs special which was a meatball sub with roasted peppers and olives and Cajun fries. My husband had the Padre Burger. My husband said his burger was «ok» but I really enjoyed mine! Sandwich was great and perfectly portioned and the fries were crisp and delicious! Service was quick and waitress was very conscience of our time which was very nice. Will def come back again.

We had a better experience here this time around… even though I thought we would never come back…
Sitting at the bar was a great idea. Ordered drinks and were able to look over the menu.
We opted for a veggie salad with salmon added as well as the hummus plate. Both were good. Not great but good. The salad for an extra $ 6 could have had a better portion of fish. I would have loved to have seen more items on special.
Service at first was slow-​going but once conversation started flowing with the bartender, it was smooth sailing. The drinks are fine and the beer is cold!
Just at a loss of where to go downtown in Bakersfield. I am sure we will return here due to lack of choice.

Massive nachos. Like, crazy huge. I like this place. Decent beer selection. Always some weird little service issue but on the whole, one of the best places in town to watch football. It’s crazy at night. Good breakfast options.

I don’t think I can eat anywhere in Bakersfield except for the Padre restaurants.
I ordered the ribeye with mushroom wild rice. The seasoned goodness (steak) was cooked perfect… (Medium rare) outside char and inside juiciness. Didn’t need the sauce. Service was excellent. Would drive here for the steak!:)

My Co worker and I decided to give this place a shot and have dinner and a few drinks ;-) 1^st the customer service was alright helpful if there were any questions on the menu and they refilled our drinks before we would ask. The food quality was fair and fresh 4 out of five.
My negatives were there were not alot of ppl here eating or drinking. during the day so the servers would just stand huddled up in the corner staring watching you eat and talk crap about whoever walked in, very unprofessional and to top it off I paid cash for my meal and my server did not return my change and was looking half retarded when I called her out, I guess she felt she deserved that 7 dollar tip lol the sad thing was I would have added another 3 dollars to it to make it 10 but no B! tcH no you didn’t even try and pretend to return my change 5 dollars you get honey lol
Overall it was cool I would eat here and watch the game again.