Pyrenees Cafe - Bakersfield, California

YANYZA

Lamb chops delicioso 😋 lo recomiendo todo está delicioso

Oleg G.

Muy bien.

Oswaldo P.

Muy buen lugar

Elizabeth L.

Bakersfield has the largest collection of Basque restaurants in the United States, with the Pyrenees Cafe being a super old one. I think it was first opened around 1901 as a boarding house, mostly for men, and brothel house on the side that served people coming in from Spain and other areas--the food and the women. It was also quite busy during prohibition making their own booze. Whether it was good, who knows, this was years and years ago. There are not as many Basque places in Bakersfield as their once was and I wish they would all come back. They are just great. The food is wonderful. It is often served family style and you just feel welcome. The ladies of the night are long gone and it is kid friendly.

These establishments like Pyrenees carry the traditions of their ancestors, offering a Basque food experience to everyone. It is on a long street and there are several Basque places to eat and we love them all. This one is a favorite.

Customarily, meals at the Pyrenees Café are multicourse, served family style at long tables, but they also have smaller tables and a bar counter. We always get started with the 'set-up,' a generous spread of bread, soup, beans, salsa, pickled tongue, vegetables, French fries, and spaghetti. Now you don't have to do this and you can have just bread or whatever to start, but we love the 'set up." I don't like tongue, but I drive it back to my dog who loves me for it. I am sure it is great, just not for me.

The entrees include lamb, chicken, pasta, ox tail and seafood, or the special entrée of the night, which is always great.

So, go. It may be a new experience for you and the entire Downtown (near the tracks) Bakersfield area can really use the business. It is super safe and it is fun.

Oh, and now they have Breakfast. Yummy.

Cheryl M.

This little restaurant is what I call a hidden treasure seriously. When you start to go to this restaurant, it's going to be very misleading. Driving to go to a questionable area you may begin to question your choice. Keep going!!! Now you see what looks to be an old building or warehouse. Going to go through a creepy little door you may wonder if you're actually at a speak easy. The main door leads straight into a bar. Don't be discouraged to keep going. Now look right; you're going to see the most adorable little restaurant that looks like it came right out of the old west. Now go out the side door to the patio and whoa. The cutest patio ever. I seriously would have an event here. There's a stage and big fans to keep it cool and tons of lights and trees. The food was fabulous. The dessert was fabulous. And the service was outstanding. Don't overlook this hidden treasure. Just make sure you take a friend with you.

Frank R.

This was my first Basque restaurant experience and it was great. From the food to the service and the vibe, everything was amazing. We had the whole Basque set up with garlic shrimp. We also had the pickled tongue, which was surprisingly tasty.

Lawrence S.

Update 3/20/24: Prices on Google seem to be accurate now.

Disclaimer: The prices on Google currently are not accurate. Those make it seem like it's significantly cheaper. The price of the sauteed mushrooms on Google were like $7 and now they're about $12. Most entrees run upper $20 to mid $30s as well.

Despite all that, the food itself was amazing. My jaw almost dropped when I first tried those mushrooms. Service was kind and consistent. I do unfortunately feel that, for the price, the entree was a bit lackluster.

The atmosphere is nice if you're into a mix of rustic and modern. It's not for me, but maybe I should have utilized the outdoor patio area.

I'm not sure I'll return again at these prices but it might be nice for a special occasion.

Brittany T.

We stopped by Pyrenees Cafe on our way back from Sequoia National Forest, suddenly craving Basque food. We met the owner, Rod, and his wife Julie. Rod sat with us and walked us through the menu, which was a nice personal touch. There was a wedding starting soon, and he even gave us a private tour before the guests arrived!

The portion sizes were huge. The mountain of "side" fries fed the three of us easily. The oxtail stew was fantastic—super meaty and flavorful. The fried chicken topped with garlic was amazing. Even the simple dishes like the side salad, with the best house vinaigrette dressing, and the cabbage soup were exceptional. We don't often find ourselves in Bakersfield, but we'll definitely be back at Pyrenees Cafe! Who knew Basque cuisine would be such a gem in the Central Valley?

Ate too fast, forgot to take more photos!