The Pyranees and Noriega's are two restaurants that offer Basque dining, which is somehow a big deal in Bakersfield. I didn't eat at either establishment because they serve dinner too early but the bar at the Pyranees was dead and delightful. Our drunk and PMSing bartender ducked into the back and told us to "fix your own goddamn drink". Then came her boss, a put-upon townie named EZ, who rallied and did his best to fashion some city-girl drinks for us out-of-towners. He was fun, sarcastic, charming, told us about the bar's resident ghost, and enjoyed our company (we think).
The famous Crystal Palace is beutiful but disappointing due to all the Brad Paisley-type bands that perform that pop-country crap that's taken over the town's music scene since Buck Owens died. Its a crying shame. The dive bar Trouts isn't any better music-wise but does offer the firey pickin' style of Brian Longbeck who plays with the house band. Longbeck's guitar skills were one of the reasons for our trip to Bakersfield. His band at Trout's mainly plays your run-of-the-mill "Brown Eyed Girl" and other cheesy favorites but if you request it, he'll bust out some amazing Joe Maphis-style picking that will blow you away. He's an artist that only a real Guitar Geek will appreciate
