The Mark

Feb 14, 2016 — had reservations for dinner and the owner/​manager (?) kindly got us into a booth. Paulette was superb as usual. Service was impeccable. The food was very tasty, with generous portions, and quickly ready. ONE BIG DISAPPOINTMENT: THE MARK IS WELL KNOWN FOR ITS MAPLE BACON FRIED CHICKEN AND IT HAS BEEN TAKEN OFF THE MENU. I was truly shocked because everyone I know mentions that dish in connection w The Mark. I would dare say it is (or WAS) their signature dish. This change shld DEF be reconsidered IMO. Still a solid place regardless.
October 2015 — Another perfectly executed meal at The Mark. All of the food was delicious. Had clam chowder, artichoke dip, chipotle chicken fettuccini and maple bacon fried chicken. Paulette was a phenomenal server and she got is in under the wire at 10 to 10. Even though we were late no one made us feel rushed.

Started off at the bar, waiting for our table. Not a problem, we were early. The short haired brunette bar tender was rude and uninterested in us. I came here tonight with no financial limits, but felt treated like a second class bum from the alley.
After getting to the table, we ordered the calamari appetizer which was rubbery and over cooked. My wife ordered the filet mignonette to be cooked medium with the baked potato. The steak was raw and our server must have gotten lost somewhere in the shuffle so she attempted to eat it. Only problem with that is she only had a dull butter knife to cut the steak with. After she had hacked it up as well as she could, someone noticed what she was doing and brought a proper knife.
I ordered king crab legs with a baked potato and a Ceasar side salad. My salad never made it to the table and neither did the crab tools. I was forced to use my salad fork to rip open the shells and attempt to eat the mess that I never w had. We twice ordered more bread which never showed up, and the same with two drinks that we ordered. Both no shows.
Ruint our valentines night and went home angry on the verge of divorce. Our plan had been to sty at the Mark and enjoy the live music and make a night out of it. The disappointment from this experience forced us to leave. Horrible night. Will never be back. Have had better food and service at Tahoe Joes and Outback. Consistently.

My wife and i along with two of are very dear friends celebrated our 26^th wedding anniversary at the Mark. We arrived 30 minutes early and the Hostess informed us we could be seated immediately. We asked her if we could relax in the lounge for ~ 15 minutes and then be seated. She replied «sure, no problem. Just let me know when your ready…». We had a drink and then went back to alert the Hostess we were ready. She replied, rather loudly, «Your reservation is at 630 …». We wasn’t really sure what to expect after this but must say, we had absolutely exceptional service and incredibly delicious food, (Halibut was my selection and my wife loved her bacon wrapped meat loaf). The cost was well worth the dinner we received. I Recommend «The Mark» for exceptional Dining, to anyone.
Lynny

OK. i purposefully did NOT write this right after leaving the restaurant. In all honesty, I wanted to, but was too angry. I’ve calmed down enough now, so here goes. I’ll give you a running commentary and you can decide for yourself.
Let me start by saying we were in a large party (15 people). We had a reservation, but had to wait as they had given our table to somebody else (we were there 20 minutes early).
We were escort to a table overlooking the bar area about 15 minutes after our reservation time. Real cool ambiance! 45 minutes later, they were there to take our order. During the 45 minutes, we sat. No drinks. No waitress, only the hostess who gave water to the fortunate few and a busboy who graciously brought us some bread — but nowhere near enough for everybody to get a piece.
We ordered our food and drinks. The waitress brought some of the drinks and ignored the other orders. Requests for more bread were ignored. Then she disappeared.
About an hour and a half later… food! Unfortunately, it was not worth the wait. By the time most people were served, the first people were finished. Baked potatoes were served with no butter, no sour cream, no nothing. We didn’t even have salt and pepper shakers. People who ordered steaks had to use their personal pocket knives to cut them. Thew bread knives weren’t sharp enough and we couldn’t get steak knives. There were complaints about cold food all around. One of our party got his food just before we got the bill. But wait… it gets worse!
I ordered Ahi Tuna, which the waitress apparently forgot. She went downstairs and brought up my dinner — VERY lightly seared on top — uncooked on the bottom, still cold from the refrigeration (with the plain baked potato, of course). The fish was so red, people around me were asking if had been cooked at all. I wanted to send it back to be cooked more, but the waitress had disappeared, again.
We called the manager on the phone since we couldn’t get any service. The manager, Robert, came up and argued with me about the food and service! Whatever happened to the customer is always right? As he left, one of the people shot off a quick FaceBook post/​review. Robert was back in flash to chew him out! Robert — that is NOT good customer service! Of course, as Robert left, a bunch of other people immediately reached for their cell phones…
My son had his daughter with him who was not up way past her bedtime. He took her downstairs, paid his bill, and left. Of course, when the bills came, the waitress handed me his bill to pay because he had left.
The manager DID comp our drinks — except for mine and my wife’s. As you can imagine, we WON’T be back soon.

I’ve been up here for an hour and a half with nothing more to sustain us than water and the occasional bread tray. This price raised their prices way above market, so they must make their sales on booze. Since I don’t really drink that doubly sucks for me. I used to love their maple sage chicken and it’s not on the menu any more. Until I see some better things on Unilocal and they lower their prices, I’m not coming back.

Food showed up 90 minutes after ordering. One person in my party remarked that his «char broiled» fish seemed as though it were cooked on one side for 30 seconds and thrown on his plate. Someone else got their plate as I was writing this.
I personally have had Lean Cuisines better than my 18 dollar chipotle chicken fettucini. The six dollar cup of french onion soup was alright. They were nice enough to comp one of my five dollar glasses of 805 but even this couldn’t wash away my disappointment. Don’t even get me started on the house band.
It wasn’t the apologetic server’s fault, but come on.

The Mark has great ambience. The staff is very friendly and attentive. The food has prepared real quick after placing order. I ordered the Catfish Po-​boy sandwich and it was out-​of-​bounds!!! The will be stopping here for lunch everytime I’m in Bakersfield. Love this place and recommend it to all.

If you’ve never been here, you are not missing out on anything. Don’t waste your time on this over priced place. The food is mediocre.

Good food, strange service… Our server was nice as could be, but kept leaving us for 20 minutes at a time. At the end of our meal we actually had to ask another server for our ticket, who asked another waiter to go find our server and resumed drying off glasses and cutlery. We still had to wait another 10 minutes until our server showed up with the ticket. Again, good food and our server was super nice, but on a slow Tuesday night (it was just us and two other tables with a total of two servers and many other people walking around the restaurant doing who knows what) it was super strange that we had to wait for so long for every little thing. We’ll give it another shot next time we’re in town. Maybe the service is better on a busy night?
Terry:
I understand that places have their off night. That’s why we thought we’d give it another shot next time… We had heard such great things about it so we were really surprised. We were there on the 12^th of January. Our booking was at 7:00 pm I believe? It was under Daniel Ankarcrona.

Great service. Beautiful building. Amazing food. Good live music. Fun memories!
Can’t wait to come back and eat the delicious sea food I ordered!!! Tried the Chicken Christopher which was pretty good as well!

Enjoyed dinner with my wife for our 15^th anniversary last night. What a great dinner and wait staff.
It was a Monday night downtown, and anyone who owns or runs a business down there knows that early week nights are slim pickings as far as traffic goes.
Like most smart businesses the staff was parred down, and this is often a recipe for disaster. Quite the contrary for the Mark. There was excellent teamwork running food and drinks and the staff was pleasant, attentive, and accommodating. I enjoyed my pork special, and my wife her steak. The appetizers were excellent and the butter cake was great too.
As a fellow restaurant owner my greatest take away was the quality of work amongst the staff. There was never a hesitation to help, never a lingering staffer, and never a sense that your staff was not constantly on point. They moved through order taking, table touching, and food delivery all the while filling in the gaps with their nightly side work. It was a true pleasure to see such a fastidious culture pervade your establishment.
Great food, great staff, and a great anniversary dinner. Thank you.

Great reunion with my friend from Bakersfield! This place comes highly recommended by the hotel we are stay at — The Padre. I feel it’s over hyped for the service and quality. We had to wait about 20 mins to get service. Then I got my fish and it was alright. I thought this was going to mind blowing! Oh well good friends and good atmosphere. Three stars.

Probably the best service and food we’ve had in town! We came here for our anniversary and it exceeded our expectations. Nick, our server, was exceptional! Very prompt, professional and knowledgable. Tony, the bar manager, went above and beyond to make our evening special. After dinner he reserved a nice spot in the lounge area to enjoy some wine and listen to the live Jazz band that was playing. We now have a new favorite spot to go in town.
Thank you for a wonderful night!

We had a Christmas party here a few weeks ago and I was very impressed. I wasn’t expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised. When you arrive they have valet, which is a godsend, especially if you’re like me and hate trying to find a place to park downtown. The inside of the restaurant is nicely decorated and spacious. We didn’t have to wait since we were there for a Christmas party, so I can’t really comment on that. The bar was nicely stocked and there was plenty of seating.
The bread they brought out was very good and tasted very fresh. They also served prime rib, salmon, and a few other dishes (we didn’t order off the menu). The prime rib was excellent, I was very impressed by it.
The staff was very friendly and helpful. There was a good amount of us at the party and they were never rude or unhelpful.
I will definitely be back to try some of their other dishes. The food was great and so was the experience.

Well I write this re-​review with a heavy heart as I feel this is a usual trend with restaurants in Bakersfield when they open. They are over the top amazing and when they make their mark (no pun intended) at the beginning, then quality tends to slip slowly.
To start this has been our 6^th visit in the last year and it was for a special dinner party for a friend who booked it in August so he could get the upstairs dining area. Only to arrive and be told he was moved to their back room. REALLY! Now this is December 22^nd so it’s at the holidays and there was live music to be enjoyed. But not in the back room. Strike one!
Once they’ve decided that they’re putting us in the back room they begin setting it up after we all are already have arrived. The tables in the back room are not by all means together and far apart so it wasn’t dining friendly for us to visit. Then the tables were hap hazardly thrown together. We had a menu of 2 salads, 6 entrees and 2 desserts to choose from and there was dressing on the tables.
I don’t know if it’s customary for them to serve bread or crackers with their salad but there was none and the salad was pretty skimpy. I chose the filet mignon with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables and my husband had the salmon with rice pilaf and mixed vegetables. Husband said the salmon was good along with the sides, but my filet was a huge disappointment. Dry and tough with a heavy char taste. You could tell mine was the end of the rib cut but it was really hard to chew. They said they were all cooked medium which is fine with me but it was not a good filet like I once had here before. What a shame. And I know they charge top dollar for that tough steak. Also if the portions of the sides were any smaller I would of thought we ordered off the child’s menu, I wasn’t the only one to mention this. Strike two!
Then came dessert I opted for the white chocolate cheesecake and if the sliced it any thinner it wouldn’t of been on the plate. Almost embarrassing. Husband had the fudge cake but the forgot to bring it to him, we had to ask for it after everyone was done with their dessert. Although the meal was a disappointment and the seating was surely a big misfire. Our server was super friendly.
There was a concert we were attending at the fox theater at 8pm and we arrived to dinner at 5pm in plenty of time to accommodate us to make it to the concert. But it was not but a few minutes if that we left before the concert started. Not good. Strike three!
I’m not sure if we’ll give them another try unless it’s an invite by someone else. On their dime at their prices and the small portions and lousy food.
I just wish they would be the way they were they were when they first opened. It is as if they have got complacent and lack luster in quality of their food.

We had a large party of 16 — service was poor, we waited forever for our meal. Once the meal came, there were complaints of under cooked and cold steaks, mushy pasta and rancid shrimp from my guests. The pricing was too high for the quality that we received. I have been to this restaurant before and it was very good, so too inconsistent. The best part about this restaurant is the bar, but it’s not likely that I will ever eat there again.
We were there Saturday November 7 at 7pm

Bakersfield needs good restaurants. The Mark excels is what we lack, but falls short of its potential.
I came to The Mark for my birthday. We decided to come during the lunch hour for a more casual meal. We met up with Kevin P’s parents and were quickly ushered to our booth.
The interior is quite lovely, and reminiscent of many Bay area dining establishments. They’ve done a nice job keeping the traditional elements of the building while adding a touch of elegance.
Food has the potential to be good, but somehow just falls short. First, the Tomato Filet salad should have had really great heirloom tomatoes. I mean, it’s tomato season and we’re in a prime tomato growing area. What I got was something very generic and quite under-​ripe.
The plate presentation was a little awkward. The main feature should have been the tomato and filet, but the arugula took up a good half of the plate. The filet was cooked well, was quite tender.
Our server was completely off his game. He was friendly, but tried way too hard. He attempted to take our orders by memory, but ended up completely screwing it up and actually forgetting our orders. At least twice he came over to the table to ask who had ordered what. Really? Just write it down!
The service was incredibly slow. And although I enjoy a leisurely lunch, I’m pretty sure my bosses back at work did not.
The Mark has room for improvement. They have the bones of a great restaurant, and with a few changes they’ll definitely be the reigning restaurant in town.

My previous review was from soon after the restaurant opened and we had many wonderful experiences! However, recently, this appears to have changed. I am actually tempted to give it 1 star, but am not quite sure it is that bad.
First, their prices have seen a serious hike (in the range of $ 8+ per plate) from the last time I was there a year or two ago. A price increase I get, but that kind of price hike seems a bit uncalled for. However, we will ignore this piece for now as my experience today was paid for by someone else.
I went as part of a business lunch with coworkers (group of 8). The hostess was pleasant and I enjoyed the complimentary Valet parking per usual. So far, so good. We were seated quickly which shouldn’t have been too surprising since we were there for a Tuesday lunch, but it was appreciated nonetheless. That is where the pleasure of our visit ended.
I am not sure if our waitress was new, overloaded, or just a terrible server. Regardless of the reason, after the initial drink order, service was incredibly slow and inattentive. She forgot our bread (three times), forgot drinks, food was not served at the same time for all folks, she brought the wrong sides for dishes and then forgot to bring out the corrected side (like my dressing), she forgot boxes, was invisible after our food arrived and forgot a box after being asked another three times. It was awful! However, this could simply be attributed to one bad personnel choice and certainly shouldn’t consume a review of a restaurant. Especially considering how many other pleasant experiences I’ve had in the past.
However, this in combination with the food, certainly warranted an updated. I ordered the Filet Caprese Salad and specifically requested the meat be rare as possible. I did understand this was difficult given that the meat is in small medallions, but an overcooked piece of steak is an unforgivable crime in my book. As I mentioned previously, the waitress initially brought ranch out (it was supposed to come with a balsamic). I caught the error and she said she would bring out the correct dressing. Our food came, still no bread, and still no dressing. I eventually got my dressing after flagging her down and my meal was half-​eaten.
Now to the dish. The meat was well done and cold, some forgiveness here for the size of the meat, plus some could be because they didn’t bring all our dishes out at the same time. This is a serious issue for a restaurant charging as it does. The veggies were fresh which was nice, but the meat was flavorless and bland. Normally, I appreciate under-​seasoned food, but this was even too little for me. The mozzarella was okay, but nothing to write home about. Overall, I didn’t finish as it didn’t seem worth the calories. It tasted like nothing. Such a disappointment.
My coworker ordered the special Macaroni and Cheese dish and felt sick after. It looked like a greasy garbled bowl of cheese with some pasta and a bit of broccoli. The flavor was off and it also was either under or not at all seasoned and ended up tasting just like a bowl of cheese grease. The bread that came with it was burned and tasted like char as well.
Overall, the food instead of being delightful is underwhelming and a disappointment and far more expensive than it should be, in my opinion. I know Bakersfield isn’t known for its fine dining, but if you are looking for a nice place to go, and want more than just ambiance, I’d suggest another option.
TL:dr
This place used to be my favorite. Now the food is just overpriced, flavorless, and under seasoned. Additionally the service leaves MUCH to be desired.

One of my friends suggested that our group meet here for dinner. I welcomed the suggestion because I have been wanting to try this place. My first impression upon entering The Mark was that this restaurant sure looks classy and elegant. Very cool ambiance! The service we received was fine. One waitress took good care of our group of 10 people. Food came out in good time.
My wife ordered the Sage Fried Chicken ($ 18.95). Presentation was nice with the chicken sitting on top of the rice pilaf and veggies on the side. It tasted fine, but we expected more. I enjoyed it more than she did because it reminded me of chicken fried steak which I love. Still, I can get chicken fried steak at any diner for about half the price. (3 stars)
I ordered the Bacon Wrap Meatloaf ($ 15.95). It was plated nicely too. This entrée tasted yummy! The flavor was delicious! I would certainly order this dish again in the future. (4 stars)
For dessert, we shared the Peanut Butter Banana Ceam Pie ($ 6.95). Wow, it was one of the best desserts that I have ever eaten in Bako!!! If you like bananas and peanut butter, then you must save room in your tummy for this item! (5 stars)
The Mark is a terrific fine dining destination in town. We will be returning for future visits. Good job folk!

Really excited about coming here based on Casey’s and Javier’s wonderful reviews. My friend and I came here after work on Wednesday… and enjoyed a lovely time in the bar area. If you can get there early about 5:00, that would be perfect. That early, I easily found a parking space right out front. There is one hour parking on the street until 6:00, which is when the place started to get busy… I was glad I got in before the rush. The bar area is louder, darker and more festive than the dining area. As others have commented, the venue is nice and classy.
The iPad drink menu was very cool… great selection of drinks. I got the chicken wings as an appetizer, as Javier recommended. They were great; really liked the french fries that came with them. Like Mickey D’s but better. I got the porchini crusted rib eye, requested it with the bone-​in as Casey suggested, but my waitress said the porchini rib-​eye didn’t come with the bone-​in. I should have showed her Casey’s picture :(As Casey said, the rib-​eye was great, and I definitely will order it again. Another reviewer noted that they tend to cook the steaks a little bit more — so I ordered my steak rare, rather than medium rare. That was a wonderful suggestion. Be sure to order your baked potato with double all the stuff (sour cream, bacon, butter, chives)…they are a wee bit skimpy with the sides.
My favorite part of the meal was actually the butter cake desert, which was recommended by the waitress. It sounds a little boring compared to some of the other dishes, but it was really wonderful. There was a bit of a crunch to it, maybe from the crystalized sugar in the delicious carmel sauce drizzled on top. Simple, not too sweet (kinda like the Nothing But Bundt Cakes), but indefinitely delicious.
The restaurant is «downtown» Bako, which is a much nicer area than downtown LA. It’s in a great location, close to the Padre… and a few blocks from Mama Roomba, and some other good restaurants and bars. It would be fun to do a restaurant /​bar crawl there…
The valet guy was cute and funny.