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I wanna come back here to try the family-style dining (long table.) The setup was really tasty; I could've pretty much been full off of the beans and the soup, salad, and fresh bread, but I had to have some steak too. Forgot exactly what cut my mom and I got, but this restaurant definitely encourages sharing, 'cause I was stuffed like a pinata when we were done eating.
Our server was really accommodating and pleasant, but she seemed to be busy with other tables (we went on a Saturday night) so she was gone most of the time fetching other people's food. We simply flagged down whoever we could find and we got taken care of just fine. The restaurant is in the downtown part of Bakersfield, so it's kinda skeezy at night, but thankfully there were lots of other families out to dinner, so that made the parking lot less threatening-looking :)
I came here for lunch with a client and a co-worker for lunch. It was really busy but we were finally seated. My clients love basque food and I was more than happy to try it but my co-worker, Maggie, couldn't care for anything on the menu. Except her favorite vegetable; chicken (yes, sarcasm).
Anyway, I ordered off the lunch special and had the stew of the day. Gasp! It was ox-tail. When the food started to arrive, we were all served with bread (I think they forgot the salsa) which is locally made. Bread was very good; soft in the middle and a bit of crunch on the end.
Salad was next. Maggie wasn't impressed because it was vegi's but also this was part of the lettuce that was drowned in a vinagrette. Next time I'll pass cuz I prefer to taste the greens and not the dressing.
Finally got my ox-tail. Mmmmmmmmmmmm it was good. Nice stewed meat that falls off the bone. The meat was tender and the sauce (I detected butter) was nice and rich....but not overpowering. I couldn't engage in the conversation as I was too busy concentrating on the meal. Which, also included fries on the side. It's a weird combo but I'm a fries addict and love ox-tails so I guess both combined were bliss for me. BTW, the fries were crisp and greasy but what more could you want?
I definitely would be back and recommend this.
Cheers!
It's not really fair for me to say that this place is terrible, since I now know that I don't really like Basque food. Probably because I didn't grow up on a french farm/ranch.
Cool atmosphere if you are into the sheep ranch type authentic stuff. Wool Growers was rated the highest of the Basque restaurant's in Bako, that I could find. The food just wasn't for me.
This is some of the best food anywhere. Note: it seems they're no longer including the pickled tongue (okay, seriously, no loss) but instead include oxtail in gravy.
Before you make gagging noises, hold on. Tongue = nasty. Oxtail = wow. You need to get past the bones, it looks like you're eating dinosaur. However, the taste... YUUUUM! We used the bread to soak up the gravy, it was amazing.
I always order roast lamb, it's one of the few places in the US that knows how to cook it - never gamey or chewy, it's melty and meaty and delicious.
As others have recommended, you can just eat the setup rather than order a main dish (and yes, they will bring you more if you manage to eat all of some dish).
CALL FIRST and make a reservation or risk waiting a long, long time. Also ask for the time when they first open.
Note on "Bakersfield Basque" restaurants: There's a clue for you in the name of the restaurant: "Wool Growers." The cuisine reflects that of a Basque-American heritage going back at least a full century; namely, that evolved by families of sheepherders who were effected by the seasonal nature of sheepherding. It's a fairly simple menu and a lot of it. So no, It's not like something you get in Donostia or Bilbao where they have seafood and all.
'The Wool Growers' offers an authentic sampling of Basque culture.
I last visited it during the last Christmas season and found it to be a good place for people with a good appetite. For a long time I just went to Noriega's but I can also recommend Woolgrower's. Try'em both. (But maybe not on the same day unless you're a lumberjack.)
Very busy and very popular with the locals. I love Basque food so I was happy. Make sure you come hungry. I thought Benji's was better and I hear Noriega's is the best - never been there. If you like Basque, you will not be disappointed.
I love this place! Definitely my favorite Basque restaurant in town! I love the soup, bread, salad, tongue, fries well pretty much everything! Yummm so good, my mouth is watering just thinking about it and it's only 9 in the morning! =)
This was my first Basque food experience while I was on business in Bakersfield. I made a reservation at 6pm with two other women who had been to multiple Basque restaurants before. The location on E. 16TH St is kind of "shady" or "ghetto" but you are safe down there.. I did have a funny interaction with a homeless woman at the end of our meal but she left us alone when I said no.
Back to the Basque, the hostess was a charming, old Basque woman who reminded me of my Italian grandmother. She seated us to a table that already had a nice loaf of bread on it.
I ordered the dinner with out entree for $13.50 which included: Bread, Soup (like a veggie soup), Pink Beans (similar to baked beans), Hot Sauce, Hors D'oeuvres( pickled tongue), Vegetable (tomato dish), French Fries, Spaghetti, and a small oil and vinegar salad.
My two friends ordered the pork chop ($17.50) and fried chicken ($16.00). Both of there meals include the food listed above plus their entree. Needless to say we left FULL!
My only complaint is that the french fries were WAY too greasy and the pickled tongue has a disgusting after taste.. but at least we tried it!
Overall the experience was good but it is not something you want to eat every night! :)
Thank you so much Yelpers for another great recommendation!
Me and my mum were passing through Bakersfield and she mentioned there were quite a few Basque restaurants in the area but she had no idea which one was good. Luckily our Rodeway Inn offered free Internet access on 2 computers in the lobby. I quickly searched Yelp and found Wool Growers. Hooray!
My mum was so nervous when she saw the place from the outside. She asked me if I was sure about this. I assured her the Yelpers have never let me down!
We loved the atmosphere and the food was really tasty, too. I really enjoyed the soup with lots of hot sauce mixed in it. And those were the best french fries I have ever had in my entire life.
Thank you so much for making my very first Basque experience so memorable!
There is really not much of a reason to come back to Bakersfield from San Diego, let's just face it. However, Wool Growers is something very special to Bakersfield, and is definitely something you can't get just anywhere. Which is part of what makes it so good.
The food is all so yummy, I really can't pick out just one dish. Great atmosphere, great food, a real Bako establishment.
Yummy...Yummy..Yummy
My roommate grew up here so we went here for dinner on a Friday night when we went to visit her mom.
It was fantastic! We had lamb for the meat dish and it was very good. Fun atmosphere..it was busy so I am glad we made reservations!
Coming to Bakersfield, everyone said you must try some traditional Basque food.
Asking around for the best Basque experience, people sent us to the Wool Growers.
My grandfather was a sheep rancher in Montana so I had some idea of what to expect.......
The food here is very good. Not exceptional but good.
What is amazing is how much food you get.
You can order from the menu and just get all of the "set up" side dishes ....
They makeup more than a meal.
hint - hint ( you can eat as much as you want)
The service is very good, the side dishes are served family style....
The sides include soup, salad, bread, beans with hot sauce, French fries, Spaghetti, and vegetables of the day
You may not like the pickled tongue .....
But ...... The food keeps coming and coming......
Then you get the entre you ordered.
The decor is "homey" .... giving you the idea that you are at a big family table at home with friends over for dinner.
A super place to eat....
Be warned - the Picon punch packs a punch .....
it is made from Brandy and an orange liquor.
It gets the meal started, the food and wine keep it going
and you will not go away hungry.
But you will feel like you have had a really, really good time.
i met with my co-workers for dinner here. the restaurant is located in old town kern, out in nowhere land. there were quiet a few people eating dinner, so some folks were loud and rambunctious, as i think they were enjoying the food. clueless as to what basque food is all about, i was actually impressed. the menu is simple. the etiquette is somewhat like tapas where they start off with what's called a "set up" -- bread and butter, boiled beans, cabbage soup, corn and peas, a tomato spicy puree of some sort, cow tongue (which we didn't care for), fries, and diced tomatoes with bell peppers and sliced red onions in a vinegar dressing. you can actually get full off the set up, but you have the option to order an entree. i ordered the fillet of sole with lemon butter sauce. i also asked to try the tomato cream sauce which was also tasty with the fish. we plan to return again next week.
Nothing special. Pretty much a rehash of all the basque food I've eaten in Northern Nevada. Steaks were just o.k. and the sides a bit Americanized.
It might be good for basque style, but the food wasn't as good as other "comfort food" family type restaurants.
Seriously, do people really eat like this in the Basque region of France/Spain? I've always thought the Bakersfield Basque restaurants were as a result of someone opening their fridge and saying "hey, we've got a cow tongue, some spaghetti, a fine vinegar-laden salad made with iceberg, some soup, bread, beans, salsa, canned green beans, french fries and a blandly prepared piece of meat, let's have a feast!!!" It has always seemed like a cuisine of somebody's leftovers, and since I think this, why do I always want to eat at these places when I go to visit my mom and dad? It's really the soup, bread, salsa and wine that pull me in each time, and especially with a side of hard cheese...
As far as the multitude of Basque places in Bako go, this one is decent -- absolutely no ambiance, though -- service that is often rude, really horrible decor that hasn't been updated since the 70s, etc. If you ever think about having any sort of event here, be aware that no attempt will be made on their part to make it at all special, and the server might even yell at you rather than accommodate a request.
I've been coming here for years, every time I'm in the area and I never realized what compelled me until I read some of the other reviews- it's the notion of a meal made up of leftovers.
What an odd characterization, yet that's what does it for me. I love the cabbage soup that I can mix in some beans and salsa to my liking. Green salad with tomatoes and a vinegar-y dressing, yum. Who new that spaghetti goes well with a ribeye or pork chops? This potpourri of seemingly unrelated foods conjures images of home cooking (not the home I gew up in, mind you).
Being an out-of-towner, I enjoy sitting at the communal tables and chatting it up with other diners.
A Bakersfield institution. I even read a crappy vampire novel that referenced Woolgrowers, although not by name.
I've been to lots of parties here and eaten in small groups. The menu never changes. Fries, spaghetti, tongue, salad, soup...it's all there. The service varies between mildly unpleasant and downright snarling. It's always crowded. They serve a mixed drink called Pecan or Picon or Peecan Punch. It's horrendous, but again, it's just what you order there. Why do we go back? Tradition. I much prefer the Noregia for quality and service, but some people just think it isn't Basque if it isn't Woolgrowers. And I agree that Basque cooking must be based on, "what's left over from the last three meals?" Since all the Basque restaurants serve the same stuff, I wonder if there's a central fridge somewhere and they all show up with delivery trucks in the morning and load up on leftovers. It could happen.
I can't believe no one has reviewed Wool Growers yet. There are several good Basque restaurants in the Valley,but this one is the
best. The five stars are awarded for the whole experience: the drinks
the service and the atmosphere. The food is good (and there's plenty
of it) but by itself it's nothing special. But I always enjoy eating family
style,in a big noisy dining room with other families having a good time. Not a place for a romantic meal,but besides that I can't imagine
anyone not loving this place. If you're anywhere near Bakersfield don't miss it.
Absolutely amazing. Wool Growers is hands down the best Basque restaurant in Bakersfield. Nothing makes me yearn for home more than leg of lamb, bland spaghetti, french fries, beans with salsa, cheap salad, marinated tomatoes, and pickled tongue.
This place has more character and history in its hallway than most restaurants have in their entire buildings.
I've been going here since I was a little kid and as a tribute to the place - had my college graduation party here too. The food (order the set-up and get the lamb), service and ambiance are first rate - like dining in the countryside of Spain. If you only had to choose one restaurant to eat at for an authentic Bakersfield experience - make sure this place is it.
NOTE This place turns into a MOB scene every Thanksgiving Eve. Like every other Basque place in town, Woolgrowers becomes a Homecoming restaurant for the city's college/20-something crowd that now live elsewhere.
All I have to say about Wool Growers is that I miss the food sooo much. I have recently moved from Bakersfield and this was my favorite restaurant.
I love Basque food.
Best place to eat basque. It pulls on the heart strings of memories with family. It's a fun, loud atmosphere and the food is great. I usually just eat the set up because it's so filling. The soup is awesome and who can forget the spaghetti fries! it's tradition around here, if you're visiting it's a must. If you're a local, I'll see you there :)
The only contact I ever had with Basques was with this zoftig guy named Alan in the 6th grade who was a real tool. Plus, I wasn't real sure what the Basques ever contributed to humanity until I stepped into the Wool Growers. Though nothing to look at (out or in), this place friggin RULES! Inside, its like an Elks Lodge on crack, with long bench tables in some dining rooms and booths and tables in others. Very labyrinthine (what?), there are two bars and we bellied-up at one of these bars long enough for me to get a niiiiice buzz on. We were finally seated and the grubbin began. You order an entree, but with it comes a stream of courses: there was I believe a salad, a really simple yet bitchen bean soup with some rice to add, spaghetti, bread, fries, and this really G-D spectacular pickled beef tongue that was sliced real thin. Then after all this, we got our entree (we ordered ribeye I think). The waitress, who was really pleasant, hooked us up with a couple pieces of fried chicken, which reminded me of the kind mom would make at home.
I'm sorry cuz I don't do this place justice with this review, but trust me: its the GOODS! The food is really good and there is LOTS of it. If you're planning to hit the bars in the city, this is a great place to begin your night. So, Thank you Basque People! And to Alan, you're a tool..
I miss this place. I grew up coming to this restaurant. Now I live in Sacramento and would have to drive 4 hours to get my Basque fix. If you live in Bakersfield, realize how lucky you are to have wool growers. Realize that outside of your town, hardly anyone knows what Basque food is! I miss that warm salsa they serve with the french bread. Cheap red wine goes great with everything they have. I long to put beans in my soup. You don't realize how good you have it. I even long for those soggy french fries. Please, Please Please, fed ex me some pickled tongue with a side of hard jack cheese. I will forever be grateful.
great stuff, love the chicken, the filet mignon is a little bland. one of the best places in town, and the reusing leftover thing is not true at all.
OK family style restaurant. My first experience with Basque food. It was overwhelming in quantity - soup with beans/salsa, then salad with beef tongue, then spaghetti, french fries, and vegetables as side dishes along with my entree of lamb chops. Lamb was very good, but by that point I was feeling pretty full. Nice homey feel to the place, but kind of noisy. Full parking lot, with what seemed to be lots of locals. Kind of in a crappy part of town, but it was not that bad. 3 stars and not 4 b/c I have zero emotional tie to basque food, and on its own merits, only the lamb was noteworthy.
I've been here a few times with family who live in Bakersfield when we've come to visit. The food is all right- but to be fair, I'm not a huge fan of basque food in the first place. But I'm really writing this review because of the service which is normally brusque and sometimes just downright rude.
We normally went with a party of 10-12 people and the last time I went our server got really frustrated serving us because she couldn't keep our entree orders straight and she would go to the head of the table and mumble something expecting the people at the other end of the table to hear. And then she'd roll her eyes and let out exasperated sighs when someone wouldn't claim it. Come on now- the restaurant is noisy and we have a fairly large party- the people on the other side of the table can't hear you! Go around to the other side and speak up! At one point when she brought out the ice cream she actually just threw the ice cream bowls onto the table without passing them out because she was tired of trying to figure out who ordered what. That's just unacceptable. It's not like the food is cheap- the bill gets pretty pricey for a party of that size which means she gets a sizeable tip from it, just because she deserved it.
Then as we were walking to the bathrooms & out of the restaurant, several of the employees were in the bathroom apparently getting high! The smell of pot was thick in the women's restroom and I was appalled because they were just being loud & obnoxious. But after the service we were given at the table, why was I not that surprised? We attempted to alert management about this and they totally blew us off and basically called us liars. If that's how you want to run your establishment, fine. But I refuse to give your establishment anymore of my business. Stay away! And if what Casey D says is true, even more reason to stay away! That is absolutely disgusting and appalling!
This is a great place to have a big family dinner, and enjoy the various courses that keep coming and coming, and seem to never stop.
The food here is great, and this is probably the BEST Basque restaurant in the town.
The lamb is great, and so is the pickled tongue (if you like that, which I do).
Many people come here and don't even order an entree, but simply have the "setup". The setup consists of bread, soup, beans, salsa, and a few other items I think.
Most people that come here leave so full from all of the never ending food that they usually can't even get to their entree.
This is a classic Bakersfield restaurant and is basically a landmark.
The wait here can be looong...45 mins plus, unless like most things in Bakersfield, you know someone who can get you in faster. But in my opinion when you are craving basque food it is worth the wait.
this is not basque food. unless "basque" is basque for "coco's for fatties".
Basque restaurants, although I have been to one before, it is no longer in existence and, I was so young, I don't really remember it. Upon entering the restaurant, I could already tell this would be a treat. The place was packed with locals, and the hostess was quite nice. Although my coworkers and I did have to wait to be seated, the food was worth the wait. The menu was short, but anything that was ordered came with a large amount of appetizers. The waitress was quite nice and personal, always checking up on us, but I think she might have had an interest in one of my coworkers. The soup that was served was tasty, the salad was small, but still good. I'd go into more detail about the food, but this was a couple weeks ago so my pallet has been cleaned. The lamb I ordered was delicious. Overall this was a great restaurant. I would give this a 4.5. The food was great, service was great, and the price was good. I would recommend this restaurant to others.
Bakersfield, CA
Category: Spanish
Bakersfield, CA
Category: Spanish
Bakersfield, CA
Category: Meat Shops
Bakersfield, CA
Category: Nightlife
Bakersfield, CA
Category: Caterers
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