Went there last night with business friends, the Crystal Palace is a place everyone should go to at least once. The museum like quality of the decor will appeal to all who are into the older style country music. Service was very good, the waiter was attentive to everyone's needs.We were seated at a long set of table on the dancefloor, and were way too close to the next table. Our group kept bumping into the group behind us, and vicaversa. The food was good I had a Ribeye and it was cooked as ordered. The band started playing around 7:30. Could not talk at the table. It was my first time, and it was a fun outting. I probably won't go back, noise and all not my idea of a good evening. But- if you're into people watching, better than the mall for sure. I think most folks would really enjoy this place. Can't imagine the $5 cover though...
Review Source:I had really really really low expectations going in for Sunday Brunch. Â First, I am not a buffet kind of person, and I am really not a country buffet kind of person. Â This was my frist time being at the Crystal Palace and I will say its nothing like I thought it would be! Â Its a lot more modern and well put together than I was expecting. Â The service is good as well and it was great to have 2 mimosas included in the brunch price! Â
As for the buffet it was okay. Â Nothing ground breaking, but certainly nothing awful. Â I enjoyed the tri-tip and ham they had available. Â I also enjoyed the waffle station. Â The hot food was just okay...the biscuits and gravy were so so (but again I am not a southern cooking kind of gal so I might not be the best judge!). Â The desserts were the most disapointing the cookies were hard, the cheesecake tasted weird, and the cobbler was never refilled. Â After all the eating I did I prolly didnt need the dessert anyway so I was happy to let that go!
Overall, its a unique place to take out of town guests. Â Dont think I'll be returning for brunch, but wouldnt mind trying dinner out sometime.
It is very hard to beat the ambiance and history there. Worth the visit just to see the photographs and artifacts. Not quite Graceland but not as touristy as you may think - one can feel the history. Service was great, beer was cold and the chicken fried steak spot on save the gravy, which had gotten a little cold. Appetizers were all very good & surprisingly  well spiced - just enough to make you notice. Green beans a bit 'iffy" - as in undercooked but well seasoned.
We left before the band hit the stage but I'd suspect that only adds to the experience. I'll be back.
Our first time to the Crystal Palace was to see Reckless Kelly and Micky and the Motorcars. Â It was a new experience, we had a reserved table, which I've not had at previous concerts of this type. Â I'm used to being on the floor in front of the band(s). Â But, I found this new way to watch better in a lot of respects. Â No issue hearing the music, it was plenty loud. Â And, our server was Jane on the spot. Â Our glasses were rarely, if ever, empty before a refill was put in front of us. Â She was faster than walking up to the bar and waiting. Â You are in there tight, as the tables are pretty close together, but it was comfortable.
The wife had the chili, which was fine. Â Nothing to write home about. Â The table shared a plate of onion rings, which were pretty basic. Â Just that very thick breading, it must be a style that a lot of restaurants order, because you see them everywhere. Â I prefer a thinner but crispier breading. Â
The bathroom was small for such a large place. Â It can hold several hundred at a time, so I was surprised by the bathroom size. Â Maybe there was another one that I was unaware of. Â All in all, it was a great evening, and I heartily recommend you catch at show at the Crystal Palace.
I love the Crystal Palace!!! Â Food is fabulous - you must try the pork chops. Â Entertainment is the best in town. Â The regular weekend band, The Buckaroo's, really are good enough to go on tour and they also bring in A-list Country singers like Brad Paisley, Dwight Yoakum, etc. Â The entertainment throughout the week is also top notch. Â Sunday's they have a Country Brunch which is delicious! Â If you're a Buck Owens's fan, you'll be truly in awe at the memorabilia displayed throughout.
Review Source:I'm a huge Buck Owens fan, but I gotta say... F*** YOU Crystal Palace. While on a solo road trip to Las Vegas, I stopped in Bakersfield for gas and food. Â I planned on stopping here for food well in advance, as I love Buck Owens and always wanted to eat at his restaurant. Â When I arrived, they asked me if I had tickets to the show. Â I said that I didn't know about a show, and that I was just there for food. Â They wouldn't let me in, and had no alternatives for someone who just wanted to eat food. Â They wouldn't let me in without selling me a ticket, and I wasn't about to buy one. Â You know what else they wouldn't let me do without a ticket? Â Use the bathroom. Â That's right, I couldn't eat or pee there without a ticket to whatever bullshit show they were having on a Thursday night.
Review Source:Steak, steak, and more steak. Combine that with some entertaining line dancers and you have a pretty enjoyable evening. I have had some pretty good steaks over the years in all parts of this great country of ours, but i have to say my Ribeye at Buck Owen's Crystal Palace was right up there with some of the most enjoyable bovine eats I have partaken in. I know my friends in Kansas and Texas will raise their eyebrows with my assessment but I gotta say the meat station cook who selected and prepared my steak did Buck Owens proud. A solid four stars for the steak and wonderful country band who's name escapes me...
Review Source:I couldn't figure out what this place was at first. It's a restaurant/museum/live-music-concert-hall. We didn't stay long enough to hear the music because we had a baby but the steak sandwich was superb and the service was great. I did not know much about Buck Owens before going but the museum pieces are interesting. My favorite was the car hanging on the wall that Buck Owens purportedly won from Elvis in a poker game.
Review Source:When my sister and I discovered that one of our favorite country artists was playing a free concert at the Crystal Palace, we decided to make the four hour trip up from San Diego to see him. Â The day before the show, I called because I could not find the concert time anywhere on the website. Â I was told the show would begin at 7 or 7:30...and then asked if I had reservations because they were already "at capacity." Â Free show? Â No tickets? Â The website had never mentioned needing a reservation! Â Worried that our plans were ruined, I called back a couple hours later to see if there were any cancellations. Â Luckily they had one and we were able to get our names on the list.
We we were running late, kinda the nature of 4 hour road trips, so we only had about 45 minutes before the concert started. Â We wanted to be able to approach the stage and dance without worrying about our dinner so opted to order a drink and an appetizer before the concert. Â Our drinks came and we watched plate after plate of food come out, nothing for us. Â The concert started and we waited for quite sometime for anyone else to go down to the dance floor. Â After the concert was over, we returned to our seats to find we still had no appetizer. Â We flagged our waiter to see if it had been taken back to the kitchen and he told us he had never put it in. Â Disappointed, we cancelled the order, paid our drink bill and left. Â
Seeing one of our favorite artists play was still worth the drive, but I will think twice before I come back to this venue.
I've been coming here for the dancing off and on for years, though occasionally I'll have dinner here - once again mostly just to get in early for more dancing. Â The 4 stars here are for the quality of the dance floor and the bands. Â If I was just coming to dinner here with no dance partners in sight it would be a solid 3 stars for sure.
Most weekend evenings the band, Stampede, Â starts playing at 9:30 which, coincidentally is also when the $5 cover charge ends. Â There is another band that plays earlier while people are eating dinner but they don't always play the kind of songs I dance to. Â The dance floor is decent size, though they have packed quite a few tables onto the floor, so if you like to Country Two Step you feel like you're constant trying to avoid the tables. Â Stampede plays a lot of Country Two Step, Cha Cha, and West Coast Swingable songs and there used to be a lot of dancers that would come on Friday and Saturday nights to take advantage of the dance floor.
If you like Country Western music and decor you're going to be in hog heaven here. Â There are display cases full of memorabilia everywhere you turn. Â Some of Buck Owens costumes were a little on the gaudy side but still fun to look at. Â
There are many concerts here, but you'd have to check the schedule as I'm not sure which nights they are on. Â
The food is okay; Â not amazing, but still okay. Â The chicken fried steak is usually pretty decent and I usually order the Santa Fe Chicken Salad. Â I find it holds up well even if you keep getting up to dance while you're eating it.
Alas, I frequented this place for dinner more when my brother (a nationally ranked champion swing dancer) lived here in Bakersfield. Â He moved to Phoenix in April and I just haven't been back since - still in morrning for the loss of my favorite dancer. Â Next time he makes it back here to visit I'll definitely make reservation for two - somewhere near the dance floor.
On our way back from our business meeting we were trying to find a place to eat on late Saturday night. My cousin drove here and I must of dozed off because I didn't know that Buck Owen's Crystal Palace was off the 99. Â Well when we walked inside this place it looked like we had walked back in time. We enter in this restaurant which looks like a saloon and it was pretty cool. The majority of folks were dressed up in cowboy gear and they had a great band playing country music. Â The food was good and the portions were huge! Â I really enjoyed the atmosphere and everyone had a great time. Â I thought it was great that families were having fun and I know we got a kick out of all the commotion around us. Â I would definantly come back here if I wasn't a rush to drive back to the bay from socal.
Review Source:Ohh boy... I must be an east coast girl... this cowboy stuff are not my thing. I had to go here, because otherwise I "never" went to Bakersfield according to some, but let me tell you that while the music was decent, the food was so disappointed. It might be the greatest thing in town for some, but for me the menu need a lift. When you ask for mozzarella sticks and you get bread with some cheese on top, and they seem to be confuse about what I was asking them for, that's when you know something is wrong. Mozzarella stick are mozzarella sticks wherever you go. Well, guest what not at Crystal Palace. After that we just left, like I said not my thing at all. But now I can say I was there and so I was in Bakersfield.
Review Source:We went here for dinner on a Saturday night. Very cool atmosphere. It's basically dinner and a show, which I'm always down for. Of course if you don't like country music this may not be the place for you, but I definitely enjoyed the bands that took the stage and the songs they covered.
The food was decent. Your typical steakhouse, all-American type cuisine. Vegetarians beware. There are literally no options for you unless you modify a salad. Then again, I get the feeling 99.9% of the people that come here are meat eaters. I got the halibut, which was nice, but not memorable. Like I said, this place caters to carnivores, so even my green beans had bacon in it. Eeek. That would have been nice to know beforehand.
Our waitress was nice, but she got both my and my husband's beer order wrong. Oh well. Like I said, this place is fun. And in Bakersfield, the options are pretty limited for entertainment, so I'd go back again if I was in town.
I dont normally do this but this place sucks. We are in town on business and my friend won't stop ranting about how great this country bar is. You probably won't believe this but I don't like country but I was willing to give it a shot.
We get there around 9:25pm on a Saturday. The place is about 75% empty and for some odd reason we have to wait 10 minutes to get seated. So once we are seated we are placed "strategically" away from all the servers in the entire restaurant. It took over 20 minutes to order our drinks and by that time we were ready to order our food. The server takes our order for both and then comes back another 10min with our drinks. After another 10 minutes the server comes back tells us that our order can't be filled because the grill had just closed.
Now me and my friends are straight pissed. We talked to the server about our waiting situation and he said he would try to talk to the kitchen and see what they could do. He comes back after another 10min and says there is nothing that can be done but we can order appetizers. That wasn't an option for us so we told him we would just finish our drinks and go. The server walks away and this time he doesn't even come back. We had to ask for manager from another sever. The manager comes to our table. We explained to him the entire situation and he coped and attitude with us like it was our fault for not being aware the grill times. This guy was throwing out excuse like we ran out of trip tip and the grill closes at 9:30pm. I just thinks its crazy that the place is 3/4 empty and he is talking about they ran out of something.
We left and walked across the street and got some decent Mexican.
Service and Management is terrible!
Oh and I just called and talked to the host. Apparently the grilled as "10 or 10:30ish" not like the manager just told us at 9:30.
I'm official done with country.
My mom has been wanting to try this place for a while, and since it her BIRTHDAY, we let her pick. :)
We made reservations for Sunday Brunch at 11AM. Â
As a server- this shift would be a dream. Â You don't have to take food orders or serve food, you just have to bring drinks and clear plates...easy peasy!! Â not for our server.
We were waiting on refills all too often and she never even brought my glass of champagne-which they also have a 2 drink maximum on. Â
$21.99 for a champagne brunch and you can only get 2 glasses? Â I have been to many a champagne brunch where they serve so much champagne they run out- and for much less money per person!!
The food was OK - the chicken fried steak and gravy was probably the best and the meat carving station had some really great seasoned and tender ribs - Though, while I was waiting for the guy to cut some, another worker came up and said "Are you going to let this guy cut that for you?" Â It was so awkward...how was I supposed to respond without being a smart alek? Â Why yes, he is the one in chef's whites wielding a knife, so yes, I think I am going to let him cut that for me. Captain Obvious??
Anyways, there was an omelet bar and my dad loved his egg white omelet, there was also a guy making waffles and ice cream sundaes- which my sisters loved.
There were a couple of lunch entree options and your regular breakfast fare.
Overall- Hodel's does the same, if not better, breakfast buffet for less. I don't really see the appeal in this place-at least not for the prices. Â Though there are some really cool pictures and memorabilia up on the walls.
Atmosphere is amazing!! & if u like country music you will love this place.w/live music & a dance floor it gets pretty intertaining.
BUT this place has 2 flaws
FOOD IS EXPENSIVE!!!!!!!!!! 23$ meals etc
And not too much to choose from.
Seating is very uncomfortable if you dont have a table in a good spot
And the staff wasent very nice at all :(
If you love C&W you should make a pilgrimage here! Everything for the C&W heart and eyes. Lots of old memories and each corner of this place made into a table w/chair so they can pack one more person in. Finally saw my very first line-dancing (they do it in Spain too) and the mood is very mellow and funny; the band was going on with (non-C&W) music and couples were dancing. Out of the corner of my eye I saw an hatted old man walking behind me, smiling, checking out all the butts of the sitting women on stools, smiling like a fat gator after a good meal, walking this way and that, kinda two-stepping with the music and enjoying life and being alive. aaaaah, to be a cowboy; I'd be in Heaven on Earth to have a smile /expression as that old man did... Â just enjoying everything!
Yes, kinda pricey but looking at the meals and portions, it's sorta big city prices but with better taste. I was told the chicken-friend steak is to die fer, but I saw the menu and settled for the fried catfish instead (okay, not great but not bad) and liked the big two portions. Parking lot fills up quickly; git yer butt thar quick to get a spot!!! The palace is located right next to the BAKERSFIELD welcome arch which is lit at night in green, so it's nice for a pix or two but be wary of lawn sprinklers set on automatic which might surprise you if you are there late enuff (don't ask me how I know)!! Â
PHOTO OPS: Big gorgeous murals in the entrance, and lots of cowboy lifesize statues scattered throughout the main entrance. Lots of great stuff to see and snap throughout the place. Once the music starts hard to snap the other stuff due to lighting but not impossible if you knock up the ISO and shoot very still. There's a palace logo broadcast on the dance floor that is very cool - shoot without flash and you'll catch that. You might like the high palace sign outside that can be seen from the highway and nearby streets BUT {much} better at night when lit up. Don't use your flash for the musicians which will kill the great lights. Have a great time!!!
THis is what I think a little Branson, Missori might be like. Ol Buck Owens was before my time...waaay before my time, but its was fun just browsing around here. Lots of touristy junk to buy...I didn't. I'm just visiting Bakersfield , and I think this is its claim to fame. I ate dinner already so I didn't get a chance to try the restaurant. The prices are jacked up for the tourists too. Maybe I'll have to listen to a little Buck on the drive home up this valley....OK Dwight Yokum then! I hear the Sunday Brunch is good here.
Review Source:I'm always willing to go to this restaurant/museum/concert hall. Have I always had a great meal here? No, I've had some fairly mediocre and uninspired meals here. Have I always thought their prices were worth what I was getting? No, they can be pricey. Have their concerts been good each time I've gone? No, they haven't, but they have usually been very fun and the Palace is one of the more intimate settings you'll find the top-tier artists performing on. The local bands can be fun, too. And if you're with some friends, it can be very fun to get out on the dance floor and get your groove on. I think this place is pretty much always worth visiting.
I would recommend the bacon cheeseburger. It's never failed me. The Chicken Fried Steak is good, but don't bother ordering it on a concert night. It has always been cold when I've ordered it during a show. The filet is good, too, but again, it can be cold by the time it arrives at your table during a show. The appetizers are pretty yummy, too. I don't actually like their desserts. I am also disappointed that a restaurant with a real bar offers Mug Root Beer (it tastes horrible to me.) I would expect them to carry a premium root beer, like Henry Weinhardt's or Virgil's or at the very least have a keg of A&W Root Beer on tap.
Update:
Just went tonight and tried to use a gift card. They claimed it was no longer valid (it should be) and had no value (it should have had about $12.) Instead of working with me, I felt like they blew me off as though I were a liar. That's not cool in my opinion. The manager I spoke with said, "If the computer says the gift card has no value, then the computer is right. If you have receipt that shows otherwise, then we can figure something out." Let's analyze that logic, supposedly they can't look in their computer to see when the very gift card was used, but if I supplied any receipt that showed a value on it, they'd give me that value? How does that make sense? If their computer is so good, then why can't it tell me when it was used and for how much? I felt so insulted that I majorly skimped on the tip (I left about a $1, though I considered leaving nothing.) I don't know when or if I'll ever be back.
I was with a group of six coworkers down from Sacramento for work and we decided to check out the famed Buck Owen's Crystal Palace for dinner while we were in town.
Wow ! What an amazing collection of memorabilia, photographs, outfits, guitars, statues, even Buck Owen's customized Cadillac convertible on its side and displayed behind the bar. If you are at all a fan of country music or just Americana this is a great place to visit and just as impressive as many places that I have been in Nashville or Branson, MO.
We even got to see a live band perform on the stage, so it wasn't just dinner, it was dinner and a show.
And as for the food, delicious and fair prices. I went for the chicken fried steak with potatoes and green beans. Others in our party tried various hamburgers and the pork chops. No predone chicken fried steak or gravy here, everything was clearly made on the premises and made with care. My coworkers said their burgers, fries and pork chops were extremely good as well.
Additionally, service was prompt and attentive.
If I lived in the Bakersfield area, I would make this a regular hangout and if you're just passing through, the Crystal Palace is well worth a stop.
We came here last weekend with a group of seven on a Friday night and I have to tell you, it was the best time I've had in a long time. The food was excellent, I especially enjoyed the appetizer sample, and my steak, the "Don Rich" special, was flavorful and tender.
Even though I am not a big country western fan, I just couldn't help but have fun listening to Buck's son Allen Owen and the Buckaroos perform from the well designed showroom stage, while video clips from back in the day played above them. The decor in this place is great, including Buck's Cadillac stationed behind the bar. What a fun place!
The ample dance floor remained packed with electric-sliders and two-steppers for the entire two hour set of the Buckaroos and were a blast to watch. Once the Buckaroos were finished, they were immediately followed by another band, Stampede, who played on into the night.
Here's a tip before you go; go to <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.heehaw.com&s=861b9be2f098771fe3ed8f0b394702f86b65a58cb308bd5a6f93ebf75d239187" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.heehaw.com</a> and get a refresher on the show and cast. It would have made things a lot easier on my pre-Alzheimer brain!
A solid 2 stars; not bad, but not particularly good.
My wife and I went for the brunch on a busy Sunday. Â There wasn't anything that stands out in my mind as outstandingly awesome, but nothing was terrible. Â I lived in Texas for half of my life and often get homesick for the food, so when I read about how Crystal Palace has the best chicken fried steak EVER, it's something I had to try. Â I left satisfied, a little underwhelmed, and broke (this place is way to expensive for what you get).
The chicken fried steak was good for Bakersfield, but since it was in a buffet line, mine ended up being soggy and stale. Â Perhaps if I had it fresh It would have been better, but I have to review it based on what I had. Â The rest of the food was alright, typical of a brunch buffet.
Buck Owens' Crystal Palace is one of those places you have to go to since it's a landmark in Bakersfield. Â The food isn't bad, but not memorable; it's a decent restaurant that serves overpriced southern food in a country western dance hall.
Haven't been to Buck Owens' Crystal Palace in a while, but man, it has some great food, great people watching and some seriously good tunes.
I've seen Buck shred here in his last days in his glittering Nudie suit while boots stomp the dance floor.
Became friends with the Buckaroos drummer Dave W. after Buck's passing. That was a sad time. Owens' casket was brought to the dance floor. The entire dinner theater was filled with flowers.
Now maybe Buck's ghost visits the place. Who knows? Love to go to the Palace, eat a burger and listen to some good old country tunes. The old school stuff.
Seen Fatt Katt and the Vonzippers here a lot and Matt Munoz occasionally blasting his sax. Dwight Yoakam was a highlight and meeting him up in one of the office rooms that's decked out like an old country living room. That was great.
All the memorabilia and photos are worth a journey to Bakersfield on a Friday night. Just do it. You'll get fat, maybe dance a little, and see a lot of smiling happy faces.
Buck passed, and maybe this place will pass too. So, better head out to see it all while it's still there.
Bring a fat wallet. It's a little pricey. But heck, even my poet friends love the place. It's as special as it gets.
I wasn't sure what to expect from the Crystal Palace, maybe Superman's Fortress of Solitude meets Trout's (nothin' against Trout's as I have just been there and loved it too), but I was very pleasantly surprised by this clean, spacious, well-run restaurant/museum/concert venue/dance hall.
It was a Saturday night and I was seated right on the first level/dance floor section and when the concert started (Monty Byrom & Buck's band, the Buckaroos who put on an excellent show, btw), I could enjoy the music without my ears roaring and still have, an albeit loud, conversation with my table partners. Â I often regret going to live concerts because of the eardrum bursting, too-loud music. Â The way it's set up, I don't think there's a bad seat in the house, music-wise. Â
I loved the ole' west decor inside and out: felt like I was eating in a spruced up Knott's Calico train ride a bit as there were a couple of dummies sitting in a jail cell upstairs--corn factor: high, but it's in fun. Â Before the concert, loved watching the old timey videos of Buck, Conway Twitty, Tammy Wynette and several high-hair ladies all dressed up in their late 60's finery singing and playing their hearts out. Â There was some class and talent that you just don't see anymore. Â After the concert, the line dancing was darn fun to watch. Â There are some seriously good rug-cutters of all ages dancing there, and kids were allowed too. Â I have found that if there are kids runnin' around in your bar, you're probably in Bakersfield. Â This is a nice place to visit, young and old, and have great memories of.
Yes, the food prices were up there a bit, but come, ye pinchers of pennies, you're getting a show if you go at night: I paid no cover charge. Â I had the southwest chicken salad which was large and prepared nicely, plenty o' chicken. Â The service was good, too. Â There was a whole museum part which I didn't get to with spangly outfits that Buck wore, gold records, CW music history, tricked out Pontiac? over the bar, life-sized Elvis statue with cape, etc.
So on the outside this large pink old time western joint had me nervous. Then....we opened the door to the largest Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash statues I've ever seen. Mama, I'm home!
We did have to pay a $5.00 cover for the band even though we were there for dinner. That was kind of a drag. Over the bar was that sweet Cadillac Buck Owens won off Elvis mounted to the wall! The place was lined with some of the coolest music memorabilia I've seen too.
If you're a people watcher this place is like heaven. Â
The food was kinda blah. Â Otherwise I'd give this place a 5.
This a good place to go and just get some drinks with your buddies. If you plan to dine here than you should just know that you're going to get some pretty unforgettable food at an expensive price. You're basically paying for large portions and the live entertainment. I'm not sure if there is live entertainment every night but there has always been live music every night I've been there.
If you plan on eating or don't want to fight for a seat at the bar then I would recommend making a reservation as it is hard to get seated with no reservation. The service from the bartenders and waitresses is always pretty good. I particularly like the waitresses that are a little abrasive, it makes for a fun night of back and forth bantering. All in good fun of course. The hostesses are a little rude though. Each time I've been there which is a hand full of times I have never had a good experience with them. They just seem like they don't want to be there and they don't give a damn about anything. Too bad, I guess cause they are all 16 year old teenagers. Those little bitches.
The decor is a little corny but I think everybody lets loose a little more here than they would at a normal restaurant. The music gets people going and there is always a good crowd of dancers on the dance floor. Even if you don't dance then just watching is pretty entertaining too. I'm not a big dancer but if you get a few rum and root beers in me I'll do a little two steppin'. If you see someone that is out of sync with everyone else line dancing then that's probably me.
Come here if you're just looking for a fun night with your wifey or friends. Don't expect much as far as the food though.
This was my first trip to The Crystal Palace. Overall, it was really nice. It's clean as a pin, and the service is excellent.
Don't eat the catfish. It's breaded with flour, and tastes like shit. I'm from the South, you can't slide that stuff past me. I should have gotten the chicken fried steak. It's a Hell of a lot harder to screw that up.
I went to see Merle Haggard and The Strangers, and they were great.
The acoustics were excellent, and Sonny Langley (apparently a local legend) opened the show. He was excellent.
A group from North Carolina (along with some of Merle's sidemen) called "The Malpass Brothers" were second on the bill. They were kicking it circa 1963, Bakersfield, CA. They definitely set the mood for the rest of the show.
Merle Haggard was superb. He's kind of sui generis when it comes to entertainers. Who else is even close to him? Willie, George Jones, Kris Kristofferson, maybe. But Merle is the master of his realm.
I said all this in aid of a point: I sat with people who had known Merle all his life. They were very nice, open-hearted people who were very kind to me and my friends.
Be aware, though: this is a dinner theater, and you may wind up sitting with a bunch of assholes, or worse.
Not a negative, just a caveat.
had no idea who buck owens was until a co-worker said "his music is in the dukes of hazard." Â ok..
so, i joined my co-workers for dinner and ordered the halibut plate with green beans and a baked potato. Â the halibut was a nice size steak and tasty. Â 3 of my co-workers ordered the chicken fried steak meal and all 3 of them agreed that the chicken was way dry and over fried. Â a basket of bread was served with honey butter..never had honey butter before. Â for an appetizer, had a voluptuous blonde (light hefeweizen), a locally brewed beer. not bad.
the decor is totally "buck"ed out. Â we sat at a table just below the bar. Â behind the bar, there's a huge '72 pontiac granville (convertible), tricked out with Native American Cherokee Indian paintings on the leather seats, big ol' long horns on the front grill and such. Â the bartender said that buck won the car from elvis in a gamble. Â hmm..
a band performed country music and people were 2 stepping on the dance floor.
I'll make this quick and painless...
Wonderful decor and ambiance... reminds me of a country western Disney themed restaurant. Loved the setting, stage, faux buildings inside, etc. (Oh and the upstairs is really cool.. walk up to check it out from above!)
Food.. okay, Â you could get it at a chain but my chicken sandwich was really moist and the peppers made the sandwich.
Staff... seemed like there were to many servers, expediters, and bussers. My friend and I particularly got annoyed when management and some of the servers were having a mini meeting next to our seat.
Overall, its okay! I would experience it at least once and bring your camera!
What can I say!
Awesome place! Great food and entertainment.
If you want to see country history this is the place. When Buck was alive he entertained like no one even with cancer. I don't even like country music!
But overall if you like a great atmosphere and aren't afraid of how much it cost to eat here you'll be happy you did. You won't walk away hungry!!
Had to stop in Bakersfield for a night and ended up having dinner at this famous local eatery. We were warned it was very country but despite a few cowboy hats, it didn't seem too country for us city folk! Â From the outside, Buck Owen's Crystal Palace has that theme park look which reminded me of being in Disneyland. Â Surprisingly the inside was set up nicely and the acoustics were great.
The food was good but way overpriced. Â And you have to pay a $5 per person cover charge, too! Â The fish was dry but the highlight dishes were the steak and the gigantic country fried steak. Â Loved the band we saw and the people on the dance floor looked like they were having fun! Â We were gonna join them but after getting the stare down from a bunch of people throughout the night, we decided to high tail it out of there right after dinner when a big guy in a cowboy hat came up to me and said, "You's Asian". Â Yes I am. Thank you and good night.
Hands down, the best Sunday brunch in the whole world. Â I haven't been to them all, but I know I like this one best. Â If you like comfort food in the morning, the Crystal Palace is Nirvana. Â First eat the biscuits and gravy. Â I could go here and just eat biscuits and gravy until I exploded. Â But I usually move on to a little omelet from the omelet bar, and before long I have proceeded to filling my plate with RIBS and mashed potatoes. Â SO. Â GOOD. Â Don't ever pass up the fruit tray, though, because these folks must have a direct line to the growers near town--their fruit is always so fresh and so juicy that it's almost like dessert. Â Except that there's a dessert bar, too. Â Try the cheesecake.
If you're nervous about the country  theme, don't be.  I LOATHE country music, but I LOVE the Crystal Palace!  It's just fun and good.  I have never been disappointed.
In the spirit of honesty, like another reviewer, I am a huge Buck Owens fan. So the Crystal Palace could serve me a heaping plate of dirt on bread and I'd give it 5 stars, so take this review with a grain of salt.
The Crystal Palace is my Graceland, so I was in awe from the second I arrived. Not only was the place pleasantly kitschy with a ton of memorabilia, but the food was outstanding. I had the best chicken fried steak and gravy I've ever eaten (and I've eaten a lot of it). I had read that Buck was proud of his "Bakersfield Biscuits" and I'll tell you, they were the best. Soft and fluffy, sweet and tasty; and covered in sausage gravy, it was heaven in the Central Valley.
I highly recommend this place if you love down-home food. And I clearly recommend it if you're a fan of country music.
Would I got back? Hell yes.
Is Bakersfield a vacation destination? No.
***WARNING**** BIASED REVEIW
I am a HUGE fan of Buck Owens so when my buddy in dire need asked me do an enourmous favor and to give him a ride to Bakersfield I was delighted  to help him. I said to my friend.  "Of Course! what kind of friend would I be if I say no?" he was shocked and replied with a very confused "Seriously?" I said in the best Rob(roomate) voice I could muster up. "Wellll.....you have to buy my lunch at the Buck Owens Crystal Palace Saloon."  he agreed and we left ahead of schedule and lunch became breakfast.  When we first arrived it was busy and we had no reservation so we waited for about 15 minutes. That gave us plenty of time to Gander through the museum and look at all the cool Country legends and statues.  We get a table and the waitress was nice and they were having breakfast buffet.  I have not had buffet since I lived in Missouri. It was awesome and we stuffed our faces, had a breakfast beer and paid maybe $15 then we were on our way back to La. Stuffed, happy, and with a new Buck Owens Cd purchased from the Gift shop to drive home with.  Great Day!
Last Sunday my wife and I enjoyed an exceptional buffet served with warm hospitality. Â We highly recommend brunch especially at the bargain price, including tip, of $25 per person. Â All the food was perfect! Â Six stations included (1) salad/fruit, (2) breakfast, (3) meat, (4) omelet, (5) waffle and (6) desert. Â Buffet presentation, quality and service were the best we have ever experienced. Â
Sunday buffet is served from 9:30am to 2:30pm. Â We arrived at 11:30am and got seated within 10 minutes without a reservation. Â Tables surrounded the performance area with the food stations at the lowest level next to the stage. Â The room is surrounded by display cases of memorabilia. Â Signed photographs cover most walls. Â On the way out we enjoyed a walk looking over the tasteful collection as we remembered Buck's varied career. Â
Everything we tried at the buffet was fresh from the kitchen, cooked perfectly and tasted great. Â I tried the fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, chicken friend steak, gravy with biscuits and enchiladas from the salad and breakfast stations. Â My wife's waffle was cooked perfectly and delicious. Â Service staff and cooks continuously monitored and attended to the modest size service pans of fresh warm food. Â Our waiter Rudolph came by frequently to keep our drinks filled. Â
Two meat carvers sliced ham, beef and turkey. Â A chef cooked omelets to order. Â Ice cream with toppings was included at the waffle station. Â The desert station offered hot apple or peach cobbler, cakes, cookies and more. Â My favorite was the pecan cinnamon rolls which reminded me of my grandmother's Sunday feasts. Â Â Â
The kids were enjoying their Sunday brunch along with their entire family. Â Even at twice the price, my wife and I agree, this brunch is a special treat and we will return for more.
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