The Best Palm Desert Restaurants for a Night Out East of Town

The best Palm Desert restaurants cluster on and around El Paseo, the city's shopping street. Book Mitch's on El Paseo for seafood, Café des Beaux-Arts or Chez Pierre Bistro for French, Castelli's or Mimmo's for Italian, and La Fe Wine Bar for a glass first. Palm Desert is about half an hour east of The Muse by car, so it's an easy dinner detour on a Palm Springs weekend getaway. Make an afternoon of it with our guide to shopping El Paseo.

What are the best restaurants in Palm Desert?

These are the places we'd book for our own group. Menus and hours shift with the season, so check before you drive.

Mitch's on El Paseo Prime Seafood

Prime seafood right on El Paseo, and one of the most consistently praised dinners in town. Book this one first.

Pacifica Seafood Restaurant

A Palm Desert seafood favorite where regulars mention the view as often as the fish. Ask for a table with one.

Café des Beaux-Arts

French bistro classics in Palm Desert. The kind of place where you order the thing your server says to order.

Chez Pierre Bistro

Another French option, with devoted regulars. Good for two, or a small group that wants to hear each other.

Castelli's

Italian with a strong seafood side, and a big following. It's the classic pick for a birthday table.

More Palm Desert restaurants by mood

Mood	Where to book
Italian night	Mimmo's, Ristorante Mamma Gina, La Spiga, Waldo's, Le Donne Cucina Italiana
French	Café des Beaux-Arts, Chez Pierre Bistro, French Rotisserie Cafe, Cork Tree
Steakhouse	Mastro's, Morton's, Ruth's Chris, Sullivan's
Seafood	Mitch's on El Paseo, Pacifica, Eddie V's
Casual dinner	Kitchen 86 El Paseo, The Hideout Kitchen + Bar, Daily Grill, Backstreet Bistro
Wine first	La Fe Wine Bar, Sottovoce, Wildest Restaurant + Bar

For a quick, casual bite, Project Burger is a family-owned smash burger spot, and Bohemios Prime runs an all-day menu broad enough to cover sushi, steaks, pastas and burgers at one table.

Where are the best bars and lounges in Palm Desert?

El Paseo is the easy answer. Most of the good standalone bars and lounges sit on or just off the street, so you can have a drink, browse a shop window and sit down to dinner without moving the car.

• La Fe Wine Bar: Tapas-style plates, cocktails and a social evening crowd. The owners make their own wine, Masvino.

• Sottovoce: An Italian café and wine bar with an El Paseo location. Good for a quiet glass before dinner.

• Wildest Restaurant + Bar: A chef-driven spot on El Paseo with nightly live entertainment, so the bar is the show.

• The steakhouse bars: The steakhouses on El Paseo and Highway 111 have proper bars for a martini before the table is ready.

You'll also hear about lounges inside the big resorts off Highway 111. We keep our list to standalone spots anyone can walk into, so your night isn't built around another property's guest list. More ideas in our wine bar guide.

Palm Desert or Palm Springs for dinner?

Both, ideally. Palm Springs has the mid-century patios and the late nights downtown, minutes from The Muse. Palm Desert has El Paseo, where you can shop, have a drink and sit down to dinner within a few blocks. If you only have one night out, stay in Palm Springs and save the half-hour drive. If you're spending a day east of town anyway, for El Paseo or The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, book dinner in Palm Desert and drive back after.

Our guide to where to dine in Palm Springs covers the in-town side.

Tips for dining in Palm Desert

• Reserve in season. October through May is busy, and weekend tables at the popular spots go early.

• Plan the drive. It's about half an hour each way from The Muse. Pick a driver or book a rideshare.

• Patio in spring and fall. Summer evenings stay hot, so book inside from June through September.

• Pair it with the day. Shop El Paseo in the afternoon, then walk into dinner without moving the car.

Coming back to The Muse

The best part of a long dinner in Palm Desert is the drive home to a quiet courtyard. The six-person hot tub and the outdoor fireplace are right there, and the four king suites with private fenced yards (Brigitte, Audrey, Marilyn and Taylor) make a nightcap on your own patio easy.

PICK YOUR SUITE

Palm Desert restaurants FAQ

What are the best restaurants in Palm Desert?

Our short list is Mitch's on El Paseo for seafood, Café des Beaux-Arts and Chez Pierre Bistro for French, and Castelli's or Mimmo's for Italian.

Where should I eat on El Paseo?

Mitch's on El Paseo and Kitchen 86 El Paseo are right on the street, and La Fe Wine Bar and Sottovoce are good for a drink first.

What are the best bars in Palm Desert?

For standalone bars and lounges, start on El Paseo: La Fe Wine Bar, Sottovoce and Wildest Restaurant + Bar, which has nightly live entertainment.

How far is Palm Desert from Palm Springs?

About half an hour by car from The Muse, depending on traffic.

Do I need reservations for dinner in Palm Desert?

For popular spots on weekends from October through May, yes. Book a few days ahead.

Nine suites. Nine bathrooms. One pool. And nobody else invited. Check your dates and plan the night out.