Diners' Choice: Best Ambiance restaurants in Palm Springs / Palm Desert

OpenTable

Updated September 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best ambiance in Palm Springs / Palm Desert? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Canopy Wine Lounge

5.0

5 (83)

$50 and over

Wine Bar

Palm Springs

About the restaurant

Canopy Wine Lounge is a driving source for wine & community no matter where your palate takes you. To curate this lounge, a partnership formed between longtime Palm Springs local Noah Mamet and the owner of our 15 unique winery properties around the globe. Our decor is a modern take on the popular design of the 1950's, using clean lines, pops of color, and various textured fabrics and fixtures.

To accent our wine bar, we have a custom-built clay amphora where our in-house winemaker will be fermenting and ageing a Californian rosé. Glowing fireplace features highlight our meticulously curated selection of desert plants. Our food bites are meant to be paired with quality-driven wines and lively conversation between friends.

Top review

Russellvip

Dined 6 days ago

What a fantastic place! The Canopy Wine Lounge provides a much needed bar/restaurant to Palm Springs with its tasty menu, terrific wines, lovely setting and welcoming staff. Don't miss the fried green tomatoes and the salmon tartan. We arrived before opening time and everyone at the restaurant welcomed us and took great care throughout the meal. These are really great people making a new place come to life. We're definitely returning on our next trip out to PS.

Mélange Restaurant & Bar at the Chateau Lake La Quinta

4.7

4.7 (1295)

$30 and under

American

La Quinta

About the restaurant

The only lakeside dining in the greater Palm Springs area, Mélange, located in the luxury boutique hotel, the Chateau at Lake La Quinta, offers exquisitely prepared food using only the finest ingredients procured from small California family farms. Classic dishes prepared with a contemporary flair with lighter more flavorful sauces infused with fresh herbs, grown in the herb garden at the Chateau, Mélange offers modern cuisine for those who enjoy eating and living well. A remarkable new desert experience!

Reservations Recommended

Top review

Bobvip

Dined 2 days ago

Beautiful setting on the water - Food was excellent

Jillian's

4.7

4.7 (983)

$50 and over

International

Palm Desert

About the restaurant

Romantic. Inviting. Original. Uncompromising quality.
Superb cuisine graciously served in an extraordinary atmosphere, is the unique inspiration of proprietors Jay and June Trubee.
Guests will experience a masterful Eclectic cuisine. Our menus are designed to include seasonal local ingredients, classic Jillian’s dishes and, of course, your preferences. To accompany your meal, we offer an extensive selection of fine wines from around the world.
Whether you choose one of our distinctive dining rooms or the inviting outdoor courtyard, enchanting garden or private terrace, every detail will be attended to, every need met. With everything from the menu selection to the wine pairings and flower arrangements that can be custom-designed for a most memorable occasion.

RESERVATIONS FOR 5 GUESTS OR MORE.......CALL (760) 776-8242

Top review

AmyS

Dined on May 23, 2024

This is a locals favorite so it's often tough to get a reservation in peak season but we lucked out. I had the special halibut and it was one of the best halibut dishes I've ever tasted. Highly recommend.

Counter Reformation

4.8

4.8 (228)

$31 to $50

Wine Bar

Palm Desert

About the restaurant

Bar seating and ledge-leaning is the rule of thumb -- think Paris tabac or the zinc -- the heat of local life, crowded with regulars at the counter waiting for their vin rouge. Here you'll find our Cave à Manger, an eclectic curation of wines by the glass offered with a menu of small plated savory delicacies created for this tasting smorgasbord. More than an amuse-bouche, less than a serving. Range, variety, exploration and discovery are the point...........................................
RESERVATIONS ARE RECOMMENDED BUT, IF YOU DON'T SEE ANY AVAILABILITY, JUST WALK-IN FOR THE NEXT SEAT AVAILABLE.

Top review

Tyler

Dined on Aug 3, 2024

Great food and really good wine! I would definitely go back.

SO.PA at L'Horizon Resort and Spa

4.8

4.8 (728)

$50 and over

Californian

Palm Springs

About the restaurant

An ADULTS ONLY destination by Reservation. SO•PA has a NO PETS POLICY.

Decadent, refined, and intimate, SO•PA offers a unique alfresco dining experience. Join us for dinner in an intimate outdoor setting under the stars as Chef Igor Krichmar presents the seasonally enticing menu. Your elegant, yet relaxed evening includes world class cocktails and a sophisticated, yet approachable wine cellar curated by our in-house Certified Sommelier. You won't want to miss an aperitif or digestif at our exclusive fire pit and poolside bar. VALET is COMPLIMENTARY.

**2024 Winner of Diners Choice Award**

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on May 27, 2024

Everything was so good… the food, service, ambience! Kelly, the manager was great! Our server, Colton was amazing. The only negative was that it was really hot and there weren’t any fans or anything to help provide a little relief from the heat. Still have 5 stars on everything because it was great!

The Purple Room

4.6

4.6 (1812)

$31 to $50

American

Palm Springs

About the restaurant

The sophistication and glamour of the Rat Pack era comes alive at Michael Holmes’ Purple Room, the desert’s premier supper club. The Purple Room is where Frank, Sammy, Dean and their pals cavorted on and off the stage in the swinging 60s.

Step in and you’ll be transported back to the elegance of the era: an intimate and inviting room, classic cocktails, world-class cuisine and the best in live entertainment seven nights a week. Hobnob with celebrities, locals, and visitors alike at Michael Holmes’ Purple Room — where Palm Springs plays!

Tuesday-Thursday enjoy acclaimed jazz entertainers from 6:30 to 9:30, No cover.

Tuesday through Thursday is the best Jazz Happy Hour in Valley from 4:00 to 6:00

Friday through Sunday join us for dinner and a show (tickets required) featuring nationally-known entertainers.

The Purple Room has been voted #1 on TripAdvisor and one of the top 100 restaurants in the country by Open Table.

Top review

Bonnievip

Dined 4 days ago

Consistently good. Excellent entertainment, food and service. It’s my go to place when we have out of town guests . Love the history and stories behind the venue.

Arnold Palmer's Restaurant

4.8

4.8 (4509)

$31 to $50

American

La Quinta

About the restaurant

CLOSED FOR SUMMER FROM JUNE 2ND THROUGH SEPTEMBER 18TH

Arnold Palmer’s Restaurant features Progressive American cuisine, including fresh seafood, steaks, and some of Arnie’s great comfort foods. This one-of-a-kind restaurant features many indoor dining options, including multiple private rooms, a beautiful bar and lounge, and an impressive wine room that houses 2,500 bottles with a large table for special events up to 20 guests. The extensive newly remodeled patio (awarded 2022 top 100 outdoor dining restaurants in the country by open table diners) offers live entertainment every night featuring Mark Linford with stunning views of the Santa Rosa Mountains and breathtaking landscape.

Top review

BrianH

Dined on Jun 2, 2024

This was our first trip to Palmers and we loved it. Food was great, service was fantastic and the bar had a very relaxed and comfortable vibe.

FARM

4.8

4.8 (3732)

$50 and over

French

Palm Springs

About the restaurant

FARM is a traditional Provencial-style restaurant in downtown Palm Springs in the historic Plaza, tucked away from traffic. Chef has taken care to create a menu comprised of traditional European dishes, brimming with locally sourced produce and artisanal meats. In true Provencial-style, the prix fixe dinner menu is served at a pace so you may enjoy your evening with us.
Enjoy a meal in our outdoor setting and take in the ambiance of being out of the city and transported magically to the South of France.
*I apologize, but we do not have Vegan menu items. *

Top review

Nickyvip

Dined 2 days ago

Always love coming here - it’s exceptional, It’s busy so always book ahead.

Lavender Bistro

4.7

4.7 (6585)

$31 to $50

Californian

La Quinta

About the restaurant

At Lavender we combine the finest meats and seafood with the freshest organic ingredients to create unforgettable dishes. Dine indoors in a warm, cozy atmosphere or on our stunning tree-lined patio. Lavender Bistro also prides itself on providing superb live music nightly to set a warm and friendly atmosphere.

For every occasion, to change the ordinary into extraordinary, come join us at Lavender Bistro, "where memories are made!"

Closed for Summer Break from the last Sunday in May until the last Thursday in September.
Re-Opening 09/28/2023!

Top review

carlaguests

Dined on May 24, 2024

Magical setting on the outdoor patio, lovely live music, great service, and delicious food. Highly recommend!

Discover more

Popular dish

Caesar Salad

Popular dish

Dijon & Walnut Crusted Chilean Sea Bass

Bar Cecil

4.8

4.8 (1532)

$31 to $50

Bistro

Palm Springs

About the restaurant

"Your Pleasure is Our Pleasure!"

Please join us at Bar Cecil for a delightful evening. We welcome parties of 5 or fewer guests (limited space for parties of 5). Unfortunately, we are not able to accommodate larger parties.

We book tables for 2 hours. Last dinner orders are taken at 9 pm and we close the bar at 10 pm. We've gone cashless and happily accept credit and debit cards.

Due to our small size, tables with separate reservations can not be combined. Please reserve online; if OpenTable is not showing availability, we're fully booked or it is more than 14 days out. We accept reservations up to 30 days out. Our bar is always walk-in and we open at 5 pm (the bar list is usually full around 4:30 pm).

We can't wait to have you as our guests! "Shall we?"

Top review

Nancyvip

Dined 4 days ago

Food was amazing from the escargot to the delicious pork chop, the dirty vodka martini to the espresso martini so good! The service from bartender, the bar back, Anthony, Manny awesome! XOXO Bar Cecil

Discover more

Popular dish

Smoked Bone-In Pork Chop

Popular dish

Pan Seared Halibut

Popular dish

Bucatini Cacio e Pepe

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