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

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for the best overall restaurants 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!

Jillian's

4.9

4.9 (999)

$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

DarrenVIP

Dined 7 days ago

Loved the setting for this restaurant. Very cool! Food was GREAT! The waiter was very helpful and knowledgeable. Will definitely go back any chance we get.

SO.PA at L'Horizon Resort and Spa

5.0

5 (738)

$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**
During cooler climate weather, SO•PA maintains its temperate and warm ambience with strategically placed heaters in addition to our intimate alfresco firepit.

Top review

Barry

Dined on Dec 1, 2024

If you want a very special and romantic. This is the place the food was exceptional and service was perfect. A very special evening.

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Experience

4-Course Xmas Eve Menu w/Optional Wine Pairing

Experience

5-Course NYE Tasting Menu & Optional Wine Pairing

Canopy Wine Lounge

5.0

5 (107)

$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

PamelaVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Excellent Wine Bar with small but varied selection of food. Great place to meet people for a quiet get-together to enjoy excellent wine and good food. Kate is a great sommelier who has excellent suggestions! Nice, upscale place. As a local, I appreciate that it is not a typical touristy place filled with large, loud bachelorette parties.

Chez Pierre Bistro

4.9

4.9 (1545)

$31 to $50

French

Palm Desert

About the restaurant

Chez Pierre Bistro is an authentic and most charming French bistro that everybody wished they had in their neighborhood, where Chef Pierre develops his profound love for creative and innovative ideas in his kitchen.
The ambiance is intimate, friendly, his staff always very professional and his charming wife Esther watches over the dining room.

Chef Pierre has the extensive knowledge, passion and respect of the best ingredients from local farmers markets. His cuisine is superb and his daily specials are impressive, unique and follow the seasons.
In the winter you can find his famous cassoulet, in the spring, shad roe and soft shell crabs, in the summer, paella in addition to a selection of wild fish.

It is no surprise that Chez Pierre Bistro has been voted Best French restaurant of the Desert for the past 10 years and nominated among ”Best Chef of America” by his peers.

Top review

BarbaraVIP

Dined on Dec 12, 2024

Wonderful service, delightful smbience and delicious food.

Arnold Palmer's Restaurant

4.9

4.9 (4697)

$31 to $50

American

La Quinta

About the restaurant

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

TimVIP

Dined 2 days ago

The guitar player on the patio is outstanding! Totally makes a good night GREAT!

Freddies Kitchen at the Cole

4.7

4.7 (226)

$31 to $50

French American

Palm Springs

About the restaurant

A modern French Bistro serving fresh, French California cuisine with global flavors in a casual, social, and welcoming atmosphere.
Chef Frederic takes the best locally grown and sourced food, mixes it with his creativity, and re-imagines it into perfect bites prepared with love.
Located at the remodeled Cole Hotel, a place to gather in Uptown Palm Springs.
We look forward to serving you!

Top review

BrianVIP

Dined on Dec 12, 2024

Freddies Kitchen is a gem. The food is outstanding and the service is friendly and professional. It's a bit of a splurge but if you're looking for a special meal this is a great choice.

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Popular dish

Peppered Elk Medallions

Popular dish

Wild Mushroom Strudel

Experience

A Christmas Eve Dining Experience to Remember!

Miro's Restaurant

4.8

4.8 (3496)

$31 to $50

Modern European

Palm Springs

About the restaurant

Welcome to Miro’s Restaurant, voted best Mediterranean – Continental fine dining restaurant in Palm Springs. We promise to make your dining experience a comfortable, flavorful and memorable one. Be sure to call us for the daily specials, it might just be that entrée you’ve been searching for. We look forward to meeting you. Also please note that patio is first come first serve. If you wish to sit on the patio tell us here but it is not guaranteed that you will be seated on patio depending on availability.

Top review

SheldonVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Nice atmosphere, good service, and great food. We had the Scottish salmon (special) and beef stroganoff, and both were equally good.

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The Sandbar Restaurant & Bar

4.9

4.9 (153)

$31 to $50

American

La Quinta

About the restaurant

“Almost Four Decades of Desert Dining Excellence continues under a new helm”.

As the former owner of the Adobe Garden Hotel and Irongate Restaurant in Palm Desert, Cunard’s in La Quinta, Robert Cunard’s in Palm Desert, and The Prevue in Rancho Mirage, Robert Cunard’s reputation as a restaurateur is well-established in the Coachella Valley.

He rebuilt the Sandbar, and has remained true to his tradition of quality cuisine and impeccable service.

Robert will pass the Helm of The Sandbar to Waldo Cesoni, a local seasoned Restauranteur who is already serving the Coachella Valley with Waldo’s Ristorante and Backstreet Bistro on El Paseo.

“Bob and I share the same passion for taking care of our guests and treat every one as family”, The Sandbar will continue with the same philosophy and culture for many more years to come.

Bill Baker playing music starting at 6:00PM ~ Tuesday through Saturday.

Please say hi to Bob and Waldo

Looking forward to serving you soon and often.
Bob & Waldo

Top review

LindaVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Wonderful experience! We were seated in the bar and with live multi was a little loud but we really enjoyed the evening

533 Viet Fusion

4.9

4.9 (288)

$30 and under

Fusion / Eclectic

Palm Springs

About the restaurant

533 is a contemporary Vietnamese Fusion restaurant nestled in Palm Springs, with a full bar. Cooking with the freshest local and organic ingredients is what they're known for. In their mid century modern dinning room, you can enjoy, the popular pink drink, the Thai Basil Lemon drop. Amongst the best sellers you will find the Ahi tuna roll, Chili Braised Osso Buco, Vietnamese Crepe, French Short Ribs and the Pad Thai. The menu also offers plenty of gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan dishes. Voted Best of the Best Vietnamese in Palm Springs!

Top review

KenVIP

Dined 3 days ago

This is one of our "go to restaurants" in Palm Springs. the food is always great and the service is outstanding. The waitstaff know the menu and can make recommendations. They are attentive, helpful and nice. We continue to bring our house guests, visiting Palm Springs, and are never disappointed. Thank you.

Musashi Japanese Restaurant

4.8

4.8 (503)

$31 to $50

Sushi

Palm Desert

About the restaurant

Established in 1996. Musashi Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar has a long history of providing the Palm Desert and the Valley with the highest quality Japanese cuisine prepared skillfully.

OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS, OUR STAFF LED BY EXECUTIVE SUSHI CHEF MASAO ARAI AND AKI AKIFUMI CONTINUES THE JAPANESE TRADITION OF FRESH FISH, SOUPS AND NOODLES, AND MEATS. TRADITIONAL JAPANESE PREPARATION WITH THE FINEST INGREDIENTS AND TECHNIQUES. MUSASHI JAPANESE RESTAURANT AND SUSHI BAR REPRESENTS AND HOLDS TRUE THE LEGACY OF JAPANESE AND CALIFORNIA CUISINE.

*We seat entire party together.

Top review

MoniqueVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Super fresh and delicious! We love all of their rolls, but even something as simple as a California roll is soooooo good!!! Tempura & Desert roll is worth trying. Edamame needs more salt but otherwise is fine. They serve beer, wine & sake, not a “full bar”. Smaller, intimate place with excellent service…highly recommend making a reservation.

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Popular dish

Vegetable Tempura

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