Every time I go to this place they knock it out of the park. Great energy, entertainment and ambiance and also so much flavor in the food. Fantastic chef!!! Service is tops. If you haven't been here before you gotta check it out. If you have, you already know. read more

The restaurant is called BaBaLoo Lounge, a Cuban restaurant, but the menu includes many Peruvian dishes, Poke Bowls (Hawaiian), Taco's (Mexican), Fettuccine (Italian), and the special was Barbecue ribs (American), etc. Therefore, BaBaLoo's identity as a restaurant was confusing. Secondly, there were maybe about 10 customers in the restaurant, but the food was not freshly cooked. The vegetables within the dish were soggy because it appears the food was prepared in advance, and it was simply warmed up which explains why the waitress served our food within minutes after ordering it. Third, BaBaLoo did not have many of their tap beers available except (1) tap beer that was delivered warm. So we had to send back the beer and settled for a cold bottled beer. The one good experience is that BaBaLoo is a very nice looking restaurant, and the staff were incredible nice from start to finish. The friendliness and customer service was great. If BabaLoo could match the quality of the food with the level of service, the restaurant would be a standout. Also, prior to leaving, we were honest with the waitress about the fact that the food was not cooked fresh. read more

I selected Babaloos because of their delight to Host my 60th birthday. I organized with Marilyn. She made suggestions on food, flow etc. We had great communications to ensure a successful event. On day of, my husband and I arrived a little early. Finalized a few minor details. Guests arrived; happy hour in the bar was smooth with a few tray passed appies. Seated dinner for 35 served Family style. Service was perfect, food was delicious & ambiance was suitable for my event. Live entertainment added an extra element of ambiance s enjoyable. read more

BaBaLoo Lounge - Cuban Near Me - Palm Desert, California

Ryan was hilarious and gave us world class service. Band was great except for the rouge cowbell player. But this place is special. Wish I lived closer so I could come back. read more

My favorite aspects about dining at BaBaLoo Lounge: 1. The late night hours. 2. Saying the name BaBaLoo. Our group visited BaBaLoo Lounge for a late night dinner after an exhausting day of drinking in the summer heat. This restaurant offered a great nighttime atmosphere and definitely caters to an older crowd. For food I ordered the croquetas to share and the chicken tacos. The croquetas were tasty, but were also served in an extremely small portion size for an $8 appetizer. The tacos did the trick, but I found them pretty tasteless beyond the meat and cabbage. We also ordered a round of cocktails and my pick was the Sandis Loca - aka the crazy watermelon. Tasty, but not yummy enough for a round two. We were also shocked that when we ordered a shot of expresso it was served in a large coffee mug - I've attached a photo. We definitely got a good laugh from the ungodly proportion of caffeine. On weekends they offer live music and performances in the bar area. Worth a trip for the late night vibes. read more

BaBaLoo Lounge - Cuban Near Me - Palm Desert, California

Just bad. No one greeted us in the lounge so after 10 mins I went up to the bar to order a glass of wine. Just about every selection on wine list was not available. The reds on the bar counter that were open had dates written on them that were weeks old. I was told they were going through a transition period. I finally got a glass of something that was not on the menu for my husband & I. We sat in the booth closest to the stage & waited for someone to come take our order....that never happened. After waiting 40 minutes we left. Like a bad twilight zone episode. Also one of the staff sprayed the strongest smelling cologne on himself a few feet from us when we first arrived. What the heck are you doing? read more

I have been there several times because of my husband band, every time I was there this bartender Mike was absolutely the best, he's so attentive to everyone this man runs is tush off, I will only go when he is there. This man deserves a raise and cuttos for his amazing job. Thank you Mike for making us you number one fans. Mike is so attentive to all his patrons, he makes everyone feel special. Thank you Mike, keep up the good work. read more

Sorry that we chose this establishment for Mother's Day eve dinner, we ordered the chicken croquettes to start, filet mignon, cheviche, and the chicken taco's, taco's we're cold, ceviche was ok according to my wife and my sons filet was under cooked,. As everyone knows I hate to post negative reviews but the croquettes were cold my beer was warm, the service was great, I don't know if that evens things out but it is what it is, live entertainment was mediocre at best, BaBaLoo, needs to step it up. read more

BaBaLoo Lounge - Lounge area - Cuban Near Me - Palm Desert, California

Sat at the bar and Artie was the best. So attentive and funny. There was a live pianist playing who was also nice and set the perfect vibe. Bar happy hour menu is so good! read more

Great service and delicious food! We love to come and see Arturo the best bartender in town- he always has a pleasant attitude and makes great drinks read more

BaBaLoo Lounge - Cuban Near Me - Palm Desert, California

Excellent food I had Carnitas for dinner so delicious. Also happy hour is so yummy and very affordable. And you must ask for the Arturo the best bartender in town must stop by to see him and let him make you a special drink read more

BaBaLoo Lounge - Vodka, soda, and a beer. - Cuban Near Me - Palm Desert, California

See all

Great live music on Thursday nights 7 to 10 with Roger and The Roadhouse Rebels. They keep you entertain with their variations of country and blues music. Great to dance too. read more

The food excellent The service impeccable The ambiance cool The restaurant has a great vibe , the band has a great selection. If you are looking for a new location to hang out with friends and have a drink or two , come on down and relax. It's at the old Elephant Bar in Palm Desert read more

BaBaLoo Lounge - The Lemon drop , comes with a refill!!!! - Cuban Near Me - Palm Desert, California

The New Year's Eve bash2024 was great! Will book again next year for 2025! The Cuban atmosphere, food and the band was enchanting! Dinaz read more

The food was great! And the service was outstanding! I absolutely recommend. The ambiance was fantastic with the piano player to start off the afternoon and a live band to follow! Very cozy and lively atmosphere. We will definitely be back! read more

Finally tried BaBaLoo for dinner after driving by it for a year. Pleasantly surprised. My first impressions upon sitting at the bar were: 1. Live music! Old-school vibes, pianist & singer doing classics. 2. Bar seating is ample and comfortable. The seats and footrest were perfect. These details matter more than one thinks. There are also plenty of TVs; this would be a comfy place to plop down to watch a game were one inclined to do such a thing. 3. The fans are ineffective but cool and lend a nice ambiance to the place. Service was on the slow side but fine. Food was better than I expected. We started with the Cuban Frita, which I'd thought was going to be like an empanada but turned out to be two sliders and was delicious. Then we both had the Lechon Asado - very good. The house chardonnay was also really good. Next time I need to ask what it is. read more

See all

Great place for unique eating experiences and great atmosphere! Emmy could not have been better. Very friendly and efficient and never missed a step. The menu is very diverse and we could not eat everything we wanted to order. Super generous drinks and a live band and multiple TVs for the sporting events. We will make this a regular place to eat! read more

Went here for dinner last night. They had a band playing which was nice and not too loud. Things started a little slow since there was no one to seat us but when I asked at the bar she immediately apologized and came to seat us. Our server was very friendly and the man I believe is an owner came over and let my husband try some very spicy sauces. If you think you like it hot I challenge you to ask for their super spicy sauce. I had the Picadillo. It wasn't the way I make it at home but had plenty of flavor. Even though all the ratings aren't great on Yelp, I'd give this place a try or two. read more

Delicious food! Old atmosphere. Decent service. Old smell. Not sure if I would come back.

Not sure if anyone local realizes how marvelous BaBaloo Lounge is. First of all, the music... some of the best talent in California performs here. Eric Frankson, Steve Sanders. Be still my heart. They are just amazing. Also so many great bands . Remember when it was the Elephant Bar? We all loved it. Well, now it has moved into one of the coolest bars in the desert. The food is fantastic and the bartenders are the best hosts any restaurant could ever ask for. A plethora of choice to make any evening a night to remember. Joe, Arturo, Anthony, Chris, Brendan, we thank you for making everyone so welcome. The food is fantastic. When it's hot outside, come into BaBaloo! read more

Found this place via Help and recommended by the resort we stayed at. Great live music and a nice booth for great conversation. The food was awesome and the service was top notch. read more

BaBaLoo Lounge - Our meal selections - Cuban Near Me - Palm Desert, California

Great food and great live music. Highly recommend. Service was very good as well. The booths are super fun and comfy too.

Amazing food! Wanted to order everything. My husband and I enjoyed the top sirloin, calamari fries, chicharrones, stuffed mushrooms, and the duck fat fries. Amazing! Cocktail was great as well. I enjoyed the Manhattan twice...yum. Definitely will return. read more

First and foremost - thank you Chris for accommodating my meet up group in less than 24 hours notice, when my other venue "couldn't find my reservation". Knowing that we wanted dinner and to dance, you placed us in a great spot. In addition, once we got there, you took on meeting our service needs with your colleague Brendan. I am very appreciative! The food was excellent. I had the poke bowl and fried calamari. Also want to give a shout out to the two bartenders who took our orders before we were seated. Great Mojito and Espresso Martini! Loved the sound of the band, St Steelwood. They had everybody on the dance floor. Thank you everyone for a great evening - well had an excellent time. Definitely will be back! read more

Everything was great. Really appreciate this place. We will be back again. Brunch and cocktails was very delicious. read more

BaBaLoo Lounge - Fam - Cuban Near Me - Palm Desert, California

Great ambience, menu selection was good, food tasted good, service was good, the only down side was the food could have been served hotter. It was lukewarm when it arrived to our table. read more

Went in about 2:00 today (Saturday) and stood around for at least 10 minutes or more. I even used the bathroom and no one acknowledged me as I walked through the restaurant. While my wife was waiting for me at the hostess station she never received any offer to be seated while I was gone. I watched the construction in front, watched and tried to get the bartenders attention. No hostess. I never saw a waiter. No nothing!! So we left and for grins read the reviews. Wow what an eye opener! The owner appears to be extremely arrogant Glad you didn't get my business with all the negativity going on. Good luck and we will see what is in there next time we drive by. read more

Have Ryan make you a Mule! Every drink he made us was fabulous, but his Mules were the best! Fun night with St. Andrew's Fire playing! Everyone had a great time! read more

Love the decor here. It's such a fun place with a very classy environment. The food is great. I ordered the Peruvian beef saltado not once but twice! (It was so good) The fried plantains called Maduros were excellent. I drink the non alcoholic at Paulie girl. And my husband likes the Bernardino co Lysol. read more

See all

This place is amazing. If you are in the palm desert area this place is a must visit. Music played during our stay by the pianist was awesome. The hospitality by our server was exceptional. Thank you Josie. Jonathan, owner's son, is a great host and talking to all the guests to ensure they are satisfied with everything. The appetisers and our food were amazing beyond our expectations. Now the drinks from the bar is wow . Thank you to the bartender for the mojitos and cafe colada. Five stars !!! read more

See all

Loved the entire experience. Entertainment began with a wonderful piano player followed by a talented band playing a wide variety of fun and well known dance and soul music. The best part is that it wasn't too loud and we could still interact with one another while listening or dancing! The food was a great value and delicious. At our table we shared a couple appetizers, had four entrees, and a dessert. It was all plentiful and yummy. Most impressive was the staff. We were well taken care of and felt like family the entire evening. Thank you to server, Amy (I think that was her name) and bartender, Artie. You were both professional and personal. Artie made a killer jalapeño margarita! Great job, we will be back! read more

My first time here! Food was so flavorful!! Staff was attentive. The atmosphere was comfortable and energetic. Building needs some repairs. read more

See all

My girl and I live in San Diego and we like going to PS about 4-5 times a year. We like to check out different restaurants and bars each time we go. We ventured out to Palm desert and went to check out Babaloo for the first time. So glad we did. This place had an amazing vibe, great service, tasty drinks and yummy food. I ordered the spicy mango habanero margarita oh man it had a spicy delicious kick to it. One of the best margaritas I've ever had. Michael our waiter/bartender was awesome. Everything he recommended was amazing and delicious. Their ceviche was super delicious and their fried rice was amazing. They also have live music with a small dance floor which was so much fun. If you're visiting PS you definitely need to come here. If you're a local you need to come here and support this business and make it your local hangout. The bar area is spacious and super cool. We will be back! read more

I do not like writing bad reviews, but this was a one and done for us and we are full time residents here in the desert. We have been coming to the desert for over 35 years before moving here full time 4 years ago, and we have seen so many restaurants come and go. This a small community, especially in the summer, and any restaurant with just OK food and very SLOW service will eventually just fade away. After waiting almost an hour to order, and there were only about 10 tables with customers. My Cubano was just Ok, nothing great, but i have had much better, living in Los Angeles. Also, i did not realize (and was not told) that the tip was include in the bill, and tipped on top. My Bad, but that sealed the deal for me. If they can change there business model and give better service, then they will make it. We will see if they are still here in 2024 read more

Bad sewer smell. Need to get rid of foul smell out door and indoor eating areas. Good food, good entertainment and good ambiance but the smell of sewer is disgusting. read more

Nice restaurant and ambiance. The food was good but not great. Don't think we'll be coming back though.

We had the pleasure of trying many different items on the menu. Everything was truly mouthwatering...from the duck wings, to the fried calamari, fried artichokes, the lamb lollipops, El Malecon, the chicken saltado, and maduros. It was all so unbelievably delicious. All of the appetizers and meals were cooked fresh and seasoned to perfection. The mojitos were also delicious...my personal fave being the watermelon mojito. I LOVED LOVED the chicken saltado!! It's always been one of my Peruvian personal faves!! And the maduros with ice cream...Mmm!!! Definitely drool worthy!! Hats off to the Chef, as well as all of the BaBaLoo employees!! They were friendly and attentive, but they allowed us to have a nice and intimate dining experience. We will definitely be returning soon to try more delicious dishes!! Thank you, thank you!! read more

See all

I make reservations every month for a large ladies luncheon group. Everyone requires separate checks and it can be kind of a hassle for servers. Last Monday our group of 10 ladies had lunch and Emy was our server. I got there a bit early to find the most beautiful table situated in a lovely spot in the restaurant. Emy was so patient, explaining the menu to some of us girls and she took extra care to make sure our experience was stellar. I ordered the Ahi Poki dish and some of the girls ordered sandwiches & fries. Everyone was so happy with the entrees and the great service. It's definitely a spot I will visit, especially with the evening live music. Great job, Emy! Its employees like Emy that make Babaloo Lounge such a terrific place to visit! read more

Fantastic. Our server Bryan knew everything about the menu and all about the area. He suggested the cubano and I highly recommend it just ask for a box on the way out. Bryan even ran out to the car to bring me my phone because I forgot it at the table. Would come back just for him. read more

So glad I was able to visit the Babaloo restaurant and Lounge. A Cuban and Peruvian restaurant with Live great entertainment! Food was delicious! The Aji de Gallina was delicious and very filling. Awesome drinks! Great ambiance. Reservations to dine in the lounge area is required. Very busy restaurant. The staff was friendly and often checks on you. Near El Paseo Distric and to the Shops at El Paseo. I'm definitely coming back. read more

See all