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    Kitchen In the Desert Cafe

    3.7 (1.4k reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM

    Kitchen In the Desert Cafe Photos

    KITCHEN IN THE DESERT CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Kitchen In the Desert Cafe

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    Marcos R.

    Having traveled extensively this past month and eaten at our fair share of restaurants, this experience unfortunately missed the mark when it came to service. Our waiter, Andrew, spoke proudly about the impressive restaurants he had previously worked at -- I believe I even heard Nobu mentioned -- which raised our expectations for attentive hospitality. Sadly, that level of experience never really made its way to our table. Simple things like refilling waters, checking in, or asking if we'd like another cocktail never happened after our initial interaction. It genuinely felt like we were forgotten for most of the evening, which was disappointing considering the caliber of restaurant this aims to be. Thankfully, the food itself helped redeem the experience, and the rest of the staff we encountered were warm and pleasant. Because of that, we're willing to give it another try tomorrow and are hopeful for a better overall experience next time.

    Shakshouka
    Katie J.

    Visited Kitchen in the Desert on the weekend for their brunch, and it was a lovely experience! We sat inside due to the heat, which unfortunately had a lot of flies buzzing around the table. Otherwise though, this was a great experience. We really liked the shakshouka, especially paired with the sour dough. I thought the tortilla de patata was fine - I enjoyed it, but it could have used more flavor / "brava" sauce. Service was attentive and helpful with recommendations. I'd love to go back when the weather cools down and enjoy the beautiful outdoor seating area.

    Branzino
    Diamond B.

    Really really good. I came here with a big group so it took a while to get seated, but there was a decent sized TV lounge that helped us pass the time. Once seated, my friend also took a while to arrive, so minus one for that. However, everything was delicious. The matcha martini had enough matcha taste without being powdery, and was good enough to be chugged (which I had to resist). Food was really good too. The steak had a great flavor and was paired with a really yummy pepper sauce. Branzino was really good too. Would recommend!

    Chimichurri Steak
    Noemi S.

    I can't say enough good things about this place! My husband and I went out to Joshua Tree for my birthday weekend and this was a last minute find for a birthday dinner. I'm so happy we found this gem. Make sure to have reservations, as the night progressed I realized how popular it is and for good reason. The ambience is amazing at night when the lights are on it has a beautiful atmosphere. They curate everything perfectly. Our waiter was so kind, very knowledgeable on everything we ordered and shared that the chef was Jamaican which was such a neat surprise. The drinks were strong and still delicious. We ordered Brussel sprouts, broccolini, Jerk Chicken and Chimichurri Steak. Everything was incredible. If you're ever in the area I highly recommend for an unforgettable meal and experience. Will definitely return even if it's not on my birthday!

    Gambas Al Ajillo
    Melody L.

    If you're looking for a spot that perfectly captures that high-desert magic, Kitchen in the Desert is it. It truly feels like you're dining out in the wild, but with a much more elevated touch. We had a reservation for a large group of 13 people, and sitting outdoors was definitely the move. While they do have indoor seating, the outdoor atmosphere is unmatched, especially since the weather was absolutely perfect for us. We did dinner tapas style, which worked out great for a big crowd. To make sharing easy, we ordered two of every dish for each side of the table so everyone got a taste of everything. The food was fantastic, but the layout of the place is what really makes it an experience. They have a bar area, and there are even some cute stores right around the restaurant to browse if you want to do a little shopping before or after your meal. They even have a photobooth, which was such a fun addition for the group. Between the decor, the open air, and the great service, it was a total vibe.

    Our reservation confirmation.
    Marii G.

    The pictures of the food looked amazing, so we decided to dine here for one of our friend's birthdays. We made a reservation for Sunday night at 8:15 PM and arrived exactly on time. We were greeted by a little lady who directed our group of 4 to the waiting area just around the corner. It was a decent waiting area with couches, and behind us were some pool tables. It was also a very windy night, which made it uncomfortable. I assumed they were just cleaning a table, preparing it, or maybe running 10 minutes behind since it wasn't super busy. WRONG. We waited almost an hour!! If we hadn't questioned why other people were getting seated before us, I honestly think we'd still be waiting TODAY. We finally asked another group if they were waiting for a table, and they said no. So we asked the little lady how much longer. Her response was, "I didn't know where you were, we sent a text a while ago??!!" YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHERE WE WERE AFTER YOU TOLD US TO GO SIT IN YOUR WAITING AREA?! She finally took us to our table with an attitude. Our server was great and very friendly. She mentioned this is a made-to-order restaurant and that the owner, who is also the chef, is from Trinidad. I was really excited to try his flavors and dishes. I had the chimichurri steak, and the sauces were amazing, but my appetite was ruined by the lack of hospitality. Our food arrived a little after 9:55 PM. Honestly, I would want to try the restaurant again because I feel cheated by the service. I'm not sure if our server knew about our waiting experience because she apologized several times. Would I try it again? Maybe. Maybe I should try their brunch instead.

    Jerk Chicken
    Rebecca S.

    Three stars - entrée pricing for tapas portions We ordered the lamb, the shrimp, and the jerk chicken. Although the flavors of the dishes were unique and tasty, the lamb was overdone, the shrimp felt boiled and the sections of chicken we got felt like it was a random piece of the back, no leg thighs or breast, more like the back shoulder of the chicken. What bothered us the most were the prices. For tapas portions the pricing should've been less. For example the shrimp was nearly $30 and all you got was five tiny pieces of shrimp and sauce. We wanted dessert, but we had a hard time wrapping our heads around a $17 slice of Keylime pie. I was also sad that their menu rotates often, I had my heart set on the deep-fried Oreos that were all over yelp, but they do not make them anymore. The ambience, however, was awesome, great music that fit the nighttime desert vibe. I would highly suggest coming here for drinks, but probably not dinner.

    Brunch spread
    Amber H.

    This was our third time here in the span of two weeks! We fell in love with this place from the first time. We went at night and sat outside! What a great and unique atmosphere! I love the desert/military chic vibe. I I love that all of the staff are fans of the food as well! It says a lot! So far we had the pleasure of being waited on from Catt, Monique & Rossella! They were truly alll amazing and passionate about the cuisine! Every one had great personalities and really took the time to explain the food and the background of it! I love the eclectic style of furniture and art they have displayed! The food is to die for! There is so much depth of flavor!!! Everything we have had has been phenomenal!!!! You literally cannot be disappointed, especially if you appreciate the quality of good food! You can tell there is care and attention behind each plate! Also, now Matcha Martinis have become my new obsession, thanks to this restaurant! It's truly amazing, so light and smooth with the perfect amount of foam and sweetness! Definitely always a pleasure supporting this business! They do fantastic work here! This is a must visit spot in the desert

    Lamb
    Kayla J.

    The ambiance was perfect and I was in shock that this place existed. Such a nice surprise. I ordered the lamb, a summer salad and a margarita. The outside seating area is so cute. I wish I could eat here every day! The food was delicious and the service was fantastic. I look forward to coming back for my birthday.

    Rashi T.

    There are bad dining experiences, and then there is this. Highly unrecommended. We were a large party that arrived around dinner time and were told there would be a wait, which is understandable when seating a big group. We were asked to wait outside and order drinks if we wanted, which a couple of us did. Unfortunately, the experience quickly went downhill. The staff was rude, and one of them got into a verbal argument with our friend after automatically adding a 20% gratuity on top of what he tipped to the drinks. Only two of us had ordered drinks while waiting outside, so adding a large-party gratuity felt unreasonable. It would have been different if we had been seated and the entire group was dining, but this felt like penalizing two people simply because they arrived as part of a larger group. From that point onward, the service continued to deteriorate and it completely dampened the mood for the evening. The biggest disappointment, however, was the food. I'm not exaggerating when I say this was some of the worst food I've had all year. The lamb chops were still frozen in the center, the vegetables were undercooked, and at one point the server even turned the heater down where we were sitting, seemingly out of spite. Not surprising ours was the only table that had a "bad heater" To say we were frustrated would be an understatement. It's especially unfortunate because the place itself is beautiful and has a very inviting atmosphere. We had driven quite a long way to come here and left utterly disappointed. The management really needs to invest in better staff training because the experience fell far short of what the setting promises.

    Us with carrot cake and fresh flowers!
    Michael M.

    Truly a gem in the desert. We experienced it for the first time as our daughter and son-in-law took us there our 30th wedding anniversary. Great location, wonderful people and atmosphere! My smash burger was yummy, wife's bacon and eggs were delicious and the service was excellent! Awesome place to enjoy a special occasion. Will return!

    Sophie O.

    Came here for my friends birthday and it was all of our first time. It was warm this particular weekend and if you're seated outside, I say be weary especially while ordering drinks! They don't have any sodas which was a bummer if you're craving a crisp coke for the heat. But our waiter was on top of refilling our waters. I ordered the smash burger and it was delicious but unfortunately they don't serve fries with the order. Everything was pretty pricey for what you get but I will say you should try it. As all things in Joshua Tree, I say come and try it out, it is beautiful!

    Dania J.

    Kitchen in the Desert was hands down my favorite restaurant during my brief stay in Joshua Tree. The food was delicious, hearty, and clearly made with love. When I found out the chef was Trinidadian, I already knew we were in for something good. We shared the jerk chicken and lamb pops, along with sides of brussels sprouts and coconut rice, and we demolished every single bite. Everything was incredibly flavorful and perfectly prepared. For dessert, we finished with a slice of pear and salted caramel cream pie which was absolutely delicious. Their ice cream was vegan and nondairy, and you could barely taste the difference. Such a treat. The service was also wonderful. Our server checked in on us frequently, made sure we were comfortable and warm by ensuring the space heaters were working, and even provided blankets. The level of care and hospitality truly elevated the entire experience.

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    Kitchen In the Desert Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Kitchen In the Desert Cafe

    We're traveling with a dog. Can we bring him to the outdoor seating area?

    Yes, dogs are allowed. I was there early June 2025 and we had a dog with us in the outdoor dining area.

    Is the restaurant pet friendly?

    Yes, well mannered pets are always welcome to co-enjoy the patio and courtyard dinning areas. Pets must keep their owners on a leash.

    Which items are vegan or can be made vegan?

    Hello Rachel, Thank you… Read more

    This restaurant need to update their Yelp because it is completely different did it get purchased?

    If you’re referring to kitchen in the desert. The answer is no we haven’t been purchased. In fact we’re open 6 days a week at 6427 Mesquite in 29 palms.

    Closed for good?

    Which one are you asking about? The original restaurant in the back of the mobile station is closed; and moved to 6427 Mesquite Ave, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277. Last time I… Read more

    View All 8 Questions

    Tac/Quila

    Tac/Quila

    4.4
    (3k reviews)
    35.5 mi
    $$

    This place was such a hit for our group of 7 girls! We were in PS for a friends 40th birthday and…read morewanted somewhere with fun vibes, great food, and awesome service. This place hit the bar on all three of those pillars. We sat outside and a few of us ordered the margarita flight, while a few others ordered other cocktails. They were all really enjoyable and well balanced. We asked our server for his favorite thing on the menu and he suggested the steak plate and one other dish. The next person who came to our table also suggested the steak plate and ahi taco. 3-4 of us ended up ordering the steak plate, one ordered the quesabirria tacos. The elotes street corn was absolutely delicious. The sour cream on top just really sent it over the edge, the best I've ever had. Their flan was also exceptional. I'm not typically a fan of flan, but this one was really good. Top notch! Everyone absolutely loved their dish. The steak plate was absolutely wonderful. Steak was cooked to perfection, and the grilled onion was so good. The guacamole was flavorful, and it all went really nicely with the tortillas and other accoutrements. We had a great time and enjoyed amazing food. Highly, highly recommend. Pretty much all the girls agreed at the end of the weekend that this had been our favorite spot.

    I rarely leave a 3-star review, but I want to start by saying the staff and food were genuinely…read moreamazing. This review is more about the maintenance and conditions of the parklet seating area. My friends and I visited on a Sunday evening around 6:30pm. It wasn't peak season and it was about 100°F outside. Since we didn't have reservations, we were told we could only be seated in the outdoor parklet area. Another group of six arrived shortly after us and was visibly upset about the same situation and ultimately left, but we decided to stay and give it a try. Unfortunately, the parklet itself felt unsafe. My heel got stuck between the floorboards and several sections of the flooring were lifted. I nearly fell but caught myself by landing on an empty chair. The staff were very kind and helped me remove my shoe, which I appreciated. However, the outdoor setup made the dining experience very uncomfortable. We were constantly dealing with flies around our food, and no fans or coverings were provided to help with the heat or food exposure. Additionally there was a piece of hair on my friend's nachos. It was difficult to enjoy the meal in those conditions. As for the food, we ordered nachos and a carne asada plate with drinks, and while the food itself was good, the environment made it hard to enjoy it fully. The bill came out to nearly $150, and given the conditions, it felt disappointing. I would strongly recommend management: * Address the unsafe and uneven parklet flooring * Improve outdoor dining comfort (fans, pest control, etc.) * Allow indoor seating when space is available, especially in extreme heat The staff and food were great, but the dining environment needs attention to match the price point and quality of the kitchen.

    Photos
    Seating Area
    Seating Area
    Margarita Flight
    Margarita Flight
    Carne Asada Street Taco
 $24.00
 With guacamole and pico de gallo, in a house made corn tortilla.

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    Carne Asada Street Taco $24.00 With guacamole and pico de gallo, in a house made corn tortilla.
    La Quinta Cliffhouse

    La Quinta Cliffhouse

    4.0
    (1.7k reviews)
    32.3 mi
    $$$

    The location is interesting. Be careful on the stairs going up they were wet from the waterfall. We…read moredid not have a reservation but were seated promptly at a high top table near the bar. The server was fast and friendly. We ordered the stuffed dates and the burrata. The olive tapenade with the burrata was so tasty. We practically licked the bowl clean. We quickly ran out of the little toasts but ate the olives with the arugula from the medjool dates. For mains we order a half order of the short ribs and the prawn pasta. The prawns were pretty large. The pasta was a little too al dente for me and the sauce had a very strong wine taste that got old pretty quickly. The short rib was so tender and flavorful, but the Brussels were also just a tad too rare. Overall it was a nice meal but kinda pricey for two people for the dishes to not be perfect.

    2.5 stars. La…read moreQuinta Cliffhouse was recommended to me for dinner, but I won't pass on the same bad advice. The Prawn Pasta ($39) I ordered was bland to the point of being inedible. I erroneously assumed spaghetti flavored with garlic, white wine, butter, herbs, & preserved lemon would be delicious. Large, tough (& again, tasteless) prawns topped the bowl of noodles that seem to stick together from a lack of sauce. Our gracious waitress removed the dish from our bill after seeing it had barely been touched. Her efforts did not go unnoticed; we generously tipped her for taking the initiative to rectify an unsatisfactory situation. We sat on the covered patio facing the giant rock formation; a unique dining experience, but one that felt Disney-ish rather than elegant. La Quinta Cliffhouse gets a hard pass from me.

    Photos
    La Quinta Cliffhouse
    La Quinta Cliffhouse
    La Quinta Cliffhouse

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    La Fe Wine Bar

    La Fe Wine Bar

    4.6
    (233 reviews)
    34.3 mi
    $$

    We found this place looking for a happy hour to take out friend too that was coming into town. From…read morethe menu, it looked and sounded great. Wine bar doesn't open till 5 which was when happy hour started. For the first hour, they had wine, well drinks and draft beer. A few small plates also offered. It's a wine and tapas bar. It's along El Paseo before you hit the main shopping area, depending on which way you come. Entrance has a nice wall created by ficus trees and mister spraying to keep you cool. There's a decent patio with a good amount of seating. Inside is where the party is. The place is set with two seating area. Right when you walk in is the bar. A good amount of hi top seating and tables. Hi top seating that are along the window were actually very uncomfortable. Padded seats were so narrow that seating was so uncomfortable but oh well. There's the other room seating area which houses all the wine on shelves. I believe it's also a wine store but that sectioned was closed for a private event. We just wanted a drink before dinner so no food was had. From the looks of the dishes that were coming out, they looked really nice. Tapas style dishes made for sharing. With happy hour, there was a couple dishes that was included. Also they offered a deal with a charcuterie board and a bottle included. We just went with a glass of their house red and white. And an order of spicy margaritas. It's a full bar so that was nice. Margaritas were great and house wine was decent. The service was great with the bartender who was a doll and very sweet. Made drinks and still had time to come check out on people. It was still early but it did pick up for happy hour which is from 5-6 right when they open. The place was quite nice and well decorated. Beautiful wine bar that's great for mingling with friends over food drinks and tapas. Will definitely be back for some food.

    Didn't hate it but didn't love it. It's a pretty large space. We caught a very good music set in…read morethe back room, and the cocktails and red wine selections were good. But the meat and cheese board was really weak. Very ordinary selections that I could get at any supermarket. And all for a hefty price.

    Photos
    "Wall of Wines" and people having a great time!
    "Wall of Wines" and people having a great time!
    Truffle flatbread
    Truffle flatbread
    Good selection of wines.

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    Good selection of wines.

    Kitchen In the Desert Cafe - caribbean - Updated July 2026

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