My stepfather has always told me that ground squirrels weren't good eatin' but this place proves…read morehim wrong! My husband and I came here while on vacation (after spending the day in Joshua Tree National Park). We chose it based on the good reviews and it lived up to expectations. We started with the fries, which stayed nice and crispy (I suggest you follow the server's recommendation and get the habanero sauce so you can double dip in that and the ketchup). I had the delicious Dank House salad. It sounded like an odd combination of flavors (with Brussels sprouts, beets, apples, blue cheese and horseradish dressing) but it all works! Genius! My husband had the rotating chicken sando which was Korean bbq inspired and had amazing flavor! We also had a couple of the local beers on tap. It's kind of a quirky place. Has a little bit of a diner feel on the inside but had a DJ playing music on Saturday evening, which provided some good background music and added to the ambiance without being too loud. The bartender and servers were all very friendly and helpful. If we lived here, this would be a weekly hang out spot for us!

Visited Grnd Sqrl on the recommendation of our friend who has been living in 29 Palms. It's pretty…read morehip - somehow very granola while still having a lot of neon. Good vibes. And a live band! The food is well executed bar food, with good vegetarian options. Had some soup and a grilled cheese.

We tripped over this place on a random trip to Joshua Tree. We are so glad we did!…read moreGreat dive bar. Locals were friendly, bartenders were professional and efficient. Wifey was dressed to impress. Not only was she accepted but was encouraged! Really a fun evening, we'll be back!

I went to this place on a recent mini vacation to Joshua Tree. I wanted some local color, and I did…read morenot want to visit the spots for tourists. I wanted to clink glasses with locals who could tell me about the fun and flaw of growing up in a small town. And I figured that local dive bars would allow me to check off my hopes. Plus, the word on the street was that the Virginian was a local haunt for marines. I wanted to party with marines. Spoiler alert: I did--and it added an extra layer of crisp and pop to my night. On my first night, I went there, by my lonesome, and I was surprised to know that it was a cash-only establishment. This worked to my favor because I did not want to drink too much and then go to my hotel. I did not aim to get a DUI, I just wanted to have fun. When I go alone to a bar, I have a primary objective: to find friends to drink with and talk to. Especially on vacation, I wanted to find an experience that would lead me to a "hangover-like night." I know it might be impossible, for sure, but that does not impede me from trying. And when one tries, one might be successful. I was. I went to put my name on the chalkboard to eventually play pool. I gathered around the others who were waiting for pool. I quickly made friends with a marine. He was not the marine I had my eye on, but he was the one who entertained my advances. Soon after, we went to the bar to get him a drink. One for me too. We were getting shots. The wait was long-loving for it gave him and me the opportunity to connect. Let's call him Lalo. He told me about life as a marine. I told him about my life. He told me that he had found a girl--now his fiancée--on an app called Chispa. Basically, a dating app for Latinx people. I did not think he had found a fiancée, but rather a person he could fall in love with. He was young, you see, and love for marriage seems to be a long game best played by those who are at least in their mid-twenties. Regardless, I will root for those two crazy kids. As we drank and grew closer, Lalo and I just became friendlier and friendlier, which led to friendly hugs. On one particular long and gripping hug, I uttered, "This feels so nice, Lalo." His reply was, "I am glad, Frankie, I am glad." My chosen name is Frankie. His words comforted me because they sounded sincere, and words I had not heard before, within this context. Here in the middle of a desert, I had found comfort in the arms of a marine. I never thought I would, but like I said, I tried, and I was happy to be successful. Soon one of his friends came and requested to leave. Lalo did. I was irked. I wanted him to stay with me for a few more drinks at the Virginian. It did not happen. I got lucky, but my luck did not extend the night. But I did get lucky the next night. I went again after my day at Joshua Tree. It was a Saturday night. The place was full but not so full that it was overwhelming. I saw three young men sitting. There was a stool next to one. They had the build and essence of marines. So, I sat next to one. And again, I made a quick friend. He was from South Dakota. I can't remember his name, so let's call him James. James introduced me to his two friends. One was from the same town I grew up in. Happy coincidence. James and I spoke. He was kind enough to get me a glass of water. The service of the armed forces rings high and small. They were taking shots, one after the other, without restraint. One of James's friends stepped outside and puked. The bartender reprimanded them. He gave them a mop to clean their own mess. Wow, this would not happen in an LA bar, I thought. The marines were put to work. James took the mop and finished for his friend. The bartender inspected the mess and green-lit for them to go. Again, I wanted a marine to stay for my own selfish needs. He did not. He grew and gave me a smile as he went. This bar is a local haunt, but great for visitors. So, if you go to Joshua Tree or a nearby town, don't be shy and stop in here for local color. I got to see small-town vibes at play. It was great, and I met my own personal goal of partying with marines. The Virginian may not be sophisticated, but it is a place to have fun and engage in a way that feels homey yet exciting. Please remember it is cash only but it has ATMs. If you use credit cards, to get by at times, then skip this place.

Stephen, the owner was very informative and friendly regarding inquiry of the selections at the…read moreshop. The shop was pristine and clean Lots of great cd options, tons of great vinyl with many different genres and a lot more cassette tapes than I expected with very affordable price points. I will definitely be back!

White Label has some of the best selections in the desert, lots of options for a beginner collector…read moreto a niche music nerd. I stop here any chance I get! They're always so friendly and helpful. Prices are super fair also! Thanks for keeping analog alive

Rasta Rita was the perfect place for our 70-person wedding reception! Who doesn't love…read moreall-you-can-eat tacos and margaritas? The food was absolutely fantastic, the atmosphere was fun and lively, and it was the perfect place to celebrate, dance, and party with all of our family and friends. The staff was incredibly welcoming and made everyone feel right at home. TJ, one of the bartenders, was amazing, and working with Mario throughout the planning process was seamless. He was so accommodating, easy to communicate with, and helped bring our vision to life. Everything came together exactly as we had hoped. The only thing I would mention is to make sure your contract and invoices clearly outlines all fees, especially the 20% administration fee. It wasn't reflected on our invoices until the day after the event, so it came as an unexpected surprise. It didn't take away from what was an incredible celebration, but it's definitely something future couples should clarify upfront. Overall, we had an amazing experience and would absolutely recommend Rasta Rita to anyone looking for a fun, relaxed, and unforgettable wedding reception venue!

We had the best experience here! The food was amazing--our guests are still talking about it…read more Mario, Ken, and TJ were absolutely incredible and made everything feel so easy and stress-free. Communication was super smooth from start to finish, and the whole day ran perfectly. We couldn't be happier with how everything turned out! I would do it over and over again!

Best tiny bookshop in a long while. Pitch perfect with a small faded sign/ homemade letters. The…read moreselection is literature, history, agriculture, business. The woman was super friendly. Come and peruse the walls. Nifty as heck. Free stuff in front outside! Rebel says: 5

Stacked to the rafters with used books. Especially strong on science fiction, mysteries, and…read morethrillers.

The only DJ spin in 29 Palms, there's a outdoor patio, I think they used to have pizza catering on…read moreFriday, I'm not sure if they're still doing that. There's Sunday brunch all you can eat taco.

Very friendly staff, great service, yummy drinks, and such a cool vibe! I love that there is an…read moreoutdoor patio as well.

Good pizza lunch special. Bomb ranch and nice clean atmosphere. Looking forward to going backread more

Always great. Never miss an opportunity to go. Friendly staff. Small antipasta and Rocky's Small…read morepizza is my go too.

Great little place and Dan is awesome. If you need your balls drilled or anything like that, he's…read morethe man! We had couple of balls drilled at Empire Bowl in Redlands. We had to take them to Danny to fix because the guy at Empire drooled both thumb holes 2 sizes too big. Danny took the time to measure and make it just perfect. We will only go to Bowladium from now on!!

Went here for fun with my boyfriend during our trip to Joshua Tree and we loved the experience…read more Also brought in our own bowling balls (because what type of bowler are you if you dont bring your bowling bags everywhere lol) and there was no problem with the lanes. Went during a less busy time so no wait needed. The guy in the counter was very nice as well. Customer service was great. It's one of the smaller lanes that we've encountered but the place was in great shape.

The food was amazing! It has a Caribbean style to it. Pictured here are the chicken jerky, the…read morechimichurri and coconut rice. shareable plate style so don't expect one plate to have it all. They also have alcoholic beverages that were really good (I stuck to the basic Margarita) The service was amazing and the ambience is great however, if you go there be prepared to sit in some places that have sun! Parking* just park across in the dirt area.

Everything was kind of just alright. Would rate 2.5…read more The location is really cute but the playing is interesting. When you sit you already have small plates and things at the table which makes sense for indoors but with the desert setting there was sand everywhere. The tables were also covered in sand which obviously isn't their fault but you would think it would be wiped and set before seating. The fresh drinks were imo the best part by far. They were so delicious and like I said very fresh. The kale salad was alright not really much flavor and weirdly soggy. The beet salad was incredible but definitely NOT enough to share considering everything is served family style (and especially with the price). Burger was alright, my sister had this and said "nothing stood out". Again not enough to be considered "family style". With everything being $30-$40 with recommended 4-5 plates per table with family style I would assume they would actually be shareable sizes. Service was good. Our waitress was amazing and so knowledgeable about the menu. The only thing is there was an older woman as hostess who was kind of just there? She said hi and got to the point but no one said bye or have a good night when we were leaving other than our waitress.

After a long day desert wandering, we spent an evening at 29 Palms Inn Restaurant, and the whole…read moreplace carries this calm, grounded energy that makes you instinctively lower your voice a notch and settle in. The restaurant itself is simple and inviting, understated in the best way. We didn't have reservations, so we sat at the bar, despite several empty tables giving us that "maybe we could have gambled" feeling. Still, the bar turned out to be a good perch for the evening. Kristin, if I caught her name correctly, was running the universe behind that bar. Mixing drinks, serving dinner, managing patrons, and somehow still staying friendly through it all. Watching bartenders during dinner rushes always feels a little like witnessing Olympic-level multitasking. I was especially excited to order the hearts of palm cakes because hearts of palm were a staple in my childhood home. Sadly, they were out of them. A small heartbreak occurred. I survived bravely. Roadtrip mode had fully turned us into tapas people by then, so we ordered a spread of appetizers and a salad to share. The Inn's famous sautéed mushrooms absolutely deserved their reputation, buttery, garlicky, lemony little flavor bombs. The toasted ravioli with house marinara disappeared quickly, the beet and orange salad was fresh and balanced, and the falafel bites were tasty, though I personally would have loved them just a bit crispier. I enjoyed a couple of Old Fashioneds, and the live music that evening was genuinely excellent. The woman performing had one of those voices that makes you stop mid-bite for a second just to listen. Not bad company for dinner. The only thing I wish they'd improve is accessibility. The atmosphere is wonderfully peaceful, but a bit more consideration for guests with mobility challenges would go a long way in making that peace more inclusive. Overall, we really enjoyed our evening. Good food, good music, strong cocktails, desert night air, and that slow-roadtrip feeling where nobody's in a hurry anymore.

So glad we found this place once we were finishing our afternoon at Joshua Tree (near the north…read moreentrance). This was one of our best and most satisfying meals in the area. Attached to the Twenty Nine Palms Inn, the restaurant offered more options for different eaters: a few salads, burgers, specialties and sandwiches. High marks for the grunt burger, Porto burger, and fish tacos (not huge) and the oasis bowl was good. Prices were also not exorbitant, likely because the sandwiches and burgers didn't come with sides. They have both indoor and covered outdoor seating. We thought the service would be slow as we sat outside and seated ourselves but it wasn't bad. The server was nice; when our side orders were forgotten at first, it was quickly rectified when we pointed it out. The bathroom was clean and had adequate aeration. They close 4 and 5 pm, between lunch and dinner. It was quiet when we arrived which was a nice respite.