New American Restaurants near La Quinta, CA

“First time her since they reopened and I cant say enough good things.
The bartender made an outstanding cesar! Very hard to get in Canada but nailed it here.
Service was outstanding and food followed suit.
Its a must try“

“The "5 Sisters" that originated from Michigan, meet once a year in California... The California sister and her husband treated us to the Lavender Bistro for Valentines Day. We were met at the door with long stem roses and seated promptly in the outdoor patio. So beautiful, every tree limb was lit up, the waitstaff was very attentive and kind. The Brick walls were lined with blooming bougainvillea, couldn't have been more perfect. The "Set" Menu had something for every taste. Our appetizers and meals were delicious. The 4-piece dessert was a real treat!! I can't wait to visit again!! Thank you Lavender Bistro!!!“

“Wanted to send a shout out to the La Quinta Cliffhouse for their generosity and kindness towards us Veterans on Veterans Day. While some establishments offer a free trinket or something on Veterans Day, the Cliffhouse offered Vets a complete dinner at absolutely no cost. If members of the Military and/or Veterans are important to you, please patronize the La Quinta Cliffhouse in the near future. They care and are the best.“

“This place was absolutely great. Steve our server was super friendly and the food was spot on. Will definitely come back again.“

“Thursday morning. Meeting at 10AM. Coffee first, obviously.

Somebody suggested Louise’s Pantry and honestly… from the outside I almost missed it. Looks more like offices than a breakfast place. Just a sign on the building and that’s about it. I probably drove past it before and never even noticed.

Then you walk in and the whole feeling changes immediately.

Noise. Coffee cups clanking. Older locals talking across tables. Servers flying around the room somehow without making the place feel stressful. Real breakfast spot energy. Not “designed for Instagram” energy. Big difference.

I told the hostess I was waiting for somebody for a business meeting and needed a minute before sitting down. She instantly got it and put us in a quieter corner away from the middle of the room. Small thing, but honestly that already told me enough about this place.

People here pay attention.

And somehow they managed that balance that almost nobody gets right anymore. Nobody bothered us every five minutes, nobody interrupted conversations, nobody hovered around pretending to be attentive. But every single time the coffee got low, somebody appeared. I stopped counting after maybe the fifth refill.

That kind of service is disappearing everywhere now.

Food came out fast. Huge portions too. Not fake “brunch aesthetic” portions where you leave hungry and take photos of flowers on the plate. Real breakfast.

The French toast was honestly ridiculous in the best way. Thick slices, powdered sugar everywhere, crispy edges, bacon on the side. Looked like the kind of breakfast you see in old American movies where somebody’s dad reads the newspaper at the kitchen table. Hard to explain, but yeah… it had that feeling.

The biscuits and gravy with hash browns completely finished me after that. Good way. Heavy breakfast. Comfortable breakfast. I already knew halfway through there was no chance I was finishing everything there.

First time in a while I actually packed food to go.

What surprised me most though wasn’t even the food. It was how relaxed the whole place felt. Nobody trying too hard. Nobody acting trendy. No fake “modern brunch culture” vibe. Just people doing their jobs properly and making customers feel welcome.

Breakfast for two ended up around $57 before tip. Honestly fair. Especially for California at this point.

I’ll 100% come back here.

Not because it’s the fanciest breakfast spot in the desert. It’s not.

It just feels real. And lately that’s becoming weirdly hard to find.“

“Staff is so helpful and fun to be with, the cocktails are wonderful and wine is lovely, and the food choices are incredible!“

“Had the most incredible meal at this restaurant has definitely become my favorite. You have to try this restaurant out it will become your favorite as well.“

“Took our neighbors for their 40th anniversary. Even though they’ve lived in the valley for multiple decades, they had never been there (which is what I had hoped so as to surprise them). Took us newbies (less than 3 years) to introduce them to one of the valley’s hidden gems. They were captivated and very impressed and appreciative of their dining experience at this lovely setting. Each of us had a different entree and everyone was super pleased with their choice. Our guest has named Melange her new favorite restaurant.“

“the food was amazing! servicewas also great. id highlyrecommend.“

“We miss the buns you used to serve. Why don't you put them on the menu and charge for them? The replacement buns on the menu are NOT nearly as good. Also why did you tae the pork and burger sliders off the menu..they were great Happy Hour/anytime items .“

“Good Food, Great Service, Lots of Dishes to Pick From.“

“Very tasty Thanksgiving dinner!! So glad to have found this special eatery!!“

“Chef Michael and staff did an outstanding job catering our outdoor celebration. The Mexican buffet spread was unbelievable and all of our guests had rave reviews. 5 stars from beginning to end!“

“I was just invited for my Birthday Afternoon Tea Celebration at this wonderful venue! Everything was perfect..The food, the atmosphere, the staff and Willie himself! The attention to detail was much appreciated. Lovely tea service, the live harp music, beautifully presented food. Our waiter made sure our yummy Vanilla Earl Grey Tea was always refreshed and hot. Highly recommend this cool and elegant restaurant! Can’t wait to come back!!“

“Excelent food and service. Ray was fantastic!!!“

“Fabulous dining Lovely Bistro type“

“I had the tuna melt. Was really good! A friend got the pancakes, I tried it and it was very tasty with a very homy and traditional feel. Service was good though we felt quite a bit rushed to be at our table, but understandable during the rush breakfast hours!“

“We had a wonderful dinner! And then they brought us a dessert and card for our anniversary. We highly recommend this restaurant.“

“Wally's Desert Turtle is renowned for its exceptional service, elegant decor, and high-quality cuisine. The restaurant is celebrated for its fine dining experience, where every detail is meticulously curated to ensure a memorable visit. The ambiance is luxurious, and the dishes are crafted with premium ingredients, reflecting both culinary artistry and attention to detail.“

“Great place all around! The food is AWESOME and the atmosphere is top notch. A must if you're in the area!“

“Watched the Budweiser Clydesdale horses and had a fabulous lunch.“

“Highly recommend. Christmas Eve was delicious. The food was yum. The mimosas were refreshing. The ambiance was festive. The service was perfect. Thank you. Merry Christmas and happy new year! 🎊 🤶“

“What a great find. We were driving back to CA from Phoenix and were looking for a nice place to stop for lunch and we found It's a Wrap. It's basically the restaurant at the golf club house in a private community. The staff, food and location was great. It was very relaxing and we didn't have to worry about the stuff in our car in a strip mall type of location. Highly recommended.

Note that Google Maps will likely route you to the residents only entrance, to access the restaurant you need to enter off Varner road which is the service road of I-10“

“A Friendly Place With Good Customer Service and everything made fresh 💯👌😋“

“It would be wonderful if they could get rid of all the flies. Food was good, service was good but those annoying flies, yikes🪰🪰.“

“Concise Review Great poolside food, drinks, & staff ----- Longer Review We have visited Marriott’s Shadow Ridge in Palm Desert since 2002, and afternoons at the pool, with food and drinks from Chuckwalla Bar & Grill, are a bit part of every trip. One of my all time favorite photos is from a nice afternoon, poolside, several years ago when the kids were little... it was one of our most fun and peaceful afternoons as a family anywhere... the photos is of our daughter, asleep on my wonderful wife, my wonderful wife smiling at me, and our son was on the chair in between us, smiling as he was drinking a strawberry smoothie from Chuckwalla’s... such a blessing. We visited Southern California - Palm Desert, Yucaipa, and Malibu - for Spring Break 2021. This trip we had more activities off-property than usual, so we only got one nice long afternoon at the pool, and RebekahM made it a little extra special. The sun, the water, fun in the pool... and smoothies... such a joy. Before I had a chance to think about it, smoothies were en route from Chuckwalla... strawberry, banana, and alcohol-free pina colada. Rebekah delivered them to us with a big smile and infectiously positive attitude. Rebekah turned the fun up a notch with her dancing and smiling and laughing as she took our orders and delivered to the families around the pool... everyone was extra happy when she was around. Thank you, Rebekah and Chuckwalla, for another memorable trip! ----- ----- -----“

“Wonderful lunch outdoor setting, delicious food and very friendly service.“

“I love the POM it never disappoints me“

“I’m a craft beer fanatic, so when you read my review please keep that in mind. Service was great, the pizza was really good, but there were no “real” craft beers. This is despite, claiming to have a brewery onsite. They do have three or four beers brewed there, but they were not that good. All of the others came from the big, mass produced breweries. Come for the food and atmosphere, but not for the beer.“

“Dinner was great as well as service“

“Went to a 5pm fundraiser. Clearly they let an entire restaurant in early. There was not one seat available at 5. It was already maxed out with people wolfing down appetizers and wine with not one seat open. Not Cool. Clearly the good Ole boys got the we will let you in early memo. Too much competition around El Paseo to ever go back.“

“The best tech in my life I love the steakhouse in there. When my husband have a life we’ve been there once a month to eat steak and he love by live and I love lobster.“

“Amazing experience even though we thoroughly embarrassed ourselves while we were there. So grateful to Mike and his team for their next level superior service, delicious food, incredible empathy and generosity. Thank you! We will be back with much more to contribute the next time. :). Thank you to the entire lovely team here.“

“The wonton soup is excellent , the service is Better , plenty of parking“

“I have visited Larkspur Grill on many occasions. This is truly the only time where they've just not hit the mark. We were stuck off to the side of the stage with very bright (not traditional restaurant lighting but, more importantly, the meals just weren't very good! I had the swordfish and it was over-the-top salty. My date had the salmon and it too was salty and slightly burnt on one side. Sneaky of the kitchen staff to turn the burnt side down and still serve it.

I hope this isn't a sign of things to come!

UPDATE: Jan. 29, 2026

Since my review management reached out to me to discuss my situation. I felt they were sincere in their discussion and they refunded my meal costs. That's all I could ask for and I'm more than satisfied with the outcome. Like I mentioned, I've dined here on a number of occasions and I have always had great service and meals at Larkspur!“

“We so enjoyed our dinner tonight at Cork and Fork in La Quinta- delicious Vegan options- crispy cauliflower and the Brussels Sprouts starter were delicious- and the wines served on the Happy Hour menu were delightful! We’ll be back!“

“The best family get away, our home away from home for spring break 6 years in a row now!!!! 💜⭐️⭐️⭐️“