BaBaLoo Lounge
73833 CA-111, Palm Desert
(760) 895-4186
Recent Reviews
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Wow, what a wonderful evening at Babaloo‘s tonight with the MARC * and TONY show. It was fabulous and Mary Lou was fabulous. Taking care of all the guests that were coming in rearranging the tables arranging the tables and just being very charming and beautiful. Thank you, Mary Lou.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nice experience
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Very tasty Cuban food. There are a variety of dishes from Yucca, to stir fry and everything in between, lots of vegetarian options also. The entire staff is very kind and knowledgeable, the owner is very friendly too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent dinner dishes that exceeded our expectations!! Atmosphere is so lovely and feels like a posh nightclub but the prices are more than reasonable!! Our Server was very knowledgeable about the how the dishes are prepared and made our first visit very enjoyable!! We're definitely returning for their cubano next!!
On Sunday, December 28, 2025, I decided to go to this restaurant that a friend recommended. I went to their website and made a reservation for 9:30. When I arrived, I had a very bad experience. Upon entering, there was no one to greet me; only three kitchen staff members were sitting at a table near the entrance, drinking. I informed them that I had a reservation for 9:30, and they told me the restaurant was closed. I asked to speak with a manager to get an explanation as to why they were closed, since the website says the restaurant closes at 10:00 PM and they accepted my 9:30 reservation. After a few minutes, a woman arrived who turned out not to be the manager, and I had to ask again to speak with a manager until finally the supposed manager arrived, whose name he said was Josh. The manager was visibly under the influence of alcohol, judging by his motor skills and his noticeable breath. It was a huge waste of time to decide to take my fiancée there and drive almost an hour to get there, only to be met with this disappointment and the unpleasant experience of dealing with a drunk person in charge of the restaurant. I never understood or received an explanation as to why the Babaloo Lounge website says it closes at 10:00 PM and allows you to make reservations for 9:30, but when you arrive, they tell you they close at 9:00 PM? But I do understand and know that good restaurants fail because of inefficient management.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Wow! What an amazing idea to go to this place on New Year’s Eve! NOT!!! Waited over an hour just to get food, then never saw our waiter again. Then, 1.5 hours later, the manager came over and told us that our three hour time limit was up. I didnt even get my appetizer yet, and we had a chat with our neighboring table about how pathetic our experience was with this place and its horrible fixed menu for the holidays. Later, we had to get into a heated argument with the waitress, who wasn’t willing to comp our desserts that we never got, and she ended up giving us our deserts to go. However, instead of our three different desserts that came with our meals, we received two slices of cheesecake that would have tasted better if my dog made it with her droppings. Will never be returning to this scam filled, ridiculously unreasonable establishment. Would give 0 stars if possible.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Fantastic! One of the best meals out we have had. From the food to the staff and the beautiful Christmas decorations along with the live piano, band and dancing it was all around fantastic.
Great band, Evaro's on Monday night from 7 to 10 pm.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It was a Monday so a little slow but the band was fun and played dance music all night. We to up and danced several time during our dinner as we were a table of 10. I would good back again for a fun yummy time!
Customer service was beyond amazing... from the greeter, servers, and waitress. The food was a ok, presentation on the food though was beautiful! Live music and some dancing going on! It was an upbeat atmosphere!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
The best lechon and mojitos
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Came here for a night cap and was pleasantly surprised by the Jazz band and atmosphere. Our server, Josh was spot on until the place got pretty busy as its a fun way to close an evening in Palm Desert. TV's for sports, live music and dancing. It was a great way to end the night!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 4
Food was pretty good. But the service was severely lacking. Had to find the waiter multiple times and it wasnt busy so there really was no excuse. Furthermore, the live band was so incredibly loud, you couldn't even think let alone talk. Im a frequent concert goer so I enjoy loud music but this was a bit much for a restaurant.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 2
OUTDOOR PATIO DINING-The restaurant was able to accommodate a party of 13 for dinner last night after we called at noon to inquire about availability. Some in our group were interested in watching the pre-season Warriors game, so the staff initially planned to seat us indoors. However, once we arrived, we realized there was live music that made conversation difficult, so we asked to move outside. The staff handled the change efficiently, quickly setting up a table for us.
The outdoor patio turned out to be ideal—quiet, comfortable, and pleasantly private, as we were the only group seated there. There were also several TV screens available, though unfortunately, the restaurant didn’t carry the Peacock channel, which was airing the game we had hoped to watch.
Several of us ordered the recommended Cuban sandwich, which was hearty and flavorful. Each serving came with either fries or a generously sized salad, and everyone who ordered it had half left to take home. The skinny fries had good flavor but arrived cold. A couple of people ordered the filet, which they enjoyed, though one guest’s order was mixed up—she had requested a bowl but received the filet instead and decided to keep it rather than wait.
The service was on the slow side, but we weren’t in a hurry, so it wasn’t a major issue. The restaurant offers a nice selection of draft beers, adding to the relaxed, casual dining experience. Overall, it was an enjoyable evening, and we especially appreciated the quiet and comfort of the patio.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Friendly server/host, great band playing classic rock/blues called the Desert Crows.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
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