El Jefe Desert Cantina

The person who took our order was not pleasant, but I didn't blame him much because the drag brunch next door was so loud it was impossible to think, much less talk. I would also hate working there while barraged with so much noise. He offered to make our orders to go without prompting. We should have just left. The most popular item on the menu was marred by thoughtless proportions- the pickled onions overwhelmed the pork in the ridiculously piled high but tiny tacos made to fit an odd plate of little aluminum circles. Not a pleasant experience. It might be better at other times, but DO NOT go there on Sunday for lunch.

Hugo is the best, the playlist was a vibe, the nachos are to die for, the drinks are perfectly balanced and I’m coming back tomorrow! Don’t go changing! Whatever wait for a table there is would be worth it I’m not joking.

Quick service, we were specifically in the cantina ordered nachos which were the best nachos I’ve had in a long time! Everything tasted fresh. Drinks are very pretty and delish as well! Hugo was SUPER friendly and his service was A1, made us feel extremely welcomed. They also have board games which is a bonus!

I am a local. I used to love El Jefe. It has been awhile since I have been there. The hotel lobby, and restaurant are now worn , and deteriorating. The food was bad, the server was abrupt. I was disappointed.

Tacos are awesome.
Outdoor patio is great
Service was good
Indoor dining area needs a makeover. Boring and seats are all stained

But again, the tacos were fantastic and full of flavor

Fantastic service, good food and drinks but the atmosphere left a bit to be desired. I came here with a group of 9 people, and we were seated in the back room where I guess they put the bigger groups. The smaller front room with the bar seemed like way more of a vibe with the lighting, decor and music but the back room was kind of big and boring with bright overhead lighting. The food wasn't mind blowing but it was totally solid and I was very pleased with the number of gluten free options and the staff's knowledge and detail about cross contamination, ensuring that I would be safe to eat here as a person with celiac disease. The highlights were the amazing gluten free churros (!!!) and our wonderful server. If you're with a big group, they can definitely support that but I hope they can improve the vibes of that back space. I would come back, maybe with a smaller group, and sit in the more vibey front bar area and honestly I'd come back just for the churros they were so good!

I was wondering with the reviews here but the food was actually so good! And the atmosphere is such a vibe. Definitely fun for a more relaxed casual girls dinner. Especially if you aren’t going out after, as it’s not on the strip to go out but such a great spot for the going home early house party but wanting the cool dinner vibes

This restaurant was my favorite thing about the hotel. We snacked by the pool all day and had other meals there. Everything was delicious! We got mini chorizo quesadillas, fish tacos, carne asada fries, wings and a cheese quesadilla. Everything was delicious! Literally would come back to this hotel just for the food.

Our server Hugo was excellent, and the food and drinks were wonderful. Will definitely be returning next time we’re in Palm Springs! Fish tacos & churros highly recommended.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Baja Fish Tacos, Churros

Took a friend on their birthday. Didn't realize it was $5 tacos on Thursday. Omg! Had the shrimp tacos - absolutely delicious. I was bad and had 4. Ordered the chips and guacamole - great appetizer. Guacamole was homemade as were the chips. Service was very good ~ fast, personable and efficient. Now if they would just sell their T Shirts! I want one.

AWESOME service. Ramon took incredible care of us. Great vibes all around from the entire staff

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Baja Fish

We went to El Jefe for Taco Tuesday and had a wonderful time. Food and drinks were excellent so we decided to come back for dinner again to get some more short rib tacos which are incredibly delicious, but this time was a much different experience. We were sat quickly by a lovely hostess, but did not get waited on for close to 15 min, despite other tables being sat after us receiving drinks before we were even asked for anything. Seemed like the place was understaffed, only 2 waitresses and 1 bar tender on a Friday night so we were trying to be understanding. Drinks finally came out after about 30 mins and my wife's was not right, had a completely different flavor profile than when she had it a few nights before. Normally we never send drinks back but I wanted to salvage as much of this experience as I could so I asked to have it made again. We never received the remade drink despite asking about it multiple times due to the bar being backed up. Multiple large parties were sat in the other side of the restaurant and seemed to take precedent over the smaller parties in the front so that was disappointing. We then got some free entertainment when a couple of women who had a bit too much to drink decided to start yelling at each other and security had to be called. Despite all of this, the short rib tacos are amazing, some of the best tacos I've ever had and the drink I had(Pina Margarita) was very tasty. Hopefully this was just a staffing issue and luckily was not our first experience, otherwise we probably would not return.

My boyfriend and I visited Palm Springs for our anniversary and had a fantastic experience at El Jefe, largely thanks to our incredible waiter, Ricardo (aka Ricky). Out of the three times we came for breakfast twice, Ricky comped our beverages twice, which was a wonderful surprise. (The 1 other time we came for dinner and had a waitress.) Ricky also hand-wrote a list of must-see, must-go places in Palm Springs, adding a personal and thoughtful touch to our visit. Ricky’s exceptional service and kindness made our trip extra special. If there were an Employee of the Month award, he would definitely be the deserving recipient!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Happy Hour Margarita, Shrimp Ceviche Tostada, Carne Asada Tacos, Short Rib Tacos

Valeria and Camila were absolutely amazing. So accommodating and great personalities. I had a great experience . Highly recommend coming here if you are staying at this hotel.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Had an amazing meal with great service from Valleria. Highly recommend coming after hanging out at the pool. They have happy hour from 12-6p

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5