Please read my entire review to see why I gave 1 ⭐️ We visited kitchen in the desert after seeing many recommendations for this restaurant on social media. I want to start by saying that the food itself was actually very good, and the outdoor dining area is beautiful and enjoyable. Unfortunately, the overall experience was extremely disappointing due to the service. Horrible. Chris should not be working in customer service… When we were seated, the glasses brought to our table had visible lipstick marks on them, which was honestly quite gross and not something you expect when starting a meal. But we were nice about it and made a few jokes. There were also items listed on the menu that were not available, including a main dish. It would have been helpful if this had been communicated to us or clearly marked on the menus beforehand. When the food arrived, my daughter’s dish was not as described on the menu. It was supposed to include arugula and quinoa. Instead, it arrived with a small amount of microgreens and no quinoa at all. When we politely mentioned this to another waitress, she simply took the plate away to add quinoa but did not apologize or acknowledge the mistake. Later, when we asked for a specific dessert that the restaurant is known for, our server (Chris) told us it was not available. When I mentioned that we had heard it was excellent and suggested it might be helpful to note that on the menu, he responded sarcastically: “Yes, we’ll go cross it off each menu.” From that point on his attitude became very passive aggressive, sarcastic, and unprofessional. The situation continued to deteriorate. We were never given cutlery or napkins and had to ask another staff member for them. Even then, we were given paper napkins while other tables had cloth napkins and properly set utensils. Our server also claimed the restaurant was extremely busy, although there were only a few other occupied tables at the time. lol. The most concerning part of the experience was that a 20% tip was added to the bill without explanation. When I later spoke with the owner, Everton, he confirmed that this is not the restaurant’s policy. It appeared the server had manually added it. When I approached Chris about this he said its policy. He’s a liar and a cheat. To be fair, the owner did listen to our concerns and ultimately comped our brunch, which we appreciated a lot. However, the interaction with our server left a very negative impression. Good food and a beautiful setting unfortunately cannot make up for rude, sarcastic, and unprofessional service. I hope management addresses this, because with better service this restaurant could truly live up to the reputation that brought us there in the first place.
Kitchen in the Desert
Excerpts
Please read my entire review to see why I gave 1 ⭐️ We visited kitchen in the desert after seeing many recommendations for this restaurant on social media. I want to start by saying that the food itself was actually very good, and the outdoor dining area is beautiful and enjoyable. Unfortunately, the overall experience was extremely disappointing due to the service. Horrible. Chris should not be working in customer service… When we were seated, the glasses brought to our table had visible lipstick marks on them, which was honestly quite gross and not something you expect when starting a meal. But we were nice about it and made a few jokes. There were also items listed on the menu that were not available, including a main dish. It would have been helpful if this had been communicated to us or clearly marked on the menus beforehand. When the food arrived, my daughter’s dish was not as described on the menu. It was supposed to include arugula and quinoa. Instead, it arrived with a small amount of microgreens and no quinoa at all. When we politely mentioned this to another waitress, she simply took the plate away to add quinoa but did not apologize or acknowledge the mistake. Later, when we asked for a specific dessert that the restaurant is known for, our server (Chris) told us it was not available. When I mentioned that we had heard it was excellent and suggested it might be helpful to note that on the menu, he responded sarcastically: “Yes, we’ll go cross it off each menu.” From that point on his attitude became very passive aggressive, sarcastic, and unprofessional. The situation continued to deteriorate. We were never given cutlery or napkins and had to ask another staff member for them. Even then, we were given paper napkins while other tables had cloth napkins and properly set utensils. Our server also claimed the restaurant was extremely busy, although there were only a few other occupied tables at the time. lol. The most concerning part of the experience was that a 20% tip was added to the bill without explanation. When I later spoke with the owner, Everton, he confirmed that this is not the restaurant’s policy. It appeared the server had manually added it. When I approached Chris about this he said its policy. He’s a liar and a cheat. To be fair, the owner did listen to our concerns and ultimately comped our brunch, which we appreciated a lot. However, the interaction with our server left a very negative impression. Good food and a beautiful setting unfortunately cannot make up for rude, sarcastic, and unprofessional service. I hope management addresses this, because with better service this restaurant could truly live up to the reputation that brought us there in the first place.
We had the most beautiful dinner at Kitchen in the Desert — truly one of those rare experiences where everything just feels right. From the moment we arrived, the host and our waitress were incredibly kind and attentive. We had a courtyard table right next to a heater (thank you for honoring our note!), blankets were available, and we were completely comfortable while watching a gorgeous desert sunset. The ambiance was quiet, intimate, and peaceful — perfect for a date night. The food was phenomenal. Every dish tasted like it was cooked just for us — thoughtful, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. We left absolutely stuffed and happy. Parking was easy since we arrived right at opening, and the reservation-only setup made the whole experience feel calm and unrushed. This was hands-down one of the highlights of our Joshua Tree trip. So good that we were at dinner and already planning to come back for breakfast in the morning (those pear pancakes and patata are calling 😍). Highly recommend for anyone looking for an elevated, cozy desert dining experience. We’ll definitely be back.
We had the most beautiful dinner at Kitchen in the Desert — truly one of those rare experiences where everything just feels right. From the moment we arrived, the host and our waitress were incredibly kind and attentive. We had a courtyard table right next to a heater (thank you for honoring our note!), blankets were available, and we were completely comfortable while watching a gorgeous desert sunset. The ambiance was quiet, intimate, and peaceful — perfect for a date night. The food was phenomenal. Every dish tasted like it was cooked just for us — thoughtful, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. We left absolutely stuffed and happy. Parking was easy since we arrived right at opening, and the reservation-only setup made the whole experience feel calm and unrushed. This was hands-down one of the highlights of our Joshua Tree trip. So good that we were at dinner and already planning to come back for breakfast in the morning (those pear pancakes and patata are calling 😍). Highly recommend for anyone looking for an elevated, cozy desert dining experience. We’ll definitely be back.
If I could give more than 5 stars, I absolutely would! We had to wait an hour since we didn't have a reservation and I wouldnt chance a thing!! They have multiple gorgeous spots to hang out while you wait, plus a little general store that is fantastic!! All of the food and all the drinks were incredible!! I don't remember what all we had, but I know the mushroom dish was an all around favorite! We shared dishes and that made it so much more fun! I truly can't suggest going here enough!