This is the perfect place for breakfast and lunch in Palm Springs. I enjoyed my experience here so, so much and can’t wait to go back. It’s full of locals and lots of families, you can tell many of the people dining there have been coming for a long time. It’s super casual but has such a wonderful, special ambiance. There was live music playing, and the patio is so well covered and shaded that it’s very comfortable. The food was amazing, the portions were huge, and it’s very reasonably priced. We had to wait about 45 minutes for a party of two at 12pm on a Saturday. Anywhere with a wait that long is clearly popular for a reason, so we didn’t mind waiting. You can also walk around the fun main store while you wait, which makes the time go by fast. Great menu selection, it was honestly hard to decide what to order because everything sounded so good. And breakfast is served until 2pm which is exactly what I want on the weekend! The service was great and our waitress was super nice and food came out promptly.
The Cafe at Shields
Excerpts
This is the perfect place for breakfast and lunch in Palm Springs. I enjoyed my experience here so, so much and can’t wait to go back. It’s full of locals and lots of families, you can tell many of the people dining there have been coming for a long time. It’s super casual but has such a wonderful, special ambiance. There was live music playing, and the patio is so well covered and shaded that it’s very comfortable. The food was amazing, the portions were huge, and it’s very reasonably priced. We had to wait about 45 minutes for a party of two at 12pm on a Saturday. Anywhere with a wait that long is clearly popular for a reason, so we didn’t mind waiting. You can also walk around the fun main store while you wait, which makes the time go by fast. Great menu selection, it was honestly hard to decide what to order because everything sounded so good. And breakfast is served until 2pm which is exactly what I want on the weekend! The service was great and our waitress was super nice and food came out promptly.
We visited Shields Date Garden on December 26 for brunch, and it turned out to be a wonderful way to spend part of our last day in the desert. I ordered the Shields sopes with carnitas, along with a side of rice, and my husband had the chilaquiles, adding chorizo. Both dishes were excellent—well flavored, satisfying, and thoughtfully prepared, with good portion sizes overall. The only small note I’d make is that the $3.50 side of rice was pretty small, but that didn’t take away from how tasty everything was. Service was very friendly, and our food came out quickly. We sat on the patio, which was peaceful and relaxed. As we were getting ready to leave, a live guitarist came out and started playing, which added such a lovely, welcoming touch to the atmosphere. We arrived on the early side, so there were only a few other couples dining, but by the time we left it was filling up nicely. Beyond the restaurant, Shields offers more than just food. They have what they call “The Walk,” which tells the story of Jesus from birth through death and resurrection. It was beautifully done. While I didn’t quite understand the connection between the date palm gardens and the biblical display, it’s clear this is a place with a strong commitment to sharing their faith, and they do so thoughtfully on their property
We visited Shields Date Garden on December 26 for brunch, and it turned out to be a wonderful way to spend part of our last day in the desert. I ordered the Shields sopes with carnitas, along with a side of rice, and my husband had the chilaquiles, adding chorizo. Both dishes were excellent—well flavored, satisfying, and thoughtfully prepared, with good portion sizes overall. The only small note I’d make is that the $3.50 side of rice was pretty small, but that didn’t take away from how tasty everything was. Service was very friendly, and our food came out quickly. We sat on the patio, which was peaceful and relaxed. As we were getting ready to leave, a live guitarist came out and started playing, which added such a lovely, welcoming touch to the atmosphere. We arrived on the early side, so there were only a few other couples dining, but by the time we left it was filling up nicely. Beyond the restaurant, Shields offers more than just food. They have what they call “The Walk,” which tells the story of Jesus from birth through death and resurrection. It was beautifully done. While I didn’t quite understand the connection between the date palm gardens and the biblical display, it’s clear this is a place with a strong commitment to sharing their faith, and they do so thoughtfully on their property
Went here for brunch and got seated right away--no wait, which was a nice surprise. Our server was genuinely friendly and made sure everything came out quickly. They even handed my kids activity sheets, which bought us a few peaceful minutes. For food, the kids ordered the chicken tacos and the date pancakes. Both were a hit. I tried the "Date Me Omelette," and the flavor caught me off guard in a good way--savory with a touch of sweetness from the dates. We also ordered the bacon-wrapped stuffed dates, and those were packed with flavor. Overall, great service, interesting menu, and dishes that actually deliver on taste. I'd come back.