Swirl your way through a flight of small-batch wines. Toast to the good life with an herby martini. Lean into the conversation over zero-proof spritzers. Drinks on El Paseo are far from basic. Pair that with decadent bar bites, live music, and impeccable service, and it’s clear — this stretch of Palm Desert has perfected the art of the elevated evening out.
Wow-Worthy Wines
If you can’t decide which wine suits your mood, sample several side by side at La Fe Wine Bar. This locally owned spot offers around 50 different vinos by the glass and three wine flights, each showcasing four 3-ounce pours handpicked by the staff. Choose from a white, red, or Masvino flight, which includes a mix of rosé, sauvignon blanc, and two cabernets from co-owner German Samayoa’s label produced in Paso Robles. Weekly wine tastings offer five wine samples, a welcome glass of bubbles, and charcuterie starting at $35 per person.
Radical Raw Bar
Steak-and-seafood spot Eddie V’s flies in fresh seafood from waters around the world daily, including wild jumbo Gulf shrimp and a variety of seasonal East Coast oysters you can mix and match in the restaurant’s bustling bar area. For a shellfish splurge, order The Big Eddie — a towering display of shrimp, oysters, jumbo lump crab, ahi tuna poke, Alaskan king crab, and Maine lobster on ice, served with Champagne mignonette, mustard sauce, and an atomic horseradish that’s not for the faint of heart. Showy cocktails command equal attention: the Smoked Old Fashioned arrives on a smoking plank, the Hope Diamond changes color as its ice cube melts, and the 24 Karat gets a gilded sugar rim.
Mocktail from Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar.
The Big Eddie seafood tower at Eddie V’s.
Zero-proof wine at Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar.
Eddie V’s.
Mocktail at Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar.
Inspired Infusions
El Paseo’s cocktail scene is bursting with creativity, offering everything from vintage classics to tropical Tiki drinks and the latest trendy tipples. Local mixologists enhance flavors by infusing spirits with specialty ingredients. At the speakeasy-style Libation Room, the savory Bacon Old Fashioned features bacon-infused bourbon, stirred with bitters and maple syrup. For a fruit-forward option, head to Sullivan’s Steakhouse for The Knockout, a martini made with orange vodka infused with pineapple. Or, spice things up at glam Porta Via by ordering La Piña Picante, a zippy mix of house-infused jalapeño tequila, agave, pineapple juice, and a squeeze of lime.
Lively Beats
What pairs better with a cocktail and bar bite than live music? At Mastro’s, the upscale steakhouse, singers perform nightly in the lounge, often inspiring guests to get up and dance. Larkspur Grill, the restaurant and bar at Hotel Paseo, hosts live jazz bands, Rat Pack–style crooners, and other musicians Tuesdays through Saturdays. For more variety, head to Kitchen 86 + Bar, where solo vocalists, rock cover bands, and hot DJs keep the energy flowing throughout the week.
Marvelous Mocktails
With more people opting to skip the booze (but not the fun), restaurants are revamping their nonalcoholic options, moving beyond overly sweet mocktails to create refined recipes that delight the palate. At the tropical-themed Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar, nondrinkers can indulge in scratch-made creations like the Blue My Mind, a blend of house lemonade, muddled blueberries, and passionfruit, or the Sicilian Peach, made with coconut cream, peach, and jalapeños and topped with sparkling Sicilian lemonade. There’s even a nonalcoholic New Zealand sauvignon blanc on the menu.