The Reef

My wife and I love this place so much. Great drinks, great atmosphere and good food. The bartenders are awesome, take the time to make good drinks, they are always consistent and well done. We love the atmosphere wait staff is friendly and overall very attentive. The bar sits in an area attached to a hotel with a pool behind the bar. It's fun to go early afternoon Sat/Sun have a drink and watch the pool antics. I've had the majority of the drinks on the menu and have never been disappointed. Also, if you're a Star Wars fan, they have you covered. Check it out and see for yourself. See you there!!

An absolutely perfect tiki bar. Generously poured STRONG mai tais, only $7 during their 2-6 pm happy hour. Richie the bartender was super nice. Located in the historic Caliente Tropics hotel on Palm Canyon Drive, but at the far end, away from the commotion of the main nightlife area. The bar is beautifully decorated in tiki kitsch art, and overlooks the hotel pool, also decked out in tiki decor. Reasonably priced rooms during the off season, around $120/ night. Great place to come spend a little time and relax. It was pretty empty and peaceful in early January.

+6

What a great tiki experience. There were 2 drinks with a different twist that really wowed me! One included jalapeno and the other macadamia nut flavor. So freaking delicious! Cameron was our bartender and truly excelled. Of course we added to our tiki mug collection as well. Highly recommend this tiki bar!

+5

Went for happy hour and was not disappointed! Such a cute spot right next to the pool with option to sit inside or outside. Don't expect super deals on drinks, the minimum was $4.50 for a Corona. Cocktails were at least 8.50$, however very tasty rum punch and was worth the cost. The food for happy hour was excellent. Cheesy beef nachos were a hit!

Cool vibe there. Food was good customer service was decent. Drinks weren’t that strong 👀 I expect more out of an establishment in Lovely Palm Springs

The Reef is a small hidden tiki bar in the old Tiki Caliente hotel. We stopped by for drinks and lunch during a Palm Springs overnight and really enjoyed it. The indoor space is small and loaded with plenty of tiki decor with the bar side having the darker tiki vibe and side opposite the bar lit by large windows. The outdoor seating is pool adjacent and it was 100+ degrees out, so we chose a cozy booth in the dark by the bar. We had the ham and cheese sandwich with onion rings and the coconut shrimp with fries. Portion are generous and it was a good lunch for the three of us to share. The dishes were all very good, but the onion rings were the star. I love onion rings and these were some of the best I've had. My wife had the Hemingway Daiquiri and I had the The Treasure of La Amadarita and a Three Dots and a Dash. The "tiki purist" in me might quibble with some of the drinks, like the Three Dots using Smith and Cross and El Dorado instead of a good agricole...but I won't. 😁 The drinks were all tasty and well balanced and our bartender was excellent. She has been working the tiki bar for just a few months and we had fun discussing the complexities of tiki drinks and rum selection. Favorite drink? Probably the Treasure of La Amadarita although all the drinks were nice. Looking forward to coming back sometime!

+2

Easily one of the great top shelf tiki bars. Vibe and decor are incredible. Drinks way above average. Spent hours and didn't want to leave. The food is incredible. Update. We come to stay at the Tropics a couple times of year specifically to bum around the reef all day.

Ahoy, tiki lovers from around the world! You have found an old school tiki dive bar that has not been ruined by the march of time. This location opened as the Congo Room on the Caliente Tropics Resort in 1964. Numerous owners and concepts followed during the next 50 years. Since I only came in for a tropical drink (absolutely wonderful piña colada with a dark rum float) and to take a few photos, I didn't experience the food offerings. The only disappointment for me was that there were no draft beer options. This is THE place to re-live your past travels in the open ocean and to re-visit those precious vignettes from the South Pacific, New Zealand, Micronesia, Hawaii, and the Marquesas Islands, or to dream about going there soon!

Our first trip to Palm Springs. Had a list of places we wanted to check out, and since our VRBO wasn’t ready yet, we headed over to the Reef, which was on our list. What we found was a fun little bar, with a friendly, knowledgeable, and skilled bartender. The food was really good, and so were the drinks. My wife had the Coconut Shrimp, and I had the Chicken Fingers. Both had great flavor and were delivered piping hot. For drinks, my wife had the Classic Mai Tai and I had the Painkiller. Both were well mixed and plenty boozy. We meant to get back there before we left, but ran out of time. Palm Springs is now in our destinations rotation so we will be back at the Reef again in the future.

Was recommended to visit this place by someone in my area and I’m so glad we went. This was a memorable experience and everything we ordered was delicious.

Cool vibes, great food and service. We ordered the Reef pupu platter which was plenty for two. My husband ordered a zombie drink and I ordered the Palm Springs punch. We requested a spot with nice cool ac and it sure was chilly it was a nice escape from the heat.

Solo female traveler who felt welcomed. Old school tiki bar with great servers and bartenders. Especially nice on its patio overlooking the pool at night.

The happy hour drinks and spam musubi tacos were awesome and our server was so kind (I believe his name was Richard?)! Very cute but casual tiki vibe in an indoor/poolside setting, will return next time I’m in Palm Springs

This is a cute little tiki bar tucked away at the Caliente at the south end of the strip. If you’re staying in the hotels down there like the V the Ace or Saguaro it’s the perfect spot to start off your night because the drinks are strong tiki drinks. The staff is really nice and the atmosphere is chill, very cool and tiki.

We really enjoy this little Tiki-themed bar and restaurant in our neighborhood, especially at happy hour! They have great drinks and good happy hour offerings, including reduced prices on some menu options. I especially like their burgers and their fish and chips. Their loco moco is also very good, but we had to ask for extra gravy… They have some vegetarian options on their menu. Service is always good. They also have both indoor and patio seating options. I can definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a great little bar with good prices and a good menu.

Alex a native of Palm Springs, was our bartender. He was wonderful, very knowledgeable of the area and gave us a bunch of other places to visit. Great Happy Hour Drink and food specials. Atmosphere amazing!!!😁

Had some drinks and they were tasty and strong. Caught a nice buzz here and made for a good time with the wife. Would come back again for some strong drinks when in the area. It's across from my favorite hotels so definitely soon. Oh yeah I believe I had fish and chips here as well which were absolutely delicious.

This place deserves a review of thier own! We happened in as we were awaiting for our room to be ready at the Caliente Tropics. The Bar and restaurant's decor is inviting and will keep you entertained with all of the many different eclectic items! There is something fun in every nook and cranny! Service is excellent, bartender Heather is friendly and quick witted! Cocktails and beer options are good! Menu has delicious items and nice portions and great prices. This is a fun friendly place to visit even if you don't stay at the hotel! Definitely will return!

Large tikis greet you in the parking lot, and that is just the beginning of a great experience! Beautifully done tiki bar with lots of little details in the decor provide the backdrop for some well balanced classic and reimagined tiki drinks, as well as delicious food. Classic Mai Tai, and rum runner cocktails were excellent! Food was outstanding! Tasted the burger, fish and chips, and pulled pork sandwich. All were so good! This place is so good, can't wait to go back.

Tom S

Our first trip to Palm Springs. Had a list of places we wanted to check out, and since our VRBO wasn’t ready yet, we headed over to the Reef, which was on our list. What we found was a fun little bar, with a friendly, knowledgeable, and skilled bartender. The food was really good, and so were the drinks. My wife had the Coconut Shrimp, and I had the Chicken Fingers. Both had great flavor and were delivered piping hot. For drinks, my wife had the Classic Mai Tai and I had the Painkiller. Both were well mixed and plenty boozy. We meant to get back there before we left, but ran out of time. Palm Springs is now in our destinations rotation so we will be back at the Reef again in the future.

Terian Tyre

Solo female traveler who felt welcomed. Old school tiki bar with great servers and bartenders. Especially nice on its patio overlooking the pool at night.

Magnesium Flores

Was recommended to visit this place by someone in my area and I’m so glad we went. This was a memorable experience and everything we ordered was delicious.

DC

Cool vibes, great food and service. We ordered the Reef pupu platter which was plenty for two. My husband ordered a zombie drink and I ordered the Palm Springs punch. We requested a spot with nice cool ac and it sure was chilly it was a nice escape from the heat.

Briana Gonzalez

The happy hour drinks and spam musubi tacos were awesome and our server was so kind (I believe his name was Richard?)! Very cute but casual tiki vibe in an indoor/poolside setting, will return next time I’m in Palm Springs

Mark Pitts

We really enjoy this little Tiki-themed bar and restaurant in our neighborhood, especially at happy hour! They have great drinks and good happy hour offerings, including reduced prices on some menu options. I especially like their burgers and their fish and chips. Their loco moco is also very good, but we had to ask for extra gravy… They have some vegetarian options on their menu. Service is always good. They also have both indoor and patio seating options. I can definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a great little bar with good prices and a good menu.

Heather Ace

This is a cute little tiki bar tucked away at the Caliente at the south end of the strip. If you’re staying in the hotels down there like the V the Ace or Saguaro it’s the perfect spot to start off your night because the drinks are strong tiki drinks. The staff is really nice and the atmosphere is chill, very cool and tiki.

Elizabeth o'brien

Alex a native of Palm Springs, was our bartender. He was wonderful, very knowledgeable of the area and gave us a bunch of other places to visit. Great Happy Hour Drink and food specials. Atmosphere amazing!!!😁

Fishing Paradise California

Had some drinks and they were tasty and strong. Caught a nice buzz here and made for a good time with the wife. Would come back again for some strong drinks when in the area. It's across from my favorite hotels so definitely soon. Oh yeah I believe I had fish and chips here as well which were absolutely delicious.

Orjeana Devereaux

This place deserves a review of thier own! We happened in as we were awaiting for our room to be ready at the Caliente Tropics. The Bar and restaurant's decor is inviting and will keep you entertained with all of the many different eclectic items! There is something fun in every nook and cranny! Service is excellent, bartender Heather is friendly and quick witted! Cocktails and beer options are good! Menu has delicious items and nice portions and great prices. This is a fun friendly place to visit even if you don't stay at the hotel! Definitely will return!

Kevin Donaldson

Large tikis greet you in the parking lot, and that is just the beginning of a great experience! Beautifully done tiki bar with lots of little details in the decor provide the backdrop for some well balanced classic and reimagined tiki drinks, as well as delicious food. Classic Mai Tai, and rum runner cocktails were excellent! Food was outstanding! Tasted the burger, fish and chips, and pulled pork sandwich. All were so good! This place is so good, can't wait to go back.

J'oni Smith

Amazing service. Bartender rocked! Food was soooo good and happy hour had great prices. Drinks were amazing! Had to purchase the cup and coasters.... to cute to pass up! 🧉💜🪸🌴🍹

We love The Reef at the Caliente Tropics Resort. Cool restaurant and our favourite Tiki Bar & pool area. It has an awesome atmosphere, huge portions, and amazing drinks . We really enjoyed our evening with Jay, thanks man Jeremy and Tamara.

This place is unlike any tiki place I have been. Stopped in just to see the place on a road trip since we love tiki and history and ended up booking at the Caliente and going to the Reef for dinner. Place is off the hook! Great food and drinks just steps from the pool. They have a stage and heard they do live music, though, no one was playing when we were there. Family-friendly as we had our 5 year old with us. If you haven't been here, you are DEFINITELY missing out. No question, we'll be back. Just not soon enough!

Samuel Barnes

This place is unlike any tiki place I have been. Stopped in just to see the place on a road trip since we love tiki and history and ended up booking at the Caliente and going to the Reef for dinner. Place is off the hook! Great food and drinks just steps from the pool. They have a stage and heard they do live music, though, no one was playing when we were there. Family-friendly as we had our 5 year old with us. If you haven't been here, you are DEFINITELY missing out. No question, we'll be back. Just not soon enough!

The drinks are awesome; I’ll just start from there. The def know tiki drinks. They have all the icons like a Zombie, Navy Grog, Painkiller, etc. The drinks are fairly priced and plenty of seating and ambiance. That being said, the service has always been mediocre unless you post up at the bar. Aren’t they aren’t mean, just super slow. The drinks are worth the wait just don’t expect them to be attentive. Yet I always go back.

Cute little place. Decent meal, a little sparse for the price. Mediocre Mai Tai, yet I had two... Service was very good, I believe his name was Rick.

A little pricey, but worth it. The food selection is a bit small, and some items I thought they might have, they didn't. Nothing in the way of snacks, bites, or appetizers, mostly burgers and salads, and very limited menu celiacs. The drinks was superb and the service was great. Given this was connected to our hotel and pool was amazing, it's a vibe ✨I highly recommend this tiki bar.

Decent food and beverages. Got a Moscow mule. It was good. Fish and chips was solid. I mean not as good as in the wharf in Santa Cruz.. but in the desert, not bad. My buddy had a burger. He said it was solid. My other guy had the loco moco with spam. He just said it was awesome.

This place is inside a resort, looks like an old school motel but anyways parking in the front. They have indoor and outdoor seating. If you are not vaccinated or have your card you have to sit outside. Much older crowd like 45+ and they only had like 2 waiters and 1 bartender. The drinks were good depending on what you got. The food was okay but did the job. The waitress was not attentive to our table and seemed like she was having a bad shift because we barely saw her and when we did we had to stop her before she went to another table or back inside. Honestly if you’re younger than 30, find another spot.

+6

Entrance is a bit hidden - very charming on the inside. We got 2 apps…. I wouldn’t come here for food. Great drinks! (Also got tacos, forgot to take pic)

+6

Went there again last night. This time i took pics of everything and if this doesnt make your mouth water your not eating right ! Good service as usual and great drinks and food the only thing i dont remember is some hawaiian ukalee music.? that would have really made me think i was on an remote so. Pacific island and not in the dusty desert. Highly recomend dinning at this lil desert escape . Loved the ambience here. I had never been here before and I absolutely loved it! I loved the Hawaiian theme and the service was fast the food was great and it was a secret treasure that has been here over 50 years and i didnt even know it! Very kool place to eat.

+3

The tiki drinks are amazing. The atmosphere was fun. The food is well, not great, but it edible.

Went to this place for the first time with my tiki loving mom. The history and atmosphere are unbelievable, the drinks were delicious and fairly priced for tiki and the fish and chips were some of the best I’ve ever had. The only reason I didn’t give 5 stars was the service wasn’t the best, we did a lot of waiting while there and our waitress seemed to not really want to deal with us, could have just been a rough day though. Will definitely be back in the future!

There are 3 Tiki bars in PS and this is the furthest away from downtown. Of the 3, this was pretty good. I missed their Happy Hour which is the best tiki deal in the area. Bartender was very knowledgeable and they have a full kitchen. Decor was tiki bar, but not the over the top experience of the newer places. Which makes sense as it's 60 years old (the resort). If youre staying at the resort you're in for a good time.

Fun party bar/restaurant located inside a hotel. It is decorated really great. Just note, It is a dark bar so when its daytime, it seems like its evening. I had the veggie burger which was great. I also had a couple cocktails that were wonderful. The bartender was very nice and gave us drink suggestions. I think it could use an update to the place but overall, we had a good time.

EW EW

There are 3 Tiki bars in PS and this is the furthest away from downtown. Of the 3, this was pretty good. I missed their Happy Hour which is the best tiki deal in the area. Bartender was very knowledgeable and they have a full kitchen. Decor was tiki bar, but not the over the top experience of the newer places. Which makes sense as it's 60 years old (the resort). If youre staying at the resort you're in for a good time.

Missy Mello

Fun party bar/restaurant located inside a hotel. It is decorated really great. Just note, It is a dark bar so when its daytime, it seems like its evening. I had the veggie burger which was great. I also had a couple cocktails that were wonderful. The bartender was very nice and gave us drink suggestions. I think it could use an update to the place but overall, we had a good time.

Sierra R.

Went to this place for the first time with my tiki loving mom. The history and atmosphere are unbelievable, the drinks were delicious and fairly priced for tiki and the fish and chips were some of the best I’ve ever had. The only reason I didn’t give 5 stars was the service wasn’t the best, we did a lot of waiting while there and our waitress seemed to not really want to deal with us, could have just been a rough day though. Will definitely be back in the future!

Karann Shaw

This place is inside a resort, looks like an old school motel but anyways parking in the front. They have indoor and outdoor seating. If you are not vaccinated or have your card you have to sit outside. Much older crowd like 45+ and they only had like 2 waiters and 1 bartender. The drinks were good depending on what you got. The food was okay but did the job. The waitress was not attentive to our table and seemed like she was having a bad shift because we barely saw her and when we did we had to stop her before she went to another table or back inside. Honestly if you’re younger than 30, find another spot.

Before Haystack this was the place for burgers and if non descript Tiki isn't your thing over at Bootlegger this is your spot because it's vacation epitomized. It doesn't havea the SE Pacific Tiki aesthetic, but more the island vibez. It's far more Carribbean mixed with Hawaiian which to me is more authentic. Think DIstant Shores, which could be anywhere that's warm and sandy. HH here is roughly everything is $10 or less and they don't skimp on glassware, garmish, ice, etc. The burgers are all hefty, juicy, well thoughtout flavors and worthy of visits just for the burgers. The Blue Cheese is super creamy with large crumbles that seep into all the nooks and crannies though it's not a smash burger they use a medium grind. THe Hawaiian Cowboy or as I like to call it "Aloha Cowboy" has texture for days, crispy onion bits, gooey cheese, frings and both a pineapple and smokey bbq sauce. Chef's burger is pretty standard bacon, cheese, grilled onions (though I wish they were truely carmelized). Fish and Chips are good, but I wish they had malt vinegar becuase it's the one thing the Brits do well for food and they should emulate them instead of the non traditional LJS style. Tartar and cole are basic. Coconut Shrimp, but jumbo's. Super crunchy, think Chili's 1990's. The Loco Moco is where it's at though, I went beef and pork pattys with an extra egg and gravy becuase I kinda like to eat it like a stew of yolk, gravy and rice with chunks of patty. I could go on and on about the drinks, but they are all solid and well priced. Service is better when it's busier, they run more efficient when the kitchen and bar are humming. When it's slow they don't make their rounds as often. Decor is tropical, but not dark and that usual tiki "controlled environment", remember it's still Palm Springs, so it's plenty of retirees and snowbirds along with Coastal Californians looking for a getaway and not as many Tikiphiles as you'd expect.

Walter Macalma

Before Haystack this was the place for burgers and if non descript Tiki isn't your thing over at Bootlegger this is your spot because it's vacation epitomized. It doesn't havea the SE Pacific Tiki aesthetic, but more the island vibez. It's far more Carribbean mixed with Hawaiian which to me is more authentic. Think DIstant Shores, which could be anywhere that's warm and sandy. HH here is roughly everything is $10 or less and they don't skimp on glassware, garmish, ice, etc. The burgers are all hefty, juicy, well thoughtout flavors and worthy of visits just for the burgers. The Blue Cheese is super creamy with large crumbles that seep into all the nooks and crannies though it's not a smash burger they use a medium grind. THe Hawaiian Cowboy or as I like to call it "Aloha Cowboy" has texture for days, crispy onion bits, gooey cheese, frings and both a pineapple and smokey bbq sauce. Chef's burger is pretty standard bacon, cheese, grilled onions (though I wish they were truely carmelized). Fish and Chips are good, but I wish they had malt vinegar becuase it's the one thing the Brits do well for food and they should emulate them instead of the non traditional LJS style. Tartar and cole are basic. Coconut Shrimp, but jumbo's. Super crunchy, think Chili's 1990's. The Loco Moco is where it's at though, I went beef and pork pattys with an extra egg and gravy becuase I kinda like to eat it like a stew of yolk, gravy and rice with chunks of patty. I could go on and on about the drinks, but they are all solid and well priced. Service is better when it's busier, they run more efficient when the kitchen and bar are humming. When it's slow they don't make their rounds as often. Decor is tropical, but not dark and that usual tiki "controlled environment", remember it's still Palm Springs, so it's plenty of retirees and snowbirds along with Coastal Californians looking for a getaway and not as many Tikiphiles as you'd expect.

I would give a 5 for atmosphere and customer service, that was GREAT! The chicken stripes looked amazing but chicken was a bit rubbery, the breading was perfect, tho! Good Fries and my husband enjoyed his pulled pork! Unfortunately, the drinks are expensive and very weak! When you are on vacation and spending money at resort and bar, you want and deserve a decent drink!

Didn’t try the food, but fun decor and tasty drink. A little bit pricey but everything in PS was a bit on the expensive side for regular food like burgers etc…They looked a bit understaffed and there is limited seating inside.

+1

The young lady that greeted us on the afternoon of 10/5 was so kind and pleasant. We were chose to seat ourselves. We chose a table we wanted that had been cleared but not wiped. It never got wiped during our visit. Then our server showed up. She never smiled. Even when she dropped the food off she never even said anything. I was more excited to leave than I was to arrive. I expected good food with a side of fun. That’s what I thought they sold. The food was good. Also the pool area was littered with cups and trash and it looked like the aftermath of a pool party that no one cleaned during our entire visit. This was a one and done and I would not recommend it.

J S

The young lady that greeted us on the afternoon of 10/5 was so kind and pleasant. We were chose to seat ourselves. We chose a table we wanted that had been cleared but not wiped. It never got wiped during our visit. Then our server showed up. She never smiled. Even when she dropped the food off she never even said anything. I was more excited to leave than I was to arrive. I expected good food with a side of fun. That’s what I thought they sold. The food was good. Also the pool area was littered with cups and trash and it looked like the aftermath of a pool party that no one cleaned during our entire visit. This was a one and done and I would not recommend it.

Prices advertised on the website are not correct. Said hamburger was $13. We ended up having to pay $25. We ordered it to go so we can eat in room, They were asked why the difference in price and they said to go orders cost more don’t know why

Chaotic and shambolic. Loved it when we first stayed at the Caliente but it's gone downhill. Stayed for 10 nights & drank here every day and most of the time service was slow & drinks were hit and miss. Worse was trying to book a space for a large group of us to have drinks one evening to be ignored by email, messenger and even voicemail, despite contacting them weeks before our visit. When we arrived in PS I popped in & they told me "we don't take bookings". A few days later when our group showed up we were told another party had reserved the tables. No idea how they managed it. The food was generally good though.

Update: as a mixologist, you shouldn't serve a 3 dots and a dash without the 3 cherries. The honey and allspice dram are not enough sweetness to balance out the drink. We went here 2 days in a row, same bartender. First day my drinks were perfect. Had a 3 dots and a dash and a couple others. The second day, the only drink I ordered was a 3 dots and a dash. This time the drink was totally off. It tasted like watered down orange juice and maybe a little lime. I kept tasting it to see if I was mistaken or maybe it wasn't mixed well. Nope, it was plain out wrong. The barback "Cody" was great and politely took the drink back and told me he will have the bartender remake it. I waited but the bartender refused to replace the drink and didn't even have to courtesy to say anything. He had plenty of opportunities when it wasn't busy to say something or remake the drink. I finally got the check and I had to have them remove the bad drink from the check which Cody was graciously obliged. The bartender that looks like a generic version of John Candy thinks he never makes a drink wrong and was also being rude to other customers. I've been to a lot of tiki bars and even have a full bar at home. I know how a 3 dots and a dash tastes like and this has been the worst experience I've ever had.

Walk in , bartender said you’re welcome to sit in bar or dining, we said dining and headed toward a table (place was almost dead btw), older waitress told us to wait to be seated, we said bartender said go ahead…. She wasn’t happy about that and sent us back to door….. if a misunderstanding fine but then she said ‘there’s a reason there is a sign’ as she walked away….. how is that person in hospitality …… we left.

matt gordon

Walk in , bartender said you’re welcome to sit in bar or dining, we said dining and headed toward a table (place was almost dead btw), older waitress told us to wait to be seated, we said bartender said go ahead…. She wasn’t happy about that and sent us back to door….. if a misunderstanding fine but then she said ‘there’s a reason there is a sign’ as she walked away….. how is that person in hospitality …… we left.