I went with high expectations. Overall it was very good, but it was kind of "cold"...
The hostess did her job, but looked like she didn't want to be there.
It wasn't busy so the place appeared "too empty".
It's a BEAUTIFUL building, love the ambiance, but without human warmth feels you're inside of a magazine picture.
Our waiter was nice and helpful, he just did his job. Period.
Food was great! I had the SHAVED BRUSSELS SPROUT + FENNEL SALAD and was REALLY GOOD. also the back ribs and just loved them.
I wasn't comfortable of having a kitchen towel as a napkin until i realized it was useful after enjoying the ribs :)
I had the Gin Fizz drink special and was REALLY good. I went to thank the bartender and he was very friendly, the only one that smiled!
Next time I'll sit at the bar :)
The restaurant is just plain beautiful.....elegant without the frills. We had Allen as a waiter, he is great and knows the menu and bar inside and out. Martini's are fabulous....not shaken, but stirred!!!!!! Â yum....Food presentation and food itself is perfect. We sat at the communal table and it was perfect...at first you think, maybe not, but it is fun. Â We left convinced we will be back and tell everyone we know about it. If you are a foodie...this is the place for you..
Review Source:This is my second visit to Workshop. My first visit was excellent. This visit was OK, granted I was there to have a cocktail and a small bite, not dinner. The place is still gorgeous. We belly'd up to the bar, ordered two drinks. One of the drinks was too spicy. My gf requested to have it watered down. The octopus app was good. My slice of lemon tart was delicious. The service was....well, the African American bartender was warm and welcoming, I can't say the same about the hipster bar manager. No sense of humor. It was as if he was being "tolerant" of us...Its not that serious, no matter how much you want your mixology skills to be, it still a drink dude. No one is going to die if you dont "cup"/"clap" that basil. Ridiculous.
Review Source:I had high hopes for Workshop Kitchen but was very disappointed. Â As soon as you walk in, you are struck by the decor. Â They obviously put a lot of money into this place, but it felt very cold and institutional. Â Lots of concrete, communal tables, etc. Â It feels like someone tried to convert Alcatraz into a fancy restaurant.
When we walked in there were two women working the hostess stand.  The place was not busy but they appeared confused and overwhelmed.  The hostess we checked in with  (bleach blonde) could not be bothered to look at us.  She just kept staring at the computer or the stack of menus which seemed to bewilder her.  She then sat us at a communal table (which is just a giant concrete bench with low stools to sit on) and told us that no regular tables were available.  That was very frustrating as I think communal tables are the worst dining innovation since Vegas buffets.  Everyone at the communal table appeared uncomfortable and all conversations were stilted and whispered due to the lack of privacy.
I can't really complain about the service as our waiter was a nice guy. Â The food was decent but nothing special. Â I started with the tomato soup which was pretty tasty. Â My main course was the tenderloin which I found a little fatty and unevenly cooked. Â It was not bad but not worth $36. Â I can get a much better steak at a dozen of other places in the desert for that money. Â I don't think I will be back soon.
This place is not that extravagant in Palm Springs.
First you really need to know where it is and to look for the sign is really hard unless you know where the sign is located.
Then dining in the patio which is more of a court needs improvement by putting lighting under each table so we can see the menu at night especially when candle are not light.
Table should not be under the palm tree unless you want the grain of the palm fall into your plate.
10 mins to wait before our waitress showed up and introduced herself and the menu.
10 mins before our coctails  showed on our table.
15 mins before we ever get our appetizers.
15 mins before the entrée
Oh did I say how they clean tables. That makes you think twice before you sit on a dirty unsanited table. Not even using cleaning product or water to wipe the table.
They use previous clients table cloth to just swipe the table and it's clean for them.
Some waitress needs training on how to handle glasses stillcontaining wines inside and not to make it drip on the floor:)
Other than that the whole experience was not favorable.
Ah such high hopes for this place... And so disappointing because they were SO CLOSE to receiving 5 stars... The night was almost perfect... Until they forgot to put in my father in law's well done steak. Â He had to sit there for over an hour after the rest of the family's meals arrived to get fed. Â Absolutely not acceptable. Â The place was gorgeous though, and the meal was fantastic, once on the table. Â Service was awful, even before this indecent, took 10 minutes to be greeted by our server, another 15 to get our wine, but I still probably would have given rave reviews, as I'm not too picky about lax service. Â I like to be left alone anyways. Â My husband was so embarrassed about the steak incident though, that I will never be able to convince him to give this place another try.
Review Source:Good food and nice ambiance :)
I came here on a Thursday night and sampled some of their dishes made artfully with fresh ingredients. Â
I had the octopus carpaccio with txakolina. Â It was excellent, reminded me of eating in Basque Country. The beet salad was good, made with fresh beets of course. Â I don't know why but some places use canned beets for this and it tastes not good.
The pan seared scallops with squid ink were amazing, yes I hardly say amazing to any food, but they were amazing. Â I finished off with a well made lemon tart, not too sweet and with the perfect amount of tangy citron flavor.
The cocktails were good too. Â Here is an excerpt from one of their drinks on the menu:
PALM SPRINGER vodka, fresh pineapple juice, house made grenadine, angostura bitters. uncertain and at odds, this drink is icy cold and a little bitter...but...has a certain sweetness and complexity, similar to the kiss of an exlover... only without the early morning awkwardness and
wayward feelings.
Yay I'm a fan. See you again soon, workshop kitchen.
Wow! This new restaurant is amazing through & through. You can taste what they mean when you hear a place call itself farm to table-- it means you will not be disappointed! The workshop is really a work of art from the courtyard seating and hanging lights in the main dining room to the thinly sliced octopus carpaccio (a favorite) and their original cocktails that pack a punch. (Ps try the "PUNCH)!!
Many creative and delicious appetizers and quality salads whet the palate for the restaurants' hearty main dishes. Â The chicken diovolo were Rib eye are very strong and succulent and were appropriately paired by an educated waitstaff to selections from their wine list.
For dessert you gotta try the key lime pie with ginger-beet sorbet. The sorbet is amazing on a hot sunny day all by itself! The Chef is an internationally trained young restauranteur with an amazing flair for food and drink. The bar is a great place to pop into for a drink and an app. I'll be back on my next trip to PALM SPRINGS!
Probably one of the most disappointing meals and dining experiences that I've had in Palm Springs. Â Terrible service, sub-par food, small drinks and worst of all, an owner/chef who needs some lessons in customer service. Â To make matters worse, when I received my VISA bill, I realized they added $10 to my total (even though my receipt clearly has the correct amount that I signed for).
Too bad - the space is great and I was really looking forward to trying this place. Â Needless to say, we won't be back.
PS: Â We split the bill with friends 50/50 and just confirmed that the restaurant also added an additional $10 to their credit card total as well. Â An honest mistake...?? Â On both of our credit card charges??? Â Hmmm...very suspicious.
I had a party of 22 people on a Sunday and it was very easy working with their event coordinator. We had custom menus and The Workshop Kitchen + Bar is amazingly advanced yet the food is fresh, clean and local! The staff was friendly chic and had great knowledge in food, wine and spirits: The owner/Chef Beckman came out to chat with our group and other tables; Â we thought this was very classy! I would not hesitate to have another event large or small at this venue. Â 5 Stars 5 Diamond if it was in Dubai it would be 7 Star 7 Diamond. Â
Best Dinning experience Ever,
Bearcat
Ugh! Such a disappointment. The food was mediocre at best. We tried the goat cheese and lentils, chicken with wild rice and the steak, everything was Blah and the ingredients seem disconnected! Even the chopped salad was tasteless.  It's a shame because it is a great space with good drinks but don't  go for dinner. Based on what I tasted I rather see it turn back into the Design Within Reach outlet it used to be.
Review Source:This was my second visit to Workshop. Â My first visit...4 stars...last night...1 star and that's being generous.
I had invited 9 friends to join me there; it's a cool space, craft drinks, good food...I made a reservation on Open Table for 10 several weeks ago, got it accepted, and within a few days got a call from Workshop requesting a credit card deposit on such a large party...no problem.
The day before our meal I got another call from Workshop again confirming the reservation. Â Not sure what possessed me to ask but wondered where we'd be seated..."in the courtyard" was the answer. Â The charm of Workshop is inside...a community table and cool vibe. Â Upon protest, the hostess/reservationist says..."when you make a reservation on Open Table you are automatically put out in the courtyard". Â I questioned that...no where on their Open Table site does it say that...but I soon realized that we would not come to agreement.
When we arrived our table was outside in the courtyard. Â It was a wooden, banquet table...painted/stained plywood with metal folding legs. Â Our chairs were the kind you see at banquets. Â Our waiter...overworked an inattentive. Â Needless to say, the 9 guests I brought were not impressed...they'd already heard service really sucked. Â The food was mediocre for the price...
To top it off...because we were a large party...our gratuity was 20%...nearly $150. Â While disappointed we were a cordial bunch...but our service certainly did not earn 20%.
Workshop LOST 10 customers last night. Â And, for those of you reading this review...consider again when you reserve there...it is NOT worth it.
Absolutely amazing design. Cold. Concrete. Minimal. Just the way I love it. I can't go on enough about how great this place looks. It's a total gem of the desert and great to see a restaurant in PS to take the effort to be spectacular in between so many very dated and badly designed/gimmick restaurants and bars. They've got everything down, even the menu is nicely designed (so many places spend a fortune on good design but then forget about the menu).
Hesitant at first because of the reviews, but chalked it up to the cliquey vibe that certain PS restaurants give off and their minions leaving bad reviews. If you're educated, cultured, and not thrilled about the Hard Rock Hotel coming to PS, you'll probably love this place.
Came in at about 10:40 on a Sunday night, the place was empty and only a few people at the bar. No one acknowledged us for about 5 minutes, but during this time we realized we came in right before the closed, and we actually passed the bar tender as we were coming in through the courtyard (assume he was doing some closing up duty). He apologized, and it wasn't a big deal. This kind of thing happens if you are the jerk coming in right before close on a Sunday.
Isaiah gave us some drink suggestions and we got the Ward 8 and the Palm Springer. Great flavor! Great drinks! Made well! The Palm Springer is a definite stand out. Would have spent much more money here if they weren't trying to close up, and we're looking forward to visiting again, eating food, and bringing multiple friends there who would also love the place.
I came in for Mother's Day to treat my parents to a meal that went above and beyond the typical fare for Palm Springs dining. The bottomless champagne was a nice touch to making the day run as smoothly as possible, although unnecessary... the food was so good, there was no need to mask it in alcohol~!! (unlike soo many other places in the desert that require such a distraction)
I had the crab cakes with apricot salsa for appetizer, followed by the Duck Confit Benedict. It was rich and delicious, but the crab cakes were Ah-Mazing! Who would've thought an apricot salsa?! Only a Chef who uses local and seasonal ingredients would think to showcase what's fresh and ripe to eat in such innovative ways.
The Chocolate Mousse with honey drizzle was so incredible, I'm willing to return just for that alone. I'm DEFINITELY bringing in friends next time I'm in!
What I find really impressive about Workshop-- besides the incredibly thoughtful menu, and the high-design interior, is the knowledge of the waitstaff. They truly know great detail about the menu, where the food comes from and how it is prepared. They know their wine, and the bartenders creatively prepare the cocktails, telling full backstories of where the drink originates.
Wow this place certainly gets a lot of mix reviews.... almost all of the negative reviews had to do with the service. Â For me the service was perfect. Â It was a super busy Saturday night and they even accommodated a special booth request that we had asked for earlier when we made the reservation. Â We looked around and it didn't seem like any other customers were having an unbearable time. Â Maybe we got lucky that night? Â Or maybe some people are just not used to this type of restaurant in Palm Springs. Â
Basically this is a LA-type of restaurant in set against the typically not too crowded and uber friendly Palm Spring restaurant. Â So if you are not used to LA type of "hit" restaurant then you'll be disappointed with the lack of uber friendliness and bend over backwards to make you happy attitude. Â But since I'm from LA I was used to it and actually liked the fact that PS finally has a better place for food and drinks. Â Its been a long time coming. Â
As for the food, the menu was ambitious but not all entirely successful. Â A bit too reliant on sous vide which shouldn't be applied to everything under the sun. Â But overall the freshness of the ingredients along with a light touch makes the dishes overall pretty good.
The first time my husband and I came here, we picked a few dishes from the small plates section. The hard boiled egg with caviar was my favorite :) I've never had breakfast with caviar before. The bacon was good and so were the potatoes. Â Of course the mimosas and bloody marys were delicious! I think Palm Springs makes the best bloody marys in CA!
The service was O.K.
The second time we went there, the service was awful. I was served by drink in a glass with a crack in it. The waitress didn't offer to comp it. After telling us about their yummy lobster burrito, she came back and told us they were out. They were out of a couple other things too... We had to ask for water a few times. She would come out and ask random tables if they needed anything and just skip over some tables.
Overall, the place is really stylish but the service is awful. If you get the kitchen on a good day, the food is yummy. If it's a bad day, the food seems to be mediocre.
Beautiful birdcage. No bird.
The restaurant looks beautiful but absolutely the worst service I've suffered through in a long time.
The server was young, beautiful but totally incompetent. The back waiters dropped plates on the table and expected us to dole it out to whoever ordered each dish.
They desperately need someone who knows what they're doing running the front of the house. If you can't find someone locally, import someone from LA!
The absolute worse restaurant experience I can remember. Â We made a reservation for a party of six on Saturday night. Â We arrived at the restaurant and were squeezed into a both that would normally seat four. Â We asked the hostess if we could take the six spaces at the communal table and she just stared at us (really, crickets...). Â Things went downhill from there.
The Good (I try to find something positive): Â They had a great architect and designer. Â The space is beautiful.
The Bad: Â Absolutely terrible service. I already told you about the hostess. Â Our waitress had no wine recommendations and didn't seem to really know very much about what was on the menu. Â The food was terrible. Â I had the scallops and the squid ink risotto. Â My scallops were full of sand, I couldn't eat then, disgusting. Â My friend had a salad that had no, none, zero flavor. Â Finally, it was 100 degrees in Palm Springs on Saturday, the restaurant was at least 110 degrees. Â Sweat was pouring off of us, it was so uncomfortable. Â I couldn't wait to get out of the restaurant. Â I walked outside and it was like I could breathe again. Â This is an expensive restaurant at the very least I would expect the staff to be friendly. Â They all seem to walk around with these blank expressions. Â A shrug of the shoulders is the best anyone can offer in way of a response to any type of question. Â I don't live in Palm Springs, but take this as my warning to stay away. Â We were speaking with a local gallery owner and he said we should have gone to Mr. Parker at the Parker. Â He went on to say that Workshop won't make it through the summer. Â I think he's right.
My second time dining here. The first was good and left me looking forward to returning. Unfortunately, this visit was my last. The service was just okay. Palm Springs is such a friendly place, the servers here are not very friendly. The food was so salty. I mean SO salty. I think the waitress knows the food isn't good, cause she didn't ask how the meal was. The service started to drag on after awhile while our water glass sat empty. There are better options out here.
Review Source:Workshop is a great addition to the PS restaurant inventory. Â It took us a while to take the plunge due to the pricing, but we finally succumbed to all the buzz.
The food was deliciously inventive. Â Who would've thought something like spiney nettles would be so pleasing to the palate? Apparently the chef(s) did here and were right. Fascinating flavors are mixed and matched in each dish and paired intelligently with a nice wine from an ample selection. Â
Three of us had different entrees for our maiden voyage. Â Pan-Roasted U-10 Scallops, Pan-Roasted Texas Red Fish, and the Chicken Diavolo. Each was equally yummy as were the three appetizers we shared: Local Crispy Goat Cheese, Shaved Fennel Salad and Mesqite-Roasted Peas. Â It was a riot of flavors that may be too much for the typical comfort food crowd. Yet, we left feeling completely satisfied.
Unfortunately, we were not able to be seated in the courtyard. Â It is a serene space and the weather was pitch perfect. Â However, the interior is easy on the eyes as well. Â Soaring concrete walls create intimate booths separated by long communal tables with elegant plunging lights over all. Â These very modern features accentuate the cathedral-like shell of the room. Â It's a delightful blend of new and old: perfect for Palm Springs.
The two critisms I have are that the noise level inside is a bit too high for intimate conversation. And the seating, while beautiful, is not very comfortable. Â There are no backs on the stools at the communal tables and the padding in the booths is too thin. Best bet is to sit outside if you can.
Workshop is not a last minute go-to restaurant. Â It's for a special occasion or when you're in the mood to experiment. Make a reservation and plan to be surprised.
When I think of a "workshop", I envision a sacred, austere space.
The finest of craftsmen create in their workshops, these spaces in which each tool has it's place for each unique task in order to create one of kind experiences and works of art.
"Workshop" is aptly named and appropriately describes the fine dining experience to be had at Workship Kitchen + Bar.
Here at Workshop, experience exquisite craftsmanship in food and flavor as well as fine dining as a fine art.
The style of service would seem to harken on more a European tradition.
By that I mean, dining is enjoyed a little later, a little slower, and focuses on savoring each sip, plate, and shared bite, equally balancing anticipation with delightful satiation.
I write this review one month after eating at Workshop for the first time, and today, I can just easily callback to that experience of tasting such dishes as a Farro rissotto with red pepper coulis.
There are many places to eat; choose Workshop to have an experience.
Can't wait to go back again and again....and order the Octopus Carpaccio.
My partner and I came down to Palm Springs from Los Angeles to visit good friends, who suggested we might try this new place for dinner. Yes, the decor is stunning, but as the majority of others have written, the decor is not what singularly makes a restaurant successful ... and we ended up walking out 25 minutes after our 8:15pm reservation, even though our table became available.
We arrived promptly at the time of our reservation, however were told our table was not ready. It was suggested we wait in the bar area, although It took a total of 15 minutes to even get the bartenders attention despite the fact there were only four other people at the bar. Attempting to order a bottle of wine while we waited, they ultimately told us the bottle was not available after they fumbled for another 10 minutes looking for it. They then suggested another, only to wait even longer for them to locate it as well.
It became abundantly clear this was an experience that was not going to improve. We too had read the Yelp reviews, quickly determined this was NOT the way we wanted to spend our evening, and kindly told the hostess we were going to pass and walked out.
Rude, inattentive & inept service is not what a good restaurant makes. Trust the overwhelming number of negative reviews here who have experienced the same, and steer clear of this place.
Since there are no half star ratings, I rounded up and gave Workshop Kitchen + Bar 4 stars. Â When I saw the photos of the space on their website, I knew I had to try this place. Â I came here on a Tuesday night for a friends birthday dinner. Â The venue is beautiful with its modern/industrial vibe. Â I could not stop taking pictures! Â
Despite all the other reviews about the poor service, I found it to be great.  The food was just okay.  I thought the pâté was wonderful but did not care too much for the octopus carpaccio. Â
Then we ordered dessert...butternut squash bread pudding with honey thyme ice cream. Â Amazing! Â I am not the bread pudding type, but this dessert changed my mind. Â So good! Â Maybe I'll come back for some wine and dessert.
After getting my reservation for a Saturday night we arrived on time thinking we would be seated at the community table. We were a party of six. The hostess told us the group was still occupying the table and we could wait at the bar. It was jammed that night, but we had a drink and waited. The hostess leads us to our table, it's a booth for 4 at best.
We sit there to my displeasure and its tight. We didn't have room on the table for our order so it was really a pain.
We ordered the following:
Octopus carpaccio
Calamari salad
Fennel salad
Shepard's pie
Roasted cauliflower
Grilled Brussels sprouts
30 OZ rib eye
Half of  Chicken
Red fish
Rack of lamb
Pate
The food was good, some things I felt were under seasoned, but cooked to perfection. The service was very good. Had we been patient and waited for the right table to come I think the experience would of been better.
PS. I went back the next night with some friends and sat outside, it was less crowded and far more enjoyable.
Save yourself three hours and do not go here. Where to start... we came with a big group (10 people) so I get it that we had to wait. But once sat things just went downhill. It took about 30 minutes just to get hot tea and espresso shots. and then it took an HOUR (I'm not joking) to get our food. And when the food came, it was so wrong.
We had some girls with allergies in our group and requested some items with no diary or meat. when the orders came out wrong (with the dairy and meat) the response from the waitress was that the COOK didnt like to make changes to the meals. Really? They also waited an hour to tell us they didn't have key ingredients to make certain things on their menu so then the girls had to come up with something else and wait another 30 min.
By this time, we had been there for over two hours and all of us had to go move our cars, as we were parked in two hour time spots. We spoke to the manager who ended up discounting the food, but I'm not sure that was even good enough.
In short, as we left we urged people to not go in there, and I will do the same on here. They need to get it together and sounds like FIRE their cook ASAP.
The one place we actually enjoyed our dinner at, in PS, and didn't feel like we were sent in a time machine back to the early 90's.
Great cocktails, great food, great service.
Our waitress was one of the nicest I've ever seen, very knowledgeable about the menu, including the cocktails and the wine. It was great getting her advice about the wine pairing etc.
The food was very good. Coming from SF I find the dishes to be HUGE so be aware of it when ordering. The only thing I didn't really like was the calamari salad, it is a very big salad, but I didn't really feel the calamari in it and it was a little bland. Steak was amazing, so was the fish dish and the other starters we had. For desert we had the chocolate one.It was really good. I'm not a great fan of marshmallow, so I find to home made huge piece of it to be unnecessary.
To sum it up - best dinner I had in Palm Springs, I can't even compare it to the other places we tried.
Does "workshop" mean a work in progress? For this restaurant's sake, I hope so...
Waited a few months to try, especially after hearing really bad things... And I regret to say, this was one of the worst dining experiences I've had to suffer through in a long time. PS needs innovative places, but this was like a freshman art project gone horribly wrong. Some may be dazzled by the dramatic interior (not me, 20 ft high slabs of concrete only made for poor acoustics).
Service was a joke. The waitress tried to hide her stress with a smile, but she was lost on another planet. We sat there for 35 minutes without a drop of food, then waited another 30 minutes for the next course. I won't describe the food because it doesn't deserve any description. That bad. I only wonder if the owners have any prior kitchen experience? On paper, I'm sure it looked like a great concept, but...sorry, I won't be back.
I don`t like to write yelp reviews because I think everyone has their own opinion but the low rating for this restaurant ignited me to share my experience. I almost missed out on their awesome food which is why I don`t want other foodies to miss out.
FRIES WITH DUCK EGG ($6+4): I love eggs on my burgers, but fries ? The poached duck egg was made well and it complemented the parmesan and sea salt. The green chili aioli dip had a nice kick. Photo: <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/workshop-kitchen-bar-palm-springs?select=UhkzoZhHV32NdU9CRjPEjw#DJ2Ay3uQ3pe-d6ob-nxf5w">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
CHICKEN AND WAFFLES ($16): Only offered during weekend brunch and boy, you don`t want to miss out. I`ve tried so many chicken and waffle places in Southern California (roscoe`s, bruxie`s, iron press, etc.) but have left disappointed to my favorite 900 Grayson in Berkeley. Here, the waffles are crispy with a tinge of vanilla, and the chicken is seasoned well without the grease. It lacks a spice kick, but that can be fixed with some requested hot sauce. Of course, the fried chicken isn`t as awesome as harold`s chicken shack in Chicago but you can`t win every battle. Photo: <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/workshop-kitchen-bar-palm-springs?select=UhkzoZhHV32NdU9CRjPEjw#A_YzlYX4iZNpm7DxTBaLpw">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
As for the service, I made reservations the day before with the yelp`s open table and was seated right away. I don`t know how dinner is but I enjoyed the ambiance (it would belong well in the Mission, SF) and look forward to trying their night specials.
Sure, the price is more on the gourmet side but coming from SF, food is worth it if it`s G-O-O-D and the portions are shareable (..for girls).
A great idea, very modern and hip for Palm Springs and a beautiful outdoor courtyard. Unfortunately, just like most restaurants I've experienced in this desert, Â it falls short in many areas. Service was good, though it got a little sluggish towards the end of the night when the kitchen forgot to fire up a few of our dishes. The wine list was acceptable - about 3-5 good reds, the rest pretty unremarkable - Â though the wines by the glass were shoddy at best. Though I don't take the clientele of Palm Springs to truly appreciate wine or food, so does it really matter?
The bread was dry and tasteless served with 1990's style olive oil/balsamic mixture in a ramekin so deep it's impossible to get any of the balsamic even if your palate wanted to go in that direction (which if you're a foodie, it doesn't unless it's stuck in a time warp). Â The curried chicken salad with kale and lentils was good and the portion very large considering the restaurant is undecided about small plates vs entrees and appetizers. It's trying to do both. Suggestion: go small plates. Â The cauliflower and Brie fondutta style dish was solid and much less fatty/creamy than I dreaded it would be. The hamburger was pretty good though not "the best hamburger you ever had" as touted by our service, the duck fat fries were crispy, not over/under salted. Over all the chef has a nice light hand in the salt department which is a pleasant change.
Granted Palm Springs is not a foodie destination.... And it appears it still won't be for some time. A for effort with this place, though they need to pull up their socks and get a little more creative if they want to compete with the big boys of LA (which as you know I think sucks in general for food), NY, and Chicago.
Only open since last October...so maybe they will figure themselves out.
We dined here tonight (a Monday evening) and had a FABULOUS experience.
My husband and I dined, along with our two children, 2.5 years old and 5 months old. Â Our server was Claudia and our bus person was Pain (like French for bread). Â We walked in around 7:30 pm without a reservation, and were lucky that they had some empty tables outside. Â The food came out very quickly after we'd ordered, and there was no wait at all. Â
The food was excellent. Â We had a creamy cauliflower gratin made with Brie cheese, and that was the highlight of the meal. Â The second best dish was a farro risotto with a red pepper emulsion that tasted like harissa. Â We also had wood charred brussel sprouts, and a roasted kabocha squash with burrata mozzarella, sprouts, pistou and pumpkin seeds. Â Dessert was also excellent - a flour-less chocolate and peanut butter terrine and a Meyer lemon tart with a peppery blood orange sorbet. Â Everything was served at the right temperature and tasted fresh and delicious. Â It was clear that they use quality ingredients.
Palm Springs dining is underrated, but this spot in particular. Â My expectations were low because of the other reviews we'd read, but we had no service issues at all. Â In fact, this was some of the best service we've had in a while - our waters were kept constantly full, plenty of attention so we could order more, no wait for food, no wait for a table, lots of accommodation to help us with the kids. Â
We can't wait to come back. Â And thanks for having so much wonderful vegetarian food on your menu!
One word - PERFECT! We saw the other reviews on Yelp and could not understand why everyone rated this place either 5 or 3 stars. Majority of the dining experiences in Palm Springs are about a please everyone style of menu. Which means you have oysters in the desert with a pasta and a steak of some sort. Weird.
Well at Workshop it is just farm to table perfection. They source from locally grown or sustainable providers. The result is perfect share plate sized nibbles of the best salad, fish and meat you have ever tasted in your life. The presentation is totally refreshing.
Go and have one of their perfect craft cocktails!
This is the first Yelp review I've ever written - - and I'm doing so because the service at Workshop is terrible. Â I was in the party that Bob D. reviewed on 2/28. Â What is so frustrating is how off base the owner's response is to the review. Â They are not listening to the fact that they have service problems. Â As a matter of fact, we mentioned it to several other Palm Springs residents and they all agreed they are hearing the same thing. Â It's too bad - - the place is cool looking and the idea is great, but it is falling apart on execution. Â And it's sad to see them not listening to the problems. Â I will outline the problems again, and just so it is clear, I will make a recommendation for each problem. Â So hopefully it will be heard. Â Here goes:
1. Â Hostess forgot us in bar. Â Our reservation was for 7pm. Â We were a little early so we were sent to the bar, which was fine. Â But after a while I looked at my watch and it was after 7:30. Â I went to check with the hostess - - who had clearly forgotten us. Â
Recommendation: Â ask the host staff to come to the bar and get guests once their table is ready.
2. Â Waitress did not come to table for a very long time. Â It was Valentine's night, so they had 3 seatings. Â Since we weren't seated for the 7pm seating on time, the waitress was well along with her other guests when we arrived at our table. Â It was a good 15 minutes before we were able to get her attention. Â Once we did, she was so frazzled she was actually dripping in sweat. Â
Recommendation: Â work with your wait staff so they acknowledge guests as soon as possible, even if they are busy.
3. Â Wine didn't come with first course. Â We decided on 2 bottles of wine. Â One for our first course and one for our main. Â Our first course arrived, and was almost finished before the first wine arrived. Â
Recommendation: Â Unless otherwise requested, deliver the wine/beverages to the table before bringing the food.
4. Â One main course needed to be sent back. Â This is where it gets good. Â The owner is very proud of the steaks. Â And most were good. Â But something was terribly wrong with one of them. Â It tasted like it had been dragged through an ash tray. Â Everyone at the table sampled it and was disgusted (which is why the owner says it was half eaten!). Â We waited and waited for the waitress to come back. Â While we waited, I ate half of my partner's steak. Â By the time she came around everyone was finished with their main courses so we said just take it off the bill. Â It was clear they weren't understanding that something was wrong with the steak. Â I suspect that steak was dropped in ashes of some sort - because the others tasted fine. Â
Recommendation: Â Servers should come to the table right after food has been delivered to see if everything is all right.
5. Â Premium Booth Pricing. Â One of the gimmicks for Valentines was the booths were priced higher and special services offered. Â Our service was terrible and they did agree to just charge us for the regular price. Â Which was fair because again the customers seated in the center of the room were getting attention from our waitress when we weren't. Â I think part of the problem may be the design. Â The booths are walled off, so it's very difficult to make eye contact with the waitress. Â And again, she was so busy she forgot to bring the champagne that was part of the booth package.
Recommendation: Â If you're going to charge for special services, then first make sure the basic service is up to par, and don't forget to deliver the special services. Â Again, to be fair, they did agree to not charge us extra for the booth.
So overall, you can see there are many service basics that need to be addressed. Â What's frustrating is that the owner's responses don't seem to be recognizing that they have an issue - - and we all know the first step in correcting an issue!!! Â Let's hope they can recognize it and turn it around before it's too late (again, the reputation is spreading around town). Â It's a great space and a great concept. Â Now let's work on making it a great service experience! Â Good luck.
Was hoping for more ... menu looked good, but execution was the issue ... and service ...
Made a reservation, specifically outside. Â Arrived on time. Â Hostess tried to seat us at a booth inside. Â Told we'd need to wait for an outdoor table. Â Seated 15 minutes after arriving. Â 10 minutes after sitting at the table, had to ask for water. Â 10 minutes later our enthusiastic but somewhat inept server arrived and inaccurately described the Texas Redfish. Â Took our wine and food order. Â 10 minutes later, server came back to tell us that they had run out my husband's dinner selection and asked whether we wanted to change our wine selection -- he brought neither a wine list nor the menu with him ... kept the wine, husband ordered new items ... asked to have it expedited as we'd been at the restaurant 40 minutes by then ... 20 minutes later our food arrives, after a runner tried to give it to our neighboring table. Â
The food: Â I ordered the Texas Redfish, which was overcooked. Â It came atop a very good arugula and radicchio salad with purple artichoke hearts (and, I think some bottled artichoke hearts -- there was a distinct difference in taste and texture between the two), bulgar (almost none on the plate), mint, and grilled lemon. Â The fish was also not seasoned.
My husband ordered the little gem Caesar salad, which was good, but not great. Â All of the dressing had fallen to the bottom of a large, deep bowl. Â He also had the fresh tagliatelle with olive oil, garlic and pecorino -- it was dry and needed more garlic and salt. Â Once he tossed it about in the oil which had settled on the bottom of the plate it was a bit more palatable.
The Meyer lemon tart was much too sweet and lacked the acidity level I like to taste. Â Kept the ginger beet sorbet on the side -- my husband is wasn't bad (he's not a huge beet lover).
I like the lighting inside - however, I really dislike the crypt-like ceiling high concrete booths. Â The room to the left as you come in the door is nice. Â The patio is also nice, except there is only ambient lighting -- they need to add some type of lighting outside (even just string some from the tree in the middle of the courtyard) -- as it is, it's virtually impossible to see the menu (the small font doesn't help).
I also think they need some type of delineated entrance when you come into the courtyard ... we kind of stumbled about amongst the diners before seeing the glass doors to the back, left of all of the patio tables. Â Then, when you get inside, you have to go the back of the restaurant entrance to find the hostess desk ... not welcoming ... and there's no seating in the entry area (despite there being two unused walls right as you come in the door). Â We had to wait 15 minutes for our table (despite making a reservation) and it would have been nice to have been able to sit down (they suggested we go to the bar, but there weren't seats open).
Well probably try Workshop again the next time we're in town ... and hope they've remedied the execution issues we experienced by then.
Loved this place!!! Â First of all, the decor is stunning, so my first impression was great.
We started at the bar. Â I ordered a mojito from Isaiah and thought it was the best one I've ever had. Â He certainly knows how to make a drink properly and seemed to take pride in doing it well. Â He hand bruised the mint before muddling and all juices used in the drinks are freshly squeezed. Â Delicious!
We oredered small plates for dinner to share among the three of us. Â We tried the duck liver pate, calamari salad, lentil/goat cheese salad and duck confit pizza. Â All were very good. Â The menu is interesting and creative. Â
Service at the Workshop was stellar. Â Our waiter was friendly and engaging. Â He was also incredibly knowlegable of the wines and spirits.
We can't wait to go back. Â Loved it!!!
You canNOT charge $41 for a steak that the chef proceeds to char on the outside and cook well done, when I asked for a medium RARE steak. Â It is offensive. Â And no amount of expensive interior and nice waitress can make up for it.
Learn to make a steak, because $41 is a ridiculous price otherwise. Â We regretted coming here, especially when there are less expensive/more delicious restaurants surrounding. Â
The drinks were good. Â We won't be coming back, but if you are planning on going to this restaurant, stop at drinks.
Sometimes you just have to walk into a restaurant and go for it without a reservation. Â Which is what we did.
I came here w/ the two C's - Corey (my partner) and Chelsea (our friend). Â Sans Chelsea's hubby b/c he was doing some crazy camping thing at Joshua Tree.
We sat at the community table, which was beautiful, btw, and made from concrete. Â The entire space is beautiful - very industrial, modern, and bustling.
We had the roasted brussel sprouts to start (shocking, I know). Â YUM. Â Chels ordered the soup special, which was RIDIC, I ordered the caesar salad (butter lettuce, WHICH I LOVE!) - which came with an angostura based dressing (yesssss), and Corey had the burger. Â All of our dishes were top notch, and our cocktails? Â AWESOME. Â
I will definitely come back here when we visit - it's like a little slice of Portland in Palm Springs...with higher prices!
After months of supporting this cool, hip and beautiful space I'm disappointed... Â I give any new place time too get its feet wet, but when they repeatedly fail to call you back for reservations and don't make any effort to recover your business, it's cool appeal is lost and it is time to start making reservations elsewhere.
My regards to the great bar tenders... Â I hope things get straightened out so you can keep mixing. Â Here is hoping!
We had been to Workshop just after it opened and gave it a very positive review but last night was a horror...We were with a group of ten and the restaurant was hopping but the food served to us was almost inedible and so loaded with salt, (our latest pet peeve), I could barely open my mouth this morning (that might make a few people happy, but not me)
The space is still extraordinary but the food needs lots of help. Pizza barely had any flavor; the new rage, Brussel Sprouts, were devoid of any taste...The burger I ordered came out well done when I had ordered it medium rare and then was recooked, came out right, but I had to ask four times for ketchup.
If they don't get their act together soon, the space may just be a beautiful monument which is terrible for a restaurant we had high hopes for. HELP!
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