Tropicale Palm Springs: An Insider's Guide

Entrance to Tropicale Palm Springs

If the sound of a martini shaker brings a smile to your face as it does ours, this may just be your happy place in the desert. The Tropicale is popular for its friendly and well-staffed bar, as well as its delicious food and unique setting under the desert sky. Offerings include southern fried chicken salad, sumptuous steaks, inventive sushi rolls, and burrata with extra virgin olive oil.

Décor provides the setting at this ideal place where friends come together to mingle with a provocative mix of zesty personalities while oversized and fairly-priced cocktails are sipped under the starlit palms.

With a menu as diverse and all-around-good as this one, this desert dining hotspot creates a delightful dining experience for pretty much any type of group. Grab a sexy black leather bar stool and make it a night.

This is one of our favorite spots in town and we're not the only ones! Here are our top tips on how to make the most of your night at Palm Springs tropicale.

Tip #1 - Book Ahead

Tropicale is a large restaurant with lots of seating options but it can still get very busy during peak times. Unless you're heading to the bar, it's important to make a reservation.

How to Make a Reservation at Tropicale Palm Springs

If you have fewer than 8 people in your group, making a Tropicale reservation is easy. Go here to make a reservation at Tropicale on OpenTable.

If you have 8 or more people in your group, you'll need to contact the restaurant directly. The phone number for Tropicale Palm Springs is 760-866-1952 and their email address for reservations is info@thetropicale.com.

Tip #2 - Go for Happy Hour (Especially Wednesdays)

Outdoor Bar at Tropicale Palm Springs

The Tropicale Palm Springs is famous for its lively happy hour where martinis are sipped under the starlit desert sky at both the indoor and outdoor bars.

Happy hour happens daily from 4pm to 7pm.

During happy hour, the bar offers an extensive menu of discounted food and drink items. Our favorites are the calamari (see below) and the thai lettuce cups!

On Wednesdays, happy hour runs all evening.

Although it's not advertised, the locals know that Tropicale extends its happy hour pricing and offerings until closing time every Wednesday. So go ahead and celebrate hump day with a drink or three.

Tip #3 - Park in the Back

The entrance to the restaurant is on Amado road, but you can park around the corner if you know where to look.

Although there was once a large parking lot, during the pandemic the restaurant converted most of it into a second outdoor dining space. However, there are still about 10 spaces up for grabs so take a quick look and see if you can nab one.

Tropicale’s Semi-Secret Parking Lot

If not, don't fret, just drive North a few more feet and park in the open sandy lot on the west side of the road or anywhere along the curb to the East.

The small parking lot is on the left but there’s plenty of free parking in the sand lot shown on the right

Tip #4 - Get the Right Calamari

Ok, we'll admit it, we like fried stuff and the Crispy Calamari on the Tropicale Palm Springs menu is absolutely no exception. In fact, the perfect light batter and mix of zesty influences that creates this dish's magic is something we crave on a regular basis.

However, beware there are two crispy calamari dishes on the menu.

The calamari of our dreams is the Crispy Calamari with Spicy Red Chili Sauce. Although this dish is on the Happy Hour menu, you can get it any time by just requesting it. To keep things simple, call it the "happy hour calamari."

Tip #5 - Sit Outside

Let's face it, you're in Palm Springs for a reason. With 350 days of sunshine each year, this town is all about the outdoors. This is absolutely no exception.

The team at Tropicale Restaurant Palm Springs has gone to great lengths to create an outdoor oasis beyond compare. Beautifully decorated, lushly landscaped and blissfully protected from the desert sun by a smart awning system that changes angles as the sun moves, the answer is: sit outside.

If you've got a big group with you, an outdoor table is probably the way to go. There are two outdoor seating areas and they're both very nice. Take a spin and request the area that feels right for you.

If you're up for mingling and don't have 10 friends in tow, we strongly suggest sitting at the outdoor bar! Locals know it's the top spot in town where friends gather and martinis flow. The bartenders are skilled and friendly and you're likely to strike up a conversation with the cast of characters that frequent this colorful, fun enclave.

Tip #6 - Ask for Blue Cheese Olives

While you're getting into character at the Coral Seas Lounge, reminiscent of the lounges of old Palm Springs, why not adorn your ice cold martini with an overstuffed olive or three? Tropicale is famous for these beauties, made fresh at the restaurant and are served teeming with beautiful blue cheese.

Just ask for blue cheese olives and we promise you will not regret it.

Tip #7 - Peruse the Menu Now

The menu at Tropicale Restaurant in Palm Springs features a variety of dishes that draw inspiration from diverse cuisines around the world. One standout dish is the spicy Korean style steak skewers, served with a flavorful peanut sauce. For a refreshing contrast, the cucumber ribbon salad is a must-try, with thin slices of cucumber tossed with green peppers, ginger, and a citrus kim chee dressing. For a heartier option, the pork chops are a popular choice, marinated in a distinctive blend of spices and served with grilled green peppers.

There is so much to like about the this delicious menu, you'll probably need a little extra time to figure out where to spend your calories. Here's a link to the Tropicale's lunch, dinner and happy hour menus so you can plan in advance!

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