When Bar Cecil opened in Palm Springs in 2021, it was one of those reservations you just couldn’t get. I remember waiting in 2021 and 2022 for a reservation to open during the week I was in town, finally hitting “confirm” on Open Table, only to be hit with that dreaded note of, “we’re sorry… this reservation is no longer available.”
In 2023, bound a determined to claim a table, I put my name on a waitlist, when suddenly, I was sent a notification that a table was open! Hooray! I dined, I loved, but my dining companion was ho-hum about the place, so I put it on my “I guess I don’t have to eat here again” list, though still, I followed them on Instagram, loving the wallpaper, the caviar-topped deviled eggs, the photos of martinis and fun outfits… I loved the idea of this place so very much.
This year, after sending the menu to my travel companion, a suggestion of trying there again was met with enthusiasm, and I woke up early on the day reservations went live to hit “book.” We were in!
While it was warm out in early September in Palm Springs, the patio seating area stayed as cool as it could with the abundance of fans, which were welcome both for the breeze, and because the air movement made things feel just so… so… breezy. The way folks’ hair kept lifting slightly in the wind, the way the Palm Springs fashion kept moving. That light whisper of the flowers on each table. It felt cooler with fans, sure, but it’s also of note that they added a little something to the atmosphere.
Dinner, too, was worth re-thinking about. A dirty martini and a sazerac started us, before deviled eggs and an onion tart served as a first course. The night we were there, it seemed as if the cacio e Pepe was the most popular dish being twirled around me, so I opted for it as a heavier entree, while he went with the Beaton’s Burger- a classic burger in a lot of senses, branded on the bun, and served in a cheeky fast food-type box. Seated on either side of us, other diners all had the same jovial attitude, having conversations across the table, laughing with us and others, and happily offering suggestions for drinks and dishes while the waitstaff popped in to offer opinions and jokes all night.
So- is it worth the heart-pounding reservation? I certainly think so, and am already looking forward to going back. Not too long after hopping on the plane to come home, I discovered that a friend of mine had moved from his previous restaurant to the bar at Beaton’s, Bar Cecil’s new sister restaurant, located just across the courtyard. Beaton’s has a slightly trimmed down food menu, but the classics from Bar Cecil remain- items like the steak tartare and shrimp cocktail- in a cool new environment. Regardless of what you’re hungry for when in the desert, I suggest you try one. Or both.
** this post is not sponsored in any way. all thoughts and opinions are my own **
** first two photos from Bar Cecil’s gallery. third via me **
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