workshop kitchen + bar

this one is getting a "doesn't like" but not by much. the place is super modern in terms of decor. concrete is the go to inside. our server was very pleasant and it was nice to see that management/ownership was present and seemed interested in how things were going for us.

the only thing that was a bit of a let down was the food. we weren't that interested in the mains section of the menu so we ordered 5 starters and salads and such. everything was simply ok. nothing that really blew us away. also worth noting is that our food came out super fast.... too fast for comfort really.

workshop isn't too far off from being a greatpalmsprings spot. but for now, its just slightly on the "needs improvement" side for me.

workshop kitchen + bar is a beautiful spot to enjoy a finely crafted cocktail or have a delicious bite to eat. it’s located inpalmsprings’ trendy uptown design district. there is seating indoors and outside on a courtyard patio. there are small tables, a private dining room for groups where i sat, and an impressive 32 foot long concrete communal table where it’s easy to socialize with your own friends or to meet others. the beautiful space with high ceilings had been previously used as a theater.

i've eaten here once before, a couple of years ago, and really enjoyed the food and experience. however, the extremely unprofessional attitude, disrespect, and petty rudeness i experienced with the hosting staff on saturday, november 13th means that i will never be back.

during the prior week, i called twice for reservations for a table for two persons. no one answered either time so my calls went straight to voicemail with their message stating that 'sometimes the staff is too busy to take calls. please leave a message and we will return your call." however, neither call was returned.

i decided to take a chance and arrived early at 6 pm. when i arrived, there were three couples in line for tables. the first host came down the line and was taking the names of guests. when he came to me he asked if i had a reservation. i said no and i explained that i had called twice but had not received a return call. he stated that they were short-staffed and very busy. i said that they should say they can't return calls if that's the case. at this point, he said excuse me and turned to another guest without taking my name.

within only a couple of minutes, all guests in front of me had been seated and i arrived at the host's podium. the first comment from that host was 'i hear that you called for reservations' at which point i confirmed the statement and explained the situation again. he also stated that they were very busy and can't answer the phone. i asked about returning phone calls but he ignored my question and then informed me that he had no availability until 9:30 pm that evening, three and half hours later.

i completely understand the staff being busy during peak times and having to allow calls to go to voice mail but to have the voice mail say they will return the call and then not is unacceptable. if you can't return the calls do not say that you will.

a simple apology would have made all the difference in the world but instead, i received the pettiness described above. there are too many good restaurants in thepalmsprings area to be ok with this type of bad service.

without doubt a polarizing spot inpalmsprings, several publications calling it the best restaurant in coachella valley while many locals and tourists have harshly criticized chef michael beckman’s cuisine as overpriced and underwhelming it was with reservations made over a week in advance that dinner was planned at workshop kitchen + bar, a 7:30pm seating easy to obtain but solo diners unfortunately relegated to the restaurant’s central communal table.

originally opened in 2011 and awarded a james beard award for best restaurant design several years later, a setting spanning the interior and courtyard of the historic el paseo building blending indoor alcoves and a well-stocked bar with an open patio with the sort of lighting that makes everyone seem a little more glamorous, it was after a bit of time spent locating the hostess stand that the reservation was confirmed and with seating offered on backless cubes at the center of the indoor space it was not long before water was filled with food and beverage menus presented.

seated to the left of a late-50’s couple loudly proclaiming themselves “foodies” despite not knowing what romanesco or gravlax were, with a husband and his pregnant wife sporting more dietary restrictions than most further down the table, it was after lengthy perusal of the menu that the decision was made to begin with two “smalls” before placing orders for more substantial things, the choice to forgo cocktails clearly disappointing a hirsuit server who was efficient yet abrupt with a hipster sort of indifference to the bulk of his tables.

describing the menu as “market-driven” and “seasonal,” more a case of expected nomenclature than actual fact as the bulk of the plates seem not to have changed much from those seen on social media from months and years past, it was having given the go-ahead to serve items as they were ready that both plates arrived simultaneously, the “duck study” a fairly bland dish of pan-cooked rice and eggs with no fowl to be seen while the $15 braised pork cheek fries presented a mountain of matchstick potatoes atop a pool of red curry with a few slices of dried-protein, thin slices of radish and a few brussels sprout leaves.

reportedly trained in several european countries including a stint at michelin 3* lameloise, though nothing about the chorizo pizza or visually unappealing black cod presented to the “foodie” couple indicated chef beckman to have any more or less talent than the rest ofpalmspring’s chefs, it was after some thought that the decision was made to forgo any further foray into the savory side of the menu that dessert was requested, the apple tarte tatin a respectable version of the classic with tender fruit served glistening and hot beneath a melting ball of ice cream atop the flaky crust.

i’m spending a long weekend in california’s desert country, in this nostalgic hideaway for hollywood stars. it was a last-minute trip planned to escape the rain and cold of northern california, so it’s ironic that i’m writing this today on a rainy day inpalmsprings. to get out of the rain, i dropped into workshop kitchen + bar for sunday brunch. this modern restaurant in the city’s uptown arts and antique district is a stark contrast to the retro diner-type restaurants that are commonly found around town. it’s evident once you walk in and see the cavernous space with concrete walls and tables (the space won a best restaurant design award from the james beard foundation last year).

worst service in 6 years !!. as a full-timepalmsprings resident for the past 6 years, it's always nice to hear of a new, exciting restaurant opening up. my partner and i went for dinner with high hopes.
we left after about 1 hour, still not yet having ordered dinner. we ran out of water, no waiter to be found, wanted a glass of wine and had to actually get up and purchase it from the bar because we received no service. we did order appetizers.....they brought mine out first, then after waiting a substantial amout of time, we were informed that the kitchen had run out of whatever it was we were waiting on. that was the last straw......we got up and left, thankfully never to return again. (in fact we are meeting a friend for dinner later this week, when he told us he'd already make reservations at workshop, we said "no way we're going there, please cancel the reservations and pick someplace else".) oh, and i hated the communal seating. the restaurant has an extremely limited menu, and be warned if you order a matini from the bar, they don't have any vodkas that you've ever heard of before.

this is a fantastic restaurant. the cocktails and wines are exceptional. perfect fit for uptownpalmsprings.

too soon to tell.... we were excited at the prospect of trying a newpalmsprings restaurant featuring a seasonal menu prepared by noted chefs amid an interior that is unlike anything inpalmsprings. while the food is good, the presentation is, hmmm... quirky. to say the least. the fact that the bar does not have bombay saphire gin dissappointed one of our martini-drinking friends right off. once seated at our table, our waitron brought our party of five four pieces of what looked to be fresh-baked bread. (i wouldn't know; i never got a piece. we requested more bread, but that never came.) she insisted that the small plates were large enough to share. (maybe, for an anorexic super model from los angeles, but not for five men.) the portions were generous for an individual diner, but hardly big enough to share. two of our diners took her word for it and ordered a ceasar salad. when they asked for salad plates, our server brought them two more bread plates. (4" x 4"). the restaurant has a wood-fired pizza oven but, while the crust looked delicious, only one pizza option was offered on the menu the night we were there. don't get me wrong; the food is good and the place is still trying to find it's footing in a very competitive market. i will give it a couple of more chances; especially want to try brunch here. once they hit their stride, workshop may well become one of the hottest new restaurants inpalmsprings. if you do go, ask for michelle or richard as your server.