The Pink Cabana — Restaurant in Indian Wells

Walking into the Pink Cabana, with its gorgeous concept and interior design, it would be easy to assume you are in for a real treat of a dining experience. This place is glowing… a perfect balance between class and comfort. We were certainly attended to right away having a large party reservation for a friends 40th birthday prix fixe menu.

But what followed was one of the strangest and potentially the worst dining experiences I’ve had.

I was the only person in our party not drinking, so I asked for our prix fixe cocktail selection to be made into a mocktail. The incredibly quick response was “no, we can’t do that.” Not “…but let me offer you a NA menu,” or “what kind of flavor do you like? The bartender can make you something.” Just NO.

My protective friend asked for an NA menu, I was too taken aback to think of that. She brought me pink powdered lemonade, couldn’t be bothered with a garnish. Could’ve been Minute Maid for all I know.

Later I tried again to order an NA wine but she wouldn’t come over to my side of the table and couldn’t hear me, so I got to yell NON alcoholic white wine across a table. But “no, we don’t actually have that.”

Is it wrong to believe that if we’re paying close to $200/head, a meager attempt could be made to make someone sober happy at a table full of drinking people with something fun and palatable? If I had a food allergy, would I have been at least offered a regular menu?

While most of the food was ok, the chicken was so dry I had a hard time swallowing it. It was essentially flavorless, sitting in brown water, and kindof cold. We all had to ask for salt which I can’t say I’ve ever done in a fine dining experience. The general vibe was one of “I can’t believe we are paying this for THIS.”

Not too long from our main course, our server subtly accused us of stealing spoons. “Hi so I actually need ALL of the spoons back, please.” as if we put them in our purses?! the “missing” spoon was at the other end of the table.

There were several other “…this must be some kind of a joke.” Interactions.

At this point, we cannot wait to leave this place, and were squirming in our seats when our check was delivered TO THE BIRTHDAY girl. Like, directly in front of her.

We walked out completely, utterly shocked. And I can’t say I’ll ever return.

I will say, your bussers and bar back staff were kind and attentive, though couldn’t seem to let us finish our food before trying to take it away. It was as if we were being rushed the entire time. Courses were presented long before the last were done.

But your server is clearly leaning heavily on her 20% auto-gratuity. I’ve never not left a tip, having worked in service and healthcare my whole life. BUT, if given an option, there’s no way I could’ve left one in this situation, though I would have also explained why. Service like this will end up costing this business money if isnt hasn’t already.

We would have brought these issues up to general management and given the Pink Cabana an opportunity to “make it right,” but there was no one checking on us, seemingly no oversight and certainly no GM in sight.

I’m sorry but $1500 later we left disappointed, to say the absolute least. I’m certain we...

The most aggravating thing about this place as a whole was the millions of instagrammers that flooded the place trying to take the perfect picture. They crowded the hallway and got annoyed if you took up their space. Influencers have their place, i get it, but it definitely takes away the magic of the place.

The decor was gorgeous. Service was confusing and inattentive, maybe even annoyed that we were there without a reservation (the restaurant was barely half full on a Monday). I had to ask 3 different people where the restaurant was before i could find the door. It definitely felt like, if you weren't in the know, you shouldn't know and are not welcome. The lady at the receptionist desk was the kindest aside from the bus boy that pretty much deserved the entire tip.

Our server wasn't awful but he wasn't friendly and outgoing. He seemed a bit annoyed and his attitude carried a i-work-this-job-because-i-get-tipped-no-matter-what-kind-of-service-i-give kind of vibe. I mean, we definitely don't look glamorous but we didn't look completely homeless!

We got the french toast; the crust was dry and thick and tasted like cardboard soaked in syrup. The middle part of the french toast was really good once you can make your way past the cardboard.

The chicken tacos were fresh and tasty. Nothing too crazy, but it didn't taste like cardboard.

The hummus was overpriced for what it is, and the naan bread was more like a focaccia than pita. It was thick and dense.

My kid said the burger was good and the fries were excellent.

I got the Turkish coffee and asked what made it Turkish and the server said, "Well, it's not really Turkish, it's just our take on it and we put in coconut, almond milk, and some spices."

My husband got a latte and loved it.

A huge shout out to the busboy that took care of us! He was on point and never let our water glasses go empty. He was kind and answered all of our random questions...

The hotel entrance had a cute, boutique vibe, which was promising. I made a reservation for a group of 9, including two kids (8 and 9 years old).

We were told the only option was a prix-fixe menu starting at $59 plus 20% gratuity. While that price wasn’t outrageous, the food didn’t live up to it. The French toast came out cold, missing that fresh, warm quality you’d expect. It wasn’t fluffy or crisp, and the flavor was super bland, like it had been sitting out too long. The eggs Benedict were also underwhelming—bland, with forgettable hollandaise and a side salad that took up most of the plate. The club sandwich came on plain white bread, with no other bread options, and was basic at best, served with chips. Oh and, the Calamari was very salty. Cheese platter for a table of 9 consisted of 1 type of cheese which was crumbled- less than 9 pieces, only 3 pieces of bread and some nuts. The board was too big for the amount that we were given.

Although we were told the only available reservation was at 11 a.m., the restaurant was nearly empty during our 90-minute stay, with just 2-3 other tables occupied. There were more staff walking around than guests.

The service was just okay, though we occasionally had to flag the server down. There was also an awkward incident when my brother found a hair in his mimosa. Instead of immediately replacing the drink, the waiter stood there inspecting the glass, which was odd given that it was still full. To make matters worse, the waiter then asked who had made the reservation and whether we had already paid—questions that felt irrelevant and left my family feeling uncomfortable and out of place.

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this spot for large groups due to the limited options or for anyone who minds overpriced,...