BaBaLoo Lounge — Restaurant in Palm Desert

Good morning denizens of SoCal and those from other parts of our beautiful planet. My name is Dr. Mike, and my wife and I want to apprise you planet earth occupants that there is an astounding and highly commendable new dining opportunity for you in the desert. I and my wife, of 46 years who is also my hero, had a truly great dining experience just a few nights ago. She and I were out for the evening, in route to one of our usual watering holes and feeding grounds, and as we were driving past the particular establishment I am going to talk about, my wife came up with the, out of nowhere, God inspired thought, to tryout the restaurant we were passing... It is called BaBaLoo Lounge! They specialize in Cuban and Peruvian cuisines, and OMG what an incredible find this place was. The food, service, decor, and live music, made for a night my wife and I will never forget. I want to give a special shout out to the following individuals: Marilyn (General Manager)...Kind, classy lady. Allen (Server)... Sharp, polite young man. Hector (Server)... Hard worker, reminds me of my dad who also was a server, may he r.i.p. Joe (Bartender)... Effortlessly mixes glass after glass of nectar from the Gods. Brenden (Busser)...Excellent performer, quietly and meticulously attended to our needs. Reminded me of my younger self many many years ago when I was for a brief period also a busboy. Gabby (Hostess)... Oozes with personality.

I want to give an extra special shout out to the following individuals:

Chef Jonathan (Owner)... Prince of a man and wizard in the kitchen. I had their ribeye steak with shrimp (The El Malecon) and OMG it was to die (live) for. My wife had their Calamari, and as picky/wonderful as she is, she said it was the best she has ever had. He even gave us a complimentary slice of his gourmet cheesecake (see photo), and again our palates were responding like crack addicts :-).

Elizabeth (Chef Jonathan's mother) was there overseeing things and in the back, paying the endless deluge of bills they receive, and yet she took the time to personally come to our table and welcome us. Elizabeth, you are a classy lady. Thank you so much for making us feel so welcomed, and our compliments to you for raising such a great son.

Patrick Evans, CBS Local 2 Chief Meteorologist and Host of Eye On The Desert, happened to be dining there that night, and as a true fan of his, he was gracious enough to allow me to interrupt his dinner and gave me his autograph (See his photo Attached). Thank you again Patrick for being so nice, and keep on bringing us this great cool weather we have been experiencing in the desert.

My wife and I have been truly blessed in our lives, and we thank God hourly. We have dined in the best establishments across the country and beyond, so we have an evidenced based ability to compare, and these folks ain't no joke period (I deeply apologize, sometimes I find it very difficult to suppress those kinds of movie theater acquired, straight outta compton utterances, especially when I am off my meds). They know how to really burn in the kitchen and make you feel right at home. We can't wait to bring our son, Jaleel White. He is a super foodie and we know he will flip.

In closing.... Do yourselves a huge favor and come on down to the desert and experience the best in dining and ambience at BaBaLoo's Sincerely, Dr. Mike and Ms. Gail (Proud Father and Mother of the greatest son on the planet, Jaleel White aka Steve Urkel, and grandparents of the smartest, cutest, mostest granddaughter on the planet, Samaya White). Please follow them both...

I’m updating my review and I can only do it this way since Google only allows one review per month. My husband and I went to Babaloo Lounge for the second time. We had such a fun evening, and we really needed that after we had such a stressful day yesterday. Chris was our waiter, and he was excellent. The first time my husband and I went to Babaloo Lounge we went earlier around 5:00 P.M. or 5:30 P.M. at that time there wasn’t music playing until later in the evening, which was fine for us. Last night, we dined a little later in the evening. Our reservation was for 7:30 P.M. We were able to listen to music while dining. There were people having a great time dancing to the music. I almost wanted to get up and dance myself. I probably would have if my husband and I had a less stressful day. Babaloo Lounge, honored my requests in my reservation. When I make a reservation, and a restaurant doesn’t pay attention to my request, it’s frustrating. Babloo Lounge evidently paid attention and I appreciate that so much. This is an upscale place, so it’s not cheap. However, my husband and I didn’t mind paying because this is more of a dining experience, than just a restaurant. Neither one of us think that is overpriced. My husband isn’t cheap, but he’s frugal. He didn’t seem to mind the price. Someone asked me yesterday, at the Resort we are staying at, what is my favorite restaurant in the Palm Desert area. My answer was Babaloo Lounge. I asked my husband the same question, his answer was Babaloo Lounge. After the experience we had last night, we both answered same Babaloo Lounge. I know Babaloo Lounge has found at least two life long customers as long as the quality of the food, service, atmosphere, and cleanliness stays the same.

I’ve been meaning to post a review for Babaloo Lounge. My husband spotted Babaloo Lounge. This is so much more than a lounge. The service, food and atmosphere is amazing. This is really a restaurant and a lounge. I don’t know the name of the gentleman that served us, but I know he was an excellent waiter. We are in the Desert again on vacation and I’m sure we will be going to dinner there while...

OUTDOOR PATIO DINING-The restaurant was able to accommodate a party of 13 for dinner last night after we called at noon to inquire about availability. Some in our group were interested in watching the pre-season Warriors game, so the staff initially planned to seat us indoors. However, once we arrived, we realized there was live music that made conversation difficult, so we asked to move outside. The staff handled the change efficiently, quickly setting up a table for us. The outdoor patio turned out to be ideal—quiet, comfortable, and pleasantly private, as we were the only group seated there. There were also several TV screens available, though unfortunately, the restaurant didn’t carry the Peacock channel, which was airing the game we had hoped to watch. Several of us ordered the recommended Cuban sandwich, which was hearty and flavorful. Each serving came with either fries or a generously sized salad, and everyone who ordered it had half left to take home. The skinny fries had good flavor but arrived cold. A couple of people ordered the filet, which they enjoyed, though one guest’s order was mixed up—she had requested a bowl but received the filet instead and decided to keep it rather than wait. The service was on the slow side, but we weren’t in a hurry, so it wasn’t a major issue. The restaurant offers a nice selection of draft beers, adding to the relaxed, casual dining experience. Overall, it was an enjoyable evening, and we especially appreciated the quiet and comfort...