King's Highway — Restaurant in Palm Springs

So disappointed in this restaurant. I read that it was a Denny’s that was made into a new restaurant called King’s Highway in the Ace Hotel. We heard food was great and the vibe was even better but none of that was true. We made reservations on open table and we couldn’t find parking so we were concerned about being late. After circling the lot twice I gave up and parked 3 blocks away in the neighborhood. We arrived to a restaurant that looked like an untouched Denny’s from the early 70s with only one other couple (is all that parking from the hotel??!) Part of that ambiance is cool, especially the stained class on the back wall. I dropped my husband at the door to grab our table and he was not asked for his vaccine card but was seated. After parking, I walked in shortly after and had to provide my card. The menu for breakfast is sparse but I ordered French toast and my husband had the egg sandwich. He had coffee and I had an americano. The coffee was really great. Quality espresso and coffee! The food came out relatively quickly. I was surprised to see a single slice of French Toast with a few berries as my $16 meal. My husband’s egg sandwich was clearly the better option. A squishy bagel with egg, bacon and cheese served with a side of potatoes. Ironically all this food had a less expensive price tag…seriously egg, meat, bread and potatoes compared to a single slice of French toast. To make matters worse, the French toast is terrible. Mushy and pretty tasteless. I’d avoid it at all costs. As the bill arrived I mentioned that I think their pricing is off. He was very defensive. Threw his hands in the air and said, “I have no control, I don’t set the prices, don’t blame me!” I’m not blaming anyone, I’m just sharing feedback. Then the question, “do you want me to tell my manager?” Yes, that is why I told you. A few minutes later he came back with an adjusted bill with a few dollars off. I was disappointed that the manager could t come to my table and talk to me but whatever…I’m still hungry so I need to go get food. Get me out of there. We won’t be back and I cannot recommend this...

In short: Just go somewhere else. Not worth your time, money, or calorie budget.

So disappointed in the direction this restaurant is going. I've been a regular patron of the Ace for more than 5 years. My last review was from Valentine's Day dinner (which happened on the 13th because we were traveling all day on the 14th). At that point, I was sad to miss some old favorites on the menu, but excited by the new options that were appearing. I wrote a brief review that was generous, and sent a lengthy and detailed note to the proprietors that was specific about the points that lead to my public comments. They still haven't replied, and based on the experience these past five months, I am not surprised.

As a local, I was hopeful that with the new focus, the diner would get its act together and deliver on the promise of bringing out one of the top chefs from the coast and liven up the desert food scene. I could not have been more wrong.

At this point, while it's not "bad" (like cockroaches skittering across the floor), there is no way that it could be called "good" (as in, a place I would choose to eat at were there any other options). The food is a mish mash. The dishes and plating are inconsistent at best. They run out of basic staples like chilaquiles. How on earth do you run out of something that is basically Mexico's answer to using old tortillas? The actually ran out of EVERY SINGLE juice they had over the weekend. How can you run a restaurant and allow something like that to happen? The only juice they had left was watermelon, and when they served me that, it was actually so spoiled that it was effervescent.

Since then, and what caused me to write this review, some friends of mine reported back to the hotel that they had felt ill after eating dinner there. The response they got: "Sorry that you weren't feeling well when you got here. Hope you give us another chance!" How is that appropriate?

This restaurant is in need of a shake up, and it probably needs to come from the top down. Until that happens, go to somewhere else. Personally, I'd opt for The...

One of our favorite local spots for a good quick bite to eat is the Ace Hotel's KINGS HIGHWAY Diner on the corner of Palm Canyon and Camino Real.

The menu, (though understandably limited during off season), is still substantial enough to meet anyone's palate.

This particular day we decided to test drive the bar as well. We started with 1 Bloody Mary and 1 "twist" on mimosas--instead of orange juice, a lovely presentation of champagne & pineapple juice with an edible purple flower in the center. . . (Interesting but we prefer orange juice next time, LOL) The Bloody Mary was spicy and nourishing with a garnish of olives, sweet peppers and other edibles. (One can be assured of not drinking on an empty stomach with that one...)

We decided to test drive the shishito peppers and split the "Impossible [veggie] Burger":

The peppers were AWESOME and even tasted better the next day when we couldn't finish the order (which was substantial) and reheated them in our toaster oven.

The IMPOSSIBLE Burger was as good as an "Impossible" Burger can possibly be. The burger itself is... well the burger. But the bread, accoutrements, condiments and everything made this plant burger taste actually pretty special. One is given the option of french fries or salad. We opted for the salad that came with its own dressing. (Have no idea what the dressing was but it was delicious...)

This place is a lot of fun and during season has so many things going on that it's harder to get in than it is now during the summer. Take advantage of that!

In fact, we've even heard a great rumor that they will be bringing Drag Bingo back shortly (if it hasn't been brought back already). You have never seen a more hilarious assortment of people from around the world get together and laugh uproariously.

This is one of our favorite neighborhood haunts. It should be...