bluEmber — Restaurant in Rancho Mirage

I arrived around 8 PM with two other guests to have dinner. We’ve usually done walk-ins without any issues, but for some reason, tonight we were told a reservation was required—even though several tables were clearly available.

The hostess staff was passive-aggressive and made no effort to be accommodating. At first, no alternatives were offered. It wasn’t until my mom went back and asked if anything could be done that they suddenly said we could sit inside, but we would have to join the waitlist with an estimated wait time of 25–30 minutes.

As we waited, I thought it had been about 30 minutes, so I asked my mom to check in again. That’s when the hostess responded, “Well, it’s actually been 27 minutes, but we can sit you down now.” What difference does that make? She still gave a window of 25–30 minutes—so the comment was not only unnecessary, but also dismissive and passive-aggressive.

What’s most disappointing is that we extended our night at the resort because we had been enjoying it so much. To then have this kind of experience at dinner was frustrating and frankly, disappointing. Thankfully, our server was polite and kind, but the way the hostess handled the situation left a negative impression.

For how much I’m spending to stay here, yes—I absolutely expect better hospitality. And after this experience, I won’t be returning. If reservations are required during busy times, that should be made clear in advance. Otherwise, stick to a consistent first-come, first-serve system or train your host staff to treat guests with basic courtesy. Being treated poorly should never be part of the experience—especially at a place that presents itself...

So I have to drop this hot item. I visited the BluEmber looking for a local taste. I have no idea the surprise I was in for. I asked three associates their favorite item right now amd got a unanimous decision. The Crispy chicken sandwich. It was delicious. I had an opportunity to speak with the creators of this item Chef William Withrow and Chef Maurica Wright Sr. What they came up with was a masterpiece. It's on the menu now and perfect for the season. The crispy chicken sandwich is cooked to perfection. The Vietnamese sauteed veggies with buttermilk and sriracha marinated chicken breast is the perfect combo of spicy and tang for the pallet. Not to hot and to tangy. The chicken is literally hanging off the brioche bun so you are getting your money's worth. I've tried a lot ofbthe chicken sandwich around so when they suggested it I was like ok but three of them... So glad I took their advice. The pickles come on thw side so the sandwich is not too moist or soggy. Don't forget the pickles though. What's a chicken sandwich to a southerner without pickles? The breast is actually baked prior to the crisp so it's not saturated in oil. When I say masterpiece that's what these two have created. When I say delicious, oh boy you don't want to miss this one. As a matter of fact they could make them quick enough when other partrons saw my meal. Super satisfying for this food. I actually had it twice. Thanks Chef for taking the time with me. You have taken crispy chicken sandwiches to another level. I'll be back for this...

2nd time (2 years apart) to enjoy what is supposed to be nice al fresco dining for total fiasco... again.. they do not seem to have the service together for what its supposed to be an upscale dining experience. First we requested a specific table with more shade and were told no service there and would need to wait about an hour to be seated, but no soon we sat at the designated table, they seated another party table we had requested. My husband asked for an Old Fashioned drink; what they brought was so poor.. not even half way to top and an orange peel that seemed to have been just plopped in there drowning.. we told the waiter who seemed oblivious then a lady manager came in (she told us she used to be the bar tender recently promoted to manager) and basically talked us down (all three of us were seniors in our 60's).. stating how this is the way they've always prepared Old fashioned; if we wanted fill to the top then we needed to request double serving.. in other words our fault... my husband then said just to bring regular bourbon on the rocks, and the lady had the audacity to tell him, yes, I'll make it a big block of ice so that it appears it has more... I mean this woman belongs serving at a Denny's, C'mon! My friend' steak came overcooked, had to be returned, then came back raw, then had to be returned again.. Such a nice ambiance of a place but they seriously need to get their...