Restaurant in Palm Springs, United States
Ace Hotel's anchor bar, done well.
King's Highway sits inside Palm Springs' Ace Hotel and draws a creative, LA-adjacent crowd that returns for the mid-century atmosphere as much as the drinks. It's easy to book, best visited on a weekday afternoon to avoid weekend noise, and works well as a full-service stop for food and drinks in one place. Skip Friday and Saturday evenings if conversation matters to you.
King's Highway is not a quiet neighborhood bar you stumble upon — it's the anchor dining and drinks spot inside the Ace Hotel Palm Springs, and it draws a crowd that knows exactly where it's going. If you're expecting a locals-only scene, reset that expectation now. This is a hotel venue that has earned repeat visits from both guests and Palm Springs regulars, which puts it in a different category than the strictly neighborhood spots on the strip.
The room leans into the Ace Hotel's mid-century desert aesthetic — low-slung furniture, warm lighting, and a visual sensibility that photographs well and feels considered in person. The crowd skews creative-class: designers, music industry, weekend escapees from Los Angeles who treat Palm Springs as an extension of their social life. You'll fit in if you're dressed casually but intentionally; overdressing reads as out of place here. The energy shifts noticeably across the day , daytime at King's Highway is relaxed and approachable, while evenings, especially on weekends, bring a denser, louder crowd as the pool scene migrates indoors.
The leading time to visit is a weekday morning or early afternoon, when the pace slows and the room is easier to enjoy without competing for attention. If you're coming for a conversation-focused meal or drinks, avoid Friday and Saturday evenings when the broader Ace property fills up. Palm Springs' shoulder seasons , October through November and February through April , offer the most comfortable outdoor conditions, which matters here given the desert heat that makes summer visits less appealing unless you're committed to the air conditioning.
Price and menu specifics are not confirmed in our current data, so compare carefully before booking. What King's Highway offers structurally is a full-service venue , food, drinks, and atmosphere in one location , which tends to deliver better value per hour than a single-category bar when you're settling in for an evening. For value-focused visitors, arriving at off-peak hours means you get the same room and the same drinks program with significantly less noise and a more attentive service experience.
Booking is easy by Palm Springs standards. Walk-ins are generally feasible outside peak weekend periods, though calling ahead for larger groups makes sense. The venue is located at 701 E Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92264, within the Ace Hotel property.
Quick reference: 701 E Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs CA | Walk-ins usually fine on weekdays | Weekday afternoons for leading experience | Part of the Ace Hotel property.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King's Highway | Easy | — | ||
| Bar Cecil | French-ish/Modern | Unknown | — | |
| 4 Saints | Unknown | — | ||
| Ace Hotel & Swim Club Palm Springs | Unknown | — | ||
| Amigo Room | Unknown | — | ||
| Birba | Unknown | — |
A quick look at how King's Highway measures up.
King's Highway sits within the Ace Hotel Palm Springs property at 701 E Palm Canyon Dr, which is built around outdoor communal space as a central feature. The indoor-outdoor flow is a structural part of the Ace format, making it a reasonable pick for al fresco drinks in the desert. Confirm current patio access directly with the hotel before booking if this is a deciding factor.
Expect a mix of Ace Hotel guests and Palm Springs locals who know the property. The crowd skews design-literate and social — the room's mid-century desert aesthetic draws people who care about atmosphere as much as the drink in their hand. It gets busy on weekend evenings, so arrive early if you want a seat without waiting.
Specific cocktail menu details are not confirmed in our current data, so we won't invent a signature. As the bar inside a well-trafficked hotel property, the drink program is built to handle volume — which typically means reliable classics executed consistently rather than a narrow craft-forward list. Check the current menu on-site or via the Ace Hotel Palm Springs directly.
Menu specifics are not confirmed in our data, so a precise verdict on the food isn't possible here. Structurally, King's Highway functions as a full-service food and drinks anchor for the Ace Hotel, which positions it more as a dependable all-day option than a destination dining experience. If a serious dinner is the goal, compare it against nearby Palm Springs options before committing.
Yes, with the right expectations. The mid-century aesthetic, warm lighting, and hotel-bar energy make it a comfortable first or second date spot — easy conversation, no stiff formality. It works better as a drinks-and-small-plates setting than a full dinner destination. If you want somewhere more focused on food, Birba a few blocks away is worth considering.
For drinks at the bar, walk-ins are generally workable, especially on weeknights. Weekend evenings draw a larger crowd given the Ace Hotel's footfall, so booking ahead is the safer move if you want a table rather than bar seating. Call or check through the Ace Hotel Palm Springs to confirm current reservation policy.
The Ace Hotel property format handles groups reasonably well — communal seating and an open layout give it more flexibility than a traditional restaurant counter. For larger parties of six or more, contacting the venue in advance is worth doing to confirm table availability. For a more intimate group dinner, 4 Saints at the Riviera Palm Springs is an alternative worth comparing.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
