We shed the light on where to go after dark at these Palm Springs bars and around the Coachella Valley.
New to You
Dead or Alive sounds straight out of the Most Wanted file, but it’s not about the Old West or saloons or Billy or his kid. What it is about is an intimate mood, established by its owners, industrial designer Anthony Cioffi and Christine Soto, who ensure that the beer and wine selection changes seasonally. 150 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. 385-645-3323; www.deadoralivebar.com
Brought by the team that owns Woody’s Burgers ( a fan fave for live jazz and blues in Palm Springs), The Palm House is where you dine, drink, and club away the night. It’s sophisticated, as you would expect from a place serving exceptional food and top live entertainment until 1:30 a.m. every day, year-round. 450 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. 760-778-3520; www.palmhousepalmsprings.com
Bardot is located inside the Hard Rock Hotel Palm Springs.
Bust a Move
The Hard Rock Hotel nightclub Bardot spins high-energy tunes Fridays and Saturdays until 2 a.m. The bar glows an illuminated welcome as the booth-lined dance floor beckons. Colorful spotlights shine all over your bad self, and no one cares if you’re any good; everyone cares that you have fun. 150 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. 760-969-6647; www.hrhpalmsprings.com/bardot.htm
In Palm Desert, two words: Costas Nightclub at the JW Marriott. This playroom is so recently renovated you can practically smell the new paint. This is not the place to slouch like sot in a dingy back booth, this is where you dress up and step up. 74855 Country Club Drive, Palm Desert. 760-341-1795; www.facebook.com/costasnightclub/
Bootlegger Tiki is located in the Uptown Design District.
Party Like a Polynesian
Tropical infusion is all the rage, drink-wise and décor-wise at Bootlegger Tiki, an Uptown Palm Springs joint known for its island ‘tude and classic tiki bar cocktails. It was once the site of the desert’s Don the Beachcomber venue (extra sand, hold the waves). 1101 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. 760-318-4154; www.bootleggertiki.com
If you’re hungry as well as thirsty, dig the Hawaiian shirt out of the closet and head for the Tonga Hut, where rum drinks and gigantic pu pu platters are on offer in a retro room with a bird’s-eye view of Palm Canyon Drive. Book the pirates’ room for a special night with your friends. 254 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. 760-322-4449; www.tongahut.com
Hunters in Palm Springs.
Get Your Gay On
It’s a local institution where you’re overdue. At Hunters Palm Springs the energy is high and you are forgiven for wondering if the go-go dancers in their tiny underwear are, too. 302 E. Arenas Road, Palm Springs. 760-323-0700; www.hunterspalmsprings.com
We love Toucan’s Tiki Lounge, thanks to two-for-one Tuesdays and drag shows Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays. Is tiki on top of drag gilding the lily? Isn’t that the point? 2100 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. 760-416-7584; www.toucanstikilounge.com
Live music at Schmidy’s Tavern in Palm Desert.
Live It Live
Locally sourced live music takes the stage (almost) nightly at Schmidy’s Tavern. The repertoire ranges from rock ‘n’ roll to whatever issues forth from open mic night. Drink specials and a hearty food menu make this a one-stop affair. 72286 Highway 111, Suite J3, Palm Desert. 760-837-3800; www.schmidystavern.com
Mere steps from where the annual Coachella and Stagecoach festivals claim musical primacy next month, The Date Shed in Indio offers its own attractive lineup of music in the flesh. You might see strictly local bands, or maybe sit-up-straight acts like Puddle of Mudd, The Expendables, or Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. 50725 Monroe St., Indio. 760-775-6699; www.dateshedmusic.com
Bar in Palm Springs.
Raise the Bar
Handcrafted cocktails. Craft beer. Cool crowd. That adds up to the Amigo Room at the Ace Hotel & Swim Club in Palm Springs. Near nightly entertainment spans the spectrum from bingo to karaoke to DJ sets and indie rock bands. 701 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. 760-325-9900; www.acehotel.com/palmsprings
Also filed under Cool: Bar, a whiskey lover’s hot date. Write your own adventures in drinking tale by sampling brands you’ve never heard of, some of them proudly wearing the “artisanal” label. Consider these bold drinks the perfect fuel for fun in the outdoor adult playground in the back — ping pong, bocce ball, and corn hole. 340 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. 760-537-7337; www.barwastaken.com