Fabulous place. From knowing who you are when you arrive to excellent service and food, this place is all-around 5-stars. We ordered a few French 75s to start us off with a toast. They were well balanced (champagne and lemon) and beautifully presented. For appetizer, we had the duck confit tacos and escargot on short rib. The duck was moist, tasty, and just incredible with the fresh cream, chipotle, and cherry tomato on top. And my life is complete now that I can say I've had escargot in a puff pasty filled with garlic butter and short rib! The whole thing just melts in your mouth. We unfortunately had to skip salads and soup, although the soup trio of the day sounded amazing. We saved room for the mains. I had the 36-hour slow-roasted pork shank with creamy mashed potatoes and veggies. Always a good sign when they don't bother to give you a steak knife! The meat literally fell off the bone with a poke of the folk. The sauce (a wine reduction of some sort) was very good, but a bit sweet. But it was very well proportioned with the meat so it wasn't over powering at all. On the side I ordered the Alfredo cream spinach. I thought it might be too heavy with the Alfredo, but through some cooking magic, the Alfredo just added a bit of flavor while the spinach tasted perfectly fresh. A little cracked pepper was added by request and it become one of my all-time favorite sides. My wife had the seared scallops over a bed of creamy lemon risotto with sweet corn. The scallops were perfect, but the risotto stole the show. We begged for the recipe, but only got a hint by way of a few key ingredients. The balance of cream, parmesan, and sweet corn compared to the strong semi-tart lemon finish was just incredible! We will be practicing this one at home for some time to get the balance of creamy, sweet, and tart just right! For dessert, I would recommend one of their dessert martinis. All we had room for though was a small sample of the homemade lemon bar and chocolate espresso mouse layered cake. Both were excellent, which we had come to expect at this point. We'll definitely try a full plated dessert (or two) next time. As I said in the beginning, the service was great, from hostess, to waiter, to busser. They were present when needed, but never interrupted a moment or bite, couldn't ask for more. We need to come back to try more of every part of the menu and we recommend that you do to! read more

Going to the Cork Tree in the past has always been a wonderful experience. So when we received a coupon for $10.00 off on all entrees, we decided to go again. We were told when making the reservation that there was no need to bring the coupon because it had already been noted on the reservation. Had my favorite order, the White Peking Duck. I loved this dish. It came to the table raw, raw, so I send it back to be cooked more. Upon the 2nd try of the duck, with waiter watching, I could not even get a fork through it. I send it back. I had lost my appetite. We were also disappointed with the Yellow Tuna. Not a good night. $17.00 for a Grey Goose cocktail. We were very ready to leave. Got my duck comp. And suddenly realized after leaving that the $10.00 off the entree had not been deducted for the other entree. Very, very disappointing. Even though we live near the restaurant it will no longer be one of our most favorite places to eat. So sad. Its no longer a 4 or even a 3. read more

My experience at the Cork Tree was not pleasant. I had an 8:00 reservation, but wasn't seated until 8:30. Once we were seated, the service was very slow and unresponsive. We had to ask for water and olive oil twice. Our appetizers took 30 minutes to get to us. They tasted good, but I was so annoyed by the service, I couldn't enjoy them. The main dishes came more timely, and we were asked "how is everything tasting?" before we even took a bite. Then, I felt as if the servers abandoned us. We had to ask a bus boy three tables away to bring us salt and pepper. There were two highlights, our cocktail waitress in the bar made it a point to make sure that the front desk knew we were waiting for our reservation, and the singer performing was excellent (although a bit too loud). We actually paid $266 (including tip, party of three) for this disappointing evening. I won't be rushing back. read more

I figured it out. The owners of Cork Tree must be aliens because they've figured out how to instantly teleport you from a shopping center parking lot to a hidden oasis full of incredible food and impeccable service. * Had the night's special, veal chop with a brandy, cream, and mushroom sauce on top. It was money * Wifey had the bouillabaisse, which was wonderfully light. She tends to get cioppino but hates how the tomato overpowers the seafood. This didn't happen with the bouillabaisse at all * Pro tip: Sit outside on the patio, weather permitting. It's gorgeous out there, especially at night read more

We went there on our daughters' recommendation. I had previously searched this restaurant and read the reviews. I made sure after reading the reviews to go to their website and look at the menu and pricing myself. Yes this restaurant is expensive and there is nothing wrong with that if you feel you are getting what you paid for both in food, wine, service and your expected experience. My husband and I felt that all four were met and we highly recommend this establishment. I made the reservations on Open Table 8 hours before our arrival into Palm Desert for that evening and we decided that we were exhausted from the day of travel so I called to have them moved up an hour. When we arrived we were seated outside and at first I felt slided because I thought maybe we were "sized up" as tourist and put out there. As we took our seats we noticed many "locals" all chatting with the wait staff like they new them and there was a musician singing on the patio as well. This was actually the best because we did not feel closed in. Our waiter was fantastic and very friendly offering up many options for our food, and was very versed in our wine selection. Some try and work their way through the wines like they know what they are talking about but he knew his stuff. Yes we did walk away with a bill just under $250, but our wine selection was $100. We both had drinks before and 4 courses. read more

Illuminated menus and excellent service. All the food came presented beautifully and tasted fantastic. Im coming back here next time I'm in town read more

The gals and I came here during W's bachelorette weekend in Palm Springs. It was a Saturday night, our last night in Palm Springs and we wanted to enjoy a good meal. The 10 of us sat near the back and the restaurant provided a comfortable, warm environment for us to enjoy our evening. Before we could get our drink orders in, the waiters brought our table a free drink for everyone, on the house! I forget what the drink is called but it was DELICIOUS. Everyone ordered a variety of dishes so we could all try each others' plates. I eyed a dish another patron at the next table had ordered and the waiter said it was the special. I ordered that immediately and hungrily awaited, hoping for a taste explosion in my mouth. Now when everyone finally got their meals, I realized that my meal was not the one I had ordered but a whole other dish altogether. I had specifically pointed out the dish the gentleman had ordered but I think he forgot and gave me the dish the female patron had ordered. I didn't want to make a fuss and have to wait (we had plans afterwards) so I just kept my dish. In front of me I had the Rib-eye special. Now normally I love rib-eye so it was actually looking forward to it by the time I got in the first cut. However, I immediately found out that the meat temperature was off. For the other meat dish I had ordered, I specifically asked for medium rare but they gave me a RARE steak. I'll eat a different dish but I won't eat rare meat. I told the waiter I'd like to have the steak medium rare and he took it back immediately. Once I got my steak back, they had indeed replaced the steak with a different one altogether (which should be standard but is not a rule all restaurants apply) but this time, the meat was well-done. I do not like meat that is well-done because it is just too tough! I know this isn't a steak house but if you can't even get the temperature on a steak done right ... Aside the main food item on the plate, the asparagus flan was really pretty tasty, except that it would've tasted better had they warmed it up a bit. Everyone else seemed to be enjoying their food. The reason I give this place 4 stars is because the food wasn't BAD, the environment was inviting, and the waiter, although he made his mistakes, was extremely nice. The bachelorette had doled out these heinous *dares* for us to do at the venue we were going to next and mine consisted of "pulling on the chest hair of a random man and saying how much I like it". -_- There was NO way I was going to go to a nightclub and encourage a drunken man by doing such a thing so I asked our waiter, who had been friendly and accommodating the whole night, if I could just do it to him (I saw some hair poking out). I am NOT a fan of chest hair so I was a little squeamish but I really just wanted to get it over with. What Cork Tree lacks in food management they sure make up in service. I really appreciated all of the special attention they gave to us gals and if I were to go back to Palm Springs, I would stop by for a meal and give it a second go-around. ;) Thanks Cork Tree for giving us a pleasant dining experience on such an important night! read more

This is definitely one of the best restaurants in the Coachella Valley. As a full-time resident for five years, I have no idea why I never dined at the Cork Tree before and I know now that I'll be back again. Everything here was top-rate: service was professional and unobtrusive, the food was absolutely delicious all the way around, and the space has a nice energy and atmosphere without being too noisy or too stuffy. The smoked seared ahi tuna was melt-in-my-mouth delicious. I rarely order raw/seared seafood in the desert because a) it is rarely very fresh and b) it is rare that any restaurant properly sears fish here. Cork Tree's was some of the best ahi I've had in recent memory. And at $19? A steal! I also love that you can order a mini-sized starter salad (I had the mini wedge) ... perfectly sized and perfectly priced. Bravo, Cork Tree! read more

So I'm going to have to STRONGLY disagree with the previous review. My boyfriend and I stayed at the hotel across the street and wandered into this restaurant after being given a recommendation to go there. First off, the decor and ambiance is on the romantic side. Quiet, dim lights, a bit fancy.. Yes he is right that the waiter asked us if we wanted Fiji water... hellooo it's Palm Desert, there's rich people vacationing, I'm sure a lot of people get the Fiji water, what's the big deal just say no like we did and he was perfectly content getting us regular water. Also true that he only drops off 2 slices of bread per table, BUT honestly we didn't need more than that. We got the ahi tuna poke to start and it was DELICIOUS! I ordered the lobster and radiatore pasta, it was very very very rich but delicious. it came with a side of salad (also good) and some green beans. the portion of the lobster on top of the pasta was actually pretty reasonable and there were pieces of lobster in the pasta as well. my boyfriend got the pork shank, it was also AMAZING! he mistakenly picked up his knife but the meat just fell off the bone. like the other guy said, there was some fat on it but it was a big portion and more than enough. it came with mashed potatoes and steamed baby carrots and asparagus. all of it was great. i loved the potatoes and was scraping what was left off of my bf's plate, the chef then came out and saw and brought us a free side of the potatoes. he also brought us out a lobster bisque to pour on the potatoes as he said it would taste great that way. you could tell the chef really cared about what the customers thought and if they were satisfied or not because he came around and spoke with every table and would watch almost every one of his dishes go out to the table to see if the customers liked it. oh we also got dessert which was the brulee, very good! 3 different kinds. our server was also very sweet and knew her shit. she was able to describe in detail every single entree to us that we asked about. all in all i would MOST DEFINITELY recommend this restaurant. yes it's on the pricey side but it's really not that bad, for an appetizer, a soda, 2 entrees and dessert we spent about $78. read more

Cork Tree just seems to get it right. From the moment you walk in the door, it feels elegant but unpretentious. Palm Desert is an adult resort community, so there are regulars that come here. As we walked in, the manager (owner's son) spent a few moments with a regular that walked in just ahead of us - gracious and genuine was his demeanor. We had reservations for 8:15, but they sat us in the garden at 6:30 when we arrived early. The garden was beautifully appointed and we were just as happy to dine al fresco. It was a beautiful evening. Ramone, our server, made us feel welcome immediately. He was busy with several four-tops, but you'd never know it. He's a real pro. We ordered, and were on our way. The caprese salad was made with very fresh and thickly sliced tomatoes, fresh basil, and quality mozzarella. The escargot was served en croute in interesting ramekins topped with puff pastry. Very tasty. The NY strip was perfectly done, the au gratin potatoes cut into a square were very tasty, the green beans were awesome, an the red wine reduction was superb. The lamb was on par with what we had in New Zealand. An apple tart a la mode and a shared Sandeman's 20 completed the meal. This is what good dining should be. By all means, if you're in Palm Desert, make a reservation at Cork Tree. They're on Open Table for you foodies out there. Bon Appetite! read more

We came to cork tree the night of our engagement and have come back for big occasions ever since. I'm sorry to say that our experience there has steadily declined. My husband and I decided to go there for New Years Eve this year and it was not good, probably the last night we will go there. They put us at the worst table in the restaurant. The table was right by the entrance across from the wine cellar. We couldn't even enjoy being "inside" the restaurant as we didn't even go in. This should not even be a table! This took the ambiance away completely. It was freezing any time anyone opened the front door, because, well, it's winter!. It was also far overpriced for what we got. I had a pheasant for about $80 and they had already run out of the dessert option by 9pm, on New Year's Eve!!! The service was the only decent thing about this night. 2 customers gone for good. Will not return. read more

Very disappointing. We booked for 6 people for our anniversary. We sat out on the patio, which was very nice. Two of us had the Chilean Sea Bass and enjoyed it, but our other guests did not enjoy their food at all. The vegetables were stone cold and the salmon was over cooked. Will not be returning to this restaurant. read more

We went to this relatively new restaurant last Friday night for the first time after having previously visited the bar. The decor is very nice with mostly booths and a few tables in the middle. Even though it was busy, you can carry on a conversation at the table. As soon as we were seated we get the hard sell for some "Fiji" water (pass) and a guy comes around and drops two pieces of bread on our bread plates then leaves with the bread. I guess leaving a basket of bread on the table is too much to ask. I ordered a nightly special rack of lamb with cabernet sauce and it included mushroom stuffed tortellini and spinach... cost $45.00 (yikes). Not being a spinach eater I asked if I could have some other vegetable and was told any substitution at all from the standard menu was a $2.50 charge (what are we at Denny's?). My food arrived and consisted of three lamb chops with the sides as ordered (including green beens for the extra $2.50). The lamb chops were very tasty and properly cooked, but about 1/3 of each lamb chop was fat I had to cut out. All-in-all the food was not bad, but for the prices they charge I expected at least a better cut of lamb not full of fat and a little flexibility on a simple vegetable substitution. With all the competition in this price range in the Coachella Valley, I don't expect this place to last. I would not go back. Oh yeah... the menu listed on their website is outdated and the prices are not what they now charge. The best part of the night was the look on a fellow diners face when his $28.00 pork chop arrived with little side dishes and he realized this was all he was gonna get for dinner. I mean please... $28.00 for one pork chop? read more

I am currently eating vegan, and we went to Cork Tree with some business associates. The menu did not show vegan options, but the waitress assured me the chef would take care of me. WOW WOW WOW.... he did a great job of preparing a fabulous option. My dining companions also had great meals. Great food, great service, and made me feel like an honored guest, not a freak, for eating plants only! read more

A great place for dinner in Palm Desert. The food and service were outstanding. The servers answered all our questions on the menu and gave us great recommendations. The restaurant had a very nice atmosphere. The place is slightly upscale, but everyone was cordial and pleasant. We started with the Cork Tree sampler which had a variety of the place's popular appetizers. We were crazy about the foie gras & mushroom creme brulee, but the duck tacos and artichoke hearts were delicious. For entrees, we both enjoyed the short ribs and ahi tuna salad. After the meal we unfortunately had no room left for dessert. read more

If I weren't a vegetarian, I'd have easily given this restaurant 5 stars. Maybe 6. After reviewing their entire menu, I could pick from 2 salads (the rest had bacon, anchovies, or some other meat), 1 appetizer, and 0 entrees. That's right, not a single entrée was vegetarian friendly. So I opted for the one appetizer I could have: mushroom-stuffed raviolis topped with asparagus and manchego cheese. It was delicious -- no doubt about that. In fact, probably the best asparagus I've ever had, with perfect raviolis underneath. However for an entrée -- this didn't cut it. The $14 plate came with exactly three raviolis and three stalks of asparagus. My guests ordered salmon entrees, and both of them raved about how good their dinners were. They said they were cooked and seasoned perfectly, and the servings were just right. I believe they were about $24 each. We were also served fresh, warm bread that was lovely. The service was perfect. Friendly but not snobby, attentive but not overdone. My water glass never hit the half-way point. We were seated promptly (we had reservations) and everyone was wonderful. The décor and ambiance of the restaurant is very nice. Modern and clean, with semi-private booths and open table seating, plus a nice patio if the weather is good. For dessert, I had the S'mores Cheesecake which was one of the best cheesecake slices I'd had in a very long time. The s'mores on top were delicious, and it was served with a very tangy sauce that added some optional zing. It was great. I was told by one guest that the margarita wasn't very good. And it was served in a normal water glass, not a margarita or cocktail glass. Our bill came to $110 after tax. That was for my appetizer ($14), two salmon entrees (about $35 total), two desserts ($11 ea), two coffees ($3 ea), and two margaritas (about $12 ea). If I weren't vegetarian, I'd surely have given this place 5 stars. If I were vegan, I would have had to leave, or ask the server to come up with something that wasn't on the menu. Potential patrons should know that the restaurant is closing for the rest of the summer, from July 28 through mid-September. read more

Absolutely splendid beautiful patio dinning meal and incredibly attentive service. Maybe somewhere on the planet there is a better lamb dinner. Maybe. Meanwhile this is the best. Wonderful service from Natalie; great background music from Michael. Maybe the best meal of our lives. read more

We've gone to the Corktree twice in recent weeks. The first time was for my mother's 80 birthday. We had a large party and they set us up in a private room. By special request Chef Herve made us some of his stuffed artichoke hearts that are wrapped with prosciutto (Yum!). They were no longer on the menu but made them for us. They were also back as part of an entree last week. This last vist my wife had the duck which was served medium. She loved it and she let me try some. It was wonderful. I had one of the specials. A steak and seafood combo. As always, they did not disappoint. Not only is Chef Herve excellent in the kitchen, he's one hell of a nice guy too. He'll walk through the restaurant and visit / check on things. Highly reccomeded. L.C. read more

Made reservations here for a saturday night while my GF and I were staying in Palm Springs. Drove over (about 15 min) and was a bit early for our reservations. They had not problem seating us immediately as long as we ok with sitting near the music. The musician was playing acoustic guitar and the volume was matched perfectly for the ambiance of the restaurant. Jennifer, our waitress was great and we really enjoyed our meal. It has been hard for us to find high caliber restaurants since moving to LA from the NYC area, but we were very pleased with our meal here. If we were in the area again, we would return. read more

The Cork Tree is an amazing location for an event! I am the President for the Interior Design Society P.S. Chapter who chose the Cork Tree for our Holiday Party. The food and service were EXCELLENT! The beautiful decor added to our overall A+ experience. Many thanks to the Chef and staff for making our small party a huge success! read more

Intrigued by the name, we decided to stop here for a cocktail and appetizer before heading to Morton's for dinner (which is right next door). We had checked it out the night before, just to get a feel for the atmosphere, and LOVED it. The lighting exudes romance, there was live entertainment (only on Fri and Sat), and we were happily greeted by the chef and manager (?) at the door - they alone made me want to come back. So we arrive, sit at the bar, only to realize we're sitting next to the musician (who's on break). He recommends this amazing ahi salad with sliced pear and radish, accompanied by a creamy wasabi. After placing our order, the chef stops by to greet us - having remembered us from the night before (wow). We both had champagne and listened to the music before departing for our reservation. We loved it - and if we get the chance before we leave Palm Desert, we'll be going back. read more

We were a party of 14 Thursday at 7pm. Service was so slow that we were the last diners to leave at 10 pm. It was extremely busy , but really. Some of entrees were tepid to cold, but no one wanted to send them back because it was so late already. Our server was busy but personality kind of snippy. Didn't even keep wine flowing- 8 of us drinking white and just brought one bottle then disappeared. Nothing exciting about the food- will not return. Too bad cuz 4 of couples are timeshare owners at the Marriott Villas. read more

On a lovely Saturday evening over the busy Memorial Day holiday weekend, hubby and I perused the local restaurant scene and based on its menu and proximity to our accommodations chose Cork Tree. What a delightful patio . . . the perfect place to dine . . . closed off from the street noise, and dotted with strung lights . . . you would never know that you were in the desert . . . you could have been transported anywhere. I did get the feeling, however, that Cork Tree's usual clientele is the mature Palm Desert resident or visitor, not middle-aged hipsters like us! Ha! The service was pure excellence. Our server was friendly and offered her recommendations based on which items we were considering. She knocked it out of the ball park and we scored a home run! The duck tacos were divine -- not a speck of fat on the duck -- and the feta cheese and chipotle sauce were a great combination despite my doubts. We also splitd the large baby wedge salad, a trio of mini iceberg wedges draped with Point Reyes bleu cheese and bacon. If you have never had Point Reyes bleu, you are missing the best of the best in the bleu cheese realm! Our entrees was equally as delish! Hubby had the melt in your mouth Hibiscus braised short ribs. I chose the Patagonian Sea Bass which was perfectly cooked and seasoned. With the accompaniments on both plates, it was a more than satisfying meal. A note to the hearty meal men out there . . . Despite the name California Cuisine, which often means less is more on the plate, you definitely didn't walk away hungry. Next time we are back in the Palm Desert area, we will certainly consider Cork Tree for one of our dinners. read more

Upmarket California cuisine. The Lobster Bisque, Short Ribs and Duck Tacos were particularly deliscious. Good service and a nice formal atmosphere. Exc - None Good - Food, service, atmosphere Ave - None Poor - None read more

We come to the desert a couple times a year, and have eaten here a few times. No question, the food is suberb. The 2009 Zagat rating is no joke. The butternut squash soup, pork shank, whitefish special and lobster mashed potatoes are to die for. But . . . while the food rates a 5, the service is no better than a 3. My salad was wrong and had to be sent back, and I waited forever for a replacement before finally asking the bus staff to check into it. Our server, although very pleasant, neglected to check on our drinks in a timely fashion. And after sitting around after dinner and drinks were done, we had to again ask the bus staff for the bill. Ironically, we had such poor service last time we ate there that the manager comped our entire meal . . it was good PR, and one of the reasons we came back. The ambience is nice, and there was live music (till 9 pm). The food is truly amazing, but the service has consistently been subpar. read more

I will review this one with a few bullet points: When people ask me where to eat in Palm Desert, I always send them to Corktree! Menu changes seasonally with fun choices. Almost every visit, you'll see the Chef visiting with the tables. Very nice wine list. I love the attention to detail, all the serving pieces & different sauces intrigue me. Cozy atmosphere and always packed - good idea to make reservations. Recently enjoyed the prix fix menu and it was a nice meal for a nice price. read more

I absolutely loved dining here. Food , service, all exceptional. I can't wait to come back. Ten stars Kelly W. read more

Service, food and atmosphere are all top notch. We visit Palm Desert every year and the menu has not changed. I think it's me that either needs to go try someplace else or they could update their menu every once in a while. We have literally had everything and you won't be disappointed. Absolutely eat outside it's a beautiful patio setting. On this trip we dried their wood fire pizza while is on their bar menu and that was a hit! read more

I took my wife here for our anniversary dinner based on the great Yelp reviews, and we were equally blown away. I have a lot of steak filets in life (they are probably reducing my total lifespan). Cork Tree's filet was one of the best I have ever tasted. Cooked medium, with a little butter on top... it was so juicy and flavorful that every bite felt like a little taste of heaven. There were potatoes and creamy spinach on the plate too, but I was having a hard time thinking about anything else aside from the incredible steak... and my lovely wife, of course. Speaking of my bride, she had the 3 soup appetizer (white asparagus, tomato bisque, and creamy mushroom), all of which were delicious. Her vegetable polenta masterpiece was, according to her, one of the best vegetarian dishes she's had in 5 years. She usually has to suffer through restaurants' attempts to make a vegetarian entree that is remotely palatable, so she was delighted when this one was amazing. The service was pleasant, and the ambiance was perfect. A wonderful way to celebrate our anniversary! read more

Went to Palm Desert for a bachelorette party this last weekend and stayed at the Mariott Villas down the street from this restaurant. Since we wanted to wine and dine our bride, we came to this place based on the amount of positive reviews on yelp and was only a $7 cab ride from where we were staying. Made reservations via corktree website and even received a phone call the day of to confim the reservations...sweet! We arrived and were and seated immediately into a nook with curtains to keep our party initmate.This was something i totally did not anticipate or request, but it was perfect since we were a big/loud group of girls. For appetizers we had ordered the ahi and artichokes. We didnt get the artichokes, but intead got 2 orders of the ahi..no biggie. the ahi just melted in your mouth and was perfect. We each got something different so we can all try out all the options.. At our table we had: Duck, Pork Shank, Steak, Salmon, and Scallops. I am not a seafood person so i didnt try the fish, but the other girls said it was delicious. The pork (was my order) was freaking amazing.. i highly reccomend this plate. the meat was really just falling off the bone and was extremely flavorful. came with a side of mashed potatoes that rocked my world. I would definitely stop by the cork tree again but just be sure to bring extra cash. plates are anywhere from $30-$40 each, and apps were about $15-$20 each. read more

Met my husband and a dear friend from Napa for dinner...We were very impressed with the service and the presentation and quality of the food! Will definitely be returning. read more

Really good food in a nice setting. I had vegan food that was amazing and I am not a vegan. My hubby had seafood , really good. Salads great, crab and shrimp cakes excellent. Wish I had found this place earlier in the trip. Staff and management super. Thanks Cork tree, everyone wears a mask. read more

Enjoyed the demi-tasse soups; asparagus tomato and mushroom plus the beet salad with the goat cheese and dates and the bouillabaisse. Nice atmosphere and the cocktails were okay. We were fortunate to have live music on a Tuesday evening in the bar area that filtered over into the dining room. I love the big boothes. Kind of pricey. The food is good, the dark bread with the cranberries in it is so tasty and I'm not a big bread eater. Love the lemon bars and chocolate. read more

Good food. Come here often as it is the only fine dining restaurant on this side of PD other than Morton's (IMO). Great patio. Inside is nice also. Sometimes they won't seat you outside if it is too hot. Service, ambience is great. Wine pours are extremely generous but I wish they had some French wine available by the glass. (Has less alcohol, less heavy than CA wine, also, many east coasters prefer French wine and I wish the Corktree would consider it.) We often have the appetizer sampler, which my husband and I share. If you like to try new restaurants in the desert, definitely come here. So far though, I haven't really had a dish that I love and would come back specifically to eat. Really need to have at least one crave-worthy dish to award 5 stars. I'll keep trying! read more

Had a wonderful dinner Thursday night. Tasty different dishes. My wife had the fillet and I had the scallops. Both so well presented and the service could not have been better. We came on a friend's suggestion. Owners might be better served by removing the exterior banners. They do not do the quality of this establishment justice. Loved the back lit menus. Novel, yet so practical! read more

Had dinner at Cork Tree a few days ago while visiting the desert. This restaurant is comfortable and elegant. We asked for a quiet table and were seated in a large booth away from live music. It was exactly what we wanted. My friend an I each had the Organic Rainbow Beet Salad and the Sea Bass. Both are excellent choices. The Beet Salad was imaginative and replete with many flavors, all deliciously compatible. The Sea Bass was as good as I've been served anywhere. We each chose Sorbets for dessert and there were 3 different kinds--all delicious. There was one unfortunate event toward the end of our dinner; however, the restaurant management handled the issue so competently and generously that the issue is best ignored here. Service is outstanding--friendly and efficient. If you're seeking a special occasion restaurant or just want to experience the best in fine dining, Cork Tree is ideal and easily rates 5 stars. read more

This has got to be one of the best meals and service we have had in a long time. The 36 hr pork was amazing and the portions are huge. The wait staff is so friendly. The Chicken dish was delicious. read more

Really great service, very friendly atmosphere and beautiful decor but I think my friend and I were both a bit shocked at the small amount of food we were served, for the price we were charged. We both chose the special, which was a very small filet on top of 3 baby carrots, a small piece of fish on top of a very dense pile of Swiss chard and a single scallop atop a small bowl of linguine. Everything was perfectly prepared but for $38, I expected something a bit more substantial. We each added a mini Cesar salad, which was disappointingly bland. I couldn't really taste the dressing and the croutons were tiny and flavorless. The portion was acceptable but it was just missing something. So without wine (we both had water), our bill was over $100...a bit high for 2 specials, 2 mini salads and water. But I would honestly give the Cork Tree another chance, based on all of the wonderful reviews. Maybe ordering from the menu is a smarter choice I will keep in mind for next time. read more

I have been here a few times and found their food to be excellent, their wine even better, and the service is amazing. They also have a lower corkage fee of $20. The patio is a great place to sit when it's a nice night out. They also have very effective heaters should it be cooler. I highly recommend the cioppino and the Paraduxx wine. read more

Joined a group of six girlfriends for dinner at this restaurant, and was totally impressed. Next time my husband and I visit the desert, I definitely intend to go back! We all ordered off of the prix fix menu. As for me: gazpacho starter with watermelon salad (total hit!); surf and turf (meat was unbelievably tender); sorbet with strawberry and fruit (perfect chiller for a warm desert night). I also can't forget to mention the deliciously warm bread that was brought to the table . . . Girls love their carbs! read more