OMGOODNESS - this place is beyond amazing. Our server amazing. Bartenders amazing. Food amazing. Environment amazing. We had the street tacos, the salad, the guacamole, the half chicken and the churros. I could've had everything. Please go there. Please support them. Love. Love. Love. read more

Art of the Upsell. Food is very good. Elevated Mexican with creativity. Located just outside downtown. But at $10 per taco and $20 per margarita, I didn't need the upsell from our waitress at every course. read more

So the first thing this place does not outwardly advertise that it is NOT air conditioned. They may say that it's partially inside but it's wide open. So while that dim light and dim ambience is nice it's hot AF when the high was today was 100. Who wants to eat spicy Mexican food without AC when it's so hot?! Second, if the high temp for the day was 100 and there's no AC why are you serving a "raw bar menu?" We took a chance and got the snapper crudo. Didn't finish it and hoping we don't sh**t our pants. Was hoping it would be served ice cold and chilled but instead came out at room temp (remember the temp outside) and smelled like rotten panties. Also got the steak to share for the table. Not horrible, and it was cooked just how we ordered it but not seasoned at all. Our server was very friendly and as helpful as she could be but completely non attentive. It must have been the end of her shift. Overall it was a total disappointment and a super uncomfortable experience. (I went into the bathroom 3 times just to stand in front of the AC unit). I'm not quite sure what's up with all the raving reviews. Perhaps this place is better to visit on a cold snap in January. read more

Arrived early for our reservations, so we went to the bar and Austin took great care of us, super friendly and accommodating. Tried their Coconut Margarita and Old Fashion, Excellent-Both Well Balanced. Lou is our Server for dinner, very polite and Friendly. Her recommendations were Snapper Crudo & Ahi Tuna Tostada-both were okay. Cons: seating on cushions? They definitely need cleaning. read more

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Excellent food with inventive combinations. The maitake mushrooms and the enchiladas were our favorite. The service however was poor and lacking. Our waitress was slow to take our food order and we just placed it with our drink server. She barely checked in on us during the meal. I will also note that the cushioned banquet areas need extra back pillows and are not really comfortable for eating. Maybe lounging. Otherwise still a good place to have dinner read more

Maleza - Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Palm Springs, California

I took one star off because the lemon they gave me was moldy and I didn't know until my friend pointed it out. So yeah I drank moldy lemon water.... Anyways, we got a lot of food to share among 5 of us. Our most favorite is potatoes in the steak dish and the coffee ice cream with Churros. They definitely need a separate dishes for those! Everything tasted amazing, and filling. Love that he kept filling up the chips! The server was really sweet and nice! Very very friendly! 10/10 for his service!! The whole place is so cute! We toook many cute photos there! The whole place had so much space, we were not close to other people at all. I will definitely come back but not sure will I get their lemons again tho... read more

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I cannot say enough good things about Maleza! First off, the service was great. Chris took wonderful care of us during our dinner. Food came out in a timely manner. Decent amount of seating so I'd recommend reserving a spot on Resy. Parking is just with the hotel parking. There was a valet stand but no one was life and nature duty so it was self serve parking. Now to the food. Which was simply exquisite. We started off with the ceviche and green beans. The ceviche was fresh and full of flavor. The green beans was surprisingly very flavorful and frankly I probably could've eaten the whole thing myself! The beet mole was very good and we saved it for our mains. For mains we got the striped bass and chicken milanesa. Both were perfectly done. The bass was flaky and tender, and full of flavor. The chicken was lightly breaded and cooked to perfection. The accompanying tarter was a very good complement. I'd definitely come back again! read more

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We went to celebrate Mother's Day - it was my sister, her boyfriend, our mom, and myself. We went to order our food and drinks, and they did not have HALF of the items we wanted to try. They did not try to work with us, they did not try to send anything to mend for their awful, half available menu. And the bartender seemed to have a crush on my sister's boyfriend because he kept sending him free margaritas the entire night... He had five free drinks, and our mom, nothing. Just an overall weird and bad experience. Having a wedding prior is no excuse for being so ill prepared on a holiday that is celebrated on the same day every year. Terrible server and management to have let that happen. OH - And one last thing - THE PLACE WAS HOT. They did not advertise that they have NO A/C. I just can't believe the experience we had... Terrible. read more

Came here for a bachelorette brunch. The outside just looks like a random building, but the inside was cute. They could definitely clean their furniture a little better as my chair was dirty. Our server Anissa was great! She was able to answer all of our questions, provided us with food we saw on yelp, but not on the menu, and gave us recommendations for a delicious coffee spot near by. Food The bride to be ordered a Guava mama to drink and did not like it. About 4 other girls then tried it and agreed that it was not very good. You couldn't even taste any guava. We were able to exchange it for a much tastier drink called Moon Water. It was delicious. A majority of the table enjoyed this drink. I had the espresso martini and chilaquiles. The espresso martini was perfect for me. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I needed some caffeine to go with my drink lol It was actually pretty tasty and it did the job. My go to brunch order is chilaquiles and they did not disappoint! They had the right amount of spice, a great flavor, and the chip was nice and crunchy. I devoured this meal. It was so good. I definitely recommend the chilaquiles. We ended brunch with churros. Soooo good. The sauce it came with was to die for. Highly recommend. read more

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Great vibes and a beautiful atmosphere. Overall, the food was very good, though unfortunately they were out of the steak which was the one thing my husband was hoping to order, so that was a bit of a bummer. The oysters were delicious. The guacamole was fresh and flavorful, and the pre-meal bread was a unique touch. The duck confit flautas were tasty, though more of a shareable appetizer than a full meal. The gem salad had a strong anchovy-forward dressing that wasn't quite for me, but the pork chop and chicken were both generously portioned and well prepared. For dessert, the churros were fine, but the ice cream and cajeta were really the stars. The persimmon bread pudding was also a standout and a huge hit. Service was friendly but a bit slow, with our second round of drinks arriving after we had already finished our meal. read more

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Went for the second time because we were craving a Carajillo. They tasted as delicious the 2nd time as the first time. However the standout was our bartender Anissa. She was terrific. Super cool to talk with and makes killer drinks. Will definitely be back soon on a Sunday for her and Carajillos! read more

Again, I highly credit Yelp for guiding me to Maleza! I LOVED the indoor/outdoor atmosphere from the moment I saw it (entering from the parking lot, between the pool and restaurant)! We were extremely fortunate to sit at the bar top with Anissa as our bartender/server; her fun-&-positive personality and attitude, knowledge and guidance of the drinks and food menus, and comfortable attentiveness made us feel at ease from the start -- an amazing ambassador for Maleza!! We started with their Queso Fundido ($18) which differed from any other we've had; this whole bean version, not overly cheesy (therefore, not too heavy), served with crisp, dippable tortilla halves (and more available upon request; however, not needed as there was just the right amount), was highly satisfying, yet not overly filling (as others' can be). The salads we ordered: Caesar Salad and Arugula Salad (in which I'd substituted avocado for the tuna listed on the menu), both $19, were attractive in taste (with crisp-&-fresh ingredients) and presentation. Their cocktail menu offered some fun and interesting drinks; among those we ordered, the Oaxacan Negroni ($17) was complex, spirit-forward, yet smooth-&-flavorful. Another FABULOUS find, one that has been added to our list of definite places to visit when in this area. read more

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Food was great but not inexpensive. Staff is friendly and helpful with ordering either family style or individual portions.

I went to Maleza Sunday night for dinner with a reservation at 5:30 pm. The vibe of the restaurant is relaxed with upscale decoration. There is no host stand, so it was awkward entering, but I was greeted swiftly. The waiter noted that it was a good night as it wasn't busy. Despite it being slow, service was very slow. I was seated without water or a menu. It took about 10 minutes to be greeted again. Food came out very promptly after ordering, but the wait before and after the meal was long. The hamachi aguachile was delicious. It was flavorful and light with medium heat. The sweet potato dish was a complete miss. The flavors weren't great, and there were tiny bite sized pieces of shrimp. There were pieces of potato that were under cooked and crunchy while some pieces were so tender I didn't need to chew. There was cooking inconsistencies. The grilled maitake mushrooms were good, flavorful, and had medium heat. The server asked if he could bring the bill, and I requested a dessert menu. He brought the dessert menu and then quickly brought the bill. So, I took the hint that I was not allowed to eat dessert. (side joke - I think he forgot I was interested as there was a bit of waiting time before I was checked on again) I was given a drink voucher to return for the undercooked sweet potatoes, but as I don't drink alcohol maybe a friend can utilize it the next time. Parking was easy as one can utilize the hotel's parking. The restaurant is located in Drift Palm Spring's. read more

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Will come here for their happy hour every time i find myself in palm springs!!! I was skeptical because it's a hotel restaurant, but the food is absolutely delicious, fair prices, and pretty big portions! Also enjoyed their cocktails. Great for small group seatings, especially their bar seating, and can also accommodate large parties! They can set up large outdoor, poolside tables read more

Maleza - Happy hour Chicken taco and raw seafood dish - Mexican Near Me - Palm Springs, California

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Maleza es un lugar que combina una decoración hermosa y acogedora con un servicio excepcional. Desde el momento en que llegas, el ambiente te invita a relajarte y disfrutar. La comida es deliciosa, con platillos bien elaborados y llenos de sabor. Las bebidas también son destacables, perfectamente equilibradas y refrescantes. Pero el verdadero protagonista de la noche fue el postre: el tres leches de chocolate. ¡Simplemente espectacular! Un imperdible para cualquier amante de los postres. En resumen, Maleza es una excelente opción en Palm Springs para disfrutar de una experiencia gastronómica de calidad. Definitivamente, un lugar al que regresaré. read more

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The food is out of this world! Terrific ambience sitting on the patio under the palms. Delicious flavors and outstanding service. It was like being in paradise. We ordered the enchiladas, gem lettuce salad, mushrooms, and the white fish. All of it was incredible, and the array of flavors was stunning. Plus, amazing margaritas. We haven't had an experience this good in a very long time! read more

Good- cute restaurant, minimal modern decor. It's small, so reservations are best. Bad- We only had drinks. My Palm Springs martini was very strong, straight up alcohol. It took about 15 minutes for the bartender to ask us for our drink order after we were given the drink menus. I understand, they were busy. When we return to Palm Springs, we will return to try the food. read more

Maleza - Cute decor - Mexican Near Me - Palm Springs, California

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Went for a midday drink. Carajillo was very very good. They had the misters on as it was a hot day, so we were able to enjoy the outside part of the bar! Only thing I would suggest is they should juice their limes in the back kitchen, not at the bar where the customers are trying to enjoy the ambience without a grinding noise for over an hour. Still coming back for the Carajillo though! read more

Maleza - Carajillo - Mexican Near Me - Palm Springs, California

One of my favorite restaurants in Coachella Valley! I would never expect a hotel restaurant to have great food, but Maleza sure beat my initial expectations. The restaurant is not that big and sits in the "lobby" of the posh Drift hotel, but the ambience was very comfortable. There is more seating outside of the restaurant near the pool, but I chose to eat inside with air conditioning. Additionally, the service was friendly, but a little slow at times (this was made up by the quality of the food). The food and cocktail menus are truly ahead of the curve for Coachella Valley standards. I ordered the guava mama cocktail and it was strong but mixed well enough that it was not too overpowering. The mezcal options are more well known for this place, but my drink was still very satisfying. Next, the food menu is limited but focused on a modern twist on Mexican cuisine. I ordered the scallop crudo, half chicken, prime flat iron steak, poblano rice, and the churros to end the meal. It's a rarity for me to like every dish I ordered, but I loved everything. The star of the meal had to be the half chicken because of the crispy leeks and delicious mole included on the plate. The main entrees are served with tortillas to make tacos out of so the half chicken dish had the perfect toppings to be included. Do not skip on the churros for dessert because they are fried to order and served with amazing dipping sauces. The Oaxacan chocolate dipping sauce was not too sweet or bitter and complimented the sweetness of the churros. Definitely a must order! Please expect a bit of a wait for the dishes to be made since they put a lot of care and effort into making them. I do not mind waiting for high quality food and would've waited even longer if I had to . Thankfully the inside of the restaurant/lobby has a beautiful partial view of the San Jacinto mountains, so there is always something to keep yourself distracted by. Overall, I think Maleza is my new favorite in all of Palm Springs and all of Coachella Valley. I believe this restaurant will eventually be featured on the Michelin guide in the upcoming future! read more

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Had some drinks at this place but they also serve food. It is a nice establishment and looks nice to stay at. The food wasn't that bad. The drinks were good. Bartender can customize whatever drink have. It is good for groups. They have a lot of seating inside and outside. read more

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Sat at the bar and watched the bartender give menus and serve two other groups before even offering me anything other than a menu. I told him that I had a film to catch and asked if I would have enough time. He seemed unsure but after watching him take the order of a group that sat down after me, I walked out. read more

Really nice presentation. Our favorite was the mushroom dish. The restaurant is beautiful indoor and outdoor. Service was very friendly and attentive. The cocktails were delicious. read more

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The steak was cooked to perfection. You must get the desserts when you are here. Their churros are absolutely to die for.

Wow--what an amazing experience at Maleza! We were highly recommended to come here by a colleague (thank you, Brittany!), and it absolutely exceeded our expectations. From the moment we arrived, the people, vibes, food, and drinks were all top-notch. We're big foodies, so that says a lot! But what truly made our night special was meeting Chef Daniel, who is beyond talented--his cuisine skills are on another level! Every dish we had was mind-blowing, crafted with precision, the perfect blend of sauces, fresh herbs, and even edible flowers. Our waiter was hands down the best ever--he explained each dish in detail, and his recommendations were spot on. Some must-try dishes: * The biscuits (not sure if they're on the menu, so be sure to ask!) * Tuna Tostadas - fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented * Sweet Potatoes - a perfect balance of sweet and savory with shrimp * Whole Fish - cooked to perfection, paired with the most incredible handmade tortillas * And to top it all off, the chocolate tres leches cake--OMG, pure heaven! A huge thank you to Maleza and Chef Daniel for an unforgettable dining experience. We will definitely be back--next time, with friends! read more

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This spot is inside the Drift hotel and there was parking there and at the public lot across the street. I set a large group brunch here for a bachelorette party. It was a cute and casual setting. The portions were very generous, especially the burger and tacos. Drinks also looked good. We shared the guacamole and salsa. The server and bartender were awesome and provided some good recommendations for local coffee shops. I will be back. read more

We had the pleaseure of having dinner here yesterday and wow what a hidden gem! Anthony the waiter was professional and took his time to explain all dishes!!! Lisa also helped us by just checking in!! The Chef Christian made some amazing food in the Pork chop, the Wagu steak and the refreshing Shrimp ceviche. The Main manager Christian was so cool as well and the drinks were awesome I just dont know who made them(sorry) Excellent Staff, Excellent Outdoor seating at the firepit. See you all again very soon! read more

Came here for tacos and beer with my family of four but first thing was sitting us at the front tiled table when there were more comfortable tables available inside the restaurant. Maybe because it was Christmas Day? Very puzzling! The Fish Tacos were nice and crispy and the Braised Tacos were good too. Tacos are pricey in this establishment. Our server was pleasant and friendly. read more

Maleza - Fish Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Palm Springs, California

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This feels like such a best kept secret in Palm Springs. Veggie and meat options! Mocktails and cocktails!! Affordable!? We came in on a Monday night around 730 and got seated immediately, and learned that Monday nights are happy hour until close! We ordered the Palm Heart appetizer which is like a vegan ceviche and the Guac, and both appetizers were so fresh and delicious and light. We got a mocktail and a cocktail- I highly recommend the ginger/pineapple drink it was perfect for a refreshing moment after a day in the sun. I got the veggie tacos which were mushroom and potato - very fresh with crispy elements and fresh made corn tortillas- really good! And my partner got the shrimp, and she loved them. Finally we got the churros which were some of the best churros I've ever had in my life. They were crispy on the outside and warm and soft on the inside- and the dark chocolate dip was so good! Highly recommend this restaurant !! read more

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Loved the ambience and service was prompt, courteous and friendly. Everything we ordered was tasty and well prepared. We had hamachi, croquettes, guac, purple cabbage, chicken and the bass and finished dinner with churros. If I had one complaint, it would be the serving size (on the smaller size). Either the servings were small or we were really hungry and the food tasted great! read more

Highly recommended! The food was absolutely delicious and so were the drinks. We had most of the items on the menu. Bone marrow, wagyu hanger steak, chicken, mexican rice, masala dumplings, sweet potato, charred carrots, iberico presa steak - all really good. Least fav were the dumplings. They had a HUGE mezcal selection and their espresso martini with reposado was really well made. Our server, Grace, deserves her props - she was so friendly and more importantly, so knowledgeable about the menu and has great recommendations. The place itself is really nice - the decor is really trendy but with a cozy vibe. read more

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My wife and I really enjoyed our visit. We had the shrimp aguachile and guacamole -- both were absolutely delicious. She tried the Coco Borracho and loved it. I ordered the Batanga, but it tasted oddly medicinal, like something from a pharmaceutical lab. Thankfully, our waitress was super friendly and happily swapped it out for a Paloma, which was excellent. Great service and flavorful food all around! read more

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Stopped in for happy hour and stayed. Food is very good and staff super nice. We'll be back for sure.

One of our favorite places in Palm Springs now! The food is delicious, the service excellent and the margaritas were so good. Fresh, not too sweet and perfectly balanced. We were here with our 7 and 5 year old who loved the food as well. All around good vibe. Thank you for a great night! read more

Cutest ambiance and vibe here at Maleza in the prime area of downtown Palm Springs. We were driving by when the Maleza aesthetic caught our eye and we knew we needed to go stat. Made a quick U-turn and made our way inside for a couple of pre-dinner drinks. Since it was still relatively early in the day, the restaurant was pretty empty. This worked in our favor because we basically chose where we wanted to be seated. We sat in one of the sofa lounge areas. The bartender made her way over and was extremely friendly and fun. We ordered a couple margaritas and sipped on them while enjoying the dimly lit ambiance of the space. The bartender checked on us a couple times before we asked for the check. Although we didn't necessarily dine at Maleza, I loved our limited experience here. The cocktails, service, and ambiance were all 10/10. I plan to be back for the full dining experience and will also be recommending this spot to friends and family! read more

Maleza - Interior - Mexican Near Me - Palm Springs, California

This is more of a 4.5 stars than a 5 but I'll round up based on food and service. The ambiance was weird during a hot summer day - it's like serving as the lobby for the hotel it seems? Kind of strange but.... the interior was well appointed and better suited for season. Had the guacamole and tostada appetizer / side. This is amazing and super addicting. Would recommend 1000%. Also I had the catfish torta. This was really good although really quite over bready... although it's a torta so.... I guess that's to be expected but the proportions were very bread heavy still. I would recommend ditching half the bread unless you are super hungry. The potatoes that it comes with are good but... they are 100% not "fries" as listed in the menu. They are more like small roasted potatoes. Just don't expect "fries". And as a bonus they actually had Dijon mustard which is oddly not that common. My dining companion had a burger which he liked but also thought it was bread heavy. I also had a margarita which was kind of tiny. Tasty though. You'd be better off hopping into a gay bar around the corner if you wanted something more substantial beforehand as far as alcohol goes. read more

Maleza - Catfish Torta - Mexican Near Me - Palm Springs, California

Food was wonderful, very tasty and you can tell it's freshly made. The atmosphere was moody & airy with open concept layout to the design. Very beautiful and service was also helpful and kind. Our first date night in Palm Springs and it was sweet evening ! Thank you read more

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The vibe and service (Anthony) were fantastic but there were so enough misses with the food for us that my family and I left a little disappointed. We ordered the sweet potato because it was apparently one of the only items left over from the previous iteration of the menu, and I could see why. The adobo shrimp and mushrooms were a perfect savory complement to the starchy potatoes and the crema. Recommended. The dish we unanimously disliked was the octopus, partly because of how chewy it was, but also because none of us felt like the combination of flavors worked. The Oaxacan cheese and sour sauce were really overpowering and the apples and strawberries felt very out of place. We didn't end up finishing this. The Mexican rice was fine but didn't have any defining ingredient to make it very interesting to us. The half chicken was good, though the best part about it in my opinion was just the citrus rice, which had a light but hearty and delicious quinoa texture. Other than that, I enjoyed the combination of the aji sauce with the chicken but mostly I think we liked this because there was nothing wrong with it. Overall this is a beautiful space - apparently they just built the hotel and restaurant in April - and the service is very nice, but not sure we would come back for the food. read more

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Stopped here for breakfast after reading reviews. The vibe is trendy, love the patio seating. The food was good. The drip coffee was horrible. I told them it was like water and upgraded to an espresso that was really good. I was sad to see they charged me for both the drip and the espresso I'm not sure the place lived up to the hype. Overall just okay for me. read more

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Restaurant failed to take themselves off Open Table and called me an hour before my reservation to tell me that they are closed for a private event. Very disappointing and unprofessional customer service. Had to scramble to make new plans on a Friday night. Will not be giving them my business in the future. read more