Amazing food and even better service! The kids devoured their pasta and burger and were very happy about finishing with an ice cream sundae. We went with the ribeye, beet salad, and potatoes -- and would absolutely recommend all three. The ribeye was cooked perfectly, the potatoes were deliciously done, but the beet salad totally stole the show. Don't skip it! read more

Located inside the grand Hyatt this restaurant is the fancier of the restaurants on site. We has mostly appetizers but everything was delicious and well portioned. We had the pan frito, chicken croquettes, the tuna crudo, Octopus, beet salad and a kid burger. The croquettes seeemed to be more cheesy than chicken. The beet and cheese salad was great. read more

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The food here was simply delicious! Everything that our waitress recommended was on point. The Ribeye with bone marrow butter is a MUST. Our waitress Yolanda was absolutely amazing! I can't wait to come back here again. read more

Tia Carmen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Indian Wells, California

We had dinner here as a family. It's inside the hotel and dimly lit with beautiful decor giving a very upscale vibe looking in from outside. They have a kids menu they bring to the table that's not shown outside in the lobby. The hostess and server were so friendly and helpful. Great recommendations from the server on what items are most loved. We enjoyed all our courses which included the Tuna Crudo, Beets & Cheese, market fish and Carmen Burger. The kids loved their butter noodles with cheese as well. read more

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Tia Carmen was an exceptional experience! The ambiance was romantic and cozy, and the food was spectacular. We came as a party of four for a double date and ordered the tomahawk - absolutely delicious, and they even top it with bone marrow butter! The tuna crudo was another favorite; the corn coconut sauce was to die for. The fluke crudo was interesting with the banana - a bit unexpected and threw the dish off slightly, but still worth trying. We also ordered the yucca brûlée, grilled octopus, and the beets and cheese. Dessert was the flan manchego cheese, and it ended up being my favorite dish of the night besides the steak. The combination of the flan's sweetness with the salty Parmesan-like cheese was the perfect balance - such a satisfying way to end the meal. Loved the entire experience and would definitely recommend! read more

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First, we previously avoided Tia Carmen because it was a), in a golf resort, and b), we assumed it was one more "reimagined" Mexican restaurant in a very crowded field, the Coachella Valley. The resort proved to be very elegant and accomodating and the food was anything but typical of any single cuisine. Miguel was a superb server, playing his part in reciting the restaurant's "script" while making us feel welcome and valued. We actually didn't order any of his suggestions, but considered his explanations of the dishes we did order. Drinks were good, nothing extra special including their relatively small selection of wine by the glass; the food was superb. We started with Pan Frito, delicate fried cheese balls kissed with a bit of sweet sauce painted on with a rosemary stalk. We ate small plates instead of entrees or bundles (the 'Family Feast'). The Roasted Beet salad was fabulous, with chunks of gold and red beets, ginger, cotija in essentially a pool of well-seasoned borscht. Fluke Crudo was a real surprise and the grilled octopus was delicious and fork-tender. We finished with a totally unexpected pairing of flan with a mountain of fluffy grated manchego cheese. Wow. Some Mexican accents in an otherwise one-of-a-kind dining experience. Looking forward to trying their other offerings. Highly recommended - ask for Miguel. read more

We stayed at this hotel and have done brunch at Tia Carmen twice. Everything we ordered was amazing and the service is stellar. Ruben, our server, stood out to our table at one of our brunches. He was very attentive, and always had a smile on his face. We will definitely be back next time we are in town! read more

Tia Carmen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Indian Wells, California

My rating was between a four and five so 4 1/2 would be about right. We loved our server, Kevin. He was outstanding at explaining the menu, which is a bit confusing and telling us what to order. He was spot on. We loved the vibe of the hotel, the ambiance in the dining room, and many of the dishes. The little ball's are called pan frito, the crudo, the tostada, the crispy Brussels sprouts, and flan were all excellent and we would order those again. The halibut would have been tasty but this one was dry and probably overcooked. The filet minion was tasty and cooked right, however the bone marrow and mole were these tiny little dabs on the plate beautifully adorned with flowers but too small to add much flavor . My picture didn't come out unfortunately. So next time we would skip the two entries and get other things for the three of us to share. The portions are on the small side. One other thing that knocked them down a half a star is because the vodka martinis were half the size of most upscale places and were $20 for absolute and 23 for kettle one per glass. This is a fun and tasty special occasion place for sure because it's fine dining, great service, upscale and more interesting cuisine and for that I give them 5 stars. read more

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Blown away by the taste and the presentation by this incredible chef! If you are in Palm Desert/Indian Wells this restaurant is a must visit! Absolutely amazing delicious beautifully presented greatest quality of every single dish! Loved every minute of our experience! Get the octopus, get the farmer's fish! Get the caramel rosette for the chocolate lovers, you won't regret it! Bravo chef and Thank you for being so awesome! read more

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We have been wanting to dine here since moving to the CV over a year ago. Now that we finally tried it, we will return again and again and bring all of our guests too. It's a gorgeous spot in the Grand Hyatt, a place where a staycation is now in our future. Our server Kevin was phenomenal. His recommendations and storytelling skills were spot on as he brought each menu item to life. We each chose a cocktail (with Kevin's help) and they were delicious. We then ordered, to share, the Pan Frito, Romain Salad, and the Market Fish a La Plancha (halibut) with the Yucca Brûlée side. All phenomenal. As a wonderful surprise, Kevin came with a 2-piece Whitefish Crudo (fluke) for us to sample; he said Chef wanted us to try it. Again, phenomenal food and impeccable service. We did not leave room for dessert, but will certainly return for more and to try their buffet brunch! read more

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An amazing culinary experience!!! Wonderful food, new concept, excellent taste. This restaurant is inside Grand Hyatt Indian Wells resort. Definitely recommended for everyone who stay at the resort. Their executive chef is ANGELO SOSA. A lot of interesting dishes, but taste extremely amazing With the kind of food that they offered, price is very reasonable. We ordered the fluke crudo, chicken gulsado and lamb barbacos. The last two are family feast which comes with different pairing of side dishes. Dessert is equally great as well. Service of this restaurant is one of the best one that I experience. All servers are excellent in recommending us drinks and dishes. And explaining to us in details. We gently mentioned it's our son's birthday as it's his first time drinking alcohol. And they secretly brought out a wonderful dessert for us as a surprise! EDIT: Three cheers for our server Yolanda R. The best server ever. We met her again during breakfast 2 days later and she still remembered us and bring my son another special mini cake for his birthday!! read more

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This place was a pleasant surprise to find in our hotel. The waiter was well knowledge and explained all the dishes and the background of the food and chef. We were very impressed. The dishes were unique and though sounded strange, all the ingredients paired very well together. I recommend ordering and sharing so you can try all the dishes, especially the deserts. All the dishes had twist that was enjoyable. The only downsize was the bill, it was quite pricey for the portions. The cocktails were also very good. read more

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We stayed at Grand Hyatt Indian Wells for Spring Break and stumbled upon Tia Carmen. Was excited to see that this was Chef Angelo's restaurant from Top Chef. Always wanted to try his food. We ordered the Pan Frito, Corn Tostada, Ribeye, Tuna Crudo, Market Fish and Brussels sprouts. Everything was delicious. Our dessert was the Le Citron, yuzu white chocolate ganache. Delish! The service was great, only critique was food was a little slow from appetizer to entrees. Overall great experience. Would definitely go again. read more

Tia Carmen - Tuna Crudo and Brussels spouts with manchego - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Indian Wells, California

My experience with Tia Carmen is only at breakfast. On weekdays this place is dead. We came on a Friday morning for breakfast and they were empty. Yet the service was slow. The food was expensive but expected for a hotel. Unfortunately, the food was not the best. The pastry basket was subpar. It's something you can get at the store. The birria eggs Benedict was OK. The birria was dry at the ends. The next day, we had their brunch buffet which was much better. For the same price we spent the day before, we got way more! I like their Jamaica juice. I liked their omelet station. It was a bit a strange that they had it outside of the restaurant but it makes sense since there is little room inside. I give Tia Carmen 3 stars for food and price. I gave them 4 stars due to the excellent service by our waiter at the buffet. read more

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Located on site at the Grand Hyatt Indian Wells. We came here for their breakfast buffet and thought they had a solid selection. All the options fulfilled our needs - omelets, sausages, scrambled eggs, shredded beef and pork, breakfast potatoes, oatmeal, smoked salmon, and a variety of pastries and fruits. Comes with drip coffee and fruit juices too (specialty smoothies and coffees are an additional cost). Service was great - friendly and attentive! read more

Tia Carmen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Indian Wells, California

So happy to have a restaurant with an upscale menu and ambiance in the desert. It's been long overdue! Although it's a restaurant in a hotel, it doesn't have hotel restaurant vibes...if that makes sense? Beautiful decor, more high end than anything I've been to in the desert, and a lovely menu with so many unique dishes. We started with pan frito, which is very much like paõ de queijo, if you're familiar with that. Tasty but with a honey butter and honey drizzle, so sweet more than savory. We had many dishes and enjoyed them all. The mushroom menudo was fantastic. The Caesar salad perfectly seasoned. The cabbage with mole was amazing!! We also had the esquites which were good but not my favourite. My friends also got the chicken guisado a la Carmen and loved it. Had a jewelry box dessert thing...nice presentation of a box with a few bites of different desserts. We also had some chocolate cherry thing which I didn't love but that isn't a combo I enjoy, ha. I'd love to come back again. Great service, and just an amazing menu with so many veg friendly options! read more

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We had the most amazing drinks, appetizers and entrees last night! First time dining here and cannot say enough great things about it! The filet was fantastic! And our server Kevin was exceptional, thanks for a great time! Oh and thank you for my purse I left hanging on the chair read more

We had a great meal and the chef was amazing. Our kiddos love the steak and we ordered ice cream and chef Daniel made it extra special for them. Our server ( Miguel) was kind and took care of us. I highly recommended eating here! Jidori chicken!!!!! read more

Tia Carmen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Indian Wells, California

We had a very unique experience at Tia Carmen. I would love to give this restaurant 5 stars because the food is amazing and the flavors are 5 stars. Sadly, the service there was less than sub par. I don't want to bash this restaurant as clearly there are many kinks to work out, but they are also very aware of how understaffed they are/were. We ordered the tasting menu and although the portions were very small, the food was excellent. Also, the chef came out to apologize about the service and was very generous making it up to us. I would love to give this place another chance! read more

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Chef Angelo Sosa from Top Chef created this beautiful restaurant experience. Miguel, our server, provided too notch service and a dinner experience for us. Everything we ordered was beautifully presented and had complex fresh flavors. Our kids ordered from the kids menu and enjoyed gourmet cheeseburgers. The sea bass and trout were fabulous as were the two soups we ordered (chicken stew and mushroom menudo), romaine salad, esquires and truffle, and elote. We ate outside on the beautiful patio. It was a great experience. Highly recommend! read more

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The wagyu was one of the best things I ever tasted. If you go there just get it! Everything we had was delicious though.

Please please GIVE CARLOS a raise!!! He was one of the best servers I've ever had. He was attentive and fun and made our celebration even more special. I wish all servers were like Carlos!!! The setting of the restaurant was perfect and beautiful. It was in the hotel lobby and you couldn't even tell it was in a lobby. I wish I could give it 10 stars! Thanks Carlos for an unforgettable evening, we had so much fun had it not been for your service! We even asked if he could be our server tomorrow but he won't be working. Sad!!! Can't wait to see you again! read more

Tia Carmen is where extraordinary food and exceptional service walk hand-in-hand. The entire meal feels like an experience. All of the dishes sound so interested and there's flavors you wouldn't think would work together... but they just do! Like the banana and fluke dish (10/10) Great spot for a date night or birthday celebration. Easily the best restaurant in Coachella Valley! read more

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Despite being at the grand Hyatt Indian wells, you will feel like you're in Mexico/Tulum given its decor and menu as well as the kind staff. Food is solid and different. Better for dinner rather than their breakfast buffet. Portion and prices are as expected. read more

Not sure how this is the restaurant has such a high rating. We had dinner here while staying at the Gran Hyatt Indian Wells. When seated, we got a 5 minute lecture from the server with the resume of the chefs. This seemed quite pretentious. But I was willing to set that aside in the moment. The food itself was such a disappointment from start to finish that I would steer everyone from this establishment. Every single dish (except the "pico de gallo", more on that later) somehow lacked flavor and was not properly prepared. I could have cooked a better meal at home. This is a style over substance place, trying to be fine dining based on presentation but seems to have forgotten about the food itself. The menu is not well thought out, no one in the kitchen seems to be tasting the food for flavor or even salt, and the fact that multiple dishes that were so obviously improperly prepared were allowed to be served was truly astonishing. We tried two of the starters recommended - the pan frito and the tuna crudo. The pan frito needed salt and was underwhelming. The tuna crudo dish was completely overpowered by the corn coconut milk broth instead of letting the tuna shine. Instead of trying to score with a fancy table side presentation, this restaurant needs to focus on the food and their flavors. The branzino family feast was an absolute disaster. When the branzino and accompanying broccolini arrived at our table, there was a significant burnt smell. I was willing to give them a chance, but the food not only smelled burnt, they were over charred and inedible. No one in the kitchen and definitely not the wait staff should have ever let those dishes arrive at a guest table. When I alerted our server of the issue, we were brought a new branzino dish and a new broccolini dish. The second branzino, thankfully, was not burnt but whatever seasoning was on the dish did not go with the delicate fish flavor. Once the seasoning was scraped off (and salt was added - the only time I can recall asking for salt at a restaurant), the branzino flavor was allowed to shine. The second broccolini felt passive aggressive. As a replacement for the bright green but over charred first attempt, our second broccolini looked like over boiled baby food. See the pic. There was a roasted potato side dish that also had no seasoning and was not replaced so we could enjoy it warm with our replacement branzino and broccolini. The only highlight of the meal was a "pico de gallo". Contrary to a true pico de gallo, this dish was more like a side salad. This was the only dish of the night that was properly flavored and truly let the ingredients shine. read more

Tia Carmen - Replacement passive aggressive broccolini. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Indian Wells, California

Kevin presented the fantastic options for dinner. The ambiance was quiet and romantic and not over the top. Most enjoyable was the flavor matching of all of the dishes. We would love to come back for the dishes we didn't have a chance to try. read more

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My girlfriend and I had one of the most memorable dining experiences at Tia Carmen, thanks in large part to Miguel, who absolutely elevated our night. From the moment he greeted us, Miguel brought a level of passion and intention that you rarely see in service these days. You could feel how much pride he had--not just in his role, but in the food, the atmosphere, and especially the chefs behind the scenes. He spoke about the dishes with such reverence, it honestly made the meal feel sacred. We started with the Fluke Crudo, which was so delicate and fresh, followed by the Brussels sprouts--perfectly crisp, balanced, and surprisingly complex. The star, though, was the Market Pescado a la Plancha. Every bite tasted like it had a story behind it. And because of Miguel's thoughtful service, it did. He didn't just serve us a meal--he honored it, and invited us to do the same. That kind of energy is rare, and it made the entire experience unforgettable. Tia Carmen is lucky to have someone like Miguel. We'll be back, and we'll be asking for him. read more

Tia Carmen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Indian Wells, California

Tia Carmen is an amazing restaurant that sits inside in a beautiful resort hotel! The service presented very kindly and welcoming providing a great dine in experience. Ambiance was gracefully set up with the matching aesthetic with the whole hotel. It was also great to see the chef make food in the open kitchen view. Food was well presented and tasteful! read more

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Worst breakfast experience ever! We got to the restaurant at 9:15am and had to wait 15 minutes just to put our name in. They told us 30-40 minutes wait. We decided to wait hoping it would be 30 minutes rather than 40. We had two small kids with us and they were getting hungry and impatient needless to say. We kept asking how long more and they kept saying 5 more minutes. Finally we got our table 1 hour 20 minutes later. We placed our order right away. Food came out an hour later. We were ready to leave when the food arrived. This restaurant wasted 3 hours of our morning, when we could have enjoyed the pool and the beautiful weather. We definitely wouldn't have waited knowing it would take that long. Honesty is the best policy. Don't lie to people when there clearly is a problem in your kitchen. Horrible service and they didn't even offer a discount. Will not be returning. read more

A Culinary Love Letter to Tia Carmen We had an absolutely phenomenal experience at Tia Carmen--everything from the service to the flavors was five-star and then some. Nestled inside the Grand Hyatt in Indian Wells, this spot feels like a hidden gem that's already shining bright. Every single dish we ordered was mind-blowing--and I don't say that lightly. From the perfectly crisp pan frito to the fresh and flavorful romaine salad, each bite was a masterclass in balance and creativity. The roasted purple yams were a surprising standout (seriously, I'd go back just for those), and the market fish a' la plancha (we had the halibut) was delicate and divine--perfectly paired with a crisp glass of Sancerre. The Tia Carmen burger brought bold flavor, especially when enjoyed alongside the smoky Mesquite "Gunslinger" and Century of Passion cocktails--both delicious in their own right. And just when we thought it couldn't get better, dessert arrived: the flan Manchego cheese, beautifully complemented by a glass of Moscato, was the perfect finale. Special thanks to our server Rachel, who was warm, attentive, and made the experience seamless. Chef Miguel even stopped by our table to say hello and thank us for coming--a lovely and personal touch. He generously sent over a complimentary glass of wine to pair with our dessert, which was the cherry on top of an already unforgettable evening. Tia Carmen isn't just a restaurant--it's an experience. And one we'll be dreaming about until we return. read more

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We had 3 of us for dinner at Tia Carmen. The space is very nice with a lot of different materials and textures. Our server greeted us promptly and we took a look at the menu. She explains the concept of Chef Sosa's menu and suggested many things that she thought we might like to enjoy. Cocktails 2 of us had the 5 Citrus sprit which was light and refreshing. I had the Weihenstephan Hefeweiss beer which was tasty. Food wise we ordered the suggested Pan fritto , their version of bread and the romaine salad, both were delicious. next we had the Tuna crudo which is small but very flavorful with the spicy corn broth. next was the guisado ala Carmen which is this very flavorful stew like dish that had so many things going on. and the Market fish ala plancha which was also very tasty. All in all a very nice dinner. A very delicious dinner! read more

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I absolutely love this place. I've been here twice and haven't been disappointed with the food (the ribeye steak is to die for) or drinks and our waitress from last time was amazing and kept up with us to make sure we had everything we needed, I didn't like a drink I had ordered and he was nice enough to switch the drink and take it off our tap. Walking in it's nice and quiet with the lights being low makes my date feel more private Will also be coming back for the food here!!! read more

Tia Carmen - Ribeye steak - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Indian Wells, California

Food was delicious! All sides sold separately. We didn't know that and ordered way more than we should have. We still ate everything. read more

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Everything we ordered here was incredible. This is a celebrity chef restaurant where each dish tells a story - something I was skeptical about at first, but it totally works. We tried the pan fritos, fluke + banana, purple yam, octopus, lamb barbacoa, uni stew, yucca brûlée, and native rice, and I don't regret a single item. The octopus was the standout for me - probably the best I've had, perfectly tender and not the least bit chewy. The Black Forest cake dessert was gorgeous but skippable. Overall, an unforgettable dining experience! read more

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Customer service is wonderful but the food is way way overpriced. We ordered the famed ribeye steak which was way more fatty than the typical ribeye steak. It was basically a huge chunk of fat with a little bit of meat instead of the other way around . Taste was fine but not worth the price. I did love the edible flowers Their famous appetizers did not impress us whatsoever so I would skip them if I were you The fries are good. The kids meal was good The ambience was great and the servers and the check-in staff was outstanding read more

We took a girls trip to the desert and made a reservation for dinner. When we arrived, we were all a bit tired from a day in the sun, but Miguel wouldn't let us be a buzz kill. He brought the energy and laughs all evening. We all agreed that this was the best meal we had all weekend. Two of us ordered the Bad and Beautiful margarita, which was delicious! We started with the Pan Frito (a must) and chicken croquettes (flavorful). Two of us did the shareable menu Bone in short rib and sides. The short rib was so tender and exceptionally seasoned. We had the Ristretto for dessert (sweet and satisfying) and the jewelry box (I only enjoyed the Coconut marshmallows from that). The ambiance is dark and intimate. We had a wonderful experience and will definitely return for the food and exceptional service! read more

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Tia Carmen is a life-changing experience that will leave you a new human being. It is a culinary delight and also an emotional rollercoaster. Maybe the best restaurant I've ever been to. We started with the pan frito, a snack that might've been the highlight of the evening. It was genuinely so incredible we ordered a second dish. I even ate the butter by itself that's how amazing it was. The entrees were also a delight, the yucca brûlée side especially standing out, but the desserts were truly outstanding. We started with the jewelry box. I decided to not include the photo because to take away that first sight of the jewelry box desert from someone would be inhumane. It was spectacular, both visually and by taste. Next was the Black Forest cake, another BEAUTIFUL dish that ended our feast in the best way possible. When it comes to service, our waitress was amazing, helping us through the whole menu and guiding us through every dish. The restaurant itself was also beautiful with unique decor and design. Overall, I left Tia Carmen a changed person and I wholeheartedly believe that anyone who attends this wondrous experience would say the same. Truly a 10/5 star establishment!! read more

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Really really good. Everything was unique and an experience. We started with the fluke crudo and the pan frito- definitely must get those. Then we got the rib eye and market fish! Awesome experience everything was cooked perfectly - would definitely recommend! read more

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Lovely presentation and good service . Food was a little bit hit and miss for me . Definitely one of the more interesting creative restaurants in the desert and worth checking out if you are a foodie and in the area read more

Yes, the portions are small and can be pricey, and if you want to gorge yourself in food then this is not the place for you. However, for those wanting to try something different and elevate your senses from the typical Mexican food affair, please give it a try. Everything we ordered was as good as it looked, however, I'll pass on the asparagus (too salty). A lot of dishes contain manchego cheese but it works, including the flan! Typically if I consume too much dairy, I have phlegm (sorry TMI) but I did not get this residual effect after dining, must be quality here. Great service, our water was constantly filled and they wiped our table after each course with a sanitizing wipe, much appreciated! Restaurant is located inside the Grand Hyatt, and since it was spring break season, the hotel was swarming with kids, however, it didn't ruin our dining experience. Nice patio space with heaters and a beautiful interior space. Just note, the restaurant doesn't have their own restroom, it's shared with Hyatt. Pretty extensive wine list and we thoroughly enjoyed our bottle of red. read more

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