"Bar/Food"
That's all the sign says on the front of one of Palm Springs' newest bar/restaurants. But its not just the generic sign that makes this new venue unassuming, the "dive" is located in a grungy strip mall in a less than glamorous part of North East Palm Springs at the intersection of E. Vista Chino and Gene Autrey Trail. Furthermore, on one side of it is a marijuana dispensary and on the other is a smoke shop. But as the old saying goes, looks can be deceiving.
As a frequent patron of My Lyons Steakhouse, I knew all about the owner of the new bar as he was a bartender there not so long ago. He was always very welcoming, smiling and eager to engage customers in story telling. A few months ago, I heard that he had left Mr. Lyons and opened his own out-of-the way bar. I heard it was good. Over the last few weeks, I've heard more and more good things about it so I decided to check it out. I wasn't disappointed as the bar, called Paul Bar, has an ambience like no other in Palm Springs. The owner, Paul O'Halloran, was raised in the Bronx, New York, and the bar has a definitive East Coast vibe. The bar itself is the centerpiece of the establishment: First of all you'll notice the enormity of it. Then you'll appreciate its ornate mahogany wood with mirrored back, all of which has been refinished. When I entered Paul Bar, it took awhile for my eyes to adjust as the Palm Springs brightness starkly contrasts with the dimly light interior lighting. Once I had adjusted, I noticed the bar was long and had about 20 or so plush bar stools around it that were all occupied. Across from the bar were about five booths plus four small tables all of which were covered in black suede-like material. Like the bar, all of the booth and table seats were occupied except for one small table that I darted for and got.
The walls and ceiling were both darkly painted, and jazz music was gently playing in the background. The place just reminded me of bar scene from an old black and white movie with a Humphry Bogart type actor. In addition, the servers were all wearing white dress shirts, long white aprons and bowties, adding to the retro east coast lounge vibe. And what would a place like this be without a drink menu featuring Manhattans, Negronis and vodka or gin martinis made the traditional way coupled with a great wine selection and local craft beers. So I think you get the point about what type of place this is.
I ordered a nice glass of chardonnay, wedge salad and a Meatball covered in marinara, parmesan cheese and parsley. I swear, the meatball must have been 8 oz. More importantly, it was very tasty. I highly recommend Paul Bar and hope you will check it out for yourself the next time you are in Palm Springs.
Paul Bar is located at 3700 E. Vista Chino Drive in Palm Springs. To learn more about it, please click here: https://www.desertsun.com/story/life/food/2018/06/01/palm-springs-hottest-new-bar-most-unexpected-places/655608002/
