At Kitchen 86, at 73-130 El Paseo, the remodeled patio has views of the mountains and of El Paseo itself. It is one of only two restaurants in Palm Desert still seating diners on public land under the outdoor dining program the city set up in 2020. That program is scheduled to end on June 30, 2027.
The two restaurants that opened on El Paseo this season both put their energy into the dining room. YOZU Asian Bistro replaced Shorebird, and J's Deli came back to the street after a year away. Restaurants are still opening on the street, but the street-side table is now rare. Whether it lasts past next summer depends on a city proposal that would have a restaurant build a new sidewalk in a parking space before it can keep its outdoor seating.
Two patios on public ground, and a deadline
The Palm Desert Post reported on Oct. 8 that Kitchen 86 and Little Bar are the only two restaurants still using public right-of-way under the temporary program. City staff told the council that without a permanent program, both would have to remove their structures by the June 2027 deadline. Little Bar, at 73560 Palm Desert Drive North, describes itself as having a cozy outdoor patio and a big deck.
The program covers only seating on public land. Patios that sit entirely on a restaurant's own property are still permitted. So El Paseo will still have places to eat outside after June 2027. What could disappear is the deck that reaches past the curb, built after 2020, that diners have treated as a normal part of the street for six years.
What the city is weighing for a permanent version
The council told staff to keep developing a permanent program. The approach has a specific shape. A restaurant that wants to expand onto the public sidewalk next to it would have to build a replacement walkway out in the street, usually in parking spaces. The patio stays directly attached to the restaurant, and pedestrians walk around it on the new path.
According to the Post, staff said this layout means servers would not have to cross a public sidewalk to reach their tables. That makes it easier to follow alcohol-service rules while also handling accessibility. Here are the details from the study session:
| Element | What the Post reported |
|---|---|
| Design study | Consultant contract of just under $40,000, using removable pedestal pavers |
| Cost of a replacement sidewalk | Preliminary estimate of $12,000 to $21,000 for 120 square feet, depending on planters and materials |
| Design options | Wheel stops at each end; a version with a white stripe and vertical posts; a version with a ramp for longer frontages |
| Highway 111 frontage roads | Similar concepts, though angled parking there could cost one more space than on El Paseo |
Each of those figures matters to a restaurant owner deciding whether to keep a deck. A small El Paseo patio could need $12,000 to $21,000 worth of new sidewalk before a single table goes back out, and that cost sits on top of whatever the patio cost to build. Only two restaurants are still using public ground even under the temporary rules. That small number helps explain why this fall's new openings went a different way.
The new tables are inside
On El Paseo this fall, the investment went into dining rooms.
YOZU Asian Bistro took over the former Shorebird space at The Shops on El Paseo. KESQ reported that Shorebird closed on May 12, 2026, and that the operator planned to reopen the space as YOZU. The Coachella Valley Independent listed Aug. 26 as the planned opening date at 73061 El Paseo. The restaurant comes from Wild Thyme Restaurant Group, the company behind Shorebird and Molé Mexican Kitchen across the street. It is an izakaya-style bistro built around share plates and sushi. Hours and reservations are on YOZU's website.
J's Deli is back on El Paseo at 73655 El Paseo. The New York-style Jewish deli first opened in Palm Desert in 2022 and closed that location in 2025 when its lease ended. According to its own history, it reopened on El Paseo in September 2026. The Coachella Valley Independent had reported a planned reopening on Sept. 19. J's serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Its signature sandwich is the Reubenski, and the matzo ball soup is homemade. It also sells its own bagel chips.
Neither opening counted on curbside seating. A Japanese izakaya and an all-day deli are both built around the dining room and the counter. If you've been on El Paseo since the heat broke, the recent changes have been on the other side of the storefront glass.
Openings close to El Paseo, but not open yet
Two more places just off El Paseo, on Highway 111, are nearly ready. Both are still on the way, not open.
| Spot | Address | Latest status |
|---|---|---|
| Les Filles Café & More, second location | 73241 Highway 111, Suite 4A | The café's own timeline lists the second shop for October 2026, with no exact opening day announced. |
| One More Bite Dumpling House | 73547 Highway 111, in the Jensen's shopping center | In a KESQ report published Oct. 9, the business projected a possible opening by the end of October, pending fire and county health inspections. |
The Coachella Valley Independent first reported both projects in July, with Les Filles aiming for October. Les Filles' contact page is the place to check for opening news. For One More Bite, KESQ's October report has the latest timeline. Like YOZU and J's Deli, both are counter-and-dining-room concepts in shopping-center storefronts.
The next big night on the street
Now that the Oct. 25 Palm Desert Golf Cart Parade has passed, the next big date on the El Paseo calendar is Light Up The Holidays on Saturday, Nov. 21, from 4 to 6 p.m. at The Shops on El Paseo. The free tree lighting includes holiday entertainment, children's activities, seasonal treats, letters to Santa, and a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. It takes place at 73-061 El Paseo, on Ocotillo Drive between California Pizza Kitchen and Porta Via. YOZU opened in that same center, so dinner before or after is a short walk. Details are on the The Shops on El Paseo events page.
The patio question will come back to the council as well. Staff plan to bring permanent outdoor-dining rules back before the June 30, 2027, deadline, and the Palm Desert Post has been covering each step. Until then, Kitchen 86's patio and Little Bar's deck are still open, the same as they've been since the 2020 program began.
Palm Desert is where our team is based, and El Paseo is a big part of how we spend our evenings here. If you're wondering how this street and its changes fit the way you want to live in the desert, Daisy Becerra Estates would be glad to talk it through over a table at one of these spots. Let's Connect.
