Located at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, The Tack Room Tavern is a full-service restaurant and bar with a dog-friendly patio where you can bring your pup along for a meal. The polo club setting gives the place a unique character — it is not your typical strip-mall restaurant, and the grounds around it are worth exploring, especially during polo season when the energy picks up and you’ll see the sport in action across the fields.

The menu covers a wide range, from their popular Flagman Buffalo Wings and Cobb Tower salad to the “10 Goal” Kobe Burger. There’s also a Beyond Burger option for those going plant-based. The house-made cinnamon bread pudding with warm caramel sauce is worth saving room for, and happy hour deals make the wings and drinks an easy call for an afternoon stop with your dog.

The bar is well-stocked with an impressive selection of bourbons and tequilas, premium beers, wines, ciders, and specialty cocktails mixed by their bartenders Nelson and Tito. Drinks like the Spicy Paloma and Coachella Cooler pair well with warm desert afternoons and breezy evenings on the patio. The cocktail program has a creative streak that goes beyond the standard bar menu, so even if you’re not a wing-and-burger person, there’s reason to linger over a drink.

For dog owners, the outdoor seating area is the real draw. The relaxed, open-air atmosphere means your dog has room to settle comfortably while you eat, and the Indio location tends to be less crowded than Palm Springs dining spots on busy weekends. The patio feels genuinely laid-back rather than rushed, which makes a real difference when you’re eating with a dog who needs some space to relax. It’s a solid pick if you’re heading to or from Joshua Tree or exploring the eastern end of the Coachella Valley and want a sit-down meal with real food and thoughtful drinks without the tourist crowds.