Opened Summer 2022.

Le Fern was a tropically-inspired bar with midcentury drop lights, carved Tiki heads behind the bar, live plants and the Caliente Tropics’ original carved wood door.

“A la 70s, fern bars have always fascinated me,” Rory Snyder said. “It’s my generation." and "Think TGIF’s as a typical fern bar.”

Catering to more feminine tastes, fern bars were inspired by the early feminist era when women, earning their own money, began going to bars where they felt safe to go alone.

“Typically, the drinks were sweeter, like Grasshoppers, Pink Squirrels, and modified Mai Tais,” says Snyder. “BLTs, cheese sandwiches, Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame were on the menus.”

Le Fern offered more modern fresh produce libations such as lime, basil and other juice and herb concoctions. Club sandwiches, cheese fondue and other 70s throwback eats were on the menu.

With the closing of Oceanic Arts, Snyder was able to acquire an original Ed Crissman carved tiki at auction (several of which already resided at the Caliente Tropics) and this Crissman tiki was prominently displayed at Le Fern and served as inspiration for one of their tiki mugs.

Although some purists may decry fern bars as "tiki adjacent" at best or, at worst, part of the much lamented tiki devolution that took place in the 70s and 80s, Le Fern had some pieces (including the Ed Crissman carving) that far outshone those in other tiki bars.

Le Fern was also bigger than the sum of its parts when considered as part of the greater Caliente Tropics complex.

It closed Sunday, April 28th, 2024 with Rory promising that the space would not remain vacant for long...and indeed, it didn't. The Le Fern space was quickly incorporated into the adjacent Sancho's Restaurant as a Cantina. Some tiki pieces can still be seen here, including quite a few mugs behind the backbar.

Details

Type

Bar & Restaurant

Phone

(760) 424-8241

Address

Palm Springs, California, United States

Closed?

Yes (Permanently)

Links

• facebook.com
• instagram.com