Photography Courtesy Eight4Nine Restaurant & Lounge

Light, bright, and animated by its winsome food, drinks, and guests, Eight4Nine is a place to see and be seen in Palm Springs’ Uptown Design District.

The wildly popular creation of serial restaurateur Willie Rhine and celebrity photographer John Paschal unfolds over 9,000 square feet, with a buzzy lounge featuring a backlit white onyx bar — a comfortable spot for cocktails and small plates — plus a sprawling dining room and romantic patio with the San Jacinto Mountains as its backdrop. The stylish restaurant is outfitted with Louis XIV ghost chairs, a mix of whimsical chandeliers, and a 30-foot outdoor firewall.

The menu is equally attractive, with items such as Wilma Jean’s fried chicken, a healthy macro bowl, grilled Scottish steelhead trout (Rhine’s personal favorite), and the Coachella lime pie made with local citrus.