What a lovely Idyllwild gem. Amazing ambiance, cocktails, food and service. We're not the easiest guests at the moment (we have a 3 month old with us, and this was one of his first times at a restaurant) but the host sat us at a table right by the fireplace that accommodated his carrier and everyone at the restaurant was just so nice and welcoming. My husband enjoyed the Alexander's Chicken and I enjoyed my trout (with some of the best cooked carrots I've ever had).

Café Aroma is another gem in Idyllwild with a cozy atmosphere. We snagged a late reservation at 8:45 and were likely the last table of the night. Service was excellent, and the food was hearty. I ordered the chicken Alfredo, which was rich and filling. The complimentary bread with garlic oil was a perfect starter. I also added burrata for $6, which was a great touch. For a drink, I tried the Spice of Life. The jalapeño tequila wasn't my thing, but it's probably a great pick for anyone who enjoys a bold, spicy twist. Overall, a solid dining experience!

What an absolutely amazing experience! Excellent and attentive service and staff. Delicious food and the ambiance was over the top! From the moment we walked in; we felt so special. The owners greeted us along with welcoming arms. We were seated right by the infamous Adam Glover whose voice is stunning. Our wait staff consisted of Stef and Danny who were both very attentive and awesome. I ordered the Penne with Creamy Pesto and Shrimp. The Bruschetta on top was the perfect combination. My husband enjoyed the Rib Eye with a side of Mushrooms. Our desert made by Eric was over the top. What an incredible end to a truly enjoyable evening in beautiful Idyllwild. Definitely one of the finest restaurants on the mountain. Adrian was an excellent Host. We cannot wait to return.

Finally got to try Cafe Aroma. Now that we've dined at Cafe Aroma, I can proudly say I've been to EVERY restaurant in Idyllwild. We went there on Friday Night. The place is beautiful, full of old-world charm and romance. If you're seeking a charming intimate place for an upscale dinner Cafe Aroma is your best option in Idyllwild. Service and decor are 5-star. However, the menu was a bit challenging for me. There were tons of chicken and beef options. I'm not the best with either as I tend to order fish. The two fish options were trout and salmon, neither of which are my favorites. My dinner companions both had chicken and were delighted to see so many options. 95% of the world will be beyond satisfied with the menu. DIRTY MARTINI 18. It was an amazing gin martini. It was ice cold, served in a lovely cocktail glass. It included 2 olives stuffed with goat cheese. It probably was the best martini I've ever had. The olives had a slight tang to them which went so well with the gin. Of course I had to order a second. No need to look at their wine list when they have martinis this good. ESCARGOT 17. Classic escargot (6) served in a traditional escargot dish, accompanied by tongs to ease eating them. For some reason they served it with toast. The problem with toast is you can't use it to soak up the escargot butter. When I went to grab some bread from the table I realized my dinner companions had eaten it all. I could have paid an extra 6. for more bread. When you look at their prices, they should include extra bread. This joint is not cheap. The escargot was okay. Classic garlic, parsley and shallot butter. They didn't do anything to differentiate themselves. Probably won't order them again. MUSSSELS 20. This was an appetizer portion of mussels. Again, served with toast. Typically, mussels are accompanied by some kind of baguette, The mussels were tasty, traditional moules mariniere. Again, they did not do anything to differentiate themselves. Most upscale restaurants do something to differentiate themselves. The mussels were cleaned and prepared perfectly. Whomever is in the kitchen knows precisely how to prep mussels. Nothing upsets me more than unopened shells or beards left on. Yes, I will order them again. The three of us enjoyed a lovely dinner, will definitely return. I may give the salmon a try on my next visit. This is definitely a place I highly recommend. Look over the menu before coming here, make sure there are dishes you will enjoy.

Guys. What a wonderful dining experience. Everyone told us the best place to eat was Cafe Aroma in idyllwild and that's absolutely true. Definitely get a reservation! I messed up and put a reservation for a Saturday even though I meant to for Friday. We got SUPER lucky and got two spots at the bar but otherwise this place gets packed. We started off with their bread. Very yummy. We got their cacio e pepe (added chicken) and their ragú. Both were absolutely phenomenal. Ended the night with the crème brûlée! Highly recommend! Charming little house turned restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. There's some parking but a lot of people parked on the street too. Wonderful service from the start to end! Also it was fantastic seeing them say hello to all the locals who frequent this place often. A must-go restaurant for Idyllwild for sure.

Dinner at Cafe Aroma was a lovely experience. The server was knowledgeable and took care of us with attentive service. We started with the bruschetta. I had the French onion soup and the Ceaser salad as my dinner. The salad was crisp, the croutons flavorful and crunchy , and the dressing was "fire". My husband ordered the seafood pasta. He cleaned his plate with the bread it was so yummy. The prices are fair considering the quality of the food. Our friends said the wine was delicious too. They said the beets appetizer was delicious. We had a two hour dinner and alas were too full from great food and conversation to try the desert. Next time, as there will be one based on this wonderful dining experience. I heard from a little birdie that the place is under new management, bravo!

The best restaurant in Idyllwild .... A truly wonderful experience here while vacationing in the area. My husband, my son and I had a delicious dinner with great service. We walked in without reservations ( honestly I didn't even think to make a reservation) and the hostess told us we can be seated at 7:30pm. We came back and our table was ready. The restaurant is so cozy, lot of cute lights and decor. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. We ordered a Caesar salad, white bean soup, chicken Alfredo, ribeye steak and broccolini. Everything tasted amazing. Fresh, flavorful and delicious. We waited about an hour for our food to come out but our waitress kept coming to our table and apologizing for the wait saying they are short staffed in the kitchen. Then right before the dishes came out the hostess, the manager and the waitress approached our table and thanked us for our patience and apologized again for the wait. Now that's amazing customer service. They knew they have an issue and they didn't ignore it. We really appreciated their attention and care. We didn't complain about the slow service cause we knew what was going on. We were on vacation so we weren't rushing at all. We enjoyed some quality time as a family. Overall a wonderful place to have dinner while in the area. You won't regret it. And yes we ordered dessert as well and coffee that tasted amazing. Cheesecake with homemade jam.

Was in Palm Springs this past Saturday and the temps were well over 108 degrees at noon... I decided to high tail my arse to the Mountains where I thought (and hoped) it would be cooler. It was a nice 65 degree day up there with scattered showers. Cafe Aroma has been on my bucket list since I had seen someone on Instagram feature a dish they served. Their reservations can only be made through 'Touch Bistro' and I choose not to go that route as it wanted to consent to sign up for emails. I took my chances and BOY, am I glad I did! Service was exceptional, I walked up to the podium right when they opened and asked if I was able to dine at the bar (as I was flying solo) and I am mindful of turning tables for couples and larger parties. The owners were running the podium outside and warmly greeting all guest who came in. Daniel was my bartender and he took such great care of me at the Bar that I spent literally the rest of my day there LOL I started out with my customary French Martini which was delightful but I was driving down that mountain in the dark so I stopped at one. My Strawberry Fields Salad was a 1/2 order and just enough to prelude my Trout entrée. I wanted to keep things relatively light since I was determined to save room for the Bananas Foster Dessert. Such a romantic spot from the lovely indoor/outdoor unique interior to the wonderful menu offerings. I found myself making plans for another visit to check out the other dishes like their version of a Chicken Marsala. I'm hoping my next visit will be before it snows perhaps in October hmmm... Respectfully Reviewed

Cafe Aroma is a cozy bistro featuring an Italian-driven menu in a woodsy space. I highly recommend for dinner as it was by far our favorite meal during our visit to Idyllwild. I appreciated that they seated us without a reservation. Service was friendly and attentive. We started our meal with complimentary bread, and adding garlic to the olive oil really enhanced the dipping sauce. Our server recommended the Stew's Ragu - a rich meaty ragu with ground steak, pancetta, soffrito and NY steak strips served over papperdelle with Parmesan. I added a side of herb roasted potatoes to complement my entree. Questo pasto è delizioso!

We stopped in Wednesday night for dinner. It was packed as usual but the food was amazing. It has such a nice vibe when you are seated and the service is great. A bit on the pricey side but I would definitely recommend.