You Can Still Visit This California Mexican Restaurant Frequented By Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley did a lot of jumpin' and jivin' during his more than two-decade-long career, and when it came to refueling between all those hip-shaking performances, he had quite the delicious lineup. The King was a big fan of grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches — perhaps the most famous of Presley's favorite foods. But the rock legend's palate was wide and varied. In addition to quintessential Southern comfort food, the star enjoyed his fair share of Mexican cuisine — particularly if it was served at Las Casuelas Original restaurant in Palm Springs.

Located less than 2 miles north of the desert hideaway where he and Priscilla honeymooned after their 1967 nuptials, it was a restaurant that Presley loved to visit. And to the delight of his fans (and anyone who enjoys tasty Mexican food in general), it's still up and running today. Even better, guests can still dine in the icon's preferred booth, where he was known to order up a plate of frijoles rancheros and a glass of iced tea.

The cozy spot, which retains much of its old-world charm by way of rustic murals, colorful tiles, and wrought iron accents, was first opened in February 1958 by Maria and Florencio "Del" Delgado. It holds the distinction of being the very first Mexican restaurant to land in Palm Springs — and the fact that it's still serving up its classic fare almost 70 years later is no doubt a testament to its quality.

In addition to the OG locale (where Presley dined), Las Casuelas has expanded to include a number of other outposts in the area, including Las Casuelas Terraza, Las Casuelas Nuevas, and Casuelas Café. But the iconic institution, along with all of its offshoots, is still a family-owned operation. Las Casuelas Original, for one, is run today by Alana Coffin, the granddaughter of original owners Del and Mary Delgado. 

In a 2022 interview with Palm Springs Life, Coffin expounded on the restaurant's dedication to preserving her family's traditional recipes. They have been passed down for five generations, beginning with Del's own grandmother who immigrated to Arizona from Mazatlán. "We're using the same recipes," she confirmed. That includes the ranchero sauce that the King of Rock 'n' Roll himself consumed: "The ranchero sauce is to die for —
it's the way my grandparents did it." 

As for those Elvis-adored frijoles, they also come with onions, tomato, cilantro, Guerito chiles, bell peppers, and cheese. They are technically a side though, so if you're planning to make a Presley pilgrimage of your own to this Palm Springs landmark, we'd suggest padding your order with some pork carnitas and chiles rellenos, two of the most popular dishes, per Coffin. Then again, you can't go wrong with a hearty combo platter, to which you can add the rancheros beans alongside your choice of tacos, tamales, burritos, tortas, and enchiladas. Let's just say the cuisine at Las Casuelas is as timeless as the music of its most revered regular.