Pappy & Harriet’s in Pioneertown is one of California’s most iconic music venues — a former 1940s Hollywood Western movie set turned outlaw biker cantina and now a world‑famous roadhouse where major artists like Paul McCartney, Robert Plant, Queens of the Stone Age, and Vampire Weekend have performed. Our tour explores its Old West roots, rustic charm, Santa Maria‑style mesquite BBQ, and the intimate desert stage that draws music lovers from around the world. Discover why this quirky High Desert landmark remains a must‑visit stop near Joshua Tree National Park.
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Pat Patterson visits Pappy and Harriet's, a legendary California desert venue. Once a cantina and biker bar, it has evolved into a world-renowned barbecue restaurant and a premier live music destination that hosts over 300 shows annually, attracting a diverse range of global superstars and maintaining a unique, community-focused atmosphere.
I'm at Pappy and Harriet's,
and I've been hearing about this place all my life, and
now I finally get to be here.
I'm Pat Patterson, and I love California,
and I'm with Evan and Piper, so you guys do
the marketing, the creative, the ticketing here at Pappy and Harriet's.
Quick history of Pappy and Harriet's.
Oh my gosh, where to begin?
There's a very long history, but if I could condense it,
this has been everything from
a cantina film set to a gas station to a burrito biker bar
and is now one of the most
interesting live music venues in America and popular.
Yes. You guys got some acts out here.
We do. We work really hard to try to bring people
that you wouldn't normally expect to
be out in a place like this.
We're also a world-renowned barbecue restaurant.
Well, that's what surprised
me, Piper, is we're here, you know,
during the week and you got a crowd in there. It's pretty
consistently busy, even right now,
which is the slow season out here in the desert. There's
definitely always some people at tables for sure.
So let's start at the top of the list. Paul
McCartney played here. He did indeed.
Give me some more names. My goodness. I mean, we've had
everyone from Paul McCartney and
Patti Smith. Is there a Lord
in there? Lord, Slipknot,
Interpol,
come on, help me out.
Peaches, Robert Plant.
So, you know,
we talked a little about Coachella
being... Yeah.
But you're your own
thing over here, right? Very much
so. So you're booking acts, and
is it monthly? Is it...
How should people kind of look for a new act?
It's nearly daily.
That's it, really.
We do over 300 shows a year between our two stages.
Wait a minute.
300 shows a year.
Correct.
That is unbelievable.
Yep, we got two stages.
We have an outdoor stage.
Let's go check it out.
All right.
So, Evan Piper, who's this young lady?
This beautiful young lady is Harriet Allen.
So, she was one of the original owners.
She was one of the original owners of Pat, and she's still around.
She's still with us, and Pappy, now, were they a couple?
They were a married couple, yes.
Okay.
Pappy, his real name is Claude, Claude Pappy,
and they ran the business from 1982, which
is when Pappy and Harriet's opened,
and then Pappy unfortunately passed away in 94, and
Harriet kept running the business,
doing the same thing, and then she ended up selling
it in the early 2000s.
And how is her vision being carried through?
I mean, tell me kind of how you...
It's interesting.
I mean, we obviously can't, you know, speak to their original vision,
but from what we can all feel here and the energy that's in this place,
it was about family and gathering
and enjoying this beautiful setting that we're in.
And your funky desert.
And keeping it funky, keeping it cool.
I mean, there's no other place like it.
And in terms of the food, tell me a little bit about the food.
I know we're going to see the barbecue.
Everything here is cooked over our Santa Maria grill,
all great fresh ingredients.
We have, you know, options for kids, options for vegetarians.
It's just good home-style cooking, you know.