Backyard

Was brought here by family in town for a quick two day visit. Eat here twice almost did it twice in one day. Stopped by for a lunch snack as we got into town. We all shared the amazing burger, grilled cheese and salad. Was all amazing.
The next night came for dinner due to being told about the Chicken Pot Pie. All I can say is wow. Just amazing. We also had the nettle fritters which was first night in menu. Those are a keeper. Can wait to come back and visit family who are regulars at your place. Oh I also for got about cauliflower soup. Also amazing.

I had high hopes for this place. It’s been on my hit list for a couple of years; finally made it out for Valentine’s Day weekend. What a letdown.
Calamity of missteps:
– back waiter sits amuse-​bouche on the corner of the table and leaves without saying a word.
– back waiter cleared our pre-​dinner cocktails and asked us if we’d like another drink, but we’d ordered the menu with wine pairings from our server 10 minutes before.
– another server arrives 15 minutes later and presents us the same amuse.
– raw oysters were bland and riddled with shards of oyster shell.
– buser cleared our clean knives after first course and gave us spoons to accompany forks for the salad course (?).
– mismatch silver is fine, but multiple courses were served with small, light, basic forks that cheapened the dining experience.
– as she sat down the wine glasses, server immediately pointed out that those pours were bigger because our food was taking too long — approached seemed tacky — why not just come and top off the glass later?
– server presented me with second course wine, which happened to be the same wine served with the first course, and I had to be the one to question it and make sure it wasn’t a mistake.
– another server came to pour the third course wine and started to pour it into my second course wine glass, which still has 2 – 3 tastes in the glass, and I had to stop him.
– another server came over after our entrees were cleared and asked us something like, «are you ready for dessert?» Or «do you want dessert?» Prix fixe menu. Seemed weird.
– of the four wine pairings, half were drinkable. The Woodhedge sparkling and the Chardonnay were really unpleasant.
I give them one star for having great outdoor patio dining, one star for the amazing heirloom carrot entrée paired with the Pinot Noir and the chicken liver mousse and one star for their reasonable prices. If they want to attract local epicures, I strongly recommend working on the service details, QC with the prep cooks, quality of silverware to match quality of glassware and serving better quality wines with the wine pairing menus.
We will not be coming back.

Just an outstanding brunch! A fabulous bloody Mary and chicken and waffles that blew me away! Other dishes also very good and the service was warm and efficient.

We were disappointed with our recent visit. I like the décor, the mood, and the service — in fact, I’d give 5 stars to Allison, who effortlessly and cheerfully handled a small but growing dinner crowd during our meal.
The problem was the food. My entrée was the night’s pasta dish, an upscale «Raviolo» with stinging nettle and egg yolk. $ 20 got me a giant platter with two lonely raviolis and a strand of greens and maybe 2 diced mushrooms across the top. The sauce was odd — not bland, but not the sort of thing you’d enjoy sopping up with bread. The texture and flavor of the raviolis was odd, too. It’s not something I’d ever care to eat again. The dish’s one redeeming quality was that the sauteed mushrooms were nicely flavored and perfectly cooked.
Still, I was eyeing this giant plate of almost no food and wondering where the rest of my dinner was.
I quickly ordered the bread plate (not having tasted the pasta sauce yet), just so I’d have something else to eat. The server brought out a platter with a dozen slices of local bread, a pot of olive oil for dipping, and a generous mound of roasted garlic. But the bread was dry and chewy — two days stale, maybe three. This was shocking, given that the bakery is right across the street.
My wife’s dishes were better. The brussel sprouts were decent. The sweet potato dish was outstanding. Both of these were on the appetizer menu. Curiously, the cost of these two small plates was $ 1 less than my entrée, but constituted at least 2x more food by both volume and weight.
One entrée, two small plates, the bread platter, and one mixed drink set us back $ 70 with tip — way too much for the sad showing from the kitchen. We won’t eat there again.

i’ve been here multiple times and the food is always excellent. We ordered the pickle plate (a must try!), the awesome onlon rings and fried chicken sandwiches. Everything was delicious and really well prepared.
The only negative was the cheese plate — 2 very small pieces of cheese, and the hard cheese was so hard we could barely cut it.

If you visit the local wineries that don’t serve food-​this is the place! Beautiful courtyard. Clean attentive servers. Generous portions. Burger covered w bacon!

Had a wonderful dinner. The cheese board, buttermilk onion rings, baked carrots and bread/​olive oil made for an excellent start. We had had perfectly cooked steaks with sweet potato freits and shared a chicken pot pie topped with home made biscuits. We finished the night off sampling peanut butter ice cream sandwiches, chocolate budino and a lemon custard crunch. Blissfully stuffed!
My wife and I have been trying different restaurants in and around Sonoma and Napa over the past 5 years and this was one of our best experiences. Great restaurant ambiance, great service and delicious locally sourced food!
Looking forward to trying out the weekend brunch!

We loved our lunch/​brunch here… My boyfriend had a cheeseburger and it was delicious! I loved my egg breakfast – the scrambled eggs were so good! Cute patio too… Also you must try the salted chocolate chip cookies.

My friends brother recommended this place as ok.
My feeling is that this place is A-​OK.
Rustic place, homey chairs, warm customer service, served with quality home made charcuterie.
Ordered two plates: a cheese board and salumi plate; both had artisanal delights of higher quality. The cheeses were of higher quality and so was the home made salumi. $ 16 each plate, smallish portions, both were enough for two light eaters as an appetizer.
Wine: Sonoma Cabernet, nice body, inky and deelish. $ 9.00 a nice price.

I decided to try this place for «Dining out for life» as they were giving 50% to the charity. I made reservations 3 weeks in advance and was really glad that I did.
The hostess was really great and welcoming. Once we got seated we got water and the menu. My friend had alot of questions that our waiter was happy to help with as he knew the menu really well.
We decided on the bread and olive oil platter with roasted garlic, the braised green and the pot pie and vegetarian option for entrees.
I like that all is local and fresh but I wish they had offered Balsamic vinegar with the olive oil for the bread.
The braised greens are really good but have a bit of a vinegary after taste (I love vinegar though).
My friend thought that the vegetarian dish was OK but a bit too pricey.
The pot pie was amazing and sooo worth the money.
Keep in mind that all is ala carte.
I took off one star mostly because it get very noisy when it is full and you must talk loud to hear each other. Not the best place for a quiet evening.

Wonderful food. Very well prepared meals in a small restaurant setting. I really enjoyed our meal here. The only downside I saw was that the prices were a bit high considering the portion sizes. I mention this cause the restaurant is listed as 2 $$ but should probably be $$$. If it were properly identified as $$$ I would probably have given it 4 stars.

Disappointing. Our server really let the kitchen down in this case. When we arrived our server (a man, dark hair — didn’t catch his name) barely said hello to us then abruptly asked if we had a reservation (the restaurant was half empty) and then had to «see if he could fit us in». Once seated he spent 5 minutes (no joke) telling us about all the different elements on the menu, how amazing things were, what farms different things came from… I appreciate a bit of background as much as the next person but this was overkill. At least give me a cup of coffee first.
Then the food arrived. I ordered the pulled pork benedict and my husband had the hash. His meal came out piping hot whereas mine was cold. The hollandaise sauce had formed a film it was so cold. Gross. I assume it sat on the line while my husband’s dish was being prepared. I sent it back and was not even given a ‘sorry’ by our rude server. He really couldn’t have been worse about it. A new dish arrived only a few minutes later so I think I must have been given someone else’s plate — this one too was cold and when I opened the eggs the whites were not cooked through and were semi-​transparent. Seriously gross. At this point my husband was pretty well though his hash so I ate what I could around the dish instead of sending it back again.
And be prepared for flies. Lots of flies. I get that its outdoors in the country but has this place ever heard of fly tape?
What had the potential to be a 5-​star experience was a major disappointment. We won’t be going back.

My friend sent me a picture of the chicken pot pie today, and I thought he made it at home. It looked so delicious, but it turned out to be from The Backyard. He knows I only like to eat chicken breast and he told me his pot pie was mostly breast. My girlfriend and I came here tonight for dinner so I can try this $ 20 chicken pot pie. It was very good, and I will come to eat it again. I also had the strawberry lemonade and that was very tasty. My girlfriend ordered the salmon and she loved it. We finished off with the peach cobbler that was very different, but amazingly delicious!
I only have two complaints…
1. The kid who showed us to our seats told us that menus were being printed and he apologizes, then asked if we would like bread with olive oil or olives… We said bread… Then when we were given a menu 10 minutes later, learned the bread and oil is $ 4.50. Would we of still got it if I knew or if he told us there was a charge… Probably, but asking if we wanted bread or olives implies it’s complimentary.
2. There is no bottom crust with the chicken pot pie… Really! How can u call this a chicken pot pie without a bottom crust! I would love to have this dish again with a bottom crust, but until that happens I will just have to live with The Backyard’s version of an incomplete pot pie.
Bottom line… Food is excellent, staff is friendly, and a little overpriced.

So cute! Lots of healthy options available (salads, gluten free), plus fried chicken for those of us not watching our waistlines.
Stop in before or after a wine tasting. There’s indoor and outdoor seating available.
Planning a second trip up to the Santa Rosa/​Forestville area and will likely make a second stop for lunch.

Amazing. Came in over the Wine Passport weekend with 8 of us. They were accommodating and friendly. Very cute ambiance, not over done like most places, but cute Sonoma county wine country chic feel. We sat out on the patio under a very large tree with patio lights. What a night to sit outside!
Now to the good stuff: The food was amazing. They focus on local, and boy could you taste it! We ordered their house made charcuterie, pickles, cheese platter, onion rings, and 2 salads to start. IT was enough for all of us to share. THANK YOU for tempering your cheese Backyard! That is just one of the little details that lets you know that these guys know their stuff.
Entrée Time: We all ordered various dishes; pastas, pot pie, soup, pork, etc… and of course, we shared! The pork chop was perfectly cooked. It was such a great quality piece of meat, that I wish I would have ordered one for myself! I was also a huge fan of the house made pasta. Perfectly cooked and great flavor with their charcuterie added in and lots of sweet clams. Of course, we did have to order another onion rings! They are that good!
Now the honey pot: DESSERT! fresh peach and plum cobbler with sweet biscuit topping and fresh home spun vanilla ice cream! Chocolate mousse with salty caramel, whip cream and crunchy little balls of goodness! Mushroom ice cream too! I’m dying here… must…have…more!!!
Overall: great local experience, unpretentious, great food & value. Highly recommend

Won’t Be Back
This was my birthday dinner and I so wanted to like this restaurant!
When we arrived, we asked the hostess for an indoor table, as there was a chill in the evening wind. Despite having a reservation (and at least 5 empty tables available), she led us all the way to the back of the dining room to a table directly in front of 2 windows and an air conditioner that was going full blast. I asked if she could turn it off, and she did, but shortly thereafter, another waitress flitted by and flung both windows open, and in blew the wind. Duh? We decided to move to another open table for two, away from the cold. Not an auspicious beginning.
Then the menus arrived. Wines by the glass ranged from $ 11-​$ 18. Wow. I ordered a $ 12 glass of Hartford chardonnay and did a double take when the waitress served a pathetically scant pour which amounted to about 5 sips. Was this really all there was? Yep.
For entrees, I ordered the tagliatelle pasta with salami ($ 20), and hubby ordered the chicken pot pie ($ 20). Our waitress told us to expect a 30 minute wait for the pot pie and suggested we order an appetizer to enjoy while we were waiting. We ordered the buttermilk onion rings… and waited… and waited… until they were finally brought out to us with our entrees.
The pot pie was OK after it finally cooled off. Unfortunately, the tagliatelle had fatal flaws. $ 20 bought me a scant portion of improperly cooked pasta (lots of strands stuck together), plenty of kale, and — I kid you not — a solitary 1″ long by 1/​8″ wide sliver of salami. At this point, the meal became a joke.
We paid in cash, and when our change was returned, we saw they had blown off the coin change due us. Obviously not a big deal money-​wise, but rather, a cheeky assumption in keeping with their evident philosophy that customers will happily pay big bucks without complaint to walk away hungry.
Bottom line — small portions of mediocre food at top dollar and outlandish prices for minuscule wine-​by-​the-​glass pours. Oh, and if you want a little bread to round out your meal, you have to buy it.
The one star is for our waitress, who was pleasant, and the tasty budino dessert.

Came during restaurant week last month. Charming ambiance, helpful staff, and tasty food. My friend had a chicken pot pie, and I had the skirt steak with polenta and onion rings. Everything was tasty and well cooked, I was just underwhelmed. We also sat inside and the noise was deafening. It was Friday night and packed, but the sound just echoed.

Charming little gem in the Russian River valley. Bookmarked this spot when I was looking for a brunch spot and came across their mouthwatering menu. They’re known for their bucket of donuts, chicken and waffles, and beans and greens. Portions are huge so consider sharing if you’re not super hungry.
I love that their ingredients are locally sourced and I highly recommend enjoying the outdoor patio if the weather is nice!

Five stars, hands down. I’ve now been to Backyard three times, and honestly I could have given them the five star review the first time around. The service is friendly and upscale, and the interior is charming and intimate. On my third trip, our friends brought a 4-​month-​old in a baby carrier, and the staff accommodated us gracefully and professionally. Alright, on to the food…
Their menu is locally-​sourced. They even provide a list showing the origin of the ingredients they use.
Don’t think twice about ordering the duck & rabbit cassoulet, just do it! It may be their most expensive entrée right now at $ 32, but let me tell you, it’s worth every penny. It wasn’t at all soupy like I might have expected. You could clearly identify every meat, vegetable and legume that went into the dish. The rabbit sausage was incredible and kept its distinctive rabbit flavor. The duck leg was done to perfection with a crispy, rich crust that makes my mouth water just writing about it.
This place is fairly well known for their fried chicken. Definitely something worth trying as they do it just about as well as anyone in California can.
Try their pickle board as an appetizer! All sorts of pickled vegetables from sour to sweet to spicy.
Did I mention the beef short rib? Oh yes, you have to try it. No bone in the last one I ordered and had an incredible flavor through and through.
And the chicken pot pie! Their biscuits (which are the same ones that come with the fried chicken) are used as the crust for this incredible dish. The chicken actually has flavor! The gravy is light and perfect. I can’t explain what a great comfort food dish this is if that’s what you’re in the mood for.
Now, this is a nice restaurant, so expect nice restaurant prices. Expect a meal for four people, with a couple drinks, a coffee, and a dessert mixed in there, to cost about $ 200. Don’t let the price deter you, though. There’s not been a single disappointing thing about Backyard in the times I’ve been there.

The most amazing food
My husband and I went for New Year’s Eve dinner the crab bisque and crab stuffed sole was so exceptional I don’t worry about the price. My husband had the nine marrow and the prime rib and he said that it’s to die for
We r very lucky to live in the town it started in I can go when ever and I go about once a month but every new year I’m here