The Backyard Restaurant Review
W Los Angeles Westwood
930 Hilgard Ave. (Manning Ave.) 
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Los Angeles, CA 90024
310-443-8218 | Menu
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Cuisine
Open
Lunch & Dinner dailyFeatures
- Full bar
- Outdoor dining
- Valet parking
- Casual
* Click here for rating key
 If you’re tired of crowded Westside restaurants where you can barely hear your companions over the din of other diners, then visit The Backyard on the next sunny day or warm night. In an oasis next to the W Los Angeles Westwood hotel, diners can unwind to the sound of a babbling waterfall instead of babbling neighbors, and still keep an eye on the big game on the big-screen TV. It’s an ultra-casual atmosphere, flanked by a long outdoor bar (possibly frequented by smokers) on one side and a swimming pool on the other, so don’t be surprised to see people in T-shirts and bathrobes. Guests sitting on couches under white umbrellas or heat lamps can enjoy specialty cocktails by the glass or pitcher and casual food, such as burgers with sweet potato fries, massive onion rings and pizza. (Former chef Monique King has departed the restaurant and Dakota Weiss is now at the stoves, so expect some changes to the menu.) Past dishes have included an artistic sweet corn and leek bisque, decorated with house-made Tabasco and topped by a tasty crab fritter; tangy tequila-lime roasted barramundi; and sesame-date crusted rack of lamb with ratatouille. There may be a traditional grilled beef tenderloin Diana, but the grilled Cuban marinated flat iron steak topped with a playful chimichurri seems a better fit for the surroundings. A sophisticated dessert may end the meal.
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