Backyard is the love child of Chef Daniel Kedan and Chef Marianna Gardenhire. The now married dynamic duo started the Backyard in 2012. Since then, this pairing looked to share their passion for food and sustainability with the community they now call their extended family. I was fortunate enough to stop by the beautiful kitchen one last time before their doors closed...I am hoping - just for now. Being someone in hospitality myself, I know how hard it is to walk away from a business that allows you to share experiences with others over a table filled with food, laughter, and good people. I am upset it took me this long to make my way to Forestville because wow, the views and the food. The biscuits are amazing and with their butter that just glides and melts on the bread, can you really have it any other way? The fried chicken is perfect for any weather -regardless of the hot summer sun or the cool breezy nights. Skin so crispy and the meat so tender and moist. Of course, i had to cool off with a refreshing tomato salad. Now blistered tomatoes are a staple in my diet, but these were too juicy to pass up. Now, as I've said before, balance is key. I had to get one of each dessert and yes, they were worth it. The lemon tart was perfect for the hot day I stopped by. Cheers to one of the best places I've been to. You will be missed along with the best people you will meet. To the Backyard family, your fried chicken will go down in Wine Country history. And the atmosphere you created -filled with love and laughter, will be one I yearn for again.
L G.
So sorry to hear that they will be closing next month! Only ate here twice, but it was very good. The fried chicken is excellent. Go while you can!!
Jennifer W.
I'm not a connoisseur of fried chicken, as I have never fully understood the craze about it... until I came to Backyard. It's phenomenal. There's nothing greasy about it, the skin is crispy, and it's just overall delicious. Chef's kiss, y'all, chef's kiss. The biscuits and honey butter, yum. The coleslaw has a bite to it, the mac & cheese is special. All of it, perfection. Right now, they are only open Fridays and Saturdays, and they are only available for takeout. They have quite an easy system on their website to order food and schedule pickup. Everyone was tremendously friendly when picking up.
r t.
Okay - I eat here often (their fried chicken dinner is superb) during covid, but tonight I had to write in. I got my usual but it took about 5 minutes longer than it was supposed to (I was actually thrilled to be away from my family for a few minutes and was enjoying the mindless scrolling through social media). To thank me for waiting five minutes, they put THE MOST AMAZING CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES IN THE ENTIRE WORLD IN MY BAG. I'm not kidding. They are everything I have ever wanted a cookie to be. The fried chicken is stupid good. I'm not really into sweets. But holy hell. It is insane. Get a cookie.
Zayden Mcneil
Very well kept and accessible spot. They serve large meals and for affordable prices. We liked the menu very much and the staff members were super friendly and informative. I recommend this place.
Adrian Reese
We had a fantastic at this spot. We enjoyed the excellent ambience and the food. The waiters are super welcoming. I’m happy we ultimately managed to eat here.
Sara P.
Two words: fried chicken! Best fried chicken ever. The batter is so unique. It has a flavor and a texture that is completely it's own in all the best possible ways. It's a bit spendy if you're comparing to the cost of normal fried chicken but it's worth it.
Chelsea Bush
This restaurant is such a great one..not only is the food amazing but the owners are as well.I highly recommend there deep fried chicken box.its always so yummy and easily feeds a large family.
Kate L.
We miss being able to sit outside for their full brunch menu (homemade donuts with jam were amazing!), but feeling SO thankful they are doing takeout still. Faves are the fried chicken, we always order extra biscuits bc they're great heated the next day too. Finally tried the fried chx sandwich and the hubby was thoroughly impressed. Their pot pie was excellent! Plenty for a couple people. And the salad it came with was excellent. I usually don't think farm salads are much to rave about from any place, but they do a great job with super fresh ingredients and delicious dressing. Lastly, do not forget the baked beans!! I ordered so we had a little extra food and now it's a go-to every time we order, wouldn't think of ordering a meal without them now. I'm incredibly picky and usually just like the ones I can get when visiting my family in Texas, but these are amazing. On a side note - a couple of years ago for Father's Day I went with my sister and dad to celebrate. I was 8 months pregnant (didn't know the gender) and the sweet owner guessed it right. Extra bonus points from us.
Lisa L.
I ordered the vegetarian BBQ this weekend to go ~ so yummy!!! Just finished the leftovers today. Grilled squash, mushrooms, onions, sweet peppers, & green tomatoes (have to admit I didn't love them but grateful to have tasted them for the first time). The biscuits were sooo good with honey butter on the side. I dislike coleslaw but I even ate some of theirs because it wasn't half bad. Will definitely continue to eat here. The other meal I tried post-C19 was the chicken pot pie which honestly made 4 meals for me! So delicious as well. Totally worth the trek to Forestville
Food was really good and the service was fantastic! Although no dining in, the woman at the pick up desk made it welcoming and inviting. Home made cookies are the best ever.
Tom S.
October 2020. Take out only. We had 8 adults to feed. Ordered 20 piece chicken dinner. Includes biscuits, bbq beans, coleslaw, Mac n' cheese. In a word: Delicious! Chicken super crunchy outside, moist and flavorful inside. Big pieces. Best flaky biscuits in Sonoma County. Smokey beans had plenty of pork belly. Coleslaw is wet style, not too sweet. Ooohey gooey Mac n' cheese is a carbo freaks fantasy. A half cup of it weighs 2 pounds. Okay I exaggerate. To appreciate this meal do not eat lunch. Be very hungry for dinner. Don't worry, you'll have plenty. Us 8 adults had 7 pieces of chicken leftover. Plenty for waffles the next morning.
Sam A.
Gyro is soooo good. Fried chicken is sooo good. Everything is soooo good!! Picked up and ate a block away at the local park. A bit pricey but worth it for a date night or every night if you can swing. So dank!! Thanks Backyard.
Michael G.
My wife and I made one of our fairly regular trips up to the Russian River for a day visiting some of our favorite wineries and we wanted to grab something to eat in between stops. We were lucky enough to come across Backyard in our search and placed an order online for pick up later in the day.On our stop at Joseph Swan winery, we got to chat with Rod Bergland, the winemaker. We happened to mention that we were getting take out from Backyard and he congratulated us on our choice. Apparently, he and many of the local winemakers are big fans of this place and Daniel and Marianna, the chef/owners. He told us to say hi for him - but the opportunity didn't present itself.Anyway, we got the combo plate of chicken and ribs, some hot links, a side of cole slaw and beans. We were about 30 minutes late for our pick up time (due to the combination of arriving late at Joseph Swan because we had trouble finding it AND our unexpected opportunity to chat with Rod - how could you not??) but Marianna was kind enough to reheat our food for us without us having to ask.Take out is never the best way to experience food, but we really enjoyed everything! The meats were moist and tasty - not overly salted as is often the case. I loved the beans too - agin, not too salty or watery. We had plenty of leftovers that we happily ate for dinner. It was a "twofer!"We can't wait to revisit and look forward to the day when we can enjoy their wonderful food at the restaurant.Highly recommended!
Backyard is the love child of Chef Daniel Kedan and Chef Marianna Gardenhire. The now married dynamic duo started the Backyard in 2012. Since then, this pairing looked to share their passion for food and sustainability with the community they now call their extended family. I was fortunate enough to stop by the beautiful kitchen one last time before their doors closed...I am hoping - just for now. Being someone in hospitality myself, I know how hard it is to walk away from a business that allows you to share experiences with others over a table filled with food, laughter, and good people. I am upset it took me this long to make my way to Forestville because wow, the views and the food. The biscuits are amazing and with their butter that just glides and melts on the bread, can you really have it any other way? The fried chicken is perfect for any weather -regardless of the hot summer sun or the cool breezy nights. Skin so crispy and the meat so tender and moist. Of course, i had to cool off with a refreshing tomato salad. Now blistered tomatoes are a staple in my diet, but these were too juicy to pass up. Now, as I've said before, balance is key. I had to get one of each dessert and yes, they were worth it. The lemon tart was perfect for the hot day I stopped by. Cheers to one of the best places I've been to. You will be missed along with the best people you will meet. To the Backyard family, your fried chicken will go down in Wine Country history. And the atmosphere you created -filled with love and laughter, will be one I yearn for again.
So sorry to hear that they will be closing next month! Only ate here twice, but it was very good. The fried chicken is excellent. Go while you can!!
I'm not a connoisseur of fried chicken, as I have never fully understood the craze about it... until I came to Backyard. It's phenomenal. There's nothing greasy about it, the skin is crispy, and it's just overall delicious. Chef's kiss, y'all, chef's kiss. The biscuits and honey butter, yum. The coleslaw has a bite to it, the mac & cheese is special. All of it, perfection. Right now, they are only open Fridays and Saturdays, and they are only available for takeout. They have quite an easy system on their website to order food and schedule pickup. Everyone was tremendously friendly when picking up.
Okay - I eat here often (their fried chicken dinner is superb) during covid, but tonight I had to write in. I got my usual but it took about 5 minutes longer than it was supposed to (I was actually thrilled to be away from my family for a few minutes and was enjoying the mindless scrolling through social media). To thank me for waiting five minutes, they put THE MOST AMAZING CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES IN THE ENTIRE WORLD IN MY BAG. I'm not kidding. They are everything I have ever wanted a cookie to be. The fried chicken is stupid good. I'm not really into sweets. But holy hell. It is insane. Get a cookie.
Very well kept and accessible spot. They serve large meals and for affordable prices. We liked the menu very much and the staff members were super friendly and informative. I recommend this place.
We had a fantastic at this spot. We enjoyed the excellent ambience and the food. The waiters are super welcoming. I’m happy we ultimately managed to eat here.
Two words: fried chicken! Best fried chicken ever. The batter is so unique. It has a flavor and a texture that is completely it's own in all the best possible ways. It's a bit spendy if you're comparing to the cost of normal fried chicken but it's worth it.
This restaurant is such a great one..not only is the food amazing but the owners are as well.I highly recommend there deep fried chicken box.its always so yummy and easily feeds a large family.
We miss being able to sit outside for their full brunch menu (homemade donuts with jam were amazing!), but feeling SO thankful they are doing takeout still. Faves are the fried chicken, we always order extra biscuits bc they're great heated the next day too. Finally tried the fried chx sandwich and the hubby was thoroughly impressed. Their pot pie was excellent! Plenty for a couple people. And the salad it came with was excellent. I usually don't think farm salads are much to rave about from any place, but they do a great job with super fresh ingredients and delicious dressing. Lastly, do not forget the baked beans!! I ordered so we had a little extra food and now it's a go-to every time we order, wouldn't think of ordering a meal without them now. I'm incredibly picky and usually just like the ones I can get when visiting my family in Texas, but these are amazing. On a side note - a couple of years ago for Father's Day I went with my sister and dad to celebrate. I was 8 months pregnant (didn't know the gender) and the sweet owner guessed it right. Extra bonus points from us.
I ordered the vegetarian BBQ this weekend to go ~ so yummy!!! Just finished the leftovers today. Grilled squash, mushrooms, onions, sweet peppers, & green tomatoes (have to admit I didn't love them but grateful to have tasted them for the first time). The biscuits were sooo good with honey butter on the side. I dislike coleslaw but I even ate some of theirs because it wasn't half bad. Will definitely continue to eat here. The other meal I tried post-C19 was the chicken pot pie which honestly made 4 meals for me! So delicious as well. Totally worth the trek to Forestville
Restaurantji Recommends
Fried Chicken meal is on point!
Food was really good and the service was fantastic! Although no dining in, the woman at the pick up desk made it welcoming and inviting. Home made cookies are the best ever.
October 2020. Take out only. We had 8 adults to feed. Ordered 20 piece chicken dinner. Includes biscuits, bbq beans, coleslaw, Mac n' cheese. In a word: Delicious! Chicken super crunchy outside, moist and flavorful inside. Big pieces. Best flaky biscuits in Sonoma County. Smokey beans had plenty of pork belly. Coleslaw is wet style, not too sweet. Ooohey gooey Mac n' cheese is a carbo freaks fantasy. A half cup of it weighs 2 pounds. Okay I exaggerate. To appreciate this meal do not eat lunch. Be very hungry for dinner. Don't worry, you'll have plenty. Us 8 adults had 7 pieces of chicken leftover. Plenty for waffles the next morning.
Gyro is soooo good. Fried chicken is sooo good. Everything is soooo good!! Picked up and ate a block away at the local park. A bit pricey but worth it for a date night or every night if you can swing. So dank!! Thanks Backyard.
My wife and I made one of our fairly regular trips up to the Russian River for a day visiting some of our favorite wineries and we wanted to grab something to eat in between stops. We were lucky enough to come across Backyard in our search and placed an order online for pick up later in the day.On our stop at Joseph Swan winery, we got to chat with Rod Bergland, the winemaker. We happened to mention that we were getting take out from Backyard and he congratulated us on our choice. Apparently, he and many of the local winemakers are big fans of this place and Daniel and Marianna, the chef/owners. He told us to say hi for him - but the opportunity didn't present itself.Anyway, we got the combo plate of chicken and ribs, some hot links, a side of cole slaw and beans. We were about 30 minutes late for our pick up time (due to the combination of arriving late at Joseph Swan because we had trouble finding it AND our unexpected opportunity to chat with Rod - how could you not??) but Marianna was kind enough to reheat our food for us without us having to ask.Take out is never the best way to experience food, but we really enjoyed everything! The meats were moist and tasty - not overly salted as is often the case. I loved the beans too - agin, not too salty or watery. We had plenty of leftovers that we happily ate for dinner. It was a "twofer!"We can't wait to revisit and look forward to the day when we can enjoy their wonderful food at the restaurant.Highly recommended!