The Yard House In Marina Del Rey

The Yard House opened a restaurant in Marina Del Rey last weekend.  The actual grand opening was Sunday, but was preceded by two nights of private parties for friends, family, celebrities and the media on Friday and Saturday.

Marina Del Rey was the date destination of choice in the 1970s and 80s, a real swanky end of town that catered to the beautiful people who inhabit the coast from Newport Beach north to Malibu.  It has become rather dated now, but still offers a cool evening of dining and entertainment.  I was encouraged to see a Barnes and Noble Bookstore still standing across the street from the Marina Marketplace where the Yard House is located.  There are not many of those left.

As for the restaurant, it was beautiful and sparkling with abundant free parking.  The interior is cool and dark, however once the party got cracking, the music and huge numbers of flat screen TVs made conversation difficult.  The Yard House is, at its heart, a glorified sports bar with over 100 beers on tap.  The food we sampled in a tasting menu for the party was excellent.  The service was great, which you would expect from the new restaurant on the block.  All in all, it was a beautiful evening with beautiful people featuring free food and drinks.  On that note, the Yard House is definitely a winner.

The first Yard House opened in Long Beach in December of 1996.  The restaurant takes its name from the three-foot tall glass designed in Great Britain to serve stagecoach drivers after a long journey.  Similar glasses full of one of the beers on tap can be ordered in the restaurant, and it is quite a sight to see waiters struggling to balance and land them cleanly on the table without spilling a drop.  There are several locations around the city, including Pasadena, Downtown L.A., and Northridge.

 

The Yard House in Marina Del Rey is located 13455 Maxella Avenue in the Marina Marketplace.  The restaurant opens every day at 11 AM.  The food is reasonably priced with a full bar and the aforementioned huge selection of beers.  Try the Shiitake Garlic Noodles or the Firecracker wings to start.  The burgers and pizza selection are top notch, and there are gluten free selections as well as nutritional information online.