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Backbone

4.7 (106 reviews)
Closed • 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM
Updated a few days ago

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Recommended Reviews - Backbone

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Uni appetizer.

I wish I could go higher than 5 stars. This restaurant is outstanding on every level. The food is outstanding, the staff wonderful, and the setting is perfect. La Renigen the manager was so welcoming. Our waitress Ines was the perfect server. Now let's get on to the food prepared by chef and owner Nathan and his charming wife Karen. We started out with appetizers which were delicious. One was a chicken liver pate that was to die for. So rich and creamy and fresh. Also perfectly seasoned. The second appetizer was a puff pastry with Uni. Really good and unique. For the main courses we had steak and short ribs, scallops, and my son had a hanger steak with french fries. All delicious and cooked to perfection. The fry's were the best I have ever had. Now to the deserts. Home made banana and chocolate sorbets, a key lime torte and also complementary lady finger pastry's. I cant praise Karen's pastry skills enough. Also being a cleanliness freak this restaurant was one of the cleanest I have ever been to. I cannot wait to go back. This is one of Glendales true gems. Steven Tyre CPA

Uni Waffle
Jon N.

We really had a nice experience at Backbone. Open Kitchen place with a super cool vibe. Server, Elana, was outstanding and very patient and helpful with our myriad questions. It's one of those places that asks that you order everything all at once, which I usually hate because the pacing is awful, but Backbone did an excellent job of pacing. The food was all super creative and delicious. Uni Waffle was great, as were scallops, Agnolotti and Liver Pate. We got the cheese plate for dessert and, it was great, too, but needed more sides. Really nice wine list with fair prices. 100% recommended and looking forward to a return visit.

Uni waffle
Irene H.

Backbone is the perfect addition to the neighborhood - a standout among other restaurants in the area! Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious and despite it being a busy night, we were frequently checked in on and felt welcomed (our server was Jason). "Must" orders include the uni waffle, scallops, chicken pate, and short ribs and steak! We'll for sure be back and, if you're looking for a nice restaurant for date night or just cause, I'd recommend checking it out.

Interior and bar
Kristen M.

The most delicious wagyu I've had in a long time. All of the food was beautifully presented and delicious. We loved our appetizers. My husband had the halibut special and it was cooked beautifully and complemented by the sauce! We went for our anniversary and were treated to a post dinner beverage - as I am a non-drinker I appreciated the non-alcoholic option they brought for me. The dessert deserves special attention: a deconstructed key lime pie that I am very eager to try again! This is a small location with room for about 20-30 guests including the bar. I liked the intimacy, and I liked that there weren't any children. (It was our 38th wedding anniversary dinner). I loved my experience and look forward to making this a special destination.

Uni
Patrick M.

Came here for my birthday, and it was a great meal. We started each with the "bites" and had the Uni waffle and the Tuna Tar Tar. The Uni was very good, but also extremely small for $18. I had previously saw pictures, so I knew what we were getting, but was still surprised how little it was. My wife and I each had 1 bite of it. The Tuna Tar Tar was really good. Refreshing and well flavored! For appetizers we had the Butternut Squash Agnolotti, as was recommended by our waiter. It was awesome. A good portion size, well balanced, and very flavorful. Mains were the Steak and Short Rib, that was cooked to perfection, and very tender. I found the short ribs to be a little salty, but they were really good. My wife had the duck, which she loved. I thought that it was a bit too chewy for me, but she was very happy with it. A nice surprise scoop of sorbet to round out my birthday, and an overall really good meal. Glad to have a nice resaurant in the neighborhood!

Liver pate
Katie E.

We celebrated our 32nd anniversary tonight at Backbone and had a wonderful time. Service was friendly, attentive, and efficient without being intrusive . The restaurant itself was very pretty although I don't love seeing the open kitchen - but that's just my personal preference . Food-wise, it was excellent. We started off with the three cheese appetizer, and the cheeses were beyond this world. They were fantastic, as was the accompanying baguette. The liver pate was the best I've ever had ! The mushroom risotto was excellent, with a great texture and a wonderful woodsy flavor. The wine selection was wonderful, and the waitress did a great job steering me in the right direction for wine to accompany my dinner . I had the steak and short rib dinner, and even though it's a small portion, it was too much for me by that point so I gave the short ribs to my husband. The steak was perfectly made, and he felt the same about the short ribs. The potato purƩe and broccolini were also made to perfection. My husband had the special - I think it was bass? I'm not usually a fish person, but I tried a little bit of it and I thought it was very delicious. We were too full to eat dessert, but the waitress very kindly offered us each a glass of Moscato to celebrate our anniversary - I don't normally like sweet drinks, but it was out of this world ! We will definitely be back. It's the best meal we've ever had in Montrose.

Mushroom risotto (appetizer size)
Jane S.

Food and service excellent once again. You can tell that the chefs really care about the food and experience at this restaurant.

Uni Waffle: Nori Honey Butter, Crème Fraîche
Gary I.

Backbone: Pleasant, clean designed dining room that harks to a Case Study mid twentieth century modern through a first quarter of the 21st century filter. Owners ran McCall's Meat & Fish Company in Los Feliz for many years, which moved to Atwater Village, and are now ready to tackle the restaurant world. This haute cuisine outpost is a godsend for the Montrose-La Crescenta-La CaƱada-Flintridge food desert since the disappearance of dearly beloved Bashan that had such accomplished food and service. Food here is French technique with Japanese and Euro-Mediterranean touches for a New American Cuisine approach. Due to mostly hard surfaces be prepared for noise when the restaurant fills up. 1) Uni Waffle: Nori Honey Butter with pieces of AjitsukĆØ Nori/sweet soy sauce flavoured black Japanese seaweed paper. Yuzu Cream seems more like thick CrĆØme FraĆ®che infused with Japanese Yuzu citrus. Powdered Ao Nori/green seaweed & possibly Japanese Shichimi Tōgarashi mild red chile flake medley sprinkled around the plate. It's the size of an Amuse Gueule. 2) Octopus is grilled under high heat for blackened skin creating a more meaty texture. The interior is more close to raw to provide a soft, velvety feel. Chorizo sausage is cooked to a crisp to add a fatty porkiness. Touch of fennel for a lightly licorice accent. Arugula, KaiwarĆØ Daikon radish microgreens. Underlying the above ingredients is Romesco sauce which is roasted tomatoes & garlic, toasted almonds, pine nuts, and/or hazelnuts, olive or sunflower oil, and red chiles. 3) Vermillion fish is seared on one side for a chewy texture while the rest of the fish feels more plush. Grilled Mixed Baby Squash, Cauliflower Romanesco. Basque Verde Sauce is parsley, garlic, olive oil & white wine with a touch of gastrique. Small Manila clams decorate this dish. 1-3a) Ameztoi Getariako Txakolina Blanco Hondarrabi San SebastiĆ”n EspaƱa 2023 Very aromatic citrus, unripe pear, very dry acidic, cleansingly astringent. 4) N.Y. Strip Steak & Short Rib: Buttery, smooth, almost JoĆ«l Robuchon level Potato PurĆ©e. Grilled Broccolini. Pommes Maxim are thin disks of potato looking like Olympic rings symbol. Steak is medium rare with a nice, moist chaw and a pleasing fattiness that presents itself with every chew. Beef seems aged for a satisfying blood minerality that will sate any carnivore. Salted to bring out a touch of sweetness and Umami. The Short Rib is a tour de force of braising technique. Upon first impression it looks overcooked almost black and unappetizing. But the velvety yet sinewy beef soaked up the Sauce Bordelaise adding a Umami filled, caramelized, beefy richness that is alluring. This may be the sine qua non signature dish at Backbone. Our waiter was spot on with his wine pairing suggestions. 4a) Bonhomme Bourgogne Rouge Pinot Noir Maconnais France 2022: Lots of dark fruits like juicy blackberry, blueberry, light tannins & acidity, touch limestone minerality. Mellow, smooth, hint of dryness. 5) GĆ¢teau Basque: Looks baked in a Timbale for a high, architectural look. Spiced, sweetened red wine poached pear, blackberry. Candied spiced, crunchy Almonds. Cake portion has a buttery vanilla lemon aroma with texture going from moist to bit crusty injected with a thick, viscous custard or CrĆØme PĆ¢tisserie. 5a) Mignardise: Strawberry Passion Fruit Jelly Backbone is still new and doesn't quite seem to have developed service that is on par with its cooking prowess. The service is adequate, but still lacks institutional knowledge of a well established restaurant and intimate feel for the food being served. As time goes on, when all employees have become more seasoned and more knowledgeable with the food and experience more customer interactions, there will be smoother instinctual harmony in the general overall service. Hopefully, there will be a seasonal menu to add more variety and to take advantage of produce at their peak of flavour. 4 stars

Uni.
Karissa L.

Backbone has one of the tastiest and most thoughtfully put together dishes. The inside of the restaurant is beautifully decorated with the classiest wood chairs and tables, big mirrors on the wall, an open kitchen, and the perfect date night lighting. The servers are attentive, always refilling your water, and prepping you for your next course. What we tried: Uni. It's a perfect small bite with uni, yuzu cream, nori honey butter (with very small but crispy nori chips) over a two very cute waffles. The uni was amazing and fresh. The honey butter paired so well with the nori, and the yuzu cream was very smooth. A perfect bite. Barbajuan- the filling is heavenly, with potato and leek. The outer layer was nicely cooked with a slight crisp Butternut squash agnolotti- a perfect balance of sweetness from the freshness of the onions(?) and butternut squash, and the fried leeks and guanciale Octopus- the octopus was cooked to perfection. Tender on the inside, crispy/charred on the outside, in a fresh sauce romesco. I'm still dreaming about it. Lamb shoulder confit- someone previously posted this in the best they've ever had in their life and I can agree. The lamb is soft, the flavors come through nicely over a creamy polenta with some gremolata. Salmon- this has to be my favorite dish. The salmon is cooked very well and the flavors with the tomato jam, buckwheat, and vegetables were all so bright. It all came together to make an amazing dish. Must try if you love salmon and root vegetables!

Risotto
Trav L.

What a lovely night. I took my Mama for a belated Mother's Day dinner. It's so close to our family home. The staff were so welcoming and the Hostess was so ! The servers are professional and on top of it! The food- every dish was delightful! The tastes and umami's and sauces were on point! Props to the chef and owners ! Every single dish was perfect! The best strawberry shortcake everrr! The best hot n fresh madeleines ! I don't even like madeleines! I loved these! They gave it to us as a free treat too! Homemade marshmallows!! Omg! The most excellent thing of sweet delight! The asparagus and beef and fois grois! Just wow! What a perfect addition to the neighborhood. Thank you Backbone! It was divine!

Jacob P.

Hands down the best lamb dish I've ever had! Every plate was executed with incredible skill and creativity. The pickled albacore, uni waffle with yuzu cream, butternut squash agnolotti, and strip loin with short rib were all outstanding but the lamb shoulder confit was truly next level and unlike anything I've experienced before. Desserts could easily rival any 3-star spot in Paris absolutely flawless. The wine list was thoughtful, well curated, and full of hidden gems. Chefs Nate and Karen are doing something really special here, and it's even better knowing you're supporting such a talented husband and wife team. Service was excellent, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the entire experience felt world-class. Michelin recognition feels inevitable. Don't miss it.

Cheri P.

The service was incredible. The ambiance cute and cozy and lively. The chef and pastry wife team is adorable and have a great story to bringing backbone to life. It is worth the trek to eat here. So do it.

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2 months ago

Excellent food and service. Menu items vary and are all great tasting. Have returned many times.

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Ask the Community - Backbone

What are the 3 lighter dishes to order calorie-wise? I am not a heavy eater. Ty

Hello! We would recommend ordering from the "Bites" and "Appetizers" category. The Bites are literally one to two bites, so the tuna tartare or the smoked pickled albacore would be good. We have two salads as well as a lovely scallop appetizer that… Read more

Is there a happy hour?

Hello! We don't technically have a "Happy Hour", but we do have Weekly Wine Specials - $12 Tuesdays where there are select wines by the glass for $12, and Wine Collector Wednesdays where there is no corkage fee (normally $45) for up to 3 bottles not… Read more

Dress code. Is there one at this place and if so, what is it?

No dress code. Mostly come as you are, but being tastefully attired has more cachet.

Is there a bar you can eat at?

Yes! We are trying to keep it available for walk ins. It is first come first served, but sometimes available for reservations as well. Best to call first before you pop in!

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

Urban Press Winery & Restaurant

Urban Press Winery & Restaurant

(576 reviews)

$$

I've been meaning to write this review! They exceeded my expectations for my engagement party. The…read morefood, service, and decor were all wonderful. We hosted about 20 people for lunch and everything was delicious. I selected the Rigatoni Bolognese, Chicken Piccata, and Baby Gem Caesar salad for the lunch menu. We also added pizzas for extra options and I brought a cake. I don't like cannolis so bring your own dessert if you're not a cannoli fan! Rose, the event coordinator, was amazing to work with and made the process so easy. Pricing was very fair for the overall experience. The decor during Christmas/new years was beautiful. I highly recommend Urban Press Winery for events or casual dining!

I visited this restaurant recently. I can say everything was five stars…read more Service was outstanding. We were greeted right away and seated. Our server's name if I am not mistaken was Edward. He went above and beyond in providing customer service. He made recommendations on what to order and what their popular food items were. For food, this location is offering brunch now. I can say food was very tasteful. I really enjoyed my waffle. It was so yummy. I can say it was one of the best waffles I had. For ambiance, this location has a very lovely ambiance and decoration. It is perfect for a date night or casual hangout with friends. It is nicely decorated and there is a small water fountain too. They also have private rooms for small events. For parking, there is metered street parking and there are couple of public parking locations available.

The 1917 Wine Bar & Bistro

The 1917 Wine Bar & Bistro

(81 reviews)

$$

Lincoln Heights

We came in for brunch on Sunday as a party of 9 celebrating a birthday, and everything was…read moreabsolutely amazing! The food was delicious, fresh, and beautifully prepared. Even with a larger group, everything came out great and the service never missed a beat. Our waiter, Garrett, truly made the experience even better. He was attentive, funny, and made sure everyone at the table was taken care of. His great attitude and sense of humor made the celebration feel even more special. It's not always easy for a restaurant to handle a larger group so smoothly, but they did an incredible job. We had such a great time and will definitely be coming back!

We had a good time on our double date outing thanks to Belle who made our visit to the winery…read moreabsolutely wonderful. She took the time to ask thoughtful questions about our preferences and made excellent recommendations based on our feedback. What really stood out was how knowledgeable she was, and how she took the time to explain everything in a way that was engaging and easy to understand. You could tell that she genuinely enjoys what she does. On top of that, Belle was just so sweet and friendly throughout our visit. She checked in at the perfect times without ever making us feel rushed and made sure we were enjoying everything. Her service truly elevated our experience, and we would absolutely return because of her. Highly recommend asking for Belle if you visit!

The Cellar - A Wine Library - Another one of our favorite servers/ sommelier

The Cellar - A Wine Library

(603 reviews)

$$

This was a fabulous special date night and makes you feel like a rockstar. From the velvet rope to…read morethe speakeasy/literati vibe, this place feels swanky and sophisticated. You can almost imagine a 60s beatnik, decked out in a black beret and turtleneck, sitting in the corner, reading Thoreau. The charcuterie board was delicious and the wine lovely. Great for special occasions...or a last minute surprise, like it was for us!

Waiter Manuel. This…read moreis a review reflected on you, solely. Being kind is the moral of the story, from the beginning you were passive agressive with your comments and tone. Being in a party of 4 girls coming from high tea, we were dressed in elegant dresses, first comment was asking if we were coming from church, followed by eye flutters, short "okay" with an upward inflation to a joke about the day, an impatient comment about hurrying up and trying the wine while we were talking, asked for water when we were out, were left to pour the rest of our wine, didn't ask how the food was all the while was attentive to the table behind us, the cherry on top comment was when we were discussing the bill at the end, he was hovering at the table behind ours, then when we were ready, we asked to split the bill into 2, my portion on mine and the rest on another card, he then said "this isn't like a drive through, we can't do it that way" so I asked him to explain his comment, cause it was passive agressive and rude. After he wasnt able to becuase he wasnt expecting me to call out his rude comment, I had to then break it down and specify what I had ordered, he then sold "okayyyy....so how much, cause we don't itemize?" I had to again express for him to specify how they do it cause he has still yet to explain where his attitude is coming from and explain how they do their check splits, from my understanding it just felt like he wanted to play dumb and make me to the math, one I did he was like "ohh, okay" should have asked for the manager but we paid and left, I hasnt had this experience before being a returning customer, but he needs an attitude adjustment as his attitude was completely out of pocket. Do better Manuel, you alone got your place of work a 1 star. The rest of the staff was kind, facility beautiful and food and wine was good. This restaurant is not reflected in the 1 star.

Backbone - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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