Noah was an amazingly attentive server and we thought the brussel sprouts were the best we've ever had!

Super fun atmosphere, wonderful environment for kids!!! There is so much for them to do, more so in the warmer weather however they have a wonderful in door area for kids to play and do crafts in the cold months also! We have now been to the Backyard a few times and the food and drink are consistently on point! We definitely recommend and will continue to make this a staple for our family. read more

The Backyard - The bar area - American Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

We were here with family on St. Patrick's day 2026. We arrived first and waited to be served. I ordered a beer on tap and she ordered a cranberry margarita. It took a while to actually get our drinks. So we ordered our meal before the rest of family got there. The place was a large room with tables big enough for a family. It was fairly loud as there was nothing to stop the sound from surrounding tables. The order came fairly quickly, and the rest of the family got there. Their drinks didn't take too long. And we got our smash burger and pizza. The burger was good the pizza however was very different. There was no green at all but plenty of veggies. The crust was nice and the pizza it tasted ok. Our grandson had a hot dog of the child's menu which was pretty large .and the other couple shared a chicken salad. Their food was also good. The prices seemed in line with most other places in town. Not pricey by any means. All in all an OK place to eat for a family. read more

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This is a great place for a kid's birthday party! We had our 7 year old daughter's birthday party at The Backyard and couldn't have had a better experience. The food was great for adults and kids. We ordered pizzas, brussel sprouts, wings (amazing!) and a few other snacks. The staff were incredibly helpful, friendly, and did everything they could to ensure our group had fun. This is a wonderful business that brings a unique offering to the community. Super fun day! read more

I came in on a Thursday night because I have wanted to explore the place for a while and finally had the time to do so. My bartenders were Myranda and Star, and they were so sweet and accommodating. The wait wasn't long at all and the atmosphere of the space is super fun and welcoming. The food was good and came out pretty quickly too! This is the perfect place to go to during the summer to enjoy some time outdoors and there's so many family-friendly activities. Can't wait to go back!! read more

Terrible service and food. The waitress took 20 minutes to even come to our table to greet us and take our drink order. She didn't deliver the drinks for another 20 minutes, and that was only after I got up and asked someone where they were. She forgot one drink and said she would be right back with it, but then she forgot again. I had to remind her again to bring the missing drink. When our food finally came, it was cold and our appetizer was burnt. One of our burgers was missing cheese, so instead of taking it back to fix it, they brought out a cold piece of cheese for us to put on the burger ourselves. They have no idea how to run a restaurant. Also, the whole concept of their restaurant is "eat and play," but you have to pay extra for your kids to play even though you're already paying for terrible food and service. I feel like if you're paying for food, you shouldn't have to pay extra for your kids to play since that's the whole concept of the restaurant. It's also pointless when the playsets are at the back of the field where you can't even see your kids from the tables. The whole place needs a redesign, including the wait staff and management. read more

It was a really cool expierance. There's an awesome kids area that our 8-year-old daughter LOVED, and although we don't have a baby anymore, we really appreciated the sign that said nursing moms are welcome to breastfeed anytime, anywhere! There's a potty-training seat -- in the men's room! Because dads parent too! This place is the most truly family-friendly restaurant we've ever been to. Thank you for making us feel welcome! read more

Great place to eat & play, especially in the summer, but also the inside restaurant & playroom is great and the toys recently got a refresh. Food is always good & fresh, and we've had a good time at events; mother's day, easter, and santa/cookie decorating. read more

Pros: Great spot, Great outdoor dining and play area. Friendly staff. True kids high chairs with belts. Dog friendly patio Cons: Food is pretty mid especially for the price. The same can be said for drinks. Chips and Salsa were awful. The Chips were stale and I swear the salsa was canned Pace. You have to pay to use the outdoor play area. Smash burger is ok, but it's more like a regular burger then a smash burger. Aloha chicken was good. The tropical rum wings were the best thing we had by far. Staff, while friendly are inattentive. The place had only half the tables filled and we were constantly having to ask for things like refills, silverware, napkins and the check (which took almost 40 min). They seemed to be more interested in talking with the hostess than dealing with their tables. read more

Well my wife and I went in a Friday evening. I know it's a busy time. We understood that. We requested an outdoor table and we're told there could be a little bit of a wait. Again we understood this would be a possibility. The hostess (a tall blonde girl) that was helping us was running around running food, checking on to go orders and then checking with us to let us know how things were going. She felt bad for the wait time. After about 45 mins. (Not too bad considering there were several large parties that had come in before us) we saw a table open up outside. Another person (a guy) asked us if we'd been helped and we told him we were waiting for a table outside. He offered us a seat on a near by couch, and a drink menu. In the mean time he had sat a family of 7 at an indoor table. This was fine cause they were ok with that. Then the woman asked him if they could sit outside. He gathered up their menus and proceeded to seat them at the table outside that should have been ours! My wife stopped him on the way back in and told him that should have been our table. He found another table outside that just happened to open up during the chat. He cleaned it up and sat us. Now our server who had a huge party of 20-25 was our server. Apparently he wasn't supposed to get another table till that party was gone. It took him awhile to get to us even tho he said he'd be right with us after he'd finish getting that party's food out. He took our order and when the food came out, which was relatively quick considering how everything else went, my wife got the wrong food from what she ordered. He offered to take it back and make it right but we were too hungry by that point and she said she'd eat it. The food was good. She got the spicy chicken sandwich (she ordered the crispy chicken salad, which isn't spicy), and I got the patty melt. We both ordered drinks and those were great! Our server never checked back to see how things were and we had to have someone else get our check so we could pay it. Her name was Star. She is getting promoted and will soon be a manager. I think she'll make a good one. She apologized for everything and took a little off the bill. The place seemed very unorganized and lacked communication between staff. It seemed like it was their first weekend open and not a place that's been open for a couple of years. We'll try it again but maybe during the week and not a weekend. Or we'll make reservations. I guess I would recommend them just don't go in the weekend. read more

I loved the ambiance. The food and service were great. They have the best staff. I can't wait to go back after 7:30pm when they have all the great deals. Highly recommend. read more

Myranda was the sweetest, attentive, and funniest bartender I've ever ran into! What a sweet gal. Drinks were fantastic, food was great. Love the late night menu. read more

Party of 7 walked out of there today. It was the first and last time for all of us. Sat there for almost 25 watched employees goofy around but not waiting on anyone. Spent a lot of time on to go orders but ignored the people there to eat. Had an event going also apparently they should focus on one thing or another. Oh well we tried went somewhere else and was waited on immediately. read more

Unfortunately the first impression wasn't great. We were sat by the host and given some water and menus, when the rest of our party arrived we were never even looked at again. No drink order, appetizers or otherwise. Probably won't be driving 30 minutes to go there again... read more

Great food and amazing service. Would go back in a heart beat. My server Myranda was fantastic.

There is a cool new concept with great food in Kalamazoo area!! The concept is a gigantic backyard with every game/toy you can think of so the whole family can come hang out outside, the kids will be entertained, and the adults can have great food and drink while their kids are having a blast. The backyard part does have an entry fee, but there is also a patio and indoor dining available for no extra fee. Inside there is also a separate play place for the kids to stay entertained, and it's separated by all glass from the dining area so you can keep an eye on them. It's fun to have specialty restaurants like this, but coming from Chicago I can report that no matter how cool the idea is, the food still has to be solid, and that's where The Backyard shines. The food is awesome! They put together a great menu with healthy options and there is something for everyone. I've been twice so far in their first two weeks open, and everyone I've been with has been ecstatic about their choice... this last time I had everyone snap a photo - check 'em out. I personally had the shrimp entree the first time and then a salad with the shrimp... I'm obviously happy with the shrimp. They're big, seasoned perfectly, cooked perfectly, and worth the value, which is not always the case ordering shrimp at restaurants. Finally, they did an amazing job finding good staff and a lot of it. I know personally how hard it is to find good help, especially now in the service industry, and then to be managed in such a way to be executing at a high level on day 3 and day 10 (my two visits) of service... let's just say this place is firing on all cylinders. read more

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This place is really confusing. It's almost like an overpriced county fair, without the rides. Drunk people around a kids playground. What could go wrong? Parking lot is muddy and dirty. Plan on a car wash after a visit. Typical music is loud. It's hard to have any conversation with dentist office pop music blaring over empty tables. The live music is unreasonably loud. Outdoor play-structures are obviously not commercial, inspected, or safe. A better food option would be a bag of Culver's and hit the 9th street park. Free music in the summer and free (safe) play structures. read more

The service was basically non existent. We waited for 30 mins before someone even came to take our drink order. And then another 30 mins before we received them. Then another 30 minutes before our food came. The staff organization has no clue what they are doing. The food orders were not correct and were cold. The atmosphere was good. A lot left to be desired. Won't be back. read more

The vibe was very cool, lots to do. However the food took over an hour and was just...not good. We got the pizza, burger and pretzels; it all tasted like it came directly off the Gordon Food Service Truck. Everyone in our group was disappointed, especially after waiting so long. I really, really wish it were better but we just won't be going back. read more

Love this place. Was a great plan for us to do a kids bday/family meet up when our house was just a tad small for the gathering. Edit: Also the review by David W. Is really suspicious. There was an article I read about "Dayne Webb" who went to the news mad at this place and this angry review was almost the same week. Long story short? This place said that it does not host any political rallies or gatherings. But Webb claimed they were anti-Trump and had texts to prove it. When channel 3 asked him about seeing it, he canceled all future meetings and stopped returning calls. This was AFTER HE CALLED THEM. Sooooo regardless of your opinion about a place service. I don't like the idea of someone lying just because they felt rejected. I don't care about a place political opinion. I actually do like the fact that a place like this is trying to remain neutral. Just let us enjoy our time having a beer sitting outside with the kids playing. read more

Such a hidden gem. I kept telling my husband that we need a nice place on our side of town. We found it! Food was fresh and hot. Not your run of the mill food that is served at the cookie cutter chains. The drink menu was incredible. A new twist on old favorites. It is the cleanest restaurant in Kalamazoo. They have outdoor areas that look like greenhouses. I was taken back at the room for children. They have games and dress up clothes. A little girl had picked out a hoop princess dress. In summer they have 7 acres of outdoor activities. One of the owners came over and talked to us for a while. Very nice woman. We have a new favorite. Can't wait to return. Our waitress was spot on. Smiled and interacted with us. read more

Fun to watch the game outside! Great food and drinks too. Everything came out fast and the server was friendly.

First and foremost, congratulations on your new venture! People have been waiting with bated breath for you all to open and here we are! The concept is a great one. Have kids? Have kids that are full of energy? Have kids that are full of energy AND hungry? (Add a parent or guardian that is yearning for a place to go that doesn't have a mouse for a mascot and serves delicious food) This is the place for you! They offer a variety of activities for your little ones (yard games, bouncy houses, puzzles, board games) in this HUGE area reminiscent of a backyard. A gate surrounds the whole area to keep the wee ones from wandering away. read more

A place for young old and all in between. If you like good times and great food this is your place. The back yard bar and great service are a plus. Tj and Micah bring a warmth that really pulls the place together. The fall colors look great and pull the ambiance together. read more

Delicious food and drinks. The service was top notch! We celebrated our daughter's birthday while visiting. We enjoyed The indoor ambiance which was elegant and fun! We look forward to returning to enjoy all that the outdoor space has to offer. read more

We have enjoyed visiting the backyard, but during our last two visits, we experienced several rude and unprofessional comments from an employee named Bella. While it may have been intended as humor, her remarks came across as sarcastic and totally disrespectful not only toward my family and the families we were with, but also toward other guests around us whom we do not know. read more

Waited 25 minutes just to get greeted by a server, so we decided to just do drinks instead of the 2 appetizers that we wanted , the server had no sense of urgency at all, I wish the host was our server she was moving quickly and with a purpose, it seemed like the servers didn't have sections.....but I could be wrong. With how unorganized everything looked it seemed like it was the owners first restaurant. Will most likely not return which is very unfortunate. read more

My family went there for dinner. It's was so disappointing. The burger patties tasted like frozen unseasoned meat. It was so dry and hard it reminded me of a hockey puck. The menu lied about descriptions. Saw the waitress a total of 3 times. Told her about our broken umbrella that kept spinning she just shrugged and walked away. Had to go to the bar for condiments and a soda refill got charged 4 dollars. While I ate I saw a two year old wonder behind the sheds next to the parking lot by herself. Said something to wait staff about it and a drunk lady double fitting wine came and got her. The outside was nothing but packs of kids throwing chess pieces and ransacking the cabins with ZERO supervision. Toys and games were obviously broken and missing pieces. Cups, silverware, and even trays were everywhere. The parents were all drinking and just letting toddlers and children run free. There was no staff looking over anything and there are multiple gates that led to the parking and red arrow highway. Im telling u to stay away! read more

Backyard Kalamazoo recently opened and we've been waiting for since the time we heard about it. We went with a group of friends and our experience was great! The outdoor has so much stuff for adults and kids. There are games, tree houses, bounce houses - basically anything and everything you want to keep everyone busy and have fun! Kids had a great time and so did we. We spent 2-3 hours and had no idea where time flew by!! You can order food and they will get it outside or there's a restaurant and you can sit there and eat. We decided to sit in the restaurant and have our dinner. They have a lots of vegetarian options and amazing cocktails! We had the elote corn appetizer, California Dreamin burger, kids man n cheese and garden flatbread. Overall the food was decent. It's definitely just the beginning and the pace was packed so we're hoping that with time and feedback it will definitely get better. The owner, our host and all the servers were super nice and helpful. Apologies we didn't get a chance to take any pictures as we were busy creating memories!! Overall we loved the place and had an amazing time. Will definitely be going back again and again !!!! read more

Perfect for littles, good service,yummy food, I need to fill the next like 60 characters so y go eluded gf ugclufclugxlufxlufxlufdlufjthfsvskyfdputdpufskyfskurskyfs read more

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The Backyard is so unique and so fun!! Something for everyone to do and great food! Really had a great time with the ladder ball!

Love everything about this place! Great food great service, great atmosphere! If you go for brunch try the breakfast pizza!!!

Beware Kalamazoo. This place is incredibly sketchy and is run by two people who have zero business sense. Multiple incidents have happened there but I will just tell you about two so as to not make this post extremely long. An employee who worked there made the owners aware that their chef was going to the bar and making shots while on the clock and not paying. The chef who is the kitchen manager is a man. The employee who reported it, wanting to protect the business, was outed to the kitchen manager. Her name was given to the chef as the one who reported him, what type of business does that?!?! Do they not have any training for how to run a business? She's a younger woman who was then put in a hostile work environment because this chef then came out to the yard, ripped his apron off and aggressively confronted her. All while another male manager stood by and watched. Doing NOTHING to help all while doing this in front of patrons. How unprofessional. Then last night a business colleague was there for a birthday party and service was so bad out back that she had to go inside to pick up their food and place a drink order. Where they took her credit card and held on to it. Which isn't unheard of if you're running a tab. But here comes the kicker. When she went to tab out, they couldn't find her credit card. And while she's waiting at the bar; while the employees are looking for it, she gets a text alert that her card has been used in Paw Paw for two transactions transactions totaling over $300. The female owner acted like it was no big deal and she wasn't too interested in even helping the patron. In fact she told the customer that it was closing time so she couldn't help her. To which the customer replied that the police were on their way and she wasn't leaving. Again, who does this?!?! No concern for their customers and no concern for their staff. It's mind-blowing. I'm sure this review won't stay up long. But Kalamazoo needs to be aware of what's happening. Do with the information what you will, but I know my friends and I will never be returning to this place. read more

I wasn't going to say anything but I see another patron posted about the incident I witnessed this past week. I have been stewing over what I saw, but to be honest, I was so taken aback that I couldn't even come up with the right words. I was there the evening the cook came out a whipped his apron off, and verbally assaulted this young woman who couldn't have been more than a 110 pounds. And not that weight matters but this man towered over her, was probably three times her age as she barely looked 20. This chef had no regard for this employee or the fact that other patrons were there witnessing him verbally harass her. It should be noted that another male employee stood by and watched, doing nothing to stop the altercation. In what world is a grown man allowed to do this at a place of business? I felt so bad for this young woman, and just wanted to go up and hug her. I can tell you that the overpriced, mediocre at best food were reason enough for me not to go back. But watching this whole fiasco impelled me to warn others of what's being allowed to happen at this place of business. I give it three months at best before it goes belly-up. In this world of the Me Too Movement, these business owners should be ashamed. And they should be held accountable. Especially since I see they're the ones who gave the cook her name and set this whole thing in action by doing so. Do better!! And Kalamazoo, please back this young woman by not giving this place your hard earned money. I would give them ZERO stars if I could. read more

Everything was great on our visit. Greeted quickly and lots of friendly staff. Food and drinks were great and while we didn't have kids, it looks very kid friendly with lots of options for kids on the menu. read more