Reservations are a good call if you're coming on the weekend. The place gets pretty busy. There's inside seating and outdoor seating. Lots of dogs! Despite being on Montana, the street is pretty quiet while dining outside. The biggest outdoor dining struggle is all of the people standing on the sidewalk waiting for their tables so close to you. The food was delish. The pancakes are huge. The portions in general were pretty big. I would have loved my sourdough a bit more toasted, but otherwise great. The prices are not bad and definitely on par with the rest of Santa Monica. read more

This review has nothing to do with food or service it has to do with management and how long a restaurant should stay open. On the Internet on every possible site it says that the restaurant is open till 10 o'clock. In fact, when I went to enter this Yelp also said it's open till 10 o'clock. I walked in at 8:45 asked the people if they were open they said no that it closes in a couple minutes meaning 9 o'clock and that you'd have to order immediately. This is again my pet peeve with restaurants in California. If you're going to close your restaurant at 9 o'clock you must stay open at least an hour after that so people can sit down take their time order their dinner and eat their dinner and then an hour after that you close the kitchen, but you leave it open for dessert for another half hour then people can order their dessert in a calm manner have their dessert and still enjoy their dinner and sit around. This business of having a close time and then telling people they have two minutes to order is a bunch of crap. This doesn't happen in Chicago. It doesn't happen in New York and it doesn't happen at high in restaurants. So if you do this, you're not a high-end restaurant you're a low restaurant. It probably is having trouble staying alive anyway. So don't do this. I will always give you a one or two star review. I have enough followers and you should take my word for it that you can't do this. If you're open till 10 o'clock be open till 10 o'clock and give people time to enjoy their dinner. read more

A really solid brunch option in Santa Monica I'll be at a bit pricey. This is one of my favorite breakfast options in Santa Monica and it's consistently very good. Service is always friendly and they have a lot of great options on the menu. Parking in this area can be a bit tricky so the best option will be metered street parking. Inside is fairly large and can host many different sized groups. For this visit, we ordered the Huevos Rancheros and the Eggs Benedict and both were very nice. The eggs were cooked perfectly on both dishes and both were really enjoyed. The coffee is also strong and as mentioned the price is a bit steep, but that's to be expected in the area. I would suggest anyone looking for a great breakfast or brunch option. read more

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This is the nicest casual restaurant with great service. We recently enjoyed sitting outside in their front patio area for Happy Hour and dinner. We started with a few basic drinks that were well poured. To share we ordered the Pink Hummus that came with this lovely crunchy, puffed up pita bread. The Pepperoni Pizza was loaded with pepperoni and cheese that was absolutely delicious along with a salad and an order of their crispy potatoes all on Happy Hour. The portion sizes were great for sharing and everything was served at the perfect temperature. This was my first visit to this restaurant but I would definitely return. They honor reservations and they have a variety of great seating areas for every occasion. Their Happy Hour is from 4-6 Tuesday thru Sunday. Not open on Mondays. read more

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Loved it! We came during happy hour and tried quite a few items on the menu. There was still plenty of seating when we arrived at 530, but by around 7 PM. It was getting a little more crowded. It looks like you can bring your own bottles. I'm not sure about the corkage fee. Our server was Randy and his enthusiasm in describing the various menu items sold us on everything we asked about! This place is also very spacious with outdoor/sidewalk seating, indoor and indoor courtyard seating options. The pizza was delicious, the beet hummus was a nice surprise, the blue cheese crostini w fig jam was an excellent combo of flavors, the ginger mocktail drink was tasty, and the potatoes were AMAZING! I already have a lineup of what I'd get next time. LOVED IT! read more

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This is easily one of my top 3 brunch spots in West LA. The vibe here is just right -- super comfortable and perfect for a laid-back weekend, whether you're catching up with friends or coming with family. We came with our kid and sat on the patio, which made it even better. The staff were friendly and patient -- much appreciated, especially with a little one. Food-wise, everything hit the spot. I absolutely loved my salmon toast -- definitely one of my favorites. Big plus that they use olive oil. Our kid got the Mickey Mouse pancake, which was adorable a We live nearby, so we'll definitely be back. read more

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We ate there for the first time today for brunch. Wonderful food. My husband even said it was the best meal he has had in a while. We both had the Matcha Storm drink which is delicious and refreshing. I had the Green Egg Story (something like that) which was delicious! My husband had the Eggs Benedict. We live in the Pasadena area but will definitely be back. Would love to try dinner and order a pizza next time. The place is lovely as well. Very happy with our experience. read more

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The service was very slow. Slow to bring menus, water, get water and carafe refills, and slow to take the order. After we ordered it was more than 30 min to get our food. The food was solid but pricey. It made for a very long brunch, at these prices service should be on point. And if your kitchen is struggling, communicate that to your customers, apologize, be proactive. read more

Hmmm, unfortunately, while the staff is friendly and the ambiance is nice, the food we received during brunch fell short. We ordered 3 items: - Truffle fries: Pretty good as expected but nothing to write a lot on, as this is a relatively simple and straightforward appetizer. Not bad, but not memorable, either. - Spanish chorizo hash: the best of the 3 with a good variety of components that work together. The Spanish Pork Chorizo was rightfully front and center and paired well with the herb potatoes. - Panuozzo: the most underwhelming dish that we ate. On paper it looked enticing, as this "Pizza Sandwich" had prosciutto, parmesan, tomato confit, aragula, and pesto sauce. Unfortunately the pesto sauce overwhelmed everything, and nothing else stood out. So rather than a symphony of taste, eating this dish became a flat and monotonous experience. I felt I was just going through the motions of eating it rather than enjoying it, and when I looked down, I still have a whole other half to finish. It's just too one note and somewhat bland. I may give this another shot to explore the actual dinner or lunch menu, but I'd have to really read the reviews to see what's actually good here. read more

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Great location on Montana Ave., I have had many good meals at Courtyard Kitchen. The Eggs Benedict is one of the best I have experienced. Just had pancakes with fresh, sweet fruit on top, yummy! Kevin, is a wonderful and friendly waiter. The staff at the bar make you feel at home, Ever, Donny, & Logan. It's so great that you have the option to eat alfresco, inside or at the counter for a quick meal by yourself. read more

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Charming little restaurant with plentiful outdoor seating, outstanding service, and pretty good food. We ordered the grilled peaches and burrata (a daily special), the fennel sausage pizza from the happy hour menu, and the Tuscan kale salad with added grilled chicken. We also ordered the ginger crush and pink lady mocktails. Of the mocktails, the ginger crush was our favorite - the ginger flavor really shone through. The pink lady was ok but had a sweeter profile. The peaches were still a bit hard despite being grilled. When raw, I prefer a firmer peach, but when cooking I would think you would want more than char marks to really bring out the sweetness. It was a nice pairing with the burrata, though. The pizza had good flavor, though personally I am not a huge fan of olives. The crust was very thin and didn't hold up to the sauce very well - definitely a droopy pizza. The kale salad had good flavor and a nice mix of ingredients and I would get it again, though I could wish for more radish and other goodies. The chicken was cooked through and a bit on the thin side. Overall, a decent place that I would be willing to eat at again. read more

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What a disappointment. While the ambiance is charming--a friendly, open-air courtyard with a cute Santa Monica vibe--the food was one of the worst lunch experiences I've had in a long time. The quality of the food was shockingly poor given the premium prices. I ordered a feta/mixed green Mediterranean type salad topped with 1 scoop of tuna salad. The lettuce was wilted, the salad itself was uninspired, tomatoes dreary and limp. The tuna salad was watery, overloaded with mayonnaise, and lacked any fresh flavor. For $22 for the salad plus an additional $8 for a small scoop of tuna salad, I expected something far better. Instead, I received a tiny, mediocre salad with a dollop of what tasted more like a poor-quality egg salad than fresh tuna. No bread, no side, no extras--just a very underwhelming plate that came to roughly $35. The portion sizes were surprisingly small, and the food looked tired and uninspired. While some of the pizzas looked appealing, many of the other dishes coming out of the kitchen appeared sad and lackluster. Santa Monica and Montana Avenue offer many excellent dining options. Unfortunately, this isn't one of them. The restaurant seems to be relying on its trendy, bougie atmosphere rather than delivering quality food. The courtyard is lovely, but the food is overpriced, mediocre, and simply not worth the money. I would not return and cannot recommend read more

What a disappointment! Last night was my first time at this highly recommended neighborhood restaurant. Our server was very gracious but had to apologize multiple times. 1) showing up late after the water was poured. 2) appetizer was delivered by someone else 3) after 10 minutes I had to ask where the drinks were. It took another 5 minutes to get them. He said the bar was slammed. I think he forgot to put the order in. 4) after a long wait, the entrees showed up. The cheeseburger was overdone, but I said nothing bc I didn't want to wait any longer. 5) could not find the server to pay the check 6) his payment system had the last guests charge in there. He disappeared again to look for a manager. 7) finally came back. I said they should comp the meal. He said well, I need to find the manager. We just wanted to get home, so we paid and left. This was a totally negative experience. IDK Maybe you have to be a regular to get good service. read more

The Courtyard Kitchen - New American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Courtyard Kitchen had been one of my favorite places. The quality of the food is very good. Unfortunately, I had a terrible experience the last time I was there. They had switched from cloth napkins to black paper napkins. I had worn a new pair of white pants. I dropped a crumb on my pants and put a dab of water on my pants. The black dye from the napkin transferred to my pants. When I got home, I contacted the Aaron, the manager. In a calm manner, I explained what had happened. His exact words were you should be ashamed of yourself. At first I thought I hadn't heard him correctly. I asked him to repeat what he had said and he said the same thing again. He doubled-down and said that people like me file frivolous lawsuits against restaurant owners. He went on to say that if I drop a drink on my clothes am I going to sue the restaurant. I said that's not analogous. Also, I didn't file a lawsuit. I've never at a restaurant sent a meal back or asked to speak to a manager. I'm in my 60s and in my entire adult life, I haven't been talked to in this manner. I worked for Human Resources and the L.A. County Board of Supervisors for many years. I ended the conversation with Aaron saying I can't imagine talking to a member of the public the way he was speaking to me like was a child. He eventually offered me a $25 gift certificate but said he couldn't send it to me. Huh? I sent a letter to the owner but never heard back. read more

Had lunch today with a friend and my fur baby at the Courtyard kitchen. Food was excellent service was really good and very friendly. They are incredibly dog friendly. They asked if my fur baby would like a piece of turkey bacon and they brought out a plate of it for him. Made the lunch so much fun. Highly recommended. read more

Delicious food and great cafe ambiance! The bread and hummus had such great flavors! Good portions, too! read more

The Courtyard Kitchen - Zara's spiced bread and pink hummus/kale salad / Greek juice - New American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I've come here often some mixed experiences with service. But I am inspired to write a review this time because my husband came here for dinner with our one year-old daughter for Valentine's Day. We are making a tradition to go out to dinner individually with our kids. There was no one in the restaurant plenty of availability on Resy and they refused to see him because he had a child with him. It was kinda heartbreaking. We live blocks away and we will never be back. read more

The food, ambience and service we have always found to be excellent. A "go to" place for all occasions. Most certainly one of our favorites read more

The Courtyard Kitchen is one of those hidden spots that feels like a peaceful escape in the middle of Santa Monica. The outdoor patio is charming and quiet--perfect for a weekend brunch or catching up with a friend. I had the Mediterranean omelet, and it was solid--fresh ingredients, not too greasy, and portioned just right. The side salad was simple but crisp. Service was friendly and relaxed, not rushed, which works well in this kind of setting. It's not a fancy or trendy place, but that's kind of the point--it feels local. Pro tip: grab a seat outside and go during off-hours if you want a calm vibe. Parking is typical Santa Monica--hit or miss--so plan for a short walk. read more

The Courtyard Kitchen - New American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Way over-priced. Menu photos are out of date here on Yelp. Got three flat tacos for over $20. A not-good carrot, turmeric juice for $10. Tip and taxes made the total $40. Value of meal was maybe $18. read more

Christmas Day. 2024 has been a trying year and I think I had quietly thrown my hands up re the holiday, to an extent. Hubby found this place for us to meet our eldest and I was really impressed, because I usually have time be the event planner, tour guide etc. Not only did he find us somewhere open on Christmas, but the space was beautiful and the atmosphere--really pleasant. Our eldest made a reservation and met us there and I have to say everything was seamless. We were shown in right away, the food was good, and the service was right in the pocket of being enough, but not too much. It was a lovely way to start a Southern California holiday day. Much appreciated read more

The Courtyard Kitchen - Love their kiln - New American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Lovely restaurant and good food! I've been here a number of times and breakfast and lunch are great!

Great spot for breakfast! I've come here twice now when I visit LA and Ive loved it both times. There's a good amount of seating indoors and a few tables outside as well to enjoy the nice weather Service is friendly, and the food hit the spot after our morning hike. I'm sure I'll be back when I stop by LA again read more

The Courtyard Kitchen - Commoner's breakfast - New American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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I liked my server (Hispanic woman) and I liked my drinks and food but one star for the ending of the visit. My server gave me a pen that didn't work and I asked the Mexican employee (possibly manager) who kept passing my table if he had a pen - he handed me one and stared straight at my bill as I was filling out the tip and total, almost like staring me down or trying to intimidate me. I tipped well and I hope none of it went to him, it was so weird. read more

Very disappointed in this ube cold foam matcha. Tasted like a milkshake, no matcha or ube flavors. Don't recommend but the service and food were good! read more

The Courtyard Kitchen - Matcha storm - New American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I had brunch at the "courtyard kitchen" on a Sunday morning, this February 2026. I was really glad I made a reservation because the place was so packed that there was a line on the street. The host was extremely graceful, even with the stress he must have been under. Upon arrival, I requested a table change. He explained he will try his best but may not be able to do it. At the end, he was able to change my table (I had made a reservation on line to take clients there and I realized upon arrival that my table was in a noisy corner- my doing). I was really impressed at how the host managed the situation and kept smiling, although many people were after him at all times. Every single employee from the host to the waiters was very pleasant and was radiating great positive energy. The ambiance was hip and cozy, loved the choice of different decors outdoors/indoors. The food was good. I ordered the avocado toasts and the Florentine Benedict eggs, I liked the ratio quality/price/ambiance/location. I loved that they have fresh squeezed orange juice on the menu. I will go back for the reasons above. It is not a "gourmet"restaurant, don't expect superb quality or presentation. I consider it a nice place for a decent, standard brunch outing with friends, pets and family. read more

I came in with great expectations, but unfortunately, iwas pretty disappointed with the overall experience. The vibe was great. The hostess was very friendly and sad us quickly for our reservation. Unfortunately, from there, it took 20+ minutes to take our order and another 35 for food to show up. The food was good, but the waiter never even asked us how it was. I hope it was just some bad luck, but given the reputation, I was expecting a bit more. read more

Very cute dining patio and interior. Quick service and the wait was much shorter than advertised. I got the tuna sandwich, which was good but left a little to be desired and also had a tomato that was like an inch thick haha. But I would come back for the vibes read more

Love the ambiance of the restaurant. Feels hip but homey as well. With a nice looking restaurant you would think the food would be mediocre but you'd be surprised. The food was quite delicious. I'd definitely go back for the food and a plus is the nice staff and ambiance of the restaurant. read more

The Courtyard Kitchen - Yummy avocado toast & crepes - New American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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My friend and I asked a male server to move our seats cause we had a extremely small table that was right next to door. We had to hold our handbags entire time on our laps! Extremely uncomfortable. My friend asked a male server to move our seat more inside (there's another huge inside place after you pass a courtyard) but he said it's reservation only. We already MADE A RESERVATION and there were so many empty seats there! Only two tables were occupied there and I saw so many tables available. Maybe the restaurant or owner doesn't want any Asians get a table there?? Food was okay, coffee was really good but it was a mistake visit the restaurant. read more

The Courtyard Kitchen - New American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Cute little restaurant in an area of Santa Monica that we had not yet visited. We sat outdoors and enjoyed a glass of wine with our brunch. Service was friendly and fast. My husband enjoyed his eggs, Benedict, and I had the TCK breakfast burrito which was flavorful and filling. Overall, an enjoyable experience, there's plenty of boutique shopping along the street. I would stop back here if in the area again. read more

Good, service, and ambiance were great. Had an appt nearby and saw this place driving by. Decided to stop and it was a great decision.

So good! I had to take a photo of it after couple bites! Definitely recommend! Thank you to the server who recommended this menu! The service was so great, kind, and warm! The space has a chill ambiance vibe during the day! Definitely would want to check out during the night time as well! read more

Extremely noisy at indoor table next to Courtyard. Also, the tuna sandwich recipe seems to have changed. It was very watery and too much mayo and bland. It used to be a dryer type with more veggies in it and more flavorful. I'm wondering why they changed the recipe! Not sure about returning. read more

Their happy hour is expensive- $2 off regular priced drinks...good service- great cheese free pizza.

Excellent dinner. Truffle fries were fantastic as were the chicken skewers and cucumber salad. I particularly enjoyed the blue cheese crostini. The desserts were also nice - the tiramisu is a very big portion! More than enough to split. Our server was friendly and the food came out quickly, too. We are just visiting LA but would definitely come back! read more

I went here for my birthday dinner and it was so good!! We got pasta, caesar salad, broccoli, and pizza. We got the irish coffee and it was just ok. read more

The Courtyard Kitchen - Spiced Broccolini - New American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Came here on a cold, drizzly Saturday for brunch. Sat on the patio and with the heat lamps, it was perfect! The food was delicious (got the breakfast sandwich) and a spicy bloody Mary. Great spot and food, will definitely come back again to try their dinner! read more

Came here after book club on a Sunday morning and what a cute place! Service was a little slow for food but we sat at the bar and the bartender was friendly and attentive. I loved the drinks! The food was a little pricey for me considering it wasn't anything to write home about...maybe if I'd ordered something else I would have liked it more. read more

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We drove down to Santa Monica to have a nice Mother's Day Brunch and decided on the Courtyard as our son Nicholas and his wife Melissa live there and had dined there before and enjoyed the food and ambiance. Our reservation was for 11am and we were seated promptly by a very gracious and polite Hostess. She guided us to a table in the corner in the back by the bar and it was a half booth that was perfect for a party of 7. We started off with mimosas, refreshing with just the right amount of OJ and a few Bloody Mary's. The Bloody Mary's had perfect heat and were delicious and peppery. Those wanting the usual celery and other pickled vegetables might be a little disappointed as they came with just an olive and a pepperoncini, but I liked mine just fine. We also got the pink hummus with batbout pita to share, and it was delicious. I tried the Shakshuka stew with poached eggs, pita, and a yogurt dill sauce that was delicous. This stew is a blend of tomato, peppers and onions, no meat. I would definitely order it again. My wife had the Garden Omlet and added avocado and a side of bacon. I will say that the only food item we ordered that was disappointing was the bacon. We ordered two sides, and both were way over cooked to the point they broke apart they were so dry. My son and daughter in law had the Cali burrito and said it was tasty. My sister-in-law loved her French toast. My sisters fried egg sandwich was so good she said other than the bacon being too dry. My other son had the tale of green eggs and enjoyed them. Our service was outstanding and friendly from start to finish. He was prompt in taking our drink order and then our food order. We always like it when there is a water provided on the table, and they had a nice big, stoppered bottle that we changed out a few times as it emptied. The support staff were also quick to clear plates as needed. And for the finale he brought the check promptly when asked and immediately processed it and brought it back. There is nothing worse than having a great meal and then they take forever to bring and process the check. This would have been a five-star review if the bacon was on point, but for as busy as they were on the busiest Restaurant Day of the year, we were very satisfied with our dining experience. Thank you to all of the staff front and back of house for making our Mother's Day Brunch a good one. read more