Yard House, West Nyack, NY

Before I start this I have to make a few things clear. First, this is not really a review since the restaurant won't open until the day after I post this. We were at a preview. Second, I was invited to this preview so it isn't like I went in for dinner and wrote about it. Last, they served mini versions of the food, samples. Everything served was on the menu, but the portions were smaller. Notice the photos which are not quite up to my standards, but they give you an idea. That said, the Yard House was quite good and we will be back again to eat in a few months. I've already chosen a few items to try. 

Yard House is in the Palisades Mall, on the fourth floor, and is very large. It is part of a chain that is opening a few more places in the future, one of which will be in North Carolina. Inside it is quite large and roomy with many televisions tuned to sports and the news, a very large bar with plenty of drat handles, clean bathrooms and a high ceiling. Wood, metal and ceramics working together to create a warm and inviting atmosphere.

As  food blogger I was treated as a media representative and we were given a reserved table. The first item I sampled was a burger. Well, it was a quarter of a slider but there was more than enough to convince me that they make a darn good burger. The meat was of good quality and cooked perfectly for my liking. I had another sample before we left and that was even better than the first.

 We looked through the massive menu, a large part of it given over to the beer and drink menus, and I decided on a Founder's Centennial, a bitters. Teresa ordered a mixed drink called a Limeade. While we waited I walked around the bar and looked at all of the draft handles. Hundreds of them fed by tubes from a cooler room containing the kegs. I'd hate to be the guy who has to clean them, but it makes for a huge selection of cold draft beers. 

There were many samples offered to us and we partook of most of them. The pizza was okay, the salad good, the Korean meat good, the tuna (shown above) amazing, the crab cakes delightful and the salmon (shown below) excellent. We liked the egg roll and there was some sort of cervice as well that was quite good. It must have been, I ate a few pieces. 

For my second beer I went for an Arrogant Bastard form Stone's in California (see below) partly because I like it, but mostly because I like to say that. Very good, but my next beverage was coffee because I had an hour drive home. Teresa ordered a different mixed drink that she didn't like as much as the first. 

Our server was a nice young man named Chris, but there were several people who waited on us as well. I must say that the staff seemed enthusiastic, pleasant and knowledgable. They must have hired well, and more importantly trained them well. 

Our overall impression was that Yard House is very good. Service excellent, food very good, beer selection amazing and nice ambiance. 

Here's the website for more information.