4.5 stars from me! So cute, but the items take a while and I personally prefer thicker smoothie bowls. The items are beautiful and tasty. Some bowls are even topped off with a cute edible flower. Not too sweet and not too tart. Service is great. The cashier was friendly, helpful, and patient. The interior is clean and there are some tables outdoors too. The shop is within a condo complex so it's easy to miss when driving by. There isn't a big sign. There is metered street parking around, but the library parking garage is also close by. read more

Backyard Bowls - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I was really craving an açaí bowl so you know I had to hit backyard bowls- they do it best! I love coconut so I chose the island bowl, it was soooo yummy! the fruits were so fresh and I loved the coconut 12/10 imo read more

Backyard Bowls - Island Bowl - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Stopped here after a hike. Great little spot. Found some close parking in the street. The ingredients were fresh. The bowls we got were super yummy. Service was good. We would highly recommend this spot because of the fresh ingredients and value for the money. read more

Good service and clean storefront. I'd come here again if I was craving acai in the area. read more

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September 8,2025 I like stopping by Backyard Bowls sometimes before work, and my go-to order is the Blue Moon smoothie . It's really, really good, and I love that they offer such a wide variety of ingredients you can add in to make it your own . The customer service is okay--nothing bad, just a bit slow sometimes, but I understand since there are usually only 2-3 people working. My smoothie did take a little while even though only two people were ahead of me, but the quality makes up for it . Overall, I'd definitely recommend this spot if you're looking for a nutritious and tasty smoothie to start your day! If this review was helpful, please give it a like! read more

Backyard Bowls - Blue moon with strawberries - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Very very slow service took almost 30 minutes for an order . And they didn't even apologize read more

Always wanted to try this place and I'm glad I did .Ultra friendly service and amazing bowls!! Had the Santa Barbara bowl with Acai, Banana, Strawberry, Hemp Mylk; Topping: Granola, Banana, Strawberry, Blueberry, Goji Berry, Bee Pollen, Honey. Wish they had a parking lot out back. Overall, clean ambience and a decent amount of outdoor seating. read more

Backyard Bowls - Santa Barbara Bowl (32 oz. Only) - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Came here on a Tuesday around 10am and there was a good amount of people in there. I ordered the island bowl in the regular size and it's definitely enough for 2 people to share! It was really good. The acai wasn't too sweet and all the fruit was delicious. They have seating inside and outside and also a restroom Meter parking out front. read more

Backyard Bowls - Island Bowl, regular 24 oz - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Needed a quick smoothie while en route running errands, and so I came across Backyard Bowls via Google Map. Driving to the destination was a little confusing as I had to look for "Unit A" on the building. The Backyard Bowl sign didn't stand out as I was trying to find a parking space on the street. It wasn't until I actually was walking in front of the building that I could see inside the window and then notice the store's signage. The inside of the smoothie shop had a very sterile ambiance. The design was mostly stainless steel and concrete like with little decor. For this place to have mostly windows, surprisingly very little natural sunlight was coming in. In my opinion, the overall ambiance is not inviting to the customer. Nevertheless, they did have the necessary menu items that were much desired if you are thirsting for a refreshing natural drink, smoothie, or açaí type bowl to satisfy your palate. I ordered a smoothie called Blueberry Fields. I wish they had oat mylk (because they didn't) because I had to settle for almond mylk instead. The turn around time was about 10 minutes which wasn't bad. The staff was friendly, but not proactive. I had to initiate contact to start conversation for my order. The smoothie actually tasted pretty good! It was refreshing and you can taste the ingredients as if the smoothie was made at home. Overall, I loved the smoothie, but I just wouldn't drink it there. read more

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Some of the best smoothies you'll find in Santa Monica! This review is long overdue since I come here at least once a month and is one of my go-to spots in LA. My favorite is the Hercules smoothie. Super creamy and packed with protein and antioxidants. The staff here is super chill and friendly too. Their outdoor seating area is nice and a great spot to hang out. read more

Backyard Bowls - Hercules Smoothie - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Great and fast service! The açaí bowel was so fresh! Some of the best honey I've tasted. 10/10 would recommend

Always hits the spot (Power Bowl) Staff is always friendly, inside and outside seating read more

I've been here likely over 20 times and I'm never disappointed. I tend to stick with what I love so my two faves: golden lion smoothie and the berry bowl. Always met with a smile, enthusiasm, and ease. Relaxed atmosphere and their blender room is sound proof so YAY FOR THE DETAILS!! The *ONE time* my golden lion smoothie was not good (one ingredient completely out-Powered the rest) I just let them know and they made me a new one. Beware the place doesn't have a big sign or anything, it's easy to miss! read more

Bowls are huge, but the açaí is more of a watered down smoothie bowl than the açaí you get at other spots. The portion of granola/strawberries on top was sizeable as well. I got the green bowl. It didn't taste or look like it had greens in it, but the ginger/lime added to the base was a nice touch. Would probably come back and try a different bowl/smoothie next time! read more

Wonderful. We shared the PBJ which is made with peanuts, strawberry jam and banana slices and it was awesome. The avocado toast was fantastic as well. Great place for toasts, acai bowls, oats bowls in the Santa Monica area. If I lived here I'm absolutely certain I'd be a regular . Sooooo good read more

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Mediocre Acai bowl. Granola is low quality kid cereal puffs mixed with granola, bleh. Acai mix was not a rich and bold flavor. Over pour of nuts in an Acai bowl, no thank you. Where's the vibrant colors and flavors of a true Acai bowl!? Not here. It wasn't terrible but I definitely won't be back. read more

Backyard Bowls - Acai Bowl - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Very delicious. I had the berry bowl with no sugar added and a few modifications. I was told by a friend to ask for it that way however I didn't quite get the best explanation from the guy working the counter on what the difference was from the regular when asked. Lucky me it wasn't too crowded but still took a while. They seem to get a ton of mobile pick up orders. The process is cool to watch and the place is kept very clean. Whether a connoisseur or a newbie this place won't disappoint. Tons of options! Not sure what took me so long to try but I'm hooked now! read more

Backyard Bowls - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Açaí bowls and smoothies are great here. We love it! Everyone we introduce to Backyard Bowls loves it.

Likely my favorite smoothie spot in all of LA. The smoothies are really good and generally there is little wait. My fav smoothie is the Blue Moon. The huge differentiator for me tho is the avocado + egg toast -- it is restaurant quality imo. The chili spread that goes on the toast before the avo spread is addictive! Highly recommend read more

Backyard Bowls - Avocado + egg toast & Blue Moon Smoothie - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I have only tried the Acai bowls here and OMG! These are the best açaí bowls I have ever had! Everything tastes so good and more importantly very fresh! I highly recommend visiting one of them in Santa Monica, Beverly Grove, Silverlake, or Studio City! I have only been to the Santa Monica location. read more

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Best açai ever! The berry bowl is absolutely incredible!!! The people that work there are so kind and super helpful! The ambience of the area is so magical and fun to enjoy a nice smoothie or acai bowl!!! read more

I got the island bowl with peanut butter as extra topping. It was a big bowl (couldn't finish it) and everything was so fresh and good. Definitely I would recommend this place if you are craving a good açaí bowl! read more

Backyard Bowls - Island Bowl - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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I work nearby and come to Backyard Bowls once a week, and it has really grown on me! I love their avocado toast. They have refreshing smoothies and acai bowls that are great breakfast options when I don't have time to cook for myself in the mornings. The staff here are always very friendly, and they have a lot of seating both indoor/outdoor. I wish they had more milk options available as I'm not a huge fan of cashew milk - maybe in the future that could be a potential option! It's super easy and convenient to order online for pickup. Also, all the food/drinks here feel very healthy and clean, which is great. read more

Looked up local acai shops with good reviews and backyard bowls was one of the first to pop up. I'm a big fan of berries so of course I had to order the berry bowl. Hands down probably my favorite acai place in the LA area, amazing service, plenty of options, and you can just tell how fresh their fruit is! read more

Backyard Bowls - two bowls of fruit on a picnic table - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Backyard Bowls has so many options with Acai bowls. Me and my family were looking for great Acai bowls around Santa Monica. We ordered the Santa Barabara bowl which comes in a large size. It came in a large cup but I was hoping it would be in a bowl so it will be easier to mix together. Nevertheless, the bowl was really delicious!! The fruits were fresh and refreshing. Service was very quick. There was street parking available. There were a few seats available inside the store so you can bring a date here. We highly recommend this place to other visitors and locals as the quality of the bowls are amazing! The staff knew very well the components of each bowl. read more

Backyard Bowls - Santa Barbara Bowl (32 oz. Only) - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Refreshing, sweet bowls of açaí, topped with berries and granola. Quiet outdoor seating, perfect for conversation. I highly recommend Backyard Bowls, although I've only visited this location! read more

Backyard Bowls - Berry Bowl! - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

There was quite a wait. I think they get a lot of online orders for pick up. The açaí bowl was ok, my wife loved her avocado toast.

My overall familiarity with Acai Bowl (pronounced aa-saa-ee) scene in LA is somewhat NOOBIish. I've only had a couple throughout my tenancy in L.A. but damn if this was not the best one I had. Each bowl is MADE TO ORDER. None of the stuff is pre-made/packaged. Individually, the açaí baristas cut the bananas, and personally sculpt each customers' order practically from scratch I took the cashier's recommendation and went with the Power Bowl. The power bowl: Acai, peanut butter, banana, blueberry, pea protein, hemp milk base, topped with granola, almonds, banana, blueberry, hemp seeds, honey. It is absolutely amazing. The bowl is rich. Tastes like a hyper snap-blend between a smoothie and yogurt. The rich, thickness is accentuated by the smoothness of the peanut butter, and the flavors just work well together in full symphonic synergy. The crunchy additive of the granola and almonds makes it locomotive and provides a lot of texture for the different flavors. Be prepared for the wait. But it's well worth it. 20-40 minute upwards on the weekend. You cannot rush good food though. read more

Backyard Bowls - Power Bowl - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Yummy bowls and great size On a weekend there will definitely be a wait but all good - there is a little outdoor seating area you can sit and practice the virtue of patience (: Also, the smoothie man rocks - you can see him mixing away in this clear little booth that minimizes the noise of the blenders.. If you're looking for a filling açaí bowl with healthy toppings, this is your spot. read more

Backyard Bowls - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Me and my partner loved these smoothies ! So good I really liked the location and overall the smoothies were to die for! read more

Backyard Bowls - The lions mane and the Acai Smoothie ! Very good ! Loved it - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I've seen this place around and finally got to try this out. Wow. I've only had a few açaí bowl places were I immediately fell in love. The hype is real here. Portions are huge and I got the island bowl. It is so sweet. The granola was so sweet and crispy. The açaí was so sweet and perfectly textured, not too hard or icy. It was so smooth and tasty. The fruit was in season. The strawberries, bananas, and blueberries were all very sweet. I got honey drizzle and it complimented well with the coconut shavings. Really glad I finally got to try this place. It's definitely worth it and one of my top açaí bowls!! read more

Backyard Bowls - Island Bowl - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

This is my spot for an açaí bowl or picking up treats for the office. Orders are timely and every oís so helpful.

In my opinion, Backyard Bowls is the best acai bowl place on the westside! I got their Island Bowl which comes with mixed berries and mangoes. You aren't able to choose the toppings on your bowl, but rather have to select from a set menu. However, there are many options to choose from and I have always been satisfied with the options. The smoothies here are also solid if you don't want an acai bowl. There is plenty of seating and sunlight at the Santa Monica location, making for a perfect midday snack or post workout meal! read more

Backyard Bowls - Island Bowl, regular 24 oz - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I never write reviews but I had to say something after visiting this location recently. I walked in, and wasn't greeted or acknowledged and waited about 10 - 15 minutes until someone helped me (they had two other people in there waiting so they weren't that busy). While waiting I noticed the place just looked dirty and not clean which should have been my sign to leave. I ordered an Acai bowl, which was just okay, but then I noticed the strawberries were MOLDY. This place is absolutely disgusting there are so many other clean places to go don't waste your money eating expired food and being treated poorly. read more

We stopped in for an impromptu breakfast and were pleasantly surprised by how delicious everything was! My mushroom toast was rich and satisfying, while my dining companion's acai bowl looked fantastic. Each dish was made to order and was extremely fresh. Pandemic protocols were adhered to including face masks and social distancing. Limited indoor dining is available, as well as cute outdoor tables. The manager was extremely helpful and answered all our questions about the menu. Street parking available. read more

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WHAT WENT WRONG....... here's the thing........ the bowls are amazing. 100/10. HOWEVER, i recently had a very disappointing experience for the first time. i ordered a bowl through doordash and the bowl i received was about a 2/10. very disappointing for a place that i absolutely loved and spoke so highly of to everyone. i understand ordering through DoorDash may create potential for issues, BUT that is no excuse for the merchant. i ordered the absolutely delicious Warrior Bowl and made some simple changes. *****just a disclaimer, i understand these issues are minor in the big scheme of things, but when you are looking forward to something, the little things in life that not the most important thing in the world but something you sincerely enjoy and value like a healthy meal, but it kinda gets completely RUINED, that's not a fun experience. so i'm ranting now about these minor minor issues, BUT from now on, they have changed how i view this place, their services, and products.***** first, i added peanut butter on top in addition the almond butter that ALREADY came with the bowl. i didn't say no almond butter. so they wrongly assumed i didn't want the almond butter. second, i CALLED to ask for granola instead to the almonds because there was no option to swap and they said, "our pleasure, we'll be sure to do that". as you probably would guess, i didn't get ANY granola. it's really just a basic skill of listening and, more importantly, showing care for the customer, who is ultimately part of the Backyard Bowls community -- key to their success and value. i used to work at a very similar place (shoutout to sunlife hehe), so i totally understand mistakes happen. BUT when creating and serving yummy smoothie bowls is your specialty and primary skill, experiences like this just should not happen. it's not that difficult to create a training system to remember orders and requests and, ultimately, understand customer service. ALL TO SAY, i still love these bowls. they're still top notch delicious and i'm a college student, so going to this place will still always be a treat for me and, quite honestly, the first place i will go to when i want to treat myself. but, i will remember this experience and, therefore, be more reluctant in my support because of the decrease in quality and the clear lack of customer service. p.s. i have had similar experiences (not as bad) in the past with missing ingredients or mess ups in my order, so this wasn't just a one-time issue. read more

Backyard Bowls - disappointing - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I paid was friendly, gave a tip and asked for the açaí to put it In the bowl. They did put it in a bowl but put a plastic spoon inside. I asked for a silver spoon. The lady said they don't have them even though right next to her were the spoons. I said I don't like to have plastic spoons and she said she can put it in a box for me to go. She debated with me and then finally after asking the guy he gave me a spoon. The spoons were right next to her. I asked her why she made it so hard. Then the girl was hostile and told me I should go. Crazy! When walking away with my bowl to eat she kept saying things to me. I've been going to backyard bowls for years. In West Hollywood and Santa Monica. Customer service is in general not what it's used to be and people don't like their jobs. I'm paying this much money and gave a tip and when I ask for a silver spoon it's too much? read more

Mediocre. My small bowl was filled with 1/3 of Acai. 2/3 toppings. Bananas on top were mushy. Granola tastes like nature valley cheap granola. Acai blend was not remarkable. Toppings just didn't taste fresh and power bowl was underwhelming. I tried entering my phone number into the loyalty program after paying. The screen quickly went away before I was able to enter my phone number, I think the cashier didn't give me enough time to enter it and exited out of the screen. I asked if I could join, she takes my number and says I should be getting an email. How would they know my email if I only my phone number ? Lol she then states that it's connected. Still doesn't make sense, then she says I'll get a text that will then ask for my email. I've done the same loyalty program at other places, with the cash reward points, and never get an email just a text. Well suffice to say, I never got a text or email. But it doesn't even matter, because I don't think I'll be back. read more

Cassidy is an awesome manager and human. Keep it up - been coming here for more than two years and he is always on his grind and team can feel his energy. Also santa barbara bowl is next level read more

Backyard Bowls - a restaurant counter with a man standing at the counter - Acai Bowls Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I go here 4 times a week because I freaking love it! Power bowl with extra protein, mmm hmmmm so good! I look forward to it every time!