It’s not often that you’ll hear someone rave about a salad at a grill house, but that’s what we’re about to do. Normally we aren’t salad fiends, but the macho salad at Los Altos Grill gives all the meat (and there’s a lot of meat on the menu at LAG) a serious run for its money. The macho salad is the perfect combination of mixed greens, rotisserie chicken that has been slow roasted over an open flame, avocado, chopped dates, almonds and massive dollops of goat cheese and it satiates us nearly every time.

 

Macho Macho Man - The Macho Salad at Los Altos Grill in Los Altos, California
Macho Macho Man – The Macho Salad at Los Altos Grill in Los Altos, California

 

Los Altos Grill is part of the Hillstone Restaurant Group out of Beverly Hills. Hillstone Restaurant Group, as you may or may not know, has a massive portfolio of restaurants including Bandera (which has five locations spread across cities like Brentwood, Chicago and Scottdale), Houston’s, Newport Beach’s Gulfstream restaurant, the Palm Beach Grill in Florida and dozens of other grub spots.

 

In addition to Los Altos Grill, here’s a list of other neat little local spots we love across the Bay Area and Silicon Valley.

 

Los Altos Grill has been a longtime member of the Los Altos community. It first opened in downtown Los Altos back in 1996, and has been a Silicon Valley institution ever since. Los Altos Grills’ general manager Micah Martin and culinary manager Madalyn Salm are at the helm of a serious menu that consists of comfort food favorites and mouthwatering California wines. Each and every Sunday there’s live music near the bar.

 

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Guac This Way – Half of the Dip Duo at Los Altos Grill in Los Altos, California

 

It’s not just Los Altos Grill’s salads that hold their own. The starters are just as epic. The appetizer menu is an excellent option if you happen to grab a seat outside on the patio while waiting for your table. There’s a jalapeño cornbread served in a iron skillet (that you just might be tempted to swipe off the counter) and a delicious dip duo (a jalapeño queso and guacamole combo served with hand-cut tortilla chips).

 

One Martini, Two Martini, Three Martini… A Blue Cheese Stuffed Olive Appetizer and a Side of Martini at Los Altos Grill in Los Altos, California
One Martini, Two Martini, Three Martini… A Blue Cheese Stuffed Olive Appetizer and a Side of Martini at Los Altos Grill in Los Altos, California

 

It not surprising that the massive wood bar at the center of Los Altos Grill has become the perfect Bay Area watering hole. Any given weekday you’ll find the bar abuzz, probably because you could easily make a Hemmingway-style meal out of those crazy homemade blue cheese stuffed olives they pop in Los Altos Grill’s martinis.

 

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All Artichoked Up – The Grilled Red Label Heirloom Artichokes at Los Altos Grill in Los Altos, California

 

 

With the California draught aside, you’ll often find Los Altos Grill’s ridiculous grilled artichokes on the menu. Los Altos Grill takes meaty red label heirloom artichokes from Castroville, California and pops them on their fiery grill throughout the warm spring and summer months.

 

Who Are You Calling Small Fry? The Hand-Cut Truffle Fries at Los Altos Grill in Los Altos, California
Who Are You Calling Small Fry? The Hand-Cut Fries at Los Altos Grill in Los Altos, California

 

Sadly we rarely ever make it to Los Altos Grill’s dessert menu. We usually blame it on the fact that we can’t help but order one, or maybe even two, orders of the hand-cut fries. You know, to balance out that macho salad order out of course.

 

Los Altos Grill
233 3rd Street
Los Altos, California 94022
Hours: Sunday and Monday 4:00pm to 9:30pm, Tuesday Through Saturday 4:00pm to 10:00pm
Phone: (650) 948-3524
Pricing (All in USD): Starters and Salads $6.00 to $28.00, Burgers and Sandwiches $17.00 to $22.00, Entrees $15.00 to $49.00