What Yār means

Yār is a Farsi word. At its simplest it means a friend, one who walks beside you; in its fuller sense it means friend, companion, or beloved. It names what every visit should feel like: a place where guests are not simply served, but genuinely welcomed.

A family’s lake

Yār was reimagined by siblings Rouz and Mehrnoush Yazdanyar, and it is deeply tied to their family’s story. Their father, Ebrahim Yazdanyar, immigrated from Iran in the 1980s and established roots in a community that would become synonymous with home.

The family has called Westlake Village home for over forty years, with this lake as the backdrop to their most meaningful moments. From that foundation grew a deep appreciation for gathering, generosity, and meaningful hospitality: the values that define Yār today.

A new chapter for a lakeside landmark

For more than two decades the lakeside property was a cornerstone of Westlake Village dining. Its reinvention honors that past while embracing a more personal, forward-looking vision. The space has been beautifully transformed, and its essence remains the same: a dedication to creating meaningful moments around the table.

Some things came full circle. General Manager Tracy Brister helped open the property over two decades ago, and her return is both a professional milestone and a personal homecoming.

Persian hospitality, Mediterranean table

Yār blends Mediterranean coastal cuisine with Persian hospitality, rooted in Mediterranean communal dining and the Persian belief that hospitality is sacred. It is more than a restaurant: a gathering place, a neighborhood table, a home for old friends and new ones still to be met.

Welcome to Yār—where you will always be among friends.

Read more about us, or book a table by the water.