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    Absurd Bird

    3.6 (21 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 11:00 PM

    Absurd Bird Photos

    ABSURD BIRD ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

    Recommended Reviews - Absurd Bird

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    Shyara G.

    Very delicious, first time trying it & we both LOVED the PBJ Chicken & Waffles. They have some amazing bacon jam

    This is an 8 piece... Truly colossal
    Penny C.

    After a healthy walking tour of the nearby Spitifields Market, I decided to pop in this place that's been on my radar for quite some time. Once I arrived I decided to dine indoors (outdoor available) due too moderate foot traffic. My timing was great, as I had arrived during happy hour (5-7pm). I ordered a cocktail from the choices on the menu.. I must say, not strong at all, must have ordered a kiddie cocktail. Anyway, I digress to the motive here.. The FOOD! I settled on the fried chicken sliders and chips. My order arrived in about 10 min with the restaurant halfway full. When my plate arrived, I was introduced to three perfectly constructed mini sandwiches complete with all the fixings. The first bite was not life but a pretty decent rendition on the fried bird that my people (and others lol) know and love. Overall: decent location, great restaurant setup and quality service and sustenance. I will return to try more of the menu.

    Absurdly hot fried chicken
    Jing Shyang Y.

    American fried buttermilk chicken. That's what I came for and I left distinctly unimpressed. Technically everything is done right. Service was excellent, portions were humongous, chicken was good quality. However there was something about the breadcrumb that was missing something. Absurd Bird is a new chicken place. Yes there are a million chicken restaurants all over London now. You've got the ones specialising in rotisserie chicken, buttermilk fried chicken, wings in a million different crumb and sauces. We get it. So what does Absurd Bird bring to the table? Big ass chicken and wings. Seriously the portion of 4 wings sounds small until it arrives at your table. I had the absurd spicy chicken. it wasn't spicy in the slightest and was actually lacking in salt and any real taste. That's the thing, whilst eating here I was actually getting a craving for the saltiness of KFC. My head knew I was eating something better. My tastebuds were expected more of a flavour punch. My favourite dish had to be the corn bread. It was nice and kept warm throughout the meal by the wonderful copper saucepans. The coleslaw was really bad. The driest slaw I've ever encountered. Again it was bland taste wise, which head said was healthy. Tastebuds again were clearly not impressed. The wings were very good and packed more of the flavour explosion I was looking for when paired with some Peri-sauce. Pricing and service are very decent. However the food, in particular the chicken just needs a bit more of a wow factor. If you call something spicy, I expect it to be more than just a fried chicken swimming in a bit of red oil with no spice whatsoever. Staff were excellent. Very attentive and friendly. I wouldn't hesitate to stop by again if in the area. I just hope the menu changes a little in the meanwhile.

    BBQ chicken wings
    Wendy L.

    I did like the relaxing vibe at the new Absurb Bird. Open booth seating for the couples and larger tables for the groups and couples. There's plug sockets for laptop users too. Sadly as much as the atmosphere has got to offer, food was a real let down and management wasn't great at addressing the issue either after we told them, email them and FB them. The front of house staff were friendly though, a bit nervous looking but delivered our orders well. Cornbread pudding This was very moisture sucking and needed more water in the mix. As much as I loved the high ratio of corn, the fibrous skin really added to the dry and rough texture. They needed to be blended more for a smoother and fluffier texture. Creamed corn This was more pleasing. It was seasoned well with a lovely sweet and savoury balance. The texture was creamy and soft, a good consistency with little bits of corn to give it a satisfying bite. Spinach and artichoke dip. The highlight dish of the night if you minus the tortilla chips. The dip itself was incredibly creamy and thick. Lovely silky strands of wilted spinach helping to cling on to your tortilla chip in a fragrant velvety blended artichoke mixture. No need for much seasoning as the flavours together were complex enough in its most simplistic form. Shane about the tortilla chips that were rock hard, almost brittle when biting into it creating sore vibrations on the teeth. Buttermilk chicken wings. This arrived dark brown in colour with the batter dense and hard. It's all signs that this was fried in really old oil. It taste of it too, just stale in flavour with desperate need of seasoning. It was dry and almost inedble. It was a real shame as the chicken inside was well seasoned, fresh, plump and juicy. Smoked garlic and parmesan and lemon wings. I'm guessing these not being deep fried had no chance of being affected by the stale oil which made these pretty good.Quite nice with its garlicky notes and small patches of Parmesan which gave it that depth and creaminess it needed against the crispy chewy skin. The chicken inside was lovely, fleshy and full of flavour. BBQ chicken wings These were nice and tangy. The sharp notes on the sauce actually made the deep fried chicken somewhat lighter and masked some of the staleness. Having sauce also helps add some lost moisture in the batter making it easier to eat before breaking through to the juicier chicken inside. Pasha heads East Chicken wings This was also a good choice. Lovely sweetness from sugar to balance the sourness from the lemon notes. The sweet and sour flavours were influenced from the Far East hence how it got its name. I love how it seasoned with fish sauce and not just salt, giving some complexity in its taste as well as umami. Sadly the flavours did not reach the chicken itself. Chicken and waffles. The chicken came out almost black as they manage to burnt the stale dark batter. It was so overcooked and dense that it was like biting into sandstone that only our knife manage to cut bits off. What was suppose to be crispy was more like dead hard crunchy with some bits like chewing hard rubber. It was a shame because the chicken inside was fine. They did take it back to remake the dish but came back just as burnt as the first. We decided to not eat it in the end. Macaroni cheese (plain). This was okay. I enjoyed the top layer skin containing all the rich condensed flavour of the cheese with a little smokiness from it from being charred. The pasta was satisfying too, a dente and sticky from the cheese. But the inside was lacking depth, could have done with another type of cheese and tiny bit more seasoning. Not bad as I've had worse. Sweet potato bake. The staff did warn us that this was a sweet dish. I think what she meant that is could probably be for a dessert as it was THAT sweet. Lovely though if can handle really really sweet stuff. I had to have it together with the cornbread just to spread some of the melted marshmallows on top to something not as sweet. The dish was incredibly soft and sticky though. It's usually a texture I adore but sadly I couldn't handle the intense sugar rush without a coffee or something I wasn't very impressed with Absurd Bird at all. They failed to address the massive issue they have with using old oil and selling burnt chicken even though I contacted them so many . They do seems they do care about the welfare of chicken to be using only the highest grade of free range chickens in their restaurant but kind of forgot about the health of the customers?! Underlying all the horrible dark batter of the deep fried chickens lies a lovely juicy chicken itself so if you are going to visit it's probably safest to order the smoke varieties and they did not disappoint. Starters were a mix and match too, A lot of their dishes do seem to be overcooked and moisture sucking so until they get things right with their oil and cooking time, I wouldn't recommend this place at all.

    AB menu
    Amy M.

    This was my first visit to AB - has a really cosy basement floor, which is where we were sat. There was a group of 8 of us accommodated across a few corner tables, as it is such a small venue it did feel a bit crowded but not an issue (until I needed to squeeze out to use the bathroom!) The staff were really attentive and served drinks immediately. Food was delicious - I tried the smoked garlic and Parmesan chicken wings to start which were delicious. I would also highly recommend the tortilla chips with artichoke and jalapeño dip. The mains offer a selection including sliders, dirty burgers, chips and sweet potato fries and most importantly... Chicken and waffles with a maple syrup gravy. I'm not a particularly adventurous cookie when it comes to weird and wonderful food so I was dreading the chicken and waffles but I took the plunge and died and went to heaven! All food was cooked to perfection, the chicken was deliciously moist and tender. Although I didn't try any, the cocktails looked delicious and many were made up of moonshine which is interesting! I'm not usually a fan of chicken restaurants but I cannot wait to visit again!

    Bao buns, macs and cheese, I'm in heaven!

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Cool decor and great food. Such an awesome restaurant experience. Thanks for the hospitality.

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    Review Highlights - Absurd Bird

    Heaps of Southern American options, some of which we'd never heard of or are quite rare in London.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    The Orange Buffalo - Woof Woof, Dutch Chili, Scotch Bonnets and Naga Chilli. *Hot* Woof Woof!

    The Orange Buffalo

    4.4(44 reviews)
    0.1 miBrick Lane, Shoreditch
    £

    When I first saw the Yelp entry for buffalo wings within walking distance of my office, I…read moreimmediately began to obsess about when I could make the trip over. First time we went to scout out the location, it was closed because it was cold, miserable and raining (ah, the English springtime!) As soon as the weather started clearing up, I dragged my colleague (who incidentally is one of the world's biggest Nandos fans and has eaten at something like 2 dozen of its branches) back over to Brick Lane. We both had the lunch special special with the hot (I think it's 'woof woof' sauce). It is certainly hot sauce, I have a relatively high tolerance for spice but made pretty slow progress (great for clearing out the sinuses btw although between that and all the orange sauce over your face I'd recommend taking about half the kitchen roll provided). The lunch special includes 6 wings, onion rings or fries, blue cheese sauce, a few little sticks of celery and a drink. My colleague love the fries, the onion rings were standard (and by standard I mean delicious, as they are one of my favourite foodstuffs). Drink options are awesome - I had cream soda which comes in a pink can which I drank from a pink straw. I looked extremely serious and prepared for my afternoon's work arriving back in the office still drinking it. Aside from being hot, the woof woof sauce was a little sour for my tastes, I would get it again but would add some salt. I have since tried the original which is fine but not particularly exciting. I also sampled the next level up which immediately burnt a hole through my tongue down to my stomach. Colleague experienced same sensation (and he is a Nandos extra hot kind of guy). This really raises the stake on the 'roulette' option - 7 original wings plus one 'viper' - the fourth and most extreme level. Terrifying. Has to be done.

    Buffalo Wings... in London?…read more Yup, you heard it right. The folks at The Orange Buffalo are cooking up some absolutely delicious wings from the heart of the Turman Brewery just off Brick Lane. Nick, the man behind the counter, hails from England but has spent time in both Upstate New York and in San Francisco. Thinking about wings and food culture in general, he couldn't have picked two better spots to learn all about the secrets of the Buffalo wing and about the importance of good ingredients. The sauces are home made and the chicken is free range, what more could one want really? This little stall is absolutely worth checking out, and even on a Friday at lunchtime there was a queue. So go, eat wings, be happy.

    Photos
    The Orange Buffalo - The Viper. Originally our under the counter sauce, Tasty but Very Very Hot!

    The Viper. Originally our under the counter sauce, Tasty but Very Very Hot!

    The Orange Buffalo - The Original. Pure Dutch chili. This is our medium.

    The Original. Pure Dutch chili. This is our medium.

    The Orange Buffalo

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    StickyWings - It has a name which i forget

    StickyWings

    3.9(37 reviews)
    0.1 miBrick Lane, Shoreditch
    £

    I've known about StickyWings for some time. Actually, since they were selling their wings across…read morethe pond at the Buffalo Wing Festival in Buffalo, New York, USA a few years ago. Of the places not from Western New York at the festival, StickyWings stuck out as having the best-tasting wings. Vacationing in London years later, I had to pay them a visit. StickyWings is a takeaway-style joint on a side street, with a dozen or so tables occupying a narrow dining room. After ordering at the counter, I took a seat and waited for the wings to come. The amount of time my food took to arrive was just enough to convince me that the wings were cooked fresh and, indeed, they tasted that way. Crispy, saucy goodness. While I wish they had a spicier "Buffalo" option, these are hands-down the best Buffalo-style wings I have had outside of New York. My ONLY complaint is that the sauce is a little off. Tastes a tad buttery for a traditional Buffalo "medium", but other than that, the wings were perfect. Cost was reasonable, too, and service was friendly. I lived in Buffalo, New York for 8 years, surrounded by the best wing joints in the world. StickyWings is the real deal. These wings are damn good and, frankly, they could teach a lot of places in America how to do them right.

    Got food poisoning here. Check if the wings are undercooked…read more . . . . Why do I have to make this review so long?

    Photos
    StickyWings
    StickyWings - Just learned that this fellow is called Boris (I'm sure you can guess why!)

    Just learned that this fellow is called Boris (I'm sure you can guess why!)

    StickyWings

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    Wing Zone

    Wing Zone

    5.0(1 review)
    3.6 miFinsbury Park

    ***********DISCLAIMER**************** They haven't…read moreofficially opened yet, they open on the 5th of November. The were having a pre-opening training day with a set menu so... THIS REVIEW IS OF THE QUALITY OF FOOD ALONE!!! I am actually from western NY, within 50 miles of where Buffalo Wings became famous and every western New Yorker knows a good chicken wing and I have only ever found one place in the UK with good enough wings for them to remind me if home... But now I've found another!!! I've been seeing this business prepare for opening over the last few wings and when I realised it was an American Wing Restaurant I was so excited as it's right on my way home! The chicken wings were the right size, had the right crisp and succulence and the buffalo bliss sauce was reminiscent of the Anchor Bar(birthplace of buffalo wings) itself. I was given 5 wings and wedges in what I believe will be one of the menu items. It didn't come with Bleu cheese as standard (which might have been for the pre-opening event..idk) , but I didn't ask for it so I will make sure to do so next time. It did come with coleslaw, though...which I didn't really see the point of, lol! Oh yeah hey have burgers and per menu items, I'll unlikely be trying these soon as wings are now so close to home. Anyway, the opening is on the 5th of November and there is 20% off so I will most certainly be there to get some good wings again.., eventually when they are fully trained, I will update this on service too!

    From the owner: Wing Zone is all about flavor! We are passionate about delivering authentic flavor-fuzed chicken…read morewings & burgers in our mission to turn the whole of the UK into #flavorholics :) Take the flavor test & embark on a journey to find out What's YOUR Flavor?! Try any of Wing Zone's 9 amazing, mouth watering & award winning flavors, fuzed with your favorite menu item. From the traditional tangy Buffalo flavors to sweet with heat options such a Mango Fire, or if your feeling brave kick up your taste buds up to Nuclear levels with our Nuclear Habanero. We have flavors to suit and tickle all taste buds. Founded in 1991 by Matt Friedman and Adam Scott in their University of Florida frat house kitchen, the company quickly expanded and now has over 100 branches all over the US and the world - Panama, Singapore, Honduras and Russia to name a few. The Wing Zone's UK branch opened in Finsbury Park, London in November 2015 and we have been winging it ever since!

    Photos
    Wing Zone
    Wing Zone
    Wing Zone

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    Bird - Personalized hand wipes

    Bird

    3.2(53 reviews)
    0.7 miShoreditch
    ££

    Four stars for great American classics surrounded by the London vibe. The city bustles about…read moreoutside, but through these doors, it's time to chill and gorge on unhealthy, yet delicious deep-fried goodness. If you're not too familiar with Southern American cuisine, fried chicken & waffles has been all the rage since, like, forever. It's been making a big comeback in LA recently, however, and we have one called 'Birdies' wit ha similar fried chicken & doughnut concept. Sadly, though, the taste of the chicken itself isn't really any better than you would find at any of the local fried chicken chain restaurants you'll find scattered throughout London. The thing to get your first time here are either the wings for starters and at least one fried chicken & waffle dish. My suggestion: Go with The Original Waffle Burger- A hefty portion of 2 100% free range chicken thighs, bacon, American cheese, house BBQ, mayo, hot sauce, & Canadian maple syrup, miraculously wedged between 2 freshly griddled waffles. At £14, it is a bit of a splurge, but believe me, if you like to eat, this is well worth it. They have plenty of other, less gut-bursting options like fried chicken skillets, smaller burgers- including a veggie beet burger- wings, sides like deep-fried pickles, cheesy Korean fries, & jalapeño corn pudding, and of course, decadent desserts like the Ice Cream Doughnut Sandwich & Deep-Fried Waffle with Ice Cream, Cinnamon Sugar, Chocolate & Caramel Sauce, & Whipped Cream. Oh, and don't forget, such an unhealthy meal just wouldn't be complete without plenty of booze to go around, from cocktails, ales, beers, & ciders. Yes, it is ridiculous. I hope you have friends to share with. It might help it to go down easier.

    Delicious chicken in a chill environment. Staff were friendly and easily accommodated our group of…read more8. I ordered the Nashville hot burger. The chicken was supremely moist with a nice crunchy coating. The spice of the hot sauce was lost within the burger... The bun was too big for the chicken portion and overwhelmed the flavors of the chicken. Next time I'll be ditching the bun and focusing on the main dish... The chicken. Also ordered a side of the jalapeno corn dish, which was tasty.

    Photos
    Bird - Buffalo glazed

    Buffalo glazed

    Bird
    Bird

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    Beer & Buns - Blackboards galore

    Beer & Buns

    4.5(2 reviews)
    0.4 miLiverpool Street / Broadgate
    £££

    I have been to this place on Monday, when they run the promotion 1 Asahi beer + 2 buns for £8. It…read moreis a very good deal since you basically pay for the buns and get the beer for free according to the regular prices. The buns are really tasty and the ambient is nice. Definitely a great choice for starting the week (on the other days it may be rather expensive in the end).

    I met two friends here on Tuesday evening, when Beer & Buns has a 2-for-1 offer on draft beer and…read morecocktails. It's actually quite a good promotion, starting at 5 PM with no end time, so you don't feel pressure to get there early. I arrived close to 7 PM and the place was still relatively empty, and we had our choice of a few tables and did not encounter a queue at the bar. I can imagine that when busy, it could be a pretty hard place to get served (I guess by virtue of being a pop-up, the venue may not have been intended for a bar). Beer & Buns is on the first floor above K10, a Japanese restaurant in a modern glass building near Broadgate Circle that is totally deserted in the evening. Once upstairs, it's pretty dark as the windows are mostly blacked out, but there are some long tables (like a beer hall), some round barrels that act as high tables, a foosball table, a pinball machine, and some stools against a window ledge that get the only bit of sunlight. For something that calls itself an izakaya, I thought the décor would be more authentic. In practice, it is as authentic as Ippudo, which is to say, not at all. We were offered samples of the cocktails (a margarita and a strawberry daiquiri), of which I definitely preferred the daiquiri; the margarita was far too sour. Instead, I went with Asahi draft beer, which was £4.50 for a pint - not cheap so was rather glad for the 2-for-1 offer! That's the only beer that you can get with the offer, as the other beers were all bottled, so you don't actually get much of a selection. I tried all 4 types of the buns, which are 2 for £6.50. The chicken karaage is marked as the special, but I thought the pork belly was much better. The aubergine katsu is quite unique as well. I had a bite of my friend's sweet & spicy chicken wings, which I thought were ok, but nothing remarkable. Overall, I think this is a cool concept, but could have been executed much better. The hirata buns are one of the hottest things in London right now, and there are a handful of street food stalls, the veteran Flesh & Buns, and the new restaurant Bao that do them. After I had the beer and tried the buns, it got a bit boring. I wouldn't be in any hurry to come again.

    Photos
    Beer & Buns - Strawberry Daqueri and chicken wings

    Strawberry Daqueri and chicken wings

    Beer & Buns - Sweet potato fries

    Sweet potato fries

    Beer & Buns

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    Absurd Bird - chicken_wings - Updated May 2026

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