I ordered the days special, chicken salad and tomato bisque soup. I was surprised the sandwich had nuts in it, considering all the issues around nut allergies. I would have liked to known that before ordering. My husband did change his order to another menu item. The quality of food was good and I felt appreciated for our business . read more

Bird Dog Cafe - The famous hanging window wall. - Cafes Near Me - Laurel, Mississippi

We were in town for a little day getaway and had our dog with us so we decided to have lunch at Bird Dog Café because they have outdoor seating. There was some kind of street fair going on, so we parked in the back and walked in from the back door. It was a little confusing, but we four a very sweet server who showed us where to sit. I think her name was Lincoln and she was very sweet. The outdoor area was a little messy, but no big deal. The food was okay. I had a French burger that was a little flat tasting. My husband had the French dip. Again, it was just okay. Cocktails were pretty good. Based on that alone I probably wouldn't go back, but we were limited on choices due to having our dog with us. Here's where it took a turn. We went to our car and there was a very nasty note telling us, "The next time you park here you will be towed." It directed us to go inside to get someone to move their car which was blocking us in. We didn't see any other parking lot and there weren't any no parking signs. I went inside and found our waitress who gave the note to a woman sitting at the bar with papers spread out in front of her. I assume she was the manager or owner. She didn't say a word and sent the waitress to move her car. All of the sudden our sweet server wasn't so sweet. Come to find out, the parking lot entrance was on the side where the street fair was and we couldn't see it. I think that is a pretty nasty way to treat customers. I don't recommend this place at all. read more

Great local place! When work brings you to Laurel you need to eat local! Yes this was the restaurant that was on the show Hometown. It has changes some since the show all for the good. I had the Strawberry salad with chicken. Super yummy and I loved the dressing. I did get the Key lime dessert to go. I am a Key Lime connoisseur and it did not disappoint. The service was great, sorry i can't remember the girls name. She was awesome! The place had the porch you could also sit and eat. read more

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Loved our return to Bird Dog. Was told it is under new management but the quality was still super. Cool casual inside and very friendly staff. We took recommendations from our Bolton Tour guide. DJ and got the Chicken salad croissant and deviled eggs. Fabulous!!! Everyone make this a destination for your trip to Laurel read more

Bird Dog Cafe - Deviled Eggs with pimento cheese - Cafes Near Me - Laurel, Mississippi

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I had the last Beef Bourgogne and it was amazing! Ambience incredible. I love the old windows! The service could not have been more attentive and supportive. I ordered Beef Bourgogne over noodles. It came with side salad with champagne vinaigrette and a croissant. I will definitely return. Thank you Ben and Erin for putting your touch on this precious classic home to turn it into a to a lovely cafe. Thank you Bird Dog for being open for dinner. read more

Bird Dog Cafe - Key lime pie home made - Cafes Near Me - Laurel, Mississippi

Great newly owned place in town, offering wonderful service and great food ! Quaint little restaurant with a lot of personality:) Recommend the happy sandwich on a croissant, don't remember that's actual name read more

Awesome coffee and better experience!! Driving through Laurel, MS, we stayed at the Air BnB at the cafe. (Which was awesome! https://abnb.me/RgXtK6ZMWvb). It was a cold and gray day, I could have snuggled up, read and drank coffee all day in their cozy ambiance. I asked Elliott (owner, barista, chef, cool guy) to make me something like a Vietnamese coffee. Strong and sweet. It was perfect. So much so, I went back for seconds. My husband had the straight coffee blend, which is all he needed to get his day going. BDC exclusively serves Manuscript coffee, which itself is amazing with an equally cool story. https://manuscriptcoffee.com/pages/about-us So, for now, they are not serving their full menu. They have a few pastries, but it is limited. Coffee is the primary offering. But they do a daily special. The day we were there it was a frittata. Don't fret, per Elliot, we may see some changes in 2023. As an accomplished chef, he is eager to create and I'm eager to try it out! Stop in for some great coffee, pick up some Laurel souvenirs and where else can you buy an original Mark Landis!! read more

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Very nice setting and our waitress was very friendly. We stopped for a light lunch and tried a few items. Shared an order of the Tartine with roast beef, an onion jam. The onion jam was spectacular with the beef. French bread could have been toasted a little more. The eggs with pimento cheese are not my favorite, but that is personal preference. Tomatoe bisque was very good. Wait for food was a little long and came after others who entered the restaurant after us. read more

Cute little cafe. Loved the atmosphere/decor. Great music playing. Spacious back deck and backyard where pups are welcome. The French onion soup was delicious and a generous crock bowl for $10. The French dip sandwich was absolutely delicious and came with a small bike of French onion soup for dipping, and a small salad. It was priced right at $14. I knocked a star because $10 for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a small bag of Cheetos off of the kids menu is pretty expensive. Menu said it was supposed to come with a fun take home cup, but they were out. read more

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The atmosphere was casual and friendly. Service was quick and the food was phenomenal. Definitely a must try! read more

Bird Dog Cafe - Tartine that was delicious - Cafes Near Me - Laurel, Mississippi

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We had an earl gray tea with lavender and rose, a lavender iced oat milk latte, and a blueberry muffin. Service was friendly and quick! Ambiance is really what makes Bird Dog Cafe, it's comfortable, inviting, and charming. Mismatched couches and comfy chairs everywhere, handwritten tea menus, and cute local merch. Definitely stop by! Look for the kitties on the back porch. read more

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Visited recently when we were traveling through Laurel and had a great meal. The service was great and the ambiance is fabulous, the place is really decorated well. I had the French dip with a side salad and it was the best French Dip I have had in years! My daughter had the chicken salad and it was delicious. We were traveling back from the beach and it was refreshing to have a nice light meal that wasn't seafood or fried! I would highly recommend, the drink prices were also very reasonable. read more

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With the new owner, the place has really improved! The food is a great step forward. Perhaps the best upper grade bar food in Laurel. We enjoy going there for lunch. Will be back soon. Try it!!! read more

I so wanted to love this place, but we were completely disappointed. For my mom's 70th birthday, I took her (and two of my aunts) to Laurel, MS (3 hrs away) as she's a big fan of HomeTown on HGTV. Bird Dog was our first meal in Laurel. The special of the day was a ham/cheddar sandwich with soup or salad. However, all four of us ended up ordering what basically sounded like Thanksgiving on a sandwich - turkey, cheddar cheese, bacon, cornbread stuffing, and cranberry mayo. Sounds yummy, right? We thought so too. What we got instead --- was the ham/cheese special. No stuffing. No cranberry mayo. Just a grilled ham/cheese. But...being true Southerners, we didn't complain and ate it anyway. The salads...also disappointing. To begin with, NONE of our salads had any dressing on them. None at ALL. My mom ordered extra ranch dressing. Not only did the salad have none on it. she had to request a second time for the extra dressing. She never received it. One of my aunts - who also ordered her salad with ranch (and extra) asked for more dressing. What arrived - and I kid you not - was MAYO! plain...bland...mayo. I tried to flag down the server, but my aunt doesn't like causing a fuzz and ate her garden salad dressed with plain mayo. We had all been looking forward to having lunch here. We left disappointed. I doubt we give it a second try next time we're in Laurel. read more

Went for dinner and breakfast. Dinner: everything was delicious. We had the rib-eye special which was huge and amazing. Really well cooked and seasoned. Chicken Caesar wrap was delicious and the burger was cooked perfectly and delicious. For dessert we had lime pie and pecan pie - both were amazing (my favorite part was the crust). Service was great and everyone was very nice. Also had live music as it was a Thursday night...good musician and volume was good and still allowed for conversation. Breakfast: a bit disappointed that they had run out of waffles, but everything we did get was awesome. Croissant sandwich with egg and bacon, Bird Dog special of eggs, grits and bacon, I had a simple scrambled eggs and their breakfast potatoes. All really good. Service was a bit slower but there had been a crazy storm and I think they were short staffed. Atmosphere is so nice you hardly notice any delay. read more

Bird Dog Cafe is closed and up for sale. Food and atmosphere were great when it was open. 5 star when it was open.

This is cute little joint that looks like it was designed to be a coffee shop and they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. While I'm very familiar with Laurel, MS my knowledge is out of date as I haven't spent much time there in a few decades so on a recent trip I noticed the cool looking exterior of the Bird Dog Cafe and decided to make a visit for lunch. I had no idea they were on that famous TV show that has popularized Laurel as I only ever watched two episodes and that was enough for me as I didn't like seeing houses I knew get changed so much. When I first walked into Bird Dog Cafe I was very surprised to see how small the dining area actually was and I got the impression that it was more of a deli or coffee shop the way their order counter was set up but my party was eventually greeted and taken to a table. When I got the menu I was quite surprised at the prices as EVERYTHING looked very over priced for Laurel, MS and would have been over priced in most places for what they were serving. Their adult beverage selection was full of sticker shock and they had the most expensive Yuengling Lager I've seen anywhere in the USA at $6 (Yuengling is often cheaper than Budweiser). Their selection of food for lunch and dinner was limited to their quite expensive salads, sandwiches and "skillet bakes" so my table ordered our drinks and began the process of deciding on lunch. While waiting for our drinks I took a walk around the back and was impressed with their nice back patio area that looked like it would be a nice spot to enjoy during good weather. While I was deciding what to order I did a bit of quick research and found some reviews praising the chicken pot pie "skillet bake" but when I ordered that I was informed they were sold out so instead I made the mistake of getting the Beef Stroganoff "skillet bake" instead. Our waitress informed us the Beef Stroganoff was her favorite thing on the menu so my party assumed it would be good. So my "skillet bake" came with a salad which you didn't get a choice of salad dressings with and it just came with a light vinaigrette drizzle (which lucky for me that is my preferred dressing). The salad was a nice mixed greens version just like you get at the grocery so not much prep work for that other than a few sliced cherry tomatoes, a bit of grated cheese and the dressing on it. The salad was a bit larger than your typical side salad and it was a nice item to start my meal with. My entrée came out before I had finished my salad which as it was blazing sizzling hot was a good thing as it needed time to cool down. Sadly my "Beef Stroganoff" in the "skillet bake" version of the Bird Dog Cafe brought me sorrow on tasting it as I have to say it was the absolute worst version of a Beef Stroganoff I have ever experienced in my life. I am a big fan of Beef Stroganoff and I've eaten many versions of it and I've always been very happy with it until this experience. The easiest way to summarize the "Beef Stroganoff" is simply with "where's the beef?" Everyone in my party was amazed at the tiny amount of beef in this dish and how it was nearly all noodles. This "skillet bake" was $24 which can get you a nice steak in many of the best restaurants in New Orleans so to have such a tiny skillet dish with so little beef in a "Beef Stroganoff" is simply unacceptable. This "skillet bake" was not worthy of the name "Beef Stroganoff" and should have been called hamburger helper noodles flavored with a hint of beef except there wasn't enough flavor in this dish to even call it that! When our waitress asked how it was we said it was the worst Beef Stroganoff ever and all she could do was say "I'm sorry." I heard customers at another table also reply to the question with unhappy responses to the "Beef Stroganoff." After the total fail of the "where's the beef" noodles I was ready to just leave BUT I had read in some reviews that they had good cheesecake so I decided to gamble with an order for that and I scored the last one they had while the rest of my party got the chocolate cake. For this round I was a winner and the cheesecake was actually good while the chocolate cake was a loser and it wasn't deemed worthy after a few bites. While the cheesecake was good it wasn't $9 good. Overall I was extremely disappointed in my experience here. They charge fine dining prices while failing to provide a fine dining level in the environment, service or experience departments. For the cost of eating here I could enjoy a weekday lunch in New Orleans at Commander's Palace which would also include 25 cent martinis. Many locals I know shared their opinion that this joint is just a tourist trap and not a place they would visit. I wish the best for Bird Dog Cafe so if they can make a living soaking tourists then good for them but long term they might want to build local business. My video review of Bird Dog Cafe is here: https://youtu.be/ZQCO3K7js_Y read more

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Came in from Oregon and was very excited to visit and try out Bird Dog Cafe, disappointed, for only 2 tables in total it took a very long time to get our food and it was lukewarm at best. Food wasn't anything different from a deli. Decor was nice and it was clean. Tina H. read more

This place is touristy, but today it was quiet not many people. We walked in and was seated. Waitress greeted us and asked for our drink order and when she returned asked if we were ready to order. Which we were. We both got the bird dog cheeseburger and it was cooked they way we wanted it. read more

Bird Dog Cafe - Bird dog cheeseburger cooked medium well and it was good - Cafes Near Me - Laurel, Mississippi

Good food and drinks. Had the turkey sandwich and tomato bisque soup. Key Lime Pie was very delicious! Will be back again!

My family and I stopped here while taking a short driving break on the way to Florida and I'm so glad we did! The menu was very minimal, but we ordered what we thought we would like and it all was AMAZING! As my 11 year old would say "THIS IS DELICIOUS!". My husband and daughter shared the ham and Swiss croissant and Cesar salad. They DOWNED it! My oldest had the chicken wings with the dry rub and we ordered a second batch because they were so good! I had the French dip. The quality of beef that they use is fantastic. Perfectly filling. The au'jus was perfect, not too salty. Had amazing flavor. The service was great. The people working there are kind and attentive. read more

It's worth going to the bird dog café for ambience alone. The food would have to be pretty bad not to enjoy this place, it's so stinking cute. Upon entering were greeted by several friendly employees. Our waitress was also very nice. Our food came out within ten minutes of ordering. I had the bird dog breakfast. The grits and bacon were particularly good. I could see how someone wanting tons of food might be disappointed. I read several reviews of this place on yelp that almost dissuaded us from going here but I'm glad I decided to take them with a grain of salt. Some of them seemed a bit whiny and mean-spirited. So I'm giving the bird dog five stars and I'm sticking with it! read more

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Delicious! French dip is possibly the tastiest we've ever had. The baked wings with dry rub were fantastic. The Ham and Swiss croissant was tasty, as were the salads. No idea how review scores are averaging so low for this spot, but we loved stopping by while we passed through town. read more

Super nice staff, good food and a bit of nostalgia being it was one of the Home Town remodel show locations.

Stopped for a quick bite. We grabbed veggie tacos that were really good, I also got a Vanilla iced latte, 1 black coffee to go. Food was hot, fresh, and yummy. Definitely want to come back to try their Beef Stroganoff and a few other items. read more

I loved this place. So glad we were able to go... Although we reviewed the hours at first attempt it was closed and I was concerned we wouldn't get to go. We finally were able to get there for dinner. We shared the red fish dinner, the deviled egg appetizer, and the peach cobbler. I love the red fish it came with mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley unlike any I've ever had- maybe it was sweet potatoes, rutabaga and other root vegetables-Probably grilled and spiced perfectly. I love the spices on the redfish although my husband said it was a bit salty for him. The mashed potatoes were excellent as well. The cobbler was amazing served in a cast iron skillet. Gina was a wonderful server and we loved the atmosphere. I will definitely go back if I'm in the area again. read more

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The best part about the Bird Dog Cafe is... the Bird Dog Cafe. We went in close to closing time and the folks there acted like it was the middle of their shift. They were so accommodating and didn't care that we could keep them past closing time. We did our best not to take advantage of their kindness, so we tried to order simple and easy dishes. The food was good, the service was great and the atmosphere was as warm and inviting as your favorite aunt's house. Laurel, MS is such a cool little town and there is a lot to check out, so why not pop in and see the nice staff of the Bird Dog Cafe for some true Southern hospitality and some delicious food. read more

I have not had such delicious meatballs in years. The sauce is full of flavor and the pasta perfect. Wonderful treat! read more

Bird Dog Cafe - This is the Stacci Family Meatball Skillet. - Cafes Near Me - Laurel, Mississippi

Bird Dog was the highlight of our trip to Laurel. We enjoyed our time in Laurel but Bird Dog was fun and relaxing, and the scones were fantastic. The blueberry scone was terrific. My husband loves his blue whale. He was so excited to grab it. And someone was even offering free baby kittens to good homes. read more

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Food was mediocre but the staff and owner did not display any of the Southern hospitality Laurel, MS is known for. I absolutely hate writing this, but I would hate for anyone to visit this place for lunch and feel it is representative of the town. I hope they change so they can be successful, but for now, closing down is inevitable. read more

Menu was limited. Ordered the croque monsieur sandwich with the side salad. We were not offered a selection of dressings for the salad. The sandwich barely had one slice of ham, the top had shredded parmesan cheese, not melted. The BeChamel sauce was a cold blob in a small dish. Not a sauce at all. Waitress never smiled and did not check back with us. Poor food. Poor service. read more

Food was okay, but service supper slow. They carried them selfs with a little arrogance not focus on the customers needs

Y'all need a restaurant consultant to help with the basics of restaurant service. Timing on being seated , horrible, food took forever, portion size not up to standards. Please please hire a consultant read more

Bird Dog wasn't what we expected. Most of the places in Laurel are friendly and very hospitable. The staff at BD were indifferent at best. We walk in and the lead staff just points at a table and said you can have that one. No friendly greeting or warm exchange. The food was average at best. Caesar chicken wrap had chewy chicken and so did my wife's Chef Elliot salad. We expected much better. It felt like a restaurant that has experienced great success and then the ownership/leadership lost interest. There are much better places to dine in Laurel so I recommend go enjoy them instead. If it wasn't for the decor and location, we would give it one star. read more

I've been an avid supporter since the opening. Great food and great coffee. Never had an issue until today. I got a salmon wrap and wanted to add bacon. It ended up not having bacon or tomatoes on it, and I was a little disappointed for sure. I asked the waitress to just take it off the bill. I had only eaten half of the wrap at this point and they were really busy, so I didn't want to wait after waiting a while already. Well we got the bill, and our waitress said the manager wasn't going to take it off because we should have said something sooner so they could fix it. That's the thing, I didn't want it fixed at this point. When did customers lose that option? I've never been treated in such a way at a restaurant. Customer satisfaction is always something you have to think about and they really blew that today. I hardly write reviews, but I felt this needed attention. Sincerely, The angry customer who can take her money elsewhere read more

Review for coffee only as we didn't dine. My latte was very good. They had a few flavor syrups to choose from, I selected lavender, always slightly disappointed when there are no sugar free selections. All staff was friendly and kind. Cute, cozy place with lots of seating options including a back porch when they have enough staff to cover that area. So glad we stopped in. When I went to Yelp to write my review I saw the hours were wrong, said they were closed on the day we went, so double check for yourselves. read more

Stopped in for dinner. Not overly busy, got seated right away. Got 1/2 glass tepid water, no ice. Hmmm. I ordered the chicken pot pie and Hubby ordered the crawfish Mac and cheese. Not a terrible wait, had a chance to admire the interior work done by Ben and Erin Napier of HGTV Hometown show. Our meal came, waitress asked if I'd like more water, I said yes. We were warned not to touch the skillet that our food was in, it was Very HOT. The menu said my pot pie would have a biscuit topping, I got croutons. I stirred them into the bubbling gravy, hoping to soften them. Hubby's Mac and cheese was bubbling hot too. We were working on our meal, and another waitress brought our salads over, mixed field greens, 2-3 cherry tomatoes w a vinaigrette. Hubs said we could work on these and let our entree cook. Good plan. I kept stirring my hard as a rock croutons into the gravy between skid bites. Something was off on the chicken pot pie, too much oregano I think, too much of a savory spice that should not have been there. Really it was awful. I hate saying that, but it was not good. Tiny pieces of chicken, teeny tiny. The whole thing was approx 1 cup of pot pie filling w croutons. $22 Hubby ate his Mac and cheese, but he wasn't a fan. I never got my water refilled. Honestly, thank goodness for the salad, the very tart vinaigrette dressing helped us both get thru the entrees. . read more

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For a place that appeared to have more than ten employees the service was remarkably slow, not only to be seated but the food and even a cup of coffee. One person is "allowed to make coffee". This is written 30 minutes after getting here with no food yet. As I look around I see most employees standing idle. I am puzzled and very displeased especially when I read the history the owners have in the business. I am embarrassed for this place. Finally got the grit bowl. Not worth the wait. read more

I read the reviews and was hesitate after visiting I'm shocked this restaurant is well worth a visit. Kind staff, good food, clean. Obviously I'm a Hometown fan but far surpassed my expectations. Maybe during peak season it's a different experience but mine was perfect. read more

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The restaurant is well known from the HGTV show Hometown. The restaurant is working hard to make a name (on their own) for themselves. We visited twice. Once for just coffee and once for a late lunch/snack. The coffee visit was fine. I thought the delivery of the coffee was slow but accepted it because they were serving meals to others. The second visit was painfully slow. We were sat first in the room but received our simple snack plate well after every (and I mean every) other table. We tried the pea hummus and snack plate. The hummus was very tasty. I think the portion was too big for the amount of crackers served. They ran out of toasted bread/croutons, so they served us crackers from a box. They were old, stall and did not complement the dish at all. The snack plate was another disappointment. Very small, simple ingredients and (my opinion) over priced. The plate had a few small pieces of sliced meat, a handful of small cubes of cheese and peanuts. Coming from CA, this plate would not hold on it own. We had a bottle of wine. It was a good brand and the price is what I'd expect to pay in a boutique restaurant. The service team looked like they were trying hard to handle the crowd and pace of visitors. The restaurant is clean and the flow seemed ok. Based on our experience, we probably won't visit again. We wish the Bell brothers success and hope our experience was unique and others will have a better experience. The restaurant itself is as cute as the show has portrayed. The patio looks comfortable but it was too hot to sit outside. Sorry, I rarely put out a poor review but hope this helps the restaurant better deal with their growth. read more

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