The food and service was excellent!!!! We started off with Fried polenta and shishito peppers then the salad. All of it was amazing. The pasta, snapper and the the minute steak were all cooked to perfection! Will definitely come back when in town read more

I have a hard time believing anyone would give Birdie's anything less than 5 stars. Much lauded by many a professional reviewer, Birdie's captures on an East Coast trend towards high quality ingredients in simpler dishes where flavor really pops. Nothing here is stupid expensive yet there are dishes here that are better than anything else I've had in Austin. For example, they are able to elevate dishes like a tomato-based pork cavatelli via sourcing and matching flavors perfectly. I've had incredibly beautiful presentations of veggies and top quality seafood here, but I really think the pastas shine. Pro tip (stolen from my friend): Combine the two desserts and enjoy yourself an interesting rendition of cookies and ice cream. This place is perfectly casual yet provides absolutely outstanding food. If you aren't in the mood for excellent BBQ or a super high end dinner, Birdie's is the perfect in-between spot for a fantastic meal. read more

This should be a five star review, but I am a beer guy and there was none, zero, zilch, offerings of local Austin beers. No Live Oak, No ABG, No Zilker, No Jester King...respect your city's beer! You got great wine and great food, I get it but I ended up drinking water with my meal. Other than the lack of a local beer selection, it was a five start meal! read more

When great people make great food, and so obviously care about both what you eat and how it is conveyed to you, with one of the finest wine lists in Texas, why aren't you here now? read more

I recently attended this East side eatery for a friend's birthday. There was a prefix menu only available so that immediately limits what you are able to choose from. However the appetizers and desserts were up for choices. There were a couple things in the middle that you could customize but overall predetermined. This place has turned to counter service post pandemic which isn't an issue at all, the food runners are very accommodating and friendly. Should you want anything else to drink you just order with the QR code on the app or website. The main issue here is that every other dish was good and the ones that weren't fell super flat. Particularly the dessert none of them had any major things to write home about. The truffle fries with their truffle aioli was certainly the greatest thing they delivered second was the beef bourguignon. The potatoes on that dish were heavenly. The space is very small and cozy, parking is awful so be very cognizant of how many people are in your party. This was a decent place not something that I think I would go back to willingly but not something that I hated drastically. read more

UNREASONABLY PRICED unless you don't have a budget or are a very successful drug dealer. TINI PORTIONS, it's all self serve, and the quality is 50-50 at best, half of your dishes taste good and the other half taste like wonder bread if you removed all the sugar. For the unreasonable price that one will pay to dine on their MINI TABLES, you are 4X better off (literally in terms of total cost) going to one of the hundreds of high-quality reasonably priced restaurants in Austin. Either the restaurant operator is six years ahead on the inflation curve and is a genius, OR the restaurant egregiously over paid for their rental lease, we one time customers are all schmucks for not going somewhere else that is high quality + reasonably priced. read more

Great management but to wait and stand around I have a different idea of what I call a evening out. Very expensive small menu not worth the wait n expense for me. The quality is over the top delectable n healthy and worthy of the price point's. I wouldn't suggest visiting on a busy night you will stand in line 30/45 minute's. If there was a better wait system that would be worth it. read more

Got to agree fully with fellow customer Rosie B. and others. Prices too high and portions too small, although the food was fresh and mostly well prepared. For the price ($150 for two), the patio seating was very uncomfortable with metal tables that left hole indentations on your arms and backless benches that shifted a bit. The environment was nothing special and the white rodent bait station on the floor as you left the interior room for the patio could had been placed out of sight instead of right in your face. Sloppy. Staff were nice (such as fellow with NY Yankees cap) but overall the price point is not appropriate. Seafood dish was very good. Pasta although flavorful was drenched in too much sauce. Wanted to like Birdie's more, but... read more

Birdie's - Whole experience not up to price point including patio seating and rodent bait station by door to patio. - French Near Me - Austin, Texas

Music was great (soulful strut, velvet underground, guns of Brixton, etc) and food was even better. Had the best Squash soup of my life; zucchini with ricotta was amazing and the homemade pasta with bolognese was superb. Am excited to go back again soon. read more

This is a great restaurant with delicious food and wonderful wine choices. However, I left hungry...:( My daughter and I got 4 dishes which included an entree but it wasn't enough. We got a few vegetable sides which cost about $15 each and the little bowls were about 3" wide. They were delicious but only had a few bites. I guess I don't understand why the "buzzier" the restaurant is, the smaller the portions...? I know that the restaurant business is difficult, but I wonder if there is another model that provides enough food and still maintains excellent quality (that this restaurant clearly has). read more

3 glasses of Wine. Good. But crazy expensive. Apps. We had zucchini and the bread. Good bread and cheese. Zucchini wasn't great. Next. Vegetable soup and beet salad. Both very good. Next pasta w pork ragu. Good Next minute steak. Not good at all. Fatty. Next. Dessert. Chocolate cake and ice cream. Both good. 2 people $300 plus later....my husband is still hungry We knew crazy pricing going in. We came once before. Said not again. Decided to try one more time. Not again. Sorry birdies. Like what you are trying to do. But can't mentally get into it. So go for the hype. For fun. But much better food in Austin for much less. read more

Great food and extensive wine list. It's casual and has a really nice patio in the back. I only wish the daily menu had even more options to choose from, as the food is absolutely amazing! read more

Lured in by Instagram, left with empty expectations. Nice and quaint restaurant, very minimalistic style. The food was decent but I was not blown away for the price. Good selection of wine but again, not blown away for the price. read more

Birdie's - Beef Tartar - French Near Me - Austin, Texas

This place has potential but right now, it's not enough for me to go back and definitely not worth the wait in line. Atmosphere/esthetic The decor and atmosphere are meh other than an amateur photo of Nice, the walls are bare and basic. Outside is even worse. it's a little too bland, a little too loud. Food Menu is ultra small designed for the very small kitchen. A lot of dishes are cold and preprepared. Only 4 hot dishes. Ordered 7 items to share between two people; 1 wasn't great (skip the panise) , 4 were ok, 2 were excellent. Pasta was tasty but a little overcooked, cheap pine nuts are huge no no (google pine nut syndrome). The wine was just ok. Food is marketed for sharing, but portion sizes are ridiculously small. Increase prices by a few dollars but please serve a portion of fish that's truly sized to share and presplit pasta dishes! Value On the pricy side and given meh dining environment, ok food, tiny portions, it's not high on the value scale and not somewhere I'm going to run back to. read more

Low key obsessed with everything Birdies has to offer. Its a cute little spot which is walk in only. Arrive early and you typically wont wait long - but if you do, they serve you drinks whilst you wait on line so I mean who can really complain. I have only ever sat outside which is actually quite a bit bigger than the inside. There are fans as well for those worried about the Texas heat! I havent eaten anything I didn't like at Birdies. The menu changes often which is fun! However I have been told that something that has not left the menu is the beef tartare and i can see why. It is honestly unlike any other beef tartare I have ever tried and its delicious! Their pasta dishes are always superb and for Dessert, the soft serve ice cream and cookie are a little match made in heaven - get them both, scoop that ice cream on the warm cookie and enjoy. 100/10 would reccomend Birdies. read more

Food was amazing! The bean soup was creamy and balanced and the olives marinated well without overpowering. The service made it exceptional. Casandra our waitress was warm and inviting and made us feel like we were eating at a friend's home. The only suggestion of change would be to add some parm to the chicory salad and use an alternative to wooden spoons for soft serve (you could taste the spoon)! read more

Pretentious, poorly run restaurant with decent and interesting food and wine. I've been multiple times now and I'm shocked by how little has improved in terms of diner experience and expediting of food orders from kitchen to table. Expect a 30-45 min wait JUST TO ORDER at the counter, then another 1 1/2-2 hours for all of your food to arrive. Not to mention the rude, defensive owner who makes guests (and neighbors) feel like they should be grateful to be graced by this restaurant. Kudos for the cute decor, unique menu and patio dining. Its hard to find decent Italian food in Austin so that's why I'm so frustrated that the experience is consistently poor here. The owner also eventually gave us a free ice cream to make amends for our troubles, so thanks for that gesture. read more

Cute place with lovely spacious and shaded patio dining area. All the dishes we tried were delicious. Some of the dishes We got and really loved are beef tartare, minute steak and pesto pasta. Also love their soft serve ice cream! They have a very small parking lot, we were easy to find a street parking nearby on sat evening. So no parking issue. They don't take reservations, and can only order and sit when all parties arrived. would like to go back again soon. read more

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There are multitudinous wrongs in this world and I can't contribute to righting all of them. But I can come out of accidental Yelp retirement to weigh in on this travesty. Birdie's somehow completely mangles the diner's experience in a way that's almost comical. For the uninitiated, Birdie's has landed itself local and national accolades. See: NYT top 50 restaurants in the US. I find this absolutely bewildering. It's an order-at-the-counter $$$ restaurant that has a smug "you're welcome" attitude that just won't quit. It's also a "light woods and modern eats" spot on east 12th which adds fuel to my fire. If you're going to plop down in this neighborhood, at least have the chops to be really great. Things to know before (and if) you go: There will be a line (blergh but fine) and you can drink in said line. However, don't you dare try to order at the "ordering counter?!." You'll be impatiently rebuffed. Instead, stand idly until someone deigns to bring a wine list. The list is lengthy and double-sided. Which becomes problematic if you want to read the other side as it requires you to unclip the pages and fumble around with them while the server stares on. Heaven help you if it's windy. After that fiasco is behind you, definitely look at at the online menu. *They* don't tell you that but I am telling you that. It's a downloadable PDF (of course it is). This is important because once you're granted leave to enter, you're expected to crowd around a single tiny-print menu and make food decisions while people stare holes into your back. This process is made especially cumbersome because there's music blasting. So you'll have to squint in the dim light deciding between broccoli toast and chickpea fritters before yelling your order through your mask at the person in front of you. If you want more wine and dessert, that's ordered at the table. Why? No one knows. Can you order more food from your table? Unclear. Expect a three-part ordering process: Line Wine, Food-Counter, Dessert-Table. Classic and logical. Escape the cacophony (mostly) by choosing to eat outside. Delights await in the form of a teeny step-stool looking bench-chair that could have been hacked together by someone with 6 nails and some plywood. If I may advise, don't bring a purse. There are no hooks. That means the only options are 1. clutch it in your lap or 2. put it on the ground. But as we've established, this isn't a place that has put a single thought into the actual diner part so it's expected at this point. The dishes show up as they're ready. Ours were, in order, salty shishitos, salty broccoli toast, salty salad and the piece de resistance, the salty scallops. When we ordered them, the counter person yelled "you're SO lucky! You got the last order!" But were we? Here's where we enter into the realm of hilarity. If you opt into the $18 scallops, you'll be presented with what appears to be four scallops. BUT HAHAHAHA YOU'RE WRONG! You are gifted TWO TOTAL scallops which they've cut in half to look like four. Like, I'm already meh about $18 for four scallops but for someone to pull a fast one with a half-scallop is beyond the pale. I may never get over it. Oh right - I should warn you about the final f you. If you go to the bathroom, look around. Once again, there is no place to hang anything. So again, if you have a purse (or a jacket) you suffer the second indignity of lap purse/jacket/whatever while you pee. It's markedly worse, of course, because the bathroom floor is obviously even less appealing than outside ground. The wallpaper is cool though. Between the standing in line, the self-aggrandizing atmosphere, the ridiculous ordering system, teetering on a bench/toilet whilst grasping at your belongings, and the $150+ for your lackluster food, this is a restaurant experience that will linger forever in your memory. But not a misty-water colored beautiful memory full of warm happy tummy feelings. More a memory akin to a salty half-scallop bait-and-switch and that feeling you get when someone says "I'm not mad. I'm just disappointed." read more

I am so confused how Birdies doesn't have a 5 star rating....... Literally from all these yelp trolls. Absurd. Birdies is one of the best restaurants in Austin. Their dishes are creative, delicious, and use phenomenal quality ingredients. I highly suggest you sit at the bar so you can watch the chef do her magic. She (and the entire kitchen staff) take such pride in everything that comes out of the kitchen. They recognize their regulars, which is a plus as a cute neighborhood restaurant and sometimes even treat you to their tasty ice cream. I literally check their menu everyday to see what is new and every single dish I have had at this place is worth the price (which is reasonable for how much work they put into their food and the quality ingredients). And don't get me started on the natural wine selection. Just PHENOMENAL. Still confused about why they don't have 5+ stars, this restaurant would thrive in every big city with the most competitive restaurants. I guess just don't go here if you don't understand quality food... Also don't take your misery out on yelp (looking at you Bill K) read more

Birdie's - One of their incredible pasta dishes - French Near Me - Austin, Texas

Easily one of my favorite restaurants in Austin! Great food and most things can be made vegetarian if you request it. I love the service and experience. Fine dining with a casual vibe. I only wish they had the olive oil cake more often! read more

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I was excited to go after all the hype. Not my idea of a restaurant . They are in the business of selling wine. Extensive wine list, only few selections of food, small portions and very expensive. Never again. And, lots of dogs in back outside seating area. read more

The portions are ridiculously small, which you may expect at a place like this. However the food was not even good. My pasta tasted like it had a whole stick of butter in it and my $14 side of braised leeks (was actually Just half of ONE leek) was doused in a cream sauce that tasted much too similar to mayo. The chickpea fries were fine, but that's simple and hard to mess up. I am only drinking water at the moment for health reasons, and that seemed disappointing to everyone. The line to order takes 30 min, and then it's another 60 min at least to receive your food. I've worked in several well-managed fine dining restaurants, and the hustle and urgency required to run a good kitchen did not seem to be there. The people working were friendly enough though and the patio was well landscaped. I just didn't like the food or the overall experience. read more

Always wanted to try birdies and just happened to be in the area one night. I really like how they don't do reservations and it's more of a first come first serve type of place and the line on a Saturday evening moved pretty fast. You order at the counter and find your seat. There's a very small inside and a back patio. Aesthetic? It was cute! Airy decor, lots of neutrals and whites Service? The person monitoring the line was cheerful and fun to chat with while waiting. The servers were attentive and the food came out quickly. If you want more food than you ordered at the front, there's a QR code you can scan at your table and pay on. Food? I got the sweet potatoes (amazing! I can't wait to go back and get these. Loved the sweet and savory and the texture with the celery) spaghetti (thicc noodles, which is how I like my spaghetti noodles if I get them at a restaurant vs making it at home. The sauce was light and flavorful. Probably didn't need this and the sweet potatoes but here we are) orange wine (paired super well with the pasta) and the soft serve gelato with the lemon olive oil. ( this one the servers surprised me with which was a sweet surprise, you definitely get a good amount, enough for 2 people to share. The olive oil gave the vanilla gelato a nice flavor.) Overall it was nice that I left here not feeling super heavy, everything was very pleasant. read more

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This rating is only reflective of the food. The service is excellent, the space is great, and the wine list is impressive. Come here to have a glass or bottle, but the overly priced, sadly mediocre food isn't worth it. We came with high hopes for an celebratory meal but we found the food pretty disappointing. We tried the beef tartare, pasta plate, and both desserts. Both the beef tartare and pasta were probably the worst renditions I've ever had in Austin. The tartare was composed of a microscopic amount of tartare and was mostly grains. The pasta itself had nice consistency, but the tomato sauce was very disappointing and tasted like something you'd get from the grocery store. For the prices and restaurant pedigree of the owners, I wish they had brought more quality with them from New York, rather than just the pricing. read more

We ordered 4 dishes, panisse (chickpea fritter-snack), two of their small plate pastas cavatelli and linguini, and their steak as their main entree dish. The food was mediocre to say the least. Panisse was dry and needed a sauce to compliment it. The cavatelli pasta was super zesty and the sauce that came with it was super thick. Almost like a roux like consistency. The linguini pasta felt like i was eating a tbsp of salt paired with every bite. To top it off, the steak was avg and simply paired with a peppercorn sauce. You're better off going elsewhere. read more

Some of the best food I've had in Austin. Really out of this world. The beef tartare was flavorful and delicate. The golden tilefish equally sumptuous. My favorite, however, was the pasta dish my husband got. The wait staff are like ninjas - the moment we were done with a dish, the next would arrive. I left full, satisfied, and eager to return. I agree that the system of ordering at the counter is less than ideal-- but I want to emphasize again that it's worth it for the food experience. Maybe they could train those working at the front counter to just be a bit more efficient, so that the standing and waiting in line time isn't quite so long. Still, I support this place and am already planning to take my sister here for her birthday when she comes to visit. read more

This is a great neighborhood spot. Since their doors have opened I keep coming back. Love their friendly service, music, wine, food, ambiance. Everything about this place feels good, like home. Recently went to the Italian pop up and loved every dish we tried. read more

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Don't go only when you're hungry. You should go an hour before you're hungry because it's going to take a while to get in (at least on a Saturday night). No complaints tho! I had a lot of fun catching up with my friend and they also served us drinks while we were in line. My friend and I got the beef tartare, deviled eggs, shrimp entree, the steak entree, and the soft serve for dessert! read more

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A very different type of restaurant experience, in a (mostly) good way! It's counter-service only, so you wait in line to order the food and then seat yourself. Sounds fairly standard, however the restaurant is very popular for how small it is, so plan to wait upwards of an 45-60 min if the line is out the door. Was confusing about how to order or where the line started/ended. The counter person goes over the entire menu like a waiter at a high-end restaurant normally would, so that also takes considerable time; especially for large parties. Even if you've ordered, don't expect to find a seat immediately. They have a back patio with more tables and a lounging area out there where you can wait for a table. The food is portioned out, which makes it easy but it comes out fairly slow and you don't have a specific waiter/waitress. Thus you're sort of at their mercy for change-orders, special requests, condiments, etc. The food itself is FANTASTIC! Each plate is high-quality and well plated. Almost feels white tablecloth, but in a very casual/trendy setting. Would definitely recommend the pastas and fish. Many of the small plates were also excellent. We love the mushroom and cheese on the bread. You can order additional items via a QR code at the table, which brings you to a website to pair a credit card. Straightforward enough. Overall the experience was positive and I do look forward to going back! My only major complaints were: 1. Do not expect to get in and out of here. This is not a dinner you want to try and do if you have somewhere to be afterwards. It's a relaxed and slow experience. Very laissez-faire, if you will. 2. Ordering system is kind of odd/inefficient/confusing. At the very least, please put a sign on the door that says "Respect the line, counter-service only." We saw a lot of line cutting (both accidental and intentional). 3. Obviously this won't apply all the time, but there was a homeless man that showed up while we were in line and began hassling us and the other customers for money. Tried to trade us peanuts for spare change, unloading his gear in line, removing his jackets and other clothing items. He also tried to buy drugs from a shady looking vehicle that approached the front of the restaurant. It was certainly a bit startling at times and put us in an odd and uncomfortable position. I know everyone has a different "political stance" on how homelessness should be addressed and what a business should/shouldn't do to in these types of scenarios. The staff at Birdies seemed to enable/encourage his panhandling and erratic behavior by offering him food and alcoholic beverages in front of everyone waiting in line. If you want to do that, I think that's totally your call and okay for a business to do. However, I think they should've asked him to go meet them behind the restaurant or elsewhere on the property. Providing him special treatment in front of everyone not only sends a confusing message to your customers, but is only going to entice him to return more frequently and potentially tell others. It's encouraging (what I would consider) a negative behavior. Again I take no issue with a restaurant feeding/helping the homeless. I just think "time and place" are an important factor and they could've done this elsewhere on the property. Just my 2 cents. End rant. Overall we loved Birdies and would definitely recommend! read more

waiting out line then taking 5 mins to stand there and order is not more efficient or better in anyway. $10 for a cookie. wasn't that good. Food took long time too. Food quality was good though. Rest needs to be improved. read more

Excellent food! The ordering system works like this. Wait in line outside and look at menu. Waitress will come and take drink orders while in line (close tab for drinks) then order at counter once inside for all bit drinks and dessert. Then find a table inside or out and food is brought as each dish is ready. You can order dessert or more drinks from qr code at tables. The charred okra was nice and the dipping sauce was excellent. The panisse was crispy and hot yet creamy inside with excellent Pecorino and pepper to accompany. The fried zucchini flower was very delicate yet perfectly fried. Tuna tartare (special with anchovie sauce) was bright and nicely salty. Same with the beef tartare which had crunch, softness, citrus and well balanced flavors plus a flat bread like pane carasau native to Sardinia but not as thin. The bottarga in the cavatelli and many other dishes lean toward southern Italy. The squash salad was the weakest dish but the arugula and dill found in another dish were off the charts with flavor. Not sure where they source their produce but it is special and ain't HEB! The shrimp were again like those I had recently in Sardinia, plump and slightly undercooked/raw inside with delectable sauce. Another small complaint is the outdoor seating have small benches without backs which are a little uncomfortable after a while. Can't wait to see what other dishes evolve from the chefs/owners of Birdies! read more

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The quality in the ingredients used is definitely there. They know how exactly to use what they have and create a masterful culinary experience. Your tastebuds will thank you. Go for the Caesar salad and steak tartar. Combine them and be amazed. The pasta is made noticeably al dente which you will greatly appreciate. Top it off with a sicilian cookie and savor the subtle crunch. A bit priced but the pallet experience is worthy. Probably cant be a regular just because of the price point but I would return as long as It can be afforded. read more

So excited about this new spot! Heard from Eater about the soft opening this past week, so we (and many other excited foodies) showed up for the official opening on Friday, and so glad we did! We sat at the bar so we could get a view of the kitchen, and we were very impressed at how streamlined they were despite being super busy and on their first official dinner service. We started with the squash blossoms- stuffed with anchovy and ricotta and deep fried to perfection. Haven't had squash blossoms in the States (ever?), and in Italy haven't enjoyed them with the addition of a salty anchovy, but I can confidently say it was a delicious add. The starter came with 3, and my only minor qualm is that 4 might be safer for a couple to split (though I'm pretty sure I took the bigger first bite of our splitsy #3). We then shared three plates, the sweet peppers with field peas and eggplant, beef tartare with couscous, and cavatelli with roasted sungold tomatoes. The bean dish was awesome! Slight heat, sweet peppers, and perfectly done peas- yes to all those things. I'm big on the legumes, so seeing them cooked perfectly with enough texture to stand up to softer peppers and eggplant feels cozy- and they were. The tartare was also delicious! The couscous provided a really nice texture but didn't take away from the flavor of the beef. There was also a nice dollop of some sort of fat (butter? mayo? based) that rounded out the cracker bite really well. Then there was the cavatelli... wow! What I thought was a sleeper pick turned out to be a great end to the meal that we both wanted more of. The sauce was light but bright, rounded out with a slight bit of heat. As for the restaurant, it is what they say- a casual yet elevated neighborhood restaurant, where you order at the counter and sit inside or out on the patio, with waiter service. Considering how well the team stood up to a busy opening night, I can't wait to see them evolve. read more

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Tucked away in a residential area, Birdie is easy to drive past. Good thing we turned around. Birdies is worth the tenacity it takes to find it. Three of us shared ten plates...nearly everything on the menu, and each was perfectly prepared and presented. If you're in Austin, this is a great place for dinner! read more

I was excited to try Birdie's with a congenial atmosphere, it came highly recommended. I would give it 2 stars sadly because for the price, the portions and the quality, it was overrated. The wine was delightful but very pricey and warm....the gnocchi was more like macaroni and cheese than imagined and the fish was overcooked. The staff was lovely and it was a fun vibe but it was a try it once only experience. Way overpriced as well. read more

Hands down one of rye best meals I've ever had. The food here is definitely worth the hype. It's a must try for any foodie. Sure the cafeteria style up-front ordering is not typical of restaurants charging this price point, but I think you can easily find this quality of food at a full-service restaurant that charges twice as much. Once you are seated after ordering, service is top notch. Really great spot overall. read more

Came for the Korean Homecoming event and I can confidently say it was one of the best and most hospitable meals I've had in Austin. The japchae, multiple kimchi offerings, the bulgogi special, and bossam were absolutely unrivaled. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and wonderful to talk with. Stellar experience - can't wait to return when the event ends. read more

This was one of my favorite meals I've had in Austin. I can't say enough great things about it. Every dish was delicious, but you truly cannot miss the ice cream and cookie! The staff is so friendly and offers great suggestions. Looking forward to taking my dad here when he comes into town. read more

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Went for the first time today and it was great! Suze took our order and I have a severe food allergy and she made sure everything was good/safe for me to eat. Service overall was amazing as well as the food. Excited to go back! read more