My wife said, as she returned to the car with the takeout, that Birdsong was not crowded. To stay by the side of our elderly dog, we are foregoing the experience of dining out, more and more. After we finished eating, she remarked we needed to visit the restaurant sometime. We'll have to look for an opportunity when we are around the dog all day, so she can be on her own for a couple of hours, likely sleeping. Birdsong already is acclaimed. This is much more Thai and Thai American. Like Chinese or Italian cuisine before it, Thai flavors have assimilated to a palate not accustomed to the true strength of the spices. Birdsong is a remedy. They do not offer the pad thai that has become a staple, no longer exotic but to its detriment. (A digression. The history of pad thai, with contested origins, is fascinating. As you delve into these matters, you see how syncretic culture is. You also are exposed to the efforts to fashion a unifying mythology.) We ordered the chicken, the shrimp, the crab fried rice, the papaya salad, and the enhancement. The chicken and the shrimp were quality ingredients, prepared well. Although both proteins were fried, they felt clean. The crab fried rice was one option of many with the rice base. The papaya salad was fresh. The enhancement was radish with "fermented daikon, garlic, red onion, cilantro, palm sugar, and fish sauce scrambled with eggs for a balanced savory and sweet flavor," and the portion was generous: we put it on the rice, then I finished it off in an omelet the next morning. We have traveled to Bangkok. Thai spiciness exceeds what I would endorse, and I love hot dishes. Birdsong was much milder, though with sufficient pepperiness my wife, who does not share my preferences, remarked it was closer to her limit. They will work with you in this respect, and I'm confident I could request something that would test my capabilities. That is, in my book, all positive. The dishes that were mild according to the menu, were mild, but they were flavorful. If you do not like fish sauce, for example, you may not appreciate the offerings, which if they don't have fish sauce have something along those lines. I hope Birdsong fares well. read more

We were looking forward to eating at Birdsong, which has gotten great reviews. A few friends said that they went and loved it. But we thought only one of the four dishes we ordered was especially good, I wouldn't order the other three again. The Basil Shrimp - described as "Battered and golden fried" seemed more like tempura. I wouldn't have ordered if I knew. The Tom Yum soup was good, but very pricey at $25. For comparison, a similarly sized, likely an even larger entree Tom Yum soup at Bambu is $14. It had lots of noodles. We were sharing, and asked our server for recommendations- she suggested a second dish with the same noodles. Usually a server points out if diners are ordering two dishes with the same base ingredient (noodles) but our server actually suggested the second one. Seriously? And unfortunately, it was underwhelming, just blah. We left most of it. We got the chocolate crème brûlée, the presentation was very nice, with gilded peanuts on top. The taste was just so so, sweet but not much chocolate flavor. We liked the decor and the atmosphere was nice. We loved the bird mural. Service was mixed. Our server was friendly, but could have been more helpful. First, the recommendation for a second dish with the same noodles was not a good one. We asked if we could share everything, including the soup. We specifically asked if they could put it into bowls for us. They brought two bowls, but we had to wait a while for a spoon to divide it ourselves at the table. She ended up bringing us one of those small soup spoons that you often use for soup at Chinese restaurants. It was around the same size as a regular soup spoon. Apparently they didn't have anything that is more like a ladle, and it was not very useful for portioning out the soup. We thought we'd love this restaurant, but it was a miss for us tonight. Not only that, and this is on us, the only dish with any real nutrition or healthy ingredients was the soup. For one "small plate" appetizer, two entrées and one dessert, the total was just under $100. read more

Birdsong - Check came to just under $100 for one small appetizer, two entrées and one dessert. - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Contrary to the many great reviews on Yelp- we did not have good eating experience here. If you are looking for authentic Thai- traditional or modern - this is not the place. Having been to Thailand many times as well, we are very familiar with Thai cuisine. There are much better Thai places in Rockville, North Bethesda, Wheaton and Arlington. Nothing we ordered met our expectations , and we had plenty: appetizers: oysters ( tiny oysters), chives rice cakes and batter fried prawns. Entrees:Atthuyataya chicken noodle soup with chicken ( the shredded chicken was not fresh. Tasted like old leftover chicken), Ba me- egg noodle with roasted chicken ( the garlic was not fried but raw) , roasted red curry cabbage ( huge cumbersome pieces of cabbages leaves that did not taste curry like at all). The other entree was stirfry veggies which was the only acceptable entree. We also had beers, cocktails and non alcoholic drinks. Both service and ambience were ok- not exceptional. If you want a neighborhood place to have drinks this may be it. But for Thai food- go elsewhere..,,. read more

Unbelievably delicious!!! Great vibes. Best Thai food outside of Thailand. So flavorful. Can't wait to come back.

We recently visited Thailand where we had great food. Birdsong matches some of Thailand's best dishes bite for bite. We had khao soi, a dish with coconut milk and curry. The chicken was tender, and trimmed free from fat and gristle. Noodles , mustard greens, lime, and chilies round out the dish. The heat is there, but not overwhelming. Our other dish was massaman curry. The beef was melt in your mouth tender, with potatoes, onions, and peanuts to round out the. Again, just the right amount of heat. Finally, thai tea choux craquelin made a nice dessert closer. The cream puff dough adds texture, and the thai tea cream filling gives closing flavors without sugar. And it is so pretty to look at that you almost hesitate to take that first bite. read more

See all

Birdsong is a new Thai spot in Chevy Chase, on a stretch that could sorely use a top notch dining experience, and based on my first visit, they nailed it. They are still in their "opening phase," which means a limited menu, but it just makes me more excited to see what they have in store down the line. To start, I have to compliment the space. They have a very inviting patio out front that looks like it is going to be so nice during the summer. They gave it a really fun and bright paint job. The interior is warm and welcoming with tons of wood and a standout multi-color mural on the wall. Nicely done all around. We sampled a couple cocktails to get things going, and they really impressed. These are as good as what you'll find at more cocktail focused bars, possibly the best mixed cocktails in this part of town. The uncle boonmee is an old fashioned variation with peanut and banana notes. With these flavors, it easily could have been overpowering or overly sweet, but it isn't - it is all balanced so perfectly, I loved it. My wife had the ha-ha-ha, a highball with pineapple infused mezcal and a coconut foam. If you want a refreshing sipper, this one is perfect. Lots of zero-proof cocktails, too, if that's your thing. The food hits the spot, too. I appreciate that they serve dishes that you are not going to find at every Thai restaurant in town. The tom yum shrimp dumplings were a perfect start, very fresh. The basil shrimp appetizer looked too good to pass up, too, so we ordered that one. You get large, perfectly battered, tasty bites of shrimp. The clear champ of this meal, though, was the khao soi, a coconut milk curry with egg noodles and fried chicken (you can get it with veggies or shrimp instead if you prefer). I was spooning up the sauce at the end I enjoyed it so much. It had just a hint of spice and great flavor. I will definitely be getting it again. We didn't save room for dessert, but it looked like most tables did. The table next to us was raving to their server about the chocolate donut holes. They did look good. I can't wait to go back and highly recommend trying them. read more

Birdsong - Great decor in the dining room. - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We had dinner tonight at Birdsong, Friendship Heights, DC. There was absolutely no vibe to this restaurant at all. The food was very average Thai, nothing special. We sat at the bar and were subjected to the conversation of the bar tender and two workers during our entire meal, which was quite annoying. I would not recommend this restaurant, except for take-out if there was nothing better available. We found the experience to be utterly disappointing. read more

White curry is so delicious and my favorite. Fried Egg salad is an add on. You may try!! Both are not too spicy. read more

Birdsong - White curry is my favorite and always delicious. - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

delicious thai, interesting menu. tried the shrimp tom yum dumplings which were delicious with a ton of flavor from the tom yum sauce. then the khao soi - one of the better versions in dc, and love that it comes standard with fried chicken. will be back to try more of their offerings read more

I consider myself a Thai food expert and this place is one of the top 3 Thai restaurants in the DMV. It's an authentic, modern Thai menu. I ordered the duck confit...it was SPECIAL. Definitely coming back. Thank you for such a delicious meal. read more

This is hands down the best Thai food I have had in the area - and combined with excellent service and an attractive atmosphere - this place has become our go-to Thai spot! The menu is a bit smaller than most Thai restaurants in the area but what they do is perfection - stand outs for us include the ribs (sweet, savory, and very meaty), the crispy wontons (shatteringly crisp with a flavorful pork filling), the Khao Soi (I usually get it with the roasted chicken) and the fried rice - The cocktail program is inventive and fun - the Cha Yen Light is my favorite - but for those who want something really different - try the Talay Jai - it's bracing, sour, and vinegary in the best possible way - it really opens up your palate! The not too sweet Thai Tea Choux Craquelin and the dense and chocolaty donut holes are both solid desserts - and huge! All in all - a great edition to Chevy Chase DC! read more

Superb from start to finish! Our server, Ryan, was super informative as well. We ordered the Thai Fried Rice and shrimp dumplings, as well as the sweet and salty radish. The menu items were unique and everything we ate was perfectly balanced and executed. We ended with the chocolate mouse cheesecake and my party loved it. The drinks are also prepared by a Michelin Star mixologist. 10/10 read more

See all

We had another phenomenal dinner! The food and service was fantastic. This was our 4th visit and we had such a great time. Knom Jeeab Dumplings, Basil Shrimp, Khao Soi, Whole Branzino and finished with the Homemade Icecream. read more

Great food, lovely ambiance, and super nice staff who seemed genuinely happy to see us enjoying our meals. Everything was great, but the Tom Yum Goong dumplings may have been our favorite. They were super tasty and the plating was really pretty, but we inhaled them before we could pause to take a picture. Similarly, the Ha-ha-ha was such a good cocktail, with the mix of pineapple sweetness and smokey mezcal, that it was gone before we could get a shot. Getting a mixed drink here is a must, including from their spirit-free list, the cocktails both pair super well with the food and are extremely creative! read more

See all

First, this was like the initial week of opening so I am going to touch lightly on the limited menu and just okay service at the bar: First week, so slack, cut. Very tasty addition to the neighborhood and sorely needed. Simply elegant decor with a conversant but slightly loud ambient chatter level. Could use some music in the background for mood (we sat at the bar). That said, while not blown away by the portions, price was relatively fair for some well seasoned and prepared Thai fusion. Everything tasted from good to great. The dumplings and pork wontons were very good with a special nod to the sauces. Should have mentioned, cocktail game might be tight! Our bartender was also our server and she was way better at that than as a server. Not a negative, that's the way it goes. The prawns were DYNAMITE! Could double down on those, tbh. Massaman curry was also excellent but needed a larger portion for me to be rapturous. My wife had the fried rice which was a tad unexpectedly spicy for her meaning it was just right. The dessert was divine. Some pastry cigars with amazing filling. Loved it. Great to see one of the managers from Little Beast there - she's a pro and know they have people that care about service and the neighborhood there. Will be back with hopefully a bigger menu! read more

Delicious food, wonderful and bustling energy to the space, and so many fun cocktails! Friendly and kind servers. Will be back! read more

We had an excellent meal here. Shrimp dumplings, oysters, mandarin beef curry and Khao Sai curry with fried chicken. Even had a black beer from China that was very dry and very good! read more

We went here for a couple cocktails and appetizers and everything was delicious. The place was buzzing and everything I tried was amazing. My favorite apps were the shrimp and the dumplings. Will definitely return and try the rest of the menu. read more

Since there were only 2 reviews and I wasn't positive it really existed, I wanted to add my own! So glad an upscale, non-carbon-copy Thai with a real drinks programme and a pastry chef came to our neighborhood. Shrimp dumplings, vegan khao soi and sweet salty radish egg were all standouts. read more

Great food but poor service. We may have visited on an off night, but the experience was not wonderful for our party of four seated outside. Our server was rushed. A meat dish meal was served without a knife which we finally received 10 minutes after service and us asking two other employees for it. After we finished the first course, our rushed server placed the check on our table, and cleared the dishes without offering dessert or coffee. Too bad as the desserts looked good but maybe they were not available during our visit. Perhaps no desserts are offered on Wednesday nights? Finally, as we were preparing to leave, the confused hostess came to our table with a tray of cocktails, thinking they were for us, which, of course, they were not. Good food is an expectation, especially at today's high restaurant prices. Poor service delivered by confused and improperly trained employees is unforgivable. These challenges are addressable, but only if the management is committed to improvement. read more

This new Thai restaurant is amazing - beautiful environment, attentive staff, and amazing menu with combinations I've never seen before - delicious! we tried many dishes across our laege group of diners and everything was great - save room for dessert! read more

Fabulous new Thai, great creative spicing, neighborhood experience.! Come visit and enjoy

We've been to Birdsong twice. On both occasions we left very satisfied with the food, the craft cocktails and the service. Nice menu with something for everyone. The staff is very helpful. This is an excellent addition to the CC. food scene. On our radar for repeat visits. read more

Thank you Jesus your recommendations and service to celebrate our anniversary. Cocktails were delicious, the shrimp dumplings were delightful, and we mixed a masaman curry and street fair noodles to share. Beautiful restaurant with a great vibe. Looking forward to seeing you again soon. read more

Yesterday was the second time I ate at this restaurant. The first time was July 2. The menu warned that the restaurant is new and that they're still working getting things right. Now, three weeks later, they have not made much progress. I did enjoy my mocktail, but that was a false flag. Most of what followed was below par. My baked oysters were skimpy, overcooked and the herb mix on top was dry and uninspired. My basil rice bowl was a disappointment as well? I chose to have it with oyster mushrooms. I usually don't mind chewy but these were just tough, hard work. The jasmine rice turned out to be a lumpy mass. The basil probably started out perfectly good, but after the kitchen was done with it it was hard to recognize. I did not finish this entree. The decor would have benefited from a professional eye. On a Friday evening the noise level was annoyingly high, not at all like a bird song. Seated in a booth, it was hard to carry on a conversation. I saw no evidence that sound mitigation has been a consideration. The menu states that the chef is self educated. I hope that chef Kitima Boonmala will strive to earn the adjectives used to describe the the various qualities used to describe his restaurant. read more

Wow! A great new place in Chevy Chase DC. Really imaginative and delicious dishes. Don't miss the Basil Shrimp. Spectacular!

We enjoyed the unique menu (especially the crispy potatoes, vegan khai soi with rice noodles and tasty cocktails), dining mostly from the appetizers and small plates. Service was attentive, from the warm hostess to the friendly server. The space is beautiful with good ambience and it's so nice to have a new addition on this stretch in the neighborhood. We look forward to returning and checking out some of the other main dishes. read more

Food was delicious, we ate at the bar--super comfortable bar seats by the way--and the drinks strong but nicely balanced, nothing too sweet. Service was great--bartender was super friendly and gave good food recs! Shrimp appetizer and rice bowl are must tries. read more

We tried this new Thai restaurant, and overall, the food is good. The crispy potatoes is not a Thai dish ( I never saw it on the menu in Thai restaurants in Thailand). The potatoes are baked and then deep fried, and are served with a tangy sauce. Our dish of potatoes were not crispy and uninteresting. The deep fried shrimp were fine ( nice thin batter), as were the shrimp dumpling. shrimp dishes are quite common street food in Bangkok, and the above two compared favorably with good Bangkok street food which can be excellent. Incidentally, a female street food cook was recently awarded a Michelin star. The stir fried vegetables were poor. The dish included mainly buck-Choi with a few snow pea pods and few mushroom stems. The buck-Choi was tough, undercooked and bland. Much better rendition can be found in many good local Chinese restaurants .Service was ok. Overall, the food is ok but a tad expensive. read more