Absolutely love the menu here, the staff, service, and general ambiance & aesthetic. Some of the best food period in Temescal, especially the vegetarian tofu options. Wish I could cook tofu that well myself! Welcoming, friendly, and helpful staff who add to the whole experience. read more

One of the little kids in my family has been asking for tater tots. I knew just the place to go to get fantastically delicious tater tots - Hawking Bird!! I've gotten tater tots here before and they are the best ones I've ever had! They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They even stay crispy as leftovers overnight in the refrigerator! I love the secret seasoning that Hawking Bird puts on their tater tots. Can't quite describe it but it is so delicious! Needless to say, all the little kids in the family scarfed them up! If you're craving the best tater tots in the world, come here! I also got a side order of their green beans to go which were deliciously crunchy and yet not overcooked. Eating them felt so healthy! I love the seasonings that they use at this place. Everything was so flavorful and delicious! I will be coming back whenever I am in the area. The service was friendly. Sorry I don't have any pictures, we ate everything up so fast! read more

It's been years since I've ordered from here. I forgot just how good this food is. My all time favorite is the Garlic Noodles with Chicken Thighs and a Fried Egg. Nothing beats it. It is so very good and I'm looking forward to my next order. Thank you, Hawking Bird!! read more

Great spot for delicious rice bowls! Awesome staff and nice outdoor pup- friendly seating. Had a delicious tofu bowl with a great tamarind sauce and a calamansi soda. read more

Hawking Bird - Tofu Bowl - Asian Fusion Near Me - Oakland, California

Never eaten here. Only delivery. Chicken arrives crispy. The KMG isn't overly dry. It's become a weekly order. read more

Hawking Bird - KMG & Broth (double protein) - Asian Fusion Near Me - Oakland, California

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Surprised this place isn't busier. Been here a couple times now and everything is good. Not outrageously priced either. The chicken is really good, fried chicken is dangerously good and this time I tried the Thai sausage bowl. It was surprisingly bright and herbaceous and didn't feel heavy for being sausage. Came with lots of fresh cucumber, a slaw, fluffy rice and a Thai herb sauce. read more

Hawking Bird - Thai sausage bowl - Asian Fusion Near Me - Oakland, California

I walked by this place for months before finally going in, but once I did, it became a go-to for me! Don't make the same mistake I did, go now! This casual Southeast Asian comfort food by a Michelin Star Chef has something for everyone! They are best known for their KMG (Khao Man Gai) which is packed with flavor despite it's simple presentation, my favorite is the fried chicken with their very garlicky noodles, but they also have salad and tofu options! The ambiance is casual counter service and self bus. The staff and friendly and contributes to the chill atmosphere. read more

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All of the items here are fantastic. It's a little pricey, but it's hard to find good KMG in the Oakland/Berkeley area and the tater tots are some of my favourite. Chicken sandwich is the way to go here. It's always crispy and it's very big. I usually get the combo where you can get iced tea and tater tots to go with it. Staff is very friendly. read more

Had so much hope for the menu bc i was surprised they had hainan kitchen in this neighborhood. Unfortunately chicken was dry and rice seemed day old. The service was very friendly and food came quickly. read more

Food is really tasty! I specifically remember the green bean appetizer. Very umami! Pork belly dish was yummy also. Will have to try the chicken sandwich next time. read more

Stopped by for a quick bite. The yellow curry bowl hit the spot and satisfied my curry craving, though it had way too much cilantro for my taste. My boyfriend ordered the Satay bowl, which is one of their signature items, but the peanut sauce tasted more like a mix of peanut butter and sriracha than anything special. Portions felt on the smaller side, especially considering the $11 price tag for a small alcoholic beverage. Overall, it's fine for a casual lunch or quick date, but a bit underwhelming and slightly overpriced for what you get. read more

Hawking Bird - Asian Fusion Near Me - Oakland, California

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After our hike, our group had picked Hawking Bird for lunch as we wanted to try this restaurant from Michelin chef, James Syhabout of Commis fame. Located on 49th and Telegraph in the Temescal area, we were able to find street parking down the block on Shattuck. Arriving at 2:25pm on a Tuesday, only a table of two was dining inside. There are tables along the window and communal tables in the middle as well as tables outside. You order at the counter and pick a table and your food will be brought to you. Cold water, utensils and condiments are self-service at the counter. Menu consists of many chicken dishes utilizing natural, free range organic chickens from local small family farms that can be ordered as salads, sandwiches and rice bowls that you can sub with chicken fat rice or garlic noodles for a fee and some side items. I wanted to get the fried chicken with garlic noodles and they had a Tanya Special, which was the Fried Hawking Bird Bowl with garlic noodles. Perfect! I got that as well as three of my friends. After getting our utensils and condiments, we picked out a table and the food came out relatively quickly. The bowl came with the chicken on top of the noodles with fried shallots and scallions on top. The chicken was flavorful and moist. The batter was on the thicker and side and was extra crispy. A little too crispy for my preference. The noodles were flavorful with a good bounce to them. Mixing the shallots and scallions in gave it a good texture. Friend that ordered the fried chicken sandwich was pleased with her meal. Glad I finally got to try Hawking Bird. Might need to try other menu items on the next visit. read more

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After a nearby doctor's appointment, I stopped by this location for a quick drink. They have two options for milk for their Thai Iced Tea-- coconut milk or standard. I went with standard with light ice. It was very good -- not too sweet! There is plenty of seating and street parking. I can't wait to come back to eat here. read more

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Happened upon this spot today when the nearby ramen shop we wanted to try out couldn't accommodate outdoor seating, as we had our pup with us. Menu looked interesting so we gave it a go. Very friendly service from the guy who took our order and he made us feel welcome, answering any questions we had. I ordered the pork belly bowl and opted for garlic noodles over rice. Food came out fast and the quality of ingredients was good and fresh. The big issue was that the pork belly was incredibly salty. I don't want to say inedible, but it was probably the saltiest thing I've ever eaten. I probably should have sent it back but didn't. I was so hungry I ate the whole bowl but definitely needed my soda and water to help wash it down. I probably should have at least informed the staff of the salty pork, since I'm sure it must've been a mistake. I can't see purposely serving such a salty menu item. I just read about the pedigree of this restaurant, so maybe I'd give this place another chance in the future, but next time I'll try the chicken to be safe... read more

Love the chicken and rice here and the chicken bone broth is delicious. The rice is really flavorful and the chicken is tender. The food is made with care and you can taste it. I love drinking the bone broth because the delicate flavors come through when you sip it and have some of the chicken, rice, and cucumber. It's good on hot and cold days and nights. They have a good variety of drinks and the shop is small but clean and tidy. read more

Hawking Bird - Chicken and broth - Asian Fusion Near Me - Oakland, California

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My husband and I stopped by randomly this week. We were originally headed to one of the Korean spots nearby but I decided to take a look inside. I ended up ordering the pork belly bowl w an egg. It was so good! My husband had the satay chicken bowl. Half of the bowl was a mix of fresh herbs and cucumbers which helped cut the richness of the pork belly. delicious! read more

Hawking Bird - Pork Belly Bowl - Asian Fusion Near Me - Oakland, California

I've been here over 15 times. Amazing food. Always fresh! Love the fried chicken, broth, garlic noodles! Especially the tator tots! Everything is good! read more

Ordered online for pick up. Quick and easy experience. My partner loved the Thai chile hot chicken sandwich. It had the perfect amount of kick. Chicken was tasty and moist. His only critique was slightly bready for him. Salad had great flavors. Chicken was well balanced. Loved the greens mix. Great value for amazing quality. read more

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A really great spot for some clean and comforting Hainan style chicken. My go to is the classic chicken and rice with a ginger scallion sauce to die for. They also serve a broth with it that is full of chicken flavor. There is not much seating inside, but the service is very fast and friendly for a quick takeout meal. We are also a great fan of the garlic noodles! The dishes are a bit pricey, and my husband usually gets two entrées to feel full. Nonetheless, delicious high-quality asian fusion dishes! read more

Hawking Bird - Asian Fusion Near Me - Oakland, California

Exceptional menu of well-spiced and delicious food! The prices are some of the best in town. They have made an effort to make your experience yummy and affordable. Go for the chicken sandwich and add a fried egg! Love the chicken and rice bowl with a fried egg on top! read more

Some of the best Thai food I've ever had! I got the chicken satay salad. The herbs and leaves were special , not just basic spring mix . There was mint cilantro & basil, with the baby greens. The peanut sauce for the chicken and the lime vinaigrette were perfectly matched to all the other layers of flavor. We also got the pork belly rice bowl. Wow so effin delicious! I mixed some of the bowl in with the salad and it was crazy good . The Herby salad mixed with some sticky jasmine rice....im tellin' ya, you need to GO. Service was very quick and the young man who took our order really seemed to take pride in serving up delicious food. Now I can't wait to go back! read more

The fried chicken sandwich was great; the fried chicken is on the greasy side which is not a bad thing. Prompt service, the condiments being served in tiny plastic containers is odd. Pretty casual ambiance, good amount of seating (inside and outside) and the corner spot is quite nice. read more

The fried chicken salad was my favorite dish of the three we tried. The greens had a beautiful blend and variety of nuts and sprouts, and the dressings were both delicious! The wings were good, but the seasoning was nothing special, in my opinion. KMG bowl was a bit dry if you don't eat it with the broth, so we recommend dipping it. We went around noon, and there were plenty of seats to go around. Casual vibes, self service, and friendly staff. Food comes out relatively quickly. read more

Hawking Bird - Fried Chicken Salad, KMG & Broth, Sticky Spicy Wings - Asian Fusion Near Me - Oakland, California

Kudos to the kitchen and management at HawkingBird. Got takeout tonight: fried chicken bowl W chick fat rice and curry fried chicken bowl. We been frequently this Oakland gem since it opened! The fried chicken consistency had been dodgy last year and I'm pleasantly surprised how nicely fried and succulent the fried chicken was. My husband LOVED the curry and will ask for extra curry on our next visit read more

Feeling like a delicious chicken lunch? Look no further if you're near Telegraph in the Oakland Temescal area. I was at the fabulous Aperture Optical across the street and observed many people picking up food from this place. Eating outside & inside as well. Hmmm...must be good! I walked over & asked the kind young man at the counter which items he recommended. He said, "the chicken with garlic noodles is a great first time choice." I'm very satisfied that he suggested this dish. The sauce is tangy and tastes homemade. Crispy cucumbers. Garlicky noodles. The fried is chicken is not greasy- just lightly battered. I ate half (that's why the photo appears so) and saved the rest for dinner. It took the chefs 10 min. to prepare so you know it's fresh!! Total was $19. No cash accepted, except for cash tips. I'll return for another bowl when I pick up my cool new eyewear from Aperture! read more

Hawking Bird - Chicken Bowl with Garlic Noodles - Asian Fusion Near Me - Oakland, California

Quality greatness and delicious food. Whatever you order, if it's what you're craving, you won't be disappointed. It's real good. Real good. Real good. read more

"Hawking Bird" is a cozy corner restaurant that offers up Chicken and Rice, with Asian Fusion in Oakland's Temescal district. On a Sunday, I used Caviar's direct delivery app to order a few dishes. I've been to Hawking Bird before, and knew their dishes would travel well as delivery. I ordered: - KMG bowl over chicken fat rice, w/ broth - Pork Belly Bowl, over noodles - side of Fried Chicken So how was the food? "Khao Mun Gai" or KMG, Grade (4/5): this is the classic chicken and rice dish. In a chicken and rice restaurant, your entire menu revolves around this one dish. The basic parts are poached chicken, chicken fat rice, and cucumber slices with. cilantro. Includes a side of ginger soybean sauce, and a small chicken broth. You can't really mess with the recipe, you can only enhance the flavors and improve the presentation. So how was it? I liked it....great flavors, not so great portions. Chicken broth was on the salty side, the ginger soybean sauce was rich and enhanced the dish. Overall, a delicious KMG dish. But, the chicken is chopped up into large pieces, so it looks like they serve you less. So the presentation is a little lacking, and makes you question if it's worth the price. Pork Belly Bowl w/ Noodles, Grade (4/5): Tender pork belly slices with sweet and spicy soy bean glaze, with scallions, pickles, over noodles. I substituted noodles for rice because I wanted to try their noodles. OMG, those noodles were good and easy to eat. Very tender texture, nothing like cheap chow mein. Okay, let's ask the important question! Is the pork belly crunchy? The answer is....NO! The skin is lightly crispy, but the meat is tender and nearly melts in your mouth. The dish had a colorful presentation. But I didn't like the sweet soy glaze on pork. Fried Chicken Side, Grade (5/5): Side order of fried chicken, both white and dark boneless meat. This chicken had an amazing fried crust. It was glassy and crispy. Service time: Food was made fast. Caviar is a direct delivery service, so it arrived pretty quick. I would order again. Overall, Hawking Bird is probably the best of the four chicken and rice places I have reviewed. The other three are: Rooster & Rice, What the Cluck, and Chicken Meets Rice. Support Local Business! read more

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Hawking Bird is a simple restaurant that serves Thai Chicken and Rice and an assortment of Asian Fusion dishes. I came across this restaurant online and decided to take out their KMG & Broth and their Fried Chicken Bowl. I really enjoyed the different sauces and how they complemented the chicken. Between the two dishes I ordered, the KMG & Broth was my favorite. The broth on the side was nothing but a flavor-bomb, and only invited you to take a bite of chicken and rice. The only thing was that I wish their was more chicken in proportion to how much rice/vegetables they gave. Otherwise, this place is a definite must-try! read more

Hawking Bird - KMG & Broth - Asian Fusion Near Me - Oakland, California

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Tried the Tanya Special (fried chicken over garlic noodles) and got a fried chicken salad. The noodles for the garlic noodles were perfect ramen like noodles, chewy and bouncy. The flavor was a bit heavy handed, delicious on first bite but could get to be a bit much, but luckily I shared. The chicken itself was near perfect. Great breading, even if I wish it was a hair thicker. More tempura like than popeyes. Juicy. The salad with the chicken was delicious. Salad had nice balance or crunchy bits and hits of different flavors everywhere from the dressing to the microgreens. The hoisin or whatever dip for the chicken is amazing. Sweet with lots of ummami but not too over powering. I even Dipped my tots in it. Tots were nearly perfect. Good subtle seasoning, and crispy, even if I wish they were slightly more craggly. Love the laid back casual vibes of the spot. Super friendly staff. Good amount of seating with a big long table with benches in the middle for larger parties. read more

I ordered the chicken sandwich and was quite underwhelmed :( sorry to say! But I didn't like it, and I had my mom and friend try it and they didn't like it either. The bread for the bun was meh, the chicken was a little tough to eat, and there were no flavors that stood out to me and made me want to finish the sandwich. But the staff was very nice and the interior is cute and roomier than it seems from the outside! ~$14 is kinda steep for this sando ;( read more

Hawking Bird - Fried Chicken Sandwich - Asian Fusion Near Me - Oakland, California

We ordered a couple dishes through Doordash and had a nice meal. Everything we had was tasty. The chicken was moist and flavorful for both the KMG and the fried one. The only complaint is the KMG one could've had a little more sauce so I could add some flavor for the rice too. The soup was great for the soul though - I'm a sucker for good broth. The garlic noodles were decent but the noodles could've also had a little more flavor. The tots were nice and crunchy but we expected a little more sauce since it's their special recipe tots! Overall the food hit the spot, but could've used a little more flavor throughout. Nothing a little sriracha can't fix! Everything was well cooked though - nicely moist (chicken) and crunchy (tots and chicken). It did well considering we got delivery! read more

Hawking Bird - fried chicken bowl, tots, KMG & Broth, and Garlic Noodles - pretty good! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Oakland, California

Cute spot that has many tasty offerings. We (4) went on a Sunday afternoon for lunch and had great service & the food was scrumptious! Love this spot for casual yummies! read more

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Delicious!!! Holy moly - what an unexpected pleasure. I ordered food to be delivered via DoorDash. I ordered a chicken over garlic noodles, a fried chicken sandwich, tator tots and the green beans. Everything was spot on delicious with big wonderful full flavors. What amazed me was how crunchy the chicken was even after delivery. I am a new fan. I will definitely order again. read more

I tried their Fried chicken sandwich. It was just ok. Chicken was too dry. With so many good fried chicken sandwich options in Oakland, it'll probably be a long time before I try this place again. read more

I placed an order online today for pick-up and my food was ready in twenty minutes: two orders of Hainan Chicken rice and one order of garlic noodles. The garlic noodles were a bit overcooked, but the flavor was really good and the dish didn't taste too oily. I did bite into one piece of garlic that was over fried and it almost broke my tooth, so eat cautiously. The Hainan chicken was tender but the skin was not as tight and firm as it could've been. The sauce that comes with the chicken is spot-on though. For about $40, it's about what you'd expect to pay for this kind of meal. read more

Hawking Bird - Garlic noodles - Asian Fusion Near Me - Oakland, California

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This was my last meal out before giving birth to my second kid about two years ago, the curry bird (curry chicken bowl) is apparently water breaking.... But seriously even since then it's been consistently delicious and also fast when ordered delivered. I still always order the curry bird (the fresh mint and cucumber really get me every time... it's that little extra that makes the dish so balanced and refreshing.) My kids, maybe the world's most fickle eaters, will eat some of the Tanya special and that is frankly a meal miracle. Anyway, the Bay is so lucky to have James Syhabout. He gets it right every time. Yelp kudos to James and his team! (Also I will note it took me a while to figure out my order here. First few times here I found I ordered things that were like "hmm, that's good but not really for me." Like I would say I'm not a huge fan of chicken sandwich but my uncle loves it; for him it's the best chicken sandwich in the Bay. I believe there is something for everyone to love here, but it's possible you may need to give a few tries to find your go to dish.) read more

Came here for a quick bite for the first time. Ive seen this place many times but never been. I ordered the garlic noodles. It comes in a good size for one person. Noodles were cooked good, wish there was a more garlicky flavor to it. Had a bit of a seafood-y taste to it. I think they put oyster sauce? but it overtakes the garlic flavor a little bit, a little bit overpriced for the food. read more

Hawking Bird - garlic noodles - Asian Fusion Near Me - Oakland, California

The chicken is fantastic! Worth the visit! And I've come back for the chicken salad but - taking out one star - it would be easier to eat on a plate than a bowl and real utensils (not disposable) would also make the meal more enjoyable. I get it if management doesn't want to do this. I might bring my own plate and utensils next time. The ambience here is casual enough that no one would mind, least of all, other patrons. read more

Another great place to eat on Telegraph! I love this street so much because of the options available. You order at the window and it's brought out to you after you sit down. I tried the fried chicken bowl subbed with chicken fat rice ($13 + $1 extra for the fat rice). It was made with chicken thighs so the meat is tender and juicy, while also being super crispy! The sauce served with it is a chili jam, but it's not spicy at all and mainly a sweet flavor. The chicken is supposed to be marinated in garlic and ginger, but I didn't taste that as much. Overall, the bowls are yummy and I would definitely come back to grab a quick meal with a friend. I also recommend subbing for the fat rice -- it just makes it taste so much better! read more

Hawking Bird - Curry Tofu Bowl w/ Garlic Noodles ($15.50) - Asian Fusion Near Me - Oakland, California

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Love this place. I don't usually go for the no-frills sit-on-a-bench-indoors-and-eat kind of place, but even tho they do have the picnic table thing going on in the middle of the house floor, their "booth benches" along the wall are actually double- wide benches made of "soft" wood and are actually pretty comfortable and they have real chairs facing huge panoramic windows if that's your preference as well. Check out the menu pics that I posted - this place is Thai-fusion and it rocks. The green beans side is in the top two or three green bean things that I've ever ordered at a restaurant ever - nice and spicy but not too hot with big ol' chunks of cooked, fresh bacon. I ordered the chicken satay bowl and substituted garlic noodles in for the rice - cuz you know I'm sick of eating Lean Cuisine asian rice bowls at home. Oh man; Magnifique! Got some Thai chili and Sriracha along with it along with an extra side of peanut sauce that they just threw in because the bowl comes with peanut sauce anyway, but having more is always good. I'm never gonna turn down and kick out of bed peanut sauce. Such a breath of fresh air. I didn't want the cilantro or mint herbs that usually comes with the chicken satay bowl, but the dude (who I later found out is named A.J.) said well we could ditch that and give you some extra cucumbers and I'm like hell yeah dude. Also comes with red onion slivers. really really good food. I'm so sick of sandwiches and pizza crap and regular pricey underwhelming same-old, same-old in the East Bay and the same old Thai food I usually get in Berkeley where I live. What's even better is that they match the sauces that they have for each bowl to whatever the bowl has in it. So, for example, you don't really mix sauces ... you can't really be like, hey I want that sauce in that other bowl over in this one 'cause they won't do it. Because the head chef and owner matches the sauce depending on what's in the bowls. For example, my chicken satay with cucumbers and red onions bowl comes with peanut sauce, which is the whole reason I got that bowl. And that's the only bowl that comes with peanut sauce. You can get a salad if you want to do it that way with peanut sauce, but they're not gonna mix and match the sauces because the chef has a vision -- which is cool. They even had a beef brisket bowl (mmm brisket!) which I almost got, but it didn't come with peanut sauce and I was really in the mood for peanut sauce - even more than I was for brisket - so I got the peanut sauce bowl that they matched with chicken satay and I didn't regret my decision once the entire time I was making short work of it and inhaling it (see my attached pic of this beautiful piece of art-food). AND I just saw that the chef has even published his own cookbook called Hawker Fare. And beautiful, fit women come to get food here. Heh, and as I was dictating this review into my phone, the microphone picked up a conversation I had with one as I was getting her number after I told her I liked her outfit after she just came out of a deep-tissue sports massage and was having a glass of wine. Here it is: "What's your name? I'm Michael. Margaret. Nice to meet you. I'm reviewing these guys for yelp. I'm giving like five stars. Yeah I'm trying to get to be yelp elite. I'm trying to do the elite member thing because yelp is like my favorite app yeah yeah yeah yeah I know somebody who worked here but I don't think she works here anymore. Mike! does Sarah Hardy work here anymore yeah this was back in the day. are you are you in Oakland? Alameda? Yeah I'm Berkeley ...yep, so we dip down here - and I gotta eat. I gotta eat before I take off. That's so funny. That's so funny. That's so funny. Yelp is taking all this stuff down cause I got my microphone on. Well, then it'll lend a vibe of authenticity to it won't it? Yeah, I guess so. I love this place. Yeah me too, the chef even has a cookbook called Hawker Fare for sale here. I love your outfit. You look really cool. That's not monochromatic. Oh my gosh I wonder what you look like in all black that's so cute. You're cute. Usually I'm all black but today I was just like yeah I'll throw in the gray..." I could go on and on here but the ambience was great at like 4:30 in the afternoon after I had to go run an errand in Oakland. Right in the heart of the Temescal neighborhood in Oakland, California; you cannot go wrong with this place...really great service - Mike and A.J.'s 'tudes are par excellance and second to none. Really nice people...and Mike even tipped me off to the upcoming Temescal food street fair with live music coming up in July. Do yourself a favor and come here. you might even meet somebody and get somebody's number - like I did! read more

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