4.5 rounded to 5 bc the paella was good. We've been here before (yearssss ago) but found it underwhelming, but with the Bib Gourmand thought it about time to try it again. Glad we did. Had multiple dishes most all of which were good with the paella being a standout. The chocolate cake was also stellar. Service was adequate. Portions good for two, would def need more for group settings. Price was reasonable. read more

I've been hearing about this place for a long time, but never made it out - didn't think we'd really want to have two little ones tagging along here, and was definitely proven right - not the place for children. We came in and were sat promptly. We were seated near the open fire pit - so we got dinner and a show, and were definitely not cold! We did enjoy seeing all of the food and it might or might not have helped us make some choices. We ordered several of the plates. The choripan sandwich was great, and the beef fat candle was definitely as good as advertised. The chicken was really good, and I can see why it was recommended. We did order the steak, but it never came out, so we didn't get to try it out. They apologized to us, and we were ok with it since we had already had plenty of food. I'd definitely come back - after all, we still need to try out the hangar steak. read more

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We were told to check out Ovenbird, and it definitely lived up to the hype. Everything was prepared with care, and the flavors were balanced and really well executed. It's the kind of place that makes you want to come back just to explore more of the menu. I'm already looking forward to trying a few additional dishes on my next visit. read more

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OvenBird is a slice of garden luxury in Birmingham. The outdoor area is absolutely stunning, especially this time of year with all of the vines blooming. The indoor seating is equally as stunning. We sat inside, but with the glass doors open right next to us, best of both worlds. You're supposed to treat this place like tapas, sharing everything with your table. My one request was the burrata, which was creamy and perfect, on a bed of prosciutto, and with some grapes dressed in something vinegary. Divine. Several of the dishes came with some crusty bread for dipping, and we ended up requesting more to sop up every last bit of the buttery goodness the shrimp came in. I've been here before, but have been wowed more thoroughly this time. The atmosphere is so chic and feels like an escape from Birmingham. They host weddings here, and I can see why. Our waitress was extremely friendly, helpful, and efficient. Drinks came out quickly. It's one of my pet peeves when you order drinks and then anything else (ordering food, food COMES, etc) happens before receiving the drinks. Let me sip on it! Everything here was timed perfectly. We got to watch the sun set outside. I know in the winter they set up a big fire pit and heaters outside, too. Magical evening, one of the best spots in Birmingham! read more

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We have been here a few times over the years and come here mainly for their beef fat candle. I fell in love with it the first time we came when they first opened. This time it wasn't quite up to par. The candle didn't burn long enough to melt the fat properly, so by the end you were eating concealed fat pieces on the bread, a bit gross. The bread was overdone, so too hard/crunchy and not absorbing the dip properly. I asked for fresh bread and they brought out some, which is how I found out the bread is "fresh from the fridge" instead of "fresh from the oven". I expected more at a restaurant like this. I am hoping this was a fluke since we did not have similar issues before instead of the restaurant/dish has gone downhill. Will try it again before we write it off forever. We also tried the Mushroom Conserva. It was different and pretty flavorful. I don't know that I would order it again, but it was good to try. The ambiance is always good here, definitely a good date night location if you are in the mood to splurge a bit. read more

OvenBird - Mushroom Conserva - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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Such an understated yet stunning restaurant. Arrived at 5 pm on a Saturday without a reservation (none were available on Resy) and was seated immediately at a 4 top for a quick drink & bite. We ordered the hanger steak, beef fat candle, a mocktail & white wine. Everything was amazing, arrived quickly & service was great. Can't wait to go back for full dinner service. read more

OvenBird - Beef Fat Candle - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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The setting was perfect walking up to a warm inviting space through a gravel garden . Feels like an old country inn, lively music and a busy open kitchen as part of the space. The food was absolutely delicious, my wife ordered a beet plate with Cana de oveja cheese and an orange vinaigrette. My seared romaine salad ate like a deconstructed Caesar salad no need for the croutons! Our entrees continued the adventures with two perfect temperature hangars steaks over steamed broccolini's. The wine was a perfect match and i complimented the waitress on her selection. A 2020 Zinio Rioja crianza. I made the leap to dessert though we had plenty. A mouse capped w branded yes branded whipped cream. Exceptional! read more

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First time here and won't be the last. Our server, can't remember her name, sorry, was phenomenal. She explained the menu in great detail. The beef candle fat is all that as are the empanadas. The crema on the empanadas was cool and delicious. Ovenbird is a must try. read more

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I've dined at Ovenbird multiple times for group events, and also for more intimate events, and it never disappoints. Recently, I hosted a work event at Ovenbird. We were given excellent service by Chris. He recommended the chef's choice menu for us and brought three of each of their top ordered small plates, which we shared as a table. I had some billing issues, not related to Ovenbird, but to my employer, that I had to resolve after the fact, and the manager went out of his way to accommodate and make things right. I will definitely plan to host many more events at Ovenbird! The food truly is one of the most unique menu offerings in Birmingham, with outstanding service as well read more

Came for a business dinner and the uber driver hyped this place up! I thought he was just talking to make conversation and he was not. The service was great and the food was even better. The beef fat candle, deviled eggs, steak and the fish were my favorite! Will definitely be back! read more

OvenBird - Fish dish can't remember the name - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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Omg divine. With a charming outdoor patio and indoor seating located near the kitchen, ovenbird is inviting and absolutely delicious. I loved every single thing I ordered. From the empanadas to the mushroom to the steak and finally the tres leches. Portions are small but it is tapas and perfect for sharing. Ovenbird knows what they're doing when it comes to tapas. Do not miss out on this Birmingham favorite. read more

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Beautiful atmosphere with gorgeous seating indoors and outdoors. Sadly, service was extremely slow. The food was overpriced and lacked flavor. Nothing stood out. read more

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Great food, okay service. Got the mushroom conserva, paella, and hanger steak. The mushroom conserva was absolutely exceptional with a nice touch of acidity, great balance of flavor! With the dish bring mostly comprised of mushrooms, there wasn't this overwhelming umami flavor and was super enjoyable (ask for some bread with it!). Paella was so warm and buttery with a light tomato-y base flavor. Hanger steak was cooked PERFECTLY (they didn't ask how we'd like the cook but it turned out nicely)! The veggies that came with it were delicious and the whole plate was just awesome. Had reservations at 5pm and walked in at 4:58 and was told to wait but then the man who said that walked away and off the premises. So that was interesting! Went back a few minutes later to try again and was met with a hostess who was nice enough. Waitress was a bit lackluster and just fine. Service is what brings this place down. The ambience was so lovely and perfect for date night or a dinner with friends! We sat inside but the patio was nicely maintained and the inside seating was very aesthetic. Would highly recommend this place but also give a warning of how service is. read more

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This place is almost there as their concepts and dishes are interesting flavor profiles and beautifully served but nothing is memorable or great from a taste perspective Beautiful location which we walked in and were seated outside with our dog. The service team, not our particular waitress but others were so friendly and came by with treats or a nice pet for our dog. However it did take about 1.5 hours from start to finish for our food to come out and it did not come out the way we discussed. For example the first dish was served and we waited 30 minutes before anything else. Food: Mushrooms: 4/5 good with some acidity, heat and flavors with three different mushrooms - and an egg Shrimp: 2/5 it needs salt!! The concept of a spicy butter shrimp is great but it be shrimp were bland and the sauce was only good for dipping the bread Hangar steak:4/5 this was delicious but the veggies were oily and again had no flavor. The steak was a perfect medium rare Snapper cheeks: 1/5 the biggest disappointment with fishy flavor, and too much bbq sauce Scallops: 5/5 the surprise dish of the night with the best char and that white sauce is too die for! I would go back just to get that and some bread for dipping! We left and went to order pizza for a more filling meal. read more

Amazing food. Not a bad thing on the menu! Make sure you try the Beef Candle and the deviled eggs; they are delicious!

Wow! I love this place! Every time I eat here, it blows me out of the water! The food and dining experience is unique. All of the dishes have complex flavor profiles and are very reasonably priced considering the quality! I love the family style tapas--it really adds to the experience!The beef tallow candle is a must, the hanger steak is the best steak I've had in Birmingham, & the Spanish tortilla w/ chorizo is excellent! There's a reason it is Michelin recommended. The staff is always attentive and the service is quick! I also love the design of the building. It's a pleasant place for a date night or dinner with friends. Anytime I have friends/family coming in to town, OvenBird is a must! read more

OvenBird - Beef Fat Candle - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Totally a vibe, great date Night location, very earthy yet trendy, went for a birthday dinner and it was really nice. Our waitress was extremely kind and nice ,very attentive to our table and provided suggestions according to our preferences. read more

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OvenBird is such a unique experience and hands down amazing food. This is definitely a celebration spot as I like to order a lot when I go. The style is shared plates so it's fun to order a bunch for the table and everyone gets to try. I really love the beef fat candle and the paella! If you get a chance, experience the porrón! It's a decanter of wine and you have to try and extend your arm out while pouring the wine into your mouth. It's super fun and also entertaining! I love the rustic feel of OvenBird and the patio in the summer makes for a quintessential date night spot. read more

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Fabulous! Loved the atmosphere, the service and the food. I highly recommend checking it out. I can't wait to go back! read more

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We have been looking forward to having dinner at the Ovenbird. We were not disappointed. This was the closest to Spanish cuisine we have found in Birmingham. Definitely plan on returning. Don't skip dessert as the Tres Leche Cake is excellent. read more

OvenBird - Tres Leches Cake and Espresso - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Outstanding food and atmosphere. Well done by Hastings and the team. We will be visiting Ovenbird again.

Had a wonderful experience. Food and services were great. Great bar tender. Good food. read more

OvenBird - Beef Fat Candle with bread. Very good. Will order again. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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One of the best dining experiences we've ever had. Menu was eclectic, food was delicious, vibe was stylish, service from Angelica was out of this world. We will be back! read more

The food was pretty good served tapas style so no overly large portions. It was a little warm in the restaurant with the open ovens. Service and ambience was excellent. Wish they had a little information on the menu as to what each dish had in it so you didn't have to ask. read more

Quite frankly, the food was underwhelming. The scallops were the best. The hanger steak was good but other restaurants can give me just as tasty food for less $. The real disappointment was the peruvian chicken. Frankly the mojo chicken at Publix has more flavor for 1/3 the price and the lima beans were not good. They could come up with a better side to serve. The starter empanadas were small with very little filling. I was honestly disappointed. read more

Food is phenomenal. Beef candle appetizer is to die for. Portions are small though, not a complaint at all! I prefer smaller portions and ordering lots of little things. Just giving a heads up to anyone who thinks it's big plates. It's not. They're Tapas!! read more

Awesomely unique experience with excellent food. Loved the tapas style serving with one plate at a time, allowing you to enjoy each dish on its own. Started with the beef candle (a must have!) that was simply delicious and a perfect way to get the meal going. The Spanish tortilla was/is not what you'd expect; think of skillet hash browns au gratin. Again, very good. Choripan is an elevated mini sandwich. The paella was just ok, as something that I'm sure is tough to make quickly. Hanger steak was tender and seasoned well. For dessert, went with Tres Leches cake which was fine, but the real experience was the panqueque which is like a Spanish crepe that they sear/caramelize the sugars table side with a smoky presentation. A mix of quaint, casual, and busy, could be a good place for a date or a relaxed good dinner. read more

The food is always delicious but what else would you expect from a world renowned chef. Also, by far, one of the best patios in Birmingham. Just wish they'd bring brunch back read more

One word - stunning. From the fresh wood fired foods to the warm inviting interior, this is one of the best Birmingham restaurants for sure. You have to start your meal with the beef fat candle to dip their crusty delicious bread. Their grilled vegetables and steaks are so fresh and flavorful. Cooking over wood gives everything a smoky but clean taste. And the servers are so fun - willing to make some experimental mocktails for our party with a pregnant friend. If you need a spot for a special occasion or to bring an out of town friend - this is it. read more

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I went tonight with friends for Birmingham Restaurant Week. I ordered off the restaurant week menu which was $45 for a starter, entrée and dessert. Our server (Chris) started by telling us that the food portions are small. After his speech I understood that I would not be full when I left. He encouraged us to Get a couple of plates of this and that and share everything... The empanadas were very good, but as expected a very small portion. Surprisingly, the paella had no seafood in it at all. This was prepared with conecuh sausage and chicken. It was good, but definitely missing the seafood. The flan was nice. I also had 1 glass of red wine and one mixed drink ($88.00, 20% gratuity was automatically added). My friend ordered the steak... it was small enough to be on a saucer with plenty of room to spear. read more

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OvenBird was recommended to us by a friend who lives in the area, while we were on vacation. It did not disappoint. Great vibe and decorative touches everywhere. The Fat Candle was unique and crazy good. Dishes are small but very tasty. We aren't huge portion people anyway. Great drinks as well. Loved their take on the Old Fashioned. Ice cream right around the corner at Jeni's. read more

OvenBird - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

The beef fat candle is to die for. So so so good. All the food was great, the ambiance was amazing, the view of the kitchen was really fun. read more

My best friend and his husband insisted we try this place when we visited Birmingham. This was the only place we dined at all week that everyone we encountered seemed friendly helpful. All the bites were good but my favs were the beef fat candle(we ended up ordered a second; 0 shame) and the tres leches cake. The whole restaurant was decorated for the holidays and was busy with lots of tables full; which I took as a good sign. 10/10 would return! read more

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Who knew Birmingham can do food? Well it can, and they do it especially well here. Fantastic meal across the board, to include a terrific mixologist at the bar (shout out to my Cali transplant). Get the Beef Fat Candle. Trust me. read more

OvenBird - bread and tallow of the gods - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

We had a wonderful time at Ovenbird. We were visiting our friends from out of town and made reservations for a Friday night. We were greeted by the hostess who was so nice. She sat us in one of the private rooms. The ambiance is great. I will say, I was not prepared for how hot it was in the room. The food is prepared over live fire and there are multiple fires throughout. We ordered a lot of different plates to share between the four of us. Everything we had was so delicious from the drinks to the dessert. I think we tried a few plates from each category and we had the beef fat candle. Our dessert the panqueque was so good as well. Get reservations if you're going to go, just know it is HOT in there. read more

What a beautiful restaurant with open windows and outside patio! Food and service were both great! The menu is tapas style which is my favorite. I recommend the steak, burrata, chorizo, empanada, and potatoes. read more

OvenBird - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Very cool vibe! If it had been cooler we would have loved to sit outside in the courtyard. Our server was on top of it! Made great recommendations and had our drinks out quickly. We shared: Beef Fat Candle, Black Grouper Ceviche, Paella, Hanger Steak, Whole Flounder (Chef's Specialty), Roasted Vegetables, 7 Layer Cake. Sounds like a lot but they're definitely sharing plates. Ceviche was amazing, Flounder also amazing, Beef Fat Candle was good, loved the Roasted Vegetables, Hanger Steak and Paella were ok. Save room for the 7 Layer Chocolate Cake! We will definitely be back! read more

The restaurant looked very nice. The outside sitting area was very nicely laid out. Inside the dining area has a very nice atmosphere. Decoration's and bar area were laid out nicely. We were seated and taken care of without an appointment with no problem. The food looked very good. We had an understanding that the dishes will be small. The MAJOR reason for three stars is for the flavor of the food. Every dish including the desert had no flavor! read more

This was my first of what will be many visits to Ovenbird. One of the reasons I've waited to visit was because it seemed so niche that I thought the food would be unaffordable. It wasn't. They specialize in small plates or tapas, which is great if you would like to try several options on the menu. Tonight, I wanted to try a vegetarian offering and I decided on the roasted vegetables, and paella with no meat. They were excellent choices. One of the issues I have with vegetarian meals is that sometimes they don't seem to have enough flavor. That was definitely not the case with either of these offerings. I paired them with a great wine, and it was a good time. I sampled some of the items my guests tried, as well. The snapper throats were awesome. Order two servings if you decide on them. My waitress, Ella, was awesome as well. My guests had an issue with their scallops, they were a little overcooked, but the staff was very apologetic and brought them back and they were great. I love the atmosphere and can't wait to come back when the weather is better. The beef fat candle was finger licking good, as well. Technically, if didn't contain meat, just meet byproducts, and I think I'd be stretching the truth a bit if I included them in my vegetarian menu. read more

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Superior in every way. Chris Hastings and team know how to properly prep & serve delicious food and provide a delightful dining experience. Can't wait to go back on our next trip to B'ham. read more