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

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

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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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

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

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

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

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

Ovenbird is a great choice, especially as the weather starts to warm up. The courtyard patio has a relaxing vibe, and even the indoor seating areas are open to the fresh evening air. We started with the beef fat candle, which in a very good way is far more beef au jus than it is fat. It's well seasoned, and great for dipping. We shared the tapas style entrees of the paella and the roasted chicken - both quite flavorful. The best part of the meal is always dessert, and the apple crisp did not disappoint. Service from Alex was perfect, just the right combination of attentiveness with drinks, and giving us time to have quality dinner conversation without being interrupted. For a beautiful evening of good food, a gorgeous setting, and excellent service all at reasonable pricing you should certainly consider Ovenbird. read more

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I've been to Birmingham many times and ate in some wonderful restaurants here. This place stands out among the greatest! Who uses beef tallow to make a candle, light it and let it float in a bowl of vegetables and beef gravy? The visionary, superstar chefs of the Ovenbird do. I asked and they said there are four chefs back there. This place truly is special. Jada was our server tonight and she was simply awesome. She came by regularly to refill drinks and check on us. I saw her do this at every table too. We ordered the deviled eggs, empanadas (tonight they were beef), paella, and roasted chicken. We also got the beef-fat candle with bread. I won't even try to put in words how delicious everything was. The food was a work of art. It was rich but not overpowering. They are very insightful in the way they pair food together. The roasted chicken came with lima beans. Between the Peruvian lima beans and the black beans with the empanadas and the chicken, we couldn't finish all the protein on our plates. This brings me to another point -- They are generous with their portions. Lastly, the interior is super cool and they have outdoor seating that is very elegant. I don't mean to write a book but if there's any place that deserves a book to be written about it, this is it. Come here and enjoy AND always remember to be kind to your servers. read more

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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

Yelp! Ladies night begin and end with Ovenbird! We are a party of three tonight. Drew is responsible for us tonight. Thanks Drew for your attentive an wonderful service. For starters we got the charcuterie board! All the stars are for this board! Amazing and fresh. People you must try something knew! Entrees were 2 roasted chicken with Lima beans and salsa verde (Tasty and juicy chicken, but weird combination), and a chef inspired paella. So good. I wanted to try your seared brûlée, but it's not in season at this time. SoNote the stars. Do, I'll be back! read more

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My husband took me here during restaurant week for my birthday. I can't believe what a great job he did at finding this place. Everything, from the service, to the cocktails, to the food - was amazing. He ordered from the restaurant week menu and I ordered the deviled eggs and the hanger steak. All incredible. Maybe the best deviled eggs I've ever had. They use romesco as their secret ingredient. The tres leaches cake was light and delicious. Although the portions are tapas sized, they're just right and leaves room for sharing. The next day I couldn't stop thinking about the awesome experience and wanted to return lol. read more

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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

My husband and I were downtown at the Pepper Place Eat in the Street and Holiday Open House event. While there, we decided to try something new, so we walked to Ovenbird. I had heard really good things about it from several friends. Being December, the restaurant was nicely decorated with lights and a tree. Luckily we were able to grab one of the last tables before there was a wait. All the tables were socially distanced and all the staff was wearing masks. The atmosphere was warm and our server was very nice and friendly. The three-star rating is because of the food. It was okay. First of all, it was my fault that I didn't realize that this was a small plate/tapas restaurant, so I think I was expecting more. We ordered several plates, starting with the Farmer's Cheese. It was good, and one of my favorites of the night. Next was the Spit Roasted Duck with kohlrabi, sweet potato, and apples. Unfortunately, the duck was bland. My suggestion is to add rosemary and more apple. We also ordered the Shaved Brussel Sprouts. I guess I should have read the menu a little closer because I did not realize that these would be raw and more like a salad. The taste wasn't bad it reminded me of a caesar salad with an anchovy paste. Then there was the beef shoulder. This was amazing and my overall favorite of the night! All of these dishes were plenty for the two of us. Because I am a huge fan of bread pudding, we ordered the Chocolate Bread Pudding which is cooked in a skillet. It was delicious, and interesting at the same time because it had the texture of bread pudding and looked like a brownie. My only complaint is that it needed to come with a bigger scoop of ice cream. read more

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We had a rough day and decided to try a new restaurant that we had been eyeing...thankfully we were able to grab a reservation. The courtyard is beautiful. Pitcher of Red Sangria - just ok I appreciate that it wasn't overly sweet, but it also didn't taste like sangria. Rather it tasted like red wine over ice. It was missing the wonderful soaked fruit and instead was served with a lime round Ceviche- very limey and delicious. The portion was tiny and it would have helped to have some house-made chips/wontons Charcuterie board- Delicious Brie and Pate... the rest was boring and small/expected Cauliflower- I love cauliflower, but not this cauliflower. This was a pretty roasted head but very mushy with a overly sweet maple sauce... like if cauliflower was trying to be dessert. Additionally the mint gremolata, which could have made it less sweet by balancing the maple sauce, wasn't there at all... it was just torn mint. Scallops- They were seasoned well but not seared well enough but the romesco was lovely Hanger Steak- steak was cooked well at medium rare and delicious paired with a spicy chimichurri Seafood Fideos- our least favorite. While the seafood was cooked well, there was no seasoning and the best part was the few slices of roasted peppers Overall, we tried everything we wanted to from the menu and I don't think there was anything amazing enough to bring us back for dinner. Given how understatedly beautiful it is, a pre-dinner drink may be worth considering. read more

I'm day dreaming about the food already!! My favorite part about the experience is getting to know the staff and getting the best drink recommendations!! read more

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I had a beautiful birthday dinner here ate OvenBird. They made nothing of the fact that my party was one person short of the reservation I had made. My party was seated as soon as I arrived, and my server had to be one of the most entertaining I had ever encountered. Think surfer boy who has a knowledge of food and drink. We enjoyed our meal from beginning to end. It was my first opportunity to sample ceviche which left an impression on me for its refreshing quality. The roasted vegetables were equally impressive considering the size-to-price of dish ratio. The dressing and cook on the vegetables was a delight. The empanadas inspired delight. I wanted to learn to cook them at home so I can have them all the time! And finally, the beef fat candle exceeded my expectations in every way. A heartier version of bread dipped in herbed olive oil, this dish was a savory queen's dream! I still think about it from time to time. The beverages were good while not particularly notable. I ordered the hanger steak which while scrumptious was quite a small portion. I need to read up on my measurements! I also sampled the Gulf fish which my friends ordered. It was delectable. We finished the meal with dessert, and the chocolate cake was a wonderful bow on top of the entire experience. I'll also say that when the bill arrived, it was half what I expected it to be! A welcome sight on a student budget. I greatly enjoyed what OvenBird had to offer and look forward to returning! read more

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The food was absolutely amazing. I most liked the scallops personally. The ambiance was perfect for a well dinner night after work. Sloan was perfect in every way. Knew the menu and was very interactive with us. The Service was awesome. read more

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I hate leaving this review because 2 previous visits had been so excellent but last night was not. We invited a few friends for a small party. Service from waitress and hostess were excellent but one thing ruined the experience. Salt. Ugh! We ordered beef fat candles (which are usually excellent) and they were salty almost to the point of being inedible. Deviled eggs too salty. Chicken, salty. Steak, you guessed it, salty. And yes all 7 at the table agreed TOO MUCH SALT. $300 in food ruined by $.10 worth of salt. Frankly, I'm embarrassed that we invited and subjected our friends to it. read more

Great service! Good times! Daughter and son in law took us and some friends. Just loved the place! Can't wait to go back!

So I've always raved about OvenBird, though it was never a full 10/10, I don't expect perfection and it has always been a solid spot. I moved didn't visit for a couple of years, but I came back and brought my favorite person here to share a special holiday meal... And we were completely underwhelmed. Everything was just okay. The portions seemed smaller and we weren't really full but still spent $100. He was pretty surprised to hear this was one of my favorites in town, and I was left trying to explain it used to be better. IDK. Maybe we caught them on a bad day, but I don't really want to pay to find out. Bummer. read more

I'm going to preface the review by saying the ONLY reason this is 3 stars is because Chris Hasings tried his best to right what was wrong, because this was an easy 1-2 star experience for us. The experience did NOT live up to the price. This is our first and last time eating here. It's a tappas style restaurant where everything except the roasted chicken is overpriced for the portions you get. The food is good but the drinks took an extremely long time (30+ minutes). Our table of 6 even talked about canceling the drink order and leaving. My reviews are based on type of food, taste, portions, price, quality of service and atmosphere... For OvenBird: prices are high, service was mediocre, food was good, portions are very little, and the outside atmosphere sucked. We were sat outside... in Alabama... in August.... mosquitos, cicadas, all the bugs. I paid $20 for a "steak" I ate in 2 bites. We also ordered the seafood fideos, which never came, so we just told the waiter to take it off our tab. The charcuterie board is laughable for the price and so is the "tomato salad" (see pics). You can make these at home from Walmart for a fraction of the price, nothing special here. Glad we tried it, won't be back. Chris did comp the 2nd round of drinks and the staff was apologetic. However, we spent $120 and were so hungry 2 hours later, we stopped at a fast food restaurant on our way home. Pass it up, the juice isn't worth the squeeze. read more

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We had a lovely dinner with friends on Friday night. We made reservations well in advance, and were seated on time. The wait staff and service was excellent. The restaurant and trendy atmosphere is very nice. Thank goodness we requested indoor seating because this February night was very chilly. We were aware of the tapas format and we decided to order multiple dishes and share among the four of us. We started with appetizer Beef Fat Candle, Cerviche, and the Pork Empanadas. We all agreed that the Beef Fat Candle and Ceviche stood out. Ask for additional bread so you can soak up all of the Beef Fat Candle broth. For our entrees we selected the Roasted Vegetables, Hanger Steak, Roasted Duck, and Seared Scallops. The dishes are carefully prepared and nicely plated. I really liked the Roasted Vegetables. The other dishes were good, but none really wowed me. Honestly, the entree portions are so small that sharing them among four adults is a stretch. For example, the Hanger Steak and Roasted Duck is so small that each person gets a small bite. You get just a little more with the Vegetables and Scallops dishes. For desert we ordered the apple crisp and the ginger infused cream brûlée. I liked the apple crisp. The twist on cream brûlée was creative, but just okay. Ovenbird was a fun experience, and I'm glad we went. But, I wasn't as impressed as I had hoped it would be. read more

Just want to preface that I'm reviewing for the NYE prefixed menu that they had. The service was super quick, we were seated almost immediately once we came in. It was a candle lit dinner. What made OvenBird lose stars is that I just wasn't impressed with the food. Nothing had flavor. The portions were fine, it's tapa style so lots of small plates but I just felt everything was lacking seasoning/salt. It probably didn't help that we went to South America the day after and experienced a whole other level of amazing food. Don't think I'll be going back but if you've never been, I'd say come to experience the restaurant and try a few things off their menu. read more

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

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We had a big table last night, ten in all, the night after Thanksgiving. We were tired of small talk and the television going nonstop. That made Ovenbird an ideal place to get away. The atmosphere is great. Lively enough, but not too noisy. The interior is interesting, divided into a lot of smaller dining areas. The result? It didn't have the big impersonal field of a large restaurant, rather achieving a sense of intimacy. Our server was spot on, always attentive and making great suggestions. And the drinks and food were awesome. Know a couple of things. This is more of a community serve kind of format, a tapas approach with lots of small plates intended to serve. It's not my favorite way to eat, in truth. Because it means that you really have to order smaller portions and pick on everyone else's plates. Not to mention that your bill adds up a little faster. I fully understand that's the format. I just prefer a more conventional serve when it comes to food. read more

An excellent first experience here! I've been wanting to try this restaurant for a while and so I decided to try it out for my birthday. This place a cozy romantic vibe. I wanted to try everything but we settled on ordering the deviled eggs, empanadas, roasted potatoes, gulf fish and roasted chicken. The food was excellent, we cleaned every plate. My favorite was the gulf fish, which was a red snapper and it was cooked to perfection. It was raining the night we went so the patio was closed but I'd love to go back and enjoy their outdoor seating. read more

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We had a delightful dinner at OvenBird during Restaurant Week in July '23. Our group enjoyed everything on the menu and all of the cocktails we tried. It was a wonderful atmosphere with perfect service. Loved every minute and can't wait to return. read more

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OvenBird is a restaurant featuring modern flavors and Southern American cuisine. The name of the restaurant "OvenBird" comes from a bird and an ancient cooking tool, emphasizing the uniqueness and creativity of cooking. Offering a variety of snacks, grilled dishes, grilled meats and other creative delicacies. Chef Cristina Soto is known for his passion for cooking techniques and innovative spirit, often creating unique flavors and complex seasonings in his dishes. The restaurant offers a comfortable dining environment with its modern décor and warm atmosphere, with a variety of dining options including alfresco seating and a bar area. Cristina Soto is a well-respected chef who has won multiple gastronomic awards and actively supports local farms and ingredients producers. read more

We had never been before, and visited with some out of town family to check it out. It was a unique dining experience. They serve tapas, which means you need to order several items to get a meal. All the food was good, and it was a different dining experience. read more

Food is expensive for the the snack size portion. Not worth the money or time! Celebrating our anniversary and had to go my husband something else to eat! read more

This was my first time at OvenBird, and I'm honestly surprised that its name doesn't come up more in the Bham restaurant conversation! It's tucked away in Pepper Place. The patio is absolutely a vibe, but I was seated indoors this time. We had a 7 pm reservation; the place filled up quickly! My server was very attentive and her pacing was great. She also knew what to suggest and could tell I was a little indecisive since it was my first time. As a gin and kombucha, I started with the Black Berry Spritzer- it did not disappoint! The slight sourness of the blackberry and lemon paired nicely with the drink. The charcuterie was our starter. I would recommend pairing the Kentucky sausage with the comte cheese and a marcona almond atop a piece of bread drizzled with honey. It's the perfect texture and sweet/salty bite! I do with there had been some dried fruit, but alas. The main course was the Hangar steak and the seafood fideos. I was surprised by the seafood fideos. The meat portion is very small, so don't expect to be full on the protein. The shrimp, clams, and small chunks of chorizo are atop a bed of fideos, which are a very thin egg-based Mexican noodle. The noodles were chopped finely (almost rice-like) and very easy to consume. The tomato-base was not too overwhelming, to my satisfaction. The hangar steak was a very small portion as well, to be expected. I stand by a medium rare order and found this to be so juicy. You could genuinely taste a difference in that it was cooked in a wood-fire setting. My second drink was the Pear Flair. This is their new drink. I was blown away. I've had a cocktail every night this week, but this was unlike anything I had ever tasted. I am officially a proponent of the pear cocktail club. This drink contains rum, pear, lemon, port, and nutmeg. It was not too sweet yet very easy on the palette. I would definitely return just for this drink. read more

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Food was too salty and unexciting! Not pleasant to the eyes nor taste buds. Didn't have ingredients for drinks on the menu. Waitress was unfriendly and acted like she did not want to be there. We've always loved this place but not again. Very disappointed!! read more

Came here for Restaurant Week 2019 and everything I had was excellent! All the ingredients were fresh, delicious, and each dish tasted amazing. And the tapas style is great because you can share/try a little bit of everything! I especially loved the Deviled Eggs & the Beef Shoulder. I could wax poetic about the food but I think the pictures speak for themselves. read more

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We had some work vendors in from out of town so we wanted to go to a nice local restaurant for dinner. A coworker recommended Oven Bird. I was very excited to learn that Oven Bird is in the heart of Pepper Place, one of my favorite areas. I arrived a little early. We had requested patio seating and I wanted to take a peak before the team arrived. I was pleasantly surprised by the ambiance of the entire restaurant. The patio area was clean, had fun architecture, flowers and outdoor string lights. I was immediately greeted upon walking inside. I chose to sit at the bar while I waited. The bartender was amazing- friendly and very informative . I chose their house white wine for my libation. It was a large serving, crisp ,chilled perfectly and very tasty. As I sipped on my wine, the bar tender was explaining the menu to another guest. It was fun listening to his descriptions and explanations of the menu. The gentleman sitting beside me at the bar was from out of town and had nothing but good things to say about his food. When my party arrived, we were seated on the patio as requested. The transition from bar to table was seamless. The menu is mostly small plates, so we decided to do family style. We ordered the beef fat candle, deviled eggs, ceviche, charcuterie, roasted veggies, fennel salad, scallops, flank steak & Shrimp Fideos. We were sad they were out of the roasted bone marrow. I personally do not care for ceviche, but will have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it! It had a delicious lemon flavor and was very fresh. I was a little disappointed in the roasted veggies. Some were too crunchy and tasted raw to me. The beef fat candle was not only a delightful sight, but was also delicious. Who doesn't enjoy dipping bread in a warm beef broth with tomatoes & onion? I loved the cheeses on the charcuterie, but didn't taste the other items. My companions all agreed that everything else was good. All in all I was wooed by the atmosphere, the service and presentation of the food. The food was delightfully interesting. I will return, but for someone who has a heartier appetite, they may be disappointed. Definitely a great place for drinks or a romantic date. read more

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I made reservations here for my husband for his birthday and was not disappointed! The food was delicious and the atmosphere was cozy and romantic! Our waitress was kind and helpful and our food arrived in a timely manner. Will definitely recommend OvenBird to others! read more

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

It's great to find a restaurant where people still dress up! Great customer service, beautiful indoors and outdoors... if you come here, expect a good overall experience. I recommend the empanadas & the bread is delicious. read more

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We visited with a wedding party and the atmosphere, service and food were excellent. We were served a few appetizers including the beef candle and then several main courses. All selections were delicious. To top off our evening, we shared a decadent chocolate cake and scrumptious Tres Leches. I look forward to another visit. read more

Went to Ovenbird last night for the first time on a date night: The ambiance was so nice, soft lighting, good atmosphere. Service was quick for a Friday night, our server was very knowledgeable about the dishes and told us to expect smaller portions. Food was really good. We shared the charcuterie board and an Argentinian cabernet which was scrumptious (the blue cheese was our favorite thing, so rich!). I had the choripan and despite the bread being burned was very flavorful, spicy with a tasty aioli. I tried a bite of the hanger steak which was a smaller plate but so tender and delicious. Overall, a good experience with tasty food! read more