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The Hummingbird

4.2 (619 reviews)

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The Hummingbird Photos

THE HUMMINGBIRD ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Happy hour specials
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - The Hummingbird

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Chix and Waffles. Will I have it again next time? I should try something else, but it was SO GOOD!
Mike K.

Our first visit to Hummingbird was not disappointing. We snagged a 3-top right in the window, kind of behind the counter which put us out of the way and gave a great view of everything coming out of the kitchen. And after seeing about a half dozen orders of chicken and waffles come out I knew that's what I was getting. My wife went for the etouffee, and dad ordered the very Cajun dish known as "Bagel and Lox". First of all, the coffee is amazing. Not a tang of bitterness in either the regular or unleaded versions, bold, flavorful - i want to know where they get the beans. The food came and I had to choose between regular syrup, spicy syrup and the remoulade for the chicken and waffles. I tried all 3, but liked the plain syrup the best (OK, maybe I'm a purist here). The combo of chicken, garlic, parsley, waffle, syrup absolutely made my head spin! And the size of the portion was HUGE. I can't vouch for the etouffee, my wife wouldn't let me near her bowl :( She basically licked it clean so Imma going with "she liked it". Dad, who usually takes home half his brunch, also managed to clean his plate. We didn't order beignets, but I will correct that oversight the next time. And oh yes, there will most definitely be a next time. And soon. Service was attentive but not overly so. Coffee was refilled without asking. Owner seemed to know every other patron as they entered the joint which makes me feel like a foreigner here in Marin but hey, Fairfax is a schlep from Novato! Five stars all around.

First of all, da bird! Mmmm mmmm mmmm! I am not exagerating when I say that their southern fried chicken is the best I have ever had in my life, and I've been eating chicken for over fifty years. Perfectly moist and delectable bite after bite. The portions are so huge that even a healthy eater like myself will manage to bring home a few pieces to eat later. And eat them with gusto, cold! The service is excellent, even when they are packed and the service is not speedy, you hardly notice because its always so friendly, and well, love takes time! Everything I ever ate there was sublime. Chicken and waffles, gumbo, red beans and rice, po' boys... and don't get me started on those scrumptious beignets! Oh my word! Perfectly crispy on the outside, light and fuffy inside, showered in a snowy confectioners magic and served piping hot. Never too sweet, and not even a hint of oil. If you think fresh warm doughnuts are crave-worthy, these will take you to Nivana and back with just one bite. The atmosphere is lively and cozy and above all, friendly. Sitting alone at the counter my very first time, I immediately had the feeling I was among friends. Michelle is such a genuine and beautiful person, it is beyond obvious that she loves with everything she's got. That love is evident everywhere you look, from her original photography adorning the walls, to the cups and saucers she serves espresso drinks in. Everything about this place is... WAS perfect. Sadly- devastatingly, Michelle served me my last meal there on January 9th at approximately 9:00am. Six hours later she closed the doors on the final day of business. It will be missed by many. The town itself will miss the energy Michelle and her crew brought to the boulevard. Good luck on your next adventure, and keep in touch! We'll follow you to Timbuktu for another bowl of that gumbo, girl!

Beignets
Juicke C.

It was MLK Day and a friend brought me to brunch. We have been once before, at least for myself. It's a quaint cafe with New Orlean's vibe. So I had a cup of Red Brans & Rice and a serving of fried oysters. Not necessary a tradition breakfast fare. . My initial bite of the red beans and rice was glorious. And fried oysters were on the smaller size and fried well, dipped in the accompanying sauce, they were wonderful. To the end the meal, beignets were ordered. Dipped in coffee made them more delicious. The service was attentive and friendly. It was nice brunch on this holiday.

Errythang Gumbo
D.wight L.

Often when I'm passing through a small town, I don't make rigid plans to eat anywhere. I simply park, walk around (the more the better) and see what I can stumble upon. Enter The Hummingbird, and what a cool stumble it was. Artsy diner vibe with a New Orleans connect, cool photos that seem to have a personal touch, and jazzy/bluesy tunes on pipe. I love how this little downtown-y area of Fairfax has zero chains, everything is independent and quirky. Almanac Kolsch ($9/4*) Came during lunch and it was a very warm day. I got this as I've had it many times and know its a good light bodied beer, that's always good with food. They also have PBR, but I ain't quite anti-culture like that. If I would have come earlier for the breakfast hours, I would have tried one of their coffee drinks. Cup of Everything Gumbo ($13/3.5*) So they have a basic gumbo, which I think is just chicken and sausage. This version has seafood like crab and shrimp. It is a very tiny cup but is actually the perfect size if you want to nosh on something before an entree. It is pricey for the size, but I felt I got enough quality bites that I wasn't that perturbed. Yes it was dark and murky, just like the mighty Mississippi River...the way it should be. That means they properly browned that roux to nutty status. But unfortunately I couldn't taste much of the roux as they spiced the broth with something tangy and slightly sweet. My guess a good dose of Worcestershire. It wasn't bad, just not what I associate with a knockout gumbo. There were also good hits of small plump shrimps and sausage. Never really got any crab except for one spoonful, where I got a chunk with possibly even some crab fat as it was very custard-y. The Peacekeeper Po' Boy ($27/4.5*) Okay I know that price seems really steep for a sandwich. But this is fried shrimp and oyster po'boy and they add a few slices of thick sliced bacon for good measure, ya know to 'keep the peace'. Man when this thing came out, my eyes almost bulged outta their sockets. They put so much fried seafood in this thing that it was part of the presentation for it to be spilling out all over the plate. The skrimps and oysters were not miniscule and were fried perfectly in a seasoned cornmeal coating. So instead of trying to stuff everything back in the sandwich, I just ate the sandwich (which already was stuffed adequately), and I just forked whatever seafood was on the plate. With a few dabs of hot sauce (many are on the table), this made quite the epic late lunch. I was camping down the road, so I went back and napped amongst the redwoods. Imma round up here...no shame son.

Mike likes Fairfax and so do I. (Hi Patty)
Elizabeth H.

I just can't get enough of this place. The vibe here is uplifting to me. I think in part its the music. But, primarily because of the food and people. The staff is joyful and attentive. This time I had the Queen's Salad and just about fell out of my chair. Beautifully presented, and fresh and delicious berries with blue cheese crumbles, topped with mouth watering fried chicken. Prices are reasonable considering how good the food is. I purchased two bags of coffee to give as gifts (or not), one with chicory. Can't wait to try some. If you pay with credit card, you'll pay (what has become common restaurant practice a small additional charge) But, if you pay with cash, you'll get a token for one free beignet. Everyone wins. Nice Touch!

Beignet
Kevin J.

20 min from the Samuel P Taylor State Park. An amazing place to refill all the calories you burned in the hikes and trails What to get : -po boy -shrimp and grits - begneit -pbr for the price -chicken and waffles Shout out to the owner Michelle who sources the best ingredients from around the country to bring such a tasty menu. This is a family owned business on its 15th year in a town h. H mud

10/10 would recommend. The food was amazing; I came with a group of girls and between the 8 of us we all tried something different and there was nothing we didn't like. In addition to the food, the service was phenomenal, everyone was so friendly and helpful. If you're considering give it a try!

F K.

Service was nice and food was good. Cute brunch ambiance. What can I say, they make good pancakes. : ) Wish the place had a more obvious sign tho, I missed it once and my friend walked by it a couple times not knowing it's The Hummingbird. Or maybe we're just blind lol.

Fried Chicken Hash
Jon N.

I really wanted to like this place, especially based on the great reviews, but I can't help but wonder what others think so good about it. People apparently have some low expectations. Servers were all friendly enough, but it took sooo long to get our food. Had it been busy, I'd have understood, but the place was less than half full. The food was good. Coffee was good. They had condiments on the table, but they were so filthy we didn't bother to touch them. So gross. Final insult is they only accept cash and venmo as payment. I had to go two blocks to find an ATM. So strange in 2023 and definitely means we won't return. Inconvenient and annoying.

Banana love smoothie

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11 months ago

Súper amazing food!!! We were greatly impressed by the food quality and quality of the restaurant

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7 months ago

Attentive staff. Large beignets and hot cocoa is delicious. Perfect little spot in the downtown.

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2 years ago

Always very busy for brunch - authentic New Orleans soulful food and you can sit outside with the dogs.

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2 years ago

Best shrimp & grits on the planet. Ambiance, outside seating, great music, lively atmosphere. Whats not to lime

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Ask the Community - The Hummingbird

Have the Chicken and Waffles always been $25? I havent been since the pandemic started but my memory was the price being somewhere around $18-20, maybe I am wrong. Always want to support a place with great food & atmosphere but that seems too pricey.

I'm not sure, but I know the waffle itself could easily be a $10 dollar waffle and the chicken which is so delicious and a HUGE amount could easily be $15 dollars worth. It's enough for 2 people to share and still be full or for one person to have… Read more

Do they offer Bottomless mimosas?

No, that would break the bank. They do offer bottomless iced tea, and it's wonderful

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Walt from Walt's Adventures adventuring in Fairfax, California at the Sorella Caffe…read more This restaurant appears small but it will deceive you. The eatery has inside and outside dining with the inner dining smaller than the outside area. The extended dining area has both heat and covers available. Street parking is available so be warned but the this task is worth your effort. We chose to dine outside for the inner area was at capacity... a good sign. The customer service was outstanding beyond measure. We never saw our cups empty and at the end of our meal when we were selecting desserts, they packaged our leftovers. This gesture had never been performed in all of my experiences... bravo. The food was not simply made and put on our dishes but was created with the upmost heart. Our meals were outstanding and the desserts... the literally best we ever had to consume. If you want a great Family Italian meal, then go to Fairfax, California and seek out the Sorella Caffe. A master chef and a team of professionals await you.

This was our second time coming through Fairfax visiting friends, and we had to stop back at our…read morefavorite place Sorella Cafe. It reminds us of one of those old hometown Italian restaurants where everything feels authentic, welcoming, and comfortable. The food and service were amazing from start to finish. Heather was a fantastic waitress and took the time to walk us through the menu and explain everything. We originally stopped in for drinks and appetizers, but once again it turned into one of the best dining experiences we've had in a long time. A special shoutout to Soyara, the owner, who came by our table and treated us to tiramisu for dessert. Honestly, it was probably the best tiramisu I've ever had. If you're driving through or visiting Fairfax, California, this place is a must-stop. Great food, great people, and an atmosphere that keeps bringing us back. Way to go, Soyara and team!

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Back room

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The dinning

The Hummingbird - breakfast_brunch - Updated May 2026

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