This place was DELICIOUS. I came here with one of my friends and we got the wings, some fries, and the Thai salad :) all was delicious and fresh and very well seasoned. We also got 2 drinks each and they were both so yummy! I got the lychee martini and the so fresh so green and they were so good!!!!! The lychee martini was more bitter and the so fresh so green was sweeter and lighter. Service was quick, efficient, and friendly! And the ambiance is cool, it's a tiny little place with a few tables and a bar so it felt very intimate :) I would return!
K. Choi
Hole in the wall but I like this place.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Matt B.
My girlfriend and I were in Santa Ana for a night and wanted to find somewhere we could get dinner and drinks. Heard good reviews of this place and they did not disappoint. The restaurant was very small inside and has a very low key vibe, but the food was so good I can't believe there isn't a line around the block here. The garlic noodles on their own were excellent, very flavorful and a great portion size. However, the shaken beef was legitimately unbelievable. I couldn't believe how tender and juicy it was. I'm not kidding, but this beef was significantly better than any steak you would get at a chain steakhouse, and honestly probably on par or better than a lot of higher end steakhouses too. Next time I'm around Los Angeles I will gladly make the drive out to Santa Ana to eat here again. Could not recommend this place more.
Tammy S.
Came here late and kitchen was about to close so we were flexible and ordered what was left of the garlic noodles which was 1 order with beef. 1 rice dish with beef, amd chicken wings with habanero sauce. The beef was very tender, it was great. The chicken sandwich was crispy and hot (temperature) and it was also really good. We also enjoyed the wings. Habanero sauce starts off sweet and after the 2nd wing, my lips were burning hot, but good enough that I can take and eat ice cream after.
Kaye M.
Food was on point!We came for dinner on a Saturday right when they were opening the doors. We chose to sit outside and the tables were not wiped down yet but no big deal. Ordered some cocktails and browsed the menu. The biggest negative of this place is that there was only one person manning the bar and service. So although there were not that many people at the restaurant, the service took forever because there was one lady handling everything. It took forever just to order our food. We came to try the duck, but they were out of it that day. So we opted for the beef lok lak and garlic noodles, beef lok lak plate, and fried cracklings. The redeeming quality of this place is that the food was a 10/10. Very very flavorful and cooked to perfection. Overall I would suggest coming for the amazing food but expect slow service.
Melody R.
The food alone is 10 STARS but this is an overall review. Everything we tried was absolutely on point and delicious. Perfect amount of spice and overall seasoning. HABANERO AGAVE, THAI CHICKEN PLATE, GARLIC NOODLES W/ SHAKEN BEEF. We also had a round of very refreshing and tasty cocktails. PLUCKEN CHICKEN MEZCAL. Negatives: (6:30pm on Wednesday) Not busy at all, there was only one table and we chose to sit outside. Unfortunately every table was dirty, even the chairs and the stool were very small and uncomfortable. The server wasn't very friendly but she started to get busy and she did a very good job being the only one there. I don't know if this is a new thing now but I wish the menu was a little more descriptive, specially the cocktails. Other than that, I will come back. I want to try the whole menu!
Joanne W.
This place is very cozy ~ date vibes ~. Seats 4 tables and a bar counter top. They had a lot of interesting alcoholic drinks, but we don't drink! We got the stir fried broccolini, garlic noodles with shaken beef, and the duck breast with rice. *Broccolini: 3/5 salty and garlicky. Very crunchy. *Garlic noodles with shaken beef: 3/5 very salty and garlicky... and surprisingly quite spicy! If you can't handle hot Cheetos I would recommend asking for no spice. The beef was very tender though! *Duck breast with rice: 4/5 the duck breast looked very aesthetic, but was a bit chewy! The rice was also kinda hard. The flavors were good though! Overall, this place might be good for a date night for someone who likes flavored alcohol drinks! The food by itself was ok!
Ivelys Vega
Delish. The "noods" were so good. A must try if you like savory garlic noodles, and you can choose your toppings!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Philip Y.
Worth it.What a charming little bar/restaurant. It was a casual friday night and our curiosity was itching. This time, we went to Downtown Santa Ana for something new. Bird & Barrel is a busy bar. Being at the hotspot of Downtown Santa Ana, the waiters have to deal with the dining customers and the drinking customer who are bar-hopping. We can see the 2 people team were doing the best they can and try to catch a breathe whenever they could.Now the food, It was some high end fine dining level of dishes. Me and my GF both had duck breast and they were spectacular. We werent expecting this level of flavor and tenderness. Great serving for a busy buzzy bar restaurant.
OC Reviews
They open at 5:30 not 5! Told them to change the online information but didn’t do it.Service and food was good but pricey.There’s a free 2 hour parking structure in the back and limited meter parking in the front.
This place was surprisingly so small in downtown Santa Ana but good thing it was a weekday so we didn't need to wait to sit at the bar. Food was very delicious! Garlic noodles were so tasty and garlicky, duck was not dry. The beef Bo luc lac rice dish was so good too, better than how traditional Vietnamese restaurants make them. Parking was easy, there was a garage structure 5 minutes walk with free 2hrs, without validation needed. The workers were all very nice and hospitable. Great place to eat and drink!
Nani V.
We came on a Wednesday night and the service was amazing! Our server Carlos was very attentive and friendly. The place itself is pretty small small but they also offer outdoor seating. Its a nice spot to hangout with friends or for date night. As the night went on more and more people started showing up. I wouldn't be surprised if this place gets packed on weekends. In terms of food and drink, everything was amazing! The drinks were refreshing and tasty and the wings were sooo good! Meaty, crispy, flavorful, not too greasy. We tried the spicy orange wings, the original wings, and the spice rub. They were all really good but the spicy orange wings were my favorite! So much flavor and they were all freshly made. We also ended up trying the garlic noodles and they were delicious!Overall I recommend this place for a nice casual dinner and drinks.
Taylor Williams
We picked this place because the menu had vegetarian options. Turns out, after waiting for 30 min, when I asked the waiter what the vegetarian options were....there are none. Apparently none of the items on the menu that actually say "vegetarian" are actually vegetarian and are cooked with meat lard or broth. An article I read about this place also raved about how they had vegetarian options. It is not okay to say something is vegetarian and then it not actually be vegetarian. Shame on them. Ended up getting amazing pizza at Loosies around the corner!!!!
Bobby B.
With all the construction going on, it hard getting to this restaurant. Was super excited to try the wings, seared duck, and garlic noodles. Wings: N/A - out of wingsSeared Duck: N/A - out of duck Garlic Noodles: 7/10 - good flavor, but the noodles looked way different than in the Yelp photos. Check out my garlic noodles photo compared to the rest. Our noodles were very thin. ........Ended up trying:Garlic Parmesan Fries: 6/10 - fries tasted stale. Didn't have that crunchy texture. Chicken Katsu w/ Rice: 8/10 - The katsu was pretty good. This was my favorite dish, but I think for the price and quantity, I would rather get Katsu at a Hawaiian BBQ restaurant. ........I feel like we just came on a bad night. Service was good though. The server truly felt bad that they were out of two dishes we want to try. I'll give the service a 9/10. Would I be willing to come back? Yes, but it wouldn't be my idea.
Celina C.
I literally never leave reviews but this place was AMAZING. amazing food, amazing customer service-- i've never enjoyed a restaurant experience this much. Jerry and the cook were amazing!! They made my whole experience. I will be driving from Long Beach to Santa Ana again just for this place!
This place was DELICIOUS. I came here with one of my friends and we got the wings, some fries, and the Thai salad :) all was delicious and fresh and very well seasoned. We also got 2 drinks each and they were both so yummy! I got the lychee martini and the so fresh so green and they were so good!!!!! The lychee martini was more bitter and the so fresh so green was sweeter and lighter. Service was quick, efficient, and friendly! And the ambiance is cool, it's a tiny little place with a few tables and a bar so it felt very intimate :) I would return!
Hole in the wall but I like this place.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
My girlfriend and I were in Santa Ana for a night and wanted to find somewhere we could get dinner and drinks. Heard good reviews of this place and they did not disappoint. The restaurant was very small inside and has a very low key vibe, but the food was so good I can't believe there isn't a line around the block here. The garlic noodles on their own were excellent, very flavorful and a great portion size. However, the shaken beef was legitimately unbelievable. I couldn't believe how tender and juicy it was. I'm not kidding, but this beef was significantly better than any steak you would get at a chain steakhouse, and honestly probably on par or better than a lot of higher end steakhouses too. Next time I'm around Los Angeles I will gladly make the drive out to Santa Ana to eat here again. Could not recommend this place more.
Came here late and kitchen was about to close so we were flexible and ordered what was left of the garlic noodles which was 1 order with beef. 1 rice dish with beef, amd chicken wings with habanero sauce. The beef was very tender, it was great. The chicken sandwich was crispy and hot (temperature) and it was also really good. We also enjoyed the wings. Habanero sauce starts off sweet and after the 2nd wing, my lips were burning hot, but good enough that I can take and eat ice cream after.
Food was on point!We came for dinner on a Saturday right when they were opening the doors. We chose to sit outside and the tables were not wiped down yet but no big deal. Ordered some cocktails and browsed the menu. The biggest negative of this place is that there was only one person manning the bar and service. So although there were not that many people at the restaurant, the service took forever because there was one lady handling everything. It took forever just to order our food. We came to try the duck, but they were out of it that day. So we opted for the beef lok lak and garlic noodles, beef lok lak plate, and fried cracklings. The redeeming quality of this place is that the food was a 10/10. Very very flavorful and cooked to perfection. Overall I would suggest coming for the amazing food but expect slow service.
The food alone is 10 STARS but this is an overall review. Everything we tried was absolutely on point and delicious. Perfect amount of spice and overall seasoning. HABANERO AGAVE, THAI CHICKEN PLATE, GARLIC NOODLES W/ SHAKEN BEEF. We also had a round of very refreshing and tasty cocktails. PLUCKEN CHICKEN MEZCAL. Negatives: (6:30pm on Wednesday) Not busy at all, there was only one table and we chose to sit outside. Unfortunately every table was dirty, even the chairs and the stool were very small and uncomfortable. The server wasn't very friendly but she started to get busy and she did a very good job being the only one there. I don't know if this is a new thing now but I wish the menu was a little more descriptive, specially the cocktails. Other than that, I will come back. I want to try the whole menu!
This place is very cozy ~ date vibes ~. Seats 4 tables and a bar counter top. They had a lot of interesting alcoholic drinks, but we don't drink! We got the stir fried broccolini, garlic noodles with shaken beef, and the duck breast with rice. *Broccolini: 3/5 salty and garlicky. Very crunchy. *Garlic noodles with shaken beef: 3/5 very salty and garlicky... and surprisingly quite spicy! If you can't handle hot Cheetos I would recommend asking for no spice. The beef was very tender though! *Duck breast with rice: 4/5 the duck breast looked very aesthetic, but was a bit chewy! The rice was also kinda hard. The flavors were good though! Overall, this place might be good for a date night for someone who likes flavored alcohol drinks! The food by itself was ok!
Delish. The "noods" were so good. A must try if you like savory garlic noodles, and you can choose your toppings!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Worth it.What a charming little bar/restaurant. It was a casual friday night and our curiosity was itching. This time, we went to Downtown Santa Ana for something new. Bird & Barrel is a busy bar. Being at the hotspot of Downtown Santa Ana, the waiters have to deal with the dining customers and the drinking customer who are bar-hopping. We can see the 2 people team were doing the best they can and try to catch a breathe whenever they could.Now the food, It was some high end fine dining level of dishes. Me and my GF both had duck breast and they were spectacular. We werent expecting this level of flavor and tenderness. Great serving for a busy buzzy bar restaurant.
They open at 5:30 not 5! Told them to change the online information but didn’t do it.Service and food was good but pricey.There’s a free 2 hour parking structure in the back and limited meter parking in the front.
Recommended dishes: Garlic Noodles
Restaurantji Recommends
This place was surprisingly so small in downtown Santa Ana but good thing it was a weekday so we didn't need to wait to sit at the bar. Food was very delicious! Garlic noodles were so tasty and garlicky, duck was not dry. The beef Bo luc lac rice dish was so good too, better than how traditional Vietnamese restaurants make them. Parking was easy, there was a garage structure 5 minutes walk with free 2hrs, without validation needed. The workers were all very nice and hospitable. Great place to eat and drink!
We came on a Wednesday night and the service was amazing! Our server Carlos was very attentive and friendly. The place itself is pretty small small but they also offer outdoor seating. Its a nice spot to hangout with friends or for date night. As the night went on more and more people started showing up. I wouldn't be surprised if this place gets packed on weekends. In terms of food and drink, everything was amazing! The drinks were refreshing and tasty and the wings were sooo good! Meaty, crispy, flavorful, not too greasy. We tried the spicy orange wings, the original wings, and the spice rub. They were all really good but the spicy orange wings were my favorite! So much flavor and they were all freshly made. We also ended up trying the garlic noodles and they were delicious!Overall I recommend this place for a nice casual dinner and drinks.
We picked this place because the menu had vegetarian options. Turns out, after waiting for 30 min, when I asked the waiter what the vegetarian options were....there are none. Apparently none of the items on the menu that actually say "vegetarian" are actually vegetarian and are cooked with meat lard or broth. An article I read about this place also raved about how they had vegetarian options. It is not okay to say something is vegetarian and then it not actually be vegetarian. Shame on them. Ended up getting amazing pizza at Loosies around the corner!!!!
With all the construction going on, it hard getting to this restaurant. Was super excited to try the wings, seared duck, and garlic noodles. Wings: N/A - out of wingsSeared Duck: N/A - out of duck Garlic Noodles: 7/10 - good flavor, but the noodles looked way different than in the Yelp photos. Check out my garlic noodles photo compared to the rest. Our noodles were very thin. ........Ended up trying:Garlic Parmesan Fries: 6/10 - fries tasted stale. Didn't have that crunchy texture. Chicken Katsu w/ Rice: 8/10 - The katsu was pretty good. This was my favorite dish, but I think for the price and quantity, I would rather get Katsu at a Hawaiian BBQ restaurant. ........I feel like we just came on a bad night. Service was good though. The server truly felt bad that they were out of two dishes we want to try. I'll give the service a 9/10. Would I be willing to come back? Yes, but it wouldn't be my idea.
I literally never leave reviews but this place was AMAZING. amazing food, amazing customer service-- i've never enjoyed a restaurant experience this much. Jerry and the cook were amazing!! They made my whole experience. I will be driving from Long Beach to Santa Ana again just for this place!