If you’re in Kendall and want something fast, fresh, and actually satisfying, Shy Bird is a layup.
I grabbed the chicken Caesar wrap and it was loaded. Real chunks of juicy roasted chicken, crisp romaine, plenty of parm, and just enough dressing to keep it flavorful without turning into a soggy mess. The wrap was tight, hefty, and didn’t fall apart halfway through which already puts it ahead of most spots in the area.
The space itself fits Kendall Square perfectly. Clean, modern, lots of natural light, good for a quick solo lunch or an easy group meet-up. Service is fast but not rushed.
It’s not trying to be fancy. It’s just really solid chicken done right.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jennie Fisher
I decided to go out for a solo dinner and it was lovely… I sat at the bar and enjoyed my burger and hot tea and it was all scrumptious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Abdullah Almaatouq
Although they are probably known for their chicken, we go for the smash burger.. it is pretty great.. The watermelon salad in the summer is also a favorite… and the sticky toffee pudding cake (on the days we are not low carb… which is most days).
But what earned them 5 stars from me today is that I walked in recently with my 4-year-old (it was his birthday), and when he told them he had just turned four, they brought us all the desserts on the menu (after we had already paid the check). No fuss.. It absolutely made his day (and ours). Thank you!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Kevin
The herb roasted chicken was decent and juicy and also priced fairly. The smashed burger was cooked a bit too well and lacked a bit of flavor. Overall not bad
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Piu
Good food with great atmosphere and at the great location, the squash dish was nice. The rosemary fries were amazing. Even the artichoke dip was good. Peri Peri Margarita was amazing.
Went with my best friend on Saturday afternoon for a late lunch around 2:45. We got the chicken Cesar wrap and the ranch fried chicken sandwhich. Both were incredibly tasty and flavorful. The service was fast and our waitress and the bartender were very kind. Will be coming back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Thomas Jackson
We were in town visiting MIT and stumbled into this place because we were short on time. The staff from the moment we walked in was on point. They let us know they could seat us right away if we could be finished by 8:30 - this gave us 1.5hrs which was plenty of time. Most of all I was surprised by the service from ‘Juniper’. She was exceptional and very personable. Would definitely go again. Smash burger was really good too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
JOR
Love it. Really great blend of good food/coffee, fast, convenient, often has reservations. Equally great for happy hour or bringing the kids. The right amount of menu variety. Highly recommend all of their locations.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Amjad Nasir
This is a great place to grab sandwich type of meals all centering around fried chicken. As they don't serve Ḥalāl or Kosher options, I went with the vegetarian options. Fries were good and so was the Impossible Burger and Halloumi wrap. A bit tangy the wrap - could've eased on the pickles. Good place to grab a working lunch if you're in the Cambridge area during work hours.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Tilana Batista
Place is great overall with nice service. They have limited options for GF so I got their salmon as an entrée/main dish. It was one of the most expensive in the menu $28 (except for the steak) and the portion was ridiculously small, specially for the price and comparing with the main dishes my friends got. Apart from the salmon there were few pieces of potatoes and slices of Brussels sprouts. I don't eat much and ended up hungry.
Atmosphere is really cool , stuff is helpful and friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Peter
It took forever to get our food and it was over priced. We spend $180 for four drinks and entrees for a group of four. This review is because our bill was nearly $200 and we were all shocked. Beers start at $9-$10 each.
Jorge Garcia
Brunch wasn't a great success. Coffee came with milk neither served nor offered. Bread came without jelly. Lots of potatoes in our meal, but very little bacon. Pretty minimal, basic.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Natalie Hickerson
It seems like most of the reviews on here are for lunch, but this must be the most underrated dinner spot in Kendall square. I was absolutely blown away by the fresh, flavorful vegetarian options! The savoy cabbage, hot honey ricotta, and delicata squash were all out of this world good and should not be skipped! My husband also enjoyed the piri piri chicken and the portion was huge. Shoutout to our waitress Juniper for the great food recs! We will be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Larry
The entire experience delighted us from start to finish. Easy reservation, great cocktails, perfect service staff, and delicious food. We will come back.
If you’re in Kendall and want something fast, fresh, and actually satisfying, Shy Bird is a layup.
I grabbed the chicken Caesar wrap and it was loaded. Real chunks of juicy roasted chicken, crisp romaine, plenty of parm, and just enough dressing to keep it flavorful without turning into a soggy mess. The wrap was tight, hefty, and didn’t fall apart halfway through which already puts it ahead of most spots in the area.
The space itself fits Kendall Square perfectly. Clean, modern, lots of natural light, good for a quick solo lunch or an easy group meet-up. Service is fast but not rushed.
It’s not trying to be fancy. It’s just really solid chicken done right.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I decided to go out for a solo dinner and it was lovely… I sat at the bar and enjoyed my burger and hot tea and it was all scrumptious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Although they are probably known for their chicken, we go for the smash burger.. it is pretty great.. The watermelon salad in the summer is also a favorite… and the sticky toffee pudding cake (on the days we are not low carb… which is most days).
But what earned them 5 stars from me today is that I walked in recently with my 4-year-old (it was his birthday), and when he told them he had just turned four, they brought us all the desserts on the menu (after we had already paid the check). No fuss.. It absolutely made his day (and ours). Thank you!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
The herb roasted chicken was decent and juicy and also priced fairly. The smashed burger was cooked a bit too well and lacked a bit of flavor. Overall not bad
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Good food with great atmosphere and at the great location, the squash dish was nice. The rosemary fries were amazing. Even the artichoke dip was good. Peri Peri Margarita was amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Half Chicken, Rosemary-Black Pepper Fries, Salad, Arugula Salad
Went with my best friend on Saturday afternoon for a late lunch around 2:45. We got the chicken Cesar wrap and the ranch fried chicken sandwhich. Both were incredibly tasty and flavorful. The service was fast and our waitress and the bartender were very kind. Will be coming back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We were in town visiting MIT and stumbled into this place because we were short on time. The staff from the moment we walked in was on point. They let us know they could seat us right away if we could be finished by 8:30 - this gave us 1.5hrs which was plenty of time. Most of all I was surprised by the service from ‘Juniper’. She was exceptional and very personable. Would definitely go again. Smash burger was really good too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Love it. Really great blend of good food/coffee, fast, convenient, often has reservations. Equally great for happy hour or bringing the kids. The right amount of menu variety. Highly recommend all of their locations.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
This is a great place to grab sandwich type of meals all centering around fried chicken. As they don't serve Ḥalāl or Kosher options, I went with the vegetarian options. Fries were good and so was the Impossible Burger and Halloumi wrap. A bit tangy the wrap - could've eased on the pickles. Good place to grab a working lunch if you're in the Cambridge area during work hours.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Place is great overall with nice service. They have limited options for GF so I got their salmon as an entrée/main dish. It was one of the most expensive in the menu $28 (except for the steak) and the portion was ridiculously small, specially for the price and comparing with the main dishes my friends got. Apart from the salmon there were few pieces of potatoes and slices of Brussels sprouts. I don't eat much and ended up hungry.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Atmosphere is really cool , stuff is helpful and friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It took forever to get our food and it was over priced. We spend $180 for four drinks and entrees for a group of four. This review is because our bill was nearly $200 and we were all shocked. Beers start at $9-$10 each.
Brunch wasn't a great success. Coffee came with milk neither served nor offered. Bread came without jelly. Lots of potatoes in our meal, but very little bacon.
Pretty minimal, basic.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
It seems like most of the reviews on here are for lunch, but this must be the most underrated dinner spot in Kendall square. I was absolutely blown away by the fresh, flavorful vegetarian options! The savoy cabbage, hot honey ricotta, and delicata squash were all out of this world good and should not be skipped! My husband also enjoyed the piri piri chicken and the portion was huge. Shoutout to our waitress Juniper for the great food recs! We will be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The entire experience delighted us from start to finish. Easy reservation, great cocktails, perfect service staff, and delicious food. We will come back.
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