Very cool atmosphere but we didn't love the food. Everything tasted very floral. However I got a fish dish which had awesome spice and was cooked incredible.
Joel S.
One of my favorite Sichuan spots in NY. It's pretty difficult to get a reservation, but they take walk ins and you can put your name down while walking around the area and you can even grab a drink at one of the many bars in the area while you wait. There's also a Martha's country bakery nearby. The restaurant itself has a minimalist decor. They have one long center bench community table that is honestly perfectly spacious and good for any size party. We tried a lot of different dishes from the menu. Some of our favorites were the Dan Dan noodles, Chungking spicy chicken, sautéed duck with ginger, and you HAVE to get the mustard greens fried rice. Absolutely phenomenal. This place is great for dates or small groups. Will definitely go back.
Jeannie H.
Great ambiance. Wide selection of dishes on the menu. We ordered a few that was easily shareable. Could have ordered more. Will definitely be back. Cocktails were also delicious with balance flavors. Service was on point and accommodating.
Su C.
I think Birds of a Feather is best experienced in a group of 3-4 people, in order to try a variety of dishes. I recommend ordering family style, so you can try a variety of dishes and flavors. This is my second time trying this restaurant, and overall it's a win in my book. I will note, it's the only Szechuan restaurant I've tried, so it's not a type of cuisine I have much experience in. What we ordered for a party of 3: -Dan Dan Noodles: a hit! Highly recommend -Scallion Pancakes: great appetizer to start/share. I liked the smaller portion. Great to use for scraping off the sauce from the Dan Dan noodle -Chinese Broccoli: good if you're looking for veggies -Crispy Fish: a personal favorite; definitely will make your tongue tingle a bit with the spice. Only order if you can handle some heat. -Shrimp & Pork Fried Rice: I'm not a big fan of pork, but it was also a good dish. Not a must get -Nightingale cocktail: loved it! Light and refreshing.
Bradley A.
Great place to go! Mapo Tofu, Eggplant, Dan Dan noodles, scallion pancakes, and more are all very delicious! I've been several times and it's always great! However, this last time I went they got my order of snow peas wrong and gave us Chinese broccoli instead. It wasn't until half way through that we realized the food was wrong.
Courtney B.
I'm so bummed. I just ordered a chicken dish and some dim sum and both were objectively bad. The Shanghai Shumai were bland and gummy. I also didn't get any soy or chili sauce, which seems like a miss when you're paying $12 for dumplings. But, the kicker was the Kung Pao chicken. There was a ton of ginger, which overpowered the flavor, very coarsely chopped, stiff red peppers in abundance and the worst part, was gristly chicken and a bone fragment. I thought I got a particularly tough pepper, but it was a sharp chicken bone that very nearly was swallowed. I threw everything away. Goodbye $30 for a sad, borderline dangerous meal.
Emilie Fang
2024 update:I take back what I said below. They updated the mapo tofu dish with soft tofu. I gave this place another chance and it’s actually an amazing restaurant with so many flavorful dishes. Still one of only TWO true Szechuan restaurants in Brooklyn.I just came here during the day for the first time yesterday, and it was such a nice vibe to sit in the restaurant with the sunlight. Very cute vibe, no loud music, and friendly attentive staff.The best way to judge a good sechuan place is by their Mapo Tofu dish. This place uses firm tofu in theirs and the sauce is very off. Very disappointing and not authentic. If I can’t get a good Mapo Tofu somewhere then it is pretty much a deal breaker for me.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rebekah Chew
Have been coming here for years so the memories at different tables is a delight whenever I eat here. Went back again tonight with relatives that aren't used to eating Chinese food and they couldn't stop raving about it. After all these years, the eggplant accordion still wins!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Thy Pham
had the lunar new year lobster rice, which was big but surprisingly good and well-seasoned, i didn’t feel too full after trying it.we also got the dumplings, the ma po tofu, and the dan dan noodles:Dumplings were good!Ma po tofu is quite thick and spicy but I enjoyed it.Dan dan was probably the weakest dish but I still liked it.
G
Well there is nothing worse than enjoying your delicious meal and your guests who you were so excited to treat to dinner, to have the evening spoiled with an embarrassing outburst by waiter.Our waiter gave us the bill to pay and we split the check. He ran both cards and each person signed and put a tip. The waiter then proceeds to ask "how was my service tonight" the group returned with enthusiasm as we had a great night. He then follows with "if the service was great then how come you did not tip me?" We returned with that we did tip and he responds stating that there was not tip (I guess the customer is not always right??) Both parties tipped and were honestly greatly offended that this waiter felt compelled to make such a scene regarding it. We ended up tipping AGAIN as he shoved the card reader in our faces and we felt if he's so upset maybe it did not go through.Only to find out a few days later than we did in fact tip and we received double the tip. BEWARE of this scam in the future. It's a quick way to make money as the big banks will dispute and they likely get away with the money. Such a shame as the food was delicious.
I was surprised with how delicious the food was. We got the braised beef, double cooked pork, and the stand whole fish. The fish was the best of the three entrees.Make sure not to skimp on the rice as the dishes are super flavorful.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stephanie Cheng
The fried fish is my favorite item here. Also enjoy the duck fry rice. Shredded beef is my least favorite.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fabienne L.
I had dinner here on a Friday night and it was packed (as expected). We started with cocktails. I had the Ugly Ducking and the Nightingale. Both were good, but I preferred the Nightingale. To start, we had the following: 1. Dan Dan noodles -- must order!! No notes 2. Poached wontons in chili - good, but pork could have been a *little* more seasoned 3. Scallion pancakes -- too oily 4. Soup dumplings -- delicious, flavorful broth 5. Spicy cumin lamb ribs -- tender, but way too much cumin. Also a bit salty. I would pass on this 6. Chungking chicken -- way too spicy that the dish is not enjoyable. 7. Snow pea shoots with garlic -- amazing choice for greens. 8. Duck fried rice - delicious, duck was meh I think this place is perfect to experience with someone you know as it can get very loud (I.e not first date friendly). I would visit again, for the dim sum but to also try the other 48592 dishes they offer (we love options)
Gina M.
Well there is nothing worse than enjoying your delicious meal and your guests who you were so excited to treat to dinner, to have the evening spoiled with an embarrassing outburst by waiter. Our waiter gave us the bill to pay and we split the check. He ran both cards and each person signed and put a tip. The waiter then proceeds to ask "how was my service tonight" the group returned with enthusiasm as we had a great night. He then follows with "if the service was great then how come you did not tip me?" We returned with that we did tip and he responds stating that there was not tip (I guess the customer is not always right??) Both parties tipped and were honestly greatly offended that this waiter felt compelled to make such a scene regarding it. We ended up tipping AGAIN as he shoved the card reader in our faces and we felt if he's so upset maybe it did not go through. Only to find out a few days later than we did in fact tip and we received double the tip. BEWARE of this scam in the future. It's a quick way to make money as the big banks will dispute and they likely get away with the money. Such a shame as the food was delicious.
Molly Lohry
Wow, as someone who spends at least 1/3 of the year in Asia, this restaurant still blew me away. Everything we had was delicious. Food was served promptly even though the restaurant was packed. We were seated in the back room which I appreciated because it was a lot quieter than the front room.
Very cool atmosphere but we didn't love the food. Everything tasted very floral. However I got a fish dish which had awesome spice and was cooked incredible.
One of my favorite Sichuan spots in NY. It's pretty difficult to get a reservation, but they take walk ins and you can put your name down while walking around the area and you can even grab a drink at one of the many bars in the area while you wait. There's also a Martha's country bakery nearby. The restaurant itself has a minimalist decor. They have one long center bench community table that is honestly perfectly spacious and good for any size party. We tried a lot of different dishes from the menu. Some of our favorites were the Dan Dan noodles, Chungking spicy chicken, sautéed duck with ginger, and you HAVE to get the mustard greens fried rice. Absolutely phenomenal. This place is great for dates or small groups. Will definitely go back.
Great ambiance. Wide selection of dishes on the menu. We ordered a few that was easily shareable. Could have ordered more. Will definitely be back. Cocktails were also delicious with balance flavors. Service was on point and accommodating.
I think Birds of a Feather is best experienced in a group of 3-4 people, in order to try a variety of dishes. I recommend ordering family style, so you can try a variety of dishes and flavors. This is my second time trying this restaurant, and overall it's a win in my book. I will note, it's the only Szechuan restaurant I've tried, so it's not a type of cuisine I have much experience in. What we ordered for a party of 3: -Dan Dan Noodles: a hit! Highly recommend -Scallion Pancakes: great appetizer to start/share. I liked the smaller portion. Great to use for scraping off the sauce from the Dan Dan noodle -Chinese Broccoli: good if you're looking for veggies -Crispy Fish: a personal favorite; definitely will make your tongue tingle a bit with the spice. Only order if you can handle some heat. -Shrimp & Pork Fried Rice: I'm not a big fan of pork, but it was also a good dish. Not a must get -Nightingale cocktail: loved it! Light and refreshing.
Great place to go! Mapo Tofu, Eggplant, Dan Dan noodles, scallion pancakes, and more are all very delicious! I've been several times and it's always great! However, this last time I went they got my order of snow peas wrong and gave us Chinese broccoli instead. It wasn't until half way through that we realized the food was wrong.
I'm so bummed. I just ordered a chicken dish and some dim sum and both were objectively bad. The Shanghai Shumai were bland and gummy. I also didn't get any soy or chili sauce, which seems like a miss when you're paying $12 for dumplings. But, the kicker was the Kung Pao chicken. There was a ton of ginger, which overpowered the flavor, very coarsely chopped, stiff red peppers in abundance and the worst part, was gristly chicken and a bone fragment. I thought I got a particularly tough pepper, but it was a sharp chicken bone that very nearly was swallowed. I threw everything away. Goodbye $30 for a sad, borderline dangerous meal.
2024 update:I take back what I said below. They updated the mapo tofu dish with soft tofu. I gave this place another chance and it’s actually an amazing restaurant with so many flavorful dishes. Still one of only TWO true Szechuan restaurants in Brooklyn.I just came here during the day for the first time yesterday, and it was such a nice vibe to sit in the restaurant with the sunlight. Very cute vibe, no loud music, and friendly attentive staff.The best way to judge a good sechuan place is by their Mapo Tofu dish. This place uses firm tofu in theirs and the sauce is very off. Very disappointing and not authentic. If I can’t get a good Mapo Tofu somewhere then it is pretty much a deal breaker for me.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Have been coming here for years so the memories at different tables is a delight whenever I eat here. Went back again tonight with relatives that aren't used to eating Chinese food and they couldn't stop raving about it. After all these years, the eggplant accordion still wins!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
had the lunar new year lobster rice, which was big but surprisingly good and well-seasoned, i didn’t feel too full after trying it.we also got the dumplings, the ma po tofu, and the dan dan noodles:Dumplings were good!Ma po tofu is quite thick and spicy but I enjoyed it.Dan dan was probably the weakest dish but I still liked it.
Well there is nothing worse than enjoying your delicious meal and your guests who you were so excited to treat to dinner, to have the evening spoiled with an embarrassing outburst by waiter.Our waiter gave us the bill to pay and we split the check. He ran both cards and each person signed and put a tip. The waiter then proceeds to ask "how was my service tonight" the group returned with enthusiasm as we had a great night. He then follows with "if the service was great then how come you did not tip me?" We returned with that we did tip and he responds stating that there was not tip (I guess the customer is not always right??) Both parties tipped and were honestly greatly offended that this waiter felt compelled to make such a scene regarding it. We ended up tipping AGAIN as he shoved the card reader in our faces and we felt if he's so upset maybe it did not go through.Only to find out a few days later than we did in fact tip and we received double the tip. BEWARE of this scam in the future. It's a quick way to make money as the big banks will dispute and they likely get away with the money. Such a shame as the food was delicious.
Restaurantji Recommends
I was surprised with how delicious the food was. We got the braised beef, double cooked pork, and the stand whole fish. The fish was the best of the three entrees.Make sure not to skimp on the rice as the dishes are super flavorful.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
The fried fish is my favorite item here. Also enjoy the duck fry rice. Shredded beef is my least favorite.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I had dinner here on a Friday night and it was packed (as expected). We started with cocktails. I had the Ugly Ducking and the Nightingale. Both were good, but I preferred the Nightingale. To start, we had the following: 1. Dan Dan noodles -- must order!! No notes 2. Poached wontons in chili - good, but pork could have been a *little* more seasoned 3. Scallion pancakes -- too oily 4. Soup dumplings -- delicious, flavorful broth 5. Spicy cumin lamb ribs -- tender, but way too much cumin. Also a bit salty. I would pass on this 6. Chungking chicken -- way too spicy that the dish is not enjoyable. 7. Snow pea shoots with garlic -- amazing choice for greens. 8. Duck fried rice - delicious, duck was meh I think this place is perfect to experience with someone you know as it can get very loud (I.e not first date friendly). I would visit again, for the dim sum but to also try the other 48592 dishes they offer (we love options)
Well there is nothing worse than enjoying your delicious meal and your guests who you were so excited to treat to dinner, to have the evening spoiled with an embarrassing outburst by waiter. Our waiter gave us the bill to pay and we split the check. He ran both cards and each person signed and put a tip. The waiter then proceeds to ask "how was my service tonight" the group returned with enthusiasm as we had a great night. He then follows with "if the service was great then how come you did not tip me?" We returned with that we did tip and he responds stating that there was not tip (I guess the customer is not always right??) Both parties tipped and were honestly greatly offended that this waiter felt compelled to make such a scene regarding it. We ended up tipping AGAIN as he shoved the card reader in our faces and we felt if he's so upset maybe it did not go through. Only to find out a few days later than we did in fact tip and we received double the tip. BEWARE of this scam in the future. It's a quick way to make money as the big banks will dispute and they likely get away with the money. Such a shame as the food was delicious.
Wow, as someone who spends at least 1/3 of the year in Asia, this restaurant still blew me away. Everything we had was delicious. Food was served promptly even though the restaurant was packed. We were seated in the back room which I appreciated because it was a lot quieter than the front room.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5