Charlie Bird
“We wanted to take home pounds of the farro salad with pistachios, mint, and parmigiano for lunches and dinners for days to come.”
“I'm not a fan of chocolate, but the warm chocolate budino with olive oil gelato and caramelized rice krispies is on my list of top 3 desserts ever.”
“The chocolate budino had a similarly crackly accompaniment, a kind of sticky, crunchy Rice Krispie confection with adult flavors.”
Charlie Bird
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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I can't say I enjoyed every dish at Charlie Bird, but overall I get it- I understand the chef's point of view and I can appreciate that.
So went here with five other people which was a stretch since the place isn't overly large. But we fit (had reservations) and I think the old school, hip-hop music and upscale, dark and trendy ambiance set the right tone.
We had a million starters. Honestly none of them were my favorite, but folks loved the sea food varieties. Yada, yada, yada, let's just talk about my pork chop. Huge, heavenly, and divine. For that reason alone I give them the nod.
Would we come back? The drinks were OK, service was good, and a few of their dishes just really stood out (and it wasn't "that" pricey). Sure we might do it again. Why not…
Very disappointing meal. The bone marrow was entirely too salty, we couldn't finish it. The fig arugula salad was covered in an overpowering fig vinegar. The duck egg pasta was underwhelming and an odd consistency, almost gooey? Even the burrata (which is my favorite thing to order ANYWHERE) was bad, topped in syrupy caramelized strawberries.
I must say, the focaccia everyone raves about was out of this world. Loved the wine and thought the restaurant was a really cool concept. Great service cool vibes etc. I wouldn't come for the food, maybe drinks?
If you like your better than average-very good cooking served with a side order of Biggie Smalls and Eric B. and Rakim, Charlie Bird is your place!
Charlie Bird is a fun restaurant and one I would return to. The 3.5 star sentiment is pretty accurate for the food and service, but the bumpin atmosphere pushes it to 4 stars.
I had the Octopus, Burrata and Farro Salad. The Farro Salad was my favorite. A lot of texture, and flavor with the addition of mint, roasted pumpkin and pistachios. The day we were there, the Octopus was slightly over cooked, but mixed with the ceci beans and prosciutto the flavors were spot on.
Overall, as I said, solid food…but the reason you go is to get that with the atmosphere…Great Bar area…great tunes, if you like 90s Hip Hop!…just a cool vibe in general!
"Back in the days when I was a teenager, Before I had status and before I had a pager, you could find Abstract listening to hip hop…."
If you like throwback hip hop as the audio accompaniment to your meal = Five Star Soundtrack.
Very small, very intimate setting. Cool hip hop themed artwork throughout. I was definitely enjoying the relaxed vibe.
Food is delicious, not overly complicated, but executed very well.
The pan roasted Sea Bream, for example, was the perfect crispiness of skin, and yet still moist and flavorful. A basic fish dish, done perfectly.
Service is great. Nice wine selection. Good cocktails. Cool straws!
Price point is high in general / Average for Manhattan.
I would recommend for dates. There's a larger side room that can hold maybe 12-15 people if you call ahead. But this is definitely not the place to show up with a large group unannounced.
After reading the review on Infatuation I was expecting so much more. I came here with three other people on a not so busy Sunday night. While waiting for the other two people to show up, we waited at the bar. I got the Two One Two drink which had tequila, aperol, and grapefruit ($14) and my boyfriend got some kind of beer he really liked. Both were good and we really enjoyed the breadsticks at the bar.
We sat outside under the heaters which was really nice. We ordered the ramps and arugula ($10) starter which had only two ramps and some arugula in a really small container (think of what you would serve creme brûlée in).
We also shared the porcini tagliatelle ($21) which was good but very simple. It was not that large which I think if I wanted pasta there are many places nearby that are much more authentic.
I also got the grilled octopus ($19) which is listed under appetizers but is a good portion. It wasn't the best octopus dish I have had but definitely one of the more expensive ones. The other dishes that we got were the pork shoulder ($32), the wild ocean trout ($32) and the farro salad ($17). Everything was just fine but not outstanding. My biggest issue with the place is that our food took over an hour between the pasta& ramps and the rest. I later found out that there was a famous Instagram person in the restaurant and I am sure they prioritized their table but t was not busy and it was a crazy long wait. The total was on the pricy side and the food was fine but you can find this type of food in so many places for half the price. I would not go back nor recommend it.
I went here on the recommendation of a friend on a Thursday night. The two of us arrived at 6:30 and the bar was already pretty full. By the time we left around 8, most of the tables were full.
Food: the complimentary focaccia bread was way too oily. After eating a piece, I had to go wash my hands. I ordered the roasted chicken as my meal, which I really enjoyed. I didn't touch the chicken liver pate that came along with it. My friend ordered the mezze paccheri (rigatoni with suckling pig ragu), which was ok. We also ordered the brussels sprouts as a side dish, which were fine as well. Overall, I'd give the food a 3 out of 5 stars.
Service: Very friendly, especially the hostess.
Atmosphere: Perfect date spot. Loud but not too loud, trendy, dark-ish, large wine list. The bathroom had mints, candies, and floss, which is was an unexpectedly nice touch!
I'm glad I tried the restaurant, and would most likely go back. Not my favorite place, but I liked the atmosphere.
Came here for brunch after wandering by. I'd heard good things. Let me say that the bread sticks are delicious and I ate way too many. The white asparagus themselves were good but the sauce was a bit heavy and the sausage very salty. The crispy chicken was fine. The liver mouse that came with it was great. But the chicken, especially the breast piece, was a tad dry. The dark meat was good.
Sometimes, it is good to eat foods that otherwise go untouched on a menu. We all get in a rut even when the menus are filled with exotic and seductive options. I broke my "rules" at Charlie Bird and couldn't be happier.
Ever had a green chickpea (cici) salad with Pecorino, mint and a sunny lemon vinaigrette? Now, I have and it left me wanting more. The bar man suggested I try the chicken. Really? I make that at home! Not this good. CB's roast chicken was boneless, VERY crispy on the outside. Because the breast is typically a touch dryer they cleverly sided that half with a pate that added the right amount of snap to the blander white meat. Wonderful croutons were scattered around the richer thigh meat. My only issue was their heavy touch on the salt. Dessert was a Budino but really reminded me of a dense warm brownie surrounded by chocolate paired with gelato over caramelized Rice Krispies (really!)
I'd go back here in a flash. When I arrived for an early dinner before the theatre, there was already a crowd. Plan accordingly. Looking forward to the next visit.