I have had my eye on this place ever since I heard about them having some scrumptious fried chicken. I went for a visit during holiday season. Fried chicken and cold weather goes really well together, don’t you think? It was easy to spot, as it was colorful and vivid, without being too “loud”.

The inside was explosion of fun. It was colorful, busy, and it had an old feel to it mixed with modern design. The counter by the entrance was decorated for the holiday, very joyful.  As soon as we walked it, it felt like we went into a world that was warm, welcoming, exciting, and make you “see” music everywhere.

 

Fun decoration was everywhere, no matter which direction you look at, there was something interesting or cute or cool to look at. The large light fixtures that are made with bicycle tire rims (?) were fun, and there was a cool rooster welcoming everyone with sneaker shoes and Santa hat.

 

They had a colorful eating area to the right, and take-out or to-go order counter to the back. Like I said, very, very vivid and vibrant. We got there when they just opened, so it was basically empty, but it didn’t feel “quiet” with all the colors and decorations everywhere. It felt like we were transported to some kind of tropical island, full of sun shine.

They had seating for all types or customers. Funky colored booth, table seating, long bench (for larger groups), etc.. They are ready for anyone and everyone! And I liked how each type of seating had their own color scheme.

I loved the big sign at the end of the seating area that said “Old fashion BUT Good!” which is exact thing we all thought about this place. Next to the sign was a counter seats, overlooking a bar. A good use of a dead space, I say. Counter seats are especially good for those people who comes alone, and don’t want to seat at a table.

And here are few touches that I really liked. One of them is the cute, retro-looking tray holding their menu on the counter seats. Another thing was the outlets on the walls. Very helpful if your cell phone battery is low. Super considerate!

 

The long bench seat was interesting also. It had the outlet right next to it for your convenience, and the seat cover was made with old jeans@ You can see the jean pockets on the seat here and there. So cool, nice way to recycle a good, durable material!

Another really considerate thing they have is the paper towels. They have it installed at each table. And I mean, each table! Including underneath the counter as well. So, go ahead and get your hands dirty!

The bar all the way back was even more funky and retro than the rest of the place (if that is possible). Just look at those bar stools and more than anything else, check out their light fixture made with old music cassette tapes!!! I wonder if the young kids nowadays even know what they are…?

Enough about their awesome interior, lets talk about their food! We ordered three lunch items. It was not easy to decide, as they all sounded really good. We decided on Hot & Messy 2.0 and Crispy Bird Sandwich, and The Bird’s Nest. The menu is pretty descriptive, but still leave some spaces for your imagination, until the food comes out.  Hot & Messy 2.0 ($13) comes with Cornbread, Fried Chicken, Bacon, Ranch, Hot Sauce Swag, Sunny Egg, Peanut Butter. I don’t think I have ever had anything that has fried chicken, hot sauce, egg, and peanut butter all in one dish. It was a bit small, which was disappointing, but certainly had volume.

 

The egg was cooked perfectly to allow some egg porn. The bottom was not a regular bread but moist cornbread which was really nice. Chicken was juicy and peanut butter worked really well with the rest of the flavor, which was another good surprise. Even thought the portion is a bit on small side, but it was filling, flavorful, meaty and delicious.

 

Crispy Bird Sandwich ($12) comes with Crispy Chicken, Cheddar, Smokey Q, Mayo, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles, Housemade Chips. The chicken was hugged nicely by cheddar cheese, but a bit smaller than the bun. I am not sure if that is intentional? They placed the veggies next to the chicken on the bun, not on the top of the chicken. IF this is their intention, then the chicken needs to be smaller than the bun to allow some space for the veggie, right? Well, regardless, the chicken was pretty good, juicy and flavorful. The veggies were fresh and bun was soft and warm. The chips were really good too, lightly fried and addictive…

 

The Bird’s Nest ($14.50), comes with Nuggets, Cornbread, Ying Yang Fries. What is Yin Yang fries, you may ask? It is a mix of sweet potato & garlic Parmesan fries. The cornbread was again moist and had nice sweetness to it. The nuggets were cooked just right, crispy outside with super juicy inside. The fries were really tasty, couldn’t get enough of that!

 

The portion was not big, but we were all nice and full. Not stuffed, but full. We enjoyed all the dishes thoroughly. Our server, Shavon was really nice and friendly. She took a good care of us.

They have one bathroom by the bar all the way in the back, but it was out of service on this day. I still took a peak inside, and it was really colorful in there as well, continuing the same funky theme.

They have another bathroom downstairs, the stair is located between the bar and the counter seats. This bathroom was also really fun and colorful. It makes you want to go use their bathroom! The wall by the stairs is also painted with colorful, funky style. Never a dull moment in this restaurant.

We really liked it here, good comfort food, elevated soul food style, and friendly service. So next time you have a cravings for some fried chicken or soul food, give them a try! Not a “fried” chicken type? Well, they got whole lots of Rotisserie chicken ready for you too!

Streetbird Rotisserie  – 2149 Frederick Douglass Blvd, New York, NY 10027