Given the unfortunate situation going on with their building, I wanted to take the time to write this review! TL;DR: Topa Tower will be closed for at least a month (!) due to repairs required after an AC leak. Follow @birdygohnl on Instagram for updates with their business. BirdyGo is a new chicken sandwich venture by the owners of Bar Leather Apron upstairs and Maze. Given their illustrious background, it's no surprise that the chicken sandwiches bring an elevated flavor to an unassuming form. Their signature spicy chicken can be had in sandwich, tender, or nugget form. The spicy seasoning is a blend of chili oil and Korean style ramyun seasoning that is perfectly savory, spicy, and addictive. Side orders include fries and "mac and cheese" which is actually Korean rice cakes (tteok) mixed with a savory cream sauce and cheese. I would recommend either the sandwich or chicken tenders. They use a whole thigh for the sandwich, and the tenders are huge. The last time I got their snack pack which comes with fries and nuggets, the pieces of chicken were kind of small and sad looking. I also thoroughly enjoyed their Lapsang Souchong "smoky tea" which was blended with tart lemon to create a refreshing beverage worthy of the owners' bartending roots. Unfortunately they will not be able to operate as usual during the building's closure. So far they have held a chicken sandwich sale at Maze to help support the business, which was advertised through Instagram. I really just want to get support going for this business and the rest in Topa Tower. I swear if anything happens to BirdyGo I will not be okay lol. read more

BirdyGo! - 2pc tenders & mac and cheese - Chicken Shop Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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ohhh naurr! they were only open for a little while and then the building had a electrical fire that sets them back at least an entire month being displaced!!! They have been doing pop up at other locations like maze, so it might be a bit easier to snag one there since its a easier location than downtown. I actually went the second week - i got 2 sandwiches at $15 each. the soy and no spice chicken. I kinda wish i did at least get mild but its ok! maybe next time if i am able to pay them a visit again! I thought it was good overall but the cabbage was a little too sour for me. I just cant handle the slightest bit of sour so i just took it out of the sandwich. the sandwich itself was huge and very crispy. Hope you get to try one and hope they get to return back to their original spot soon too! read more

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How was the wait here on a busy Friday? I'm an office worker that works across from this place so I wanted to see what was the hype about. Lining up to order will take about 5-7 minutes and it honestly goes by really fast. BUT getting your food might take 15-20 minutes because the other office workers love to make big orders so please plan accordingly. I'm gonna assume on a slow day, the cooking time might take 10 minutes to finish. Here's what I ordered: *Lapsang souchong ice tea *Fried chicken sandwich no pickles no spice no slaw, side sweet soy sauce *Fries with ramyun garlic seasoning *side ranch sauce All meals include ketchup, wet wipes, and napkins. The sandwich was hellaaaaaa crunchy and the chicken meat was tender! Pouring some sweet soy added to the yumminess but I was sad they forgot to give me my ranch sauce :( fries remained crunchy even though it took me like 35 minutes to finish everything. I was curious about the Lapsang souchong ice tea, it's hard to describe it. But it's like a sweet sour tamarind drink. It was okay but I wished they had a drink that was not sour. I would still come back though! Just gonna triple check to make sure I got everything next time lol read more

BirdyGo! - Trying the Lapsang souchong ice tea, it tasted bitter lol - Chicken Shop Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Food: Good spice mix with juicy tender chicken. I liked it better than howlin rays when I tried it in Vegas. They had really good home made ranch. The lemonade was a really good contrast to the chicken. Service: Fast service and friendly staff Ambiance: Located in professional building downtown with take out only read more

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I'm a spice girl so I had to come give this a try! This location in downtown Honolulu, closer to Nimitz. We got street parking since it was easier for us than finding the parking entrance to the building. Inside the building was a little bit of a maze, but we kept walking around until we found them. They only do take out. And there aren't really any areas to sit down and eat. But their spot looks spacious so maybe they'll open it up and include dine-in option. The staff were so sweet. Aunty will definitely make sure you've got everything when it comes to utensils. Let's talk about the food. YUM. If you love ramyeon with spice, you'll love this. I got the hot and my partner got the medium. Even for the medium, it packs a lot of flavor and heat. Makes me wonder what the mild would be like. I don't know if I could go up to very hot, but I enjoy the tingling in my mouth and hot did it for me. The portions are huge. If you think 20 piece nuggets from McDonald's is a lot, I'd say that's equivalent to the 4 piece tenders here. The Birdy go sauce is delicious, but the paniolo ranch is bomb with the tenders. The iced tea of the day was interesting good. It reminded me of prune Mui but more herbal, if that makes sense. They did sell out of the cauliflower nuggets which I'm dying to try. So I'll definitely be coming back for more. Plus they're still new. More and more to come! read more

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Apparently I had liked a reel about this place as my coworker reminded me of it. Was craving chicken anyway so decided to check it out for lunch. Went at around 1330 kinda expecting them to be sold out due to the hype, but was pleasantly surprised to find them not only open but no line (there were about 3 people waiting for orders). Its a small take out shop beneath Bar Leather Apron, so there's no seating. Just a counter to place and pick up your orders. I opted for the "Super Hot" Fried Chicken Sandwich (Go big or go home!) as well as an order of their "BirdyGo Fries". Total was just over $21. Paid cash and was told...they dont have change. ok...just keep the rest for a tip i guess? Food came out relatively quickly (5-10 minutes if i had to guess). So...for the good. The chicken sandwich is not as massive as everyone claims it is. Is it large, yes? Does the chicken protrude from the bun? Sure, but not nearly as much as everyone claims. Chicken itself seems to have been fried in some spicy oil and then dusted with some spicy seasonings. The chicken was super crispy on the outside and perfectly moist on the inside. The spice was hot, but no where near the hottest thing I've ever had. I'd say this is a standard "hot" for me. The menu claims there is "BirdyGo sauce" but i neither tasted nor saw any sauce. The red cabbage slaw and the pickles add a nice acidity to help balance it out. The only gripe i had was that the pickles were way too thin. Honestly, paper thin...and there was only 2 of them. The fries claim to be "Ramyun seasoning and roasted garlic", but I couldnt tase any roasted garlic. They honestly tasted exactly the same as the McDonald's Ramyun seasoning for their friend when they had the KPop Demon Hunter meal. Also my fries were lukewarm, so that didnt help anything. All in all, its a decent place. Pretty pricey, but i could see myself getting the chicken sandwich again in the future. Definitely not a daily nor weekly thing. Maybe once a month....maybe. read more

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I got the 4 piece tendies, super hot, with slaw and both the ranch and birdygo sauce on the side. The chicken is crunchy and covered with spicy savory powder that tastes like ramyun powder. The chicken, slaw, and sauce portions are large. Honestly 2 pieces was enough to make me full. I'm personally not a huge fan of slaw but it really helped cut down the saltiness and richness of the chicken. I would compare the super hot spice level to a packet of shin ramyun powder, also equally as salty. The birdygo sauce didn't stand out to me but the ranch was nice and dill-heavy. Service was good, but beware there are a bunch of people ordering for their entire office! Probably because this spot is so new. I got there 10 mins before opening, took 40 mins to get to the front, waited 15 mins for my order. Not bad, just have proper expectations. Also not sure if they have napkins, they don't include in the bag and I forgot to ask. They also gave me a spoon for my order which I thought was funny. The interior is small but there are lots of seating inside TOPA tower. read more

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Birdygo! Finally went to try birdygo in downtown in Topa Tower. I've been seeing long lines but we went around 11 and the line moved fast and the food came out pretty quick. There is a cookie corner next door so you will be tempted by the smells! We tried a little bit of everything and my favorite was the chicken sandwich, although we got it with hot spice it wasn't as spicy as I would have liked, but the overall flavor was good. I also liked the snack box because it's nice to be able to get small little bites on the side. The Mac and cheese I thought lacked flavor and wasn't my favorite. But overall a great addition to the downtown food scene. read more

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Great place for a chicken sandwich! Cute takeout place below bar leather apron. The mild spicy sandwich was yummy, crispy on the outside and the chicken was juicy. It was a giant sandwich and was filling. There was no line when I went at 12:30, and my food came out around 10 minutes later. I'll have to go back and try the sweet soy flavor. read more

@fortunefoodfinds: "Had to GO CHICK them out! BirdyGo! had their super soft opening just the other week. Ordered almost their entire menu: a Medium Spice Level Fried Chicken Sandwich, Mild 2pc Chicken Tenders with choice Paniolo Ranch, a No Spice Snack Box consisting of Popcorn Chicken + Crinkle Cut Fries + BirdyGo! Sauce that I got for my keiki, BirdyGo! Fries, n' a Yuzuade (lemonade of the day). When you're wanting a huge fried chicken sandwich or crispy tenders, you can find them Downtown inside the TOPA Financial Center!" SERVICE: friendly n' full staffed INTERIOR: step-in to order, no dine-in, takeout only EXTERIOR: located Downtown in the TOPA Financial Center WAIT TIME: come with patience n' expect a line. Got in line at 11am, placed order at 11:36am, rvcd food within 10-15 mins later PARKING: metered street or validated garage (height level is 6' 2") OVERALL COMMENTS: can be tricky to find if you've never been to the bldg. Menu was passed around, then a few mins later rcvd updated menu bc the cauliflower nuggets got sold out. Liked that they offered different spice levels, which meant my kids could eat too. Everything we ordered was good. The medium fried chicken sandwich was big enough to share between two. Definitely a hand full, more of a dry rub than wet but still saucy, very flavorful, chicken was juicy on the inside with a crispy exterior, spice was manageable, my lips felt plump after hehe, slaw was a nice lil' cool down, I dipped some bites in their paniolo ranch, which tasted like a Greek yogurt base n' I preferred that sauce over the BirdyGo! sauce. The tenders were huge. Same like the fried chicken in the sandwich, juicy n' crispy n' more of a dry rub. The snack box we chose no spice for our keiki. My 5 y/o son enjoyed it n' my younger two were able to eat the fries. The BirdyGo! Fries had a well seasoned flavor, not spicy. Yuzuade was the perfect wash down, tangy n' was unique with the ume. They gave wet wipes n' it was definitely needed after. It was worth checking out for lunch, we even had leftovers to eat for dinner! read more

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5+ stars in my book! If you love fried chicken sandwiches, this place is a must-try. The sandwiches are perfectly crispy on the outside and unbelievably juicy inside--every bite has great texture and flavor. Paired with their thirst-quenching lemonade, it's a combo that just hits right; the lemonade cuts through the richness and keeps things refreshingly balanced. The staff here are genuinely warm and hospitable. Everyone served us with a smile and made the whole visit feel friendly and welcoming. Service was quick, too, so you don't wait long to dig in. Clean spot, great food, and excellent service--highly recommend for a satisfying, no-fuss meal. read more

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Been wanting to try this place since seeing it pop-up a bunch on Reels. Came here after the gym around noon and there was a lot of people waiting outside for their orders, so I expected a long wait. To my surprise, the line moved rather quickly and I got my order in within 5 minutes. After ordering, it was maybe another 10 minutes for my order to come out. First impression was the sandwich looked stunning and I couldn't wait to dig in! Generous amount of chicken that is literally sticking out from one end of the sandwich. Texture was super crispy with a juicy interior. It took me a couple bites of the chicken before I got into the sandwich. Once I got into the sandwich, I got a good bite of the pickles and slaw. The pickles provided some much needed acidity to balance out the savory chicken, and keep you wanting to go back for another bite. I opted for the mild spice, but I think I would up the spice level to medium or a bit more for my next visit. My favorite place for a great chicken sandwich used to be Fat Cheeks (RIP until they find a new space), but I think BirdyGo! might be my new favorite! PS: I also really loved their attention to detail! They cut two openings on their to-go box, so the hot sandwich doesn't steam and go soft/soggy. They also include a wet nap in the bag for before/after you eat the sandwich. Really thoughtful! read more

BirdyGo! - Chicken Shop Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

As others have mentioned, don't let the long line deter you from ordering. The service is streamlined and runs like a well-oiled machine. I ordered a chicken sandwich with a spice level of hot, which was spicy enough to get your secretions going, but not unbearable. The chicken was perfectly cooked with a crunchy exterior and juicy interior. The yuzuade was pleasantly tart with flavors of ume and yuzu. Paired well with the fattier piece of chicken thigh. One thing that was a miss was the crinkle cut fries. They were pale, soggy, and limp! Super disappointing. I do appreciate the custom vent holes they place in their to-go containers, but it couldn't help this batch of fries. read more

BirdyGo! - Chicken Shop Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is a nice spot if you're in downtown and craving fresh, hot, and moisture rich yet crispy chicken. They have tenders and sandwiches and you can select different spice levels or choose their new flavor - soy. I ordered the soy flavored chicken sandwich for my fiancé and for myself the hot chicken tenders, birdygo! Sauce, and a yuzuade. To share, I also ordered the birdygo! fries. For the tenders they well sized tenders, they taste flavorful inside and out and retain the crunch of the skin while being juicy on the inside. However, I was really bummed when I got home and saw they had forgotten my sauce for my tenders. The tenders I ordered in the hot flavor so it would have been ideal to have the sauce to cool down my palette or give the flavor of the tenders some contrast. My fiance shared he liked his soy chicken sandwich.The yuzuade, I will admit, I was not a fan of. The lemonade is on the sour side which I really liked but there was an overwhelming flavor - not sure if it was the ume or shiso that overpowered the yuzu. But if you don't mind that I'm sure it's something one might enjoy! The birdygo! fries were well seasoned, cooked perfectly - not too soft or too crispy. Everyone was really friendly from the cashier to the person handing you your order. I came around 11:30am on a Friday and there were a lot of people since it was lunchtime in downtown. I waited about 10 mins in line to order and 15 mins to pickup my order which was expected. They are pretty efficient for the crazy lunch rush! This place is still new so I would say be patient and give grace as they work out their kinks. It seems like they are getting a system down and their customer service shines. It's definitely worth giving it a try and supporting a local business! read more

BirdyGo! - 2 piece hot chicken tenders and birdygo! fries (left), soy chicken sandwich (right), yuzuade (top) - Chicken Shop Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

By far the best chicken sandwich I have had in a long time so crispy & well worth the wait in line! The spice levels are off the hook & perfect for any hot love out there! The fried cauliflower was so Onolicious too, a must try! Definitely will be back great place to go & get lunch! The place is so easy to find too on the ground level of the Topa building right under Bar Leather Apron, nice place! Great service too, very generous & sincere! read more

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Yummy new fried chicken spot, Asian inspired! They are in their soft opening this weekend. Located ground level in the same building downtown as Bar Leather Apron, it's a small shop that's takeout only. If you can't find the spot, the security guard was super pleasant, nice, and helpful per my husband who heard people asking for directions- so shout out to him! We got the Fried Chicken Sandwich, Chicken Tenders (saved for dinner), BirdyGo! Fries, crinkle cut fries, and the Yuzuade (lemonade). They were out of the Cauliflower Nuggets today. Everything about the sandwich tasted really good! Nothing was too sweet, tangy, or hot. We got the hot spice level and it was pretty tame but in a good way where it doesn't blow your tastebuds or require guzzling a lot of water between bites. It has a spice and it lingers a bit even 10 minutes later which is kind of fun. The slaw was enjoyable, definitely Asian vibes, and I appreciated the variation from the standard slaw. The chicken was pretty sizable and so so so crispy even after a 10-15 minute drive and the same was true of the fries. The dipping sauces were good too, I loved the homemade taste of the ranch and the husband loved the BirdyGo! sauce. The Yuzuade (yuzu, ume, shiso, soda) was freaking delicious, refreshing, not too sweet, just the right tang, and it reminded me of an ume candy I had as a kid that I haven't had in forever. Haven't even thought of this candy until the first sip and I instantly thought of something from little kid time. Anyone know what candy it is, it was pink and clear I think? They also give hand wipe packets which are golden for takeout in the car. Anywho, I would give this place a solid 4.5 not a 4. The only reason it isn't a 5/5 is because the regular crinkle cut fries were a little lot over salted. I know salt levels could be a personal preference and it was 100% not a reason not to go. It's so good though that we could pick the salt off if need be next time. Give t a try, you won't be sorry! read more

BirdyGo! - Fried Chicken Sandwiches (Hot and Mild), Chicken Tenders, BirdyGo! Fries, Crinkle Cut Fries, with side sauces, and Yuzuade. - Chicken Shop Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This place reached viral levels of hype so I gotta hand it to their marketing team. Showed up one day at 11:30 and the lobby was PACKED. You could barely hear the next person in line talking it was so loud in there. Rolled up to the counter and placed an order for 3 folks. Didn't take entirely too long for the food to come out. Sandwich is good! NOT worth the price. Tenders were good ONLY we paid for two 4-packs ($16!) and we each only got 2 tenders!! Receipt has no phone number. I sent an email to them...no response. NOT WORTH THE HYPE read more

Came to check out the new BirdyGo chicken in the nice Topa Tower building. We came before noon and the line moved at a good pace and we got our orders shortly afterwards. I ordered the snack box which cames with fries and choice of sauce and heat levels, and coworkers chose the chicken sandwich. No dine in, so take out only for now??? We all enjoyed our choices! read more

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I think it's okayyy... I got the chicken tenders in hot with the birdy go fries and the paniolo ranch. The chicken is very tender which is nice, very juicy and crispy, the tenders weren't really hot spice level wise, so I'm curious to see how the super hot flavor would taste. The birdy go fries, I wasn't a huge fan of, they use ramyun seasoning and there's some sweetness with the fries, but it doesn't seem to mesh well with the ramyun seasoning, the use of crinkle cut fries though was very good. My one big complaint will probably be the Paniolo ranch... a charge of $1.00 is set for the ranch, the portion is very small and wasn't even filled up all the way for it being a dollar, (I marked in red where it was filled up to once settled) compared to other eateries that charge $0.50 and I receive more especially for the size they give for the tenders, I do think that it's very expensive for sauce. Otherwise, the staff is nice, and the food came out relatively quick with it being the soft opening and having a long line to start. read more

BirdyGo! - Chicken Shop Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

WOW! This is the new best chicken sandwich downtown, maybe in all of Honolulu! If there's a long line, do not be discouraged--it is worth the short wait. The spice and flavor of the chicken was perfect, as was the tenderness. It's such a huge piece of chicken you'll have 6 or 8 bites before you even get to the bun. Very generous portion and worth it! read more

Finally got to try the chicken. It was crispy and juicy. The fillet is just a little salty for me. The sauce was good too! read more

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I got the 4 piece mild with the ramyun fries. Way too salty (my nose was sweating because of all the salt) and fries were undercooked. It's their soft opening so maybe it was just because too many orders. But I did not like the overpowering of salt they both had. :( read more

BirdyGo! - Chicken Shop Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

One word: OnoDeliciousOutstandingAmazing!!! GO TRY, you'll be hooked! Chicken super moist, crispy n sauce - wow!