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Dirty birds offers up succulent wings in different seasonings and pizza in many a variety. Many of the pizza options have bacon which is unfortunate, the veggie option is tasty. Lots of indoor seating. Outdoor seating is mostly exposed to the sun, the umbrellas are heavy and tough to move.
This food was disgusting. Shameful quality. The wings I ordered were the WORST wings I've ever had - dry, stringy and hardened. My husband ordered boneless wings and got bone-in wings which meant a smaller portion than what we paid for. The fried pickles are not as advertised. The photos online show pickle spears with a light panko breading. The pickles we received were sliced and the breading was 3x as thick as the pickle slices. The tots were soggy. The celery and carrots were inedible and spoiled.
I visited Dirty Bird on 9/24/2025 at the food truck in ucsd campus and ordered the onion rings. The outside batter was cooked to a golden-brown crisp, but when I bit into them, I found the inside was completely raw. Both the batter on the interior and the onion itself were uncooked, making the dish inedible and unsafe. For $13, I was extremely disappointed to receive an item that was a serious health concern. I felt it was important to report this to the health department and to share this experience as a warning to other customers. I hope the restaurant addresses this issue.
Wing crispness 2 out of 5 Buffalo ranch sauce flavor 2.5 out of 5 Price was 10 bucks for 5 wings not worth it
Went on Tuesday and got the 25% off bone-in special and it was excited. I got dirty ranch and Spicy garlic. It was gross. The chicken was bulky and chewy. Industrial chicken :/ the fries were the only thing I could eat. It must just be this location on campus. I can only vouch for the location in college station.
Visiting my friend on campus from out of town so unfamiliar with whatever else is on campus. Came in Wednesday night about 6:30pm, and it seems like they had trivia start at 5pm so that's cool for a social aspect. They had a sign that said happy hour on Mon-Tues? All I know is I got Happy Hour prices on the 10 wings and the beer shoutout to the girl behind the counter. Normal price for the 10 piece was about $15 (that's expensive) and $7 for the beer. I paid about $11 and $6 so much more reasonable in my opinion. So if you can I'd advise going happy hour. They had a very large menu spanning wings, pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches. A lot of wing flavor as well and original ones like dirty ranch wish I would have taken a photo of the menu. I ordered lemon pepper and Diablo (seems like a hotter buffalo), and I'll be damned them things were twerking on my taste buds. Very good and the wings were pretty large (whatever price you're paying they better be large). The lemon pepper is a dry rub and was fried perfectly. The Diablo is a sauce and that one still had a good texture. 15/15 chilis on flavor. Wings are pricy regardless of anywhere you go I feel like, but they do them well.
Yikes on Bikes. As a student here, I could have sworn the food tasted much better, or maybe it just felt that way because it was free. Regardless, I came here for dinner last night after class and paid for my food. I ordered a slice of cheese pizza, some spicy garlic wings, and a Caesar salad. None of these items was delicious or worth it. The cheese pizza was really the only edible item, and probably just because I was really hungry. It was semi-cold and nothing really special about it. The salad was the most disappointing part and probably thing I've tried in awhile. The lettuce was discolored and wilted, and they don't give enough dressing for the whole thing. They charge for extra dressing as well, and I'm glad I didn't buy another because the salad was largely inedible. The wings were just okay. The seasoning was good and spicy, but the wings themselves were dry, overcooked, and not hot? They seemed to have been served at room temperature like everything else I ordered, which is weird because I had to wait at least five minutes for them to prep my food. They must have heated it up by breathing on it. I'm overall really disappointed because it was one of the last spots on campus I wanted to try before graduating and honestly was not worth it. I'm wondering if it's also because I don't drink beer, and the food probably tastes better once you've had a drink or two. It's a bar type setup and gets loud since they have TVs playing whatever sports game(s) are going on that evening, so probably not the best if you're looking for a good study spot. No readily available chargers either for laptops. I recommend letting someone else do the buying if you eat from here, it seems to make it taste better.
Their food truck came to my place of employment and I passed it initially going to my car but as I continued walking, the aroma of the tangy buffalo sauce snuck into my nostrils and whispered sweet nothings. These wings are so good! I got Nashville and garlic Serrano and I recommend both! Btw the way the team inside were super accommodating and made the order later for me so that I can eat on schedule to my fasting, great job guys!
Honestly this place would be popping if it wasn't for the pandemic. =Deals= This location doesn't follow the daily deals like other Dirty Birds locations but they do offer a nice weekday happy hour from 4-6PM for half-off bone-in wings. However this deal doesn't apply for 1-pound wing orders. =Food= 10 wings (4.5/5): Juicy and perfectly saucy. Definitely a bargain during happy hour and I expect students to take full advantage of this once the campus if fully reopened. I got Maple Chipotle BBQ and Honey Mustard for my sauces and I preferred the latter. However, I'd go for the BBQ if you prefer a smokier flavor. Fried pickles (4/5): The breading is a bit thick but surprisingly addicting. I actually liked it more than the pickle itself. I don't know if it's worth the $8 price tag but it offers nice acidity to cut the sauciness. =Alcohol= I'm glad that they offer different options from Soda and Swine. Most on-tap glasses were around $6.50. Obviously this is more expensive than if you just bought a case of IPAs but it's convenient for students and staff who need a drink after a long day. I personally bought a Mango Cart to wash away the debate. With current regulations, you need to buy some food with your drink and the staff suggested an order of fries as the most inexpensive companion. =Set-up= Hand sanitizer is located at the entrance and the table set-up properly distances everyone. There is additionally seating outside if you want the breeze or sun. Restrooms are incredibly clean and there are plenty of stalls to prevent a line. TV's are found everywhere so you can chow to every sport possible. The staff was incredibly friendly and explained which deals and options were the cheapest and their favorite. If you aren't a student, there is visitor parking at nearby lots and the first hour is currently for free. This spot is a great addition to UCSD and don't mind if I take full advantage of their happy hour.
It's probably amazing for student that don't have a car to have a decent fried chicken spot on campus. But, for the rest of us, it's just a decent fried chicken spot. It was good, but I think there's better options around.
Went here for lunch on a friend's recommendation. I got 10 wings with a side of dirty ranch. The wings were excellent! I could tell they're cooked to order; they're really tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. Flavors were really good and not too drenched. I got mango habanero and the Seoul flavor. They were relatively mild, which I was surprised by since mango habanero is usually pretty hot. The dirty ranch is a must! Inside was super casual, you order at a counter and bus your own table. Overall, I highly recommend this place for its wings! read more
1 year ago
So I can't speak for the entire menu, but I have to shout out the Dirty Chicken Fries Tots -- they're absolutely amazing. I love the whole concept: crispy tots, seasoned chicken, ranch, and all the good stuff loaded together. It's messy, flavorful, and exactly what I crave when I want comfort food. I'd give those fries an easy 8.5/10, and honestly, they're the main reason I keep coming back. Now for the rest of the experience: I first visited Dirty Birds back in 2022 and tried their wings. I think they're often listed as a local favorite, but they just weren't it for me. Maybe it was the flavor I chose or just an off day -- not sure. Unless someone else gets them and I try a bite, I probably wouldn't go for them myself. Customer service was just okay. Not rude, just kind of... meh. The workers were young and It didn't feel like anyone was especially engaged or welcoming. On the bright side, the signs around the place are actually pretty funny (especially the water one), and there's plenty of seating, which is a big plus. One thing I didn't love was the shared restroom setup. Even though the door closes, I personally didn't feel super comfortable using it. If you're into sports, this is probably your vibe -- they had games playing and a group fully tuned in when I was there. Prices are fair, and I'd still be open to exploring more of the menu in the future. Bottom line: If you're gonna try anything here, make it the Dirty Chicken Fries Tots -- they're 100% the star of the show. read more
My company hired the Dirty Birds Food Truck for an employee appreciation lunch. The truck was hired for three hours, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm. I'm not sure which location, if any, the truck comes from, but it can be contacted via the Dirty Birds website. I've been to the Dirty Birds brick and mortars in PB and OB, this was the first time I'd experienced their catering. It did not disappoint. Every bit as good as the stores. We had a limited menu to choose from. *Five-Piece Wings with choice of sauce. Lemon Pepper, Mango Habanero, Garlic Parm, Dirty Ranch or Buffalo. With fries or tots. *Dirty Chicken Sandwich. Diced chicken and chopped bacon tossed in Dirty Ranch with melted cheddar jack cheese in a hoagie roll. With fries or tots. *Loaded Fries/Loaded Tots. Chopped chicken and bacon tossed in Dirty Ranch and smothered with mixed cheese. I chose two 5-piece wings, one with Mango Habanero and one with Lemon Pepper. I also chose the Dirty Chicken sandwich. It was all prepared fresh, then I packed it up to take home. The wings and the sandwich were perfectly resurrected in the air fryer. The mango habanero was my favorite of the two. The lemon pepper was quite good as well. They were a dry rub as opposed to the saucy habanero. Becky preferred the lemon pepper. The sando was really good. It was loaded with chicken and bacon. The Dirty Ranch was really good and provided a mild heat. It was well constructed on a sturdy roll. Whether at a store or on the truck, Dirty Birds is a solid choice in the wing game. read more
Dirty birds offers up succulent wings in different seasonings and pizza in many a variety. Many of the pizza options have bacon which is unfortunate, the veggie option is tasty. Lots of indoor seating. Outdoor seating is mostly exposed to the sun, the umbrellas are heavy and tough to move. read more
7 months ago
6 months ago
This food was disgusting. Shameful quality. The wings I ordered were the WORST wings I've ever had - dry, stringy and hardened. My husband ordered boneless wings and got bone-in wings which meant a smaller portion than what we paid for. The fried pickles are not as advertised. The photos online show pickle spears with a light panko breading. The pickles we received were sliced and the breading was 3x as thick as the pickle slices. The tots were soggy. The celery and carrots were inedible and spoiled. read more
11 months ago
I visited Dirty Bird on 9/24/2025 at the food truck in ucsd campus and ordered the onion rings. The outside batter was cooked to a golden-brown crisp, but when I bit into them, I found the inside was completely raw. Both the batter on the interior and the onion itself were uncooked, making the dish inedible and unsafe. For $13, I was extremely disappointed to receive an item that was a serious health concern. I felt it was important to report this to the health department and to share this experience as a warning to other customers. I hope the restaurant addresses this issue. read more
1 year ago
Wing crispness 2 out of 5 Buffalo ranch sauce flavor 2.5 out of 5 Price was 10 bucks for 5 wings not worth it read more
1 year ago
Went on Tuesday and got the 25% off bone-in special and it was excited. I got dirty ranch and Spicy garlic. It was gross. The chicken was bulky and chewy. Industrial chicken :/ the fries were the only thing I could eat. It must just be this location on campus. I can only vouch for the location in college station. read more
4 years ago
Visiting my friend on campus from out of town so unfamiliar with whatever else is on campus. Came in Wednesday night about 6:30pm, and it seems like they had trivia start at 5pm so that's cool for a social aspect. They had a sign that said happy hour on Mon-Tues? All I know is I got Happy Hour prices on the 10 wings and the beer shoutout to the girl behind the counter. Normal price for the 10 piece was about $15 (that's expensive) and $7 for the beer. I paid about $11 and $6 so much more reasonable in my opinion. So if you can I'd advise going happy hour. They had a very large menu spanning wings, pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches. A lot of wing flavor as well and original ones like dirty ranch wish I would have taken a photo of the menu. I ordered lemon pepper and Diablo (seems like a hotter buffalo), and I'll be damned them things were twerking on my taste buds. Very good and the wings were pretty large (whatever price you're paying they better be large). The lemon pepper is a dry rub and was fried perfectly. The Diablo is a sauce and that one still had a good texture. 15/15 chilis on flavor. Wings are pricy regardless of anywhere you go I feel like, but they do them well. read more
2 years ago
Yikes on Bikes. As a student here, I could have sworn the food tasted much better, or maybe it just felt that way because it was free. Regardless, I came here for dinner last night after class and paid for my food. I ordered a slice of cheese pizza, some spicy garlic wings, and a Caesar salad. None of these items was delicious or worth it. The cheese pizza was really the only edible item, and probably just because I was really hungry. It was semi-cold and nothing really special about it. The salad was the most disappointing part and probably thing I've tried in awhile. The lettuce was discolored and wilted, and they don't give enough dressing for the whole thing. They charge for extra dressing as well, and I'm glad I didn't buy another because the salad was largely inedible. The wings were just okay. The seasoning was good and spicy, but the wings themselves were dry, overcooked, and not hot? They seemed to have been served at room temperature like everything else I ordered, which is weird because I had to wait at least five minutes for them to prep my food. They must have heated it up by breathing on it. I'm overall really disappointed because it was one of the last spots on campus I wanted to try before graduating and honestly was not worth it. I'm wondering if it's also because I don't drink beer, and the food probably tastes better once you've had a drink or two. It's a bar type setup and gets loud since they have TVs playing whatever sports game(s) are going on that evening, so probably not the best if you're looking for a good study spot. No readily available chargers either for laptops. I recommend letting someone else do the buying if you eat from here, it seems to make it taste better. read more
2 years ago
Their food truck came to my place of employment and I passed it initially going to my car but as I continued walking, the aroma of the tangy buffalo sauce snuck into my nostrils and whispered sweet nothings. These wings are so good! I got Nashville and garlic Serrano and I recommend both! Btw the way the team inside were super accommodating and made the order later for me so that I can eat on schedule to my fasting, great job guys! read more
11 months ago
2 years ago
Honestly this place would be popping if it wasn't for the pandemic. =Deals= This location doesn't follow the daily deals like other Dirty Birds locations but they do offer a nice weekday happy hour from 4-6PM for half-off bone-in wings. However this deal doesn't apply for 1-pound wing orders. =Food= 10 wings (4.5/5): Juicy and perfectly saucy. Definitely a bargain during happy hour and I expect students to take full advantage of this once the campus if fully reopened. I got Maple Chipotle BBQ and Honey Mustard for my sauces and I preferred the latter. However, I'd go for the BBQ if you prefer a smokier flavor. Fried pickles (4/5): The breading is a bit thick but surprisingly addicting. I actually liked it more than the pickle itself. I don't know if it's worth the $8 price tag but it offers nice acidity to cut the sauciness. =Alcohol= I'm glad that they offer different options from Soda and Swine. Most on-tap glasses were around $6.50. Obviously this is more expensive than if you just bought a case of IPAs but it's convenient for students and staff who need a drink after a long day. I personally bought a Mango Cart to wash away the debate. With current regulations, you need to buy some food with your drink and the staff suggested an order of fries as the most inexpensive companion. =Set-up= Hand sanitizer is located at the entrance and the table set-up properly distances everyone. There is additionally seating outside if you want the breeze or sun. Restrooms are incredibly clean and there are plenty of stalls to prevent a line. TV's are found everywhere so you can chow to every sport possible. The staff was incredibly friendly and explained which deals and options were the cheapest and their favorite. If you aren't a student, there is visitor parking at nearby lots and the first hour is currently for free. This spot is a great addition to UCSD and don't mind if I take full advantage of their happy hour. read more
It's probably amazing for student that don't have a car to have a decent fried chicken spot on campus. But, for the rest of us, it's just a decent fried chicken spot. It was good, but I think there's better options around. read more
Awesome place for wings with a great deal of half of a pound of boneless wings on Wednesdays! Friends and I all got a pound each and all the flavors were delicious. I ordered the Dirty Jerk but you can order up to two different types if you get a pound. Plenty of outdoor seating with a bunch of TVs and some fire pits! Did not have to wait too long for food to come out and they had a decent selection of beer as well. read more
4 years ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
3 years ago
3 years ago
2 years ago
Chicken sandwich. Dry, smothered in cheese and sauce to cover the dryness of the chicken. Bun could have been toasted longer. Around $10, I personally would pass on this one. read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
This is fringe 5 stars but I reduced it to 4 because there was SO MUCH SODIUM in the fries I got. They still tasted really good but thank god I don't have hypertension or anything like that as I would've probably croaked on the spot. Price is actually pretty fair (AKA very good compared to most on-campus places), and you'll get banged for a few bucks. Portion size is pretty large. read more
4 years ago
10 wings Buffalo & dirty ranch. I wish they gave two ranch cups for the 10 wings. Wings were tough, dry, and stringy. The flavor in the sauce is there, but the wings themselves are just mediocre. Dirty ranch flavor wasn't impressive, would not get again. Buffalo was quite good, I could smell the spices and the sauce had a great kick. 10 wings for $16 after tax. Revision of past review- it was 5 wings, not 4. read more
3 years ago
6 years ago
The only reason why I give this location a 3/5 star rating has nothing to do with the food and the service. I think it's great! But it is because of the inconsistency to hours of operation. There has been times where I come by on around 4 or 5 and it's closed. The times aren't posted or doesn't say a reason to why they are closed, it's just closed. Of course, this is prior to the lockdown and outside dining rules. Don't be discouraged though, the food is great, fresh, and the service is also great. The hours have been temporarily changed to close at 4pm daily. But after December 19 2020 to January 3 2021, they will be closed (winter break). Then January 4, 2021 they will open again from 10am - 9pm (unless we have lockdown again) read more
There is a good amount of seating here and a nice open layout. There's indoor and outdoor seating with several TV's showing sports. The beer is good and the wings are pretty as well! The bartenders were friendly, your food is served at the counter. I would definitely return. Definitely a nice spot to grab lunch and hang out if you're on the UCSD campus. read more
3 years ago
I really like chicken wings, and this place is specialied for my taste. Since it is located in UCSD, it was casual and dynamic. The staffs were nice. read more
4 years ago
2 years ago
My boyfriend and I are the biggest fans of Dirty Birds!! Whenever we are back in SD for a visit home we make sure to stop by Dirty Birds because no other wing place does it quite as right! I am a huge hot wing fan and let me tell you, the Diablo sauce here is TO DIE FOR. So excited to come back in the (hopefully) near future! read more
4 years ago
The boneless chicken tastes really dry, and the lemon pepper sauce is also an unwise choice... Will try chicken wings with other sauce next time. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
5 years ago
Happened to walk by and see this place and decided to grab some buffalo blue tots and a beer. Wow those tots were amazing! The staff is super nice, fast, and COVID-safe. There are a bunch of tv's to watch sports and they play pretty good music. read more
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9500 Gilman Dr
Ste 1420
La Jolla, CA 92093
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(858) 750-2121
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https://www.dirtybirdsbarandgrill.com
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Dirty Birds - chicken_wings - Updated September 2026
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