Brussels sprouts are amazing and so is the pecorino ranch on the fried chicken sandwich. (why is all ranch not pecorino ranch?!?) the relish on the sandwich is also really good! and the reason I got the sandwich the second time I visited, however it was so much more spicy the second time, to the point I had to check the order to make sure nothing had changed. I don't mind the spicy, but I do like consistency. So now I don't know if the sandwich is supposed to be spicy or whoever made it that day got carried away. Good either way but that's why the four stars. Also the shy lady cocktail is exceptional! COVID: when we sat outdoors they gave us hand warmers and blankets. at the time their heat lamps weren't working. read more

Shy Bird - fried chicken sandwich - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

The service was superb, and friendly. Gentle sale/suggestions were on point and delicious. Good value, and great taste.

1/2 rotisserie chicken on point, very tasty. Great service from entire staff, waiter was very knowledgeable about area with our party of 19 from out of town celebrating her 50th birthday. The restaurant is very well done and the atmosphere is on point. read more

Shy Bird is a fun new fast casual spot in Kendall square. The location is great - right next to the T stop - and the vibe is really fun, easily a place to hang out and enjoy a good meal and a few drinks. The staff is so helpful and answered all our questions and made some great recommendations. Although there was ample signage in the entrance of the restaurant, we completely missed all the direction and the employees gladly explained how to order and how to make the most of our visit. It's counter ordering, similar to a Panera setup, so you decide what you want and they give you a number and when the food's ready they bring it to your table. There are jars of water in the front, or you can choose from a variety of drinks from the bar or bottled options. We both tried the half chicken, because the 'bird' is the whole restaurant concept and they have the rotisserie going right behind the ordering counter so it's very hard to ignore :) The chicken was really good - perfectly cooked and the (juniper?) sauce I got on the side was very tasty - similar to an elevated ketchup. We also got a side of fries which were good, but a little overcooked for my taste. They had rosemary seasoning on them which made them easily cravable though. Overall I had a great experience at Shy Bird, the only downside is the price point. For a rotisserie chicken and fries my total was $20; I'm used to steeper city prices, but I just feel like they could have tried to make their main dish a little more budget friendly. I'm not sure I'll be a regular, but this is a good spot to curb a craving every once in a while. read more

We loved our meal here - we ordered a rotiserrie chicken for 2 with the dip sampler, fries, and salad! The staff was so overly attentive and friendly. All the food came quickly - chicken was very juicy and well seasoned, plenty of dips and we loved having the variety. Salad was lettuce with Italian like dressing (no other toppings but still good). Fries were amazing and fresh! read more

Underwhelmed. Chicken was not special-especially considering the price. Peach salad was quite good. Al Nothing that could not be duplicated at home. read more

Having used to work at the next block across from Shy Bird, I got to see how popular it is on a regular basis. Both times I've been here was for a Saturday lunch. Shy Bird is not a big place so the tables tend to be close together. It has a cozy vibe. At my last visit I got the ranch chicken sandwich, which had a little lick from the sauce and the chicken was nice and tender. Their craft beer and cocktail list is decent, along with a selection of mocktails. Shy Bird is a really great option for lunch, plus they will take reservations. read more

The Caesar salad with added rotisserie chicken was very nice. They have lots of Parmesan. Super good. read more

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Zero stars but I guess I'm forced to give 1 in order to let the public know of the atrocities committed by the owner. This Company Refuses to take orders from construction workers, me and my crew were turned away because there was "too many of us" trying to order. I had 9 guys plus myself and all we wanted was some Togo breakfast sandwiches so we could get back to work. Instead they refused to serve us and told us to leave. read more

Great service. Delicious food. Short and simple menu. Reasonably priced. Absolutely loved it! Will definitely be back! I had the ribs with a side of rosemary - black pepper fries. It was fabulous. As was the roast chicken, and the salmon. Will be back to go through more items. Don't miss the refreshing spritzer with hibiscus. read more

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The service was good, but that was the only positive. Wanted to order the Steak Frites and was told it could only be ordered medium rare or well done. Say what?!?! Ended up ordering anyway, but everything was over salted terribly, and flavor was only mediocre. Not a fan and won't be back. Maybe your experience will differ. read more

Great food! Went here for lunch and was not disappointed. The quality is fantastic and the flavor combinations elevated the simplicity of sandwiches. read more

Went to SB on the weekend recently. Nothing else in the area was open and the menu looked interesting. I got eggs Benedict from the Brunch menu which came to the table cold. I had to ask for a sharper knife because the cheap English muffin had the consistency of leather. Bartender had no idea what a Palmer was and basically gave me 95% lemonade. My son had the burger and liked it but he likes everything. When the bill came there was a 4% added charge for "Kitchen Service" WTF!! I guess they don't want to raise prices to pay the kitchen staff a fair wage or it's just a pure profit grab. One star for actually being open in Kendall Square on the weekend. read more

Atmosphere: 4/5 Food: 2.5/5 Service: 3/5 Atmosphere & Service - The atmosphere was like any other bar, with an outside section. I was a little bit disappointed with the service because no one came to check if we are having a good meal, and was very slow at service. Food - The Chicken Dunks were fine, but all the sauces felt very old and was smelly. We ordered 2 of the fried rice (don't remember which) and it didn't taste like anything and the rice didn't match with the toppings. I won't visit Shy Bird again. Rather eat iced fried rice from H mart. read more

The ambiance is average to loud which is quite understandable but the service and food is very good. Better than your regular wing stop fix. read more

Shy Bird - Late night dinner in Kendall Square just down the street from our hotel...cool and laid back. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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The restaurant is a vibe, and the staff is friendly, but honestly I really didn't care for the food. My friend had the ranch fried chicken sandwich and I had the umami bowl. And we shared the SB Dunks. The brine it flavor of the chicken is a bit too overpowering for me. The umami bowl honestly was just....not good. Idk if they put some type of lemon or vinegar in the bowl, but it was just too much. The fries were good. read more

Not it really. Granted I did order their fried chicken via TooGoodToGo app but it was still inedible because it was so burnt. The chips were ok. I do like that they joined the app to reduce waste hence the 3 stars. Been a few years since trying this place. read more

Shy Bird - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Honestly shocked that it took a global pandemic for me to head here! My small COVID-19 bubble look for safe outdoor dining spaces with heaters and this place is awesome. It was drizzling and we were covered and outside with heaters that we had to take our coats off. The part that did not shock me was how good the food was which is in line with the Eastern Standard standards. I'm proud to say that I've tried all of their sister restaurants and truly do miss the Eastern Standard. On top of that, our server Tony, the bartender Cassandra and Tina were awesome! We loved every minute of our experience dining with them and would highly recommend anyone and everyone who wants to have a great dining experience to head over to the Shy Bird! read more

Shy Bird - A selection of hard kombucha - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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I loved the fried chicken sandwich here. The chicken was crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. My friend also like her chicken nuggets! read more

I've ordered from Shy Bird a handful of times and have enjoyed some tasty meals. I was really disappointed this evening, though, as I received one of the worst delivery meals I've had maybe ever. The rotisserie chicken, typically plump and juicy, was anemic at best - probably half the size or less of what I've received from Shy Bird in the past. Mind you, this is a $20 chicken. I also ordered the beet salad - hard to mess up, but showed up soaked in dressing so the greens were just a wilted, soggy, tangled mess. We ate around them. Between the chicken and the salad, it was nearly $35 of basically inedible food. I like Shy Bird, but at this price point I would like to see them hold themselves to higher standards. If there's a runt, overcooked bird then just don't serve it. Common sense would tell you not to serve tender greens mixed with loads of dressing and soft cheese for a delivery order. I do want to note that I called to share my feedback and disappointment immediately after delivery and they refunded my chicken. I only hope they will take this feedback here to improve training and quality assurance going forward. read more

Shy Bird - $20 rotisserie chicken roughly the size of a Cornish game hen - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Food was delicious and came out very fast! The brunch menu is full of good options. Service was all right. Shoutout to the wonderful waitress with dark hair and bell bottom bluejeans, who was incredibly sweet and accommodating. The restaurant itself is cute and small, with good views for people watching. Overall I would rate it an 8/10, and I would be very happy to come back. I would definitely recommend for a quick bite and unique menu options! read more

Delicious. I had the Warm Umami Bowl (vegan, GF) with rotisserie chicken. The chicken was delicious -- they are known for their rotisserie chicken here, so I was very glad I tried it. The rest of the bowl was also delicious -- the broccoli was DELICIOUS and so well cooked. Kinda like a hot salad except a bit more oily. Really delicious and a great vegan option without the chicken. You can also add tofu, shrimp, fried chicken, etc instead. I would get this again and again. Will be back!!! Seating during covid: lots of outdoor seating. There were some heat lamps but not many, so definitely wear a jacket if temps are low. Service was great and prices are as to be expected. read more

Delicious food, friendly staff, and it's not usually hard to get a reservation, even for a large group. They've also got a great rewards program. read more

my husband and I live in the neighborhood and Shy Bird is one of our regular stops. he loves their espresso martinis, one of his favorites in the Boston area. Not many great fried chicken spots in the area, but Shy Bird's chicken is consistently awesome. we love bringing friends here when comfort food is the vibe. read more

Came here on a random Sunday night with our family of 5. We were seated promptly but to be honest the food was entirely underwhelming. It is all chicken and not even that innovative or special. My vegetarian meal (mushroom umami thing) was tasty but overall it is too expensive and not very good. i am sad b.c we live in the area but will not be back. chicken is a high margin item and it wasn't very special. the burger sucked, too. i think they do coffee day/night for MIT students but it's likely over priced, T read more

The interior is nice for brunch, it has ample amount of space between the tables so we could hear each other well even though the place was packed. read more

Shy Bird - Shy Benedict - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

kitchen administration fee. kitchen administration fee. kitchen administration fee. kitchen administration fee. kitchen administration fee. kitchen administration fee. kitchen administration fee. read more

Hidden 4% charge of "kitchen administration" fee added to bill before tax. Management lacks the courage to be honest about the prices posted in their menu. What else might they be hiding? read more

Not what they are known for but the Smash burger is amazing! Good atmosphere to meet up with friends.

This afternoon, a patron choked today, and none of the wait staff helped her or the person she was eating with. One staff member helped only after being yelled at. read more

Had a late lunch here on a Saturday. Was sat immediately and got great service. We had the chicken dunks (their chicken nuggets), which were pretty good. They were pretty moist/not dry, but the breading kept falling off. A little weird you get free sauces with it but the sauce flight is not priced to take into account the starting sauces. Oh well. French fries were also solid, crispy and came out warm. And the spring vegetable salad which was quite good too. Service was great. Attentive and friendly, food all came out quickly. Nice beer and cocktail list. Beers we ordered came out very quickly. Cocktails pretty good too. The spicy espresso martini was a good way to cap off the meal. Spice was subtle but added nicely. Well decorated spot, nice casual to slightly upside vibe / ambiance. read more

Perfectly breaded fried chicken made in all varieties, in a honey egg sandwich, by themselves (with a side of pecorino ranch), and many other classics! One of my new favs in the Kendall area! read more

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Five years after my last visit here, I decided to try it again. Big mistake. Our rotisserie chicken, SB Dunks (chicken nuggest), and smash burger were unbelievably dried out and everything was ridiculously overpriced. The SB Dunks were $1.10 each, the smash burger was $17, the rotisserie chicken (whole chicken) with no sides was $28 (Whole Foods charges $8), the side salad (literally a handful of Little Leaf lettuce with a plastic container of dressing) was $7. Will not be back. read more

One of my regular places, they even offer 1/2 size beers if you ask. Best to make a reservation.

Though I'm never one to complain, I had a really unpleasant experience here, worth sharing. - Parking was difficult - Wait time to place our order was over 20 minutes. - Undisclosed charges on bill $3.49 for a "safe and sustainable ops fee" and $2 upcharges on all of our drinks which we were told were for the "daiquiri mix", but they didn't have "daiquiri mix" and this was confirmed by the server/bartender.(Tasted like watered down slush with a strawberry slice to garnish.) - The server and bartender were so sweet, that we didn't complain, though wait time.was long and there wasnt a lot of knowledge about the menu. The server told us he only worked there 2 weeks. - We asked what the $7.49 extra charges were. The server apologized politely and told us' the charges could be removed.' -Who was introduced to us as the manager/owner, came over to our table to tell us that there were "fees" 'restaurants needed to cover.' We asked which "fees," and he said for "masks and sanitzer." We told him, 'this should've been disclosed, and after trying to get us to agree to the fees for several minutes, he agreed to take fees off, when it was clear we had an issue with the fact that this was undisclosed. - As we got into our car to drive away, the man who was introduced to us as the 'manager/owner' came up to our car and began yelling/screaming,beligerantly at us. His hands in the air, and literally screaming at us! He caused such a scene and many of his customers were staring at him. He stated the tip was not enough and that it was 'classless'. - In my opinion, the tip is subjective to experience and it was far more than generous, as the average tip is 20% and we provided average tip for average food and service. Yet, he was scolding at us publically on a main street in front of a crowd of people and that turned our experience into far below average. I find it ironic, he should talk about 'class' with behavior like this! -Highly unpleasant experience and I will not be returning, to say the least. With customer service like that, I would rather stay home! read more

Shy Bird - The safe and sustainable ops fee and upcharges on the drinks - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Came here for breakfast and the food was definitely good quality. The fried chicken bites were amazing!! The only problem I had was, I got the classic breakfast dish and there was so much oil on the bottom of my plate. Other than that, service was really good and the chicken is definitely worth it! Just a bit pricey for regular breakfast dishes read more

Shy Bird - Chicken bites and fruit bowl - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Chicken was the bomb!!! My date ordered the ribs against by recommendation and they were dry, but still delicous. The drinks were great. The service was top drawer. Outside seating was good and makes sense. Social distancing was practiced by most. On street parking is a little challenge but there is a garage nearby. read more

Shy Bird - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

My wife and I had one of the best dining experiences ever this morning at Shy Bird. Great food, people, and setup. Convenient to MIT museums. You win;t be disappointed. read more

The half chicken was really juicy and perfectly spiced. Skin was greasy but undeniably delicious- I'm not normally big on the skin, but this stuff was rubbed with a really addictive seasoning. Quite pricey for just half a chicken, though; good, but nothing to exclaim over. Tasty, but I wouldn't come back. The online ordering system was rather inconvenient as my phone was broken. It would've been helpful if a link were provided in addition. read more

Shy Bird - Breakfast power bowl, half chicken, waffle, chocolate croissant, caffe au lait, chicken and waffle, hash brown, chai latte, burger and fries - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

We ate here tonight. This place was recommended to me by a friend but unfortunately we had a really AWFUL experience here. The server was the most inattentive person ever. We had a drink spill into the food, we cleaned it up as best we could and ate around the drink that spilled into the food which was really gross but we were starving from a long day. He saw it happen, we also mentioned it casually to him that the food got ruined by the drink spill and he could care less, the table was all wet and the food was ruined - apparently that is OK here. Zero acknowledgment, he just scurried away. When he came back with the bill he held the payment device so as to watch how much we tip, we ALWAYS tip, even with this horrendous service, but his behavior made it extremely awkward, so tacky. This is one of our worst dining experiences ever. Maybe the food is good here but I wouldn't know because it was a disaster of a dinner service. As a positive the host was really nice, the menu looked great and the atmosphere was nice. I was looking forward to going there but this was horrifyingly bad. It was so terrible we thought for a minute we were getting hidden camera punked. read more