Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    The Red Bird

    4.6 (154 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Order The Red Bird Takeout or Delivery

    The Red Bird Photos

    THE RED BIRD ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

    You might also consider

    More like The Red Bird

    Recommended Reviews - The Red Bird

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Nikki N.

    We ordered an Original Chicken Sandwich with fries and a Mild Chicken Sandwich. The restaurant was clean, and although we visited during lunchtime on a Saturday, it was surprisingly quiet. The fries were excellent and ended up being one of the highlights of the meal. I also liked the slaw, though it was a bit too peppery and spicy for my partner's taste. The Original came with cheese, while the Mild sandwich was noticeably larger but did not include cheese. I'm not sure whether the size difference was intentional or related to the different menu items. Unfortunately, the chicken itself was disappointing in both sandwiches. The meat was dry, and the coating was not to our liking. It almost felt like a thin sheet wrapped around the chicken rather than a crisp, flavorful crust. The chicken breast was also underseasoned and lacked much flavor on its own. The bread was only lightly warmed and could have benefited from a proper toasting. Nothing was particularly bad, but nothing stood out either. Aside from the fries, the meal felt fairly forgettable, and it's probably not a place I'll revisit.

    Chicken Slider medium spice
    Jake M.

    First off, the customer service here is amazing, which is something a lot of places now a days miss. This place blew us away. So glad that it's so close to where we live too. Onto the food, it's perfectly done. Best chicken I've had in a while and everything is seasoned to perfection. Really excited to go back but our first time there was a 10000/10 experience.

    Combo
    Scott M.

    Was craving some fried chicken and had not been to a Red Bird before so why not give it a try? Located in the same location as the legendary Dude Where's My Curry (RIP) it is very clean inside and you will be greeted with some great customer service. Any questions will be answered right away. Pretty good Halal chicken sandwich if you ask me. Several spice levels so if you love heat they can accommodate but if you aren't a fan of spicy then they have that as an option too.

    Their rice bowl. lettuce was old and turning pink. rice was bland.
    Elaine P.

    The service was nice and the inside was clean but I wouldn't come back for food. Got the medium spice bowl and the rice was disappointing. So bland and flavorless. The lettuce was old and wilted and turning pink. Just ate the chicken and left cause why eat boring tasting carbs.

    Two chicken sandwiches w fries and chicken cheese fries
    jovine l.

    Red Bird Hot Chicken & Fries follow @jo.bellyy for more recs! I found a DAVES DUPE and dare I say the deals are even BETTER (plus they're halal!). Literally where else can you find a spot that gives you TWO HUGE chicken sliders AND fries for $14??? Not to mention they have a great variety of spice levels and other dishes to suit your own preferences. What I Got: Two Sandwiches w/ Fries Chicken Cheese Fries Red Bird Hot Chicken & Fries 27412 Portola Pkwy, Lake Forest, CA 92610

    Chicken cheese fries, hala chicken rice bowl, 2 chicken sandwiches with fries combo
    Deanne S.

    I was craving hot chicken sandwich, so we decided to try this place. It was very clean and spacious. The cashier was very helpful and recommended 3 items on the menu that is a must try. So we ordered the #2 which is 2 hot chicken sandwiches with fries, the chicken cheese fries, and the halal chicken rice bowl. They offer a 6 levels of spice. We tried the mild and medium levels. When out order came out, I was so shocked to see the size of the chicken sandwich. The chicken was HUGE!!! And I've been to a lot of hot chicken sandwich spots and this place has to be the best prices that I've ever seen. My favorite was the rice chicken plate. The white sauce is sooo tasty! Overall, I would give this place a 9/10.

    X-hot Chicken Sandwich
    Joe S.

    These days, the LA / OC chicken sandwich contest is pretty much at MMA main event level. A field of heavyweights scrapping for honor, where any new upstart has to be perfect or they're only seconds away from a firm size nine and the hazy sound of a bell accompanied by some tasty canvas. I'd been looking forward to bringing Red Bird into the fray for a while after hearing good things locally, and I had high hopes when my partner and I visited for a midweek dinner. The location has plenty of parking, and was empty when we arrived. The music was pretty loud but just below obtrusive, with speed garage playing from the main speakers. Somewhat annoyingly though, it clearly wasn't to the chef's taste, and the R&B blasting from the kitchen somewhat clashed tempo-wise. The counter staff were great, taking time to go through the entire menu in a way that would've been super helpful to the less initiated (chicken nerd ego claim lol). The prices were very reasonable too, and the portion sizes huge - especially with the 'divide and conquer' #2 meal that contains not one but two chicken sandwiches and a heap of very enjoyable crinkle-cut fries (with a lovely honey mustard dipping sauce that was probably the highlight of the lot). Sadly though, the sandwiches were only 'pretty good', and around here that's mid-pack at best. A reliance on Serrano peppers in the slaw leads to a hint of bitterness across the entire bite in the milder chicken flavors, although it does sit well at X-hot level and might be enjoyable to some. Spice-wise, the scale seems to sit a step or maybe even two steps lower than comparable restaurants in the area. The smaller sandwich size might be helpful to those with lesser appetites, and points are gained for them being a bit less oily too, but it did lead to the occasional drier bite when compared to its gigantic 'two-hand-hold and wonder how big the cluckin' bird must have been' local competition. In summary, I'd still recommend that any fried chicken fan should give Red Bird a try. It's certainly not bad by any stretch, I just expected a bit better than I got. I'll likely go back for their loaded fries - which I expect to be a highlight - and a FCK (their top) level sandwich soon. I'm also the kind of boring fried chicken nerd willing to ride 50 miles for the best sandwich rather than settling for what's closest, so bear that in mind here too.

    Medium & hot tender basket
    Calli Y.

    We saw the great reviews and decided to try this place. I'm soo sorry but it was not for us at all!! Friendly service. However the chicken did not meet expectations. I personally liked the flavor somewhat, and it was juicy, however it was not crunchy at all! My breading fell off on each bit. The flavor was a little sweet. My medium had not heat and the hot had a tiny bit. Since it's halal, does it mean it's not crispy? Not sure but we will stick to Dave's hot Chicken. Nephew thought his was crunchy but he didn't like the flavor. The fries were good though! Not for us unfortunately.

    Menu
    Jessica M.

    This is a cool new spicy chicken sandwich spot! If you're looking for a break from the usual chicken sandwich picks, The Red Bird is coming straight from the east coast with halal chicken and it's crispy and delicious. Personally, I loved the chicken cheese fries, the portions are HUGE, enough for leftovers! And their tenders are equally as big and honestly worth a try! I got one of their medium spice chicken sandwiches and man, it was the perfect amount of heat. Very manageable and still flavorful which I really appreciated!

    Terrence Y.

    I've been seeing great reviews on Yelp and other platforms for this newly opened restaurant so I had to try it. It's a light, bright and super clean spot. I was greeted enthusiastically by Jay who was super friendly and helpful explaining the options. I went with the two sandwich and fries option since that seemed to be the go-to order. I got the original and medium spice. The size of the chicken was huge. I honestly could've just had one, in fact I couldn't finish the French fries after eating both sandwiches. They were delicious and had just enough spice. I will certainly be back.

    Chicken cheese fries
    Johnathan H.

    The portion sizes are large and the prices seem almost too good to be true in this economy. Being a brand new restaurant, the staff are upbeat and eager to please. The chicken cheese fries had great flavor, and the spice level is below average. I normally get hot, but I'd go for extra hot here. It's a shame that another reviewer docked stars for the spice levels. It's not the restaurant's fault that you can't handle MILD spice. Being right down the street from my house, I'll put this place in my regular rotation for eating out. Cheers!

    Timmy S.

    For someone like me who has low spice tolerance, a hot chicken place is not on the top of my list, although such places have a "mild" option which I can enjoy. But this place's "mild" was too hot for me to handle. I came for lunch during their soft opening. Their customer service was superb, very friendly. I went to the counter and ordered their #1: two chicken strips (I chose mild) with fries, which also came with toast and a tiny side of slaw. They have a fridge with canned and bottled sodas so I also got a can of ginger ale and took a seat at one of their tables. The wait was really long but I'm not dinging them on that since they were slammed and, as mentioned, they were in their soft opening and still finding their rhythm. My food was delivered to my table. The fries were excellent as was the dipping sauce. The toast was soggy but good. The chicken was juicy and good quality. The coating was another story. One bite and my eyes watered while my tongue was on fire. Maybe they put the wrong spice level on it? Or if this is their mild, this is not the place for me. Luckily the coating flaked off easily; each poke with a fork caused it to crumble. For most customers this might be a bad thing but for me it was wonderful! A few more pokes with the fork and all the coating was completely off and I could easily eat the uncoated chicken. The combination of a guy who can't handle heat and the fact that I ate there during their soft opening clearly puts The Red Bird at a disadvantage for being reviewed by me. I'll freely admit that and point you to other reviews for (most likely) better experiences.

    bam
    Shwe N.

    my bf dropped the chicken sandwich for me and i thoroughly enjoyed it. very creamy thick sauce and tender chicken meat. fries too

    Chicken Nuggets

    See all

    3 months ago

    Food is on point, and spice level is great, the quality is beautiful, overall it was a delicious dish

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ali M.
    0
    49
    59

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lucy H.
    0
    18
    25

    2 months ago

    We ordered Chicken Cheese Fries and it's tasty. The staff is nice and has great customer service.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Hailey J.
    52
    25
    22

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Customer service was top tier the restaurant was nice and clean smelled nice. Cashier was really nice . Food was fresh

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kay H.
    0
    39
    0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Nick L.
    186
    36
    6

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    CRAZY GOOD! Fella working at counter was a bit strange but doesn't take away the tasty chicekn! ONLY go to this location let me tell you.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    I had the chicken sandwich and it was outstanding! Customer service was great, very helpful. Ambiance was great as well.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Crystle C.
    412
    254
    92

    10 months ago

    Food is really good. Tried the tenders and sandwich. We like the Nashville hot. Great service also!

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Don D.
    48
    46
    4

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Madiha S.
    35
    47
    15

    9 months ago

    Very delicious and different food. Nice service. Ambiance is more casual dining room but clean and spacious.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Pamela B.
    54
    226
    45

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Reza G.
    179
    39
    3

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Super salty and very dry chicken. Not good. You are much better off going to Chic fil a.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 2 of 4

    Ask the Community - The Red Bird

    You might also consider

    Calf & Chick

    Calf & Chick

    4.6
    (114 reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$
    Catering service
    Large group friendly

    The chicken plate is SOOOO delicious. I've only ordered this on DoorDash and even sitting in a box…read morefor 30-60 mins and then reheating, the chicken is moist, juicy, and tender! And charred at the same time. So I can only imagine how yummy it is fresh at the restaurant. Garlic sauce is 10/10. And I love the salad that comes with the plate. I've ordered this dish like 10 times and it's always been consistently perfect Also the tiramisu is a must order. The best tiramisu I've ever had in my entire life.

    I'll be honest, fast casual anything doesn't exactly scream "culinary experience," so I walked in…read morewith pretty modest expectations. Turns out, was I wrong, and I am so happy about it. Let's talk about the beef kebab plate. Flavorful doesn't even cover it. This thing had no business being this good at a fast casual price point. But wait, it gets better. It came with hummus AND a fresh salad AND a side of fresh baked in-house bread. I had to do a double take. You can also order the bread on its own as a standalone item, which is a genuinely unique touch. I cant name one other casual place that bakes their own bread. Show up Monday, Wednesday, or Friday and you can take advantage of their buy one get one 50% special too. I haven't tried their sandwiches yet but I highly reccommend the plates, and given how fresh everything was, I'm already planning my return visit!

    Photos
    Calf & Chick
    Calf & Chick
    Calf & Chick

    See all

    Kabab Express

    Kabab Express

    4.6
    (480 reviews)
    4.7 mi
    $$

    Food is good, service was okay, speed was disappointingly slow…read more I get that these places make their food to order so I expected a wait, but they have the word "express" in their business name so I had a false expectation. Needless to say I sat there waiting for my two to-go orders for what felt like an eternity. A lot of people flowed in after me and they were all just waiting, it was weird since it was empty when I walked in and then seeing 6 tables of people with no food. I thought I ordered the cheaper lunch special of chicken koobideh and beef koobideh, but he punched in the full portion instead. I didn't really mind as it just became extra food for dinner. But I feel like if someone is going in at the beginning of lunch time, they would be looking to order lunch menu stuff? I guess I can't expect people to do what I my logic would do. The two koobidehs is pretty much the same thing I order at any of these places because I prefer ground meat that's tender and juicy and this place did not disappoint. They were cooked to perfections with just a little crisp on the meats. Not much else to say since I only had a basic meal....meals

    We had it to go, so I can't speak much about the dine-in experience, but I will say the service…read morewasn't the friendliest. We ordered the combo beef and chicken plate, the beef gyro plate, and two falafel on the side. The falafel didn't look impressive, but they were surprisingly excellent--moist, flavorful, and honestly better than Sababa's. I'll definitely order six next time. The gyro plate was solid, not overly greasy or heavy, and the seasoning was just right. I wasn't a fan of the hummus, which had a bitter aftertaste, but my partner liked the tanginess, so that may come down to personal preference. On the combo plate, the chicken stood out: juicy and tender. The beef seemed to be a leaner cut and was a bit dry. I'd probably skip this particular beef kebab next time and try a different one. The saffron rice and grilled tomato were a nice complement. The plate also came with jumbo naan, served warm and smelling amazing, definitely a highlight.

    Photos
    Kabab Express
    Kabab Express
    Kabab Express

    See all

    Chili Chutney Afghan Restaurant

    Chili Chutney Afghan Restaurant

    4.1
    (884 reviews)
    4.2 mi
    $$

    Food 5/5 Service 5/5…read more Ambiance 5/5 I have been dining in for many years. They just opened again for lunch buffet it was good . $16.99 I recommend it They are open for lunch buffet and ordering from 11 am to 3

    TLDR: Unassuming from the outside, eccentric from the inside. The food is what I expect from…read morerestaurants. Something that I cannot make, something that I've tried, yet the establishment still finds a way to give me a different and enjoyable experience. Boneless Chicken and Beef Koobideh Combo: One of the most dangerous things to order, as both things can either come out as dry, or start off as great, then dry up before you can finish. None of those scenarios happened here. The chicken was soft, juicy, seasoned very well, and it stayed that way. The beef koobideh had this smoky flavor profile, which is different from what I normally expect, and I liked it. Potato Boloni: I've never had boloni in my life, and the closest comparison I have is a Chinese or Korean pancake. The boloni had areas of spiciness, and I think it had room to go higher. It's definitely an appetizer, and I won't mind having it again. Service: There were only 2-3 occupied tables when we went. I think the staff had plenty of time to take our orders, give us water, and the food arrived within a reasonable time. Ambiance: You could tell that the restaurant was designed to host wedding receptions or larger parties in mind. Stage, lights, and a bunch of stuff that may be overwhelming for some. I didn't mind. Good food is all that matters.

    Photos
    Indoor dining
    Indoor dining
    Beef koobideh plate
    Beef koobideh plate
    Stage

    See all

    Stage
    Mint

    Mint

    4.4
    (770 reviews)
    6.0 mi
    $$

    Easily one of the best Indian restaurants I've had in SoCal. The ambiance feels upscale without…read morebeing pretentious. The interiors and decor are *chef's kiss. One detail I loved was the screen playing old-school Indian movies in the background. It adds a layer of nostalgia to the experience that's hard to describe, almost like the feeling you get watching classic black-and-white films. The food does take a little while to come out, but it's absolutely worth the wait. Service is friendly. Samosa Chaat (9/10) - An explosion of flavours. I loved that they leave larger chunks of samosa throughout the dish instead of turning it into one giant mashed potato bowl. Great texture and balance. Dahi Puri (8/10) - Refreshing, slightly spicy, sweet, and savuory all at once. Plus, it's a fun dish to eat. Lamb Curry (7.5/10) - The meat was tender and the curry itself was rich and flavuorful. Butter Chicken (8.5/10) - Packed with flavor and hands down the best butter chicken I've had in Orange County. My only complaint is that the portion wasn't bigger. I ran out of butter chicken before I finished my naan

    This review is for their online ordering…read more This is my first impression of Mint. I live in Irvine and always eat at Southern Spice, Clay Pot or Natraj when I crave Indian food. However this time I thought I would try something different. So I ordered online with Mint. All the pictures and reviews were decent so why not? Well I should've stuck with my OG's because this was not it. I ordered x2 buttered chicken that was in a very small container (see photo attached) for $20 EACH! Garlic Naan that was $5, Mango Lassi also $5 and Gelato. First, if you guys are paying $20 for a small tiny container of butter chicken in LH please please do yourself a favor and go try Southern Spice. Their flavors are mouthwatering and the portion is huge. I understand inflation but this is ridiculous and the flavor is blah. It's like there is no spices in there at all just butter and tomato sauce AND the kicker...no rice! Super weird to me that they do not automatically give you rice! Like who just orders butter chicken or any Indian,Chinese, Korean dish for that matter without rice! I mean rice has to cost you guys a pretty small fraction no? Just give people 1/2c of rice! If not, at least you should make note of that on your menu so people know ahead of ordering. The garlic Naan is decent really no complaints there, the Mango Lassi they gave me was the size of a kiddy cup (see photo) Literally a child's sippy cup is bigger than what I received for $5 insane! And just to make matters worse, when I opened by bag they placed my gelato directly on top of the hot food! So when I took it out, it had completely melted. $10 for melted pistachio creamy soup, just what I wanted. You guys have to do better for your customers. I get the price increases but for what you are giving and the immense amount of lack of flavors...is wild. Save your money, drive a little bit further and eat some true Indian food in Irvine/Tustin cause this place is not it. The pictures posted are truly beautiful but pictures are not everything especially when it comes to food quality and flavor. I am only giving two stars bc the Mango Lassi and Garlic Naan were decent tasting.

    Photos
    Inside about an hour till closing time
    Inside about an hour till closing time
    Samosa Chaat  potato, mint, garbanzo, tamarind, vermicelli, sweet yogurt
    Samosa Chaat potato, mint, garbanzo, tamarind, vermicelli, sweet yogurt
    Entryway to the bathrooms

    See all

    Entryway to the bathrooms
    Charminar Indian Restaurant & Catering

    Charminar Indian Restaurant & Catering

    3.9
    (174 reviews)
    6.2 mi
    $$

    Let me save you the trouble of booking a flight to India. Charminar in Laguna Woods is delivering…read morethe kind of authenticity that usually requires a passport. The place is spotlessly clean, the service is exceptionally great, and the menu is so exhaustive you might need a bookmark. We went all-in on the dinner service. The Naan was fresh, pillowy, and tasty enough to eat on its own. The Chicken 65 was prepared with the exact right amount of spice--perfectly balanced and making me wonder what happened to chickens 1 through 64. The Dahl was fantastic, but the absolute showstopper was the Biryani. Take it from someone who has spent time working in Hyderabad: this is the real deal, highly reminiscent of the city's absolute finest. We finished things off with the Shahi Tukda, which was so incredibly rich and tasty it probably needs its own tax bracket. Beyond the food, the logistics are a breeze. It's right off El Toro Road with ample parking (a true Southern California miracle). They also offer catering if you want to be the hero of your next event. We didn't get to try the lunch special this time, but it's an incredible value--two entrees, rice, naan, and a drink, neatly sidestepping the usual buffet trough. Bottom line: Go here. Eat everything. Thank me later.

    Food is average here. There are not many good Indian places around Orange County or LA, so…read morecomparatively this is a little better. We got: haleem, mutton biryani, paneer 65, mandi chicken. Paneer 65 was terrible - the flavors did not go into the paneer at all and the paneer felt rubbery. Mutton biryani was decent. Mandi chicken, as mentioned we don't get good Indian food around here, so comparatively it was fine. Haleem is decent. Service is good and ambiance is average, nothing too good or too bad to note.

    Photos
    Snapped the photo on our way out
    Snapped the photo on our way out
    Chicken Angara. Appetizer with the family feast.
    Chicken Angara. Appetizer with the family feast.
    Khuska Rice. $6.99.

    See all

    Khuska Rice. $6.99.

    The Red Bird - chickenshop - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...