Bird of Smithfield

Wedding reception there was handled beautifully. Food was excellent, all agreed. Staff helpful, friendly and attentive. Set over 4 floors. The top is a roof terrace, below that a large dining room, a pub in the ground floor and a small nightclub in the basement. Alas the building is not accessible due to being rather old and not terribly large - however staff were always at hand to assist (We had a child in a pram). Manager excellent too, helpful and very friendly. Big thumbs up to all who work there!

In this restaurant, the food is excellent. The price really is not according to the food they give you, in my opinion they should charge more just for the work well done to the chefs, knowing what detail to put on each dish so that in the mouth mixes the flavors in perfect harmony and the effort they have in each dish, in the decoration, you can see that they do it with dedication. But where this restaurant fails is in the service. So they have a poor service that does not achieve, what the food has achieved. - The waiters have a bad English, even the floor managers. Although, in the hospitality, 70% of the people who work in it are people from other countries, in the restaurants of the same category as this, you see the effort that the waiters make, the knowledge that they have and what they know. - They do not ask before taking an order about the preferences of each one. If you had an intolerance or allergy to something, or just did not like the salt in the meals, the kitchen will never know, due to the inexperience they have in FOH. - The cleaning service is the same, poor. None of the waiters or managers have bothered to clean my table before starting to put the next misunplace. - I went in a Christmas atmosphere, so well, there was Christmas music. The only problem was that every 5 minutes was cut. - The stairs, I really do not recommend anyone to put their hands on them, or at least after doing it wash their hands. The service charge can be requested to be removed. Something positive, since it's not worth it. Food: 10/10 Service: 3/10 Cleaning: 3/10 They should give a good training to those in FOH, even managers should have proper training. With this, this restaurant will be able to distribute what their food mean.

Brilliantly executed food, but without overpowering poshness. Very attentive service, definitely worth extra 12% service charge. Duck egg is a star, with so many textures and tastes, but overshadowed by rhubarb's souffle :)

The food was ok, some things were better than others. Terrine was not great nor were the salads. The pineapple carpaccio was awful. The mains were decent. The service, while friendly, was very very slow and disorganized.

This is a review for the restaurant upstairs. We went for our anniversary dinner on a Saturday night. It was very quiet and relaxed in Farringdon early Saturday evening as you'd expect with the area, which lended to an intimate, attentive evening. The staff were very professional and courteous and the food was excellent. We had the tomato salad which was full of fresh heirloom varieties followed by the Chateaubriand which was prepared tableside. I must have casually mentioned it was our anniversary so they made sure to include a lovely note on the dessert, going above and beyond! We finished with the cheese board with whisky pairing which was excellently matched. My only feedback would be for the waiter to study up a little more on the differences between the whiskies. The rest of the venue seemed casual and easy with a small rooftop bar that was reserved for a private function at the time. Would definitely come back for dinner.

I had risotto and a glass of wine. It was very nice but I thought it was a bit sharp of them to add £3.50 to the bill for a cover of water (on top of £4.56 service charge).

Food here is not only great value but very tasty!

Really excellent lunch today in the restaurant. Tasty food with interesting textures and ingredients perfectly cooked and beautifully displayed. Fantastic value set meal menu for £19.50 for 2 courses. Decor mature and refreshing with plenty of space between tables. Unobtrusive and attentive service. Really a small new gem.

Noisy don't enter if you have sensitive ears you will be disappointed with the food and noise

So Guy Fieri says go here and have the Shepherds Pie, and that's exactly what I did. When you walk in this place you're a little confused because it's a bar. The restaurant is nestled away upstairs in this small elegant area. Yes, you should dress up a little more than casual so you don't feel under dressed. Okay now to the food. I had the broccoli soup to start. It was green, VERY green and ugly. Nothing like the broccoli cheddar I am use to seeing. I was skeptical but after I tasted the yummy goodness I was pleasantly surprised. This was absolutely the best broccoli soup I have ever had. Where have I been all my life that I have never had this? Certainly not the UK's Bird of Smithfield. Really I must broaden my culinary experiences. When the Shepherds Pie came out I was quite impressed. This isn't your typical pie with ground beef and some potatoes. It's a succulent saucy with fluffy potato peaks. It was a great treat! The place reminds me of sitting in someone's home. It's nice a cozy. It's small so a reservation is suggested.

Incredibly noisy, food is really not that great: guys corn in a risotto, really? Focus on cooking before making it look fancy... The price's really not justified. Do not enter....

It was a nice fine dining experience. We opted for a set menu of 2 for $19. It was plenty of food. And the choices were great. Perfect for a date-night. I recommend to make a reservation in advance.

I had a lovely meal at Bird of Smithfield. I've heard from other Yelpers that the service wasn't so great, but I think they've gotten that kink out because I had absolutely no complaints. This restaurant has multiple levels along with a rooftop terrace. The Hand Dived Scallops were delicious. The carrot and coriander really made a nice complement. The problem with scallops is that they never give you enough though :(. The server told us the Ribeye Special which was something to the tune of a kilo of meat for 2. For some reason my dining partner thought that was a good idea so we went with it. Boy, was it a whole lotta meat! We both couldn't finish our plates, but I have to say the meat was pretty tasty. They gave you all their sauces on the side so it was a nice variation of bearnaise, green pepper sauce, and bone marrow butter. Overall, very lovely setting for a restaurant and I enjoyed the food. I snuck a peek at the rooftop terrace and wasn't really impressed with the view. But I guess you can't really complain about hanging out on a rooftop on a nice London's summer night, right?

I booked a table in the much posher downstairs dining room on Saturday but given the warm weather, we wanted to be outside (and lighter food). In short order we were transferred upstairs to the terrace. Our table wasn't wiped down and after we were seated we had to ask for it to be relieved of its remnant crumbs and stickiness. That was a little lame. The brunch menu has a lot of what you might expect: pancakes, omelettes, burgers and chips. I considered getting the roasted half grapefruit (£4.5) and regret that I passed it up. For some strange reason, the ham, egg and chips (£8) called out to me. It sounded so British and I figured, when in London... My dining companions shared the fish finger sandwich (£7.5) and the tempura tiger prawns (£8.5). I was envious of both and would definitely order that fish finger sandwich in future. I mean, who can pass up a sandwich with peas on it? A couple of us ordered glasses of bubbly and instantly we were on a tropical holiday, despite our location in EC1. From a food and service standpoint, Bird of Smithfield is more like three stars. But if you snag a seat on the roof on a wonderfully sunny Saturday, it'll feel more like four.

My husband and I went to this place on our honeymoon -- we specifically sought it out because it was featured on the Food Network and we just HAD to try their Shepherd's Pie. The atmosphere is a step up from casual, so while I don't think they'd turn you away, maybe take some care with what you wear. The restaurant is actually upstairs, so when you go in, you have to walk past the bar and make your way up the staircase. A little confusing, but not overly bad since everyone is pretty friendly. We were actually incredibly lucky to be able to eat here, because we didn't check the hours beforehand and squeezed in just 10 minutes before the kitchen closed to turn over for dinner. I am still very grateful to the server sitting us down and saying, "If you can order in 10 minutes, we can get you lunch." What a hero. Literally. We were starving and in desperate need of some ice water. Luckily, my husband and I are the kind of people who pore over a menu before we go visit a restaurant, so we knew exactly what we wanted. I ordered the shepherd's pie and he ordered the fish and chips. The food was delicious and the shepherd's pie was everything I wanted it to be, even with it being hyped up by The Food Network. So yummy and perfect. The service was wonderful and as I've said before, our server was still very helpful and polite even though we crashed in 10 minutes before lunch closed. She even recommended a delicious bottle of wine that was probably our favorite wine we'd had in a while.

We weren't sure if the wine was self serve or not, because it took them AGES to bring it by, and we were sitting RIGHT BY THE BAR, RIGHT OPPOSITE THE WINE FRIDGE. And we didn't order any other drinks, as there was already table water. So I don't understand. It put a bit of a damper on the meal. Probably not the best impression on 6 very opinionated people on food. The food was lovely, but I'm not sure I agree with the prices, but then again, it's in an area where prices are pretty high (The Chateaubriand steak next door at Grill on the Market is like £52) I had the duck with beetroot and it was nice, but it didn't blow me away. It was done 3 ways, and I think I got a bit bored eating JUST duck. I mean, you could order side dishes with it but I felt that the dish needed a lift, aside from the beet taste. It needed another flavour to cut it and make it amazing. But it was solid, but not wow worthy. The dessert, was wow worthy, I ordered the chocolate crackling pot, and it came as a chocolate mousse with crackling choco candy which was SO cool and it just worked. Probably should've shared the pot but It was SO good. Sorry, all the people I was dining with! Service was haphazard, they nearly topped off someone's wine with the wrong wine and the bread issue (see alex's review) was a bit weird. Overall, I felt that the price didn't reflect well enough on the food and the service, and something needs to be stepped up, either, the staff wasn't working well together or that they need to choose what they want to be, a bar, a restaurant, a rooftop bar, a weird coffee shop thing, I don't understand the half netting in the windows downstairs that makes it look like dot cotton's launderette. Especially for a posh place like Bird of Smithfield.

Went here for a smallish business dinner and thought it was an excellent choice. The food was excellent. British fare with an Italian vibe running through it. A small menu but exceedingly carefully prepared. My foie gras was perfectly cooked with delicious care. The presentation was perfection! My main was a satisfying corn and mushroom risotto which was creamy and flavorful. Dessert was a Bakewell berry, almond tart which was good but not the highlight of my meal. The noise level is a bit of a challenge here but the service is excellent and the decor is pleasing and bright. Good choice for a night out for couples or mates who appreciate good, farm fresh food.

Visited last night with a friend, first time ever. The ground floor is a bar, the restaurant is upstairs. Decor was lovely, had a very quaint classic feel to it. It was mostly empty when we arrived, but quickly filled up with several rowdy groups and gave it real atmosphere. I had fish and chips as my main, which was recommended to me by the waiter. The fish was perfectly cooked, and the batter was crisp if a little greasy- but par for the course with this dish! Chips were disappointing, would have loved real chunky ones and was presented with sad, very clearly freezer style! Mushy peas were really nice. Staff was pleasant enough, but the space was too cramped. I think every person walking by our table tripped over or banged into my chair which was a little irritating! Great wine selection, really fresh food. I'd come back!

I only went in the evening for a few cocktails and a late night bar food bite, so I can't comment the actual proper restaurant experience. That being said, this is a good place to go for a few drinks in the City if you are looking for a nice lively ambiance, but still want to be able to hear each other talk and want to avoid the big crowds. The cocktails are pricy, but on point. My Old Fashioned was lovely, and then I had a long I don't remember, but I know it left a good impression. I had a steak sandwich on the side, and the meat was nicely done; no complaints there. The size was appropriate - I didn't feel the need to order any sides. I also appreciate that they whipped this up right before 10pm, right before the kitchen was closing. All in all, nice service, good experience. With so many other places in this price range in the City, I didn't find this one particularly exceptional and won't probably be rushing back, but it is a good option to be aware of for a drink.

This is a review of the rooftop patio. As a connoisseur of rooftop patios, I feel fully qualified to comment on the following dimensions: 1) View: OK. Mostly see smithfield market and facing northwards, when most of London's interesting skyline is Southwards. However. You can sidle up a bar stool right to the railing, which is quite nice. 2) Layout etc: Vines, shrubbery, foliage, etc. More than I'd expect, glimpsing from below! 3) Coziness: very. Yes, I will come back and enjoy the roof on another sunny day.

Went to this place with some work colleagues, I first arrived, and by the looks of it, I thought it was just a pub meal, which I didn't mind as I love pub meals! I walked in, and to my amazement, this was not a pub, in fact, it wasn't a pub! WHAT IS THIS! Looked very nicely done up, shiny wooden floorboards, smartly dressed waiters/waitresses, and 3 levels of seating (Beer lounge kind of, Restaurant and roof terrace.) Sadly I couldn't go all the way to the third, but I proceed to the second floor, where I was then showed to my table. So far so good, in fact very good. The view wasn't great, as it was by what looked like an old kind of delivery shed. But, if it's sunny, looking into the sky is majestic. We ordered some wine, which I had no idea what was what, as I am not a huge fan of wine, but oh the well. We then continued to munch through the complimentary bread that was put in front of us, this was nice, warm and fresh. Once done with that, we ordered our mains, I had the fish and chips, WOW! it was quite possibly the nicest battered cod and chips I have ever had, the batter was crisp, the cod was amazing, the chips were thin, crispy and amazing, and the tartar sauce MMMMMMMMMM, the pot was gone in seconds, that's how good it was. The waitresses seemed a little, off their feet, they were very unorganized, but they were bad enough it was a little bit of a pain, and the fact they weren't busy at this point made it a tad worse, one of the reasons I give this place 4 stars. If they improve the staff, I improve my mark. But hey, food wise, amazing! I would gladly go again, if I had the money for it. Great great place.

The furniture throughout the building is very comfortable and coupled with the decor it feels like you're a guest in someone's home. We order our starters. Alex and Antonia go for Ruby salad leaves with Heritage beets, soft goat's curd, cobnuts and pomegranate (£7.00), which I would have preferred with goats cheese rather than the lighter curd. My brother opts for the Crispy Suffolk pork cheeks, which had a light, crisp batter and came with a bitter leaf salad with green sauce and I have the Spring Cornish lamb & vegetable broth with mint relish (£6.50). There's all cracking dishes. Plenty of lamb in my broth and lovely, crunchy vegetables help to balance out the strength of the lamb, while the mint relish cuts through the stock and freshens it up. For the main course Antonia and I had the Blythburgh pork belly and surf clams, damsons & samphire (£14.50), which was beautifully balanced. Salty pork belly, creamy mash and a light sauce with delicate, tender clams. Darren had the 3 way Temple Farm Chicken (£16.00), which had some crispy skin and liver and Alex had Deep fried cod with triple cooked chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce (£14.50). Again these were all very, very good dishes. The desserts also delivered. The Lemon and Earl Grey posset, curd and candied zest was particularly good with a lovely zingy lemony kick.

BRILLIANT VENUE I 100% recommend it Great roof terrace Great food Great drinks Good staff Good location Loved it

Place with great potential - food was nice, location is great but service needs to up its game for a 4 star rating.

Friday night, scouring for a place to eat in Smithfields' area without a reservation....what a pain. We ran across this place, they managed to squeeze in a table for two, and we were very pleased. We were shown to the upstairs dining room, to a nice table adjacent to a window. The waiter efficiently rolled off the daily specials and took our drink orders. Despite this being called 'Bird of Smithfield', and neither myself nor my boyfriend being consumers of fowl, there was plenty more on the menu to eat. I chose a more glamourous version of fish and chips....essentially, hake and chips. Indeed this was a bit pricier than the usual chippie, but it was a proper tarted up version to enjoy in comfortable surroundings. Fish delicate, chips crispy, and a creamy, gherkin flavoured tartar sauce which complimented--and not overtook--the fish. We ate and drank and lingered for about an hour an a half and really enjoyed ourselves. The staff were very friendly and overall the service was very good. I'd be happy to return.

I enjoyed a great meal at BoS last Thursday. The service was much better than what had been described in other reviews however we were the only people there for the first hour of service. Overall a delicious meal and fantastic evening. Would recommend and will return soon.

The ambience was to my liking. The waitress was very attentive almost overwhelming. This was our second attempt to eat here... the first time we arrived the kitchen was close. The food was delicious. Shepherd's pie amazing and the fillet was impeccable. Thanks for an amazing experience. Guy was right!

Cool little bar near Smithfield market. Good cocktails (though they tend on the fruity side). They have a limited menu but I tried the Shepherd's pie (which was recommended as the specialty of the house) and it was excellent. Really perfectly cooked. Great vibe overall, and good choice for happy hour or late night.

I am blessed with some truly awesome friends. Particularly those whose jobs involve client entertainment, and MOST especially those who reach year end under budget and decide to treat me to a 'business' lunch. Enter Bird of Smithfield. I can see why she likes it for client lunches: it's in a Georgian townhouse that has character without being in-your-face, the menu is compact but varied, and the décor is sophisticated but not so exclusive that you feel you have to talk in whispers (we certainly didn't). I was welcomed by a lovely hostess downstairs who asked if I wanted to wait at the bar, but I said I was happy to go up to the restaurant. I probably should've listened to her as it turned out I was the first and only customer in the upstairs dining room for the next 15 minutes or so, until my friend and another party arrived before it started getting awkward. It's not a very big restaurant so filled up quickly after that. They do some wines by the glass which we decided was more sensible than a bottle on a Tuesday lunchtime, and we did actually have some work chat (honest) over a nice white burgundy. The food impressed me too, and not just because I could ignore the prices on this visit. We both went for the starter of caramelised figs, goat's cheese, salad and honey, which was a lot of yummy things that all worked well together. For main I opted for the fish and chips, which didn't quite measure up to that I've had elsewhere in the City but nevertheless good chips and pleasingly mushy peas. My mate also made good noises over her pork belly, though the portion wasn't that big. Dessert ended on a high note; as my friend and her poached pear came to agree, there is no acceptable choice other than the sea salt caramel and chocolate crackling pot. It's far too big after a full meal (even for a dessert fiend like me), but you won't want to stop until it's all gone. The service was fine, though a little slower than you'd expect for the number of waiters they seemed to have flying about. There was a slightly confusing moment when a man in a grey suit stopped by the table to ask if everything was okay and I thought he was a stranger trying to strike up a conversation, but it turned out he was staff and just not in the same uniform as all the other waiters. Woops. Overall I had a great meal, though it is at the expensive end for a casual meal. A special occasion and the 30% off voucher they left with the bill might just be enough to tempt me back...

Cool place to go on a sunny friday afternoon that's close to work. Wouldn't travel too far for it, but if you're around the City or Farringdon, it's a good place to go to.

Love this quirky little restaurant!! Been a couple of times now and the food is amazing. Last night I had crab with pearl barley and brandy cream to start followed by Alan's Shepherds Pie which is an absolute must if you ever visit. I love the bar downstairs and they are great with cocktails. I'm a very fussy mojito drinker but can't fault theirs. The staff here are very friendly and are incredibly knowledgeable about the food and wine. The place has a lovely ambiance about it. Can't recommend it highly enough. Book it up!

We were lucky enough to have our own private dining room as we had approx 15 people in our party. The room was spacious, modern, beautifully furnished with a separate seating area with sofas, fireplace & magazines (reminiscent of someone's living room) which we could lounge on whilst waiting for our food. We had the option of a 3 course meal where we had the option of picking the top 3 dishes we wanted for each course prior to the dinner which added to the personalised service that alot of other restaurants don't provide. Entree - I chose the Treacle Cured Organic Salmon which was fresh, clean and a great starter to pre-empt the heavier courses. Main - Alan's shepherds pie was quite intense in texture & flavour, the portion size was perfect for the strength of flavour, Pork Belly had a crispy crackling and the pork was well-cooked albeit with a slight bite, Torbay slip soles was well seasoned however it was served as a whole unfilleted fish which required some delicate eating to avoid any stray bones. Dessert - Rhubarb & Bird's custard trifle was light and fruity, Maldon sea salt caramel and cru virunga chocolate crackling pot was AMAZING - served in a small cappucino cup it contained layers of flavour including sweetness, saltiness & the surprise crackle of pop rocks at the bottom! The waiters were patient, attentive and organised - I would highly recommend this restaurant & look forward to trying the Sunday Roast!

I drank and dined here last Thursday with a bunch of work friends. I was delighted! The food was excellent. (amazing beef burger) Good value too! The cocktails were different....in a good way The building was really well designed (really comfortable and homely). Special mention has to go to the incredible roof terrace. Will be returning regularly.

Love this place. The food, from Alan Bird and his team, is delicious. As are the cocktails etc! And I, someone who is careful with my money, think the prices are reasonable, and completely justifiable. Alan is visible and chatty, and I've not had one experience there where the staff have not been smiley, friendly, happy etc. It's like visiting friends. I often wander round this area (where I live) alone, and know I can drop in here for anything from porridge at 7am, to a cuppa in the afternoon. And then with friends for cocktails (especially earlier in the week when they are 241), to supper, dinner and even dancing till late. It's like a club without the 'restrictive, we know how to make you feel excluded' membership and other rules. There is lovely art and a fabulous collection of large format, coffee table, books, the kind I lust after on shops but simply cannot justify paying the prices of for my own coffee table. I love the Barbican library round the corner, but now that I've found Bird's book collection I have somewhere else to go to browse. I used Bird for a private lunch for 16, in the private dining room, and again - it was great - couldn't fault it. Nadia the Events Manager couldn't have been more helpful, and Shauna who looked after us likewise. I took friends to a wine tasting/pairing dinner on 15/5/15 - they loved it. I know Shauna has found her career job and has moved on but it was great to see her back on a casual basis helping out at this fully booked event. Anyway, have rattled on enough - go see for yourselves!

Had a nice business lunch here. The food was all very tasty (my Shepard's pie was highly recommendable, and so was the fried cod) and carefully prepared. The service was attentive and the overall experience highly pleasant. I thought the lunch meals were reasonable, despite the place being very clearly 'high end'.

I visited Bird of Smithfield for a Friday night dinner. We skipped the starters and went straight for mains. The shepherd's pie was delicious and came with a separate pot of gravy and a side serving of peas. We also ordered a side of greens to share. Dessert was an apple pie with cinnamon ice cream. The food was delicious but the service could have been better. We were asked if we were ready to order before we had looked at the menu, and then twice more before we were ready. When we were actually ready to order, the waitress was nowhere to be seen and we had to asked to be served. Likewise, when we were ready to ask for the bill we had to wait for a long time before we could find someone to ask. The food is expensive, but the food quality is worth it. The ambiance is quite formal - it's not the sort of place in which I felt comfortably asking for tap water. But the service did not reflect the position in the market it is pitching itself at.

This is a verz nice, non-coporate, independant and cosy feeling place to have a some drinks near the city. I especially recommend the roof terrasse (when its not too cold). Great atmosphere.