Hotbird

"Uptown Oakland chicken sandwich spot closed with hints of a new venture in the future." - Dianne de Guzman

"This Nashville-style hot chicken spot used to live in the Twitter building in SF before moving to Uptown Oakland in April 2022. We’re just grateful we can still get our hands on their sandwiches, which are a fantastic, nose-running power-up we come back to like it's an unskippable part of our weekly routine. The juicy chicken breast has a light breading that stays crisp under a mountain of coleslaw and creamy comeback sauce that oozes out with every bite. There are five spice levels that you can opt for based on personal preference, from mild to burnin—finish one of those and you’ll end up on the restaurant’s Burnin Wall of Fame, a title well worth bragging about. " - julia chen 1, lani conway

"This Nashville-style hot chicken pop-up from Iyasare alums Aaron Nam and Caleb Longacre moved its location from the Twitter food hall in San Francisco out to Oakland. The sandwiches are still as you remember: They fry chicken breasts, dip them in hot oil mixed with spices, finish them with dry spice powder, and serve them on buns with apple vinegar slaw, dill pickles, and sauce. Customers choose their spiciness level: no heat, mild, medium, hot, “xtra” hot, or burnin’ (with Carolina Reaper peppers). Yes, people do cry, and even medium is pretty hot." - Dianne de Guzman, Becky Duffett, Luke Tsai

"Oakland’s Hotbird, who spoke with SFGATE about the incident, became the latest Bay Area restaurant with the dubious honor of getting hit up by thieves. Co-owner Aaron Nam says the burglar took some cash and beer — along with smashing the door to the business. “It is frustrating as a small business owner to deal with this … and to see our livelihoods put on hold,” Nam told SFGATE. “It’s the last thing you want to deal with when running a restaurant.”" - Dianne de Guzman

"There’s been an explosion of fried chicken sandwiches in the Bay Area over the last couple years. And we’re not complaining, especially if it means Hotbird exists. The counter-service spot used to live in the Twitter building in SF, and recently moved to Uptown Oakland. Their Nashville-style hot chicken sandwiches are an ideal way to break up the monotony of a tedious weekday. The juicy chicken breast has a light breading that stays crisp under a mountain of coleslaw and creamy comeback sauce that oozes out with every bite. There are five spice levels that you can opt for based on personal preference, from mild to burnin (finish one of those and you’ll end up on the restaurant’s Burnin Wall of Fame). Though the fried chicken is the main event, don’t overlook the fish and chips (waffle fries here)—the beer-battered fish is flaky excellence." - Julia Chen