The Hummingbird

Gotta love a place that plays bluegrass and has a disco ball! Fun, fresh, friendly and funky. The Hummingbird Cafe in Fairfax is a must try restaurant. ok now. AND they refill your mimosas. ALRIGHT!!! ok now. THE FOOD! Soooooo good. We both enjoyed The Gumbo and Chicken and Waffles. Waffles have garlic butter. Excellent surprise. The spicy syrup paired so well. Ordered a side of whipped cream to add to the deliciousness. Oh my. THE BEST. BOTH. WE ARE COMING BACK!!!

Great restaurant with huge portions of high quality food served by a fun and attentive staff. Kind of a funky New Orleans oriented experience, always worth a visit. Apparently they're closing, so sad, they seem to be doing everything right.

There aren’t enough stars for the best place for brunch in Marin. Southern food, friendly and upbeat atmosphere. Brunch then stroll the shops in Fairfax and double win! Ya’ll will feel like family and taken care of. Beignets are the Bomb

OMG, where do I start, amazing Welcoming or the great customer service, delicious drinks, supreme food 💜 shrimp and grits, chicken waffles, huevos con chorizo, you name it, they are to due for!!! If I could I would add more stars definitely coming back soon!!

If you find yourself in the Fairfax area, make sure to stop by Hummingbird cafe for a meal. This charming cafe has a cozy, hometown feel, and it seems like everyone knows each other here. We stumbled upon it by chance for brunch and were impressed with the menu offerings, which included beignets, shrimp & grits, chicken & waffles, and silver dollar pancakes. Every bite was outstanding - the beignets were warm and doughy without being overly sweet, the shrimp and grits were savory and topped with a perfectly cooked egg, and the chicken and waffles were the standout dish of the meal. The waffle was crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, and the southern fried chicken was some of the best we've ever tasted - perfectly seasoned and battered. The service was also super friendly. We'll definitely be returning, and we recommend sitting at the counter for the full experience.

Fried Chicken Hash: chicken is on point, perfectly crispy skin, the beans are killer and the mixture of veggies sauce and egg are just outa this world. Don’t forget to add the hot sauce. And be sure to get the beignets! - from Dan Mondot Smith & Ellie

Lovely neighborhood place. I had the crabs Benedict. Absolutely delicious. Possibly the best consistency poached eggs I've ever had.... fabulous. Beigners are great too

Note: Cash only. Prices are bit higher than other similar places. They serve wide variety of omelettes, salads and sandwiches. Waffles and chicken (17$) comes with spicy syrup, which is pretty unique. The dining area is pretty limited (this is a popular eatery, so the place is usually packed). Staffs are not efficient enough in doing their work.

First of all, da bird! Mmmm mmmm mmmm! I am not exagerating when I say that their southern fried chicken is the best I have ever had in my life, and I've been eating chicken for over fifty years. Perfectly moist and delectable bite after bite. The portions are so huge that even a healthy eater like myself will manage to bring home a few pieces to eat later. And eat them with gusto, cold! The service is excellent, even when they are packed and the service is not speedy, you hardly notice because its always so friendly, and well, love takes time! Everything I ever ate there was sublime. Chicken and waffles, gumbo, red beans and rice, po' boys... and don't get me started on those scrumptious beignets! Oh my word! Perfectly crispy on the outside, light and fuffy inside, showered in a snowy confectioners magic and served piping hot. Never too sweet, and not even a hint of oil. If you think fresh warm doughnuts are crave-worthy, these will take you to Nivana and back with just one bite. The atmosphere is lively and cozy and above all, friendly. Sitting alone at the counter my very first time, I immediately had the feeling I was among friends. Michelle is such a genuine and beautiful person, it is beyond obvious that she loves with everything she's got. That love is evident everywhere you look, from her original photography adorning the walls, to the cups and saucers she serves espresso drinks in. Everything about this place is... WAS perfect. Sadly- devastatingly, Michelle served me my last meal there on January 9th at approximately 9:00am. Six hours later she closed the doors on the final day of business. It will be missed by many. The town itself will miss the energy Michelle and her crew brought to the boulevard. Good luck on your next adventure, and keep in touch! We'll follow you to Timbuktu for another bowl of that gumbo, girl!

I was in the area after catching a beautiful sunrise near Point Reyes. Got to the restaurant around 9 a.m., and it quickly filled up. There was plenty of outdoor seating, but inside felt pretty cramped. I ordered the crawfish omelette, expecting fresh crawfish sautéed with onions, cilantro, and garlic (you're welcome for the free menu idea ). Instead, it arrived as a basic omelette stuffed with crawfish gumbo. The whole thing tasted oddly sweet--almost dessert-like, which wasn't what I wanted for breakfast. The only silver lining? I take my latte unsweetened anyway, so at least I didn't have to stress about my blood sugar spiking too much. Service was a little chaotic; they seemed short-staffed with just one server hustling between the patio and indoors. Overall, I wouldn't recommend the crawfish omelette. That said, I'm not totally writing the place off--I'd come back to try a different breakfast dish.

Softshell crab is one of those things where after you eat one, you always want another. But most soft-shell crab dishes just come with one and you must live unrequited. Unrecrabbed. But at the Hummingbird, their very good po'boy comes with two. It's a great sandwich. I didn't love the gumbo as much. It was a little thin and kind of sweet. Not bad but not really to my taste I suppose. But I'll def go back for that sandwich.

so sad... brought two out of town, family members to have a fab breakfast, and find out they are permanently closed

I'm not sure I have the will to go on if establishments like The Hummingbird are shutting down for good as well. They were such a place of deliciousness and excellence. Not just another breakfast and lunch spot. So many people will miss this Fairfax institution.

I had to drive to Fairfax to pick up my daughter from camp and she was craving chicken and waffles. Not familiar with the area, I looked up a place on Yelp and discovered The Hummingbird, a New Orleans based restaurant. Having visited New Orleans earlier this year, I was so excited to try this place! As soon as I walked in, I felt like I was transported back to NOLA! There were beads hanging and Mardi Gras decorations throughout the restaurant. Since it was a weekday, there was no wait and we had our choice of sitting inside or out. We opted for inside. Our server was warm and friendly, bringing us water promptly. We started off with an order of beignets. It arrived with three big pieces. They were freshly fried and doused in powdered sugar. So good! My daughter ordered the chicken and waffles, while I decided to try the everything gumbo. The chicken and waffles was huge! It came with several pieces of fried chicken that was topped with freshly minced garlic and came with a homemade spicy sauce. My daughter loved it! I tried a bite and thought it was tasty as well. She ended up taking half of it home. The everything gumbo was also delicious! It was a little thin in my opinion, but the flavor was amazing! It was truly authentic and I could taste all the seafood that was in it. I finished my entire bowl! Unlike the chicken and waffle, it was appropriately sized. When I went to pay the bill, there was a sign that said "free beignets if you pay cash." So of course, I paid our bill in cash! Luckily, I had enough cash on me. Can't pass up a deal like that! All in all, it was a very enjoyable meal! If I'm ever in the area, I'd definitely go back to The Hummingbird!

Our first visit to Hummingbird was not disappointing. We snagged a 3-top right in the window, kind of behind the counter which put us out of the way and gave a great view of everything coming out of the kitchen. And after seeing about a half dozen orders of chicken and waffles come out I knew that's what I was getting. My wife went for the etouffee, and dad ordered the very Cajun dish known as "Bagel and Lox". First of all, the coffee is amazing. Not a tang of bitterness in either the regular or unleaded versions, bold, flavorful - i want to know where they get the beans. The food came and I had to choose between regular syrup, spicy syrup and the remoulade for the chicken and waffles. I tried all 3, but liked the plain syrup the best (OK, maybe I'm a purist here). The combo of chicken, garlic, parsley, waffle, syrup absolutely made my head spin! And the size of the portion was HUGE. I can't vouch for the etouffee, my wife wouldn't let me near her bowl :( She basically licked it clean so Imma going with "she liked it". Dad, who usually takes home half his brunch, also managed to clean his plate. We didn't order beignets, but I will correct that oversight the next time. And oh yes, there will most definitely be a next time. And soon. Service was attentive but not overly so. Coffee was refilled without asking. Owner seemed to know every other patron as they entered the joint which makes me feel like a foreigner here in Marin but hey, Fairfax is a schlep from Novato! Five stars all around.

If you enjoy pounding music that is no loud inside it vibrates the floor and precludes and possible conversation... go to the Hummingbird on Sunday. Good food, good service with a side of a headache to go

It was MLK Day and a friend brought me to brunch. We have been once before, at least for myself. It's a quaint cafe with New Orlean's vibe. So I had a cup of Red Brans & Rice and a serving of fried oysters. Not necessary a tradition breakfast fare. . My initial bite of the red beans and rice was glorious. And fried oysters were on the smaller size and fried well, dipped in the accompanying sauce, they were wonderful. To the end the meal, beignets were ordered. Dipped in coffee made them more delicious. The service was attentive and friendly. It was nice brunch on this holiday.

Often when I'm passing through a small town, I don't make rigid plans to eat anywhere. I simply park, walk around (the more the better) and see what I can stumble upon. Enter The Hummingbird, and what a cool stumble it was. Artsy diner vibe with a New Orleans connect, cool photos that seem to have a personal touch, and jazzy/bluesy tunes on pipe. I love how this little downtown-y area of Fairfax has zero chains, everything is independent and quirky. Almanac Kolsch ($9/4*) Came during lunch and it was a very warm day. I got this as I've had it many times and know its a good light bodied beer, that's always good with food. They also have PBR, but I ain't quite anti-culture like that. If I would have come earlier for the breakfast hours, I would have tried one of their coffee drinks. Cup of Everything Gumbo ($13/3.5*) So they have a basic gumbo, which I think is just chicken and sausage. This version has seafood like crab and shrimp. It is a very tiny cup but is actually the perfect size if you want to nosh on something before an entree. It is pricey for the size, but I felt I got enough quality bites that I wasn't that perturbed. Yes it was dark and murky, just like the mighty Mississippi River...the way it should be. That means they properly browned that roux to nutty status. But unfortunately I couldn't taste much of the roux as they spiced the broth with something tangy and slightly sweet. My guess a good dose of Worcestershire. It wasn't bad, just not what I associate with a knockout gumbo. There were also good hits of small plump shrimps and sausage. Never really got any crab except for one spoonful, where I got a chunk with possibly even some crab fat as it was very custard-y. The Peacekeeper Po' Boy ($27/4.5*) Okay I know that price seems really steep for a sandwich. But this is fried shrimp and oyster po'boy and they add a few slices of thick sliced bacon for good measure, ya know to 'keep the peace'. Man when this thing came out, my eyes almost bulged outta their sockets. They put so much fried seafood in this thing that it was part of the presentation for it to be spilling out all over the plate. The skrimps and oysters were not miniscule and were fried perfectly in a seasoned cornmeal coating. So instead of trying to stuff everything back in the sandwich, I just ate the sandwich (which already was stuffed adequately), and I just forked whatever seafood was on the plate. With a few dabs of hot sauce (many are on the table), this made quite the epic late lunch. I was camping down the road, so I went back and napped amongst the redwoods. Imma round up here...no shame son.

Had to go back for seconds and ordered the shrimp po' boy-- Hands down, one of the best I've ever had. Not even in New Orleans have I seen a sandwich like this. Damn, it was good.

We ordered take out to deliver to our vets at Fairfax Vet Clinic. We ordered both the regular and everything gumbo, chicken and waffles, fruit, and a couple other fan favorites. Our order was ready on time. The restaurant wasn't busy at 11:45 am, but service was great. The aroma was off putting. I'm looking forward to trying the food ourselves, as our vets loved it. But, based on the smell that hit me when I walked in, we'll dine outside or order takeout.

One of the most special breakfast spots ever, with New Orleans-style décor and unforgettable beignets. The dishes are outstanding--especially my favorite, the crab Benedict. The hash browns are to die for, and the service is always genuinely friendly. If you were able to make it in you were in for a wonderful experience.

20 min from the Samuel P Taylor State Park. An amazing place to refill all the calories you burned in the hikes and trails What to get : -po boy -shrimp and grits - begneit -pbr for the price -chicken and waffles Shout out to the owner Michelle who sources the best ingredients from around the country to bring such a tasty menu. This is a family owned business on its 15th year in a town h. H mud

10/10 would recommend. The food was amazing; I came with a group of girls and between the 8 of us we all tried something different and there was nothing we didn't like. In addition to the food, the service was phenomenal, everyone was so friendly and helpful. If you're considering give it a try!

Service was nice and food was good. Cute brunch ambiance. What can I say, they make good pancakes. : ) Wish the place had a more obvious sign tho, I missed it once and my friend walked by it a couple times not knowing it's The Hummingbird. Or maybe we're just blind lol.

Food is excellent. The chicken and waffles are fantastic. Also the beignets are to die for. You feel like you are getting New Orleans style food.

I really wanted to like this place, especially based on the great reviews, but I can't help but wonder what others think so good about it. People apparently have some low expectations. Servers were all friendly enough, but it took sooo long to get our food. Had it been busy, I'd have understood, but the place was less than half full. The food was good. Coffee was good. They had condiments on the table, but they were so filthy we didn't bother to touch them. So gross. Final insult is they only accept cash and venmo as payment. I had to go two blocks to find an ATM. So strange in 2023 and definitely means we won't return. Inconvenient and annoying.

Attentive staff. Large beignets and hot cocoa is delicious. Perfect little spot in the downtown.

Súper amazing food!!! We were greatly impressed by the food quality and quality of the restaurant

I just can't get enough of this place. The vibe here is uplifting to me. I think in part its the music. But, primarily because of the food and people. The staff is joyful and attentive. This time I had the Queen's Salad and just about fell out of my chair. Beautifully presented, and fresh and delicious berries with blue cheese crumbles, topped with mouth watering fried chicken. Prices are reasonable considering how good the food is. I purchased two bags of coffee to give as gifts (or not), one with chicory. Can't wait to try some. If you pay with credit card, you'll pay (what has become common restaurant practice a small additional charge) But, if you pay with cash, you'll get a token for one free beignet. Everyone wins. Nice Touch!

I think everyone knows the Hummingbird's reputation as a popular brunch spot, but I don't think word has gotten out yet about this hidden gem on the menu: the banana love smoothie, a huge, Dole whip-like smoothie made of fresh natural ingredients (not smoothie mix) that is bigger and cheaper than every other smoothie in town (and my fruit-loving younger daughter has tried them all). So while brunch here is still always going to be good, an afternoon snack of a smoothie, unlimited refills of chicory coffee, and a plate of beignets is my idea of a perfect mid-afternoon outing to the Hummingbird. The $10 high school menu for Archie Williams students also looks like a steal! Service is exceptionally nice.

I like everything about the hummingbird The food, the music, the photos on the walls that were shot by the owner Best beignets this side of the Mississippi

The food is unwaveringly delicious. Not only can you get gumbo, beignets, po' boys, but several gigantic healthy salads are available. Service with a smile, locals and tourists alike love this place. Michelle's spectacular photos on the walls give pizzazz. Closes at 3 pm

One of the overall best restaurants in Marin-hands down! They make the best chicken po boy (with no pickles) west of Parkway in NoLo Also their food deals are insanely good-different ones different days. They also do THE best student lunch deal than anywhere I have ever seen as well. The amount of food they give for the $10 student deal is insane. They always have a great play list of music going every time I've been there as well. THIS PLACE ROCKS!

I had the F.green BLT / Fried chicken PO boyfriend the server told me to have!! So good and then I started with Beignets. The best since I've been to New Orleans!! Coming back for the GUMBO

Hamburger was raw. Absolutely raw and terrible taste. I ordered medium rare. Water glasses served dirty. Service not good. Server didn't check back with us. I asked for ketchup and bottle was 90% empty. I will never go there again. Expensive for the terrible food served.

Super delicious crab Benedict amazing service excellent for brunch and if you pay cash, they will be so kind as to give you a free dessert.

Stopped in here after looking at a wedding venue nearby. We were very excited to get some thing to eat and this place looked so cute. When we entered we were told to sit anywhere so we picked a table. It took someone 15 minutes to greet us and ask if we wanted anything to drink. We said we would get some waters. However, the guy forgot about us (which is understandable, I'm a server too) another 10 minutes or so goes by before a girl asks us if we wanted anything to drink; we said we would love some waters and that we were ready to order. We got told "oh I don't take orders, I just do drinks" we said that was fine and sorry for asking. She gave us our waters and then we waited another 15 minutes before an older lady grudgingly took our order. We honestly felt like we were intruding. After that we waited for our food and then after about 10-15ish minutes of waiting a girl came back from the kitchen and said they were out of tortillas for my breakfast burrito, but they had smaller corn tortillas so they could do like a makeshift breakfast taco. At least that's what it came off as. I said that was fine, I can get down with some makeshift tacos. While we continued to wait I went into the restroom and when I got back they delivered my food but not my fiancés (which was fine sometimes food isn't ready at the same time). When I looked at my plate it was just a bunch of mush thrown together on a plate. I couldn't even see a corn tortilla; I couldn't even tell what was what. I honestly wish I took a picture. I still decided to try it because my philosophy or whatever is, just because it looks nasty doesn't mean it tastes nasty. I found what I thought was scrambled egg, but when I put my fork into the egg it started pouring all over the plate like they didn't even cook it. At the same time as me trying to eat my "mush" my fiancé gets told that his French toast order never got put in so it was going to be another 10-20 minutes. At this point we just decided to walk out because we had already spent so much time here. The only nice thing, is when we offered to pay for what was given to us they said we were fine. The only person that didn't make us feel like we were intruding was the girl who said "sorry I just got back from my break, but you guys are good to go." It just sucks because we were really looking forward to a nice brunch before we traveled back home. The atmosphere of the place just felt like we were intruding and it was our fault for even wanting to get something to eat. We didn't even complain to them or anything because why start something, but I just wish we would've been treated a little bit better. We ended up picking up McDonalds and hitting the road.

This place is the best. We had the sweetest server, I can't remember her name but she was blonde and so attentive to our every need. Highly recommend her and this lovely cafe! Beignets are to die for!!

We had breakfast here. Vibe was cool, but service was super slow. I have serious food allergies and they refused to feed me. This is rare and happens. Upon leaving the server was super rude after i said it would have been noce if you could have served me, she told me not to come back. Whether I'm right or wrong. This is unacceptable behavior. We will not be back. My wife had the chicken hash and it wasn't to my liking.

Eh. Not what I expected for a crawfish etouffee. Loved the NOLA inspired decor and background music. Even the coffee mugs and water cups are NOLA inspired. The prices were a bit on the high end for a breakfast joint but given the location, I understand it. We were probably the only ethnic pair in the entire place haha. It was a good experience, but not sure if I'd come back again. There are plenty of other Southern/Cajun restaurants around the Bay Area that hit the mark.

You must stop in for a meal if you're in the Fairfax area! Hummingbird cafe feels like a cozy hometown spot where everyone knows one another. We serendipitously landed here today for brunch, since we were in the area. After scanning through the menu, we ended up ordering beignets, shrimp & grits, chicken & waffles, and silver dollar pancakes. Every single bite of food was excellent. The beignets were warm, doughy, and not too sweet. The shrimp and grits were savory, filled with perfectly cooked shrimp, topped with a piping hot egg. The chicken and waffles were the highlight of meal, which was already full of highlights. The waffle was crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. And the chicken was one of the best southern fried chicken I've ever had. Perfect seasoning and batter. Super friendly service, too. We'll definitely be back. Pro tip: sit at the counter!

Always very busy for brunch - authentic New Orleans soulful food and you can sit outside with the dogs.

Firstly , the service was amazing . We were served by the owner and her son and both were awesome and patient with our big group . Everything came out quick and hot and was amazing . It was a beautiful day so we sat outside . Will definitely be back !

The service was great. Super busy but still the service was fast and amazing. Loved the food options and loved my hash . I cannot wait to come back with my family and friends. Definitely a new favorite !! Thank you!

Best shrimp & grits on the planet. Ambiance, outside seating, great music, lively atmosphere. Whats not to lime

Good filing food. Definitely pricy. I think I nearly froze outside. They could definitely use some heat lamps. Thank god they kept filling our coffee We ordered an order of beignets to share. I had shrimp & grits with sausage (spicy and delicious) and an egg (fries I think!). Delicious, especially with a heavy dose of Slap Yo Mama hot sauce! Good friendly service.

Ive reviewed this gem before. And it's always perfect. Staff will treat you like family. And you feel like you're at home. I've been here more times than I can count, but today I tried something for the first time. And I swear on all I hold dearly that it was the greatest breakfast on earth. Pollo rancheros. Tastes so good it almost feels bad to eat. Portion is massive and flavor is abundant. If you like spicy, add some of their "lonely weirdo" hot sauce. It's HOT but nothing too major. Packs an amazing flavor and it's a great addition to the pollo rancheros. If you're fairly local to the humming bird, or if you want a destination brunch. This will not disappoint. And nothing washes it down better than a famous hummingbird mimosa. The whole menu is absolutely perfect. But the pollo rancheros will surely be in your dreams after you eat it.

The hummingbird is a popping spot on the wknds! They have 7 nice open outdoor seating tables and had a live DJ on the Saturday that I visited. The food looks amazing here, especially the chicken and waffles which is what drew me here. But I just had a poor experience with my pickup order which really soured the whole dining experience. I made a pickup order on postmates, and shortly afterwards, I received a message that my order was ready to pick up in 5 minutes. Great I thought! So I arrive ~20minutes after the message fully expecting to be pick up my order, eat, and get going with my day. But when I get there, they say the order isn't ready. I check in every 15minutes with the waitress but it's hard to flag down the waitress since she's the only person running the tables and to-go orders, social distancing make it even harder to approach her. I end up waiting there for 60 minutes until I get my food... i immediately open it up and it's already cold... I'm not sure what miscommunication mishap occurred but it's frustrating when I spent $80 for food for 2, then wait an additional hour, just to get served cold food. And I was told that it would be ready... if it's not ready, just don't send the ready text, but to have me wait an additional hour after they say it's ready does not make for a great experience. This restaurant probably makes great food (the food was not good cold), but their operations aspect (online and in-person) is sorely lacking. The good news is that if you dine there, service and the food looked great, seemed like everyone was fairly happy. And if you do takeout, make sure you call ahead to see if your order is actually being made, there was another customer who was waiting 1+ hours alongside me for their food too. Hoping this changes soon for the better!

Great breakfasts and service! I have to say the Hummingbird burger is one of the best I've had and my husband and I occasionally split it when I'm trying to be healthy.

Holy moly! The SHRIMP & GRITS! I want to drive all the way out there just for this dish! Warm, full of amazing flavor! Happen to stop in on a Saturday and there was a live DJ! Has topped one of my favorite places to visit & EAT!

Love this restaurant, real authentic new Orleans food! Warm environment, great owner.

My 3rd or 4th visit. The food is still good. But the prices have skyrocketed- and I realize that's the case all over- but this was more than I would have expected. The real offense was a sign on the wall that says "free beignets if you pay by cash". So, we ordered beignets and when I was charged for them, I brought it to the attention of the server who said "oh- that's for your next visit". NOWHERE on the sign is that stated. I didn't make a stink because I was with a party of 5 and didn't want to embarrass anyone. Felt duped- not going back.

I had the most amazing po'boy. The "peacekeeper" with fried oysters on one side and fried shrimp on the other, separated by a hearty slice of excellent bacon. The oysters are perfect with a bit of their hot sauce.

Never have I ever had a better breakfast/brunch and/or authentic dining experience than at Hummingbirds! You will feel transported to New Orleans and also leave with the feeling of your stomach satisfied! Amazing food, great customer service and fun ambiance.

The most amazing gumbo can be devoured here. Also recommend the cheesy grits and fried chicken and waffles with spicy syrup. We ended up eating breakfast here two days in a row as we were traveling through Fairfax.

I grew up near New Orleans and think Michelle does a wonderful job with everything. The friend oyster are the best I've ever tasted by far.

Food is tasty and I loved it The service was awesome Ambiance was good over all 11.5/10