On the back of the news of their 2025 James Beard win….what is the deal with this restaurant, specifically with what seems to be a significantly-higher-than-average amount of awards nominations and press coverage? I first noticed this as unusual when they somehow won a variety of "Best New Restaurant!" awards for a comical three years in a row (I half expected them to win an award this year for "best new restaurant of 2025!") but it seems like they constantly get coverage that seems to be at least somewhat inflated compared to the style of restaurant (counter-order) and the quality (good but presumably not one of the best in the entire country). Again, based on all these reviews and talking to friends it's definitely good but from all the news articles you would think it's Austin's version of Noma
Do the owners have some kind of kompromat on the entire food journalism industry? Do they go around officiating weddings for food critics in their spare time? Just confused about why they seem to get such an unusual amount of fawning coverage.
Edited to provide examples. #1 restaurant in Austin? #4 restaurant in America? 2023 Restaurant of the Year? Again, sure it's good but this seems like far, far above the level it deserves.
All awards listed here: https://www.birdiesaustin.com/press/.
by jonf3000
30 Comments
They put in a lot of work in this area to get the coverage. It’s one of the ways to be successful in their business and they have put their time in to make it happen.
I’m mystified as well I don’t get it. Probably never will.
Likely there is a single person behind making all that happen. A good PR person can really work that up. Plus, there is a heartfelt good immigrant story behind it. Good press coverage begets more good press coverage.
Is it not all that? I’ve never been.
Their chef was a social media darling and she leveraged it into this success. Their accolades are more a reflection of how social media has destroyed the brains of journalists than the quality of the food, though the food is generally good, sometimes great and their wine list is an absolute beast. With how heavily hyped up it is, I don’t see how anyone could not be disappointed with the actual experience, though.
I also firmly believe that food critics are all secretly masochists who want to be punished by a chef that hates them, and getting your $20 glass of wine served to you in line outside in a 95F parking lot with no shade gets them close enough.
They definitely have a PR person pursuing coverage and nominations for awards and such.
This is what PR people are for and clearly it’s working because you’ve noticed.
The food is better than good and they have a good PR person. I think that’s it- There are a lot of great spots that don’t know how to promote, it’s how you rise above the pack.
A bad spot with a good promoter wouldn’t get the same accolades. The quality is there, although I agree that’s it’s not quite up to all of this hope. But that’s momentum for you!
I live in the neighborhood and have gone twice. I found the experience to be forgettable. We thought we must have caught them on a bad night, so we went back a second time and “meh” was how I’d describe it. There are so many wildly better restaurants in terms of food quality and experience within a 5 mile radius I don’t understand why Birdie’s has gotten so much positive coverage.
They had a New York Times write up as soon as they opened. They def have media connections!
People love to hate on Birdie’s but it’s one of my favorite spots in Austin. Different strokes for different folks. The food is great, the service is outstanding, and they treat their staff really, really well.
I’ve asked other food industry insiders about this and was told the owners have connections with some prestigious journalism outfits and other media professionals.
We arrived early, we’re seated on the patio, and it was so hot we couldn’t enjoy the food. 🥵
The first time we sat inside and it was marvelous.
Yeah I thought it had to be something similar. The place is nice and all but it does not deserve the hype. The amount of disdain levied my way was not justified by me asking for a wine menu in line.
They set the place up confusingly and then get upset if you ask any questions. Sure this $17 glass of orange wine is the best I’ve had in town. Why you make me feel bad for ordering it because I didn’t get the $24 glass?
I eat a lot of fine dining and worked in the field for a while. There’s a difference between being proud of your establishment and being pretentious. I went back and had better service but the overall experience doesn’t hit the price tag for me. Call me old-fashioned but I like to sit down and have some wine while ordering.
>it seems like they constantly get coverage that seems to be at least somewhat inflated compared to the style of restaurant (counter-order)
Why would counter service matter? If we want to pretend that assigned servers constantly doting on you is what matters, then only San Pellegrino top 50 tasting menu concepts with crazy numbers of servers and food runners per diner should ever win anything. But that obviously isn’t how it works.
I won’t deny that some Birdie’s award hype seems over blown, but counter service seems like a poor reason for them not to win awards. It’s not “best in the country”. It’s very good for Austin. I believe the comments below that claim they have good PR people or strong connections in the industry.
It’s doing simple food but at a very high level, which tends not to get the same appreciation as fancier spots. They pretty much always have soup, salad, pasta and then just a couple options for mains. But the soup and salad and pasta is done very well.
It’s not any different from the companies that get awards like “#1 place to work,” “30 under 30,” or any other privately awarded accolades. It’s all PR and connections. Sure, there is hard work and there are exceptions, but it’s mostly publicity.
Definition of overhyped
I’m a fan, but I get where you’re coming from, the mountain of top restaurant articles it’s in must be as exhausting for you as the “birdies is mid” posts that come with them are for me
Only tangentially related, but I miss Taco-Mex. 🙁
The owners are very charismatic and have connections to media.
I dont know how you could put their wine program over buffalina or jeffreys. Their program is neither unique, robust, or immaculate in its service.
Tracey Malachek came up at Danny Meyer (the shake shack/11MP/Union Square Hospitality Group guy) restaurants in NYC. She learned that machine well and decided to move to Austin to open a spot.
Expect them to keep winning awards forever. They’re plugged in at the top.
Yay another “Calling all haters to come out of the woodwork to validate my negativity” post.
They use great ingredients, support local farmers, and cook honestly. That hood is lucky to have them there. Simple as that.
It’s all pay to play.
PR is everything in the restaurant awards circuit and they do PR VERY well. Not to say that they’re not talented and deserving of praise, but in Austin, no restaurant gets that sort of attention organically.
You can summarize is with “PR” and “media connections”. No secret to it.
Same PR agency Terry Black’s uses, possibly 🤔
Hire a PR company, have them create a pitch deck with compelling detailed and background stories, have the PR company send it to editors and writers, especially writers they PR company has worked with before. Go to industrial events and make connections. No secret. But it’s costly unless it’s personal connections.
I went on a French pop up night. I was served unseasoned steamed veggies with melted cheese. So disappointed.
Well Austin was rated #1 city several years in a row.
Then the government closed all the restaurants in Austin.
Now, government restaurants are the most hype thing.
It’s a lot of bullshit mostly. A lot of staff is being imported into Austin with fake degrees, fake certifications, and fake experience.
It probably has something to do with Jeff Epstein. His frontman Musk seems to have just placed himself into the city.
Apparently, there are shootings at Tesla on a nigh monthly basis. But them media connections…