Redbird

This upscale restaurant is perfect for indulging in a luxurious night out in downtown Los Angeles. Since it's located downtown beware that the parking is as usual, a nightmare -- but there's valet on-site. Also, it's not terrible of a neighborhood, so you can always find a metered parking spot nearby.

We booked a table for dinner on a Wednesday evening out in the courtyard where they usually host weddings. The restaurant had extended this space to add extra outdoor dining due to COVID restrictions -- and we picked this section of the restaurant because we figured when else are you ever going to be able to dine here again -- unless you're literally at a wedding? ;)

It was a beautiful space, right next to the property's garden and underneath dozens of  twinkling string lights -- which created an especially romantic atmosphere after the sun went down.

It was pretty busy for a Wednesday evening -- but there were about twice as many employees as diners, and they were all flitting around vigilantly to make sure everyone was taken care of.

One of my favorite parts of this restaurant experience was having the gluten free cheesy bread delivered soon after we sat down -- upon reading the reviews here, I see that's a signature part of their experience -- but I didn't know at the time, so it felt very special :)

I ordered a glass of sparkling rose, and my boyfriend got a cocktail -- both of which were great.

For dinner we ordered the salad and ricotta pasta and the portions were "gourmet sized" -- which means they were small portions of very rich food -- which is better in my opinion than large portions of disappointing food -- ha.

I'd definitely recommend this place as a spectacular spot for a date or for a girls' night out for tasty food and great drinks. It's pricey, but you get what you pay for in terms of experience.

We visited during COVID (early 2021), and during a very blustery and wintry evening.  We made reservations and chose a patio (under a lovely tent bedecked with space heaters and punctuated by dining stations and bar/prep stations).  It was so cold that I stayed in my coat and shivered, periodically walking to one of the many space heaters to defrost and then one of the kind staff offered a blanket, which was cozy and warm!  My partner was seated with one of the prep stations between him and the wind so he was warm the whole time.  You probably want to hear about the food though, right?

I had a lobster dish to start (from the menu and Dine LA prix fixe) it was delicious with an amazing variety of textures and flavors.  My husband enjoyed the bitter, sweet, salty and tangy greens with ricotta and the sea bass with chorizo and chick peas.  I loved my short rib and potatoes - it was an exquisite rendering of the classic.  For dessert I enjoyed the s'mores bar - what a clever and gorgeous take on the inelegant original!  My partner enjoyed the rice pudding with fruit.  I peeked inside the cathedral which wasn't being used for inside dining at the tome, and can't wait to go back and more fully explore the menu and the space.

Omg!!!! This cozy restaurant tucked in an abandoned church left us with the best impression. Hospitable hosts, delicious food with beautiful presentation, great cocktails and wonderful dessert.

They have three areas you can sit at, making it very covid friendly. We had reservations to celebrate a birthday at the Vibiana courtyard, this was an outside seating with a tent cover in a beautiful atmosphere. The ambiance is very welcoming and charming. With the great atmosphere comes great staff. The staff was very welcoming and understood the menu very well. Redbird is a perfect group restaurant, since most of the plates are shareable/family style.

We started off with drinks. One thing you have to do is order all the food at once, that way they can prioritize how to bring out the food so it's not overwhelming.

Here's what we got for food:

Everything Parker rolls- this was a great start to our dinner, kinda like an everything bagel but on crack since it came with this sweet date butter. The rolls are soft and chewy and perfect for a carb lover like me.

Shishitos- the fried quinoa added a perfect crunch to the roasted peppers.

Citrus salad- this salad had so many flavors. Some of the greens were sweet while others were kind of bitter. However, the whipped burrata in the middle tied up all the flavors together.

Brussel sprouts- the Brussel sprouts laid on a bed of this yogurt sauce which was a perfect dipping sauce. Topped with pomegranate!

Grass fed beef tartar- this yummy tartar exuded with flavor.  It wasn't mixed well cuz some parts were salty while others weren't. So maybe mix the bowl before you eat it.

Black truffle cappelletti- this was a small plate of about 4 pieces of cappelletti so it's a good idea to order two. It's delicious and there's plenty of shredded truffle to go around.

Wagu steak- omg! I would probably go back just for the wagu. It's perfectly cooked and melts in your mouth. This dish can be expensive but so worth it. Highly recommend.

Dessert:

Baba ya rhum- this was the perfect dessert for anyone that doesn't like their dessert to be overwhelmingly sweet. It definitely has a tart taste , delicious.

The place is overall phenomenal. It very rare that you find such a beautiful and interesting venue with amazing food and amazing staff. Not an ounce of food was leftover! I can't wait to go again.

They have valet parking and you can text them a few minutes before you leave so you don't have to wait on the street. Great thinking!

Redbird
Modern American cuisine
Downtown Los Angeles

After a beautiful early Easter mass at the Cathedral of our Lady of Angels we decided to check out Redbird as soon as they opened at 10 am. After a beautiful early Easter mass at the Cathedral of our Lady of Angels we decided to check out Redbird as soon as they opened at 10 am.

Located in the rectory of former St. Vibiana church, we finally got the chance to check out Chef Neal Fraser's highly acclaimed restaurant. Luckily they were able to seat us early in the garden under the canopy of Olive trees giving us the dappled sunlight on a cool Sunday morning.

The Easter brunch was prix fixe with a great selection to choose from.

Starting with French coffee to wake me, our palate were delighted with assorted delicious pastries from the pastry basket.  The wife's first course of Neal's clam chowder filled with finely chopped clams and a complex flavor soup base with hints of vinaigrette while I ordered the white asparagus with fresh crabmeat and hollandaise sauce.

Our main course consisted of the shichuan-spiced lobster frittata, and  king salmon  over asparagus and chanterelle mushroom with added acidity and sweetness from Meyer lemon. For dessert, we saved the cinnamon roll from the pastry basket.

Dining at Redbird is not cheap but the ingredients and the flavors, the ambience and the service, and the quiet time together in the garden appreciating the blessing after a holy Easter mass makes the experience so unforgetable.  It looked like we found our new go-to hideaway in the middle of downtown LA. Next time I have to try  the barbecue tofu.

Highlight: Fountain of youth & the cheese bread!

We came here on Friday for early dinner. I'm not sure if they take walk ins, so better make a reservation. Valet is $14. It was a bit too much. Maybe you have so luck with street parking.

Drinks - The fountain of youth was soo good. It looked super pretty and tasted great!

Food:
Cheese bread was my favorite honestly. We asked for more before we had our entree. For appetizer, we had the hamachi collar. It was very good, super flavorful.  We ordered the bacon wrapped rabbit and the sea bass. Personally I'm not too big on the rabbit, but bacon always make everything taste good.  Sea bass was good, but I don't think it was the best sea bass i've had.

Environment / Service:
All of the tables were quite far apart, with heaters next to each table. Honestly, without heaters, it's tough to outdoor dinning. It was great to turn on the heater on demand. While we were finishing up our hamachi collar, we had multiple staff asking us if we were done with the appetizers when we were clearly still working on it. It was very obvious that they trying to clear the table, but we felt we were rushed.

Wow, this place really caught me off guard. It's tucked away and there's no loud signs to catch your eye, and upon entry in the waiting area, you'd have no idea that you'd be led to a beautiful patio terrace down the stairs. It makes for a impressionable date spot for sure.  Only thing worth noting for the ladies is that the ground is not paved - it's loose gravel so if you're sporting open toed heels, your feet may get a bit dirty or you might risk slipping if you're not cautious. This is regarding one of the courtyards we had eaten at - I believe there are two other ones accessible, though it seemed like one was closed off for a private event.

The music was tasteful, and despite covid limitations, the restaurant still felt white occupied yet respectfully spaced enough. We were prob 10 feet away from the closest table.

The hiramasa crudo was had the perfect amount of acidic punch from the blood orange yuzu sauce. I love yuzu . Fish was also extremely fresh - something you'd anticipate from a high end sushi restaurant.  5/5

The grass fed tartare was also very unique. Interesting fusion approach and the kimchi aioli did have a slightly pungent and tarte taste in the most pleasant way possible. Only thing was the seaweed chip it was served with was not very sensible - it was kind of messy to eat, esp for a first date, for those who might be more self-conscious. Luckily, we're shameless people..well, I am. (:   5/5

The rack of red wattle pork was really good - to be honest, it kind of reminded me more of a lean cut of beef like filet mignon. It wasn't dry at all, and paired with the sides, it was worthwhile. Portion was huge though and we couldn't finish the dish. 5/5

Bacon wrapped saddle of rabbit was of course a smaller portion, but just as satisfying. It wasn't as gamey as other restaurants. I couldn't tell which dish I liked more between the two entrees. That says a lot. 5/5

The s'mores bar was so decadent and amazing. We almost skipped dessert but after a small breather, we went for it! This kind of reminded me of a ferro rocher. The little bits of crunch were a nice touch for a texture contrast. 5/5

Cocktail here (fountain of youth) was also potent but not overshadowed by the taste of alcohol. I drink alcohol since I like the aftermath/buzz (not hangover), but this was actually enjoyable.

All in all, I wouldn't mind revising. Usually not a fan of revisiting the same restaurant since I love trying new places for the ambiance and to support diff businesses, but I'm curious about the other offerings on the menu. I'm generally particular when it comes to higher end restaurants since we're paying an arm, leg, and kidney for our meal, but this one def won me over.

Had a lovely dinner at Redbird with their extended Dine LA menu. Menu was a great value, and everything was super tasty!

First, their outdoor spaces are gorgeous. It's hard to remember you're in the heart of downtown LA sitting on their outdoor patios, which are lush and lit super cute. We sat on the Vibiana patio, which is currently tented (all open sides), and also had tons of heaters and well spaced tables. This space would also be amazing for private events (one day when the world is normal again!)

Everything we got was absolutely delicious. We loved the dine la special cocktail - brandy, grand mariner, and wine and it turned out just like a sangria (and discounted down to $10 was a steal)

We also opted for the everything Parker rolls as an add on, and again super impressed at the quantity for the price. 6 rolls for $8, and easily my favorite thing we ate. I'm a sucker for some good bread, and these were pretty exceptional.

For apps, we got the chawanmushi and beef tartare. I'd never had chawanmushi and didn't know what to expect, but this savory egg custard was super delicious. It was creamy and salty, and the lobster was also so yummy. Tartare was also delicious, especially the kimchi aioli and the super salty fried nori!

For the main we got the ricotta cavatelli and the prime short rib. I loved the pasta it was super flavorful and balanced. Also enjoyed the short rib, it was definitely on the rich side but great flavors

We also got both desserts, the coconut lime rice pudding and s'mores bar. These werent quite as special in my opinion, but still tasty.

Overall, great meal. My only thought after the meal was that it didn't feel super cohesive, jumping from a a very Asian inspired app to a very Italian inspired main. But does mean there is something for everyone!! Can't wait to come back once brunch reopens as well!

This restaurant has a beautiful ambience. The service is outstanding. The warm bread and butter is yummy!! had the bloody Mary and it was really really good... Not skimpy on the vodka whatsoever! I ordered the rigatoni with kale pesto and it wasn't all that tasty. Too much sauce and very little rigatoni! The appetizers were ok but not impressive. My friend had the cosmopolitan and it was also delicious. We ordered s'mores for dessert but it tasted more like a chocolate mousse! ! It's expensive here! The place is very pricey! Bring at least $60-100.00 per person! I loved the drinks but the entree wasn't good! $14.00 valet parking! It was nice but I won't be going back.

What a perfect dinner experience! The dine LA menu was amazing. These are not just pretty pics of the food. The food tastes just as good as it looks. Thank you Redbird for the awesome experience. The safety of the space and everything was on point. The service was beyond that my son said that it was one of the best eating experiences he's had also. I highly recommend Redbird for any occasion. The evening was absolutely perfect!

I came here once 5 yrs ago, bc it was one of the hip spots and 5 yrs later I came bc they had a nice patio for dining, which is important now. 5 yrs ago I thought the food was alright and hit salty and 5 yrs later the food is still alright and still salty. I guess in the end I will always associate my red bird experience as salty, but with a nice dinning area.

If you don't mind salty and looking for a little if the Asian fusion cuisine with a heavy hand on the salt and a nice atmosphere than ding  ding