Sluurpy > Restaurants in Auckland Central > Boy & Bird

Review Boy & Bird - Auckland Central

Ben Purcell
I’ve been ordering boy & bird from Uber eats for ages and finally made it into the restaurant. The menu was different and actually just hugely better. The rubbed chicken was amazing as well as the two salads had and the hot buns. I’ll definitely be coming into the restaurant more often!
Mong Na Boon
We went there for dinner and it was not very busy, our drinks came out fast. The meal took about 20 minutes -we ordered a half chicken, a buttermilk fried chicken main (must try !) And a side salad. Everything tasted good and my little one enjoyed it. We even got a free bar of choc for the little one, it was a surprise and thanks to the team for making it a bit special in this ordinary day.
N V
Everything was cooked perfectly. The sauce was good. Chicken was crispy and moist. Just need to be seasoned. Lacking salt. Pickled salad that went with the burger was flavorless. Nonetheless, it was okay.
alyssa p
I got the chopped chicken roll with gravy and chunkies which was good roll was soft nice gravy and also the Caesar salad which I recommend the egg was perfect really enjoyed this salad n will order again definitely! Would've been nice if the watch was like the cute 1s displayed 🥺 😆
deepak rohit
Exceptional customer service from the moment we took our seats. The inviting atmosphere adds to the comfort, and the food is consistently outstanding. While I usually stick to their delicious roasted chicken with chunkies and coleslaw, today I ventured into their keto salad with tofu and lamb burger. The salad was refreshingly tasty, and the burger easily ranks among the best I've ever had.
Jessica Kherlakian
If you are a salad lover and roasted chicken lover, YOU MUST GO! This is one of the best salads in Auckland, I had to go twice in a row. You can taste the quality of the ingredients. Go, go, go! That said, I do like my caesar dressing a bit more tangy and acidic so I always ask for a bit of vinegar on the side, and extra chicken!
David Annabell
We thoroughly enjoyed our meal. All chicken dishes were sooo tender and tasty. Especially loved the Korean chicken and Buttermilk chicken. Desserts amazing! So save room for that.
Viaan Gupta
The fried chicken burger, which had a juicy taste and delightful texture, was one of the most exceptional chicken burgers I've ever had.
Amynot - Spotify: 不想往前
Better than KFC! The chicken truffle parmesan was something different and enjoyable. The gnocchi was disgusting. I even added the duck and the duck was a bit dry. Gnocchi texture was not nice. The chicken wings tasted like countdown and was super hot. I worry it might’ve been microwaved. Buttermilk, Korean chicken and chocolate fondant was nice. Will be back again and order the stuff I like. Service: 4/5 Environment: 4/5 Presentation: 4/5 Food Quality: 4/5 (hit and miss) Food Quantity: 4/5 Price per person: $50-$60
louis gordon green
Got some great takeaway lunches. Very easy to order, friendly staff and organised. Got various rolls, the Korean chicken was a standout. Fantastic salads aswell
Crytos
Great place and quick service. The chicken is cooked so well and is very tender. Good selection of food and very tasty. If you have a chicken craving this is where it'll be satisfied!
Amanda Gray
Ordered food on Uber eats last week and was so impressed I had to come to Google and review. We ordered a half chicken which was perfect, the veges, the kumera mash, and the roast potatoes, all perfect and now I am disappointed I don’t live in Auckland to have this great food again.
Brianna Verspeek
I loved this cool modern restaurant. Very generous servings for price and beautiful atmosphere. Customer service was great. I got the starter buttermilk chicken with slaw $15.00
Abigail Smith
We were able to just walk in to the restaurant on a busy night and the staff were very accommodating. They were helpful with dietary requirements for members of our group which we really appreciated. The service and food were amazing. We loved the garlic bread and would have ordered one for each of us had we known how good it would be. The beans and broccoli and the courgettes were great healthy sides which are easy to share. We found the salads we ordered (Caesar, kale and sticky root) to be delicious and very filling. The whole chicken we shared was well seasoned and cooked. We will definitely be back.
Marielle Ibarra
Came with a few friends using First Table -- the food is delicious! We ordered the chunky fries, kumara chips, half chicken (comes with some veges and gravy), kale salad, courgettes, korean chicken hot roll... I don't think there was a dish I didn't enjoy. Good experience overall.
Chelsea Osborn Toor
Wonderful lunch out today. The food was delicious and served quickly. The rolls are soft and compliment the chicken and fillings wonderfully. Our server was kind and welcoming. Definitely worth a visit. Looking forward to trying new items on the menu next time.
Elizabeth Wong
Very nice atmosphere and food. The buttermilk chicken was juicy and succulent. Shoestring fries are good. Had to order another bowl for the kids.
Arina West
This place is amazing. You first walk in to this beautifully decorated place and get greeted by the friendly staff. And the menu has so many delicious options, something for everyone. The butter milk chicken a few friends and I had was amazing. So tasty and well seasoned. Our whole meal was delicious. Had a great time over here with my girls and will definitely be coming back in. Lovely little place to dine in. I Highly Recommend this restaurant!❤️<br/>
Daniel Harrison
Decor was modern. Relaxing environment. Friendly staff. Delicious food. Drinks were spot on👌 highly highly highly recommend this place! Definitely going back!
Travis
We had Chicken which at first looked delicious. During the meal we separately tasted something unnatural in the meal like a chemical flavour. The staff were hospitable enough during the meal without being over bearing. But after leaving the meal we both noted a metallic taste that’s still on my tongue as I write this. Very odd. With the higher prices charged ($38 for a chicken) and so many chicken options available we are unlikely to come back.
Kulwinder
Could not use Zomato gold. After showing zomato gold membership, the billing person told its not valid as there is an event going on outside, but such no info on website, so was a bit dissappointed. Food was ok.
Anish Ketty
Staff doesn’t know about Zomato gold. I had to explain him the rules and regulations. We felt like one of the staff was always walking past us, having an eye on us and want us to leave the place even though the restaurant was empty. Food was ok. There were flies around. Our drink was replaced when the fly fell into our drink. I think the management should treat everyone the same whether they have Zomato gold or not.
Emma Sharma
Great service at Boy & Bird, and there is lots of seating so there is hardly ever a wait here! <br/>The menu is quite pricey but I think it’s worth it the high quality food.<br/>My favourite is the Caesar salad which comes in two sizes - I always go for the large! <br/>Sometimes the sandwiches can fall apart because they are so full (which isn’t a bad thing), it can be easier to use a knife and fork.
Tom Wong
The food itself was quite nice however it was a bit expensive for what it is. I tried to use the 2+2 zomato gold benefit, however I was told that as I had a table of 3, I could only redeem 1 free drink instead of the listed 2 free drinks with the purchase of 2 drinks. Due to this, my score was lower.<br/><br/>In addition to this the table next to me ordered the burger with fries and complained that there was a very small amount of fries.
Still Thirsty
I have never before been refused a fill up of hot water for a pot of tea. Management's plan to stop people buying one drink and staying for two hours getting refills, is not flexible enough. I bought a meal for two. I was thirsty. I still am.
“Dailee” 25% Off Zomato Gold
Great succulent juicy roast chicken and the gravy is just delish. We went for a whole chicken with sides potatoes and coleslaw. Enough for dinner and lunch the next day for two. They are pet friendly too and had seats outside with dog bowl. Great service and reasonably priced at $45.
Lily
The food here at boy & bird is always consistent, they have potatoes to die for and the sides are always perfectly cooked. The only thing is there gravy last gone wasn’t as tasty as it used to be
LuNa The TuNa
Good location, easy to find carpark. Instagram style decoration. Fried chicken are the best. I love both Korean spicy fried chicken and original flavour fried chicken.
Tony Ma
Better than KFC!<br/><br/>The chicken truffle parmesan was something different and enjoyable. <br/><br/>The gnocchi was disgusting. I even added the duck and the duck was a bit dry. Gnocchi texture was not nice. <br/><br/>The chicken wings tasted like countdown and was super hot. I worry it might’ve been microwaved. <br/><br/>Buttermilk, Korean chicken and chocolate fondant was nice. <br/><br/>Will be back again and order the stuff I like. <br/><br/>Service: 4/5<br/>Environment: 4/5<br/>Presentation: 4/5<br/>Food Quality: 4/5 (hit and miss)<br/>Food Quantity: 4/5<br/>Price per person: $50-$60<br/>
Katerina
I ve been hearing good things about this place for a long time so decided to come and check it out.<br/>Came there with a friend for a quick bite around 6pm Monday. It wasnt busy there maybe about five tables or so. Finding parking just outside was not a problem. Interior is nice and clean I liked the fireplace.<br/>The service was prompt and friendly.<br/>Food.<br/>We ordered Korean spiced chicken thighs as a main (with chunkies- which was roast potatoes) as a main $20. The chicken was tender with a pile of kimchi on top and two leaves of corriander. The kimchi was overpowering and you wouldn't taste anything else but the sauce. Didnt see any fennel there -well it was all red. Korean food seasoning is more than kimchi and roasted unseasoned potatoes didn't do the trick for me.<br/>Duch beef krokets $13 were crispy outside and filled with soft beef. Pity there was not much of seasoning or sauce and Salsa Verde served with them was too thick and intense for the dish in my opinion.<br/>The side dish of the day $8 was Button mushrooms. They were caramelized and deep fried drowned in sweet chilly sauce. Unfortunately neither my friend nor I tasted the mushrooms at all in this case.<br/>Coleslaw small $6 Was very good and it helped a lot.<br/>Maybe it just wasn't my day but there are so many interesting flavours you can find elsewhere.<br/>Only after i wrote this review did I realise my bill should ve been $47 but for some reason I paid $53. My bad, I didn't check the bill.
Rao
Went here on boxing day, can't fault service during this busy time.<br/>We loved the buttermilk chicken and I really enjoyed the Korean chicken too. The cauliflower fritters were more like meatballs but very enjoyable. Good casual place to dine - spent $80 all up with four drinks, two mains and a starter
Campbell Spencer
LAZY!!!<br/><br/>Popped in her after dinner to have some dessert and a coffee....<br/><br/>The coffee was the worst I've ever experience... bitter, over exposed.... just terrible. The same can be said about my friend and her coffee also. <br/><br/>When asked if the coffee was ok we replied 'No' and stated the reason why....<br/><br/>About 10 mins later the owner came out and apologised for the coffee by saying that as it was a holiday (Boxing Day) that he had arrived early to work but customers came in early before normal opening time looking for a coffee that he had to serve them coffee. The Manager also said the coffee machine needed to be deep cleaned and that it hadn't happened. So the machine was not cleaned from the pre-xmas rush and that he knew the coffee machine should have been cleaned before opening.<br/><br/>So after returning both coffee's because they were bad, and having the owner acknowledging he was serving bad coffees.... he refunded the cost of one coffee off the account!!! OOOOhhhhhhhhh the good will of the experience......... Seriously?<br/><br/>So dude do the math.... you have made 300 coffee's today... all at about $5 each... that about $1,500 in revenue.... each of those coffee's came from a dirty coffee machine that you knew was dirty... and that the machine was producing sub-standard coffee all day.... hmmmmm.... LAZY!!! To me this results in 200+ people having a bad experience and making the decision whether or not to come to your restaurant again... shame dude.<br/><br/>If I was to have popped in for a coffee and nothing else I would not return to your restaurant EVER!!!<br/><br/>The saving grace was the quality of the desserts... they were amazing the Lemon Tart exquisite, and the chocolate fondant stunning... I would come back for these again.<br/><br/>This restaurant has the potential to be exceptional. I hope they learn from this experience and make this restaurant something special. I would hate to see something as simple as a coffee experience ruin ongoing dining experiences as the food is obviously great.
Jocheli015
When we want a night out to eat mouth watering chicken, crunchy golden chunkies drizzled in dreamy gravy, we come here. The eating space is also ideal for some Quality Time with that special someone.
Grace Huang
This was my first time using first table to dine at a restaurant and I had a wonderful experience.<br/><br/>Service: 8/10<br/>The staff is very thoughtful and didn’t mind us changing the number of guests dining.<br/>They promptly seated us and took our order.<br/>The waitress was very attentive and often came to check on us.<br/>She brought us all our plates and cutlery for our main meal, and our desserts.<br/>It took almost half an hour for our entrees to be served though and it wasn’t even peak hour.<br/>Our desserts also took quite long to come after the waitress had cleared our plates.<br/><br/>Food: 7/10<br/>We got the beef krokets, cauliflower fritters, polenta chips, half bird, korean chicken roll, crumbed fish roll, chocolate fondant and Dutch apple doughnuts.<br/>The beef krokets had a crispy shell filled with tender pull-apart beef. The salsa had a potent, strong taste.<br/>The cauliflower fritters were crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, the chickpeas gave it a slight bite. The flavour was like curry with mustard.<br/>The polenta chips were crisp and the potato was mashed and creamy.<br/>The half bird was thoroughly seasoned and tender. I don’t usually like roast chicken but this one tasted great. I liked how the gravy didn’t taste fully like fat.<br/>The korean chicken wasn’t crunchy but the gochujang sauce was spicy and sweet, great with the purple cabbage.<br/>The crumbed fish was soggy and the mayonaise didn’t have much flavour.<br/>The rolls were pretty hard, I would’ve preferred then to be fluffy and soft.<br/>The dutch apple doughnuts were quite heavy and doughy, I couldn’t have more than one. They were crispy and was filled with tart apple chunks to pair with the sweet caramel.<br/>The chocolate fondant was SOOOO GOOD. The bittersweet, rich chocolate cuts the overall sweetness. The warm decadent chocolate was perfect when mixed with the icy cold vanilla ice cream.<br/><br/>Ambiance: 9/10<br/>They have a fusion of old-fashioned and modern styles.<br/>The stained glass and white wooden window frames resemble an old house.<br/>The dark wooden floors and brick walls are simplistic and classical.<br/>The mixture of sunlight and warm yellow lighting creates a homely feel.<br/>The wall lighting is stylish and the unique railings on the walls are attention-grabbing.<br/>There is plenty of seating and it is very spacious, perfect for a family dinner.<br/>It is super clean throughout the restaurant, even the bathrooms were super tidy.<br/>The kitchen exerts appetising smells which make you even more anxious for your meal.<br/><br/>I had a great time dining at Boy & Bird, especially since it was such great value when I dined with first table for 50% off. My favourite item would probably be the chocolate fondant and I will be back to have more.
Sjr Sjr
If tasty, crispy and succulent fried chicken is your thing then give Boy & Bird a try. We got the buttermilk fried chicken which had a really tasty crumb with a hint of chilli, and a slaw with a very good Tamarind mayo. However maybe the most impressive dish was the cauliflower fritters, which again was very tasty and came with a yum curry labneh sauce and fresh salad. The restaurant is well decorated with a really urban cool feel to it and the service was exceptional.
Celani Atienza
My friends and i had a good feed at boy&bird. Food prices are affordable and presentation wise- thumbs up. Their food choices are good for sharing - the whole chicken was too much for us 4, we even took the half home, maybe becausw we had a lot of sides and appetizers as well. Chicken though was dry, so i had to use most of the gravy- which was not good either. We finished the meal with chocolate fondant- which made our night. The dessert was the best of all that we ordered, and next was the koftas. The chocolate milkshake though was just in a bottle, it was yummy but thought i would get more than just a small<br/>Bottle of chocolate milk drink. I’d rate the whole<br/>Experience at 3.7 - the dessert made a big difference!!
11
Good fresh food, good service, friendly staff with smile :)<br/>Food<br/>1.Hot Bird Salad ($18 large) <br/>2.The Birds - Half Chicken ($25) add Truffle mushroom & Parmesan ($4) <br/>3.Sauteed Kale Salad ($18 large)<br/>4.Buttermilk Fried Chicken ($20 main size)<br/>Drink<br/>Large Monteith's Lager 2@$9<br/>Large Monteith's Pale Ale $9<br/>Large Guest Tap $11<br/>Total bill $123 for 4 of us. (entertainment book 25% off $92.25)<br/>Sunday 08.10.2018 @ 12.40<br/><br/>
Sophie Wilton
went here last night for dessert after seeing the Dutch apple donuts on instagram! I didn’t even have time to take a photo because I jumped on those so quick and they were AMAZING! We also got the chcocolate fondant which was very rich and oozy and yum
Samantha
Cute and cosy place to dine in central Ponsonby. Decent portions for price paid, would eat here again and highly recommend the Korean spiced chicken!
Cindy Valentino
Me and my girlfriend came here after work on a Wednesday. We ordered a whole chicken, chunky polenta fries and broccoli and beans. I would say the star dish was the chunky polenta fries!!! It was soooooo good 👍 <br/><br/>Good service, nice and chill atmosphere
Single P's Adventures
The highlight of our night was the service - the perfect balance of attentiveness and space. We ordered the cauliflower fritters and beef krokets to start, both were equally delicious. For our mains we had the kale haloumi salad, the chicken meal box and the Korean spiced chicken. Everyone enjoyed their dishes. One of the best meals we have had in Auckland for a while.
Yusoff Kamal
I leave this restaurant feeling so contented and enjoy my time with friends for dinner.<br/><br/>Great for a group of 6 people.<br/><br/>The service is amazing thanks you!... and the food is just delicious.<br/><br/>They even have a special on drinks...I have Aperol Spritz ....bring memories back when i am in Italy.<br/><br/>:) highly recommend<br/><br/>She' also made split payment look easy. Thank you so much for making our night wonderful.
Georgia Vossen
Really surprised by this place, was very keen on going here for a while. Finally made it, and was amazed by how wonderful it was. <br/>Came for lunch and got a couple dishes to share. Both of which I couldn’t fault. So delicious! Unique and absolutely flawless. <br/>Come here if you feel like chicken, you can have fried chicken, Korean spiced chicken, whole chicken, half a chicken, buttermilk chicken. Just any type of delicious chicken. <br/>The rolls are amazing bread, filling, sauces, I had the buttermilk roll, and everything ties in so well. <br/>The Korean spiced chicken was stunning, got the main with the delicious chunky potato, omg just so good. <br/>Komboucha was unlike any I’ve ever tasted! So good! <br/>Recommend this place highly!
Alexandra Tusa
I’ve had a vegan hot roll at this place and let me tell you the chickpeas kofta were absolutely amazing! Not to mention the chunky fries(out of this world) that come with chipotle mayo ! Will definitely try again!
Gnxsta23
Took me partner here for a New Year’s Eve dinner , this food joint was a 10/10 for me!!! We will definitely be back the food was awesome and the atmosphere of place was clean and the lighting was perfect, our waiter was very helpful and polite , the food was so delicious!!! Thank you
Liz Bradley
The food was pretty good, we’ve been before and were blown away by the quality of the food and the wait staff. This time however, not so much. My lunch partner asked if they could change up the salad leaves from plain old iceberg to cos, the waiter agreed but out came iceberg. He was positively unpleasant when we asked what happened. We really don’t want to go back to be honest. There are SO many other places to eat.
The City Lane
Boy & Bird Ponsonby offers customers a very simple proposition. Free range chickens served up in a variety of ways. It’s the brainchild of chef Mike van de Elzen (The Food Truck Park) and hospitality maestro Marie Colosimo.
Toni
Absolutely delicious potatoes, or 'chunkies' as our super awesome server called them. Chicken was great, coleslaw was great, chipotle mayo was great, gravy was great!
Sarah
The Kale salad is delicious!! Definitely going back to try out more of the menu options. Highly recommend. Great service and friendly staff too :)
Thompson AJ
Would highly recommended to others and will be dining in again. <br/>Half bird and southern fried chicken roll were our mains. Delicious, the gravy is amazing!!
Melissa Gros
Took a very long time to get takeaway food delivered and it was cold when arrived. Also the Caesar Salad was not ultimate and was iceberg lettuce so that was not as expected. The poached egg was perfectly done however. Unsure if delay was from Uber Eats or establichment but said it was 'being prepared' for over an hour and a half!
Oksana Zhang
Popped in during an awkward hour between lunch and dinner time, so there was only this other table also dining. <br/><br/>The man we were greeted by (tall, tanned guy) was very friendly, made us feel very welcomed! His service was very prompt and attentive; it took us awhile to decide what to order and he checked up on us twice--personally I think that's better than having to stick your hand up and wait around. <br/><br/>We got the Korean Spicy Chicken Thighs, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Hot Bird Salad and Garlic Bread. <br/>The Korean Spicy chicken was a bomb of flavours. It wasn't too spicy, but was still rich in flavours-- I wanted more of it! Chicken was cooked really well too, tender and moist. <br/>The Fried Chicken would impress you with its crunch...like, really. Though my partner said the skin was probably a bit TOO crunchy and dense. Nevertheless flavours worked well! The Salad was a huge portion of lettuce, black beans, Kumara chunks, peanuts and CHICKEN. Flavour wise it's light; but my favourite feature is how it was so textured! The Crunch of the peanuts and the lettuce; the pop of the beans and the creaminess of the kumara--loved it. <br/><br/>Would probably want to come back to try their duck dish and dessert! <br/><br/>Price: 9/10<br/>Food: 9/10<br/>Ambience: 9/10<br/>Service: 9/10
Lisa Rainicorn
My go to on Uber Eats and also enjoy dining in at their cute retro style premises! Their Fried Chicken and house rubbed wings are both divine! And if you think roast potatoes are boring you have to try their chunkies with chipotle aioli. I find myself dreaming of your aioli - so unique and flavorsome! Have tried most of the menu now and only thing I have really been somewhat disappointed in was the desserts. Donuts tasted like burnt raisins and the lemon tart pastry was very dry. Go elsewhere for dessert but the other food here is TOP NOTCH!
Charmaine
Simple food done well. Our go-to for Sunday lunch when we want something fuss free and healthy. This is the one place where I would happily keep munching on roast potatoes as I find them usually quite uninteresting...
Priyanka Chakraborty
Loved their potato chunks and Korean chicken wings! Adorable place for a relaxed Sunday brunch. <br/>Went with a friend and loved the food and ambience absolutely.
David Faircloth
On a lazy wet night we decided to order in. Boy and bird...what can i say....pleasantly impressed. Delivery of the food was well timed and still hot which is always a bonus. I ordered the quater chicken with chunkies, slaw and gravy. The flavors were amazing, chicken was tender, chunkies were crispy, gravy was so good and the slaw to which i dont normally eat turned out to be just as good. No complaints here :) Great food will def pop in for dinner
Aucklandeats
Since both me and my partner wants to eat out but keep it healthy we decided to try Boy &a Bird. <br/><br/>We reached at 6.30 on a Saturday and the place was not too full. Service was friendly and prompt.<br/><br/>We ordered fish fingers, fried chicken and a quarter chicken. We swapped out the potatoes for salad and they did that hassle free. Fish fingers were delicious. Chunky fish and crispy coating and a delicious dip. Fried chicken was well presented and amazing! Although it as more batter and less chicken, it tasted good and the dip was perfect accompaniment.<br/><br/>Coming to the dish they're famous for. A bit disappointing. Chicken was ok, slightly dry even and the gravy was pretty average.<br/><br/>Would return for the fried chicken though!
Tavita Milford
Went to try their Chicken with Gravy Rolls one time, it tasted so good that it tasted like something mum would make at home. The price for it was definitely worth my expectations.<br/><br/>The person who served me was really friendly and kind and the waiting time wasn't as long as I expected either.<br/><br/>The layout when you go inside is that that are tables are in columns. The chairs however are quite fancy, it has that mixture of home and commercial status chairs.
STRADS
Chicken liver parfait is always something I love to start with.  It didn't disappoint me. My wife had a quarter chicken with coleslaw & potato chunkies while I had confit duck (+ additional chicken) with pumpkin risotto.  Chicken - its specialty - was really juicy & delicious. Duck was a bit dry & under-seasoned. The sides - chunkies & slaw - were also outstanding. I know its Dutch apple doughnuts are good, but we tried chocolate fondant with vanilla ice-cream instead. My pick was correct; the warm, soft, sweet & creamy paste was beautiful. (Food - 4.5/5; Service - 4/5; Ambience - 3.5/5)
Christian
I love the casual feel of this place. Staff were really friendly and deco was really conforming. The food- overall we really enjoyed our dinner especially the Dutch beef croquettes which were soft and tasty. The chicken were a hit dry for my liking though.
Husk Creative
Truth be told, we were first drawn to this poultry eatery by the bold logo and quirky name — that's designer foodies for ya! It was hard not to feel cheery when walking into the space, jazzed up with splashes of red and white checkers, bright blue menus and wooden table-blocks painted yellow… If anybody else did this, it may have been a primary-colour-disaster, but it was tastefully done, right down to the kids' high chairs made and the little characters on the menu warning us of certain ‘naughty' items. Michael Van de Elzen and Marie Colosimo (the boy & bird duo #irl) certainly know how to tackle the ‘healthy fast food' trend, even keeping our resident vegetarian, Annie, happy. The only bad thing would probably be that our eyes were too big for our stomachs. We rolled out of the place swearing to come back for the Dutch Apple Doughnuts with salted caramel — ahh. Just you wait B&B, we'll live to die another day.<br/><br/>Check out our individual comments here: husk.co.nz/lunches/boy-amp-bird-feb-2015
Eeram
Staff are very attentive and fun. It was nice that their kitchen was open later than most other restaurants on the strip so that we could have a late dinner before walking Franklin Rd Christmas lights. Highly, highly recommend the Buttermilk Fried Chicken. Lost a point for two very obvious spelling errors on the menu, a slightly rickety table, and the duck being less flavoursome than we'd hoped. We will be back, but will definitely stick to the chicken.
Saurav
Today I visited BOY & BIRD and had a HOT BIRD salad. Just like to say thank you for the combination of the ingredients not only was it all really tasty but also the choice of feta sultanas black beans with kumara and dressing. I felt was the right balance for a pre race meal. Good on you. Will come back again. Thanks
Diner8Here
Oh dear, this journey began  in error wondering if the  chicken place i wanted to dine at was under a new name . Anyway the dish i had was a  quarter chook dish with gravy, slaw and spuds.<br/> I Wanted the wing end quarter  and chook served was quite small and with half a wing missing, maybe the size 10 chook? spuds was over fry to a  harden pulp, slaw was a quick tong grab serving, this dish may have been a entree dish?<br/>A bit of a chicken feed for 19$...<br/>Upon paying found out the chook place i originally wanted to dine at had move to Ponsonby Central, Therefore BoyNbird IS NOT a rebrand Bird on a Wire, not confuse now, silly me...
Travels4Food
Good flavours. If you want chicken done simply with gravy and potatoes it's a good place to go to in ponsonby. No fuss or too much frills. Additional sauce a bit too expensive though.
Stephy_NakiGirl
We had last eaten here a year or so back & were interested to see if it had changed much since the change in ownership. It was much the same - in a good way.<br/>Service was really good - polite & engaging.<br/>For drinks we tried the Boy & Bird soda which was lemon, honey & Ginger (chilled). Very nice & I believe the flavour changes daily?<br/>We all ordered the chicken - can't see the point in ordering other things when it specialises in chicken. They are nice & flavoursome, the potatoes & a standout, would be nice to have a bit more gravy. Optional extras of potatoes & sauces means you can expand your meal if you feel the need. <br/>For desserts we tried the chocolate fondant which is a standout dish. Also the lemon tart & doughnuts. They happily swapped the yogurt for ice cream in the tart.<br/>A good meal - has its place if you feel like a simple kind of meal but cooked the best it can be.
Tania Ostick
Went here for a girls lunch this afternoon, the service was friendly and attentive! He made some excels t food suggestions! The buttermilk fried chicken is a must try and glad he convinced us to get the doughnuts, they were amazing!!
Alwayseating
Boy& Bird is an odd chap of a place, on the Pons strip next to the butcher.<br/><br/>The food obviously is all about chicken and they do it pretty well, lunch dinning get the Chicken Cesar it's grouse and the cauliflower fritters are an interesting texture packed with flavour.<br/><br/>The service is a bit slow, but the food makes up for it.
Caitlin
Stumbled across Boy & Bird by happy accident and let me tell you that it was one of the best mistakes we have made. <br/>I don't know where to begin. I ordered a chicken, Kumara, peanut, feta and Saltana salad and it was literally the nicest salad I've ever had in my life. The chicken was so moist and tender and the flavors were overwhelming. The portion sizes were so generous - I was so full when finished!! My boyfriend got a roll and we were so surprised of the size of it! <br/>The service was top notch, it was such a cute restaurant and honestly I couldn't fault one thing about my dining experience. <br/>Go here now!!!
FoodieCritic
Had a meal here a couple of weeks ago as we LOVE the chunky potatoes! Unfortunately my chicken thigh was a teeny bit bloody/red at the bone (2nd time this happened to me and meat was a little tough. I told the waiter (who by the way was awesome! So I wasn't mad) He swapped it for a fish in a bun for me which was nice but he tried to assure me (from the chef) that the chicken wasn't under cooked, it was more likely a burst blood vessel (which doesn't make it sound better, in fact made me want to gag a bit). That was what I was told the other time I was served an undercooked chicken. BUT those darn chunky potatoes have me going back each time so the moment those chunky potatoes aren't chunky any more will be when I stop going!😆
Ryan Wong
Since we doing some shopping around the area, so we decided to try this place, and it was good! We order the whole chicken that came with chunky potatoes and gravy (2 of us haha) side dish and apple doughnuts for dessert. The chicken is full of flavor and it's free range, together will friendly good service, worth it!
HJ
Thumbs up to them for including lots of healthy and nutritious elements to the menu - perfect for the health conscious or those wanting to eat clean! The decor is fun, quirky and modern which brings a really nice vibe to the restaurant. With seating inside and out there is plenty of room for small or large groups. <br/><br/>As my partner is vegetarian, he was a little limited for choice but there is plenty of options for chicken lovers! For dinner we ordered the Spiced cauliflower fritters and the sautéed kale, quinoa and haloumi salad. Both dishes was enough to share between the two of us. We were really pleased with the options we choose - both dishes were delicious! I would definitely recommend trying the Cauliflower fritters for something different, they are packed with flavour and well accompanied by the bean sprouts and creamy sauce. <br/><br/>The staff were young and polite. I think our waitress was reasonably new as she wasn't too confident with her knowledge of the menu. Our dishes were served at a reasonable manner so was ideal for a quick bite.<br/><br/>Looking forward to trying more dishes here.
Dcesorrell
This is my favourite chicken kitchen in Auckland and quite possibly the world.  I eat here at least twice a week and usually have the Quarter Box but also have been known to have the Epic Caesar from time-to-time.  The staff are always very friendly and efficient and do it with a smile while the food is consistently of a high standard.  The prices, I believe, are very reasonable which is why I eat here so often along with it being convenient.  Lastly, I very rarely have dessert but when I do the dutch apple doughnuts with salted caramel are to die for.
Breadzania
When i came here i totally expect this to be better than nandos. Unfortunately this isnt the case. My husband can't finish it (in a bad way) <br/><br/>The chicken is dry and overcooked. Needed lots of gravy to eat it with. We ordered a whole chicken. The thighs were tasty as it is hard to overcook thighs. The breast and other parts were sadly not up to scratch. The service is mediocre and pretty much as if we ate at kfc. <br/>
Mana Katsukawa Otimi
How delicious quirky and fun is this place ! When you walk past this your body drags you into here because your tastebuds are super curious about what this place is all about! <br/><br/>I got a bread roll that was on special it was delicious the chicken was super tender and the veges combined was on point ! A little bit vinegar-ey which was a bit sour for me. But overall delicious. <br/> <br/>My partner got the half chicken and MY GOODNESS THAT WAS SO TASTY ! The chicken was so moist and tender combined with the side of crunchy golden potato and gravy opened my eyes to how chicken should REALLY be made . <br/><br/>Service was incredible would check to see if you're enjoying your meal and was polite and kind . <br/><br/>You will see us back here again soon
Josie Lu
Great place to have a nice relaxing lunch or dinner, food is always superb and tasty.<br/>Great vibe about the place, staff always friendly and efficient. Best chicken I have ever eaten and  those donuts YUM!<br/>Love eating here.
Jo Y
Really enjoyed this for a relatively quick and healthy lunch. I had the quarter pack with the truffle and parmesan mushroom mix, which was definitely with the addition, very scrumptious. The chicken was moist and juicy, potatoes crispy and slaw fresh and crunchy. Great texture and flavour.
WeiTing Ashley Shyu
Holy chicken! I haven't done a review in so long but I just had to hop on to say BOY & BIRD is the business!!!!!<br/><br/>After a night of busking with the harp on Franklin Road, I was tired and hungry. I needed a little pick me up so decided to try Boy & Bird. The lady at the counter was so helpful with my annoying questions and was incredibly friendly.<br/><br/>Now the food..... Hands down the BEST chicken I've ever tasted and I've tasted a lot of chicken dishes. $12 for a takeaway quarter chicken. My tastebuds are still tingling. My chicken breast was sooo flavoursome and it just MELTED in my mouth. The chicken combined with the gravy was just a match made in heaven. The simple quarter chicken blew my mind.<br/><br/>I will DEFINITELY be coming back to try the rest of the menu with my partner. I'll also be spreading the word. I won't upload the photo proof..... I actually licked my takeaway box clean. YUM!
Joanne Chiang
Ponsonby on a saturday night is usually busy, hard to find parking, hard to find restaurants without booking. Me and two other friends walked past boy and bird and saw plenty of seats so we decided to sit down and give it a go. <br/>We ordered a half chicken, special salad and a fish roll. I must say, this place is surprisingly good and the service is amazing! The half chicken was juicy and flavorful and the fish roll was really unique! The special salad had lots of meat in it and its so worth it! <br/>Atmosphere of this place is really chill. Nice and cosy. <br/>Overall i had an awesome dining experience here! Will def come back
Andrew @anjeats
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Sorry KFC, Boy & Bird is a much cooler place to have a chicken meal! I loved the fresh decor (with retro touches) and enjoyed the bright wall paintings and slick furniture. I did feel that space was tight where I was sat against wall, but this was a minor point. <br/><br/>FOOD: I had the chicken box which consisted of a nicely roasted piece of chicken, a side salad (nicely flavoured) and roasted potatoes. The potatoes were utterly divine and went well with the gravy. To be honest it wasn't the most exciting meal, but it was a simple meal cooked to perfection. <br/><br/>DRINKS: the ginger soda was subtle in toast but oh so refreshing. <br/><br/>SERVICE: very attentive without being intrusive. Loved their genuine smiles and yes, this does make a difference! <br/><br/>B and B has a lovely ambience and funky old music to boot. I would like to try something a bit more adventurous food-wise so next time I'll sample some of the other dishes.
Taemoata Fong
I loved the surrounding's, service was prompt and friendly. <br/><br/>The food was great. The highlight unfortunately was not the Chicken, but the roast potatoes (a must!!) so crunchy and golden. <br/><br/>The Chicken was a close runner up, with nice flavor and so juicy. But I can't help but feel like the Chicken was missing something, or it needed another element to really make it shine. <br/><br/>Seeing as poultry if the main protein in the menu, match I had really high expectations for Boy & Bird.<br/><br/>Not sure if I would venture back for the Chicken, but would be keen on a second helping of those golden potato nuggets of ecstasy😆😆😆😆😆
Moodyfoodie
Wanted to try something new and had always wanted to try this place. First impressions great service, was greeted at the door. Very nice decor and theme. They had a kids menu and colouring in activity which was great!!! For starters we ordered the beef croquets which were ok average taste and only got 4 pieces for a $12 price point. For mains we had to try the whole bird with the chunkies and gravy for $33. Chicken was TASTY but the highlight for sure were the chunky potatoes. OMG soo crisp and fluffy inside! I would go back just for these and some chipotle aioli! Overall better than average but still too pricey for the portion size. Slaw was very tangy and a great side for the chicken!!!!
Louise MacNaughton
We tried this place when it first came out. I was super excited as I already loved the neighboring chicken joints. Unfortunately I was disappointed and just didn't like the general flavour of the chicken and found the French fries nothing great. Also they forgot one of sides (the popcorn chicken) and made to attempt to correct their mistake when we asked about it. I haven't came back and I doubt I will, there are too many places that are far superior. It is also super quiet all the time and for the size of the venue it creates a bit of an awkward atmosphere.
Melissa
Boy & Bird is famous for their chicken boxes where you can choose if you want a whole, half, quarter chicken or like me, I went with the Quarter Chicken Box for $17 that comes with chunkies, slaw, and gravy! <br/><br/>It's a really cute little store but I didn't really like the Chicken Box :( It felt and looked a bit like eating leftovers. The chicken was mediocre as well and so was everything else that came with the box. <br/><br/>The visual display didn't look nice enough for me to want to take a photo of it :( But it was still worth a try!
Christine
We came here for a late lunch, there weren't many people there which was great. We had a really great waitress and enjoyed the atmosphere and decor. The food was really something special. Simple ingredients paired with tasty flavours made it easy to please the fine diners at our table and the picky eater! I had the quarter box - nicely seasoned chicken, crunchy potato roasties and deliciously tangy coleslaw. Not that we were hungry after that but the Dutch Apple doughnuts called us (share them with someone, there are four large ones). Oh boy are they good!! Not the cheapest place for lunch but really pleasant experience which I never mind paying for :)
Anna Harding
If you want homely food then this is the place for you! I love going here on a cold winter night for a quarter chicken and kumara mash- the combination is amazing. The food is well flavored and the chicken is succulent. When I went here the second time I shared a half chicken with large kumara mash which is a good serving for two people. This place is a must do in Ponsonby!!
Dianca Mitchell
Three great strengths. Great theme, great service, great food. I ordered the popular quarter chicken with potato sides and it was absolute heaven. The gravy was perfection and my chicken was succulent and moist with a crisp exterior. Michael has done it again!
Krishna Chandratre
A friend and I had heard lots about Ponsonby's "Boy & Bird" so we decided to check it out. The service upon arrival was great, the waiter ushered us to our seat and gave us a quick rundown of the menu. The menu looked delicious with plenty of chicken options cooked in several different ways.We ordered 2 of the Hot Rolls options; 'chopped chicken with gravy' and 'shredded chicken with b&b sauce & spicy mayo. These were delicious and very satisfying.But the best part about the meal has to be the dessert! Its a MUST to have dessert at Boy & Bird - the donuts and the cheesecake are to die for! It was definitely my favourite part of the night and the best way to finish off the meal! :) Overall, I highly recommend Boy & Bird to all chicken lovers who want to have a healthy meal.
Joe Roberts
The place has a really cool vibe to it. Good music, cool decor and spaced out well. The food is just great. Super simple, just good ingredients cooked well. It'll definitely be a staple for me from here on out, there's a lot more I want to try off that menu.
Jess Pendergrast
The girls and I wanted to grab something healthy to take back to the flat. We decided to try Boy and Bird. We got the half chicken ($21) with 2 salads – the hot bird with black beans, kumara, feta, peanuts, citrus and sultanas ($18) and the sautéed kale, fennel, quinoa, apple, halloumi and smoked almonds ($17). The chicken was tender and full of flavour. Both of the salads were really yummy and filled with lots of ingredients that I love. <br/><br/>The girls on the counter were really friendly and we received our order within a good timeframe. I didn’t have any complaints but I think Boy and Bird and Bird on a Wire are very similar and I personally prefer Bird on a Wire so I probably won’t go back to Boy and Bird again.
Mat
We came here on a double date as a friend of ours had raved on about this place. <br/><br/>We ordered our food 5 minutes after we arrived at the joint. It took the waitress to serve our food 35 minutes after ordering while the place wasn't even packed! The chicken was less than mediocre and made me feel sick after.. The potatoes were ok... The service was inattentive and the waitress had forgotten my drink order twice. <br/><br/>
Vitale Eti
I've been procrastinating writing this review, not because I didn't enjoy my time there, but because I was a little (a tiny bit) conflicted. <br/><br/>I think B&B's a grand idea and it's always a great thing to have the option of ordering chicken cooked different ways. <br/><br/>Maybe I'd had a long day, maybe it was the wet weather, but I'd ordered what the waitress had advised was their 'interpretation' of a coke and was "delicious". When she returned, I advised it wasn't to my liking, and she said that I of course could order another drink, but would have to pay for the extra drink also. Bugga.<br/><br/>But I'm not about to slate an estab on the basis of a drink I didn't like, this is a fun place to dine in and we decided to share a few dishes, so we got the chicken flavoured popcorn, crispy chicken thighs, Dutch beef krokets, chunkies and the spiced honey cheesecake. Not bad. I especially liked the cheesecake and I wouldn't mind heading back to try a proper chicken meal next time. Nice job!
Daiana Cordoba
Amazing place to go out for some chicken!<br/><br/>Several options to choose from, perfect portions and super fast service. You can have your chicken with or without skin and it's free range.. :)<br/><br/>everything at a good price.<br/><br/>cool hipster atmosphere which I love!<br/><br/>Simply delicious !!
Stephen Galt
Roast chicken and potatoes.. Whats not to love... Wine list is diverse.. Slight downside is the beer selection.. Only craft beer available. Sometimes you just feel like a corona.. Excellent value for money and large portions.. Worth a visit
Jordanne Leigh
Boy & Bird is always consistent. I have been so many times as it's my brothers favorite restaurant. <br/>We usually always get the chickens which come with the most amazing potatoes and gravy. It's like a Sunday roast but more refined. It's hearty and delicious. They have crusts that you can add to your chicken which isn't necessary but is always delicious. <br/>We never go past getting a bowl of their Kumara and gravy which is incredibly soft and silky and goes perfectly with a whole chicken. <br/>The meals are always consistent which is really nice. <br/>We have made our way through all the desserts too and we just aren't crazy about them. The cheesecake with nuts is more like a pana cotta in texture with granola. The others I don't even remember because they just weren't anything special. <br/>The staff are always really attentive and lovely!
Oisin O'Reilly
Had dinner here on a Saturday evening. It was slightly early on in the night, and it was relatively quiet. But within a few minutes of grabbing our seats, the whole place filled up pretty quickly.<br/>Their menu looks really interesting, but as I went here with a few other hungry students, we discovered that the menu pointed us towards getting the quarter chicken with potato sides. I had the quarter chicken with peanut crust (at an additional cost). <br/><br/>Service was great, our waitress was really friendly and helpful. The chicken was great, although my friend found the peanut crust a tad too salty. I was also slightly bewildered by the term peanut crust as I could only really see it being sesame-seed crusted. The flavours were great, and the chicken was done really well. <br/><br/>The four of us then shared two chocolate fondants for dessert. They were immaculate! To die for is an understatement. I did not have enough of this, and I will definitely be ordering it the next time I come here.<br/><br/>Overall a great chicken-centric spot on Ponsonby. P.s. They do have mains besides chicken if chicken doesn't float your boat.
Tessa Hall
Went here for dinner and really enjoyed it! Was only expecting chicken to be on the menu but we ended up ordering meatballs and the pork. The chunkies and aioli was really good too. Service was great, we were welcomed when we arrived and told the specials, checked on throughout the night but not too much.
LucyGoosey
Mmmmmmmmmmmm, yum! This place is all about big flavours, healthy options and finger-licking good chicken. I went to Boy and Bird on Sunday just been for lunch with a friend. I ordered the chicken salad which came with black lentils, kale, lettuce, sultanas, peanuts and a delicious creamy dressing. I absolutely loved this salad! It was bursting with flavour and the combination of ingredients was inspired. While the sultanas gave sweetness, the peanuts provided crunchy texture and a hint of salty goodness. Team that with kale, lettuce and perfectly cooked chicken and you have got the best damn salad I have had in, forever? It was SO good. My friend ordered the 1/4 chicken box which came with coleslaw, potato and gravy. Her dish was good and very reasonably priced I might add. I also ordered the ginger soda which was really nice and not too sweet. It tasted really natural. I love ginger, the more the better, so this soda was perfect for me. It might not have been sweet enough for others though. My friend ordered the chocolate milk. After having a sneaky sip, I decided making chocolate milk out of almond milk probably doesn't work. She seemed to think it was good but I didn't agree with her verdict. I thought the service here was friendly but quite slow. There seemed to only be two waiters on. They both apologised for the delay in taking our order and for bringing the food out after at least a 30 min wait. Apologising is all very well and I appreciated their effort but that doesn't change anything. We still had to wait too long. If a place is ever short-staffed, there should be a back-up for this. If the service had been more efficient I would have given 4.5. The atmosphere here is pleasant and I like the retro décor. The best thing about this restaurant is that they use free-range chicken. I will be going back here. I've got 3 more salads and a whole bunch of other things to try. This place has got a new regular.
Amit Tripuraneni
The chicken is succulent and the potato is nicely done and the salad is well balanced as well. Then why the 4 star - the price is the answer. A quarter chicken box has gone up in price and is now $17-which isn't value for money. The various drinks are delicious and well worth a try. Nice and breezy decor. Staff are absolutely fantastic.
Jacqui Crawley
My first time here yesterday for lunch. It has a fresh n clean vibe to it. Got shown to our table straight away but had to ask someone to come and take our order after waiting for about 20 mins. I got the quarter box and it was delicious. It came with roast potatoes which was crunchy and flavourful. It also had coleslaw and quarter piece of chicken. The chicken was roasted with a mixture of herbs which made it delicious. The coleslaw was different and made the dish fresh n light. Looking forward to trying out the rest of the menu.
Morgan Thomas
Not only a waste of Money, but a waste of time I have the quarter box, while on the outside this looked like a nice big box of food I was dismayed to fine my food in an inner try half the size! For $17 I was expecting a little more. While the chicken was plump and salty the 6 pieces of crunchy potato were OK, soggy in the gravy, but the 2 tablespoons of watery cabbage that they called slaw was highly disappointing.<br/><br/>Compared to their organic opposition up the road this was a very disappointing experience, in fact when the box was reviewed by my entire work team the general consensus was dismay and a resounding agreement that none would visit.<br/><br/>So much potential for such poor form......
Paul Edward Stothers
Just had the quarter pack with chunkies and slaw.<br/>Most disappointing food experience of the year!<br/>Whilst the bird was plump, it was excessively salty.<br/>Literally 6 "chunkies" was a let down and the "slaw", <br/>containing nothing but diced cabbage and a token lettuce sprig was offensive, but proved even worse to eat with whatever the dressing was contrived of.<br/>I wish i could confess to being some kind of nutcase who just likes giving bad reviews, but literally KFC is doing a better job.<br/>This comes across at nothing more than a money making venture devoid of any spirit.<br/>I will save my $17 dollars for any number of passionate pho's, ramens or curries that run rings around this dross. Or perhaps wander a few doors up to the aforementioned Colonel or Bird on Wire, where the former balances cynicism with value and the later delivers value and quality far superior to yours.
Chloé Manihera
A great night and the food was delicious! I was happy to find that the only Riesling on the menu tickled my taste buds so a great start while waiting for our meals. We had the whole chicken, coleslaw and potatoes everything was very enjoyable and definitely filling. Will be back again for sure :)
Table For One
I've been here three times now and on each occasion my friends and I have gotten the lucky last table. It's a popular place!<br/>The chicken is good, I am a big fan if the quarter sized box of bird with delicious potato chunks and gravy.<br/>The staff are friendly, the prices are reasonable, the chicken is free range and the last time that I went they had an option to add $2 to or bill which would be donated to City Mission.<br/>Good food, good decor and good hearts. Thumbs up!
Eat It Auckland
It was an evening of hits and misses. The first miss came when we discovered there was no formal system to handle customers waiting for a table, as the chicken (and as we discovered later, the other things as well) proved so popular that every table had been taken. “Come back in 30 minutes, but I can’t guarantee there’ll be a table available.” When I asked whether I could leave my number the waitress apologised that they didn’t have a phone from which to text me; I shot daggers at the landline sitting next to her as I left to pace the Ponsonby strip for half an hour. <br/><br/>I was pleased to find however, that when Boy & Bird makes a gaff, they know how to remedy it. On returning to find our table not quite ready, we were planted at one of the outside tables with the menu and a complimentary bowl of popcorn laced with thyme-rich chicken salt. While we perused the menu outside, a Shortie Street star plodded the pavement behind us while waiting for his order to go. Very popular indeed. The newest venture from ex-Molten owner/chef Van de Elzen and hospo figure Colosimo, the place oozes charm as winsome as its namesake. Exposed brick and polished wooden floors are juxtaposed with striking red and white checkerboard print and cutesy graphics of various foodstuffs.<br/><br/>Although Boy & Bird describes itself as a chicken kitchen, in addition to their citrus-brined and spice-rubbed rotisserie chicken, they offer plenty of other dishes that didn’t once cluck. The menu is varied and interesting, starting with chicken livers or chicken nibbles in various guises. Their specialty, the aforementioned rotisserie chicken, is offered as a whole, half, or quarter, the latter featured in a quarter box alongside potato chunkies and pickled white coleslaw. There is also a number of hot rolls filled with such things as chicken with pickled slaw and smoked chilli dressing, or chickpea cauliflower fritters with Bombay mayo, crunchy sprouts and feta. Under the ‘Don’t Want Chicken’ section, the smoked and braised short rib with soft kumara mash and crispy shallots ($18) caught Mum’s eye and I was left compelled to order the quarter box ($15).<br/><br/>Then came the second miss of the night. Unfortunately it took 40 minutes for the floor to realise they’d lost our order, by which time it was nearly 9pm and I’d started to subject my mum to photos of my trip to Europe. The extremely apologetic waiter however made amends by offering to not charge us for the quarter box without even my suggesting.<br/><br/>Thankfully, when our mains did arrive, they were both standouts (well, almost). The chicken was lovely and moist, with a tasty zing from its spice-rubbed exterior, and the accompanying potato chunkies were nothing short of fabulous. These large nuggets of potato were fluffy on the inside with a ludicrously crispy outer, the kind of roast potatoes you wished accompanied every roast you’ve ever had and ever will have. The pickled white coleslaw was simple with a hint of aniseed, and delivered that tartness needed to balance the richness of a roast, although the intensity of the dress could be turned up a smidge. The only thing that left a bad taste in my mouth was the small jug of gravy that accompanied the chicken; it tasted like peppery, salted play dough. Whilst I was never one to eat play dough at preschool, this gravy tasted exactly like what homemade play dough used to smell like. Just as well the chicken doesn’t need it.<br/><br/>Mum’s braised beef short rib was again a standout dish: the beef was fall apart tender with a rich and tasty sauce warm with spices. They seem to know spuds here, as the accompanying kumara mash was wonderfully creamy and tasty but not in the least cloying. The dish was rounded off well by a hail of crispy shallots and fresh and peppery watercress.<br/><br/>To finish Mum and I shared the most wonderful of chocolate fondants ($12); the chocolate flavours were beautifully complex, its middle molten but delightfully light and spongy on the outside, without a lick of richness. Accompanied by vanilla ice cream and a sprinkling of coconut, this was the way to finish a meal. With so much to choose from on the menu (even vegetarians have the privilege of choice here), I’m soon to be tempted back by the hot bird salad and Dutch apple doughnuts with salted caramel. But next time I’ll book.
Kirsty Cardy
Do you come to a restaurant just for food? Or do you go for the service, atmosphere and ambience too?<br/><br/>If it's just food, then there are better places in Auckland for a meal. If it's an all round experience you're after, then you've hit the jackpot.. Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!<br/><br/>We had big expectations from Michael Van De Elzen's new project. His food is not foul (pun intended) rather it's good ol' home style meals. Focusing on doing chicken well, Van De Elzen has roasted the casual dining competition with a rustic approach to half or whole birds with roast potatoes and gravy. Could you make it as well at home? Probably. <br/><br/>There were a few standouts however - the Karaage Chicken seemed out of place on this menu, but delivered on flavour more than most Japanese restaurants I've visited. I couldn't wing that one in my own kitchen. <br/><br/>The atmosphere is also out of place on Ponsonby road, but in all the right ways. It's refreshing to have a laid back casual American Diner style eatery thrown in between the upper class restaurants neighbouring it. Kudos to the interior decorator, the fit out is fun and fresh. <br/><br/>Great for a quick casual lunch or dinner, and not too much more expensive than takeaway, definitely with a try and accessible to everyone.
Bulking Steerco
Came here for a late lunch with the lads and my god was it a good choice. Chicken was flavoursome and did not disappoint. The chick serving us was really helpful and patient as we interrogated the menu. <br/><br/>I got the satay chicken nibbles and quarter chicken combo. The satay was the highlight for mw - Great consistency with the sauce and bang on taste. <br/><br/>Awesome spot for a protein fix. <br/><br/>Taste - 8/10<br/>Service 8/10<br/>Price to portion 8/10
Wolfie W
We had dinner here a week ago on a Wednesday night.  Even though we were pretty early it was just as well we had booked as it busy, and most tables were full.  The meeter and greeter was smiley and friendly, and our waiter was considerate, friendly and professional.  The fit out is fresh, clean and sort of beach cafe meets country-ish.  I liked it, and it will work particularly well as a warm weather venue methinks.  The service was prompt, with minimal wait for each course but best of all was the food.  We both had the quarter chicken with chunkies and slaw, me the white and he the brown meat.  Nice, the option of having it skinless, which we both chose to take up.  The chicken was succulent and moist and delicately flavoured with spices, the chunkies (roast potatoes) were delish, and the slaw very tasty.  Unlike a previous reviewer, I found the quantity to be just right (I have a relatively small appetite) and for $15 especially given the chicken is free range, I thought the price very fair.  Personally I would always prefer to have a smaller (and healthier) portion size for an excellent price than see huge portions which enivitably result in food waste (or a bigger waist!).  Lets leave the Super-Sizing to those that do it so well at the Mall.  The only reason I dropped half a point was because I found the serving dish a litte too small to comfortably cut up the chicken and rest my cutlery, but otherwise grand.  Well done, Mike - Boy & Bird is a credit to you and somewhere I will return again and again.
Cashew
SUCH TENDER CHICKEN!! <br/>Potato chunkies are great! Beef krokets are also recommended. The chicken will be a crowd pleaser. I've been meaning to go back again. The staff are friendly and helpful and the interior is real cool! A place worth trying out with some friends!
Vaughan Borcovsky
We have been looking forward to going here and last night we got our chance. First impressions when entering were great. The layout is fresh, clean and the team were inviting and friendly. We were shown to the table quickly and the menu was explained. <br/><br/>We did have to wait a while before our waiter came back to ask if we would like drinks and by that stage we were ready to order. My wife and both had the quarter box with slaw and I had the warm roll. The slaw was an extra $2 rather than have a side. <br/><br/>Whilst waiting we we debated if a ¼  was going to be enough but when it arrived we were not disappointed from the chicken and potatoes side. The slaw however was so small. Two mouthfuls and it was gone. It tasted great but was such a disappointment. When we brought this up with the waiter, as in the slaw could have been bigger, he replied you can get it as a side dish. Not helpful. I would recommend to the Boy & Bird team to up the portion size or drop it as an option. <br/><br/>So if you order the ¼ box with slaw and you like slaw, order a side as well so you are not disappointed. <br/><br/>The warm roll was about room temperature again disappointing. Also $2 for one roll is a little extravagant. However it did tasted great. <br/><br/>We expected the chicken to be amazing tasting, it was good but not something we would rush back for.
Tania McRae
Boy and Bird is not what you'd expect on Ponsonby Road, I hate to say but was very disappointed. The interior is naf and gimmicky, with no atmosphere. First dinner visit the music was far too loud, the chicken dry and overcooked and the presentation less than desirable. Offering to give them a second chance the lunch roll options were no better with the gravy far outweighing the chicken, and the chicken pieces including lots of skin and fat. Needs some serious improvement if they want to compete on Ponsonby Road.
David Boshier
A great follow-up to the Food Truck with tasty food well prepared fresh on the spot. The hot rolls are a great take away lunch option and the pickle slaw with chili is a hard option to go past. A favorite of my sons is the 'The Birds' spicy half chicken with the crispy potatoes. It comes with a fantastic gravy. <br/><br/>Service is quick and friendly.<br/><br/>
Peifen Chua
This place exceeded my expectations in terms of quality and quantity of food- lots of variety, very flavourful and using wholesome ingredients. It's a nice dine in place for everyone, good amount of space and quite cozy with cubicle seating to fit 4-6 people. Service is 10/10 even on a busy Saturday night. Staff are very friendly, quick and efficient. Price is also very reasonable. We ordered what we thought was quite a lot as we were very hungry, and came to about $29 per person. I will most definitely go back there again very soon. This place is now a new favourite of mine.
Frank
Ponsonby already has four Mexican restaurants within 200m and now it has three chicken restaurants within that same area :-) I haven't tried the other two yet, but I was impressed by Boy & Bird! It's a bright friendly restaurant with a colourful funky interior and a modern tasty sounding menu. I took the quarter chicken with chunkies and slaw, which now that I think about it is just a modern adaptation of what is available nearby in the fast food version... Of course the chicken was plump and tender, and I'm glad I wasn't overly hungry because the quarter box is for a smaller appetite. Staff very accommodating, and managed to fit us in, even though they were booked out...!
Courtney @ A Food Awakening
Boy and Bird is the great new venture from NZ Chef Michael Van De Elzen. I thought it was brave to open an eatery with a similar concept as Bird on Wire since, also just being down the road, its up against some strong competition. I was actually pleasantly surprised of the 'chicken kitchen'. <br/><br/>Between two of us we shared everything, but the menu is versatile for sharing or individual portions. Boy and Bird is known for serving free range chicken which has been citrus brined, spice rubbed and rotisseried. The meal options are served with slaw and chunkies, with choice of a whole, half or quarter of a chicken. What I admire is the length that is taken to offer healthier options. Whether you want white or brown meat for quarter birds and no skin can be asked upon request. <br/><br/>Everything we had was full of flavour, very light and grease-free. Oh except the Beef Krokets ha. Although you dont leave feeling stuffed or bloated. The salad was fresh and vibrant. Its a great portion size, and although its $14 and vegetarian, the ingredients in the salad are expensive such as halloumi and quinoa, so it all adds up to its value. The Chicken brioche roll was nice but to be honest the bun itself didn't taste anything special. If we hadn't been told their purple (they use a purple potato in the dough) and steamed, I would think its a pretty ordinary roll. The beef krokets are great, as the meat is pulled which we didn't expect so they were really tender, although they looked a bit overcooked from the fryer. <br/><br/>I was really pleased by the great waiter, he was efficient and meal checked. So tick tick. Good Job Boy and Bird - keep up the good work. <br/><br/>foodawakeningauckland.com <br/><br/>Rating<br/>Food: 7.5/10<br/>Service: 8.5/10<br/>Value for Money: Very Good<br/><br/>222 Ponsonby road, Ponsonby <br/>Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 11am-Late
Michael Woof
Went to boy and bird yesterday. Wow! What an experience! The staff were delightful....food was amazing! Everything from the chicken to the mash and the chunkies. Would recommend to everyone! Also, defiantly get a pudding! The doughnuts were to die for! Best place to eat in Auckland!
Amy Webb
Boy & Bird is a great new free range chicken kitchen located on the main road of Ponsonby. It is a lot larger than I was expecting, with a really spacious dining area.<br/><br/>We started with the broccoli and walnut pesto tart, which was amazing. It was a lot bigger than anticipated but a very interesting taste. The walnut pesto actually tasted quite meaty.<br/><br/>I ordered the kale & quinoa salad and my bf ordered the half chicken and 'chunks' with gravy. We also ordered the carrots and warm bread. The salad was awesome, really huge with a lot of flavour, I was really impressed.<br/><br/>The chicken was apparently very good, but such a large serving! The carrots were very tasty, covered in sesame seeds. The only downfall was the warm bread. It was a bun that tasted slightly stale, warmed up.<br/>We both initially wanted desert as the menu is pretty tempting, but after eating everything there was no room. Next time! <br/><br/>The service was friendly and efficient. I think the owner was front of house, if not, whoever she was is doing a fantastic job. This place is excellent for huge meals & really good value!
Discerning Diner
Went there last night to try the new free range bird show in town. Plus side: lovely decor, very well done, very welcoming, good service. Re: food, I went for the quarter bird box which came with 'chunkies' i.e. roast potatoes (done very crisply indeed) and a very nice slaw. This cost $15 and suits one person but is more of a lunch size, than dinner. The main downside the night we went was the gravy was far too salty. I was lucky that I  had sparingly used it but my poor friend had tipped it all over her meal and suffered. The chicken itself was good but personally, I prefer the more creative sauces from Bird on a Wire. As the meal itself was on the small side, dessert was called for. The apple donuts with salted caramel sauce went down well, though I felt the sauce had a slight burnt aftertaste. So all in all, a place worth trying  but make up your mind whether it's worth the money.
Acai Bowls Affogato Agnolotti Alfredo Antipasti Apple pie Arancini Bacon Sandwich Bagels Baguette Beef Beef Bourguignon Beef Cheeks Beignets Bento (Lunch Box) Bento Don buri salmon Bibimbap Bolognese Bouillabaisse Breakfast Burrito Bruschette Burger Burrito Burrito Bowl Cakes Calamares Calamari Cannelloni Cannoli Carbonara Carrot Cake Catfish Ceviche Cheeseburger Cheesecake Cheesecakes Chicken And Waffles Chicken dishes Chicken Sandwich Chicken Wings Chili Chilli Chicken Chocolate mousse Chowder Clam Chowder Clams Club Sandwich Cobb Salad Cod Confit Coq au Vin Corn dogs Corned Beef Cotoletta Crab Crab Cake Crab Legs Crawfish Creme Brulee Crepes Croque Madame Croque Monsieur Croquettes Cupcakes Curry Dim Sum Donburi (Rice Bowl) Doner Kebab Donuts Duck Duck Confit Dumplings Eclairs Eggplant Eggs Benedict Escargot Fajitas Falafel Filet Mignon Fish Fish & Chips Fish and chips Fish Soup Fish Taco Focaccia Fondue French Fries French onion soup French Toast Fried rice Galettes Garlic Prawns Gazpacho Gelato Goat cheese salad Green Curry Grilled cheese Grilled pork Gyoza Halloumi Hamburgers Hokkien Mee Hot Dog Hot Pot Hummus Ice Cream Jambalaya Juice & Smoothies Kabobs Key lime pie Kung Pao Chicken Laksa Lamb Lamb chops Lamb Shoulder Lasagne Lobster Mac and cheese Macarons Macaroons Mandarin Duck Matzo Ball Soup Meatballs Meatloaf Meringue Miso ramen Moussaka Mussels Nachos New York Style Pizza Noodle Octopus Offal Omelette Oyster Pad Thai Paella Pancakes Parfait Pasta Pastrami Sandwich Patatas Bravas Peking Duck Pesto Pho Piadina Po' Boys Polenta Pork Pork Cheeks Pork Roll Poutine Prawns Profiteroles Prosciutto Quail Quiche Ragu Ramen Raw fish Red Curry Reuben sandwich Ribs Rice pudding Risotto Roast Beef Roast Chicken Roquefort Salad Salmon Salmon Salad Saltimbocca Sandwiches Sashimi Scallops Schnitzel Seafood Paella Seafood Platters Shabu Shabu Shawarma Shellfish Shrimp Sirloin Steak Snails Souvlaki spring rolls Steak Steak Frites Steak Sandwich Steak Tartare Stracciatella Suckling Pig Sukiyaki & Shabu Shabu Surf And Turf Swordfish T-Bone Steak Tacos Tagliatelle Tandoori Chicken Tapas Tarte Tatin Tataki Tater tots Tempura Tikka Masala Tiramisu Toasts Tomato Bread Tonkatsu Tonkotsu ramen Torte Tortellini Tortelloni Tortillas Toulouse sausage Tuna Tuna Melt Turkey Sandwich Udon Udon & Soba (Wheat & Buckwheat Noodle) vegan choice Veggie Burger Waffle Fries Waffles Waffles & Crepes Wild boar Wings Yakitori (Grilled Skewers)
Share on WhastApp
Share on Facebook
Browse the menu
Add review