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| - When Yardbird opened up earlier this year, I was dying to get in there and eat. For whatever reason, it took a few months us to finally go, but it was my birthday, and as good of as a reason as ever. We just recently went again for the second time for a friends birthday, and Yardbird has definitely solidified itself as one of my favorite restaurants on the strip.
A quick tip for those coming in for the first time. I think it's a lot easier to come into the The Palazzo parking garage off Spring Mountain. When you park, there's elevators that take you right up into the casino, then a short walk through the area with the big fountain, and Yardbird is right there. For me, that garage seems a lot easier to access, and it's almost never full either.
Anyhow, the restaurant itself is pretty cool. A bit smaller than you would expect, but we recently found out they have a little private dining area as well. It, like the rest of the restaurant has a lot of homey, classic southern style decor. Lots of wood, old pictures, and the private room has a wall full of liquors and a view of the wine cellar. They also have a nice section of the wall with a hidden TV that rotates pictures of musicians. If you have a large party to eat with here, definitely ask if that room is available. It makes for an even more enjoyable experience.
Now, the menu at Yardbird is pretty stout. It might seem small at first glance, especially since only one page is dedicated to food...but there's a lot of options, and the portions are huge. Their food is meant to be shared, so order up and have at it family style.
So far, we've only been for brunch, but I think we've had just about everything on that menu besides the salads. Out of the 5 starter small plates, the only thing we haven't tried is the pork, but everything else is spectacular. Stand outs for me are the Fried Green Tomato BLT and the Mama's Chicken Biscuits. Both on the pricey side at $14, but worth every cent. And that's not to take away from the Deviled Egg's or Chicken Liver Toast either, which are equally impressive, and even quite a bit cheaper.
Moving on to the main dishes, you can't not mention the Chicken 'n' Watermelon 'n' Waffles. Yes, it's $36...but if you're idea of eating good involves chain restaurants and fast food, you shouldn't be here anyway. Not to mention, it easily serves 3 or 4 people, maybe more depending on what else you order. The chicken is absolutely amazing. Crispy, crunchy, but still tender and juicy. Their cheddar cheese waffles are unbelievable, and they serve them with this green tomato pepper jam stuff that ties everything in for a taste bud party. And I'm not even a watermelon fan...at all...but I enjoy their spiced watermelon served alongside it as well.
The Shrimp n' Grits is another stand out for main dishes. A large bowl of creamy grits, topped with large, juicy shrimp, and little crispy bits of ham make for an excellent breakfast. It's another higher cost plate at $28, but even it can be shared with at least 2 people no problem.
A lot of there smaller items off their "Odds and Ends" menu are great too. First time visits, I'd suggest ordering the Macaroni & Cheese and Skillet Cornbread. And when you're done with all that, look right over to the right for dessert items. Since I've never had something there I didn't like, I'd say go for it all. The Mini Bacon Doughnuts, Chess Pie, Hickory Smoked Chocolate Coffee Cake and Cinnamon Apple Hand Pies are all excellent choices.
My one and only biggest gripe with Yardbird is not so much the service itself, as it's almost always excellent, but both times we've been here, they have forgotten dishes. Our first time here, they completely left out an order of Deviled Eggs. This past visit they forgot to bring out an order of Shrimp n' Grits, so one of our party had to exit the room and go ask for it. Then when it came time to order dessert, they completely forgot an order of the bread budding. Luckily we were all pretty much at breaking point, but it's irritating to say the least. Especially when this place specializes on family style eating and having guests order multiple plates. To be honest, I'm not even 100% sure if we paid for the missing items on either visit either.
When all is said and done though, Yardbird is seriously one of the most enjoyable and memorable places to eat. It's not crazy expensive for what you get, and if you come with a group of people, the experience is even that much better, and your bill will be cheaper to split. On both occasions we've spent close to $300, but that's for big parties of 8 or more, and with tip. There's not many places you can spend about $30-$40 per person while getting that much food and being able to sample that many items.
Trust me, the bird is the word.
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