Three Birds — Restaurant in Dayton

Update 9/23/25 - We went back this past Saturday, and the food quality was not the same. First and foremost, we say inside this time and some sound dampening fabric hanging from the beginning would be an enormous improvement to the ambiance - all the windows, exposed ceiling and hard floor mattress all the sound reverberate to the point we almost left because we couldn't hear each other speak. Secondly, please update the menu to accurately reflect there are no frites with aoli, but instead crinkle cut frozen fries - huge difference in the two, and not a good one. Also, the chips description needs adjusted as well, sprinkling spices on bagged chips really doesn't elevate the quality of the chip, especially not enough to be specifically mentioned on the menu. Id suggest altering the menu to simply reflect chips, nothing more nothing less, then the "surprise" of adding spices is an unexpected bonus. For the actual main course, 2 of the 4 dinners had to be sent back as they were under cooked. The wings were met with mixed reviews, maybe it was a heavy hand doing the spices that day but there was an over powering flavor of what seemed like star anise. Personally I love Star anise, in moderation, but this was the primary flavor, which can work in central Asian quisine but not this spice blend. Fried chicken thigh sandwich was good, it had a very respectable crunch, speaking of, a nice and bright Vietnamese style cold slaw would be an excellent option to top off the sandwich (think shredded cabbage, carrots, green onion and cucumber tossed with nuac mam, chili oil, vinegar, lime, cilantro, and sugar - if you let it marry overnight maybe put the star anise in there as well). The hummus though, that is the shining star, that's something unique and different with excellent execution. Service, our server, did his best and for one who came across as brand new he really tried and when he didn't get something right he owned it and made it right. Kudos to him. In closing, I'd modify my review to 3.5-4 star.

Originally posted 8/24/25 - Night and day difference from the previous tenant, this is so much better. Real food, thoughtfully and creativity prepared, the physical change to the entire dining area, inside and out, tasteful balanced and fun (aka so so so much better than it was). Our server was great as was everyone who helped - knew the menu, have real opinions on the food (not just "this is really popular"), fun drink options for our dining companions, and it was very...

Came in for dinner around 6pm last week. The host took one look at us (party of 2) and said if we don’t have a reservation the restaurant was booked up for the entire night… No option to wait to be seated, we were told to come back another day and make a reservation. There were multiple empty tables, but we thought nothing of it, assuming maybe they had a large party coming in and were truly booked out and left.

Once we left, we decided to check online to see if there might be openings for the weekend or the next week. Went online to check, to our surprise we saw their reservations online completely open for the rest of the night for parties 2-6 spanning from 7:15pm-9pm that same day. As well as open reservations all through the weekend. Unless there was a technical difficulty, it seems there was actually quite a bit of availability that night and the next. Unless they don’t have a waiting list at all, it seems weird we weren’t given an option to wait rather than being told the entire restaurant is booked.

Suddenly, we began to put pieces together. We realized; there were no people of color dining in the establishment nor were any of the workers people of color. We barely got inside before being turned around. Not sure if they were actually booked or if it was racial profiling.

Just based on it not feeling like a safe space, I can say we will not be back. This restaurant was highly recommended by a local mom group, we were excited to try, but the environment is not inviting and does not feel like a safe space for people of color.

• This may just be our experience. We did not get to try the food. If you’re interested, give it a try on your own. Just thought it was worth to give our...

If first impressions count for anything, Three Birds just made one heck of a debut.

My wife and I had the chance to check out the soft opening of this new neighborhood spot, and let me tell you—Dayton just got a major upgrade in the “where should we go eat?” category.

Let’s start with the vibe: mid-century modern charm meets laid-back comfort. Think white brick walls, wood accents, bright light, and just enough greenery to make your Instagram photos pop. It’s got that neighborhood feel, like a place where you could just as easily meet up with friends or bring the parents when they’re in town.

Now on to the important stuff—the food. The OK Smashburger? Not just okay. It was ridiculously good. Two juicy patties, melted cheese, a perfectly prepared bun, and a dipping sauce for the fries that should honestly be bottled and sold.

We also tried the Corn Dog Shrimp, which hit that nostalgic-meets-gourmet sweet spot, and the Tuna Tataki—fresh, bright, and plated beautifully. The drinks were solid too, with a frozen margarita that balanced citrus and kick just right.

But what really made the night stand out? The people. Every single staff member we met was kind, attentive, and clearly excited to be part of something new. You could feel the energy. It’s the kind of service that turns a good night into a great one.

To be fair, the menu may evolve (soft opening and all), but if this is any preview of what’s to come, Three Birds is about to become a go-to in Dayton.

We’ll be back...