Hot Bird

On a forlorn stretch of Atlantic Avenue in Clinton Hill, parking lots and gas stations give way to this unexpected gem of an outdoor bar, Hot Bird, so named for the yellow painted signs that linger on several buildings across Brooklyn. The old BBQ chicken chain is long gone, but this new bar keeps the grungy spirit we imagine Hot Bird BBQ once had. Almost a dozen varieties of bourbon line the shelves on the back of this garage space, done over with dark-grouted subway tile walls and vintage Americana. Local craft beers are on tap.

The real draw is the spacious, laid back patio that somehow feels miles away from it all, even though it’s just a few feet away from the traffic of Atlantic Avenue, beyond a wood slat fence.  Picnic tables are prime real estate, so be prepared to jockey for a space and share your table. Sharing has its benefits, though: the party next to ours arrived with the most delicious-smelling fried chicken in stars-and-stripes take-out containers. We had to ask: whence the hot bird?

Go one block up from Hot Bird and get the real thing – crispy, finger-licking, just-greasy-enough fried chicken – at an anonymous-looking storefront, the Yafa Deli & Grocery on the corner of Clinton and Fulton, seemingly open at all hours to dish out lots of chicken to locals. You can bring your bird back (we recommend the six-piece special) for a midnight snack on Hot Bird’s patio.

Hot bird, a patio, and cold beer: what else do you need on a warm summer night?

Hot Bird
546 Clinton Avenue, between Fulton Street and Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
718-230-5800

Yafa Deli & Grocery
907 Fulton Street at Clinton Street
Brooklyn, New York‎
718-789-8630‎

The old “Hot Bird” signage – photo courtesy of D.