The Birds in Waltham Forest

Fantastic food, very welcoming, good vibe, manager very helpful with order requirements and love that they support the community.

Great friendly atmosphere. Family dog orientation. Great ales, fantastic food. Staff absolutely on Thier game for a traditional pub. Loved it . .

The Birds has been favourite of our since moving to East London years ago. Back then it had a wide range of beers at reasonable prices, along with an innovative menu that catered for plant-based and omnivorous guests equally. It was a pub we sought out even before we lived in. The wide range of beers are still there, though choose carefully as some are eye-wateringly expensive, even for London. Sadly it seems the chef responsible for the menus we loved must have moved on, as over the last couple of years the menu changed several times, the quality dropped, and eventually they resorted to "residency" pop ups. The most recent one, "Smok'd" is truly abysmal. £14 gets you a white supermarket tortilla wrap, with a couple of what tasted like Aldi's plant-based "lamb" kofta and less salad inside than you'd typically get in a Big Mac. This was served alongside a single spoonful of coleslaw. There are better and more fulfilling options in the meal deal section at your local supermarket. £8 gets you a side of Buffalo Cauliflower Wings. Precisely 4 soggy Florets worth and a few bits of celery on the side. I get that Smok'd market themselves as "Modern British BBQ" and so maybe I shouldn't have expected much more than a token effort at a plant based option, but it is a long time since I have had a meal so offensively bad and over-priced. Hopefully the next "residency" in the Birds Kitchen will be better, but sadly we'll be steering clear for the near future.

Lots of changes since we last visited. Change of management, new FRIENDLY staff and great new smoked BBQ food offering. Really enjoyed our burger and ribs. Not the cheapest food but i guess you pay for the quality. Noticed they have a £10 Lunch deal in the week and £12 dinner deals on Tuesday and Wednesdays so will certainly be returning for these. we saw they have a weekly quiz and happy hour in the week on a selection of drinks so worth a cheap night out. Great selection of local craft beers. Pub looks a lot more inviting from outside and cleaner inside. Toilets need a paint and rear garden needs some love as looking a bit tired but when i was talking to the staff they said they're constantly painting the toilets and it just get graffitied over but it'll likely be done in the new year and the garden is getting some attention in spring so should be a nice summer spot. Looking forward to seeing this pub thrive again.

Finally, a pub in Leytonstone with its head in the right place. The birds is a welcoming, progressive and friendly pub. Boasting an impressive range of ‘Laines’ (Brighton) beer the atmosphere here feels youthful but not exclusive. Staff seem genuinely happy to see you and chat, and the inclusivity of all being welcome feels palpable. Having lived in Leytonstone for a decade now, it’s exciting to see a pub open that has a genuine sense of community and equality at its heart.

We booked the function room in order for family and friends after a funeral. It was dreadful! The place was unprepared and no one attended until the first complaint, the waitress was miserable and unhelpful. When refreshments started to arrive they were uninspiring and despite the booking being agreed in advance, several guests had to leave before eating and some of the menu didn’t turn up at all. I would advise anyone thinking of booking to save their money!

They have a wonderful selection of alcoholic beverages, supporting a lot of local breweries, unfortunately non-alcoholic beer selection, only results in alcohol free Heineken, I have been to many other pubs in Leytonstone. Many have alcohol free on draft as well as a wide selection of alcohol free beers.

Visited for a birthday celebration. Upstairs function room was booked well in advance, yet when we arrived, nothing had been done. This meant that tables were not clean or set up, the bar was not staffed. The manager explained he didn’t get any notifications of the event and we headed up to the room and started setting up ourselves. I appreciate that staffing issues happen, but the organisers had repeatedly checked in with the venue to ensure all was ok, with no response. After the initial problems, the bar was staffed, but the food menu had run out of a few items and the wait was over an hour. As more of our party arrived, we found out the kitchens were closed, meaning a lot of hungry guests had to go without. Eventually, some hours later the kitchen was reopened, but the whole experience was poor. As for the food, their famous Sunday roast was average, small portions and either undercooked or not cooked well enough. To add insult to injury, this was the usual overpriced pub in east London, all style and no substance. Perhaps we caught them on an off day, but very reluctant to return.

Worst meal in a decade - Family visit - chicken burger and chips served cold - returned meal - chips came back even colder - looked and tasted like re-heated chips - Pasta dish was very poor quality - save your money - this is the absolute worst!

Great bar. Child and dog friendly. Clean bright and good service. Manger present and very helpful when we had a small problem with a beer. Well recommended.

Having moved locally a couple of months ago I found this place and had a couple of great experiences, lovely manager and the staff were superb during a busy shift, so much so that me and my friends thought we had found a great local place for food and drink. However, I have been twice in the last 2 weeks and the place has become soulless. New staff who seem either depressed or to not care about customer service, change of management which seems to have sucked the life out of the place and the last 2 visits I have just felt like an inconvenience as a customer. A big shame.

Ordered food and a coffee and the manager took my order, sat waiting for 45 minutes and nothing came. Finally went and asked him about my order and he brought the coffee but told me the kitchen had closed and wasn't going bring my food even though he took my money and I ordered before it closed. I was now going to leave to eat elsewhere so I asked for a full refund and I only got refunded for the food and not the coffee I no longer wanted. The menu has recently changed and definitely seems not as good as before. Also the manager is new and I've heard bad things recently regarding current disagreements between staff and management, and it's clear to see why. The manager was in no way apologetic and didn't care that he wasted my time. Used to semi-regularly visit here and up until recently it was a good place to go, but this experience was very negative and off-putting.

The Birds has been a firm favourite for more than 3 yrs! You get a chance of private booths or picnic benches out the back, with plenty of room in their main room that is overseen by the bar with a great choice on tap. The only criticism I have, is that there seemed to be a frosty and taught relationship between bar staff and management. On at least 2 occasions this eve I was standing as a member of a group of 3 with 4 bar staff and still only had one server for us with a very quiet bar... just not the usual at this establishment from my previous experience... My friends ordered food and the burger and curly fries are worth it, as are the sausages and mash. We asked for ketchup and mayo for the potatoe tots (buy them), but they never arrived. This is a great place to hang out, but maybe they just had a bad night tonight?!?! Would still recommend.

Great food, lovely service, comfortable ambience, excellent location. We will be back. Particularly impressive range of vegan meals.

A very warm and welcoming atmosphere with amazing food and drink. A great find whilst in Leytonstone! — My partner and I went to The Birds for Sunday lunch and it did not disappoint! The food was incredible! As vegetarians we went for the Vegan Wellington and it hit all the boxes in the roast checklist! There was a wide variety of beers and ipas as well as cocktails on offer meaning there was something for us both! I would highly recommend a visit! Definitely try their food and check out the list of draught beers!

Ordered vegan food, got meat. Would suggest avoiding. A month ago we ordered a late takeaway, and since we're both vegans, we ordered vegan imitation meat burgers from The Birds. After eating some of the burger, we realised they were in fact actual meat, and...

We have visited this pub before, during and after several lockdowns and its always been great. The staff are really friendly and helpful, great food and drinks as well as a fantastic beer garden. It's very quickly become our new favourite local.

We have visited your lovely place because of the location and vegan options. We knew it will be worthy but friendly service and beautiful terrace made it even better than expected. Vegan food couldn’t be any tastier and we can’t wait to see you guys...

I have a friend who lives very locally to this pub, and so I've had quite a few lunches here over the past few years. And to be frank, it's all been a bit erratic. Sometimes very good, sometimes okay, and sometimes appallingly bad. (I...

Our time at the birds was really fun. The service was amazing and the staff were all very helpful especially the manager. We felt welcome from the start to the end. The food was 5 stars and I would highly recommend. Best pub in Leytonstone

It was my first time here and I will definitely be coming back! Great food, nice garden & helpful staff !

Heard a lot about the vegan burgers and I wasn’t disappointed! Lovey cozy atmosphere and friendly staff

Saw a picture of food and drinks on Instagram and it made me curious to come and visit this place out. On entry I came with 2 friends, we were greeted by a lovely member who took us to our table. Menu was satisfying for...

Came for Sunday lunch with my family, great vegan option and lovely service and atmosphere. Loved all the fairy lights

I have been a long time fan of The Birds up until recently. The Birds has always been one of my favourite locals for trendy vibes, great food and drinks and wonderful staff. As the pub has gone under new management, the service has dropped...

Brilliant food, excellent Covid compliant service and fantastic atmosphere - definitely recommend and don’t understand previous low reviews!

Celebrated my boyfriends birthday here yesterday and honestly had such a great time. Staff were really friendly and served us super quickly. They also allowed us to play our own music and offered us to use their function room when it started raining really heavily...

Shocking place. Waited over an hour for a beer - service appalling and very rude staff. Do not go. Food not up to scratch even when reduced - go to the McDonald’s instead.

Fancied my first roast in London and saw great pictures of the roast dinner here. Very cool inside but felt quite cliquey and it felt awkward sitting down as if we were taking someones seat. Service was average, ordering at the bar and the waitress...

I've been a few times over recent months. Positives are that it's a really nice building and space inside with thoughtful and interesting decor. Also great location. Its relaxed and hasnt been any where near to full when I've been, even at weekends, so you...

This was my first visit to The Birds for a bottomless brunch, and I have to say it was a really good few hours. I upgraded to the fizz package, and it was well worth it. The entertainment was amazing, and the vibe was fabulous,...

My husband and I have eaten at The Birds a couple of times before. I am vegan and he is veggie, so we love the fact that this place is relatively local and we've both liked the food. The service has been ok. However, yesterday...

the service was awful and slow the staff were rude and not attentive at all, when the food finally arrived it tasted stale so overall a terrible place would not recommed.

love this place - always a REALLY fun time no matter what the time of day. great vegan food and craft beer range that is clearly labelled vegan. friendly staff.

Had a great time at the birds! Staff were very welcoming and warm. Served by a sweet blonde girl who was very helpful and knowledgable (knew her craft beer!)

Terrible service from the staff. Huge attitude problems. No customer service skills whatsoever. The ‘manager’ had DIRTY fingernails and the worst attitude out of all the staff members. I had to take my alcoholic drink back as there was lipstick on the glass. The ‘manager’...

We came here for brunch but unfortunately really wasn’t impressed. The food was ok, but nothing special and at times the staff came across as very rude. The table hadn’t been cleaned, not enough cutlery on the tables and the glasses were dirty and we...

Staff were fairly friendly but food was not great - and quite expensive for what it was. Since the revamp (and takeover?), an effort has been made to do something a bit different for the High Street. Prices perhaps need lowering a bit.

Food: 2.5 /5 Interiors: 4 /5 Service: 1 /5 Cleanliness: 2 /5 Potential: 5 /5 I went to The Birds today (Sunday) with great expectations, given the great reviews on vegan blogs. I really wanted to have their famous Sunday Roast, turns out they don’t...

Just to start, we have had several great meals in the past here. This has been purely down to the food (Chickenish burger and dirty fries), unfortunately service has always been average at best. The food has seriously deteriorated. Undercooked and no flavour, our latest...

We are testing all the local pubs to find out local. Food - average at best. The lamb plate was swimming in gravy. The meat ok but not generous. Lots of vegetables including unpeeled roasted carrots! They major on vegan stuff but can’t comment. Ciders...

Decided on The Birds for Friday night drinks with a friend because a) it has a beer garden, which appealed on a sunny March evening and b) the vegan menu was a draw. The pub, named after the Hitchcock film (as Hitchcock was born in...

Seven of us went for Sunday lunch. Poor menu unless you want a £17 Sunday roast that is underwhelming. Three of them had to be sent back as they were cold. Must admit that management were great and offered either a replacement meal or money...

We are testing all the local pubs to find out local. Food - average at best. The lamb plate was swimming in gravy. The meat ok but not generous. Lots of vegetables including unpeeled roasted carrots! They major on vegan stuff but can’t comment. Ciders...

Visited here a few times over the past year and a half and as much as I loved the pub and the garden I was always a little disappointed by the menu consisting of mostly meat and being left to a side of chips most...

Really nice open space with big tables and an attractive beer garden with shelter from the rain. A few craft beer options including Laine and 5 points (presumably rotates). Really lovely veggie roast options. Ordered one to share as we weren't that hungry and ended...

I love this pub! The food is amazing and there are loads of vegetarian and vegan options. The staff are super helpful and friendly and the events they put on are always so much fun - from bottomless brunches to themed quizzes!

This is a really good pub with a fun atmosphere. I went to Ginzilla’s bottomless brunch with a friend a few weeks ago and we had a great time drinking our bodyweight in mimosas and playing bingo. The brunch was really generous and I would...

Had an amazing time at the bottomless brunch. Food was excellent and had great vegaterian and vegan options! Great atmosphere and awesome entertainment!

I came to the birds brunch a couple of weeks ago, and boy was it hilarious, I thought I was coming to just eat and bottomless drinking but there was a full afternoon of entertainment.. the food was great and staff were attentive making sure...

I came here before, shortly after this Leytonstone pub re-opened as 'The Birds'. 18 months, 2 years, ago ?? The food (I recall, basically chicken dishes ?) was, in my opinion, mediocre and over priced. I've now returned, and hey, the food has improved. New...

Have been here twice for a roast. The first visit I put down to a bad day in the kitchen. The second visit however, confirmed how bad it is. We ordered roast chicken and a roast beef. Instead of beef, lamb was delivered and my...

A friendly pub with a good vibe plus board games and even a games console for punters. Most of the menu is vegan but it does cater for all persuasions! Highly recommend ALL of the sides, in particular the dirty fries and the popcorn ‘chicken’....

Visited this pub for the first time. Ordered their buffalo wings. Was amazed that anyone could get fried battered chicken so bad. The batter had zero seasoning. The chicken was so bland it didn't even taste like chicken. And they had the audacity to charge...

We’ve been to the Birds a few times and it’s always brilliant. Loads of vegan options - the vegan popcorn chicken is delicious and the dirty fries are HUGE and really tasty. All the portions are generous for the price. Lovely staff and a big...

We loved the birds pub! The vegan food is gorgeous! The chickenish burger is top notch - if you like TOS you have to try! Super crispy and just very yum! Sides were lovely too, loads of loaded chips and vegan mac and cheese that...

The idea if the pub is good, bit staff very unhelpful and ruse. They sell strange branded beer for almost 6. One of the brands was good, but the other taste just disgusting. I have a lot of IPA and this tasted nothing like it....

We went on a Wednesday evening. It was not busy but plenty of people joined in the quiz which was great fun. Food and drink good and varied. Prices are average fo area. Will be going back.

Nice staff, good beer, pleasant background music varied and not too loud so you couldn’t talk played by a DJ at 1pm brilliant decor to do with locally born Hitchcock film producer hence crows everywhere especially nice touch in loos, you’ll see/hear! Would have possibly...