The trio behind the celebrated Las Vegas restaurant, Sparrow + Wolf, bring a bold, flavor packed, and healthy-ish new take on rotisserie to Chinatown with the launch of Half Bird Chicken & Beer. Half Bird will be serving rotisserie chicken that is marinated and slowly roasted under direct heat to create a perfectly crispy skin while keeping the chicken tender, juicy, and flavorful with every bite.
With the success of the now well-established Sparrow + Wolf off-the-strip, Chef Brian
Howard and business partners Emmanuel Chereque and John Anthony formed the new
Spaghetti on the Wall Hospitality Group. Together they wanted to create a new concept for everyday dining that is anything but ordinary. With the opening of Half Bird they share a key goal in mind – to establish a longstanding hot spot for locals, visitors and families alike in the Chinatown neighborhood. From this idea came Half Bird, featuring rotisserie chicken in all forms with flavors from around the world, directly inspired by Chef Brian Howard and his team’s travels and desire to learn about and enjoy a variety of ingredients. Half Bird’s rotisserie chicken is pasture-raised, free-range, cage-free, local, beyond organic and sustainable. The birds undergo a 12-hour marinade process with lemon, garlic, thyme, sea salt, and oil to pack a whole lot of flavor into the humble chicken.
“Rotisserie chicken is a kitchen staple for good reason and I grew to really love roasting birds at Bouchon, where I learned how simplicity and technique are the foundation of a quality dining experience,” said Chef Brian Howard in a statement. “We plan to bring that to Half Bird. We want to be that spot where friends can get together for drinks before a Golden Knights’ game, families can enjoy an easy yet exciting dinner, and basically create a memorable experience for every guest that walks through our door…with our cluckin’ good food!”
The menu at Half Bird will center around rotisserie chicken offering the whole freakin’ bird, half bird, and butcher wings, alongside a waste-free ethic, with chicken drippings used in side dishes and shredded morsels in the restaurant’s signature Tingling Chicken Salad. Guests will be able to choose one of Half Bird’s house-made sauces such as green curry ranch, sweet miso bbq, wild honey mustard, scallion ginger, chili garlic crunch, yuzu hot honey, and sriracha mayo – or all of them – for dipping and tasting to their heart’s content.
Half Bird will also feature a selection of sandwiches like the Spring Mountain “Hot Chicken” Sandwich, that is brined and fried until crispy, dipped in a mouth tingling Sichuan chili oil, laced with a green curry ranch, layered with crunchy lettuce and pickled cucumbers between a potato roll for a not-so-average take on the popular sandwich. Additional sandwich options will include the Classic Fried Chicken with pickled cucumber, shredded lettuce, topped with American cheese, kewpie mayo, and served on a potato roll, and the NO BIRD, a vegan sandwich made with plant-based crispy chik’n, pickled cucumber, veganaise, shredded lettuce, and American cheese.
Guests can pair their rotisserie chicken or even a 10-pack of nuggs with sides that pack the same punch of flavor; such as Rotisserie Fries, slow cooked fingerling potatoes with umami laced chicken gravy inspired by the fries that Chef Howard grew up with in Michigan, Togarashi Rolls, Japanese milk bread, togarashi honey butter, and sea salt, and Brix’s Mac ‘N Cheese a recipe created by chefs 7 year old son made with radiatori pasta, good cheese, crispy spam, and furikake.
The beverage program will emphasize craft beer with a focus on local brews, along with a red and white canned wine, canned cocktails,and Champagne splits served in red solo cups. Guests can also sip the Half Bird “CockFight” Pils specially made for Half Bird Chicken & Beer. For those looking for non-alcoholic options, shiso lemonade, ginger ale, sugarcane cola, and Weird Green Moroccan tea will be available.
Half Bird will feature an open floor plan complete with an outside patio, a walk up window coined “chicken after dark “ that will service guest till the late hours of 2 am where guests will find a vibrant, inviting atmosphere to match the cluckin’ good rotisserie chicken. The 1,200 square foot patio will feature 60 seats and the indoor seating will accommodate 24 guests. The patio will be a place for guests to enjoy their meal and even play a round of beer pong while sipping Champagne in a red solo cup. Families looking for an all-in-one, delicious meal can order Half Bird’s Family Meal to share at the restaurant or take to-go that includes a whole bird, togarashi rolls, potatoes, brix’s mac ‘n cheese, and two sauces.
Half Bird Chicken & Beer will be open Sunday-Thursday 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and
Friday-Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. and available for dine-in and takeout, and for delivery through DoorDash, Loco, UberEats, and Postmates.
This location has closed. I went once last year after seeing an influencer talk about it and the chicken was very plan and unseasoned and the prices were high for a rotisserie chicken plate imo. It did not last a year. Best wishes to their Henderson location. Maybe something has changed for the better.