Opening towards the end of last year, Mama Bird Southern Kitchen is the latest restaurant to join the roster over at Jordan Landing. Their arrival brings a menu that’s unique to the area – Southern-inspired comfort food. The concept stems from the Texas roots of co-founders Jeffrey and Liam Frederick, with the Utah opening seeing the brand build on the success of their Las Vegas flagship location.
Operated by Ascend Hospitality Group, the restaurant calls home a former Famous Dave’s (7273 S Plaza Center Dr), but you’d never know it. The whole space has been brightly retooled and reimagined from top to bottom. The light and breezy redesign is the perfect echo of Mama Bird’s mantra, “the door is always open, the table is always set, and everyone is welcome.”
If you’re familiar with the spot, you’ll know it’s an expansive one, eight thousand square feet in total. The revamp sees the restaurant refitted with a quartet of unique dining rooms. In the two main dining areas, you’ll find a mix of tables, banquettes, and booths, upholstered with a blue and white gingham design that runs thematically throughout.
Additionally, there’s a sizeable private dining area (the Veranda Room) as well as the Bourbon Library & Bar, which offers a range of dishes at extra keen pricing. The array of options means that the restaurant is equally adept for the solo diner bellying up at the bar for a burger and beer, as it is for those large family gatherings.
While it’s worth keeping an eye on those bar dining specials (a ten-dollar chicken sandwich, anyone?), adult beverages are available throughout the restaurant, and at prices that might cause a double take for a few – many clock in at ten dollars or less. The priciest runs $13.75 and comes replete with a tableside display.
The Smokeshow Bacon Old Fashioned ($13.75) features Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon, brown sugar simple syrup, Angostura bitters, orange peel, bacon, and a couple of Luxardo cherries. The bourbon is given a smoke infusion before being capped and brought to the table. The liquor is then released and poured in situ, allowing smoky notes to billow around the table.
Bonus points: the glass is finished with a crispy slice of bacon, which I may or may not have stirred the drink with…
On the food front, the menu kicks off with breakfast, which is served daily from 8.00 a.m. Dishes include the expected standards such as skillets, omelets and French toast, but there are plenty of twists and surprises sprinkled in, such as the Red Velvet Pancakes ($12.50), or the Egg & Brisket Biscuit Slider, for example. I have my own eyes on a buttermilk-battered Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs ($23.50) when I stop by again. Those who prefer a more leisurely start to the day should note that the breakfast runs through till a handy 2.00 p.m.
Lunch is offered 11.00 a.m. through 3.00 p.m. while a ‘supper’ menu takes the baton for the rest of the day. Throughout, there’s a Southern-inspired theme; hush puppies, shrimp and grits, and blackened Catfish. Rib sticking, comfort food affairs. The message is clear – pull up a chair, you’re not going home hungry.
The filling plates are driven by big, protein-forward options. From the Weekend Wings (pleasantly smoked before seeing a golden fry) to Pecan Smoked St. Louis Pork Ribs & Smoked Beef Brisket ($29.75). It’s a heaving plate starting with a foundation of a half slab of ribs, before layering on another half pound of brisket. Your choice of side dish completes the picture. My tip would be the bacon-studded collard greens. The mammoth serving is plenty for two, or if you’re like me, one nap-inducing meal, with plenty of leftovers for another.
I didn’t manage to snag the Brisket Burger ($16.50) or Fried Chicken ($12.50 – $17.75) this time around, but they’d be at the top of my list as well, based on my server’s keen recommendations.
With Easter around the corner, the restaurant has one of the most wallet-friendly buffet spreads this year. Priced $38 for adults and $18 for kids 5-12 (free for under five), the all-you-can-eat experience features everything from a smoked meats carving station to a selection of sweet treats like peach cobbler, and banana bread pudding cups. You can see the full Easter menu here – reservations are recommended. Expect a similarly priced buffet to return on Mother’s Day too.
One last item to mention for locals who might swing by often – Mama Bird offers a decent-looking loyalty scheme for regulars. Points are earned for every dollar spent, which you can then redeem for discounts down the line. Loyalty members can even order double points during the slower afternoon period (3.00 – 5.00 p.m.) and online orders for takeout. Moreover, the restaurant automatically applies accounts with $15 worth of bonus credit during the member’s birthday month.
And if it were me, I wouldn’t say no to a Fried Bologna Sandwich on the big day…
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Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you!  I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC.  I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have written in myopic detail about the Salt Lake City  dining scene for the better part of seventeen years.
I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV.  Pause those credits, yep, that’s me! I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune.   I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand.  What they’re saying about me: “Not inaccurate”, “I thought he was older”, “I don’t share his feelings”.
Want to know more? This is why I am the way I am.
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