When you’re in the mood for a home cooked meal, think no further than Mama Bird Southern Kitchen, bringing that homemade spirit right to your dinner table (in half the time!). Personally, when I think of comfort food, my mind immediately runs to barbecue and/or anything southern, and if you’re like me, you want it full of flavor. Mama Bird, located just west of the I-15 and Cactus, brings not only great southern cuisine to Las Vegas, but also the feeling of a home cooked meal.
Their quaint and homey space in Southern Highlands brings together southern and modern, with the flare of an incredible smokey smell coming from their smoker. If you’re not hungry walking in, you sure are about to be! Zach Substanley, the Pitmaster and General Manager of Mama Bird, is a fifth generation pitmaster and has taken his expertise to create their decadent menu from top to bottom, with the help of his phenomenal crew of course. Boasting a menu chalked full of your favorites, and flavors you have yet to try, this menu was created with detail and calculation. Every flavor dialed down to the last dash.
On our trial run of the expansive menu, we got to try the favorites. Starting off with the Wicked Deviled Eggs, which are topped off with candied jalapenos (yes jalapenos!) and crispy bacon strips, making for the perfect crunch and kick to your classic deviled egg! A not-so lover of deviled eggs myself, these certainly made me go in for another! Zach also recommended that we try their freshly made, hand crafted Ginger Beer, coined Liam’s Ginger Beer as a surprise to Zach’s friend and business partner, Liam. He mentioned that the Jalapeno Ginger Beer was his favorite, but to not be scared off by the heat, it is very manageable and cleanses the palette for the next round of flavors.
For the main entrée, I decided on the raved Fried Chicken Sandwich, with the option to make it M.M.A.D. hot, and it was a great choice. Made with a deliciously flavor-filled and hand-breaded fried chicken breast on a potato roll, well dressed with their Comeback Sauce, their homemade fry sauce with a kick. I didn’t finish every bite in the restaurant, but every last bite was finished, you can believe that! The heat is manageable and enjoyable, and the flavors complement each other well.
My accomplice for the evening decided on the Pecan Smoked Pork Baby Back Ribs and Smoked Beef Brisket (what a literal mouthful!). Beautifully smoked to perfection, I couldn’t help but steal a couple of bites off their plate. The baby back ribs slid off the bone and the brisket was cut thick and savorly tender made from Prime grade beef and exhibiting a thick smoke ring. With our dishes, we got the chance to try their Mac n’ Cheese and their North n South fries, meaning half crinkle cut and half sweet potato fries. The Mac n’ Cheese had the perfect crunch, mixed in with saltine crackers and their mix of spices.
All of this indulgence topped off with their Cake in a Jar, ready to take home and enjoy from the comfortability of your couch. Zach gifted us the Hummingbird cake jar, featuring flavors of pecan, pineapple, coconut and banana with cream cheese frosting, and what a complete treat it was!
The constant of this restaurant seems to be their beautiful mixtures of flavors, completely calculated to your taste bud’s enjoyment. You may need a to-go bag with their out of this world portions, because this food goes a long way. Maybe even take a ginger beer and a menu to go, too! Because don’t worry, I’ll speak for you, you’ll be back!
Try Mama Bird today and don’t forget to mention you saw it in MYVEGAS!
MAMA BIRD SOUTHERN KITCHEN
10550Southern Highlands Pkwy #140, Las Vegas, NV 89141 (702) 570-6135 MamaBirdSK.com