In the Bay Area, full of places serving fried chicken of one form or another, it’s awesome to find a spot that has a style that’s unique to the rest. While many restaurants’ menus basically boil down to “spicy or not spicy” with some subtle variations, Rocketbird’s menu consists of various fried chicken sandwiches (and tasty fries and sides) that legitimately have their own unique flavors, toppings and house-made sauces! Even if you think you have a favorite chicken sandwich, we dare you to try one of these because we believe it’ll be added to your list! Plus, every time you order one of their sandwiches, they donate a meal to the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank. You ready to see what they’re all about? Let’s dig in.
Rocket Reaper
The one. The original. The Rocket Reaper is bold in all the best ways. While it’s not the spiciest fried chicken sandwich out there, that’s not what it’s trying to be. It’s layered with Rocketbird crispy fried Mary’s organic chicken breast, pickled red onions, jalapeño peppers, pickles, spicy reaper pepper aioli and Rocketbird Hot Sauce all on an artisanal potato bun. Where other shops are like, “let’s just throw some hot spices on the sandwich and call it a day,” Rocketbird crafted this one to be more nuanced and elevated. It’s definitely worth a taste!
Island Bird
Talk about taking fried chicken sandwiches into unexplored territory! We love the fact that Rocketbird isn’t just following on the fried chicken bandwagon, and, in fact, they’re blazing their own trail into new flavor combinations. The Island Bird takes you to a tropical oasis with the same amazing RocketbirdFried Chicken topped with tangy pineapple relish, gojuchang aioli, and little gem lettuces on an artisanal potato bun. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and tangy with a very subtle kick that probably makes this one our favorite. Don’t sleep on it!
Cali Bird
Just like the saying, “Blend a little old with the new,” this delicious sandwich blends a little familiar with the unique… Doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, but trust us, your tastebuds will understand. The Cali Bird is made with Rocketbird crispy Mary’s organic chicken breast, Rocketbird Bacon-Tomato Jam, basil aioli, and little gem lettuces on an artisanal potato bun. The bacon-tomato jam adds a sweetness that’s balanced and complimented by the savoriness of the basil aioli, which makes this one a close second to the Island Bird in our book.
All of Rocketbird’s sandwiches can be made with a griddled chicken option instead of fried, or substituted with a Crispy Maitake Mushroom to make it vegetarian.
Sidewinder Fries
Rocketbird has several different styles of fries, and the first to mention are their Sidewinder Fries! They’re basically twisty fries with tangy Rocketbird malty seasoning. The fries they use are kind of like curvy thick cut fries, but while most fries of that sort end up soggy, through their kitchen wizardry, Rocketbird somehow makes them crispy!
Loaded Sidewinders
If you’re thinking, “Dang, those Sidewinders look amazing, but how can I take them to the next level?” then these are for you. The king of all Rocketbird fries is the Loaded Sidewinders. Made with Rocket Queso, crumbled bacon, and jalapeño peppers, they’re simple in concept, but so, so satisfying.
Classic Fries
If you prefer to stick to the classics, Rocketbird’s got you covered! Their Classic Fries are nice and crispy with ridges that run lengthwise that make them perfect for dipping and scooping up the sauce of your choice. (We highly recommend the Rocketbird Hot Sauce, but it’s definitely spicy!)
Coffee BBQ Chicken Strips
Last, but definitely not least, we got the Coffee BBQ Chicken Strips, which are hand-battered Mary’s organic chicken breast strips with Rocketbird’s secret coffee BBQ dry rub, and your choice of one complimentary dipping sauce per three strips. These totally have enough flavor to be eaten on their own, but we also tried them with a side of their house-made Peppercorn Ranch specialty sauce, and wow, it’s a must-try!
One last thing to note – they also started offering a sliders menu! While I didn’t get to try it yet, if it’s anything like their fried chicken sandwiches, I’m sure it’s two thumbs up, so make sure to check that out, as well.
So there you have it, Nomsters! While that’s not literally everything on the menu, we hope that gave you a solid peek into what Rocketbird is all about, and we definitely think you should click that link, check out their full menu, and give them a try.
They’re only doing pickup and delivery within San Francisco, CA for the moment, but they have plans to hopefully expand soon. If you’re in the area, search for them on your favorite food delivery app, and if you’re not, hit them up and let them know where you’d like to see their next location!
