The Dirdie Birdie
The Dirdie Birdie is a unique dining and interactive experience that opened its doors at the Domain in late 2022. And now, the restaurant and bar with an in-door mini golf course has debuted their brunch menu, bringing the evening fun of Dirdie Birdie to mornings. Their delicious menu, clever cocktails, and mini golf course make Dirdie Birdie one of the best brunch-date spots in North Austin.
Owners Vik and Lina Khasat’s goal for Dirdie Birdie was to combine elevated food and drink with an amazing interactive experience. Chef Nicholas Yanes oversees the restaurant and bar and for the new brunch menu, has delivered on both food and cocktail options that are sure to create an amazing meal.
Dirdie Birdie’s location on the South side of the Domain is tough to beat. The restaurant has a polished, playful style with both covered outdoor and indoor dining spaces and a stunning central bar. The energy of the space and staff is amazing. Our waitress was so excited to talk about the process of creating the brunch menu and her recommendations were fantastic.
The Menu
The brunch menu was a blend of classic brunch favorites with elevated enhancements. Some stand out options were the Short Rib Hash, Dirdie Birdie Brunch Burger, and Waffled Chicken Sandwich.
While I was so tempted to play it safe and order their Avocado Toast, our waitress recommended something new to try. Dirdie Birdie’s take on the contemporary Hawaiian dish Loco Moco with crispy jasmine rice, soy lime sauce, ham, and sunny side up egg was absolutely the right choice. The soy lime sauce and ham as substitutes for the traditional brown gravy and hamburger lightened the dish up and made it a fresh and savory option for brunch.
We also tried the Belgian Waffles which were served with a beautiful, bright berry compote. Unlike the texas-sized belgian waffles we’re used to, this trio of fluffy waffles made the perfect sized meal. And the fresh berries, light dusting of powdered sugar, and dollop of chantilly made the dish even more lovely and deliciously sweet.
Drinks
The brunch menu’s drink selection includes both cocktails and coffee. For our visit we tried their cold brew with a splash of oat milk, but they also offer one of my favorite coffee spots, Texas Coffee Traders’ french roast.
The brunch menu has five new cocktail options including staples such as a bloody mary and bottomless mimosas. Their standout drinks are the chai mai tai, which adds chai and pineapple to a classic mai tai, and the garden party made with gin, rose, elderflower, lime, rosemary, grapefruit, and brut.
Mini Golf
The fun didn’t stop after brunch, when it was our tee time, we got to head over to Dirdie Birdie’s indoor mini golf course with 12 one-of-a-kind Austin-themed holes. After a fun chat with one of the hosts while we waited, it was time to get our scorecard, choose our golf ball color, and hit the course.
Our caddy came to greet us, explain the rules, and offer us a drink. On the course, there is wine, beer, and even more incredible cocktails to choose from like their hibiscus paloma, strawberry palmer, and Dirdie marg. There are also three awesome non-alcoholic mocktails.
The mini golf is such a fun, immersive experience with holes unlike any mini-golf course I’ve seen. The course expertly uses technology, lighting design, and mechanics to create clever new holes unlike what you know from Peter Pan mini golf. With mechanisms that carry your ball up towers, drop it out of the mouth of a french horn, and transport your ball through tunnels, all 12 holes are so fun to figure out and play.
Conclusion
With their brunch menu debut, Dirdie Birdie is the perfect place to start a day of fun. The food, drinks, and atmosphere elevate the traditional brunch experience in a way so true to Austin’s vibrant, laid-back style. The addition of the mini golf course also makes it an incredibly entertaining option for a date, or outing with a group of friends. We had such a fun time and can’t wait to play (and drink) our next round!
