Willie Bird's Restaurant Is Now The Bird — What Happened After the Show?
Current status
As of September 2026, sonomamag.com lists this address as The Bird; reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026, not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.
Last verified
What the source shows: Sonoma Magazine's August 2021 article reports the original restaurant closed and describes its reopening under new ownership and a new name at a different address.
- Season / episode Season 2, Episode 7
- Original air date
- Address 4776 Sonoma Highway, Santa Rosa, CA 95409
- Current name The Bird
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What happened after Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives featured Willie Bird's Restaurant in the "Talkin' Turkey" episode, which aired 2007-11-10, highlighting the restaurant's turkey dinners. Willie Bird's was a turkey-focused restaurant that Willie Benedetti opened on Santa Rosa Avenue in Santa Rosa, California, in 1980. Sonoma Magazine reported on 2021-08-27 that the original Santa Rosa Avenue restaurant had closed after nearly 40 years, and that new owner Joe Castro, who purchased the business in 2020, reopened it under the name The Bird at 4776 Sonoma Highway with a revamped turkey-centric menu and full bar. The article noted the new location kept staples such as a Turkey Dip and a Mama Bird sandwich. No further, more recent coverage of the new location's status was found in this review.
Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
- Original air date
- Episode title
- Talkin' Turkey
- What was featured
- Traditional Thanksgiving-style turkey dinners at a Santa Rosa institution
- Role
- Featured restaurant
- Name on the broadcast
- Willie Bird's Restaurant
Frequently asked questions
Is Willie Bird's Restaurant still open in 2026?
As of September 2026, sonomamag.com lists this address as The Bird; reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026, not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.
What happened to Willie Bird's Restaurant after Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives featured Willie Bird's Restaurant in the "Talkin' Turkey" episode, which aired 2007-11-10, highlighting the restaurant's turkey dinners. As of September 2026, sonomamag.com lists this address as The Bird; reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026, not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.
What is Willie Bird's Restaurant called now?
Now: The Bird (formerly Willie Bird's Restaurant). As of September 2026, sonomamag.com lists this address as The Bird; reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026, not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.
Where is Willie Bird's Restaurant located?
4776 Sonoma Highway, Santa Rosa, CA 95409. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.
What season and episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives featured Willie Bird's Restaurant?
Season 2, Episode 7 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, first aired November 10, 2007. The episode is titled “Talkin' Turkey”.
What do reviews say since Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?
No further, more recent coverage of the new location's status was found in this review. We summarise what dated sources report; we do not publish our own rating.
Is Willie Bird's Restaurant still using the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives menu or branding?
Sonoma Magazine reported on 2021-08-27 that the original Santa Rosa Avenue restaurant had closed after nearly 40 years, and that new owner Joe Castro, who purchased the business in 2020, reopened it under the name The Bird at 4776 Sonoma Highway with a revamped turkey-centric menu and full bar. Anything newer than our last check on September 7, 2026 may not be reflected here.
Every status on this site carries a confidence label and a date, and names the source it rests on. Read the Editorial & Corrections Policy for what each label means and how quickly we act on corrections. The questions above are generated from this record's own published fields — we never publish a question we cannot answer from the data.
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Visit info
- Address
- 4776 Sonoma Highway, Santa Rosa, CA 95409
- Venue type
- restaurant
- Official website
- thebirdrestaurant.com
- State hub
- TV restaurants in California
Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.
Sources
- sonomamag.com — https://www.sonomamag.com/santa-rosas-willie-birds-restaurant-reopens-in-new-location/
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Record ddd-0057 · last verified .