Willie Benedetti raised turkeys. Then he turned those turkeys into a restaurant that became a Sonoma County institution. Willie Bird’s Restaurant in Santa Rosa, California appeared in Season 2, Episode 7 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives — “Talkin’ Turkey,” aired November 10, 2007 — and it was the perfect fit for that episode. The man Guy Fieri nicknamed “The Big Bird” was raising nearly 100,000 turkeys on his farm and using them in every form imaginable: roasted, smoked, fried, scallopini, turkey-fried steak, turkey eggs in batters, and a full Thanksgiving dinner served 365 days a year. Not a gimmick. Just a man who really believed in his bird.
The original Santa Rosa Ave location closed in early 2021. The operation has since moved to 4776 Sonoma Highway under the name The Bird, carrying the same spirit and same commitment to turkey forward. Same phone number, new address, new name — same place at heart.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Willie Bird’s Restaurant (now The Bird)
City: Santa Rosa, California
Cuisine: Turkey / American
DDD Season: 2
DDD Episode: 7
Episode Title: Talkin’ Turkey
Original Air Date: November 10, 2007
Current Address: 4776 Sonoma Hwy, Santa Rosa, CA 95409
Phone: 707-542-0861
Website: https://www.thebirdrestaurant.com/
Status: Open (as The Bird)
About Willie Bird’s Restaurant
Willie Benedetti built the restaurant around his own turkey farm operation, which at its peak was raising close to 100,000 birds. That vertical integration — farm to table before it was a marketing term — meant the turkey on your plate was genuinely fresh, genuinely local, and genuinely the product of someone who knew exactly where it came from. Guy Fieri recognized that immediately on camera.
The restaurant ran on Santa Rosa Avenue for decades before the original location closed in early 2021. The current incarnation as The Bird at 4776 Sonoma Highway continues the tradition of serving Thanksgiving-style meals year-round, with turkey as the centerpiece of a menu that also includes steaks, seafood, and a full bar with local Sonoma County wines.
What to Eat
The Turkey Scallopini was the dish Guy spotlighted during filming — tender turkey breast sautéed with mushrooms in a lemon butter sauce. The Turkey-Fried Steak was the other standout, a dish that makes complete sense when you realize the kitchen was working with farm-fresh turkey across every preparation. The full Thanksgiving Dinner, served any day of the year, is the reason most people make the drive.
Plan Your Visit
The Bird operates at the current Sonoma Highway location. Check the website for current hours before visiting.
Current Address: 4776 Sonoma Hwy, Santa Rosa, CA 95409
Phone: 707-542-0861
Website: https://www.thebirdrestaurant.com/
Status: Open as The Bird
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Willie Bird’s Restaurant appeared in Season 2, Episode 7 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Talkin’ Turkey,” originally aired November 10, 2007. The original Santa Rosa Ave location closed in early 2021. The operation continues as The Bird at 4776 Sonoma Highway.