Celebrity chef Carla Hall is launching Bumblebirds, a new Southern fried chicken restaurant, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on March 14. The fast-casual spot replaces the former Good Stuff Eatery and features her signature dry-brined poultry alongside comfort sides. Hall, known from Top Chef and The Chew, partners with Sunnyside Restaurant Group for this comeback venture.
Celebrity chef Carla Hall, who gained fame on Top Chef nearly two decades ago and later on The Chew, is returning to the restaurant scene with Bumblebirds. The colorful fast-casual eatery opens on Saturday, March 14, at 303 Pennsylvania Avenue SE on Capitol Hill, taking over the space of the longtime Good Stuff Eatery, which operated for 20 years.
Hall's previous Southern Kitchen in Brooklyn closed after a year in 2017, but she tells Eater, “Miracles do happen. I never thought I’d open [another] place, but it was the perfect storm.” The idea emerged in 2023 when Sunnyside Restaurant Group, led by CEO Micheline Mendelsohn—whom Hall has known for years—approached her. The group, which runs D.C. spots like Santa Rosa Taqueria and We, the Pizza, initially planned a collaborative airport kiosk. It evolved into a full restaurant showcasing Hall's fried chicken expertise.
“I’m no stranger to a fried chicken spot. I said, let’s not overthink it and let’s do it,” Hall says. The menu highlights dry-brined fried chicken in sandwiches, sliders, tenders, and nuggets, with grilled options available. Sides include Southern biscuits, crispy chicken skins, a pimento cheese board, house-made coleslaw and dressings, on-site kettle chips, and blueberry shortcake. A Southern share board offers samplings with shaved ham.
Bumblebirds also features Hall's first restaurant art installation: paper yo-yo quilts honoring her late grandmother, a quilter. “Chefs are passionate about showing our other creative sides—we are in the culinary arts and food is [just one] medium,” she explains. Diners can customize iced teas and lemonades with flavored honey syrups, while mixologist Andra “AJ” Johnson curates the bourbon-focused cocktail bar.
“We wanted this to be something people come for fast-casual chicken sandwiches, but I also think of it as a watering hole to bring friends, stay for dinner, or just do lunch,” Hall says. Billed as a six-month pop-in to start, she sees potential for expansion, though she notes challenges like a 30 percent business drop reported by culinary contacts. As a longtime D.C. resident, Hall values the partnership: “She has my back, and it’s mutual.”
