We had an amazing dinner last night and I want you to have the same experience. We first had the sturgeon and enjoyed on baquette with a glass of beer. The portion was huge and could have been an entree. We raved about its smokey flavor with tastes of shaved fennel. My husband had the nectarine and greens salad and I the fresh bean salad and we shared. Fresh and beans crisp. Our friend had the open face ravioli and we the scallops and sea bass. Light with deep flavors. And it's summertime and hot so eating a large meal not easy. We cleaned our plates. For dessert we had a banana cream pie, each banana caramelized into candy. A frozen semifreddo with fresh peaches and cookie crumbles. To top off a cup of Ole Soul coffee served in our own press pot. Go here and have a meal that really feels like the chef loves you.
Review Source:Last Friday we sat at a table next to the bar on the advice of the hostess, who said we would get better service downstairs than upstairs ??? I was skeptical because it's the one right by the door. The location might as well have been Siberia.
After waiting 10 min I had to flag down the busboy to retrieve our server, Michael. Another 5 min before he showed up and we could order from the HH menu. Since it was last call, I was prepared to wait. And wait.
I finally asked about my oysters when my main arrived. Cold and raw things just seem like the province of appetizers, and it didn't appeal to me to have to eat them during/after my hot and full meal. Michael's response: "She's shucking her little heart out over there. When you order close to last call...[more justificatory comments etc etc]."
A simple "Let me check on that" would be nice since I'd been waiting FORTY minutes now for these oysters. Which Michael never said he would do; he just whooshed away.
After finishing my burger, I finally get my oysters. It's been an HOUR since I ordered these. I love my oysters, but not enough to have them as dessert.
Next time I'll make sure to seat myself at the bar (which can be madcap but at least you're never without a drink). Or head on over to Ella's for their equally appealing HH menu.
I love this place I came here for a charity event last yr and kept coming. The wait staff is fun and remember what I order the happy hr is perfect, I love two rivers cider and they always have it. I love the seafood, every time I bring a friend they love it. I like variety so its perfect for date night or girls night. Even when they have events its alot of fun.
Review Source:Ooh this is a hard one. Between three and four stars for sure. A bit echo-y, but a great concept, the happy hour menu is very seafood-influenced.
That said, you cannot beat their prices for oysters at happy hour. One buck! Mind you, the happy hour menu said they were featuring oysters from Fanny Bay. I asked the waitress where that was and she had no idea (found out it is in British Columbia). Let's just say that you would not want to feature oysters from "Fanny Bay" if you lived in Australia. On the other hand, it might be a turn on for some.
Seating is a bit limited as the space is narrow and tall. A group came in and huddled awkwardly in front of the bar area. They ended up leaving. However, the space feels very modern and is a welcome spot for this area, in my opinion. Tables along the wall are close to each other which makes for a cozy - or awkward - dining experience.
I tried the squid ink risotto balls (a bit like arancini and I think were around $5) and did end up getting the oysters which came with lemon and another dipping sauce. Definitely fresh, I like to torture them by squeezing a lemon and see if they move. Cruel I know! But I'm not a vegetarian. I like my animals, unlike my happy hour friend who was vegan.
There is a loft area upstairs which I didn't get a chance to check out. I think I'll come back again with an oyster lover who won't give me the guilt trip.
This is a great Happy Hour place, especially if you love oysters, $1 (fresh oyster bar inside). They have a decent menu that seems to be a little pricey during regular business hours, but during the hours that I frequent the happy hour menu is great.
The happy hour menu is usually about four preset menu items and are fairly priced, I recommend the tacos. The the red sangria they offer during happy hour is a favorite of mine and it is mixed well (taste more like a real drink than juice). Â There is upstairs and downstairs seating and the host/hostess and servers are all nice.
I once ordered a banana cream pie, and it was appetizing to the taste buds and eyes as well with great presentation. This is a good place to add to the list of happy hour locations in downtown Sac.
The clam chowder and the happy hour oysters are to rave for, but one time right after dining at blackbirds I got food poisoned. Â A little skeptical to try their raw oysters again.
Service is a hit or a miss there. I told my waiter once to bring out a slice of cake as a surprise and they forgot about it. Â Then another time service was slow even though it wasn't too busy.
First of all, sit with Trey he is an awesome server! Â Second of all the Istanbul Stuffed Mussels ARE AUTHENTIC. Â They took me right back to my days along the Bosporus in Istanbul, or some of my time in Izmir with family. Â The atmosphere is amazing, the food is to die for, and um hi, the happy hour deal on oysters....is AMAZING.
I like you a lot, can we date?
My girlfriend and I were craving some sea food in the Sacramento area. We stumbled  Upon this place on our yelp search. The reviews were great. So we decided Blackbird it is! Okay so we arrived around 1pm-ish. Just as a heads up, the dinner menu starts around 4 i believe. So when we arrived we saw the lunch menu, which didnt have too many items to choice from. Well we got the crab Benedict and clam chowder. The waiter was super nice and the beer selection was nice, i might add. The crab Benedict was very good and the clam chowder was great! yum. Though our pricing was exactly cheap but reasonable. We most definitely will be coming back and to try out the dinner menu, as the lunch we had was great.
Review Source:Luci N. and I stopped in recently, after meeting some of the boisterously friendly staff at a charity golf tournament where they were shucking some of the best Sac oysters I've ever sampled.
And sample you may, as we discovered during their $1 oyster happy hour! Friends, that translates into a cool dozen @$12, a deal you can't even get a a Yucatan beach bar these days. Â Malpeques, no less, and the plumpest, freshest M's you've ever sunk a set of molars into, or your money back.
Seriously, don't ask for your money back. But try out the happy hour offerings as a way to check out Blackbird. Hope you'll enjoy the quirky decor and tasty food as much as we did.
Fiance took me here and we enjoyed the happy hour menu. We didn't get drinks off the HH menu so dinner was still around 50.00 for two. Not bad if you want to sample a lot of things, not great if you want to feel full. Â Good food and cool place though, would definitely come back to try something off their reg menu.
Review Source:My favorite new restaurant! Came here and ordered many things on the menu to share. The Arctic Char is a MUST! it's all I can think about! We also had the clam chowder and a soup on special that was excellent. Â The grilled cheese sandwich is so good with its crispy Parmesan crusted bread. Â I look forward to my next meal there!
Review Source:This establishment is the anchor of the fledgling Downtown Renaissance. Â Overarching comments aside, this spot is also a pearl of a seafood restaurant. Â I've been twice in the past week, once for dinner and once for Happy Hour. Â Both occassions provided a seaworthy experience. Â At dinner, our party of four split a Chowder and (sort of) shared our entries of Mussels, hallibut, caviar & pancakes and a seafood pasta . Â All were delicious, fun, well presented and fresh. Â Mussels and Clam Chowder were the standouts. Â Thought the other courses were nothing to ignore - freshly made pasta was on par with the best fair I've had in San Diego's little Italy, the Caviar & Pancakes was novel and creative, and the Halibut made me a fan of the fish for the foreseeable future.
Cocktails are full steam ahead and sure to cure your case of scurvy. Â We indulged in Moscow Mules (prepared properly in Copper mugs) and Schnazberry Sips. Â Â Even the Cocktail skeptic should take a dive into these libatious waters. Â
At Happy Hour, we sat at the bar and ordered most of the small plates; including revisiting the clam chowder, broadsiding the fish tacos and filling up on one buck oysters. Â All precisely prepared, well presented and thoroughly enjoyable. Â
The crew at "bb" is friendly and casual. Â Despite probably being entitled to some, not a whiff of pretension could be sensed.
Give this place a go, but save a spot for me at the bar.
We came here after the Friday Concert at the park and it was very crowded but the host, very friendly and courteous found us a table upstairs. Unfortunately I forgot his name and the wonderful waitress' name, they both were perfect--not hovering but attentive.
I thought the chowder was a little salty that night but the crayfish dish was tasty, the Israeli's couscous stuffed mussels were creative and delicious. We had another dish with grilled smelts which I was wild about.
The owner, I think her name was Keri?, she also brought us our food and was delightful. We had a very good craft beer and cidar, and sadly I will have to post the names later when I find them.
Overall, the ambiance was casual, artsy, and energetic--hip, one might even say. I would highly recommend this restaurant and applaud their local produce and products in their menu. They have a very nice bar downstairs as well.
Give them a try. You'll love it!
We celebrated my husband's birthday on an early Friday nite. Â Daniel, one of the owners kindly set us up in a quiet semi private area upstairs called "The Nest" .
The 2 story restauran has a cool vibe. From the sleek bar to the tree and bird themed art throughout, to the exterior window with a view into the kitchen small details have been attended to.
Karina was our server ( I found out at the end of dinner she was the other owner of the place). Â She took extra time to talk with us about menu options for vegitarians.
The menu changes frequently and is heavy on the seafood choices. Â
I had a green bean salad and open faced raviolis with local crawfish and corn. Â All very tasty.
I highly suggest this hot spot.
If you're looking for a comfortable, classy atmosphere with heavenly food and friendly service, check out BlackBird. I recommend avoiding Fridays in the Summer because that area can be pretty hectic because of concerts in the park, also you might want to make reservations.
I've heard complaints about spotty and slow services, and the last time I was there our server was a little slow and a little pushy when it came to suggesting expensive items we just couldn't afford. We usually get the bowl of clam chowder (which is insanely amazing) and a small plate to share and maybe some bread - Â a delicious, fancy, meal and for not too much money.
I also attended the 1 year anniversary party and at one point during the night I missed the step into the "nest" area of the restaurant spilling some of my beer. Within moments someone had cleaned up the mess and replaced my beer. That's service!
On my first visit to Blackbird I had the prawns, pork-belly, and peaches dish - I haven't seen it on the menu since - but it was melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
I'm not a big oyster fan. Ok let's be honest, I don't eat oysters at all - so this review may not apply to you. I came here for Happy Hour with a bunch of friends but due to traffic and parking, I arrived about an hour late. As a recommendation, try to avoid the traffic and get there early. My friend and I parked in the lot about a block away. Parking is expensive though, but I guess that's to be expected downtown.
I only got to try the clam chowder. For $5, the portion is very small. However, the chowder was packed with flavor and a ton of fish/seafood. It was an interesting twist to your classic New England clam chowder. I would recommend it just because you have to try it once. My friends seemed to enjoy their oysters and the sangria they ordered. The fish tacos seem like a good deal as well.
Service was slow and our waiter seemed a bit lofty and snooty. We had to flag him down multiple times.
Overall, I would recommend Blackbird if you're interested in their $1 oysters during Happy Hour. But take note of the traffic and parking situation!
I went here a few weeks ago with some friends for a Friday happy hour. Â I wasn't quite as blown away by this place as some of my friends, but it's certainly a nice little spot in the downtown scene. Â
Two things stood out to me as I walked in: the bar area is pretty small, and the two-level layout is somewhat unique in the Sacramento dining scene. Â I'd guess the bar itself seats about 10 people, with a few high tables in the vicinity. Â The bartenders were both friendly, and from talking with them and some other people around me at the bar, I definitely got the sense that the bartenders do get to know their regular customers. Â
They had roughly 5 beers on tap, plus maybe another 2 dozen in bottles. Â They did have Delirium bottles, and the serving glasses with the pink elephant logos...nice. Prices weren't too bad, and I was told they offer some kind of deal like a Tecate and a shot for like $4. Â I wasn't eating on this occasion, but apparently at happy hour they offer oysters for $1 a pop. Â This is a great deal, provided you aren't allergic to shellfish like yours truly :D.
All in all, I can appreciate the rather unique layout of the place, the nice beer selection and friendly bartenders. Â I certainly will drop in once in a while with friends for a beer, but given my dietary preferences and whatnot, I wasn't blown away by the offerings.
I would love to give this more stars: friendly service; delicious cocktail; nice decor. The problem is the price for dinner was out of line with the quality and quantity of food. I appreciate moderately-sized portions, but the 3 scallops for 24 bucks takes me back to the Nouvelle Cuisine scare of the 1980s. My friend and I spent close to $100 on two entrees and two drinks (total) and then had to go out to eat elsewhere to fill our stomachs.
WILL return for cocktails (only).
Very trendy, but an awesome experience and great fresh seafood!
Loved the happy hour tacos, loved the poached prawns, loved the oysters, and even tried the pork pate! Great drink menu as well!
Everyone should give this place a try, it is a really fun atmosphere and great staff.
Even better for a date night.
I've frequented the happy hour enough times that I feel like I can write a review, but only for happy hour.
Really, you can't beat $1 oysters and presentation is lovely. The service has always been spectacular. Once David O. and I ordered some oysters and, after receiving and eating the other appetizers we ordered, they still hadn't arrived. When we mentioned it our server apologized profusely, comped the oysters AND upgraded the oysters to some other delicious, more expensive kind. On our receipt he added "eternal wait" under the comped portion. Nice touch.
The other happy hour appetizers seem to change every so often but they're always yummy. They also have a daily "punch," which is always yummy. Once it was a pineapple jalapeno tequila concoction but lately it's been sangria.
It's a great spot to hit up to get in pro-Concert in the Park mode. I'm a fan.
Hubby and I enjoyed a great meal here on a Friday night after Concerts in the Park. Â It's just a small little place but the service was friendly and informed. Â We enjoyed some raw oysters and appreciated the server's knowledge of the varieties they offered. Â The seafood chowder was wonderful. Â It's chuck full of seafood, red potato, and is rich, creamy, and delicious. Â The smoked clams add a great flavor dimension. Â I would certainly go back again.
Review Source:I'm not really sure why we ended up at Blackbirk Kitchen & Bar ("BKB"). Before actually going there, it was one of those places that I watched being built, readied myself via the hype and anxiously checked the website for the menu regularly. When it finally opened I was like, merp. I'd heard mixed reviews about BKB from people that had gone there. Some people swooned over the food, others creamed the wait staff.
I've been here twice so far, and so far, so good, so very good.
BKB is striking even before walking in. I'm no designer, but I know what I like, and I like the façade of BKB. The interior is trendy and still inviting. The host (as was the case (in lieu of a hostess)) is quick to attend and quick to seat, this is not a bad thing. He smiled and he chit-chatted and was knowledgeable about the seating available - that's all I need. Please and thank you. I vaguely remember the music being a little loud, maybe it was the patrons themselves. It wasn't a problem, it was just loud.
I'd heard a lot about this "raw" menu business so to start, my friend and I decided to try the arctic char and because all fried things are good, we tried the night smelt. The arctic char was different, but after the first bite, I got it, its kind of exciting. The greenery on top kept it fresh, the fish itself was impeccable. It was cool to the touch and buttery on the tongue. Very nice. The nigh smelt was good, but it wasn't crispy like I had hoped it would be. Maybe I had the wrong idea, but maybe if it's going to come out like a basket of french fries, it should be crispy and less oily, like a basket of french fries. For the main course, I had the roasted whole trout and he had the lobster + beet salad. The lobster beet salad was styled gorgeously. Unfortunately for it, it was over cooked. Overcooking seafood at a restaurant that has a predominantly seafood menu, to me, is not something that should happen. Especially considering this dish had three main components: lobster, beets and some frilly greens. The roasted whole trout on the other hand was roasted perfection! The trout was very good with one exception: SALT. I enjoyed it, don't get me wrong, but if they would have dialed back just a smidge, it could've been perfect. The skin was crispy and the flesh was soft with all of that good fish-fatty goodness. I fully expected bones to fight with but it was BONELESS - WIN! For desert, we had the crème brulèe. It was good; nothing terribly special about it. I will say, that to end the meal, it was a very good option.
**On a separate occasion, I had the clam chowder - HOLY HELL, its AMAZING. It's like a flavor explosion of clams, heavy cream, buttery goodness. It's perfectly thickened and the most wonderful color. It's definitely a must have. I mean, I could bathe in the stuff**
Drinks (because he (read: I) drinks), at BKB are very well done. They are like little ups of alcoholic art. The moscow mule is my personal favorite. It's just enough sweet, with just enough not sweet, with just a little too much booze, so you don't forget what you're drinking. PERFECT.
Service wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible. I feel like our waiter was the only one in the whole restaurant. I watched him at every corner of the restaurant. Maybe they thought he could handle it. Or maybe the kitchen was slow... either way, it could have been better, despite the fact that he was a very nice guy.
Blackbird Kitchen & Bar has the potential to be an amazing restaurant. I really do enjoy the food, even with its mistakes. The dishes that are awesome, are really awesome. The dishes that are bad have only slight missteps. You'd think that a place that pays such detail to the aesthetics, would also pay attention to the detail in their food. I feel like BKB is young, and their food shows it. Although, BKB isn't super expensive, you're paying enough to expect that the food be done without missing elementary things like salt and/or doneness. BKB has a little growing to do, but I can confidently say that I'll definitely be along for the ride.
The Chowda! Â I think that I have said enough. Â But for those who love to read Yelp, here you go:
1. Staff are great! You can tell they all really enjoy working there and have pride in their product. Â Always helpful with suggestions.
2. Booze - from Moscow Mules to some crazy Earthy beer (kinda tastes like dirt, but in a good way) these guys and gals know their libations!
3. Location - Midtown, next to Friday Night Concerts in the Park, valet parking, easy Uber home.
4. Last but not least, the Chef has mega-soul (see Sac Magazine cover/article). Â The food is incredible, the menu is constantly changing with the seasons, and the presentation would delight A. Bourdain.
I could not end this review without a shout-out to their Happy Hour. Â It can get busy (even when it's not HH), get there early to ensure a good time. Â Reservations are a usually a good idea for dinner.
I've been a part of the food and nightlife scene in Sacramento since moving back from NYC in 2009 where I was a host and server for several high-end spots. Â I am so glad that Blackbird opened when it did as it's really been at the center of not only a foodie revolution taking over Sac but a hip, and compelling option when looking to Downtown for entertainment. Â This is always the first place I bring out-of-towners when I want to show them how not a "cowtown" Sacramento is and they always leave impressed and full (and sometimes tipsy from the legit cocktails).
First off every time I've gone the food has been delicious. From their smack-your-mama-it's-so-good seafood chowder(which I must have had a million times in Winter) to the unparalleled raw bar and even the desserts (that banana cream pie...shut up) I am always excited to see what Kevin is putting out of the kitchen.
The staff is also among the most friendly, hip, funny (and attractive) in Sac, and bantering with them is a welcome addition any time I stop by. Â Carina is always around willing to talk to you about what's new or what exciting things are happening in Sac that they're apart of.
I also love how they've been able to incorporate the local arts scene into what they do. Â Their projected displays by Matt Brown are amazing to behold, and from their pieces from local artists (like Nathan Cordero in the bathroom) to musical talents like Jackie Brown there is always something exciting happening. Â
With the new arena (hopefully!) on the horizon and a bunch of cool things happening with Downtown Plaza, I hope that this place sticks around for a long time. Â I can't wait to see what they come up with next! (hopefully it involves brunch!!)
Was so disappointed. Had the scallop boat appetizer. It was ok. Nothing to write home about. Don't think it was as fresh as I am used to. Had the lobster beet salad. The lobster had no flavor and was rubbery of which I think there were maybe four small pieces. I pretty much paid 15 bucks for beets. Beware, happy hour ends at six. Unlike what some of the photos show it ending at 6:30. Overall. I wish I never came here
Review Source:Met up with some friends after a long day and headed over to Blackbird. Heard good things but had never gone before. Â
Small restaurant, modern and stylish interior but no amount of cool design or decor can make up for uncleanliness. Sitting at the bar was like being outside in the tropics. Not being an entomologist, I'm not sure what kind of flies or gnats were swarming around the bar area but they were plentiful and gross. Â FLIES? Â GNATS?? UGH!
What was worse was that nobody on staff seemed to be concerned. Â That, in and of itself is bizarre. Don't restaurants realize that patrons want cleanliness?
Then, I decided to look up their Sacramento County health inspection reviews. OH HOLY HELL! Â
I encourage you to look for yourself. LOOK at the actual reports and SEE THE NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS and then NOTICE how many are marked REPEAT VIOLATION. Oy! Â Clearly proper food storage, food prep standards and yes, cleanliness are chronic problems here.
After the mass of flying bugs at the bar and reading the numerous health inspection reports, I'd feel safer eating in a back alley in a fifth world country. Do yourself a favor and DON'T eat at Blackbird.
For this visit, I tried their clam chowder, which was very tasty and had lots of seafood and potatoes (thanks for not skimping out on the seafood)! I also really liked their banana cream pie. The crust was just lovely! I believe it consisted of graham cracker and crushed pecans? The cream was nice and light and they brûlée the bananas and drizzle caramel syrup on the plate.
What I didn't like were their crab and cream cheese wontons and their Instabul Style Stuffed Mussels. The wontons were not crispy and crab and cream cheese wontons HAVE TO BE CRISPY! Although the stuffing and the sweet and sour sauce were on point. The mussels were ok (a bit bland) and the couscous had no flavor. I wouldn't order these two items again (including the Dayboat Scallops I mentioned in my first review). If I wanted mussels, I'd order their Steamed Mussels.
My first thoughts upon being seated at Blackbird for dinner was "Wow, I don't feel like I'm in Sacramento" and "I wish there were more places like this in Sacramento." This place is definitely a gem. The vibe is very cool and urban. It's located in the heart of downtown, which unfortunately is not an area many people venture to at night and I imagine most state workers don't have the time to experience during lunch. I have passed by Blackbird several times without ever noticing it was even there. It is definitely on my radar now!
I had a wonderful dining experience on a Friday night. John, the owner/manager, seated us and he was very friendly and it was evident that he truly cares about his restaurant and the experience of his customers. Everything on the menu looked really good and the majority of the food items were seafood. Â Let me clarify, this ain't your Red Lobster kind of dinner! They have a "raw bar" section on their menu which definitely stands out. We opted with the clam chowder and lobster with beet salad to share. This was the perfect amount of food for two people.
The clam chowder was the best clam chowder I have ever had! It is not your typical, very thick, creamy chowder. It is a little spicy, very flavorful, and has lots of seafood. I will definitely be coming back for the chowder! The lobster and beet salad with poached egg and pistachios was also very tasty and they don't skimp on the lobster. Overall it was an amazing dining experience with great food and excellent service.
My next trip back will be for happy hour and some $1 oysters!
WARNING!!! Review is for HH only............. that being said, I would highly recommend for oysters alone.
We arrived promptly at 3 pm on a Friday while riding our bikes. Blink twice and you can miss the place though. Luckily they had a "sandwich" board outside. Only a few others in the bar area at first but filled up quickly by 4 -4:30
DH and I are pretty finicky about oysters and were approaching these $1 offerings with great trepidation. So pleasantly surprised, we ordered 2 dozen. Female shucker behind the oyster counter was just a peach. Had a great running conversation while she shucked and we ate. Had a couple glasses of wine and a cider. Cider was way too sweet but daily red wine special was tasty.
Will come back for the oysters on a regular basis as long as the quality remains high. Some other things on their app menus look pretty tasty so will give them a try too.
From the other reviews, may wait on sitting at an actual table to be served :) And while I have no problem paying top dollar for food, I don't like paying top dollar for an app size serving. That's not trendy, it's greedy. But, I will humbly withhold judgment until I partake.
Update to the update....
Disclosure:  I received a phone call  from one of the owners after my last review. John was quite apologetic and concerned about the review and after playing phone tag for a week or so, we had a nice chat about what went wrong (and all that's oh so right) about Blackbird. He offered to buy us dinner if we would give them another shot. We took him up on this kind offer, and have been back three times since then.
After this call, sweetie and I ventured over on a recent evening and walked in with no reservation made ahead of time. We were greeted almost immediately and sat near the entrance at a high table. We ordered wine and a half dozen oysters to start, and then a half lobster for him, Maine lobster and roasted beet salad for me. Wine and oysters arrived promptly and the oysters (which we never got to try during our last visit) were amazing. (I don't eat oysters, but love it when sweetie does because it makes him smell like the ocean for the rest of the night - it's like being at the seashore without the gulls flying overhead)
There was a pause before dinner came, but I never mind that part as it gives us time to chat and enjoy each others company. Our dinners were served, water glasses filled and second glass of wine for each of us arrived with great timing.
We were so pleased with the service and the food this evening that we have been to happy hour twice since then to enjoy the 1$ happy hour oysters, and had another dinner earlier this week. Each subsequent visit has been enjoyable and I'm glad we can put this gem of a restaurant back into our rotation of places we hit up each week.
I would go a full five stars if it weren't for the noise level. It's a dull roar at the bar, but if you go upstairs, there's something about the acoustics that funnel the noise up the stairs and it's almost impossible to have a conversation without shouting at each other. (this could be my age talking...)
Final synopsis:
1) Reservations are a good idea for this popular spot, but not required.
2) Hit happy hour early- it fills up fast, but you'll see why once you get there.
3) It can be loud in here, prepare your vocal cords for a workout.
4) The food is stellar, come here to get your inner ocean dweller cravings satisfied.
5) Some growing pains, but attentive caring owners ensure that any hiccups will be promptly attended to.
This review is based on two experiences at Blackbird: one during happy hour and one not. The 3 stars is an average rating of the two experiences.
Let's start with the good because I'm an optimist at heart.
HAPPY HOUR: 3.5 stars (lasts from 3-6pm Tues.-Fri.)
Dudes. $1 oysters. This is a great deal, and I thought they were good quality. You can choose from two different kinds of oysters, and we went with 6 of each type. They were nice and big, and a great value considering they cost $3.50 apiece when it's not happy hour (yowza!).
We also tried the fish tacos (2) for $5. They were tasty, but the fried flavor kind of overshadowed the fish, so I wouldn't suggest them unless you really love fried stuff. Nothing too unique about them, but I still thought they were tasty enough.
As for drinks, they've got 4-5 rotating taps that'll run you $3 during happy hour. That's a great deal for the caliber of microbrews on the menu. Additionally, they have a rotating $4 Punch--I ordered this (a tequila base), and really liked it.
DINNER: 2.5 stars
Holy overpriced small portions, Batman! I get it, I get it--this is a hip joint and they have a reputation to uphold. But this is not NYC. This is not Chicago. Take it easy.
I would understand if the food was phenomenal. I get the appeal of gourmet small plates, really I do, it's one of my favorite ways to dine. But to be brutally honest, the food was just not that good to warrant the price point.
We were there this week and there is a special beer & cheese pairing on the menu for $25 in honor of Sacramento Beer Week, so we decided to give it a shot. Three very small pours of three (admittedly tasty) Belgians out of bottles, and paired with small portions of manchego, brie, and blue cheese. The cheeses were tasty enough, but again: not enough for the price point.
We also tried the shaved brussel sprout salad with quinoa and lemon ($8) and it was--surprise!--small and far too lemony for our liking. All you could taste was fried (the quinoa) and lemon. Not great.
Lastly, the pork ravioli with a poached egg ($19). You guessed it... small. And don't you think that it would warrant mentioning on the menu that these aren't actually ravioli? Unless you consider all of the ingredients piled on top of a couple squares of pasta ravioli. Like, flat squares of pasta. Nothing in them. Just the stuff plopped on top of them. Confusing, disappointing, and once again too expensive for the quality.
One thing I do want to address from some of the other reviews: we really did not have ANY issues with the servers. All the staff was friendly and attentive, so it looks like they've made improvements on that point.
We'll probably only come here again for happy hour. Plenty of others places I'd rather do dinner.
Sad to see so many negative reviews for Blackbird recently. I went there last Friday night in a party of 3. Â I made a reservation online and was promptly seated. Â Despite feeling not cool enough to dine there (hipster central) - we had a nice time. Â The food was excellent and the service was reasonably attentive. Â The only issues was that my husband tried to order a bottle of wine (listed on the menu) and the waitress informed him after he ordered it, that they were out. Â Since they don't have an extensive wine list, I think she should have noted this when he started inquiring about the wine...but whatever not a bid deal.
But, here's the important thing about Blackbird, the food is super creative and fun and we're lucky to have a place like this in Sacramento (and at this price, which isn't cheap, but for what it is, it is pretty reasonable) and even more important Blackbird is investing in a part of downtown that has been struggling recently. i will be back and hope Blackbird makes downtown Sacramento cooler and more interesting place.
I was so excited for a date night here with my boyfriend about 2 weeks ago. Â I was thrilled that Blackbird's menu had a great mix of seafood, my bf's favorite, and vegetarian options for me (having more than 1 veggie option at a nice restaurant is like striking gold in my book). Â While the food did not disappoint (he loved his cioppino), just about every other aspect of our experience did.
We had reservations and were promptly seated. Â I loved the fact that the interior is 2 stories, however BE WARNED that if you are wearing a dress, you are going to flash people sitting below thanks to that trendy open staircase. Â Lovely way to start a meal. Â
This is about when the confusion started. Â We were introduced to our server, ordered drinks/appetizers, and then she took forever to come back and take our entree orders. Â It was at least 20 minutes. Â Every course we had someone different bringing us our food. Â We got offered the wrong table's food several times. Â When our entrees did finally arrive, I was dying for another glass of wine, but our server was MIA and by the time she reappeared, we were more than ready for the check. Â
On top of the slow/confused service, the music was so goddamn LOUD. Â Now, I am a young person, and while I appreciated their unconventional alternative/electronica/sorta dubsteppy playlist, I was so irritated that we were paying $100 for a nice meal and we couldn't even hear each other talk. Â I felt like I was shouting at my boyfriend the whole time. Â So frustrating.
The good news is that all of these problems are easily remedied. Â But I have no intention of coming back here unless they're fixed.
John from Blackbird reached out to me regarding my experience at his restaurant and asked if I could come in and talk to him more about it. He was genuinely interested in my two trips in with slow service and asked for a few more details. I came in for dinner again, we spoke for a bit, and he assured me that Blackbird has been addressing the issue of slow/inattentive service very seriously. I also found out that this was not the man that I sat next to that I thought was the owner, that person is not associated with BB.
My latest experience was remarkable. I received amazing service and I was also impressed by the high level of service that all of the other tables received around me. This was markedly better than my last visits, and I can see that effort has been put into the staff being attentive and prompt. The food, as usual, was delicious and instantly Instagrammed.
I was very pleased with my experience, and it seemed that the restaurant as a whole was running more smoothly than before. I appreciated John's gesture to bring us in and take care of us for dinner . I think that more businesses should use Yelp as a tool to engage with their patrons. Sifting through reviews and communicating with people about their experience in a professional way is much appreciated and makes you seem genuinely interested in the experiences that take place in your establishment. Yelp is giving you a free way to contact your customers, use it to your advantage.
Went there for happy hour last week. They have a great prices -- $1 tequila shots, $2 gin drinks... and of course the $1 oysters! The food was really good too, especially the seafood chowder!
Five of us ate and drank very well for $66. And it helped that our bartender was so nice and attentive. One of the girls in our party ordered a beer she'd never had, didn't like it, and they replaced it for free. Great atmosphere, we had a lot of fun.
I will definitely be going back.
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