With the addition to their ladies night, Blackbird Ordinary has quickly become one of my favorite places in Miami. Casual ambience, great drinks, friendly bartenders, and Jenga? Blackbird has it all.
The outside patio is beautiful, and occasionally has food vendors on the side. It feels like there's always something going on at Blackbird, so you're pretty much guaranteed a good night any time you decide to visit.
Ladies: Try the Blackbird for free on ladies night. It'll usually cost you $10. I downed five of these things last time I visited! So delicious. I believe it has green tea, vodka and blackberry, served in crushed ice, and topped with blackberries and mint. You don't even realize you're drinking an alcoholic beverage!
Disclaimer!!!!! This rating is only for the happy hour and hidden kitchen.
I frequently go here on weekends for drunken jenga but when i found out about the happy hour and hidden kitchen from 5-10, i decided i needed to try it out. Happy hour consist of half off drinks, which is a common happy hour feature in Miami. The "hidden kitchen" or more like "hidden menu," basically goes a little something like this......you ask a waiter around 5-7 PM if you can order from the hidden kitchen menu, they laugh and think they're funny and tell you they can't because it's hidden. After you get over the agonizingly painfully stupid joke, 10 minutes later you get the menu. There's like 5 items for $5 each. You get excited because there is white truffle Mac and Cheese, when it comes to you, it looks like a sample you get at Costco. Still hungry and sipping on a blackbird drink that has too much rosemary and ice, you decide it is time to go to burger and beer and get some REAL food.
Lesson: In a city full of awesome happy hour food deals, don't waste your time and excitement here.
My boyfriend and I love Blackbird! Mostly we've gone a little later on a Friday night after happy hour. Always great music, they won me over with Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears right before they played Reggae.
We plan on going earlier next time to enjoy all of what Blackbird has to offer
So, I'm a man of few words as most of are. Â The team from BBO was extremely hospitable. The accommodations provided to us for a large party was fantastic. The service was grand. Shout out to SHORTY.
With that the crowd was lively and the DJ was OFF THE CHAIN. Saturday night 29 June 13.
Done.
This is probably one of the coolest places I've been to in Miami. Â While I am not into the dance club scene, if you get here early enough, you miss that vibe and instead it's just a chill place with good bartenders, a great drink menu, and large comfortable booths. Â I really appreciated the fresh squeezed juices to accompany the eclectic alcohol selection. Â
A little pricey, but the atmosphere and service are worth it.
I'd been to Transit a few times before it closed, and have returned here on a few occasions since this place reopened as Blackbird Ordinary.
Blackbird Ordinary has a lot of similarities with Transit, and some differences. Â
The restaurant next door is now a separate business and there's no more entryway between that establishment and this bar as there was when it was Transit.  The corner that was once filled by an elevated stage to the left as you enter is now a DJ booth, and they've added covered ping pong tables out back.  Otherwise, the layout inside and out are pretty much the same as they've always been, the bars are in the same place, etc. They've also kept the idea of having games such as Connect Four and Jenga available for patrons to play. The length of the entire wall to your right as you enter is still lined with booth seats, though there is now a fair amount of kitschy looking bird-themed décor.
What has changed is that this bar is now known for it's unique drinks, concoctions and shooters. Â
No matter when I've come here, even late at night on the weekends, I've always been able to score street parking relatively nearby, which is definitely a plus, and also a bit surprising considering how many other bars and late night spots are in this general area. Â I've also never found it to be overly packed, and I've never paid a cover charge. Â In my experience, service at the bar inside can be painfully slow, I've usually gotten drinks quicker by either going to the back side of the bar near the booth seating where there are fewer patrons, or if the outside bar is open, I've hit that up and have normally always been served out there much faster than inside.
It can get a bit loud and stuffy inside, but the good thing is that you can go out back where there's an outdoor bar and it's usually cooler and a bit quieter, and they have speakers out there so you can still hear the band or DJ.
I don't recall what their beer prices are, but a simple rum and Coke will run you $10 and will come in a small 10 or maybe 12 oz cup that's overflowing with ice. Â Their shooters are $9 each, and their specialty cocktails will run you between $10-$14 each.
Great place for groups or dates, very cool ambiance if you're into the scene. Very trendy  and hip. The inside is very up-to-date and the patio is super nice and gives you another dimension, almost like two places in one. They play a lot of electronic and oldies and have an 80's night, although they mix in a little of everything throughout the night  Love the setup and drinks aren't too bad especially for the area. They also try and get everyone involved with games. Not sure I would go solely to pick up a girl, although it's possible everywhere and depends more on yourself, but Tuesday is ladies night and they drink free till 12.
Review Source:I really like Blackbird Ordinary, my first visit was on a Wednesday Night, around 8pm, there were a few patrons and the vibe was great. It felt like an amazing local bar, I loved the board games, fireplaces and phenomenal drinks. We met some awesome out of towners and ended up making good friends. However, on Friday nights this place gets out of hand and all the reasons I loved it were diminished by the over-crowding, obnoxiously loud music and poor service. Love it during week days, weekends = not my thing.
Review Source:Went on a Saturday night. The place looks really cute. Three stars because the place gets really crowed. Its hard to move sometimes. Also, the DJ was a little all over the place with the music; some top hits from now, 90s, 80s, and a few real oldies (at one point he played My Girl). Drink prices were as expected, draft beer was $5. Overall, it was good, I had fun.
Review Source:This place has become my go to spot for the weekend. I know I'm a bit late, but I can fully admit now that I have opened my eyes to the wonders of boozy jenga. Oh, just throwing this out there, I have never lost a game...and plan to keep it that way. I just recently found out that they have a happy hour and wait....what's that? A Hidden Kitchen with $5 food? Ohhhh yes.
Oh also try the blackbird. Its worth the $10.
One of my friends wanted to celebrate his birthday and decided he wanted to go to Blackbird. I wasn't very excited about the idea mainly because I really haven't found good bars in Miami but to be honest I was pleasantly surprised. From the outside it doesn't look like anything special, actually it looks a tad bit run down. But once you step inside totally different ambiance. Totally hipster laid back atmosphere. They have a nice patio area in the back that is really nice when you want to escape the noise.
They are a full bar so they have anything you can imagine from wines, beers, specialty drinks, to spirits.. Prices aren't horrible when you are considering Miami about $14 for a specialty drink, $7 for a beer. The thing that sets them apart though is they have some board games. SO much fun!
I will definitely be going back soon.
I go to Blackbird more than I would like because my colleagues love it. For me, it is just not worth what one receives. For my colleagues, they like the two for one during happy hour, but it takes the bartenders too long to make all of their specialty cocktails. I, too, think that is overpriced, but I am still learning to accept Miami prices. I will say the one interesting thing about the establishment is that it will let you bring your own food in.
Review Source:I found this place on yelp and have checked it out twice and I LOVE it. It's no cover, you can reserve a table without buying a bottle, music, board games, great service and the overall vibe is chill and fun. Definitely, one of my new favorite spots. Perfect spot to rev up before hitting sobe or other night clubs. Definitely, come early and get a table to play games and get the whole experience. Keep up the good work Blackbird!
Review Source:Really nice place to go for happy hour. The decoration is really nice, tables are big, music is good and you can still have a conversation on the table. Drinks are creative and not overpriced, a good drink to have is the Blackbird. The outside is very different from the inside, its laid back and cute, with a stage for local bands to play
Review Source:I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place yet! I love Blackbird. My sisters introduced this hidden gem to me and after hearing all the great things, I could hardly wait to get inside. The line to get in isn't too bad, unless you get there at 11pm and then expect a line to the end of the block. There's no cover fee, but they make up for that with the pricey drinks. If you're lucky enough to get a table, make sure to ask for the board games. Board games & drinks = amazing time. You can also call ahead to reserve a table if yo know you'll be in a big group.
The inside can get pretty crowded , but never  fear because there is a great outside patio. When the weathers great, the patio is my fav spot. Now as for the music...IT IS FANTASTIC. I love places that play top 40 but bring it way back to the 80s and 90s. On Fridays they do an array of old school hip-hop, pop, rock and I cannot sit down to save my life because I love every song. On Saturdays the music gets a little more 80s.
This is really a fabulous place. People are cool. Good drinks and music. Also the dress code is chill, but with the usual Miami flavor.
This is a bit lengthy! Sorry!
I've been here twice so far. Once because DJ Questlove from The Roots was the guest DJ and the second time was just to chill with some friends.
Few things I like about this place. No cover fee! How great is that? No cover fee all night. The line might get kind of long but don't let it scare you! It moves pretty quickly. I got in line on a Friday night after midnight, maybe around 12:30 or so and I waited about 10 minutes. Dress code isn't super strict. It is casual but don't expect to get in if you show up in sandals and sweats, you feeeels me?
Now the crowd. Some people get inside and they're like, "OMG it's so crowded! Let's leave blah blah blah". No worries! There's an outside patio! And honestly, as hot and steamy it gets in the building itself, the outside patio is your best option, lol. There's also a pool table (inside), a ping pong table (outside), and they have regular board games for the lounge-y area inside (Connect 4, Jenga, Dominoes, etc).
I personally love the music here. They throw it back REALLY far sometimes and you just want to do the Charleston lol but they play the new stuff too. Definitely expect Jump On it, Poison, This is How We Do It, etc etc.
Drinks are kind of expensive, but what do you expect? No cover fee ... they gotta make their money somehow! Their long islands and specialty drinks are usually strong . . but for some reason, depending on the bartender, they'll give you different-sized cups, one bigger than the other. Same price though :( so they should be a bit more consistent with that.
Last thing is parking! Don't forget this is Brickell. Parking around there is a bit crazy so I suggest parking 2 to 3 blocks away and walking. That's all, folks!
When I heard Transit got replaced with Blackbird, I was pretty bummed. I thought Transit was a pretty good bar and I had great times there. When Blackbird opened, I vowed to never go there! I was sure they ruined what was Transit. I was
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssÂooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooÂooooooooooooooo WRONG!
Holy crap I love this place. I wished I had gone earlier. This place looks better than transit. It is fixed up and looks nicer now. The outside area is better than before. Still the same huge bar in the middle. I have gone to this place a few times this month and have had a great time when I have gone. The music is really good and the place always has a great vibe. Drinks are always good and strong but not cheap. I'm going to go broke!
This place gets really packed. If you suffer from claustrophobia then go buy some alcohol and drink in your house by yourself because as it gets later into the night everyone and their mother is here. That makes getting a drink at the bar even that much tougher. Dancing also tends to get tight. Also, don't be surprised if there is a huge line outside.
Ok blackbird..I must apologize for my first review...ever since I've been back more than a few times and you have won my heart.
Best nights are hands down Fridays/Saturdays. I totally dig the outside patio, great vibe, good drinks. Music inside is great too.
I love it so much now I'm thinking of having my bday here :)
Oh Blackbird. Maybe I'm getting old, maybe I'm too judgemental.
I live in Brickell so I like that we have a nice neighborhood spot. The drinks are more than decent and I love a place with a Moscow Mule in a copper mug.
The first time I was there was on a Thursday. Good drinks, good music. Had a good time.
Second time I was there was on a Saturday. I was totally digging it until about maybe 1am. It got crazy crowded with a crowd I personally wasn't digging and I'll just keep it at that to not offend anyone. Some dumb girl had thrown up in the ladies room making the line even longer than it needs to be with only three stalls in the ladies room.
As a non-smoker I appreciate a place in Miami that has an outdoor space so I don't feel like my eyes and nose are burning.
No street parking, decent garage parking a couple blocks down.
Line up in front of the bouncer before entering.
Saturday night packed = rude elbowing.
Clogged ladies' toilets.
More people standing around than dancing.
Music was a varied mix which was refreshing.
Outdoor area was large and open to the night sky.
Heineken was $6 - a good deal in my book.
To me, Blackbird Ordinary (on a Saturday night) was just that - ordinary.
I love this place!! Â I used to be a huge fan of the old Transit Lounge, but I just love what they did with the place! Â The decor is super cool and they have a pretty extensive menu of creative drinks. Â I had the blackbird, which was so delish - full of fresh blackberries MMMMM...
There's a cool outdoor area with nice lighting and seems to have a stage for shows, I haven't seen one yet.
Check it out!
Downtown Miami's best kept secret...err judging by how many people were packed like sardines into this establishment last night, it's not a secret anymore.
So I honestly had NO idea that such a bar even existed in the Brickell area. Poor me! I was going to Blue martini, segafredo, Baru, and all the douche-friendly bars in the area...boy was I missing out! So a friend from my building told me about this place and after a bust night in the grove my girlfriend and I had our first visit last week. The place was wall to wall packed. It didn't help that it started raining outside so everyone from the patio then squeezed (like a size 20 fitting into a size 0) into the inside of Blackbird Ordinary.
Two nights ago we came here and there was a live band (Thursday) and the place was busy but not packed. Then last night we ventured to BO and it was awesome! What a crowd! Button down shirts (but casual) and super friendly people. It's nice to hear a sorry when someone spills a drink on your foot. Honestly the best crowd I have ever seen in Miami. The music was awesome...a mix of indie and classic rock. I danced the night away until I was whisked off to another bar.
Until next time!
This was the very first bar we went to in Miami. It was a Wednesday night and the place was dead. Very dark, very laid back. I think there was mostly locals in there. Service was ok. Pictures of birds everywhere and I actually liked that. If you're looking for an intimate date spot, I'd recommend this place.
Some nice local gentlemen bought us shots of Dickel and gave us the low down on Miami. How nice of them. The owner was bartending and he was so friendly, made you feel like an old friend.
Overall it has a very chill atmosphere and when I'm in Miami again, I'll definitely make the stop once more.
Saturday night partaaay! Wow, so different from any other day of the week I've come here - and I loved it! BALLS TO THE WALL, baby!
Packed house, awesome music, and great ambiance! Â Booty shaking all night, alky a-flow, and my spritely crew made it an eventful night! Â Reminds me of Poplife and Revolver from back in the day (just not as hipster douchey - gag) with a touch of Purdy.
If you're looking to have a good time, but skip all the typical Miami/South Beach check out my BMW, hair extensions and fake lashes, I got a fade & work out, stiletto Louboutins... then hit up Blackbird! Werd.
What a great place.
So there was an idea of going out for drinks and the Irish Pub was floating around, I made all attempts to deter the party to Blackbird. Mission Accomplish!!!
I really enjoyed this place. The vibe is great but their cocktail list is even better. The cocktails are like nothing you have seen before, and I'm not much into cocktails. I was planning to try them all but the first one I got, the Laughing Falcon, was so good I stayed with it the whole night. If you really don't like cocktails, they have top shelf stuff and if you like beer, like me, they have a great selection. As a matter of fact, this is the only bar that I have seen La Fin du Monde and Innis & Gunn together in the same place. Yes they don't have food, but they are more than cool if you bring stuff from next door at La Moon, which goes perfectly with a night of drinking.
Blackbird is one of the best bars/lounges in the Downtown/Brickell area. It is completely transformed when compared to the old 'Transit'. The venue is still dark, but more refined. It reminds of a place I'd find in New York.
The bar set up is catchy. You have all your spirits/liquor on display, and then as Caro D. says, the herbs, bitters, mixers, etc. very nicely done if you are into mixology (eye-candy).
Blackbird's happy hour offering is 2x1 on all drinks (cocktails, beers, shots) until 8PM? Can't beat that--hands down one of our favorite HH venues! Now... please add some snacks/bar bites. That would be icing on the cake and one can always hope...
This place is worth checking out next time you are in the area.
I was weary of this place. Â I had been to transit lounge and hated it. Â It was scuzzy, dirty and quite frankly just not cute. Â BUT Blackbird Ordinary definitely did not disappoint. Â On a Saturday night after dinner, I decided to try Blackbird Ordinary for some drinks. Â BEWARE: if you don't have reservations you can end up waiting a long time for a table. Â You are going to want a table because the bar gets PACKED!!! Â
The vibe in this place was awesome. Â The JENGA on the table kept my party entertained for hours. Â However, drinks never make it to your table. Â You have to walk to the bar and get them yourself. Â The bartenders were friendly and even gave me a complementary birthday shot.
My drink of the night was the blackbird something or other. Â It was yummy.
Definitely, recommend this place as a late night hang out.
The day I got ready to walk in to Blackbird, I told my friends "A piece of my soul just died." You see, I was as loyal as loyal gets to Transit and vowed that I would never walk in there after the sudden death of my beloved bar.
But last week, my friends and I were at Blue Martini down the street, the place was full of middle aged men, and we were dying to find somewhere fun. After reading all of the reviews, I decided I couldn't prolong this visit any longer and we ended up at Blackbird.
The place still has the same kind of set up: pool table, booths, dancing area and the patio... but it's so much NICER now. The decor is great, the booths are super spacious and the bathrooms are 1000 times cleaner now. They had tvs (another new upgrade) which were playing "The Big Lebowski" (hello John Goodman!). Â The old stage now served as a DJ booth and he played fun, random music all night. I'm talking old Biggie, Madonna, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and all of the contemporary popular stuff too. I was there on a Friday & Â the place was pretty full but not overbearing. The patio served nicely as an overflow area but it was so hot (thanks Miami) that we ended up staying inside most of the night.
Transit will always be in my heart but Blackbird is a good upgrade. I'm glad I bit the bullet and ended up going, finally.
Blackbird Ordinary, I am so glad I found you. This bar's welcoming atmosphere works both for those who want to sit and chat with friends (provided you're there on the early side) and those who want to dance.
An impressive array of table games from Connect Four to Jenga to Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots is available for you to play at your booth, almost as impressive as the list of bird-named cocktails. I'm a big fan of the Golden Swallow: Benchmark Old No. 8 Bourbon with pineapple juice, vanilla cordial, agave nectar, fresh lemon and grated nutmeg. It tastes like Christmas in July. Ever the ginthusiast, I want to love the London Sparrow, fresh passion fruit with Hendrick's Gin, Aperol, shaken with cayenne pepper and served over crushed ice, which is refreshing with a little kick...but the cayenne pepper is too much adventure for me. People who frequent bars in the area will be pleased to see that expertly made cocktails at Blackbird are between $10 and $12, not too pricey for what you're getting.
Once you tire of knocking over your Jenga tower at your booth (trust me, it will happen), you can do some serious dancing. Blackbird's DJs strike a masterful balance between the techno that we Miamians have come to know and love, old school rap and R&B and classics. Definitely a welcome audio break from the norm!
Blackbird won't let you down if you're looking for a place that's far from ordinary.
All the hoopla must be about the unique cocktail concoctions, many totally weird like something with balsamic vinegar, strawberry and vodka? Srsly? Is this craft cocktails or hallucinations made real? Very tasty, but whoever comes up with these ideas must be doing more than just drinking.
As for the place itself, "ordinary" is indeed the word for it unless it's the birdseed plants on tables, the available Monopoly boards, nifty background music or domino games that would in any way render it as an exception from any other bar with an outside walled in city environment patio area.
By far my favorite bar in Brickell. Â Reminds me of LA, which is probably why I like it so much. Â But honestly, it's laid-back, drinks are priced well, bartenders are all nice, the vibe is awesome and so is the crowd. Â I LOVE the outdoor patio area. Â It's spacious and allows for audible conversation and the use of cancer sticks. Â
Service can get a little slow on busy nights, but hey, that happens. Â In addition to having a pool and ping pong table, they have a shelf full of board games like Jenga and Smart Ass. Â What's not to love?!
Ordinary couldn't be a better name for this place. It is as ordinary as it gets. Â I checked out this place last Friday. The crowd is okay, not too packed, not too empty, seemed more on the older side ( 29+). The drinks are cheap ( $5 beers), no cover.
My main issue I had was the DJ. He was the most horrendous, incompetent DJ I have ever heard in all my time of going to bars/clubs. He played an outrageous amount of genres, poorly mixed, and he would let each song play no more than 2 minutes each.
Example: From Micheal Jackson to Classixx to Human League to Drake. It put me in such a bad mood that I wanted to leave but didn't because it was my friend's birthday. Also, can't smoke inside which is very annoying. It's Miami, it's hot, no one wants to smoke outside.
This place is not good enough, in my opinion, to return.
Favorite Brickell bar. Hands down. If I don't end my night here, I feel unfulfilled. So much so that I showed up one night at 5AM and to my dismay I was turned away! I guess it is a tad late to be showing up places, but that should just reiterate my utter love for this bar!
Please name another bar that has Guess Who, Jenga, Connect 4, pool, ping pong, great drinks AND great music. I don't think you can.
Anyways...meet me there this weekend and I will give you a run for your money in ping pong. That's a promise.
More like blackbird extraordinary. Â
Unlike neighboring bars in sketchy parts of downtown, you can feel modestly safe parking around here, and enjoying the space they have created. It's very comfortable, the guy who spins can really put out some music, and the bartenders are extremely attentive. You'll also find board games, and a pool table inside. I haven't been outside but it looks like it's an available space.
It almost looks like it has been around as long as tobacco road. Well done. Leave that front door open and let all those local weirdos come in! By weirdos, I mean the hipsters.
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