Love the ambiance of this place - it's cozy and dimly lit, perfect for a date night like we had on Friday and they took our reservation on the fly so it was that easy to get a small spot in the corner across from the bar.
Service was a little slow, though the guy filling waters was on his game. We ordered drinks and after receiving them, didn't see the server for at least 20 minutes to order food - I spied her chatting up some other people at the bar right across from us, back turned so of course I couldn't get her attention. Even at the end when we paid, we decided to stay for one more drink and couldn't order that in a timely manner either, but oh well.
Great selection of drinks ranging from wine by the glass, whole bottles, and various local brew options; food was a smaller menu, so we split two smaller appetizer style dishes and a thing of fries. It was all very tasty, but I do wish they had more options.
Will be back to sample other dishes and drinks.
I am a fan of Bluebird. Â I could go into a large number of reasons, its exposed brick walls, often funky artwork, full wine and beer list... but generally is a good place for the price with good service. Â Yes, its always crowded... but know that going in. Â once you sit down its worth the wait- dark and relaxing
Review Source:I was here last summer for a drink and had a good impression of the Bluebird so I returned this past weekend to have a fuller experience with dinner. Â Sadly, it wasn't as great as I remembered!
We were seated immediately on Friday night, 9 PM which was a nice surprise. Â Bluebird is all about the wines and beers, not so much on the cocktails. Â I ordered the mussels and it started out decent enough but by the end, the last few mussles hadn't opened and the ones that had were virutally uncooked. Â Have you tasted an uncooked slimy mussel? Â It's pretty gross. Â Dunno if I would come back as I could wander out to a bay in Maine with galoshes and a bucket and bring a bottle of wine and have a similar experience.
We decided to try this restaurant when going out for a girls' night. There were 7 of us and we ordered everything to share. The Belgian Pommes Frites were ok, ,but the aoli was great! We got two orders of mussels, belgian and southern french, both of which were delicious!! The belgian one was a bit more flavorful than the southern french one though. If you're only going to get one order, go with the belgian. We also ordered the gnocchi, rabbit rilletes, and flatbread. All were good, but none knocked my socks off. Â The desserts were spectacular though! We had both the chocolate creme brulee and the oliebol. Go for the chocolate creme brulee... it was sooo good!! As for drinks.... They also make their cocktails VERY strong! They had a small cocktail selection, but there were a lot of beers to choose from.
It was crowded, but we were seated right away since we had a reservation. Service left much to be desired though. We only saw our waitress twice during our entire meal. Overall, it was decent. I'd go back here again and try some of the other dishes.
I have been to this spot a few time and I have been pleased each time. Â There is a relaxed but mature feeling to the bar/restaurant and the service has been good whether at the bar or sitting down for a meal.
Great beer list. Â Good wine. And a fun menu!
This place is a great spot for a dinner date or meal among friends or a spot to come in and have a few drinks at the bar.
Came here for a beer tasting event. It was very different than any of beer tasting I've been to as instead of presenting a progression of beers throughout the night, the beers were briefly described and then it was a free for all to taste the ones you wanted. The selection of beers was a nice entry into the topic of the beer dinner but I found that I didn't really learn much about the beers. Many of the options were presented with similar descriptions and I didn't learn all that much. Of course, I probably know more about beer than the average Joe Six-Pack but I think a little more effort could have been put in here.
Review Source:Great place. They have la crosse lager. Bar bites are tasty. They have a pretty decent scotch selection. Lacrosse Lager is here and its among my favorite, if not my favorite, cheap beer.
Good food, service is aight.
Wings were ok, but forgettable, the real gem are the drinks, which are good and plenty, like that horrible candy nobody liked.
It has taken me forever to come to this place, but I am really glad I finally got my chance! Came here on a double date with my best friend and her man. We ordered a bottle of wine (excellent), frites, rabbit rillette, pork shoulder, steak, and mussels. Everything was so delicious!! The rabbit rillette, pork shoulder, and mussels were standouts. The pork was a bit salty, but the magnitude of the other flavors balanced out well. The steak was nice, but not amazing. The rabbit was surprisingly tender.
For dessert, we shared creme brulee and if you do not order it, you are an idiot.
Love the dimly lit space, and surprised to find out how big the bar/restaurant was. Waitstaff was very friendly and the vibe was upbeat but classy. Definitely coming back!
Another great restaurant in this great Chicago neighborhood. Â Such a great atmosphere - it's like you walk back in time a bit when you walk in this place. Â Brick walls, low light, cool vibe...
We have to have the hot wings - they have that after spicy but oh so good.
Heirloom tomato salad was perfect. Â The French mussels even get my approval and that's hard to do since our visit to Hawaii a few years back.
One great thing about this place is that I think they switch up the menu according to seasons - always somethings new and exciting. Â I know why it's a neighborhood gem.
Came here on a date and I must say, it left something to be desired. Upon walking in, it has great curb appeal. The exposed brick wall, the candles, the long bar. The environment is perfect for a date night, or for a time to catch up with some friends. Unfortunately, the food didn't match up to the quality of the drinks or the environment.
If you're looking for a place with a good vibe to have a nice drink (or two, or three), this is a great spot. In the future, Â I would only go for small appetizers as opposed to a whole meal.
I've been coming here for about 4 years and have always enjoyed this classy and upscale bar and restaurant. In a neighborhood that is often insane on the weekends, the Bluebird, while it gets busy as all get out, maintains its classy vibe.
Now, I have been here with friends who were able to get extremely drunk, and yet the servers were always kind and patient with us. I am a fan mainly of the wine here. This place has a solid wine list, and the bartenders often feature really good unfiltered red wines. It is one of my favorite cold weather hang outs because there is nothing nicer than warming up with a bottle of red wine.
The wine vibe makes the place fun. Often girls night out parties flow through here and you get to watch the tables go from uptight to wine-fueled and fun. This is a great bar for people watching.
Now, a good friend has described this as a "great place for men and women with money and good jobs to meet other professionals" ... I suppose he didn't want to say "Yuppie"... but we have also noticed that this is a great place to see a 60 year old man with a 25 year old girlfriend. We have seen engagement rings here as big as bowling balls. One female friend said "this place is full of women with 3 ct glass cutters and 20-something women looking for one." Hum, well, people watching as I said can be fun.
Great staff. Solid wine list. Good beers in bottles. Solid food. Overall, an excellent choice for a classy fun time for wine drinkers who like and know good wine.
The fries are great! The gnocchi is awesome! The vibe... the jury is still out. My friend & I came for dinner before a movie so we were the very first people there at 5:30pm. The look and feel of the place was nice and had it's charms. I digg it!
I'll def. be back at a busier time to get a real feel for what The Bluebird has to offer!
Have been here a few times, once for a private party in the back which was really fun and seemed to be managed well by the staff. Â They had great food and drinks available for everyone although the set up was a bit awkward.
Based on that experience also came for dinner on a first date. Â Great choice by me! Â Not only did we have terrific food but great service for nearly 4 hours (and confirmed second date before leaving).
I liked the neighborhood most, crowd and atmosphere second, food third and service last. Â The first three were close but the service was distant. Â I had to go to the bar to get a drink as a server was very late in her first arrival. Â Also, compared to the other places I dined at during my weekend trip, the server was the least knowledgeable/helpful. Â From the comparisons to others in Chi, I expected more.
Review Source:Disclaimer - This review is solely based on drinks and apps at the bar for an hour-ish long break during a walk around the neighborhood with friends.
What I LOVED of our quick stop-
*The huge selection of craft beer: There was so much to choose from different parts of the country and world. But in honor of season, I had to go with the Jolly Pumpkin.
*The atmosphere: It's a good combo of fun/casual derived from the exposed brick and chalkboard menu specials with a swanky/hip aura derived from the dim candle lighting and sleek decor. It was lively with the Saturday night dinner crowd but also bustling at the bar.
*The simple yet upscale menu: I like when restaurants know what works for them and focus on those items. We ordered the prosciutto app and it was actually a good size portion for four people with fresh/crisp watermelon, arugula, onion and cheese on top.
What could improve our experience -
*No beers on tap - I appreciate the wide selection but it would be nice to have some on draft rather than all bottled.
*Service was a bit slow - This could be attributed to the "rush hour" of when we entered the establishment, but it took a bit too long to place / wait for orders.
Future considerations - I would love to return for a longer dinner date to try the other menu items!
I like Bluebird a lot, but I think I'd probably frequent it more as a neighborhood place if I lived a little closer. Everything I've eaten here has been really delicious. The service has always been great, and the atmosphere is nice as well. I'd like to go in one night and just sit at the bar and drink wine with a couple friends, but this would also be a nice date place too.
They have a fantastic wine list and the servers have always been able to recomend great wine based on the descriptions of what I like. Always helpful suggestions.
The atmosphere is very "urban chic". Exposed brick, candles, dim but carefully thought out lighting, local art on the wall etc.
I think the crux of the place is that it is in walking distance to some really killer destination foodie stops, and where it would normally be a great place to go in it's own right, it instead often recieves the overflow from places like Le Bouchon or Mindy's Hot Chocolate, etc. If you want a nice night out for dinner that's reasonable in price and has quality menu selections and not an hour wait, this is a cute little place.
It's a Monday evening, en route for some post-cervesa-and-drinks-grub.
Unaware at the time, we realized our first pick was closed for the evening. Sadness. We followed our noses next door to Bluebird: welcoming, romantic, exposed brick interiors... why not give this place a shot?
The mussels and frites were the highlight, in the key of "southern french"-- enjoyed the hints of chilli, which almost caused us to spoon up the broth by itself. Â My burger was on the underwhelming side, but the duck leg was tender and well-prepared. Like some of the reviews, I also found our dining experience to be A-OK. While dinner was pleasant, I don't think anything warranted a repeat trip.
romantic spot w/the most delicious peach crisp dessert. Â extensive wine list~ but, a teensy tiny cocktail list. Â which is saddening, b/c from the one cocktail i tried... Â it was quite delicious. Â
however, they should really take that chocolate dessert off the menu. Â its so dry and awful.
Good food. Great location. Slow and inattentive service.
Bluebird has come a long way. I have gone there a few times since they opened up a few years ago.
Last night had hanger steak (really good, and done as I had asked - rare), and sour cherry/peach crisp (delicious although the looks were nothing to write home about).
Some busboy (??) dropped the food for me without saying anything. After finally many looks (from me), the waitress noticed my flag (full hand) and attended to my request for pepper...took long enough that i had finished more than half of my meal by then.
The server seemed sweet enough. And will try this place more frequently now.
Prices, fair.
Value, good.
Wishing them the best.
The food is quite good, even good enough to justify the price.
The wine list is good, although the price per bottle is quite excessively bloated.
The service is decent. Not amazing, but not rude or inept either.
Here's the twist, the half chicken was my only meal of the day and I got food poisoning. Not "I felt sick after dinner" food poisoning, but like the good ole' legitimate bacterial - 8 hour onset - sit in the bathroom for 40 hours- food poisoning.
My first reaction was to call this inexcusable and rate it 1 star warning people not to eat here. But it's not like chefs have bacteria-seeing glasses, and how common is it to slightly under-cook part of a giant half chicken in a busy restaurant on a weekend night?
So don't let my bathroom horror story scare you away, that can happen anywhere, especially with a dish like that. But you might want to hold your table candle up to your meat for a minute before biting in.
I just don't understand the people on here that expect every restaurant to cater to their medical needs. Â It's a restaurant people, not a hospital. Â It IS ABSOLUTELY NOT the restaurant's obligation to offer you entitled babies a gluten-free or garlic-free, or whatever-free option, beer, food, or otherwise.
Whew, got that out of the way...now the good thing is if you can hang at a place like this and not be a d-bag, you'll get excellent food and service and some of the most amazing craft beers and international (and interesting!) wines in the city.
Love the rustic bar top, the exposed brick and heavy-metal fixtures. Â Always a fun crowd to chat with and people are generally super-cool. Â I've had the mussels in 3 or 4 different fashions and they're unbelievable. Â Occasional vegetarian options, but that's not what they do well. Â Again, don't complain about it...they're not trying to be all things to all people.
Highly recommended for a real Chicago experience!
If you have any food allergies DO NOT EAT HERE. Â The wait staff was not only uneducated but also apathetic about the contents of the food. Â After explaining that someone in our party was Gluten Intolerant he presented a bowl of mussels with bread in it. Â After chasing him down to describe the issue, he followed me back to the table, and made a point to ask the entire group if bread crumbs were an issue... Â What school of thought prompts you to justify your mistake instead of apologizing immediately?
He was however AMAZING at pouring beer into a glass and bringing full carafe's of water to the table.
We will never go back.
At the behest of my friend, who knows I am very interested in "researching bars" in the Chicago area, we headed to The Bluebird on a Friday night. Â The ambiance was very typical for a wine bar: dimly lit, exposed brick walls, small tables arranged closely together.
My friend claims that I am "the pro" at picking wine (I am flattered, but she exaggerates greatly!) and after reviewing the wine list at The Bluebird, I was impressed. Â There were quality bottles of super Tuscans, Cotes du Rhones, and Rioja, as well as some very unique craft beers available by the bottle and on draft. Â We selected a nice and affordable Nebbiolo to sip as we decided what to have for dinner.
The two of us agreed to share the southern French mussels and frites and the artichoke flatbread. Â The mussels were cooked in a delightful sauce of fennel, leeks, tomato, and white wine. Â Despite how good the sauce was, the preparation of the mussels and frites paled in comparison to anything from a true Belgian restaurant. Â The artichoke flatbread was essentially a thin cracker-like serving of carbohydrates topped with goat cheese and arugula; a delicate, but bland plate that really failed to impress.
We were still feeling a little hungry and decided to share pumpkin pie for dessert. Â I know restaurants are all about cutting costs, but wow, what a minuscule piece of pie we received. Â It was also not your typical pumpkin pie; it had the consistency and density of a cheesecake, was probably about an inch and a half high, and was garnished with some very potent cranberries that drowned the flavor of the pie.
I'd love to return, probably not to eat, but definitely to enjoy wine or beer.
I came here very late on a Saturday night with a group of 5. Â We wanted to eat and Bluebird delivered! Â
The bar was lively but it wasn't too loud where you felt like you had to shout or continually ask someone to repeat themselves.
Oh and let's talk about the lighting. I'm a fanatic about proper lighting and Bluebird hits the mark. Â It was perfectly dim. Ahhh...heaven.
We were seated in the back which was empty b/c it was 12:30 a.m. I didn't mind though. I was just pleased they were still serving food. Â
What was ordered: Â olives, salad, poutine, mussels and flatbread. Â I don't think any of it was out of this world but it was satisfactory.
I'm giving 4 stars b/c I really enjoyed the environment. Â The crowd is late 20s and up which I appreciate more and more as I get older. This is a great place to grab a drink and snack on apps before or after dinner.
Period point blank, one of the best restaurants in the city. Â Diverse menu with more than the typical Chicago gastropub fare. Â Amazing drink menu. Â Muscles are probably the best I've ever had anywhere. Â When it comes to steak options, they actually know how to cook at the right temperature. Â Excellent decor. Â
I have no ideas how half the restaurants in this city get 4 and 5 stars sometimes, but this is one of the only restaurants I've been to in Chicago, where I was impressed with every single component of the experience. Â
If you're not into Bucktown, they have another spot in Logan Square named Telegraph which is also great.
I would give Bluebird 3.5 stars, but since I can't and I'm an optimist, I'll round up to 4.
I'm writing this review a few weeks after I visited for dinner and I can't remember everything we had. This kind of speaks for itself, as the food was pretty good but not memorable. A couple of things I do remember is we started with the market salad. It was a very small portion, more suitable for one, but we pretty much split everything. We got one of the flatbreads that was on special, and it was very very good. Balsamic glaze was delectable. I also remember the bison burger was shared and very good. Wish I could give more details, but again, good/average food but not memorable.
However, I will firmly reiterate that the ambiance of Bluebird is great. Dim lighting, exposed brick, contemporary paintings and just an overall great atmosphere. Great beer and wine list that read more like a book. I would for sure come back here for a date.
Came here for drinks for a friend's birthday a few weeks ago. Â We were in town from Boston so it's always nice to compare and contrast the two cities since both are known for being "cool" in their own ways. Â
The place was pretty packed, so luckily we were able to snag the area right up front right by the bar. Â The drinks were good, tried a flatbread pizza later in the night (to soak up all of the alcohol, hah!), that was good (I think;-)). You can tell the place was designed to embody oldschool character, but still felt clean and new. Â The dining room is fairly modern and dimly lit - gives it a pretty low-key and chill vibe. Like!
Overall, just a solid place to meet for drinks since they have a decently sized, long bar.
Recently stopped in here after hearing good things, but left a little underwhelmed. Everything was good, but not amazing. Extensive wine/drink menu, gorgeous atmosphere but lack luster service and food.
I ordered the mac and cheese, which is a small plate but I have an obsession with trying every one in the city and had to try it. It held a good mixture of breadcrumbs and different cheeses, however the bacon in it provided little flavor. I tried the tagliatelle pasta ordered by my date and it was similar, very light which was nice, but lacking a strong flavor.
I'd probably try it again, at least for drinks but would hold off on eating here for awhile.
The Bluebird lives!!!!!
When my parents informed me that they dropped into Bluebird again after quite a long hiatus, I was THRILLED to hear that they started serving their deliciously yummy flat bread again.
So a few weekends ago I returned and it's once again one of my favorite places in Chicago. The food is so tasty - I love the bison burger and we had an artichoke goat cheese flat bread that I could have had 14 of. Other favorites: Belgian-style frites, mussels, hangar steak, mac and cheese.
They also have a really nice glass of Champagne that's about $9, and a splendid beer list. And the ambiance is perfect for a low-key, casual, warm sort of night -- it's busier in the front where the bar is, and then there's a nice fireplace in the back and it's sort of dark, warm and cozy throughout.
Me + Bluebird = happiness!
I think I like this place for the warm, cozy atmosphere more than anything else.
low-lit, hardwood bar with rustic-looking, leather menus featuring plenty of wine to sip while you snuggle up to your sweetie.
The downside? The noise volume varies greatly and unpredictably- although most of the times I've been here it's been pretty dead crowd-wise and quiet.
The wines have been ok. The bartenders seem to know their stuff, but the prices leave something to be desired.
It had been awhile since our last date, so the beau planned for a dinner in Wicker Park. He didn't tell me where we were going until we got there, and I could obviously see it was Bluebird.
Immediately, I knew why he picked it:
1. The beer list was extensive. By bottle only, and not as pricey as expected
2. THREE types of mussels (belgian, french, english)
3. Charcuterie plate for $25
4. And of course, pork shoulder
We were seated in the back. If you think this place is small from the outside, don't worry--there is a large back room. At 6:30 on a Friday, it wasn't packed until 7. We beat the crowd, and were soon surrounded by well-dressed foodies like ourselves. Hey--I showered that day, ok?!
We asked how big the charcuterie plate was. The response "Definitely substantial for the both of you, you get your money's worth". PERFECT! We decided not to order until we saw the plate. Good choice. There were about 5 cheeses, and 5 types of meat with garnishes, too. There were flat crisps and a warm french baguette that accompanied it.
We were ALMOST too full from the beer and charcuterie, but we moved along quite nicely to the pork shoulder. It was served with apple stuffing, sweet apple&honey type sauce, lettuce, and brown crunchy rice. We devoured it.
Were we finished? No. I spotted the chocolate porter cake with lavendar cream and suggested, rather demanded that we get it. I didn't really have to twist the beau's arm, seeing as we both ate all of it. It could have been sweeter, but that's because I like my desserts decadent--that goes without saying!
Oh, I took pics of our plate and dessert-check it out!
This is a great place for a date. He or she will be impressed :)
I've been a fan of Jack Stankovic since he was slinging pork chops and goulash at the Theatre Cafe way back in 2010 (check my review). Â Sadly, Jack left shortly thereafter and the Theatre Cafe is no more.
Now, as you may know, Jack is back at Bluebird and he's working his old magic again. Â Full disclosure, Jack is a friend of mine, but know that because of that friendship, I had high expectations, and they were met.
I loved everything about Bluebird. Â The decor is classic Wicker Park - dark wood, exposed brick, hardwood floors, just enough ambient light, and ambient music that sets the mood for some seriously flavorful food. Â We had a promising start with a champagne toast and old school cocktails, and eagerly awaited rich savory dishes. Â We were not disappointed.
First off, I love love love the drink program here, which is to be expected, given the provenance of the owners - Webster Wine Bar and Telegraph. Â The J. Lassalle 'Cachet d'Or' Brut champagne is simply gorgeous - crisp and full of minerality, with loads of bread in the bouquet and on the palate. Â I've recently become of lover of Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley, and the Olivier Cousin had an earthy barnyard bouquet and rusticity reminiscent of finely aged Southern Rhones that paired perfectly with our dishes. Â My noble bourbon boozers will find pleasant haven in the cocktail menu, for they make a fantastic manhattan. Â The menu version is made with Bulliet Bourbon, but Bulliet Rye, which was my choice, is also available, and it provides a spicier version of the same.
On to the food. Â We started with mac and cheese and mussels, provencale style. Â Upon casual inspection of the mac you might think it to be light on cheese, but first impressions can deceive - the dish has loads of cheese flavor and none of the cloying clumpiness that has ruined many mac and cheese productions.
The provencale mussels burst with flavors and boast fresh herbs that evoke the hillsides of the South of France. Â Their aroma is unique to mussels I've had in Chicago and is not to be missed. Â The mussels themselves are meaty and tender, and when they are dispatched you will want a second serving of bread to sop up the plentiful broth.
For dinner, we had the steak and the pulled pork. Â The pulled pork in the faro had a heavy flavor of smoke and cream and was just as good three days later as it was that night. Â The steak was grilled to a perfectly bloody medium rare and had a rich consistency.
As a finale, we had the beer batter waffles with peaches and the molten chocolate cake. Â The waffles were light and flaky, and the peaches provided a perfect hit of sweetness. Â They are perfectly matched with one of the many available selections of bourbon, and indeed the flavor is enhanced with a splash of bourbon upon the waffles. Â The molten chocolate cake was similarly top notch.
I look forward to returning many times, exploring the beer menu in more detail, and reclining in languor at the bar. Â I recommend you do the same.
Bluebird is one of the most underrated gastropubs in Chicago. And that's fine by me - there are way too many restaurants in this city where I'd consider my table lucky if the wait were 30 minutes. I walked in at 7 on a weekday for a going-away dinner with 7 other people. It was practically empty, which was shocking. I'm used to having to go through a whole song and dance for a good meal in Chicago. Thank heavens we didn't have to do that here. There was no wait and no stress.
Our table started with Spanish olives: manzanillas, arbequinas, & marcona almond-stuffed gordals. I am normally not an olives girl, but these totally hit the spot. I enjoyed a house wine special: a Cortese that was the perfect medium between sweet and dry for me. We also got to try the chicken pâté and some grilled baby octopus. The pate was flavorful and refined, the octopus pretty standard.
I'd say the standouts from the meal were the pasta dishes and the mussels. We had an amazing rabbit pasta I'm still thinking about today. A flavor profile and presentation reminiscent of spaghetti carbonara, the oyster mushrooms were a fantastic touch to this dish. And everyone inhaled their mac n' cheese: penne w/ mascarpone, gruyère & bacon. We also tried two of the mussels: Brussels-style and Colonial. The first had a strong herb/beer base complementing the mollusks perfectly, and the second a rich cream base spiced with cilantro, curry and lemongrass that we drank like soup. The Belgian-style frites w/ truffle aioli & curry ketchup were coveted by everyone at the table and didn't last long at all.
We finished with waffles - a dark chocolate sauce adorned one and bananas & caramel the other. The price point of this meal was ridiculously reasonable. I would come here every week if I lived closer.
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