The Bluebird

4 Stars for The Bluebird. I was having dinner with a couple of friends and one lives near The Bluebird. After I shared my craving for mussels with her she led us to The Bluebird and we had a fantastic meal.
We started out with two heaping bowls of mussels. We opted for the cider and southern French, both were delicious but the real winner for me were the cider mussels. The combination of cider with bacon, onion, and curry powder was divine. We had to ask for more bread just to sop up the amazing broth. The belgian frites they serve with the mussels are also amazing. Perfectly cooked and well complemented by the delicious aioli they were accompanied by. We also finished our meal up with the cauliflower which was good but unimpressive, especially compared with how much we loved the mussels.
Service and ambiance at The Bluebird are also spot on. I love how the restaurant is darkly lit and the tables are spread far enough apart so people are not cramped and on top of each other. The whole wait staff was equally impressive and the chef was even kind enough to stop by our table twice throughout the meal.
The Bluebird is a hidden gem on Damen and definitely worth checking out.

Dropped a star because of food. Each dish was initially great, but after chowing down I realized that the food was on the salty side. Drinks and service always top notch here however! Very pleasant experience…

Unfortunate experience. It’s one thing when the food is bad but another when the service sucks too.
Server visit #1:
Took 15 mins for us to be greeted and even place a cocktail order and app.
Drinks were finished by the time the appetizer finally came out.
Dinner was dropped off by food runner, this was extremely unfortunate and didn’t taste good at all. Bizarre flavors on the lamb ragu, and Mac and cheese was dry.
Almost finished with dinner… would love another cocktail, except our server was no where to be found!
Server visit #2:
Dinner is done. We are over it. She finally shows up and at this point we just want to leave and ask for our check.
This place has gone drastically downhill over the last four years since we’ve patronized it. We had horrible service and the food was sub-​par. Not interested in returning.
Sadly, tonight was our last meal at the Bluebird.

3.5 stars
I hung out with friends of my wife a couple of days ago at this location. Since it was Thursday night it wasn’t too busy. There were two parts of the restaurant; bar area in front with some tables, and more tables inside. We sat inside, and we were the only party for the most time we were there (after 9 pm). We liked it since it was quiet and nice for us to talk. The overall ambience was nice. The server was very attentive, checking on us on food and drink every 15 minutes or so.
Foodwise, I had a burger with fries which was 12 bucks. I ordered medium well, but the patty was more dry than I thought. Fries were tasty. I liked the hot wings, but I didn’t think it was much better than the bar food from other places.
Overall, I thought this was a nice place to hang out and talk with close friends.

Not sure I can fully judge yet and I might need to go back for a meal sometime. I went for the Oyster happy hour and was a little disappointed. The oysters were served a little too room temperature for my taste, which kind of grosses me out. They also didn’t serve them with hot sauce and horse radish. But, I asked for it and it greatly improved my experience. I sat at the bar and the service wasn’t amazing. Bar tender was a little cold, not super friendly.
The drinks were pretty good though and the fries not bad either. I’ll go back and give it another try!

Go for the beer and stay for the Whiskey. So I’m not a beer guy, but what I tried was great, but what this place also does well is whiskey and whiskey based drinks. The selection is pretty great and the bartenders really know their stuff and can find you what you like based on your tastes with ease. During happy hour they had amazingly cheap oysters. I had the mac-​n-​cheese which included bacon. Not like some places that will toss some bacon bits in the mix, but I’m talking good hearty chunks of bacon. That alone is a win for me. Good vibe, good ambience, not so loud you have to shout. Is it the cheapest no, but most everything was worth the price.

I use to come here all the time. They always have oyster specials which drives me crazy and keeps me coming back.
Their food is unique. But this place isn’t cheap. Is it worth it? Are the drinks worth it? The service is good and always knowledgeable and the food is always very flavourful. Is it worth it? Yes it is.
Come in and spend some time at the Bluebird. Get to know the menu. The place won’t let you down.

Extensive beer selection and excellent wine list. The place is casual and the ambiance is great. So I was expecting better food, but to my disappointment I found it all very mediocre.
Eat at Mindy’s Hot Chocolate next door and then come here for drinks!

Stopped through Bluebird on Sunday night for an early evening date (~630p) — had a bottle of wine, the cheeseboard as an appetizer and we collectively had the sweet potato gnocchi (with pulled rabbit loin) and arctic char. Both mains were very, very good (the gnocchi was outstanding), but the cheeseboard was just ok for $ 16 — props on the local cheeses though. Overall would definitely come back again!

The atmosphere was great, the drinks were delicious, and the drink menu was impressive, but both the food and drinks were a little overpriced for what they were. Also, to be charged extra for changing to an equivalent liquor in a specialty cocktail was a little tacky…
I will give them another shot, but I was expecting better food, and better service for that matter (it was slow, even when the restaurant wasn’t that busy yet).

Drinks are overpriced and a bit limited on the cocktails side. I can’t speak for the wine or beer. We were there late on a Friday night and it was pretty empty. Scored a small table right across from the bar; within 20 minutes, there were only 2 other people sitting near us, but the bar seating was still full.
We ordered a cheeseburger (cooked medium) and fries to share; they had a late night menu, so it was limited. The burger was definitely under cooked, although my friend liked it that way, so he ate it. I stuck to the fries, which were pretty good; nice and crispy, just how I like them!
The ambiance and overall feel of this place is great! It would be good for a date night, but it’s not at the top of my list.

I have only been there twice and only for drinks. So, I can say it has a long bar which is perfect for meeting someone for a drink, either for a date or before dinner somewhere else on Damen. The atmosphere is great and the staff generally friendly.
I also found it surprisingly easy to get street parking before 7:00 so don’t be afraid to drive.

3.0 — 3.5 star range
I came here with my BFF (Best Foodie Friend) on a weekend night for dinner, and we were seated right away. The ambience was dark and rustic. The staff were nice and quick to take our orders.
They have an EXTENSIVE craft beer selection, so if you’re a beer aficionado, you can put The Bluebird on your «I Want To Go To There» list. That being said, the prices for beer are a bit too high. I noticed certain beers priced at $ 13 when I can get them for $ 8 at other bars. Their cocktail list looked good, and the cocktails are cheaper than most of the beers!
The food was alright. My friend and I split some fries. He ordered the Cider Braised Berkshire Pork Cheeks with celery root & kohlrabi remoulade. We both thought it was good, but not great. The pork cheek was tender and juicy, but not overall flavorful. The celery root & kohlrabi remoulade was bland. I ordered the Sweet Potato Gnocchi with rabbit and pickled guajillo. That was very flavorful, and my friend and I both really enjoyed it. I definitely recommend the sweet potato gnocchi!
It was an overall good experience. The Bluebird just didn’t have that «je né sais quoi» factor to reel me in. I probably won’t return unless someone else I’m with wants to go.

I’ve wanted to try the Bluebird for a long time, and I’m so glad I finally had the chance last Saturday! And with only a 20 minute wait on a weekend night with no reservation, I will probably be back. The Bluebird is both a bar and a restaurant, with a long bar in the front room dotted by several tables along the sides, and a few more tables in the back. Overall it is light on seating but rich in atmosphere. Exposed brick, dim lights, a rustic elegance that makes you feel like you’re in a French bistro or something. It is casual, but you would definitely feel at home if you were a bit dressed up too. Come as you are, and eat tasty things.
I ordered a glass of wine from the bar, then got another after we sat down. $ 12 glass of lovely sweet German riesling. It is quite sweet, which I like, but those who prefer dry whites should steer clear. I thought it was lovely! My friend and I shared the pan-​roasted brussels sprouts which were absolutely delicious and served with a creamy aioli, then we devoured a generous pot of Southern French mussels with fennel, wine, and chiles. Some crispy, salty, hot frites were served alongside with another tangy aioli. Everything was wonderful. Even the bread they brought us to dip into the broth was beautifully toasted but still a bit soft toward the center. The broth in the mussels was some of the most flavorful I’ve had, and the flavor really carried through to the mussels. How many times have I had a bowl of mussels where the taste of the broth didn’t get picked up by the seafood at all? I don’t know how they did it but every bite was infused with great flavor. This would make a meal for 1, but is great to split amongst 2 with another small plate (or a few). Filling and fresh, I think this huge bowl of mussels (with tons of extra broth) was only $ 15. Really you can eat quite inexpensively here with lovely food.
Perfect for a date night, or splitting a few dishes with friends over bottles of wine. And you can probably get in without a reservation so it’s perfect for last minute nights out! I’m so glad we came here, and I hope I get to come back soon.

On a cold, blustery, snowy Chicago night we braved the walk from my sister’s house to the Bluebird. We were a party of 8 and were happy to enter the warm atmosphere and order some food. We shared a bunch of appetizers (brussel sprouts with chorizo, an amazing flatbread with goat, goat cheese, beets and pistachio, and charcuterie). Mains included delicious braised pork cheeks, fish and chips, arctic char and mussels. Cocktails, sparkling water and wine completed the meal.
Service was excellent, atmosphere cozy.
My sister comes here often for just drinks at the bar, and if I lived in Chicago I would probably be a regular.

Hmmm where do I start???
I went to a corporate party at Bluebird a few days ago and I was blown away with the service. The waistaff here is top notch. If you’ve read my other reviews you know I’m very hard please, but The Bluebird staff were up for the challenge! :) When they saw my co workers and I moving a table, because it was wobbly they immediately appeared and offered to help out of no where the lady has something to put under the table to steady it. (bonus points). My co-​worker had an allergy to wine and it was a wine tasting event, so they allowed him to beer taste with the nicest glasses and the most prompt service ever, not a good job — GREAT friggin job!
The décor
I like pretty things. I feel like The Bluebird could have played up their business name with wooden blue tables and even blue birds on the wall. I didn’t see a theme anywhere, but that’s okay. They had nice clean furniture and well polished staff. No complaints outside of the floor is uneven so it makes the tables wobble.
The food and drinks
HA — I don’t know how much this event was, but I will say that the food was delicious I ate so much when I arrived home I felt like a glutton. I said to myself,“Did you really need to eat that much?” ha ha ha :) They promptly refilled the various options and the waitresses were top notch for the wine tasting. For some reason she was able to pick out who the Executives were and she was quick to run over and fill up the wine glasses of those who needed it the most first — thanks! :)
This place was not on my list, because it was outside of my desired «area», but now it is. Great service wins me over every single (insert curse word here) time!
Everything about the evening was perfect.
So, yes I will return in less than 30 days to double check and make sure they treat everyone the same not just private parties. In the meantime, make sure you check this place out if you are having a private party, I promise they will treat your guest with passion and respect!

The evening started off right when I found free street parking on St. Paul, about a block south west of Bluebird. The evening continued and finished with aplomb — five star company for a dear friend’s birthday celebration. The restaurant provided her with chocolate crème brûlée donned with a candle.
I’m only giving two stars to the restaurant because it was good, but I’ve experienced better. I think that Bluebird is mediocre when I consider other similar joints. What *might* set it apart are their three kinds of oysters but I didn’t have those.
I got two Bourbon-​based cocktails and brussel sprouts. Our table shared frites and mac n cheese. I got to try some asparagus off of someone’s plate. The shining star was the mac n cheese. It was incredible! The frites were nothing special and the brussel sprouts were w-​a-​a-​a-​y too salty. The asparagus was tasty. My Bourbon-​based cocktails were okay. One of them was w-​a-​a-​a-​y too citrusy.
It seemed as if the food was served to share but there were no serving utensils provided with the dishes. I felt kind of awkward helping myself to mac n cheese with my own fork — especially after it was already in my mouth.
Our server was perfectly friendly and adequate. There wasn’t anything very special about the service. Although we ordered everything at once, there were some noticeable breaks between some of the dishes. It is fine to space things out, but that was a little too spaced.
I don’t think I’d go back to Bluebird unless 1) my friends wanted to go there again, or 2) I happened to be in the area. It’s just not that special to justify another visit.

Pssst, lean a little closer or the secret will get out on the Secret Stache Stout, it was bold and beautifully amazing.
For noshes I had the flatbread, arugula, bacon and a Pecorino like cheese. Not what I visualized, but it WAS «flat» it just was NOT «bread». A dry, cracker thin crust with what looked like a salad piled on top. It was difficult to eat because the crust fell apart and the toppings fall off. Where’s the cheese to glue this sucka togetha? Oh, yeah… they used Pecorino… which hardly melts. If flatbread is like a pizza, then it should be easy to eat like a pizza; not be a challenge to get from plate to mouth. Overall, the flavor was good but I would redo the crust with something a little easier to maneuver. And then add more cheese, a different cheese… one that melts at least a little. Or add a sauce or spread, one that can make all the toppings stick to the crust.
Loved the beer, great variety to choose from. Loved the atmosphere, laid-​back yet trendy. Unique food, certainly a gastropub inspired menu.

So I live right by this place, like scary close to it and I’m kicking myself for not going here more often. We had a couple bourbon cocktails and they were both amazing (the beer list is also pretty great too). We also split the Southern French mussels which were absolutely awesome. One order with the fries that came with it would’ve totally been enough for my boyfriend and I but no no no, we also thought we should order the macaroni and cheese and the brussels sprouts too. Way too much food but it was all soooo delicious! I have to say the brussels sprouts with chorizo were the best I’ve ever had.
As for the service, our waitress was really nice. The place itself is very small so it might be a good idea to get a reservation, though we just walked right in on a Tuesday and got a small table next to the windows. The bar itself was cute too and it did get a little noisy towards the end of our dinner but it wasn’t bad. I loved this place and I can’t wait to come back to try the spring menu!

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. 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.