Julia Blackbird’s New Mexican Cafe

Was good several years ago, but went recently and it was not. we were the only table in there and the service was slow. food was cold and chips were cold, oily, and chewy. it was also freezing cold in there, like they had no heat. we sat by the fireplace but it was still uncomfortable.

Food and atmosphere is great! We’ve been here twice and we’ve been the only people here both times which I think is unfortunate because all the dishes are amazing, especially the acorn squash. Google says it’s closed on Fridays, not true! We came in and we were the only people, I felt so bad for the staff. Please come and give this place business!

As we walk in and saw only 2 tables inside and 1 on the patio with customers and 2 tables unoccupied with dishes still on the table this should of warn us. We had read the reviews on a travel guide so we wanted to try it. Service was slow but worse the food, I ordered the stew it was just slightly warm it came without a soup spoon I ate it with my teaspoon that was in the silverware asked for some hot sauce, the sever said that awful stuff from the bottle that my son likes to but on his eggs, I said yes, well that made the stew a little more eatable and tasty!
My husband ordered the tres hermanas cheese was not melted in his enchilada the rice and beans were room temperature. We paid the bill and walk out very disappointed, as we walked out a potential customer heard us talking and he said I will keep on walking I know he probably had a great meal somewhere else lucky him

I’ve been here twice this week, and the food is incredible! The owner is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Definitely try the squash!

The service was very slow and poor. The food was mediocre at best — especially for the price point. Had their signature dish — «Tres Hermanas» — and the cheese was only half melted and food was warm not hot. There are much better options in the area.

I’m a reasonable type, I don’t like to bash, but oh my, save yourself and go somewhere else. The best description is «out of it». The server was nearly incoherent. The food took way to long even though we were nearly the only ones there, the food was, well editable but barely. I’m sorry.

We drove all the way from Boulder to try this restaurant. When we got there, we were told that they would not be able to seat us for about 10 min, even though there were several empty tables. After about 20 min, the server came by and told us they were running out of food. We could see that there was only one cook, who could not keep up with the orders. The server never even offered us a drink. We sat in there lobby for 45min before we finally left. As we were leaving we told the server we were going and she said ok and left. How does this place even stay open? We went down the street and had a lovely dinner at another restaurant where they were actually glad to see us.
MH

We have lived in the neighborhood for 5 years and have been here twice. We first went when we just moved in. It was terrible. You would think when you are the only ones in the restaurant you would get quick service, but nope. They just don’t care here. The food isn’t good and is VERY overpriced. I love supporting locals, but El Camino, Bang, Stella and Coral Room will continue to get my money, time and support. I think the worst part about it is the owner. She just doesn’t belong in the food and service industry. Key word being SERVICE. She is rude. Look at the other reviews. There is a pattern here. Someone who opens a restaurant should be hospitable, kind and welcoming. She only cares about herself. She treats her staff horribly and it reflects in how they serve you and the food you eat. She has an arrogance to the industry-​always bragging about how long shes been there, but I suspect by the reviews she gets that it wont last much longer. She is clearly there for your money only.
I say save your money and go where the people care about you, where the people want to create a positive community and where the food is good.

I read the reviews but prefer to experience a place before placing a judgment. What a sweet charming place. Nice relaxing outdoor patio — perfect for this gorgeous spring colorado day. I ordered the Tres Hermanas and would have licked the plate if socially acceptable — oh what the heck — who cares if I do! Amazing depth of flavor in the red chile and chile caribe. Delicious posole. This would be a nice place for lunch date. Laid back and unpretentious.

What has happened to this place, terrible experience today at lunch? We were there from 11:30 until 1:15 and only one other couple came in for lunch. Could not cut the chicken breast, very mediocre flavor. We used to come here quite often over 5 years ago and was very good. Are there new owners, etc. in the last few years? Prices are over the top for what you get.

I like supporting small businesses, so it pains me to write this review.
Came here during a slow time, so service should have been fast. Waited more than twenty minutes for a simple drink order (4 margaritas), almost abandoned ship when two of our four drinks finally came. The margaritas all came out warm with ice mostly melted. No salt on two margaritas that we asked for extra salt on. They brought our chips and salsa halfway through finishing our drinks and the chips were soggy, how does that even happen? Can’t see any reason to be here. Waiter was a nice guy though and fixed or margaritas and brought some free shots.

this used to be one of my fav places to eat. after my last experiance I will NEVER return. The owner was the rudest person I have EVER come into contact with and treated both me, my partner and her employees HORRIBLY! I WILL NOT SUPPORT ANY PLACE THAT YELLS AT THEIR EMPLOYEES IN FRONT OF THE CLIENTS and then turns around and yell at the clientelle.
Very sad.

Love this place. Very clean food. Everything we had was fresh and flavorful, (Stew and Tacos). Service was good. Also, I like the feel of this place. Like you’re at a friends home for dinner.

This place is like going to someone’s house for a home cooked meal. Have that expectation and you won’t be disappointed. It’s not fine dining and it’s not a run of the mill «Mexican place». The Navajo stew was delicious… flavorful and satisfying. I got that as my dinner but it would be a great starter. It’s a big bowl so can easily be shared. We also had the guacamole. The chips are made there and they were light and crispy… not too greasy. My boyfriend got the beef tacos. He really liked them… seasoned ground beef with cheese, lettuce, tomato and cheese. Like I said… they were like having tacos at a friend’s place.
Sopapillas were a nice end to the meal… nothing fancy but fried dough with honey and sugar is always yummy. Plus they were only $ 3. The flan was ok… I’ve had better (but the bf really liked it).

First of all, the food has zero flavor. I tried two separate entrés and they were both, almost literally, swimming in oil. Usually, fatty unhealthy foods are delicious, but this stuff (the enchiladas and the stuffed chili norrenos) were flavorless, bland, and soggy. The only good thing I consumed were the pazoles… The owner/​cook/​waitress, Julia, I’m guessing, was a grumpy looking lady with no smile. I asked her if they had shaded outdoor seating and she said, «I can’t control the shade.» lol? How about, «yes I have umbrellas or an awning» or «no, nothing provides much shade.» Simple question deserving a simple and pleasant reply. I will not be returning here despite the offer of a free marg with an entré purchase; I’m sure the margs follow in line with the food.

Wouldn’t be surprised to see this place on «kitchen nightmares.»
Slow, expensive, uninspired. This place is the quintessential money trap, cutting corners on cheap food and killing you on the extras. Seriously, just go to chipotle and save yourself the money and crappy attitude of the blackbird and her staff.

I am updating my review. I stand by what I had said earlier in that I do not think there is enough staff to upkeep the quality of service one expects. It regularly takes ten minutes to get a menu.
BUT
I like the patio. The flowers. The drinks. The chips and salsa. The elote.
I like the décor and music. I am trying so hard to like the food but I typically stop short of dinner.
I have never had true New Mexican food so perhaps I am the wrong person to judge but the patio is a nice stop for happy hour if you have a lot of time to relax.

This place is like an old friend who has been deeply wounded, and somehow seems to blame you. Looks familiar, but no warmth.
I used to frequent this place when it first opened on the north side of 32^nd Avenue. Frankly, it was lesbian central, the vibe was festive and the food was spectacular: simple, flavorful, beautifully presented.
When they first moved into this space, I visited a couple of times and then moved out of the area. A Groupon ran and I grabbed it. Wish I had read Unilocal before buying in. The woman who was cooking was downright surly. Close up the kitchen if you don’t want to acknowledge customers.
Everything kind of tasted the same, the Navajo Stew and Green Chile would be indistinguishable blindfolded. The plates reflected no interest or joy. The place was FREEZING, we and six other diners all wore our coats.
We paid, left, vowed to never bother again.

What is disappointment to me about Julia Blackbird’s New Mexican Café, is that I feel they could easily do better than a 2-​star review. Ordinarily I would think that perhaps we visited on an off night, but other reviews suggest this isn’t the case. The food was decent, but there were other things that ruined the experience for us.
The first problem was noticeable before we even opened the door. This place has horrible ventilation. The door was covered in condensation and when we walked in, it was like walking into a steam room — ick. Later in the evening something got a little smoky in the kitchen, and smoke wafted all through the dining room like a thick fog. Seriously, turn on a fan or something, because eating in a smoky steam room just isn’t anyone’s idea of a good time.
The second issue is the friendliness factor, or rather, lack thereof. People were professional enough, but nobody was very friendly. No one welcomed us as we walked in the door even though three people (including the owner) were right behind the counter in front of us. Nobody smiled or looked at all like they were interested in their job. Maybe they think this doesn’t matter, but it really set us off on the wrong foot.
The third issue, and to me what is really inexcusable for a Mexican restaurant of any type was that the house margaritas we both ordered were absolutely the worst I’ve ever had, anytime, anywhere. They were like limeade, really, and not even a good limeade at that. They tasted like lime rind gone sour, and there was not even a hint or a whisper of tequila flavor. My husband had clear view of the bar and said that he thought the issue was the fact that they use huge glasses but only a tiny portion of tequila. Maybe, but that doesn’t explain the off flavors. I realize most restaurants use a mix, but this was not a good mix. This stuff was just awful and we wasted $ 14 on drinks we couldn’t force ourselves to drink.
Issues above not withstanding, the place was cute, the food was good, and the prices (though still wrong compared to the website menu) were appropriate for the meals. I say if you want some good New Mexican food, give them a go. Just visit in the summer (when you can sit outside) and avoid the margaritas at all cost, and you should be just fine.

Just had lunch here and it was delicious! I had the refreshing peach sun tea and the Chicken Cordon Green. The green chile was very authentic New Mexican and just spicy enough for my tastes — my nose was running but I could still taste the rest of my food. Having just been to Santa Fe it seemed very close to what they have there and actually even better than a couple of places we ate in NM. I want to go back and try the guacamole, stew and the stuffed squash.
The décor is very fun and quaint and I love the location nestled back from the street. Our server was very cute and helpful and, while no one smiled much there, they weren’t unfriendly. It’s hard to explain and I didn’t really even think about it until I read some other reviews here.
I will go back though. Hopefully for dinner so I can try a stronger beverage!