Blackbird Restaurant

My husband and I had dinner at Blackbird our first night in Manzanita. The interior of the restaurant was lovely. The décor was very modern. It was dimly lit, but we were still able to read our menus.
Our waitress was helpful in suggesting a cocktail. The cocktail selection was unusual. I had not heard of many of the drinks on the cocktails menu. It was fun to try something new! I enjoyed my cocktail. It was well crafted and the flavor was surprisingly fresh.
I had the Radicchio Caesar salad to start. It was excellent. In fact, I would say that it was one of the best Caesar salads I have ever had. You definitely must try it! For my entrée, I had the steak. It was perfectly cooked to medium rare. However, the flavor was just ok. It definitely wasn’t what I was expecting for a ~$ 30 entrée. For dessert, my husband and I split the buttermilk ice cream. It was delicious! It tasted like frozen cheesecake.
I would definitely recommend this restaurant to others. However, I would suggest ordering a salad and several small plates to share. One of the locals recommended we go that route next time. After thinking about our time in the restaurant, I remember that a number of other patrons were doing that.

I really should have reviewed Blackbird before now, though others have done a great job. There is nothing else exactly like Blackbird for miles – a real date night restaurant. Very nice design esthetic, great adventurous food that is locally sourced, expertly mixed cocktails. While it is definitely a ‘fancy’ restaurant, this is the coast, so jeans are pretty standard too. Blackbird is definitely a high end restaurant but once you are in you realize that there is almost zero pretentiousness and you can just as easily end up with a fab burger as an elegant halibut filet.
On the weekends, get a reservation early – sometime around Thursday night the people coming from Portland for the weekend start to think ‘I think I want to go to Blackbird, let’s book a table’ and seating goes from wide open to booked solid quickly.

I stopped in the other night for dinner. The wait staff was great. She told me all the specials and even knew the wine list well. I had the bone marrow, roasted Brussels, and a very nicely cook streak. Every thing was cooked great and tasted even better. And the Oregon pinot noir, well what can you say about Oregon pinot noir super great.
Nice job !!! I will be back !!

During my recent visit to Manzanita, OR I found that restaurant selection is limited and most restaurants are only open on certain days/​hours. I believe Blackbird is currently the highest rated, and was definitely the most lively place in town despite being a longer walk from the beach than most of the other restaurants in town. The interior is beautiful and romantic (read: dimly lit).
Our experience started with an unfriendly hostess who was put off by our lack of reservations (I know, I know the website says «reservations recommended»), but we soon found a spot at the bar with an extremely sweet and friendly bartender! She suggested we try a new drink called «Hum» (like Hummingbird) which was delicious. She was great! We shared the mac and cheese appetizer, and despite its meager appearance it was enough to fill us both (light dinner, we weren’t very hungry).
I was quite hesitant to give this restaurant any more than 3 stars because when I looked back into the kitchen I saw the fry cook pouring French fries out of a sealed brown freezer bag. I can’t remember the exact price of the French fries on the menu, but I do remember they were listed as Truffle fries. Even if this place is making them fancy by adding truffle oil/​seasoning after they cook, in a restaurant like this with high prices and a reputation for being farm to table I would love to see real potatoes! This makes me wonder what other corners they are cutting.

The food is amazing — third best in the Coast (Local Ocean/​Irish Table vie for top spot). This was my second visit, and we were celebrating! We decided to sit at the bar, which was the wrong decision. I don’t know if it’s the size of the town or that we were visitors not locals, but our service was terrible. Not only was my husband’s cocktail completely off balance and bitter (stale rinds), but we spent the evening completely neglected by the bar tender. We ended up leaving way earlier than anticipated, deciding not to get dessert and two additional drinks, and a tip that reflected our empty glasses and bad service. It’s the type of place that needs a tenured bar tender that takes care of their guests and pours a mean cocktail.

Loved it! We had the truffle Mac and cheese and the vegetarian ceaser salad. For dessert the house made buttermilk ice cream. Everything was top notch with our meal and the service and atmosphere were lovely. Go here, you won’t be disappointed. Oh yeah, you might need a reservation!

We came here for our anniversary on recommendation from friends. Tried for reservations two days before and had limited options. Started with cauliflower and Brussel sprouts both of which were lovely! Wife had spatzel and I had rock fish. Neither were disappointing in the least. Just stinking lovely meal. When I come back to Manzanita I will be coming here!

Food was good and atmosphere was great until the RAT showed up for dessert and crawled up my leg, down my friends leg, and around the room. The kitchen crew came running in with broom and dustpan assuring us that «this has never happened before, it must have run in through the front door.» Surprisingly dinner was not comped but they did give us a $ 20 gift card for a return visit that will never happen… Should have spent that $ 20 on pest control

We strolled in by accident on our first night at the coast and ended up having the best start to weekend. It felt a little presumptuous at first but the staff was very kind and attentive. The menu made it possible for us to order many items. The bone marrow was amazing, the apricots wrapped in bacon to die for, who doesn’t love truffle fries with a side of fresh Netart oysters? By far the best dining experience I’ve had in my 40 years of visiting the Oregon coast. Tempted to go back day 2 :)
Thank you to everyone at Blackbird.

Amazing! Celebrated my birthday here with my sister and Blackbird did not disappoint. The quality was on par with the nicest establishments in Portland. Started with habanero margarita (warning hot!) But the brussel sprouts were amazing as an appetizer! Even if you don’t like them. you will! Followed with prawns over gnocchi and spatezel… every bite was rich and delicious! Spent over one hundred for two drinks, one appetizer, two entrees and tip. Quite a splurge but was abundantly well worth it!

New place in Manzanita. We visit here almost every year from Texas and tried this place out. As the reviews before stated, we made a reservation but they didnt have it. So, if you make a reservation just go ahead and assume they dont have it. It wasnt a huge problem, we were seated 20 minutes after our original reservation.
I had the steamed clams and my wife had the cod. Cant screw up steamed shellfish, mine was perfect. My wife’s cod was overcooked. Probably should have said something, but as a rule I dont send food back. Not worth the risk. The price was a little high for the quality of food. Four glasses of wine, appetizer, two meals: $ 155 with tip. We are hear for another week plus, but wont go back until next year to see if they are in order.
Good luck to them, it is a nice place!

Delicious with a great atmosphere. Perfect for a romantic night out. We had the crab cakes, flank steak and truffle fries. Absolutely delicious. Even our cocktails were perfect.
To top it all off, the staff was extremely friendly. Great service. We highly recommend this place. Yum!

The restaurant we’ve been waiting for in Manzanita! Wish it had been here before we had the kiddo, but we won’t lament on that one.
Cocktails were great, wine was excellent, food was delightful and filling. Plates were well sized for the price. We had two appetizers and could have done with one.
We Had:
Fried Cauliflower
Ling Cod Ceviche
Flat Iron Steak
Green Garlic Spaetzle
Chocolate Pot ‘d Crème
Advice —
1. Make reservations. We were turned away the first night (Thursday) and it was full when we went on Friday night (we made reservations).
2. The restaurant is not really kid friendly, which was not a surprise to us, as its a pretty adult place and if it was in Seattle /​Portland we never would bring a baby there. But we have a 9 month old and he goes with us when we are on the coast. As is true for most on vacation, so BE WARNED — The don’t have high chairs or booster seats. our son sat happily on the floor and played with a spoon and loved the table scraps. Our waitress was delightfully accommodating and we didn’t feel judged, we just had to improvise.
3. Dinner is expensive. Which we planned for. The experience and food was worth it. It’s a nice treat to have such an upscale experience in Manzanita. So don’t be surprised by a $ 25 plate.
Enjoy!

We spent Valentine’s weekend in Manzanita and Blackbird was recommended. In a small town, options are often limited and we were excited to try this place as the menu is different than the typical diner/​bar food that’s available during off season at the coast.
Brussels spouts were amazing with a lot of butter, bacon fat, onions, garlic, and cheese. The fat content must be over the top but with the place dimly lit, you can’t really get a good look at the glistening fat. It tasted amazing though!
They were out of the cod, and had a different white fish replacement. It was supposed to be blackened. The fish did not taste ‘blackened’ at a and the seasoning was very, very light handed. The fish were also in small pieces. 3 bits of fish for an entrée was not presented well. It was seasoned and cooked… nothing special. It was served with fingerling potatoes with a lot of onions. My boyfriend found it too pungent so I finished the potatoes but avoided the onions.
I had ordered the 8 oz top sirloin with kale and potatoes. The server said the chef prepares it medium rare and I said that’s how I preferred it. The steak was delicious. however, it was NOT medium rare. It was bloody red and very much on the rare side. The same redness went from the center to the edge of the steak. There was a dark sauce and with the dim lighting, I made it about ²⁄₃ and had to stop. It very tasty but it was just too rare to continue eating. I felt like it was going to start mooing.
I really want to give this a 3.5, but I’m rating this place a 4 because it’s a nice place and I would go back… however, the next time… I might actually send my food back if it’s not prepared the way they described it. Kind of disappointing that both the main dishes were not prepared as described.

Blackbird opened in out small town just one short year ago on Valentine ‘s Day and I was the lucky first reviewer. I thought I would update my review at the one year anniversary. Blackbird has continued to perform for the delight of the locals and visitors. Its concept is simple, farm and sea to table, as much as possible, and done right. The owner/​chef Lee Vance, has really worked this principal into a brilliant and vibrant restaurant that we so desperately needed here at the coast.
The wine list is deep, the cocktails creative, service impeccable and the food delicious. Lee has made sure to make the menu interesting without it being intimidating. If you are on a budget it is easy to stay light with her fabulous appetizers and if you want to go big, there are plenty of opportunities for that too!
My favorite dishes are the truffled Mac and Cheese, flat iron steak, fried cauliflower, lamb burger, bacon wrapped apricots and the radicchio Caesar and the beet salad. Oh and don’t forget the salted caramel pot de crème! As for as drinks, their Moscow mule is always perfect and you really must try the habanero margarita, such a flavor impact! My favorite wine is the Pago tempranillo which you can get by the glass. And starting this Sunday, for their one year anniversary, they are starting brunch! Can’t wait to try that!
Thank you Lee and all the staff at Blackbird for continuing to bring us your talent and

I was recommended to the Blackbird by a friend in Cannon Beach with high expectations, unfortunately my experience was less than stellar.
Esthetically the Blackbird is very nice and has an upscale vibe for the Oregon Coast. they have a nice selection of wines and cocktails, however, they offer no non-​alcoholic beverages besides $ 4.00 cans of unchilled orange Sanpellegrino, still served in the can. Our waitress had a very pretentious vibe and I didn’t get the impression she enjoyed being there, maybe she was having a bad day. Still, I have had more friendly service at Taco Bell.
To further my disappointment, the Rockfish i ordered was completely raw in the middle, I mean completely. When I got our waitress to look at the food it had bled water into everything else on the plate. All that was offered was to «re-​fire» the fish, which then came back rubbery and inconsistent. A literal joke at $ 28.00 a plate. On the upside, the mac and cheese was rich and tasty, totally what you would expect when ordering homemade mac and cheese.
We were offered nothing as compensation even though our fish was dangerously raw, not even an apology from our waitress. I paid full price as I wasn’t going to beg for a discount or even a free drink, I’m kind of floored I wasn’t offered anything to make up for such a shoddy meal. Unacceptable. Especially considering the prices here. Be warned.

Adorable interior, very pretty bar. Romantic lighting and great music
Mac and cheese: super rich! Can definitely share this one
Brussels: awesome! Our fave by far
Bone marrow: first time we had ordered this so unsure of what to expect but not very strong flavor
Cesar salad: light and crisp
Fries: super hot and really yummy!
Blackened Cod: perfectly cooked — the word «excellent» was used!
Will definitely be coming hear again on our summer vacation

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise [1]
I’m haunted by those lyrics and while I have no idea if this song inspired the name of the restaurant, I’ve been singing this song all week.
Blackbird, the restaurant, is a delightful date night destination on the Oregon Coast. The seating is cozy (only an arm’s length distance between tables) and we were glad we grabbed reservations although not all the tables were filled.
We had a small table for two near the back of the restaurant, but my favorite seats were probably the four bar stools by the kitchen. The interior has a Portland vibe and the menu is quite small. I would advise that you check it out in advance, but it isn’t posted on their website. Many items mentioned by other reviewers were not on the menu, so it is definitely seasonal and ever changing.
Service was sweet, local and mostly on point. There was just a lag getting our second round of drinks, but that was easily rectified.
The food was absolutely delicious. We were hungry, but not starving, the day after Thanksgiving, so we ended up ordering a beet salad to share and it was delicate and delicious. But, that dish was barely enough to share. I was worried the rest of our dishes would be equally petite, but they were just right. And the crusty bread dusted with salt to accompany our meal was a nice touch.
The highlight of the night were the steamed mussels and frites. The delicate broth of wine and shallots, with seasoned fries on top, makes this a must order item. Our other entrée was the sweet potato spaetzle with mushrooms and greens, topped by a runny egg (one of my favorite things).
The cocktails were delicious, although the second Old Fashioned was MUCH stronger than the first. I was very happy with my Blood & Sand cocktail served in a quaint old fashioned glass.
[1] Blackbird, written by Paul McCartney, appeared on the White Album. It is said to be inspired by the increasing racial tensions in the U.S. in 1968.

What a gem!
I thought The Big Wave in Manzanita was wonderfull!
Blackbird is too! Wow!
2 great restaurants within walking distance of my house!
The fried cauliflower with aoli was a treat. Small portion, but delicious flavors.
The sweet potato gnocchi with arugula and mushrooms was devine. I opted out of the egg top.
They were out of the favorite lamb burger, but had a delicious flavorful flat iron steak with fries.
The macaroni and cheese was delicious, but I do prefer my noodles more al dente. (go to Brand Whiskey for that!)
Great atmosphere! Fun place! Feels very upscale for our little town!

AMAZING!
The best meal we had in the area.
A bit of a drive from where we were staying, however it was totally worth it.
Great service.
Great food.
Great space.
We absolutely loved everything. The lamb burger was delicious. Mac N Cheese, brussel sprouts, veggies, almonds, etc. We had almost everything on the menu and it was all great… :)