Bluebird Bakery Pop-up

Ah the burden of high expectations! I visited twice in the hopes of trying the famed kouign amann and was foiled both times.
The La Colombe coffee was excellent, but the baked goods I was less impressed with for the rather high price tag. The lemon ricotta torta was light and fragrant but not crave-​worthy. The quiche might have been good heated up but served at room temp was rather bland and disappointing. Both visits were awkwardly quiet, with passive reception from the sole attendant at the counter.
I held off the review in the hopes that my next visit would be truly delicious and drive up the review average, but apparently Bluebird Bakery has achieved its funding goal and moved out of the Prequel space. Hopefully once they launch in a permanent location, I’ll have a chance to revisit and update my review!
Food: 2, Service: 2, Ambiance: 3

Delicious pastries, however a little too expensive for me to come in on a regular basis. Also, the cappuccinos we ordered were over steamed, not frothy, came out scalding hot, and the espresso tasted a little burnt. It seemed like the barista took a little too long to make it and didn’t know the difference between a cappuccino and a latte.
I do appreciate that they serve la Colombe coffee, so I’ll give it another shot by coming in for a drip coffee and a pistachio croissant.

i came to bluebird specifically to try a macaron as i’m currently on a quest to find a good one in dc. unfortunately, my third attempt was yet another failure. i didn’t like the warm whipped cream filling and i wasn’t a fan of the rosewater flavor. to bluebird’s credit, however, this macaron was truly a macaron and not a cookie, which seems to be a common problem.
the main thing that i didn’t love about bluebird, though, was the atmosphere. it is so fancy that it’s almost intimidating. i like venues where i can cozy up and read or just sit and chill, and this wasn’t it.
i recommend bluebird for you if you go to bakeries for the food and not the overall atmosphere and you’re willing to spend a bit of money, because the pastries do all look very lovely!

Amazing pastries. Best croissants I have ever had (disclaimer: I have never been to France). Everything else I had, including the quiche, macaron, some strawberry rhubarb thing, and lemon ricotta cake were excellent as well. Highly recommended.

Reallllllllly delicious, but some of the goodies/​pastries are too pricey. I accidentally picked one that was almost $ 7!
On point with the taste though.

Washingtonians have been needing a place like this! Everything was so tasty and fresh. The croissant was buttery but light and flaky. The pistachio croissant was creamy and perfect level of sweetness. The pancetta scone was perfectly savory. I am very happy about this place. I hope they choose a convenient location for their permanent spot.

*late post* came here hunting for the famed kouign amann, which took a second trip because they were sold out the day before… pretty amazing, as it taste like crème brule meets croissant
they served bottled cold brew coffee as well… hope they get to open a full time bakery soon, looking forward to trying out the rest of the goods!

I had a 50% off coupon at Bluebird Bakery, which I had received at Prequel, the bar that also occupies the former the former Living Social building (918 F St NW).
I selected the superb brioche pastry filled with rhubarb and topped with almonds. It was super moist and delectable. Without the coupon, it would have been $ 6.50, which is a little steep but it was a very well executed pastry. I subsequently had the lemon ricotta cake. It was moist and not overly lemony.
If it weren’t for the high prices, I’d give this place 5 stars as they serve amazing and several pastries in a great space.

hum, where to start? 1. the pasteries are not great. my ham scone tasted like fish. the crossiants were greasy. 2. and this was the real problem: the staff was rude. we had looked online for the business hours. one of their sites say they open at 8 am. we were there at 5 to 9. they let is in but refused to help us. and then after we calmly waited they served some other guy first. we bought $ 30 worth of crossiants and treats and they were just so rude to us. i was going to call the manager but we had been speaking to an owner. i WOULD not recommed going there NOR would i tell anyone to invest.
i guess the owners are used to working in the back of the shop, making food. they need to work on the front end of things.

I walked in right before closing so I didn’t get to try the coffee but those pastries were calling my first name, middle name, and last name. They were fresh out of the much touted kouign amann but there was a particulary tasty strawberry tart on display that looked like it would be a good substitute.
The strawberries were a deep gem red with a shiny glaze and the crust was light and crispy with tons of layers to sink my teeth into. It was topped with a dallop of rich, whipped cream and a beautiful edible pansy. I dug a spoon into the crackling sugar crust only intending to eat just a bite but my attempt was futile. I don’t regret eating that calorie bomb one bit.
The space expands upstairs so it’s a great spot to do take advantage of their free WiFi and do some work or studying. I look forward to coming back!

The two items I purchased (kouign amann, $ 3.50 and strawberry rhubarb bostock brioche, $ 6.25) managed to survive several hours of transport and various temperatures. I had purchased them on the way to the dentist because I knew I wouldn’t have time to get pastries before Bluebird closed for the day.
It seems like the kouign amann has been enjoying a welcoming party of sorts as I’m seeing it offered in many shops around DC and there have been more publications on the carmelized sugar croissant/​brioche pastry. When you bite into one, there’s a slightly crunchy crack of a shell before you reach the buttery layers of dough. There are some nubbins of sugar intermixed with a defined hole structure so the whole thing makes for a texturally complex pastry. Personally, I thought I would like the concept, but I haven’t fully enjoyed one yet.
The strawberry rhubarb was a pleasant surprise. I’ve been seeing both ingredients more and more around Farmer’s Markets and enjoyed the slightly tart and tangy fruit flavors on the bed of the brioche, which was well soaked with flavor.
The place is a little dark inside but the bright screen displaying the menu helps identify what’s for sale. I was a little confused when I walked in because two people greeted me and they were standing in different parts of the pop up, one near the food, and one near the drinks.
I found the prices a little steep but understand there’s quality behind the ingredients.
One thing I’m starting to find a little annoying, although sometimes convenient, is that Bluebird Bakery, like others, have moved to a iPad P.O.S. tipping model. It forces me to leave a tip with the server watching me. I ended up tipping over 20% on a transaction that took less than a minute. In other words, that was more than $ 2 for less than a minute of service. One can choose to enter a tip amount or leave no tip but in a time when the wage of workers is in the spotlight, it seems cruel to choose anything less than one of the automated tip amount options. In the past I left tips because of good service; now, I feel like I’m forced to reward mediocre service or be remembered as a bad or no tipper and face the wrath next time.
Also, I wish their hours extended to Sunday. When I came by a few weeks ago, they weren’t open on Sunday.

Had 15 minutes to kill so decided to go in and try it. The atmosphere was calm and pleasant, with light jazz music playing in the background. The cashier was very polite and helpful, answering all my questions patiently and explaining the subtle differences between the different options.
I opted for a lemon ricotta torta. The texture was in between a cheese cake and a normal cake. The lemon flavor was refreshingly present with a summary undertone. The main drawback was how oily the pastry was. Oh, and bear in mind that this a ‘cash-​free’ place. Make sure you bring a credit/​debit card!

I’ve been here for breakfast and lunch a few times now, and I have never been disappointed. The croissants are perfect and the coffee delicious as one might expect. But the savory foods are the most surprising. I can’t remember what it’s called, but I most recently had bread and tomato sauce. Sounds boring right, pizza without the cheese? Totally wrong, the bread was amazing and the tomato very bright, I couldn’t stop eating it.
It’s certainly pricier than starbucks, but then again, it’s a hell of a lot better than starbucks so you’re getting what you paid for. The upstairs can be a bit empty, but then again, I don’t feel guilty for taking up a whole table by the window for my laptop while people watching from above.

This whole week I came here for a break because the weather was too good to pass up. I ended up getting 3 different orders on 3 different days.
First Day:
Americano — This was a bit watery, but it did get the job done. I wish it was deeper in flavor, but what can you do? This is a good way to relax while getting the expresso effect to get you through the day.
Drip Coffee — Probably the least favorite on the list. I was surprised that there was no umph factor in the regular. I felt like this was on par with Pauls Coffee. Actually, I think Pauls Coffee is stronger.
Iced Brew Coffee — This one came with a cup and ice cubes. The coffee was bottled and you can pour the coffee into the cup. This was probably my second most enjoyable one. It was a watered down by a lot, but I like the refreshing taste more so than the drip coffee. This turned out to be the most expensive too.

Wow wow wow.
I had an extremely delicious chocolate and almond croissant here, paired with a really tasty coffee.
The chocolate croissant was small and with a nice crunch, and I savored every bite.
I warmed up the almond croissant later, and it was fantastic.

If Kimberly S. hadn’t highlighted this new pop-​up bakery located in the former LivingSocial space, I might never have known what I was missing! Because it’s a short walk from my office, I decided to stop by for pastries to bring in. Everything was gorgeous! I ordered some pan au chocolat, almond croissants, and something savory with prosciutto. I also grabbed a drip coffee for myself.
The coffee was fantastic and really helped me weave through the crowd of middle schoolers that were blocking the sidewalk on the way to my office.
My coworkers and I loved everything! The pan au chocolat was perfect, with bitter chocolate and crispy pastry. The almond croissant was divine! We were seriously discussing walking back just to go get more. Everybody also liked the prosciutto pastry, but I think it didn’t grab them the way the chocolate and almond did.
Does anybody know how long Bluebird Bakery be around? I’d like to know so I can plan my diet to begin for the next week.

Mouthgasm. I bought a selection of sweet and savory pastries. First– the lemon ricotta torta– delicious, moist, and not overly sweet. A must try and my favorite of the sweet selection. A close second is the Kouign Amann– it has the consistency of a croissant but has a sweet outer layer. The bostok brioche was on the sweeter side with its strawberry rhubarb jam filling– but again not overly sugary.
For the savory treats– the prosciutto and cheddar croissant will hold you over. Flaky, and not overly salty. The original croissants melt in your mouth.
I wish I lived in DC so I could frequent this spot more often!

Cute little spot in Chinatown! The coffee and the pastries are both really good and have a wide variety. I’m obsessed with the kouign amann– delicious!

I don’t just love Bluebird because they offer up some amazing pastries… the almond croissant is my favorite… but because it’s right next to my office and I can now get my breakfast pastry fix at somewhere other than LPQ. My stomach and my wallet are happy.
But really, the selection of croissants, scones, muffins are all delicious. Yes, the menu is a bit limited, but Bluebird has mastered of the concept of just doing a few things very well instead of a bunch of things just okay.
I really hope more people stop by so that Bluebird can continue to succeed and so I can continue to indulge myself. No one can deny that a good breakfast is always the key to a good day… and the days I’ve had Bluebird have always been great days.

Best croissants you’ll ever have. Today was the first day they served a market salad which was really good and healthy.
If you love great food and are willing to pay $ 3.50 for a hand-​made, amazing pan au chocolat made with vahlrona dark chocolate, rested for 24 hours, proofed for several more hours, then baked and served 30 minutes before you eat it, then Bluebird is the place for you. If you don’t really care, then $ 2.50 for a chocolate croissant from the Starbucks up the street made in some industrial plant days ago is the right way to go.