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Name: Blackbird
Address: 619 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL, 60661
Telephone: (312) 715-0708
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.91

Blackbird

619 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL, 60661

(312) 715-0708
Store is closed

Blackbird Menu

Appetizers

Salad of Endive

Chilled Turnip Soup

Vouvray Braised Octopus

Poached Lobster

Fried Frog Legs

Roasted Purple Haze Carrots

Sweetbread Pastrami

Salad of Endive

Chilled Turnip Soup

Vouvray Braised Octopus

Poached Lobster

Fried Frog Legs

Roasted Purple Haze Carrots

Sweetbread Pastrami
Entrees

English Pea and Buttermilk Gnocchi

Seared Albacore Tuna

Monkfish

Poached Halibut

Aged Rohan Duck Breast

Roasted Lamb Saddle

Rabbit Loin and Sausage

Suckling Pig Pave and Tenderloin

Grilled Striploin

English Pea and Buttermilk Gnocchi

Seared Albacore Tuna

Monkfish

Poached Halibut

Aged Rohan Duck Breast

Roasted Lamb Saddle

Rabbit Loin and Sausage

Suckling Pig Pave and Tenderloin

Grilled Striploin
Cheese

Tableside Presentation of Artisanal & Farmhouse Cheeses

Tableside Presentation of Artisanal & Farmhouse Cheeses
Dessert

Coconut Tapioca

Coffee Stout Affogato

Mate Tea Cake

Fromage Blanc Cheesecake

Roasted Vanilla Bean Vacherin

Pastry Chef

Pastry Sous Chef

Coconut Tapioca

Coffee Stout Affogato

Mate Tea Cake

Fromage Blanc Cheesecake

Roasted Vanilla Bean Vacherin

Pastry Chef

Pastry Sous Chef

Healthy Meal suggestions for Blackbird

Appetizers

Salad of Endive [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chilled Turnip Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vouvray Braised Octopus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Poached Lobster [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fried Frog Legs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Purple Haze Carrots [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sweetbread Pastrami [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salad of Endive [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chilled Turnip Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vouvray Braised Octopus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Poached Lobster [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fried Frog Legs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Purple Haze Carrots [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sweetbread Pastrami [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Entrees

English Pea and Buttermilk Gnocchi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seared Albacore Tuna [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Monkfish [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Poached Halibut [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Aged Rohan Duck Breast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Lamb Saddle [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Rabbit Loin and Sausage [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Suckling Pig Pave and Tenderloin [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Striploin [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

English Pea and Buttermilk Gnocchi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seared Albacore Tuna [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Monkfish [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Poached Halibut [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Aged Rohan Duck Breast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Lamb Saddle [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Rabbit Loin and Sausage [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Suckling Pig Pave and Tenderloin [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Striploin [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Cheese

Tableside Presentation of Artisanal & Farmhouse Cheeses [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tableside Presentation of Artisanal & Farmhouse Cheeses [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Dessert

Coconut Tapioca [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Coffee Stout Affogato [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mate Tea Cake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fromage Blanc Cheesecake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Vanilla Bean Vacherin [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pastry Chef [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pastry Sous Chef [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Coconut Tapioca [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Coffee Stout Affogato [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mate Tea Cake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fromage Blanc Cheesecake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Vanilla Bean Vacherin [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pastry Chef [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pastry Sous Chef [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Write An Anonymous Review

Bharat W.

I went to Blackbird few years ago and truly was not very impressed by it. For all of its hype I found the food to be rather uninspiring and flat. Couple of things to note, I went here for lunch and it is entirely possible that the chef had an off day. Even with both of these conditions presumably being a factor, in order to be the best and exceptional I am looking for a 100% perfection in delivering quality meal, especially since this is place is not inexpensive. So my recommendation is not to not go here but rather to bump it down several ranks of your fine places to dine in Chicago.
(3)
Lila G.

The food was spectacular, the dining room was elegant, the service was appallingly poor. From the looks of it, it seems like other Yelpers have had this issue here. =( We booked the night before Valentine's Day and they were busy! That said, they repeatedly asked if we wanted alcoholic drinks. We did not. The more we refused, the WORSE the service got! I think they were hoping for a big check and were mad we got only food, no wine. At the end the hostess literally THREW the complimentary sweets on the table, mumbled something about "Thisisishousemade *mutter*mutter*" turned her shoulder and stomped off. Ouch. Cue confused looks. The sweets were delicious, we just don't know what they were! =P When we got our check it included 2 items called "brand" for $10 and "Riesling" for $15 that we did not order. When called to his attention the server didn't even blush. He just said "Oh I'll take those items off," and took them off...and returned our check with someone else's card tucked into it. Weird. We had only 4 items on the bill. How could you get confused as to what we ordered? Likely they were still mad at our lack of alcohol-ordering and were trying to pad the tab. We would expect this of a lower-class restaurant, not a Paul Kahan establishment. Additionally, our hostess had been carefully told by my husband that he had a Valentine's day card tucked into his coat, and when you check it, please do not lose the card. When his coat was returned (not my coat, they forgot about my coat), the card was missing. Evidently it was on the floor of the coat room. Ouch again. That said, the snails with boudin blanc were delicious, the duck breast entrÃ©e was the stuff of dreams and the Faroe Islands salmon was perfectly cooked. The problem is you can get food that's equally good in a place with better service. I think we'll be heading other places in this food-crazy city!
(2)
Bryan L.

Came here on Thursday night. Very short wait and sat in the packed out joint. I got a Manhattan off the drink menu and ordered some stuff. I got the Chilled Romaine with snail app. It was not good. I am about 99% sure that dish is what made me sick as a dog that night. Also got the Heirloom tomato dish. It was pretty good, not fantastic. Also got the Suckling Pig. Probably the least terrible dish of the night. Overall, very disappointed in this meal. If it weren't for the good service it would be a 1-star.
(2)
cece D.

You definitely have to try it once! It's a little pretentious, if you like that sort of thing. : ) Not to negate the experience! Food and wine were amazing, of course! Service was knowledgable and good, but a bit slow because it was busy. Company was even better, so it made the experience perfect!
(4)
david k.

Lunch with the wife during restaurant week. Prix fixe lunch has always been good, and this week was no exception. Beef tartare, hanger steak, and salmon all get top marks as usual. Thoroughly enjoyable, including relaxed but responsive service.
(4)
Marisa Y.

This might be sacrilegious to say, but Blackbird was just OK to me. I went here for lunch with my parents after being sworn in to practice law (yup, just what the world needed) because I've heard such great things. The lunch prices are great - especially since Blackbird has a Michelin star. We got the lunch prix fixe menu for $25, which seemed like a steal. I got the potato soup, hangar steak, and grape sorbet for dessert. The potato soup was different and weird, but in a cool and innovative way. It was a cold day so the soup really hit the spot. I liked the creativity behind the soup because there were a bunch of different kind of potatoes in it (sweet potato, purple yam, etc). The hangar steak was ... gross. It was overcooked mostly and impossible to chew. I ate everything else around it because I was starving, but I almost wish I had asked them to redo it. The grape sorbet was a total surprise dessert. I thought I would be getting standard grape sorbet, instead the dish was like a deconstructed, creative peanut butter jelly sandwich. I'm not a fan of PBJs, but this was so innovative that I actually enjoyed it. I don't know, maybe Blackbird IS truly excellent and I just have peon tastebuds, but it left something to be desired for me. I had originally wanted to try the short rib burger, but my parents convinced me to try the prix fixe so I think I'll just have to come back again and try the burger. Maybe then Blackbird won't seem just OK.
(3)
Chris R.

A business friend choose this place for a business dinner. Small, cozy and a little loud. But the friendliness of the staff was immediately noticed and the service is so good that it's actually hard to put into words. At least 5 and possibly 6 different people took care of our group of 4. They were never nearby but the moment you set your water glass on the table it was immediately refilled without even knowing they were there. Nichole was great. They were very busy but we were never lacking in top notch service. I'm from Kansas City so I'd like to think I know steak, but theirs was perfect in all regards. Bar service was excellent (mixed drinks, I didn't try the wine). Overall, an exceptional experience!
(5)
Keith G.

Went with another couple for Valentines. Busy but well managed. However the food was bleak, That includes the duck, hen, steak, venizon. The appetisers also poor. Salad looked great was loaded with vinegar. Honestly the only good thing was great bread. Not going back because restaurants should shine on occasions theyi should have taketh night off. Sorry.
(1)
Lisa e.

Overall a wonderful dinner experience. First off, regarding the decor, note that I think the interior image shown on Blackbird's website is a very poor choice. It makes the interior look almost clinical or like it's trying too hard to look futuristic and in the process comes off tacky. But the reality is that...once the interior is peopled ;-) ....it looks neither. The minimalist color scheme and lack of artwork on the walls works just fine once you have bodies in the restaurant to mix things up. At the front they had a very tasteful flower arrangement. The service was impeccable. Not too little, but not overdone either. I got a really amazing Cabernet by the glass from California. For my appetizer, I got a sausage made of ....er...some type of poultry ....not chicken...cornish hen perhaps? It was good, but not phenomenal. For my entree I got the agnolotti pasta with spring peas, pea shoots and morel mushrooms in a cream sauce. That dish was positively sublime! For dessert, the chocolate pudding dish. It was very good. My friend got an appetizer that was wrapped in like a 'basket' made of potato sticks or something on that idea. The mere execution of that basket was really something to behold! Overall a very nice dinner experience.
(5)
Jessica L.

Been here twice, both for their prix fixe lunch. I think it's a GREAT deal for an amazing, high-scale appetizer, entree and dessert for only $22. - Lamb tartar with lentils - Confit duck leg with broccoli, potato granola, etc. - Something I can't find on the online menu - blackberry ice cream with vanilla, cake crumbs, and other stuff.....lol Lamb tartar: I've never tried LAMB tartar before so I was a little nervous, but it was amazing. The seasoning was not overwhelming so you could definitely get the juicy texture of the lamb every bite. As an asian, I wish I had chopsticks (lol) because I had a hard time picking up the small pieces sometimes, but its okay because I still gobbled the whole thing up. The lentils were cooked PERFECTLY and the crunch went really well with the chewy, juiciness of the lamb. Confit duck leg: I had this last time too, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. How do they cook the duck leg so well? It literally MELTS in your mouth. And you might be disappointed by the small piece on the plate, but trust me, it's more than it looks, because the whole thing is basically a chunk of meat, and the bone is realllyyy small. The duck is perfectly sweet, and the fattiness of the duck is just-right. Dessert: You can't go wrong with dessert....Except my friends ordered the roasted peanut ice cream, and that...was...sooooo peanut buttery. I wouldn't really recommend THAT dessert to others. But mine, which I really can't recall the name, came in a small glass cup, with cake crumbs on the bottom, and vanilla and blackberry ice cream, and fresh blackberries with some kind of sauce drizzled on top. This dessert rocked. yum yum. I would love to come here for a regular lunch or a regular dinner one day! One of my favorite restaurants in Chicago so far.
(5)
Kim K.

A Chicago native said this is the place you go to enjoy tastes like you've never tasted before, and conversation to place this food-wonder of a place on your top 3 fav's... HE WAS RIGHT! It is a must have in Chicago, and a must go back to type of place to try more! The dining experience was not so much about the food to which can be found anywhere in the nation, but with the wait service and guest interaction. The waiter sang me the birthday song (not a Blackbird cliche or "must") upon my request I made jokingly. In fact, i'm sure that type of thing is frowned upon only to distinguish themselves from chain restaurants cliche's. Dish name you ask? Who cares! It is all amazing.
(5)
Brian S.

Great atmosphere, very chic. Drinks were delicious, appetizers were good. Now the disappointing news.... The main course tanked. The chicken was dry and tasteless and the salmon was fair at best. For the $$$ I was a little disappointed and expected more.
(3)
David A.

Ah, Michelin rated, great appetizers, a bit underwhelmed with the main dishes. The wife had the duck, I had the pork collar. Personally, maybe when I saw the pork, I thought slow cooked deliciousness as when you get Pork at any restaurant, but my thought was it was overcooked with not much taste to it. The Dessert brought this place back up to 4 stars.
(4)
Jenny P.

I went to Blackbird last month for an anniversary dinner. Overall, the food was delicious, but the service was average. I ordered a fennel gazpacho as my appetizer. It was beautifully light and balanced, the epitome of a summer soup. I have to say, this was my favorite dish of the night. It certainly made me look forward to the rest of the meal. For my entree, I had the wood-grilled sturgeon. This was also fairly good, as the sturgeon was lightened by the tahini, radishes, and lime. This dish left me feeling very satisfied, but not sickened. For dessert, I ordered the cinnamon concha with goat's milk sorbet. The sorbet, eaten alone, was very strange and rich to me, but paired with the concha was wonderful. The strawberries also added some tartness to an otherwise too-sweet dish. My only qualms with Blackbird have to do with the service. Everyone was rather stony-faced and unapproachable, refilling our water and bread and promptly walking away with no eye-contact whatsoever. Likewise, when I asked our server about the details of my gazpacho, he basically rehashed what was listed on the menu. (A little bit insulting because I was holding the menu in my hand.) My partner additionally ordered the apricot sorbet for dessert, and it was brought out while he was in the washroom. The sorbet was left to melt on the table for over five minutes; a third of it was in a puddle by the time he returned, the rest of it probably warm. Despite those issues, Blackbird is still most definitely worth a visit.
(4)
D T.

This place has fallen by the wayside, I was very unimpressed. Recently went here before Phantom, and seemed too hurried, and not what it used to be. I was excited when I heard we'd be dining here, and was glad to be out of my car after it took over 2 hrs to get downtown this evening. Everything seemed out of sorts from the greeting to the good bye, and at these prices, they should flow. We walked in a tad late due to INSANE traffic and major problems acquiring the actual tickets at a Fed Ex/ Kinkos. They took my dates drink order, not asking what brand of vodka he'd like...I noticed and kind of elbowed him. And when asked, we literally didn't recognize one brand, and we've been drinking for a long time. Weird. We ordered like 3 apps, very ok, and 4 entrees for 4 of us, RUSHING through them because they took foreverrrrr. No one had time to finish, in a group of foodies. Odd. Even getting the coats/ car was not smooth. I'd be fine not going here again, there are too many that I love, or want to try. I can understand an off night, but it was lacking in every area.
(3)
Hannah H.

My friend and I came here for dinner - we started off with the Chef's special (which was sturgeon); banana fried veal sweetbreads with gold raisins, braised red cabbage, pumpkin seeds, and banana pudding; Shropshire blue cheese salad with red kuri squash, grilled treviso, butter lettuces, cranberry, and cinnamon crisp; Slagel Family Farms organic pork belly, parsnip-olive, black-eyed peas, black trumpet mushrooms, and sweet potato jus; braised skirt steak and grilled prime hangar steak with spaghetti squash, chestnuts, and Vidalia onions; pear cider doughnuts with Delicata squash, pickled raisins, and hazelnut ice cream; white chocolate mousse with kumquats, green tea streusel, and cara cara sorbet; finally, finishing it off with tiny lychee squares and chocolate crisps. While none of the dishes really stood out to me (I thought it was kind of bland and it had some weird textures), I'm glad I tried this place out. The waitstaff were great and friendly, and the restaurant itself is very clean and modern-like. It was nice that our table was right by the window so we could people-watch while we dined in. +friendly staff
(3)
Meredith K.

AMAZING - DELICIOUS - OMG FABULOUS From the service to the wait staff and the food everything was 5 star worthy. We got to the restaurant a little early and sat at the bar but we didn't even have time to order a drink because our table was ready! My boyfriend and I had dinner here over Valentine's weekend (he made reservations months ago!! I started with the salad of endives and he had the scallops. Both had great flavor and just the right portion size. We had a second course of one empanada (chicken stuffed with cheese). I thought this was a nice surprise from the chef since it wasn't listed on the menu. I had the grilled wagyu flatiron for my entree. I thought I was going to be hungry after I saw the portion but since the entree had such great flavor and cream I was feeling just right after I took my last bite. Of course we couldn't leave without having dessert; we opted for the caramelized croissant (restaurant specialty) and were not disappointed. The flavors combined to an explosion of greatness in my mouth. Highly highly recommend!! Atmosphere: Very lively on Saturday night, we had reservations for 8 and when we left (close to 10:30) the restaurant was still packed! I do appreciate the smaller more intimate restaurants, even though the tables are close to one another I had to listen hard to hear others conversations. We sat at the front of the restaurant and I wish we were able to sit towards the back (away from the door) and closer to the kitchen...maybe next time! Added touches: I love the purse hook the hostess put on the table for ladies bags, a very nice, fancy touch. The naked man behind the curtain in the ladies room was great (I knew about the photo from other reviewers ahead of time). When my boyfriend went to the bathroom a bus boy folder his napkin and pushed his chair in! First time I have seen both of those happen in a restaurant!! A gentlemen cut my salad apart, since it came in a bowl made of cheese, pinky up :) Free chocolate and caramel at the end of our meal: lavender chocolate was pretty close to sex in the mouth! Recommend to any foodie looking for great food and a fabulous experience and willing to spend a good amount of money.
(5)
Andre P.

Had the tasting menu on Friday, May 15th, 2015. Fabulous dinner and great service. Only down side is that it gets insanely loud when the restaurant is full.
(4)
Laura K.

Blackbird lived up to the hype! Great food, good service and a great space. You can order a la carte off the menu or go with the tasting menu. We decided to do the tasting menu and we were not disappointed, however I think we would have been just as happy ordering off the menu. So, either way, you win. The standout of the night for me was the cheese course. I still am dreaming about it! The disappointment was the scallops - they were raw (so I couldn't eat since I'm pregnant), but my husband thought they were not good, and he had to eat 2 of them. Overall, we were very happy and would definitely recommend for a nice dinner in Chicago.
(4)
Benjamin U.

Did the tasting menu with my parents. Pretty damn good! Got super lucky and didn't need a reservation (as opposed to avec next door which was 1 1/2 hour wait!). They had outdoor seating for 4. On the menu was: the Cantaloup custard -nothing special, very nice light appetizer Heirloom tomatoes - nothing special. smoked arctic char - 5/5 amazing dish cooked to perfection. The char and gooseberries go very well together. Wood grilled sturgeon and chicken wings 5/5 amazing. Sturgeon was to die for. Highly recommended aged duck breast - 5/5 great! this and the sturgeon were the two best dishes. Also highly recommended. crispy pork - 4/5 not bad but wasn't too big of a fan roasted lamb saddle - Was a little underwhelming. roasted sweet corn crepe- watermolon salad Dark chocolate Brownie - cherryput icecream and preserved walnuts were the best part of this dish! 5/5 As a whole, very impressed. I will have to go back again soon!
(5)
Kyle S.

Food: Buckwheat Pici was pretty dope but idk, a little cream heavy for me Drinks: The wine was dope Staff: One of the bus boys kept dropping things on the ground (a plate, silverware), said plate had food on it which splashed onto my coat. Not. Very. Dope. Environment: Minimal swag, loved it
(3)
Angela L.

Tremendous service with a neighborhood feel!!! The food was delicious, but there were several separate instances in which our entire party unanimously agreed that this really made for an unforgettable experience: 1. Amuse bouches for the table. I didn't specify anything special on the reservation and it was a random Friday night when the restaurant was pretty full. 2. One of our group forgot to order her salad appetizer. The waitress brought it anyways because "she loved it" and wanted us to have it with her compliments. It was a bunch of greens literally bunched together in an edible potato "basket". The waiter chopped it up tableside - what a presentation! 3. Purse hooks for all the ladies brought to the tableclothed-setting. 4. One of our group was really mulling over the dessert menu. We decided as a group not to get any dessert (even though it looked fabulous), but the waiter took notice and got her a special mini plate of a single homemade dark chocolate piece. The rest of us got delicious milk-chocolate pieces with mulling spices and raspberry gelees. 5. Simply fantastic with the bringing out of all dishes for each person at the table simultaneously. I can't wait to one day go back if ever in Chicago again!!!
(5)
Sharon G.

We were new to town and were eagerly anticipating a meal at Blackbird as we had heard such wonderful things. I was especially pleased when the restaurant called to confirm the reservation and asked if we would be celebrating anything special that night since the dinner was planned as a birthday celebration for my boyfriend. I was soon to be disappointed. While the food was nothing short of exquisite and the supporting staff were very professional, our main waiter was rude, surly, and made us feel completely unwelcome. Happy Birthday!!!!!!
(3)
T S.

We (luckily) stumbled on BB when our first choice was booked. Started with one of their mixology cocktails which hit the mark. Bartender was a Brewers fan and had that midwest/congenial bartender demeanor. So far so good! Scallops for apps and waygu flatiron for dinner. Solid all around. Service was tip top but a bit more on the fine dining, semi-robotic side. Both these two elements explained why I was pleasantly surprised (on my way to the john) to see that we had just dined at a 1 star rated Michelin and James Beard award wining chef's restaurant. Why is it though that these joints are always so chinsy on the portions? I get that the food costs them more but at the prices they (Blackbird included) charge you can slice off a bit more beef and a couple more scallops. "you were only waiting for this review to arrive..."
(4)
Joe E.

Surprisingly mediocre; came highly recommended, but it appears to be coasting on its reputation. The food is fine, the presentations are creative - but there's nothing really to write home about here. And it's much louder than it should be, for such a small place. If you're looking for a routine meal, it will probably work for you; if you want a bit more originality and adventure, keep going a couple more blocks on West Randolph to Girl & the Goat.
(2)
Eric G.

Came for the Prix fixe lunch today. Started off with delicious steak tartar and duck sausage for the main. 1pm seemed the perfect time to come too, right after the rush, winding down, getting quieter. Rum cake was perfect finish to the meal, along with french press coffee.
(4)
Kathrin E.

My boyfriend took me here for my birthday and I'm so glad he did!!! Blackbird is modern and trendy without being pretentious. The food is incredible (I'm still daydreaming about the duck), the service was phenomenal (our waiter was extremely kind and patient, giving us his undivided attention when we asked a million questions about the menu), and they have a great wine list (they offer half bottles which is great if you want to try a couple different wines). And the free birthday dessert they gave me?? Best dessert ever. Seriously.
(5)
Billie O.

I went there today for lunch. A 3-course meal for $25 at Blackbird? What a steal! We had hanger steak, delicious! The desserts were some fruit ice cream something or another that I devoured. The salad was light and fresh. I absolutely love coming to lunch here, I don't do it often but when I do, I'm so happy. This is the perfect place to take clients. One of the best places in the city for lunch. I love their dinners also but lunch I love even more.
(5)
Bill J.

I'm going to go ahead and give Blackbird a three star rating based on the overall experience. I dined here recently on a Friday evening, the dining room and bar were both at capacity the 2+ hours I was there. The noise level is very high, especially since the tables are placed in close proximity to each other. We literally could hear what people at the other tables were saying without trying to eavesdrop...had to make it a point *not* to overhear what was being said in some cases. That also made it a bit difficult to have a normal conversation over dinner. The pre-dinner drinks we got at the bar were very good and the bartender was very knowledgeable and welcoming. The server(s) were very efficient, not a lot of time for small talk since they had a packed house. They were friendly enough though and offered to answer questions, make recommendations, etc. We did not have time for the tasting menu, so we opted to split two appetizers, two entrees and dessert. The scallop appetizer was bland tasting and a couple of the scallops were a bit gritty. The steak tartare was served with a sauce that accompanied it nicely. The sea bass entree failed to impress as it also was a bit on the bland side. The steak loin appetizer was mediocre; it was served warm, not hot and didn't seem to be a high quality cut of beef...some of it was on the stringy side. Dessert was a rum cheesecake with pineapple ice and mustard sauce. No complaints regarding dessert although I don't think I'd order it again. Blackbird tries very hard to be a very modern, urban sort of foodie restaurant. They support the go local movement, have some hipsters working there, have a mixologist on staff, etc. I'm glad that I went and I applaud their efforts. But it's not a place I'd highly recommend, especially given the variety and quality of restaurants in Chicago. For me, there are better options.
(3)
Sofiya C.

This place would have gotten 5 stars from me, but the prices are outrageous! We are huge foodies and enjoy places like girl and the goat, zellas, etc. but here, we got a small amt of food for a high price. Keeping in mind, we got free champagne and dessert courtesy of someone we know. The food was EXCELLENT. We had tartar and fiou gras for aps, an order of asparagus, and then he had the fish/chicken dish and I had the lamb. Everything tasted wonderful. Only downside is I like my lamb a little more well done, and it was pretty rare. The atmosphere is great. Very clean, classy, the wait staff is wonderful, and it is a perfect place for a date night. They recommend you have 1 ap/ 1 entree per person. Aps start at around $20/plate and entrees are around $40... so you can see how you can easily rack up a $250 bill for 2 people... Would we come back... probably not unless we won the lottery. It was a one and done kind of place. The food was good, but I wouldn't say worth the heafty penny. Girl and the goat you can get quite a bit more out of your food for the price.
(4)
Miranda L.

Came here for the prix fixe lunch, and was going to review it ... but then I got lazy and procrastinated. Fortunately, I had the chance to return to Blackbird (for a free dinner courtesy of my team, woohoo!) - and now I'm giving it a full star more. I had really high expectations for Blackbird, but the prix fixe left me feeling really underwhelmed. So what was the problem? On the whole, I felt like the portions were incredibly small (felt like I could eat another entire meal afterwards). I understand the restaurant's reputation and all, but I've had delicious AND filling prix fixe meals at similarly high-end places (thank you, Restaurant Week!!) But on top of just the portion size , the service was okay (nothing to write home about), and even the food was, on balance, only okay. Here's what I got: Appetizer: Mixed Greens Salad - this was the worst of the three. It was like any other salad ... and, strangely, a little sour. (Too much dressing?) Entree: Duck Confit (leg) - delicious! but a little salty, and just incredibly small .. I probably wouldn't have thought much about the limited portion size, however, if the duck hadn't been served on a gigantic dish ... Dessert: Winter Coupe - I was most excited for this one, since desserts in fancier restaurants are usually super cool (and delicious). The presentation was underwhelming (it's like two tiny scoops of ice cream in a glass, with some other bits sprinkled at the bottom), and the taste, while I remember being good, has already faded in my memory :( Naturally, I was going to come home and give Blackbird a - gasp! - 3 star rating. But then I had dinner: Veal Sweetbreads - first time having sweetbreads, not bad at all! the hazelnut, especially, brought out a nice contrast to the sweetbread Striploin & Cheek - very tender, flavored wonderfully, portion size was absolutely reasonable Mont Blanc - so so ... I guess I'm just not a fan of Blackbird's desserts ... Blackbird Orange (seasonal cocktail): delicious! something sweeter and a little lighter, just as I had requested (the waitress suggested it to me) So, what did I learn? Bottom line about Blackbird: ignore the tantalizing price of the prix fixe lunch, and order from their a la carte menu instead - the better experience (presentation, quality of the food, etc.) is definitely worth it!
(4)
Mike K.

Came here for the first time back in August to celebrate my friends birthday. We opted for the 10 course tasting menu which in my opinion is the option if you're going for dinner. The amuse bouche was a cantaloupe custard with crispy ham. Although it was a small start, it was definitely a great way to start our meal. A bulk of the menu was meat focused. Some were just okay and others were great . Standouts were for sure the sturgeon and chicken wing with kale and walnut puree and the sucking pig with figs. The deserts were some of my favorite! Compressed watermelon salad with micro arugula was super refreshing and light. Overall, service was great and not stuffy and when we wanted to order a bottle of wine that they were out of, our waitress gave a nicer bottle for the same price! A Chicago must!
(4)
Stephen S.

Had a great meal at Blackbird. Really helpful service and useful descriptions of dishes. Obviously Paul Kahan's most refined restaurant it has much of the feel I'm used to from Publican and Avec while pushing the envelope with creativity, ingredients, and flavor. I had the soft shelled crab (because I order soft shelled crab pretty much anytime I see it on a menu this time of year) and the fermented black bean agnolotti. The crab was excellent, tempura battered with apparently a little bit of whiskey in the batter (so that's the trick, eh?). It came out delicate and delicious. The black bean agnolotti was rich and creamy and the accompanying morels adding a nice earthiness and the spring peas providing a surprising crunch. For dessert we shared the bittersweet chocolate pudding which was as eye pleasing as it was delicious. A plate of chocolate pudding hidden beneath a sea of texture created by the espresso crunch and hickory nuts this is a chocolate lover's dish that doesn't disappoint.
(4)
Rod C.

Blackbird is one of the better restaurants that I've ever been to in Chicago! From the presentations to the service to the quality of the food, Blackbird is one of the best! I've been here for lunch a couple of times but haven't had the opportunity to come here during their dinner hours. Blackbird has a $22 lunch price fixed menu but I did not get a chance to try as everyone recommends the salad of endives and this is not available on the price fix menu. The salad of endives is probably one of the best and coolest looking salads that I've ever had! I highly recommend you get this salad for an appetizer! The staff actually cuts the salad for you! How's that for service! I've had the Whitefish sandwich and the Pork Belly sandwich for lunch, you cant go wrong with either!!! The garlic frites are ridiculous! Treat yourself to a fantastic lunch at a tremendous restaurant!!!
(5)
Jessica O.

The desserts alone makes me want to pack up and move to Chicago. I.am.so .obsessed. I mean, c'mon. Anyone who's going to serve me a goat cheese cheesecake with avocado, burnt grapefruit, and that totally amazing cajeta ice cream knows how much I love mixing elements of savory and sweet. Dana Cree, I am your new biggest fan.
(5)
Jeremy S.

I had no expectations of this restaurant when I showed up a few nights ago, but it turned out to be the best meal I've had in a long, long time. It was the day before my wife's birthday and Blackbird ended up being much better than the place we went to on her birthday. I had the trout appetizer, and the monkfish entree, and chocolate dessert. My wife had the vegan special options. Every dish of both of ours was outstanding, really outstanding. I can't think of another restaurant that's this good and yet not pretentious at all. Oh, and the service was amazing, too. I mentioned that it was my wife's birthday and they were really on the ball. They had ideas for her being vegan and of course dessert and it was really nice. I should finally mention that the waiter, when I asked questions about what he recommended, was very quick and confident with his suggestions. I hate when waiters tell me something is popular or it depends what I'm in the mood for. He ranked dishes and made it very easy for me to choose. I look forward to returning to Blackbird more than I do to restaurants in my own city.
(5)
Sam L.

We ate here for lunch one day and did the $25 prix fixe menu, which was a great deal. As you can see from other people's photos, the food is very artsy and the portions small. It's all delicious but it's not exactly the place you'd go for a hearty meal. But we enjoyed our food and thought the $25 per person was definitely worth it.
(4)
Lucialin D.

My husband and I went here tonight to celebrate my birthday. We did the tasting menu, at $120 each. From the start it off-putting as we were seated crammed in between 2 other tables with guests. (We had reservations, and they knew it was a celebration night.) This place is really small and very tight. I felt like I was closer to the people next to me than my husband. Also, they knew I was pregnant so why would they seat me at a table where I you have to move the entire table for me to get out? We moved to a somewhat better table, but all are tight. As for the food, the best we could say was that it was 'pretty good'. We have had amazing tasting menus at places like Schwa and Boka where for at least 3 of the courses you are just amazed by the flavors of a dish, you know the moment I am talking about. That did not happen once here. It was all just pretty good. Often I find food too salty (Girl & Goat is amazing but can be so salty) but twice I felt like salt was needed. The service experience was ok enough, but underwhelming. Isn't that lot of what you are paying for? I definitely felt like they were moving things along at a fast clip, ready to turn over the table. I suggest telling them to pace it slowly if you prefer that. Also, I found it funny that when I made the reservation they asked if it was a special occasion and I told them it was my birthday. You can't help but expect that maybe they would say happy birthday, or maybe bring an extra small dessert at the end (like Boka does), but no mention was made of it. There was just none of that extra something here as far as them wanting to make you have a great experience. Did I mention that with tip, tax and wine we spent almost $400? Kick in the gut disappointing night.
(2)
Yas E.

Service: Had a reservation at 7:30pm, got seated at 8:05 pm. Then it took the server 10 minutes to come to the table and introduce himself. It took the appetizer 20-24 minutes to arrive, and the main dish about 30. The server was a nice guy but the place was clearly busy and overbooked which killed the experience. Food: Appetizers were good and unique but the main course was average. They frequently change their menu so I can't really recommend anything. This is my 3rd time here and I'd say the appetizers were always consistently better than the main courses. Overall, I would not come back to this place because of the very slow service.
(3)
Gracie P.

Several people mentioned how great this restaurant was, so I went with a friend for lunch today. Total disappointment. A whole group of waiters, hostess, bus people and chefs - not 1 smile. They seem to totally take themselves too serious. Sat outside on a gorgeous day. My friend ordered bouillabaisse which was watery with a few thinly sliced onions and potatoes and bland. She did say the actual seafood was very good. I had the croque monsieur which was just fair at best, with pomme frittes which were fine. Iced tea was very weak and lacked flavor or strength. When I went to the washroom, I noticed all the James Beard awards on the wall - whoa! was it just me? My friend agreed that it was not just us and the quality and ambiance were below average and way below average considering the prices. Would not go back! Dont waste your money.
(1)
Mark S.

Great restaurant! Easy location right on Randolph with quiet dining room. The food is very tasty!
(5)
Jake T.

Service 5 Stars. Drinks 5 Stars. Taste of Food 5 Stars. Where this place really irks me is that the portions are too small for even a small child. Expect to leave starving from this place even after spending $100 a person. My first visit was for lunch and the whole party ordered the tasting menu. This was literally a tasting menu and consisted of what I estimate to be around 250 calories. I would have consumed more if I went to Whole Foods for samples. My second visit was for dinner and we had impeccable service and great drinks, however the portions again were minuscule and would be in the running for most expensive calorie per dollar out of any place in Chicago. I am sorry, but I am not going to shell out 100+ per person and leave starving. Just to clarify, I am a normal sized person who is fairly active. I should have learned my lesson the first time. Pros - great place for people with eating disorders or tiny appetites who value great service. Cons - Awful place for cyclists, runners or anybody with an actual appetite.
(2)
Nat M.

pristine space/ambience. creative, thoughtful menu. great drinks, including the holy grail of bourbons (Pappy van Winkle). staff was excellent as well. food was really good but a bit pricey and small portions. despite an outstanding experience, for some reason, i'm not that motivated to come back for a regular dinner. maybe for a special occasion or romantic occasion
(4)
Stephanie S.

Wow! Wow! Wow! Absolutely great here. The server, Sarah, really knows her stuff. We went with the tasting menu with the wine pairings. Chef was gracious to give us a gift course of sweetbreads too. We are industry folk, and and can be difficult to impress when it comes to food. Everything we had tonight was well balanced and absolutely delicious. The flavors were amazing! The wine even paired well with each dish. Service was top notch! Notable dishes were the sweetbreads, creamed sweet potato soup, poached turbot, lamb tenderloin, prairie fruits farm 'roxanne' sheep's milk and mango-paw paw sorbet. If you haven't been here yet...what the hell are you waiting for?
(5)
Amoli P.

I had my first Blackbird experience yesterday during lunch and I am absolutely a big fan. There are a few things to know before going into Blackbird. First, this is an upscale restaurant that prides themselves on their quality, execution, and presentation of their ingredients. They have a revolving menu with a few items that seem to be their staples. The atmosphere is bright, clean, and modern, white tables and a casual and welcoming vibe. Not TOO casual, but casual for the type of cuisine that they serve. I was very nicely greeted at the door, and my coat and umbrella were taken immediately. The tables are close together but not as cramped as Avec or other super cozy restaurants. You can still easily have a conversation with your friends without feeling like the people next to you are hearing every word. I was the first of our party of 3 and was seated immediately on time for our reservation. I was mockingly offended that my white napkin was immediately switched out for a black one when no one else had black napkins, until my friend pointed out that it was because I was wearing black pants and the restaurant didn't want the white napkin to leave white lint. Shows how fancy I am. The wine list is extensive at Blackbird with great choices by the glass and a huge and enticing selection by the bottle. I took our server's recommendation and tried their newest (and most expensive) addition, the 2007 Dusky Goose Pinot Noir, that was $20 for a glass and worth every sip. I loved the wine so much that I found a bottle online when I got home and purchased it. $20 for a glass may sound ridiculous, but the bottle itself was selling for $70 online, so I'd say this was almost a steal at Blackbird, considering you pay $13 for a glass of wine that comes from a $15 bottle at most restaurants. We chose to go with the lunch pre fixe menu to try multiple courses. The sturgeon had been most highly recommended on yelp, so I figured I have to try that and it conveniently was a choice on their pre fixe entree list. After ordering, our server brought us some hearty grained bread with a dill spread. The spread was excellent but the bread was a little cold and a little dense for my taste. The first course was the cauliflower soup that was the perfect consistency without being too heavy or creamy. It was served room temperature with a couple pieces of dill and cauliflower. Very tasty and very refreshing. The main course was the sturgeon. Let me preface it by saying, that Blackbird is the type of place that serves small portions on big plates and if you're the type of person who pays for quantity and not quality, then this place is not for you. However, I guarantee that you will leave perfectly full even if you don't think you're consuming a large amount of food. The sturgeon was excellent. Grilled to perfection with a lovely charred flavor. I enjoyed the accompanying onion noodles and the little dabs of buttermilk sauce added extra flavor. The sturgeon had a nice meaty texture, similar to that of swordfish, but was moist and flavorful, not dried out at all. It was excellent. We finished with our dessert course and I selected the goat cheese cheesecake that was surprisingly delicious. A great blend of sweet and not so sweet with a little lump of ice cream to add a hit of sugar. The grilled grapefruit topping added some bitterness (and I normally despise grapefruit) that seemed to make the whole thing work. This was a great first experience at Blackbird and I look forward to returning for dinner. Blackbird is an expensive experience (though their $22 pre fixe lunch is quite a deal in my opinion) but the quality of the food is excellent, the service was excellent, and it's an experience I would gladly enjoy again.
(4)
Brian I.

My wife and I ate at Blackbird the other night. From our previous experiences, it is one of our favorite restaurants in the city. Our overall experience was great as always, but the entrees tonight were distractingly salty. I had the smoked-brined chicken breast with carrots and dill. Beautifully plated. The flavor, however, had more to do with salt than it did with chicken, carrots - or definitely smoke. I do understand that brining will bring a saltier final product to the table and the importance of seasoning food, but it was borderline absurd. This post probably has less to do with Blackbird and more to do with my disappointment in the trend of overly salty dining experiences; perhaps it's what diners are demanding? My tastes had perceived Blackbird to be a respite in the aggressively seasoned dining world. With all this said, I still highly recommend Blackbird and will look forward to my next meal there.
(4)
Michael M.

Best meal of a trip that included Alinea. Sara was fantastic.
(5)
Sarah M.

We did the tasting menu with wine pairings. The food was outstanding but some of the portions were too big. If I would have known I would have paced myself better. By the time the beef dish arrived, I could only take a little nibble and then had to put my sad little fork down. Wine pairings, although generously poured, seemed a little after-thought-ish. Here's my advice: If you do the tasting menu, it's not necessary to do the wine pairings. Just get a glass or two of what you like. Also, if you're not normally a 2000 calorie a day person, pace yourself and practice a little self control. Yes, even with the soup. Or....just order off the regular menu and save yourself a couple hundred bucks and then go back a different time to try something else. huh. Apparently self control is something I don't exhibit a lot of in my life. I think I should make some changes. Thank you Blackbird.
(4)
Monica W.

A friend and I dined at Blackbird for the first time this week. It was east to get a reservation. We shared 3 apps, a dessert and a bottle of wine. We were stuffed. The restaurant split most of the items for us, which we had not asked for, but worked out really well. The celery root soup was amazing. Complex rich flavors. The beef tartare was also extremely tender, melting in your mouth. Flavorful with a bit of a surprise. The entree was the venison. And while we found the mushrooms very salty, the rest of the dish was perfect. Our waiter was very friendly, knowledgeable, and fun to spend the evening with.
(4)
Dora H.

Prix fix lunch is a great experience for $25. Friendly staff, great food: They start you off with warm lavender bread, served with honey infused butter. I swapped an appetizer off of the regular menu and had duck liver pate on onion pound cake bread. It had a nice balance of flavors. For my main course I had the roasted monk fish with roasted eggplant with red peppers, egg yolk lemon mint drizzle and it was tasty! Dessert was a delightful roasted apricot sorbet with a bunch of fancy stuff. Overall, a great experience and value.
(5)
Hagit S.

You don't get value for money, and the service wasn't good.
(3)
MQ Q.

Had dinner here a few weeks ago with friends. I had heard good things and was looking forward to it. Unfortunately, when our entrees came out (two of us ordered the same thing) the veal cheeks were so oversalted to the point of being inedible. We asked the server if they were meant to be that way and they said definitely not. Thing is, it pretty much ruined the entree but they didn't do anything about it. For a pair of $44 entrees that were wrecked, I'd expect the restaurant to make it up to us. Our waiter also kept interrupting us to the point of being borderline obnoxious. Don't really think I'll repeat.
(2)
Thomas T.

I guess they have changing menus here so whatever I write may be useless soon, but oh well, here goes nothing. Went to Blackbird since they have good ratings and are also a Michelin rated restaurant. Made a reservation day of for a Monday and that was still fine. Restaurant was still pretty busy the whole time I was there with the girlfriend. Like the atmosphere. Wasn't loud, very well lit and clean looking. Upscale vibe and classy. Staff nicely dressed and everything. They have a coat check but no need to do that if you want to keep your own coat. Down to the food. We ordered the seared bay scallops as the app, the girlfriend got the sturgeon, and I got the wagyu flat iron. . They also give you a small tempura perch dish which was pretty good for free. The scallops were pretty delicious. Good flavor and when you eat it with the onion and squash sauce, pretty bomb. I tasted the sturgeon and it was alright for me. Not really a fish person so that's just my opinion. Thought my wagyu flat iorn was great though. Eating it with the cabbage, grapes, and beef sauce was delicious. It was recommended to me by the server over the pork collar and was a great choice. For dessert we got the rum cheesecake and that was pretty good. Good flavor, you can really taste the rum. Obviously the only down side was that it was pretty expensive and the portions were a little on the small side, but one should already expect that coming in to this place and after reading reviews. Water guy was on point too by the way. I don't give too many 5 star reviews but I think this place deserved it, at least from my experience.
(5)
Alex A.

Amazing every time! High quality dining experience with top notch service. Came here for an impromptu dinner will my colleagues and had the most wonderful experience. The service was impeccable, the staff very attentive/professional, and food wonderfully expedited. We sat in the back and enjoyed watching the team prepare each of the dishes. The celery root soup with the grilled lobster was to die for! A generous serving of perfectly cooked, succulent lobster with a savory base. The preserved lemon added just the right touch of brightness and acidity. I could eat this soup every day of my life! The seared scallops were cooked to tender perfection. It was presented with a very unique and interesting flavor combination that included blueberries: the combination of sweet and savory was brilliant. I wanted to lick the plate clean! I ordered the apple cider-miso glazed salmon for my entree. Every bite was out of this world. I'm sure there were graphic noises coming from our table all night! I also recently came here for a private event upstairs. It was a low key night with delicious and unique hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, cupcakes, and personalized napkins (such a great touch). Great experience! Lived up to their reputation and more. Highly recommend! Cannot wait to go back!
(5)
Mark B.

No long drawn out "funny" comments here. Just some advice. If you want a fabulous meal with impeccable service, dine here. I am a critic of the dining experience from a service point of view and they made NO mistakes. The waiter was knowledgeable and sincere, helping us navigate the usual pretentious menu that can accompany a place with this kind of reputation. (Food was fabulous. I had the seared scallops to start and the grilled striploin as my main. The bread they serve here is by far the best I've ever had in a restaurant. I have eaten a lot of bread in a lot of restaurants.) When delivering the food, the backwaiter actually knew who ordered what. My friend is a smoker, so every time he left to go outside his napkin was refolded and his chair realigned to the table. And here's the best part: when our plates were cleared the table was completely crumbed and cleared, except for what we were drinking and the vase. This never happens, I don't care how expensive, how many michelin stars or how many beards the chef has or has won. Hats off to Blackbird for an experience worth every penny.
(5)
Seamus M.

I have went for lunch the last two Fridays. Enjoyed it so much last week, I went back today with my girlfriend. Lunch prices are very affordable and food seems as high quality as any dinner would be. The apps seem more 4 star than 5 star actually. I enjoyed the Trout app very much. Farm eggs were pretty good. The tomato's were actually just ok, especially when priced at $13 and entrees are so much better and only a few dollars more. The entrees are 5 star, as good as it gets though and make it tough for me not to rank it 5 star overall. The Sturgeon and Agnolotti were just freaking awesome and make Blackbird worthy of all the praise they receive. I would recommend skipping apps and ordering 3 entrees instead. Note: my girlfriend also complained that wine pairs were a little light. She would probably rank Blackbird 4 stars. Cocktails are better bet.
(4)
Charlene L.

Lynn made my night! Sat at the bar and was amazed by Lynn's service all night! I went with everything she recommended that evening. Smoked arctic char, pork belly, and cappelletti. For dessert, I couldn't decide between the goat cheese cheesecake or the bubblegum ice cream. I let her know, and told her to decide.. she came out with BOTH, which were both complimentary! Lynn, although I was there on a blind date, and he talked about his darn cats for the first 30 mins (LOL) thank you for making my evening pleasantly memorable!! I was visiting Chicago on business, but I hope to be back and pay you a visit! Keep shakin those drinks of yours! Who needs a shake weight when you keep those drinks comin!
(5)
Sarah S.

My husband and I went for a romantic birthday dinner. Food was okay- nothing terrible, nothing memorable. Service was okay. Empty wine glass for a large portion of the meal. Weirdest part of the evening was when we returned home and the hostess left a voicemail stating that our credit card slip was missing. I returned the phone call only to be hung up on. I called back to explain that the slip was definitely left in the folder but that they must have lost (dropped) it. She said that all she needed to know what if we left I tip or not? I responded with the tip amount (20+%) and she said "okay, thanks... Click". Bad customer service. Will not return as there are so many better restaurants in Chicago.
(2)
Ronny D.

Very lovely lunch with the fiancee and 2 of our friends. Arrived at 1:30 and were sat immediately. The host was very friendly and made sure we were comfortable. I ordered the steak tartare to start and then the duck confit. The fiancee ordered the croque monsieur. The tartare was wonderful. The best I've ever had. (Well...I've only had tartare a few times in my life) The duck confit was above average. the duck leg was wonderful, but the duck sausage was dry and a bit on the pasty side. The fiancee's croque monsieur was very heavy but delicious. Overall, a fun experience that I was very glad to experience. I would definitely come back for the dinner menu.
(4)
Ide C.

Beautiful decor to start. Very clean looking and the staff is very welcoming. I started with a sweetbread appetizer which was tasty and excellent. I had the duck entree. It was a nice portion and was nicely prepared. The two other people had the halibut entree and they both enjoyed it. Finally we all shared a chocolate dessert with crunchy nuts. It was delish! I hv to say the food was good, but the prices are very high. I think the fish was $38 and that seems pricey. It was a special occasion though and the service was impeccible.
(4)
Jennifer N.

First of all, I made a reservation on Open Table for 830pm and we did not seat 'til 9pm. The hostess took our drink orders while we waited. Since it was a Friday night, it was uber crowded and the only place my party of four could stand was at the hostess stand. When we finally got seated, they apologized for the wait.... and comp'd our drinks. Sweet. To get right to it, we were offered a tasting menu, that is pretty much the same thing as the regular menu, except you get to sample dishes they selected. With my party, we decided to pass and select our own dishes. We ordered four appetizers and four entrees and basically treated it as if we had our own tasting menu splitting all dishes into fours and eating them at the same time. Call us ghetto... it was smart. Appetizers by order of deliciousness: 1. honey-glazed quail with frisee, picked orange, pumpernickel, and soft-boiled quail egg 2. roasted foie gras with kohlrabi, white grape, black sesame, and shiitake broth 3. fried frog's legs with sugar snap peas, avocado, lily bulbs, jalapeno, and vanilla 4. tempura soft shell crab with rye berries, cucumber, puntarelle, and white pepper cream cheese Entrees by order of deliciousness: 1. aged duck breat with broccoli, potato granola (OMG SO GOOD), sesame, and raisin cream 1. roasted lamb saddle with caramelized cabbage, cherries, smoked ricotta, and lovage 2. roasted rabbit loin and lap chong (very flavorful) with celtuce, candied onion, cashew, tamarind, and watercress 3. roasted hallibut with oyster cream, artichoke confit, sea beans, sorrel, and seeds (yes I am aware I have two #1s, but they were both so awesome I would order them again and again. Loved the experience at Blackbird. High quality dining experience without the pretentiousness.
(5)
Lawrence P.

This one is a tough one for me because it delivered in ambiance, dÃ©cor, and service... but was not equally good in the food department. We went for lunch on a weekday with another couple. Great dÃ©cor in this one with the centerpiece of the restaurant being the large window to the street. It allows lots of light in and despite the fact that this is one small restaurant, the natural light gives you the feeling it is not. This is a long and narrow restaurant with the bar on one wall and the tables on the other. I ordered the duck liver because... I love duck liver. The pate was kinda thick and heavy... but it was food. The croque monsieur (cured ham with caramelized onion) was ok. The blackbird classic bouillabaisse and the croque madam were both ok as well. Finally the short rib burger, which came on a brioche bun (all burgers should!!!!) was the best in show no doubt. For dessert we had the pumpkin cake which the wifey liked much more than I did and the orange blossom parfait which was ok. All in all, it was a nice meal. I am not sure how this restaurant is a Michelin-starred restaurant but I would give it 3.5 stars if I could.
(3)
Peter S.

So I am always much more harsh on "top" restaurants, and why not? They claim to be the best in the City, get all the notoriety and have prices that reflect it! I can't say there was anything wrong with our experience at Blackbird. The service was impeccable from the moment we walked in. We started with some excellently prepared cocktails, fine balance of flavors and some unique concoctions. (When was the last time you had a Presbytarian?). Our appetizers were for sure the best course. Sweetbreads by far taking the cake. We shared the pasta, and tried three others. Honestly, all done to perfection but none of them particularly memorable. Unfortunately, the main courses came and it was more of the same. My Duck breast was perfect but unremarkable, Mellody's scallops were good, fine, yeah I'll eat them but i am not checking my calendar to see when I can come back. I passed on Dessert, Dad got some chocolate pudding and Mellody tried some cinnamon something or other. Of course, then came the check. Honestly, i have no problem with meals that cost more than $100/person but when i can't tell you what the BEST dish was, or even get excited about any of them i can declare that it absolutely isn't worth it. Save your money, don't go.
(3)
Lauren F.

For my birthday dinner this year my husband surprised me with reservations at Blackbird, a spot that has been on my Chicago restaurant hit list for quite some time now. The food was fantastic, as expected, the service was great, and I loved the clean, modern decor. I was a little worried that it would be a little on the stuffy side but it wasn't at all-beautiful but with a very relaxed vibe. After a round of cocktails we ordered 3 appetizers, because we just couldn't decide on 2! We had crispy suckling pig, fried frog legs, and a salad of endives and crispy potatoes topped with a poached egg. The suckling pig was very tasty and I loved the bright components of the boneless frog legs dish, but my favorite was definitely the salad of endives. The presentation is beautiful (they cut it up for you table side) and the flavors are fresh and everything works perfectly together. For mains my husband ordered the striploin and I ordered the lamb saddle. The striploin was served with a seaweed pesto that made the dish very unique and the lamb was just all-around delicious. At this point we were pretty stuffed but of course there's always room for dessert! We ordered the dark chocolate brownie that was insanely good and they also brought out a small plate of of birthday cake ice cream with chocolate and caramel and a little candle for my birthday. The perfect sweet ending to a fantastic dinner!
(5)
Allison C.

When this restaurant first opened, it went on my list of big girl places to hopefully eat one day. Flash forward to restaurant week and my friend and I made reservations. Our waiter was gracious, cute and kind and the specialty drinks absolutely amazing. Our entrees and dessert were divine. The kicker? We waited an hour and a half for our entrees. The tables on either side both had parties that came in well after us. They were almost finished with dessert by the time our entrees appeared. While our waiter was apologetic, this was unacceptable from a restaurant of this caliber. Regardless of whether or not we are regulars at this establishment, we are good paying customers and deserved better treatment. This is definitely not on my list of establishments to frequent. I will dine where my money is appreciated.
(2)
Greer A.

Had dinner at Blackbird recently, and we really enjoyed our experience. The service is excellent - very attentive but not at all overbearing or pretentious. The decor is modern, and the atmosphere is a swanky yet relaxed. The seating is a bit cramped though. We ordered from the a la carte menu rather than doing the tasting menu and had the following: Apps - Celery root soup and beef tartare Entrees - Sturgeon and chicken breast Dessert - Gooey bourbon cake Everything was delicious, but the appetizers stood out as our favorites. I could eat the soup for days! They also served the most amazing pumpkin bread with our meal (not sure if that's just a Fall thing). Servings are on the smaller side but certainly not too small. Wine and cocktail list is extensive. Only had wine, so I can't speak to the cocktails. Overall a great restaurant that I'd definitely recommend for a date night.
(4)
Nicholas N.

Been here 3-4 times and it's still a 3 stars max for me. The food was not consistence in my opinion. Avec next door (same owner) is a better choice.
(3)
Benjamin R.

If this were a place we just stumbled upon and gave a shot, it'd be a 4 star probably. But for such a "big name", and at this price point, and with all the framed James Beard thingies on the wall, we were hoping for a little better than we got here. Everything was pretty good, but nothing was much beyond that. Part of the issue was the place was so cold (can't have been over 60 degrees) that food got cold about 15 seconds after arriving at the table. The food itself was the type you'd expect at this sort of restaurant, inventive and elaborate, and very nicely presented. But we weren't wowed by anything at all. The service was great, and the atmosphere is pretty cool, but again not exactly cutting edge. They did have a good beer list (bottles), but seemed a little weak on the cocktails to me. I enjoyed dessert quite a bit, but I think I was alone on that even. All around it was a good meal, fine. Just not up to snuff given its reputation. It seemed like a once leading edge place that has gotten a tad washed out.
(3)
Alex Z.

Fantastic. Fantastic. Fantastic. Let's start with the food because that is clearly what you are there for. Ordered the tasting menu. Wow. Innovative and thoughtful one of the better assembled menus I've had. Each course has been perfectly crafted and the presentations are always stunning. This meets all expectations. About half way though most of us at the table were feeling pretty full and by the end we were all stuffed. I went into the dinner very hungry. I would dismiss all other comments about portions. Go to a steakhouse if you want a primitive experience a large chunk of meat to clog arteries. Favorite course happened to be the lamb. I was a fan of the wine list as well. Didn't get to the cocktails but I'm sure they were great. On to the atmosphere. They have hit an ideal. Very relaxed a lot of buzz. But not too loud and the lighting was perfect. Overall a trendy place. As per any small restaurant if you want to avoid cold drafts from people entering. Sit away from the door. Very minor. Hopefully in winter it's not worse. Last point on service. This is where they lack consistency and could use a clear mark of improvement. If you are serving the food please be knowledgable. Also in some cases the plates were almost thrown on the table. It does not detract from your dinning but just a minor annoyance that if they took 3 more seconds could go away. Our main waitress was friendly, relaxed, and knowledgable. The other folks who occasionally tossed the food on to your table were rude, pretentious, in addition to being clueless about the food. Probably the biggest embarrassment to the chef and owner. Again, long rant on service for a minor annoyance. I would definitely return. To try the tasting menu again and also the cocktails.
(5)
Danielle C.

I haven't been here in a while. Treating myself. Ordered the belly again. A new presentation. Love it but DRY. Disappointed. And your bartender seems to know a lot about wine but I don't know after I asked to kick off my event w an Italian Greyhound and was asked 'remind me what's in that again?' But he did make a tasty one. Things feel different. Staff not appearing very satisfied.
(3)
Rob G.

We had the celery root soup and endive salad for starters both were good, for the main I had the aged duck and my wife had the sirloin. Duck was good, a little tough but very flavorful, my wife said the sirloin was excellent. Dessert was excellent I had the bourbon gooey butter cake and a coffee. Overall the meal was great, it was our first time there probably the one thing we didn't like was the seating was really close and you can hear your neighbors conversations.
(4)
Tracie S.

Blackbird has been on my list for awhile, and so I was glad I finally got to go. The restaurant's ambience and dÃ©cor is excellent. I come to a place for the food, though, and I was hoping Blackbird wouldn't disappoint. After dining here, I have to say things were decidedly average. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but nothing wowed me. I had the pork collar, which was decent. I ordered the cocktail called the Smoconut. Again...decent. I had the chocolate mousse for dessert, and there was just too much going on. Is that walnut? There's a plum. Is that dried apple? There's a macadamia nut. It was overly salty, too much texture...I'm not sure what the objective was. It was confusing.
(3)
Fei W.

I'm not much for resolutions, but I figured trying to hit all the Michelin starred spots my first year in the big city should be a good enough goal. Enter lunch menus! Blackbird's prix fixe option seems like a great deal, but today my dining companion and I opted to split an app and order some sandwiches. We had: -Complimentary bread - Served with a honey/maple drizzled butter. I liked the butter, but the bread was oddly shaped. Maybe I'm just awkward or gauche, but I couldn't quite figure out how to eat a thick wedge-shaped slice gracefully. C'est la vie. -Lamb tartare - Beautifully plated. They went to the trouble of plating them separately for us. It definitely added a certain je ne sais quoi... -Classic seared whitefish sandwich - The lemon garlic aoli complemented this sandwich superbly. I actually had this after the Pork Belly sandwich and liked the flavors more. It was served with fried root vegetable chips of some sort. Taro perhaps? The grain mustard potato salad was also well executed. -Organic pork belly sandwich - Pork belly is one of those trendy meats that's basically on every haute cuisine menu now. That said, it needs to be cooked perfectly to overcome the inherent fattiness. Blackbird delivered on this and paired it well with the fennel slaw and dijonnaise. Execution was flawless, but overall I preferred the whitefish (see above). -Garlic frites - This actually came with the pork belly sandwich. Since I used so many lines waxing poetic about the sandwich, I gave this its own bullet. Normally I'd say fries are fries, but in this case the garlic flavor was really infused well. I asked for ketchup but ended up not using it. That's saying a lot since I usually have ketchup with a side of fries. Survey says? Mais oui! Je suis enchante! And I'm out of cliche French phrases.
(4)
Tom P.

I was extremely disappointed. The opening amuse was great. It got them to 2 stars instead of 1. My quail-bacon appetizer dish was also fairly good, but not perfect. It has all the goodness bacon can provide, but the quail still tastes funny. My date had the asparagus with burrata, which was just that. It was unimaginitive. For our main courses, she had the halibut, I had the duck. The halibut was ok, if dry. She seemed to like it more then I did. The duck was ATROCIOUS. It was way too salty. It was well cooked, but poorly seasoned. The side greens had so much salt I only took one bite. In either case, besides being a good cut, they didn't do anything to improve or enhance the flavor. Bleh. Additionally, the interior was crowded and the service was mediocre. We got very limited attention. Finally, I'd describe the decor as being the white elevator. Its not meant as a complement. Also, including tip, the price was around $70 pp which puts it at a low $$$$.
(2)
Jane W.

Phenomenal experience. HELLOO new favorite restaurant. Boyfriend treated me here for our 2 year anniversary dinner and everything from start to finish was fantastic. First thing they give out is a piece of bread (it was a darker bread that had a slight tangy, bitter taste but it was delicious) with some really light butter infused with strands of dill (it was so light and fluffy that it almost didn't taste like butter... maybe it wasn't...). Point is... it was delicious. Then, while we were waiting for our food, they gave us a complimentary custard with candied sunflower seeds. Portion was tiny, but hey, free stuff! In terms of entrees, I ordered the fermented black bean cappelletti (a new spring seasonal dish) and it. was. SO GOOD. It was a perfect mixture of new flavors and textures and just plain deliciousness. It had mushrooms in it, and even as a mushroom hater, I have to say that it was actually one of my favorite parts of the dish. And any restaurant that can turn a hated food into something I love HAS to be doing something right! The boyfriend got a steak dish, and he thoroughly enjoyed it. For dessert, we got a banana bread dessert with some ice cream, and they gave us a small complimentary plate with birthday cake flavored ice cream and chocolate mousse with a lit candle for our two year (how sweet). At the very end, they gave us a small complimentary serving of dessert - some kind of crunch bar with a tiny circle of bread. It was really good. Only complaint - two entrees and one dessert = $90 before tip... But all in all, food was DELICIOUS, service was AMAZING, ambiance is trendy... WILL BE BACK.
(5)
Susan C.

Pretty good, but I was a little underwhelmed. For having a Michelin star, this was not as wonderful as I had hoped. The service was not up to par with that rating. They did not clear plates as quickly as they should, or clean the crumbs quickly either. Maybe I'm a little spoiled with my other restaurants. My favorite was the celery root soup with lobster. Their menu is inventive, but I think I was hoping for more. I would still give this place another try next time I'm in town.
(4)
D L.

Phenomenal!!!! Cuisine and service! Every bite took my breath away! Non pretentious, relaxed ambiance. I'm very soft spoken and music could be turned down for my preference. Main course: tried a few items and all were impressive, unique and savory. Service: for the $$ - delivered. No unnecessary interruptions. Thank you! And the best: Desert!!!! OMG! As I enjoyed my company and conversation - desert arrived... One bite - and I transcended into heaven.... 10 minutes later... People at the table next to us inquired what it was we were enjoying, because they noticed the reverent silence since the arrival of the desert. This experience alone deserves 5+ starts!
(5)
Jimmy R.

The food alone was enough for the rating, but with the wine pairing it was stellar. Each course was paired with an accuracy that truly elevated the food to another level. If you spring for the tasting menu, go the extra mile and let the somm show you why he's better than you at picking your wine.
(5)
Tiffany R.

This is tough. The service was beyond amazing. The drinks are great. The restaurant is beautiful. The location is great and parking is easy or you can valet. The food was ok but not wow. For the price point I need the food to be more impressive. Like every time I good to pump room I'm in love with the food and I expected to have that experience here and I didn't. My ravioli had flash frozen peas which was like I was eating frozen peas, it was a little off putting.
(3)
Comensal A.

It was nice to return to Blackbird after many, many years, though not everything was as good as we had hoped. The menu was enticing, the service was attentive, and it was a perfect evening to enjoy the outdoor seating (a seeming parade of raucous motorcycles on Randolph notwithstanding). We were disappointed with the execution of a couple of dishes, though, especially at Blackbird prices. For starters, the bread was scrumptious: crusty, tender and delicious. My endive salad was a treat: the freshest greens, lardons, very nice poached egg, perfectly dressed. My companion did not fare so well with the sweetbreads, which were undercooked to the point she could not finish them. I had a similar issue with my striploin steak: I ordered it medium-rare but it came way rare; the kitchen tried a reboot, but it was still quite chewy-red (though nicely combined with blistered favas and walnut gnocchi). Grilled sturgeon was done just right and well-presented. Dessert was a knockout: roasted apricot sorbet with sesame fudge underlayment and honied kefir -- outrageously good flavors and textures! Maybe it was the chef's night off? Whatever. I expect uniformly excellent cooking at Blackbird, and that just wasn't the case on this visit...
(3)
Steph C.

I booked the rez at Blackbird way in advance to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. It was amazing. From the amuse to the wine to the service, everything was perfect. It was one of those meals where you close your eyes after taking a bite and just let the flavors explode. It is worth mentioning that I am totally opposed to ordering a cheese plate at a restaurant. Don't get me wrong, I love cheese. However, I am fully capable of buying realy good cheese and serviing it on a board, so I don't feel the need to pay the huge markup at a restaurant for cheese. That said, my husband always wants to order the cheese plate. At it was our anniversary, we did. I am so glad we did. This was no ordinary cheese This was a composed dish with the cheese (in this case Tomme) as the centerpiece. It was unbelievable. Order the cheese at Blackbird. In fact, if you can afford it, order everything.
(5)
Carie S.

I had been to Blackbird a few times many years ago, but I hadn't been back since I moved away nine years ago. I am happy to report that my recent visit was even better than I remembered and will definitely return to Blackbird whenever I'm in Chicago! Really friendly and professional service from the moment we walked in. We showed up on a Tuesday night without a reservation, the place was really busy, yet they were able to seat us right way. And they didn't make us feel like lesser people for not having a reservation. I had a mezcal drink from the special cocktail list and I loved it. My only complaint was that it was so big I didn't have a chance to order wine with my meal -that's okay, I survived. I had three vegan courses plus an amuse bouche (fennel soup!) They were so incredibly accommodating and every dish was explained when they brought it to the table. My salad, artichoke-centric main, and peach sorbet dessert were all perfect. So fresh! The service was just awesome. Our waiter had great recommendations. Everything was perfectly paced. Such a great experience. I'm already looking forward to my next Chicago trip!
(5)
Brian G.

Just a small walk away from the corner of Randolph and Halsted (AKA Foodie central) sits Blackbird. It has a very cool modern atmosphere and a very attentive and friendly staff. I have been a few times and would recommend to anyone going for the first time to try the chef's tasting menu. It changes periodically but I have never been disappointed. If you aren't looking to splurge on a tasting menu then I highly recommend the Grilled Short Rib burger (the best thing on their menu) or the Croque Madame. For starters the beef tartar is decent but the salad of edives is where it's at. In fact..get the salad of endives regardless of anything else you get. For dinner I have tried their duck breast and pork collar with both being exceptional. The desserts aren't memorable to me but I also don't remember hating them either. I would recommend utilizing the open table seating reservation for this place.
(4)
Ziyan C.

$75 total for a lunch for 2... Pretty tasty meal, but it certainly was pricy! PROS: Great service, great attention to detail, presentation, and atmosphere. And it was nice that the two sandwiches we got came with different fries - one garlic, one savory. CONS: Pricy, and we sent back the rib burger because it was fairly flavorless. MUST-HAVES: Salad of endives, sage pain perdu dessert The honey + butter that came out with our bread was amazing: yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ ~~APPETIZERS~~ * salad of endives - 4 stars pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ post-pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ (w/ baby lettuce, potato, basil, dijon, pancetta, & poached egg. $9) Love the presentation! This came out looking like bouquet of lettuce in a woven basket. Turns out it was a crisped bread basket - the server broke it apart in front of us and mixed it in with the greens, crispy & really flavorful bacon, and egg yolk. It was just fun to watch and eat, and I loved having the egg yolk as a kind of dressing. ~~SANDWICHES~~ * organic pork belly sandwich - 3.5 stars pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ (w/ fennel slaw, bread & butter pickles, dijonnaise, cucumber salad, & garlic fries. $14) The garlic fries were really good, thin and just barely crisped with a good bite. The pork was fatty, could have been more crisped. The bread was on the dry & hard side, but that's the sourdough style. The overall flavors of this was also on the sour, pickled side, which just isn't my favorite, but my friend really liked this sandwich. * grilled pqm short rib burger - 3 stars pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ (w/ kimchi slaw, duck egg yolk, sharp cheddar, & pommes frites. $15) My friend sent this sandwich back - I thought it wasn't terrible or amazing either way, but she found it completely flavorless. The texture and flavor of the fries was good. We were still charged for this originally on the bill but did ask and got it comp'ed. ~~ENTREES~~ * confit duck leg - 4 stars pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ cross-section: yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ (w/ grilled leek, green grapes, & candied/toasted quinoa. $16) This was what we got in place of the rib burger. The duck meat had amazing moist texture, without being overly tender - ie. something we could chew on. It was really salty, but if you like things with a lot of flavor you'll enjoy this. The crispy quinoa was really great too. ~~DESSERTS~~ * Sage pain perdu - 4.5 stars pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ (honey-roasted apples, gouda ice cream, black walnuts. $11) This was an AMAZING dessert. The bread itself were INCREDIBLY moist and went amazingly well with everything else on the plate. The apples were really soft, just tart enough. Lunch menu: yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ Dessert menu: yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦
(4)
Jason A.

Years ago I ate here and had an amazing tasting menu that catapulted me inte more fine fining. I recently came back for lunch and was equally amazed. Lunch was great, smart and tastey.You can choose from a price fix or entrees. Its fairly priced for quality and technique but portion sare a bit small. Equally enjoyable experience for lunch or dinner.
(5)
Andrew S.

While the food was fairly tasty, I found the portions to be small and the price disproportionate. Maybe you are paying a premium too for the creative food presentation, but frankly I don't care much for that. Cocktails were good.
(3)
Erica S.

The interior here being all white and elegant reminded me of a restaurant in Palm Springs. After a long rough dinner at Graham Elliott the night before, I was looking forward to enjoying this dinner. OpenTable reservations were made and we had a nice window seat. Service was excellent. Got my black napkin! Everything on the menu sounded good. The bottle of cabernet that we wanted was out so they recommended the Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon instead, which was just fine. For appetizer, I had the Charred Baby Sepia, which were baby squids with green tomato and blueberries. Recommended by our server and it tasted really good. Not very often that you see squid on the menu at American restaurants. For dinner, I had the Wood-Grilled Sturgeon with chanterelles, plums, Thai poppy jam, and brown butter fish sauce. Flavors were excellent and portions were perfect. Had a bite of my family's dishes (lobster, lamb, pork loin) and they were all good as well. Had to end the meal with a dessert so the 4 of us shared the Almond Financier and Curd with Plums, curried cous cous, and Thai Basil. Interesting flavors, but it was very refreshing. My mom enjoyed their French press coffee. Great ambience, excellent service, and food = a great place to enjoy our last dinner in Chicago! Thanks Yukari T for the recommendation! If I lived here, I'd want to come back every month!
(5)
Jelena Z.

Seduce me! I do believe this restaurant caters to women. The combination of gorgeous man in a sleek suit meets scruffy facial hair is just too hot. And every man working here is delicious - stop it! Spoil me! No, I do not have any problems with said handsome servers, bartenders and bussers doting on me. I can certainly cut up my own frisÃ©e salad (thank you very much), but having a man step in and do it for me (without asking) is equal parts amusing and gratifying. Kind of like those adverts in the 80s with the guy painting the woman's toes in bed? Frivolous, but I want it. Satiate me! While you're here and getting the treatment, why not indulge, ALL the way? Get the Croque Madame if you're lunching. It's rich, decadent, and even a little dirty. The prix fixe? It's for little girls. Be a woman and get down with your badness. Sequel? With that performance? Again and again and again. Blackbird is a class act - not only did they bring out a dessert for my girlfriend at her celebratory birthday lunch, but I was treated to one as well. And, two different desserts so we could try both. Such style, such grace but sans the swagger of some similar spots. Confidence vs. brazenness wins every time, and I too have been won. Viva la Blackbird!
(5)
Jen G.

We had a really good meal here. The endive egg salad is awesome. It comes out in this beautiful presentation -- really stunning. That was definitely the highlight. Everything else was good. Not amazing, but very good.
(4)
Mike L.

3.75 really. Very nice environment, white table cloths. Bread is delicious, better than la brea bakery. Mary hated the butter, she thought it had raw egg; I agreed and that's why I loved it. Cocktails: Their take on the Vieux Carre is the best I've had, but pricey (22$). Pretty worth it. I want to try to recreate this version at home. Nice wine list, but prices are marked up a little too much. Greedy, greedy. I had a 20$ glass of Oregon Pinot that was elegant but a little indistinct for the price. Smoked Arctic Char was terrific. Great balance of flavors, enjoyed it a lot. Decent portion size too. Chilled Romaine Soup was very rich and luxurious, half a bowl was plenty. Sturgeon was also very good, though a very tiny portion (I did have the prix fixe). I would've rather paid more for a larger portion. The bouillabaisse was a problem. One shrimp and 4 mussels = Not enough fish. The potatoes were plentiful but raw. Blackbird can do better. We mentioned this and they removed it from the bill without us asking which was perfect and classy. Iced tea was all water, not brewed enough maybe. Service was good. Our main waiter could've been around more, but they were a little slammed by lunch rush. Bubble gum ice cream dessert. Silly but not particularly good. Would not revisit. The lunch we had at The Gage in the tourist district the day before was significantly better, and dare I say, at least as interesting. All that said I would definitely come back because the high points were very high. I could see a good dinner with the right bottles and right menu choices making this 5 stars.
(4)
Shannon P.

Top 5 meal I've ever had....and I've had some great meals!! We initially set out to go to Avec, the sister restaurant next door and at 9:30pm there was a 2 1/2 hr wait as they don't take reservations due to the communal seating. What to do....well, we hopped on in to Blackbird right next door. We didn't realize at the time that they were sister restaurants. We were immediately sat at the bar. Lynn, our bartender/mixologist/waitress extradonaire was amazing! It was a pleasure to sit at the bar and watch her do her thing. She was efficient, consise, had perfect timing, etc. She was well versed in the food menu, cocktail menu and wine menu. She described the specials and menu options to perfection. The menu changes every day. After ordering a cocktail and a glass of wine, we started drooling at our neighbor's dishes. The chef even came out to describe how each item was prepared! While everything sounded wonderful, I went with the halibut and the hubby went with the vegetarian dish. It was plated in such that every single bite. Lynn suggested an amazing bottle of unoaked chardonnay to go with our dishes and it paired beautifully. OMG is all I can say....I savored every bite and every drip of wine. For dessert we shared a dish that was a playful nod to apple pie and cheese. It was a tartlet with a scoop of gouda cheese icecream....sounds odd, but it was one of the best things I've tasted. You MUST come here and I'd actually recommend sitting at the bar - it absolutely will not detract from your dining experience...it might just add to it.
(5)
Justine W.

The interior design is modern, clean and mainly using "white" color, which made me felt comfortable and welcoming. This restaurant is for the type person who goes for quality, but not for quantity. Every dishes served with a small portion. We started with the STEAK TARTARE as appetizer, with rye berries, spicy radish, hazelnut, oxalis and lemon It was delectable. I ordered STURGEON, the sturgeon grilled perfectly. It came with roasted leeks, fingerling potatoes, osetra caviar, pear and ham hock jus. It was prefect balance of sweet and savory. The fish was very tender and juicy. My friend ordered MISO-CURED PORK BELLY, it came with salsify, black trumpet mushrooms, buckwheat, and grapefruit. It was flavors. Everything is beautifully presented. The service was impeccable. It is always nice to have a foodie friend to eat with. Enjoyable experience. Next Stop - AVEC , which is a sister restaurant to the Blackbird.
(4)
Laura A.

I feel like I must've come on an off day. I recently had the lunch menu here. I had steak tartare for a first course, which didn't really taste like much. For my entree I had a tasty chicken dish. The dessert (a parfait) is was the highlight. I'll be back, but only to give it a second chance.
(3)
Gregory S.

Most disappointing restaurant experience we have ever had in Chicago. We knew it was noisy so that was not it. Service was bad. We did not have any food an hour after being seated. The waiter did not come back to ask how things were. Food was just OK thought the endive salad in some kind of nest was very good. The lamb and cucumbers did not work at all. Waiter did not come back for a long time to ask about desert so we left and went elsewhere. Big surprise but not in a good way.
(2)
Heather L.

First time here. Personally, I don't think you can beat the prix fixe meal at Blackbird, $22 for a three-course lunch at a Michelin-star winning restaurant. My arctic char and sturgeon were cooked wonderfully, the clove ice cream dessert was also delicious. My hubby, however, was not partial to the place. He got the short rib burger, and found it "dry, salty and flavorless." He did not enjoy his cocktail either. I guess the only complaint I have to add is that our waitress was a bit cold and overly-prompt for a Friday lunch. And since going out to eat is a democratic decision for us, we probably won't be back anytime soon.
(3)
Paul N.

Had the venison and the pork shoulder- preparation was good but ingredients could have been fresher. Service was very good.
(4)
Agnes C.

Not that Blackbird needs another review, but it was such a great lunch I felt the duty to add to the accolades. Never had dinner here, but comparing the lunch and dinner menu showed the lunch menu has a lot of the entrees and apps available, maybe just different proteins. The smoked arctic char was a delicious app. I normally hate fruit in my food, but those tiny pieces of peaches really worked in the dish. Lamb tartar with lentils was tasty but a little small to share. Endive salad I thought was better than the asparagus. As for the entrees, half of us got sandwiches and the other half got entrees that are also on the dinner menu. The short rib burger is very very tasty, although I didn't get that much bacon from the cream cheese. The croque madame was too salty for me, but the BF ate the entire thing without a peep. I'm beginning to think I just don't like ham that much because of the salt content. Tried a bite of the wood grilled sturgeon and chicken which was a good healthy dish, not bold flavors if that's what you like. I had the black bean cappelletti which was in my opinion the most interesting dish. So many flavors! Looked kind of intimidating at first because the cappelletti are dark brown and the braised morels were humongous. The black bean wasn't too strong, great flavor and I loved the texture of the cappellettis. The dish also had morels and spring peas two different ways which really worked for me. The braised morels vs tempura deep fried crispy morels taste completely different and the fresh vs frozen peas really grew on me. I'm a texture person so the whole thing was so satisfying. And finally the dessert- definitely THE most creative desserts I've ever consumed. Bubblegum ice cream really tasted exactly like bubblegum! My favorite was the peanut ice cream with carrot puree. It sounds so bizarre but tastes so good together. The goat cheesecake was very rich and I'm sure people who like cheesecake would die happy eating it. I didn't care much for the fourth dessert with a pastry thing in the middle and cheese somewhere hidden in the dish, but the savory lovers dug in. Good cocktails, great service and food. No wonder it does so well.
(4)
Angel C.

Tried the tasting menu during lunch. The pea soup tasted great - probably the best soup I had tried in a very long time. It was a fairly warm day, but the soup was quite refreshing and not too heavy at all! The wood-grilled monkfish was okay...not extremely impressed since the taste is a little less memorable. I also tried a little bit of the duck sausage, which I thought had a more interesting taste. Finally, the dessert was amazing! I really don't like overly sweet things, so I found the desserts to be very tasty without overloading on sugar. I had something with pieces of croissant and ice cream, which I found to be quite special as I hadn't tried many desserts with croissant in it. Also, the ice cream was a perfect complement to the croissant as it balanced out the greasiness quite well and was a really good choice on a warm but not really hot day. We also went there at 11:30 on a Monday (with reservation), and it was not crowded at all. We picked a table outside and had a perfect lunch on a nice day. It did start to get a little more packed after noon, but the noise level was low and was perfect for having a nice chat over lunch.
(5)
Rho T.

We came for the $22 pri fixe lunch: appetizer/entree/dessert, but made the mistake of looking at the main menu and went w/choices from there instead. Oh heck, we're on vacay - I could throw down more cash. What's one more lap dance? Beats the streets. Don't judge. I'm a med student and it's the easiest way. Ok I'm lying I'm totally not a med student. Moving on. We had the soup of the day $7, which was broccoli soup with some kind of crispy fish surprise (excuse my lack of proper foodie lingo) chillin smack dab in the middle of the bowl. Wasn't floatin or nothin. Soup rarely amazes me, but this time, Blackbird- you clever piece of sht I don't know what you did but I experienced the whole "it's cold outside I'd love a bowl of soup to warm up my tummy and think about christmas time and plaid print fabrics" deal while having your broccoli soup. Fantastic. For our entrees we shared: 'croque madame' with house-cured ham, swiss, red onion, organic fried egg and pommes frites $14. Ok, seriously? Best.Croque.Madame. I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and consuming and well, we all know how the circle of life ends w/that one. The bread was buttery and toasted like a mutherf, and the combo of ham & swiss w/the fried egg on top........my my my Johnny Gill we have a winner. Organic pork belly sandwich with fennel slaw, dijonnaise, bread and butter pickles, cucumber salad and garlic frites $13 - The pork belly was grilled to perfection. The pork belly was fatty, juicy, and charcoaly. The fennel slaw put it over the top. Only gripe...the garlic frites were missing it's garlic counterpart. It was just pommes frites. For dessert, we got all fancy pants and ordered the most expensive one for $17, which was chestnut mousse with persimmons, caramel and perigord truffles. The presentation was pretty, but I've had tastier desserts. We also got the espresso sponge cake with blood orange, honey and golden turnip ice cream $11. The sponge cake looked like a coral reef or some sort of underwater plant situation..and was a bit dry. Safe to say their desserts weren't the highlight of our visit. I'll tell you what was though, aside from the soup and entrees. The women's bathroom. There hung a red curtain, and my curiosity. What's this? (as I pulled the curtain back revealing.....) a huge black and white wall-paper portrait of a man's torso. Complete w/the 6 pack and errythang. I've included a pic for you ladies. (and gents). You're welcome. Side note: This bathroom is where I left my treasured old school timex indiglo watch. Totally distracted by the art. DAMNIT to H
(4)
Athanasios K.

Cliff Notes: For a Michelin rated place - the food wasn't too edgy or challenging. This is a great place for the Midwesterner who just doesn't want an adventure on a plate. BUT the food that is served is very well done none-the-less. Go, just don't expect Elizabeth or Alinea. PS - the ventilation system is lacking, you will walk out smelling like the food you just ate.
(4)
Annie N.

Finally we started the Paul Kahan's tour. Blackbird was supposed to be our second after Avec, but somehow it got bumped up to the first, and was I glad it did!! This Here's how it went down: we walked into Avec, our friends who were supposed to get there early for a table was running late. Hostess said it would be a 45 mins to an hour wait, and it seemed like she was expecting us to just walk out. Annoyed, we said we'd go somewhere for a drink and come back. Turned out there wasn't much around, and I knew our table wouldn't take that long at Avec - so we walked over to Blackbird for a drink! Despite the crowd, the hostesses were very kind and courteous (Avec hosts take notes). They said they could sit us at the bar, but some of us might have to stand, and in about an hour someone will come in to eat at the bar, so we might have to squeeze. No big deal, we weren't gonna stay long, and I really appreciate their effort. Took us a hot 10 minute to get our drink. Some gentlemen at the bar were chatting it up with Lynn. Can't blame them, she seemed down to earth and welcoming, the kind that is highly infectious. When she got our order, she quickly whipped up the drinks that were delicious and satisfying ("Violet" you hear me?). The only sucky part? Just as we received our drinks Avec called us. We had to rushed it a little bit, but I know it won't be long before a trip back here to fully enjoy Blackbird's amazing hospitality and (hopefully just as amazing) cuisine.
(5)
Gregory S.

Excellent restaurant, took my wife here for her birthday. Very cool/modern design. We both got fish, beautiful presentation, quite flavorful. Service was excellent.
(4)
Jules L.

To be fair, the things that knock off a star for me are probably particular to Restaurant Week, so if I get to go again at a different time and order off the regular menu, I might just pop that fifth star right up there. First off, they only had the lunch menu for RW, and according to Open Table the reservations sold out like it was the Rolling Stones concert. But I called and got us in nonetheless. Obviously, it was extremely busy when we got there, and service was pretty slow. One again, probably because of RW. But all of the staff whom we encountered were very extremely pleasant and cheerful. I had suspected that this was going to be one of those dining experiences where you stop for a sandwich on the way home, and I was right. (We didn't; we just had dinner early.) The portions were excruciatingly small. Like, the entrees were the size I'd expect for an appetizer. It was as if RW was a way of saying, "This is a snapshot of what your meal would be like if you ate here for full price" rather than offering an actual meal. But the presentation and flavors were exquisite! You just felt like a glutton for horfing down everything on your plate in a few bites, then not seeing your server or your next course for a good while. All in all, the food itself was nothing short of amazing. You must eat here. Maybe not this week, tho.
(4)
David G.

I was in Chicago Monday through Wednesday for work, and after my first night's required dinner (see a different review), I finally got to choose a restaurant on my own. I had a number of places that I wanted to go but decided upon Blackbird on the recommendation of a friend. Story time over. Blackbird has a nice, comfortable, sleek, and modern-feeling interior design. The tables have white table clothes and the servers are wearing tie and jacket (at least ours was). The feel leaves you in a mindset of elegance. That said, I like that everyone within Blackbird is dressed smart-casual (see: dark pair of dress blue jeans and nice shirt, but nothing too fancy). Appetizer: We split two: (a) Pork and (b) Soft shell crab. Both were very good - especially the soft shell crab which was cooked in either bourbon or whiskey (it's hard to tell when the alcohol is burned off during the cooking process - as it should be) but there was definitely a hint of one or the other which made the dish extra nice. Main Course: I enjoyed dry-aged striploin with apricot and seaweed pesto (cooked medium rare). The portion size was almost perfect. I felt like potentially another 2 ounces of the striploin would have made the meal the perfect size. Everything about it was great. My colleague enjoyed the roasted lamb saddle with smoked ricotta and some ruffage (also cooked medium rare). She said that hers was really good and the portion was definitely appropriate for her small frame. Dessert: We could not pass up the goat cheese cheesecake. I mean, seriously, say those three words to yourself and then ask how you could pass it up. You cannot. Exactly (unless you're vegan or dairy intolerant... then Okay... you get a pass). It was awesome! It was definitely the perfect portion size.
(4)
Yvonne Y.

Great ambiance for a fun, not too casual dinner where you can dress up but not feel stuffy. I love every seafood dish here, char, halibut. Was disappointed with the suckling pig appetizer which wasn't very tender. Pretty sure I've had better suckling pig in any bbq shop in hong kong for $5 Also disappointed with the grilled pork belly which was a bit tough. The BBQ golden beets that accompanied the belly was the highlight of the dish instead. Friendly staff. Will still go back but avoid the pork dishes.
(4)
Rick H.

Dined here for the second time last weekend when in Chicago. The restaurant continues to delight -- and occasionally amaze -- but there were some disappointing mis-steps. First, the positive, excellent service: attentive, knowledgeable, engaged. Second, some great starters such as the grilled asparagus with a wonderful fresh buratta (DiStefano from California, I asked), saffron and preserved lemon, and the arctic char crudo. Big hits were the fermented black bean agnolotti with braised morels and smoked veal sweetbreads with freekah, as well as the aged duck breast with dried parsley root and charred brussel sprout leaves. BUT, the kitchen then laid a bird, two actually: both orders of roast leg of lamb were inedible. One was sliced fat with bits of grey meat clinging them; the other order was 90% gristle. These never should have left the kitchen, what were they thinking? Was no one at the pass checking plates? Truly pathetic and unforgivable. Now, to their credit, when we brought this to the attention of the waiter, he immediately had the manager come by -- and he offered both apologies and a replacement (which we turned down). We were comped some extra desserts, which were wonderful, but the damage had been done. The desserts that stood out were a steamed pumpkin cake with coconut frozen custard and toffee, an orange blossom parfait with mango lassi and almond butter, and a bittersweet chocolate pudding with marscapone cream and espresso crunch. Too bad about that lamb -- it kept this from being a five star evening.
(4)
Nadia S.

Sigh... I am very sad that I have to give a 3 star rating to Blackbird :/ Came here for chefs week and did the 5 course tasting for 65 bucks- pretty amazing deal. I really liked the ambiance and high energy of this restaurant but unfortunately there were many things lacking. After my husband and I were seated, our waiter greets us with the following- "We would prefer both of you get the tasting instead of just one person bc the timing will be off in ur meals etc...." Hello... who are you ? Can we get your name... or maybe a Hi Hello How do you do?! Then he walks away. It was quite odd. When he comes back the third time, we have to ask him to give us another menu. Idk, I found our waiter to be kinda pretentious to be honest. When our entrees came out, sometimes our waiter presented it with a description but other times it was someone else who had no idea wtf was on our plates. It was kind of pathetic actually. Fine, maybe I've just become a food snob who has been spoiled by so many other great places, but I dont know. I just don't think our meal was worth the $200+ we paid. I loved the butternut squash soup and the salmon courses, but our lamb course was pretty bland. Sadly, I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone :(
(3)
Patrick F.

Went here a few weeks ago to celebrate a coworkers promotion and was I ever glad that I wasn't paying. Our party included 3 people and th bill had to be in excess of $300, which is a little obscene. Places like this are ones that you go to once or twice, but never frequent as the cost far exceeds the experience and food, and truthfully for the money there are much better spots on my neighborhood that I would prefer. One of our diners had been there before, but he mentioned that it had to be 6 years since he last had been back. While I did enjoy my duck and the few appetizers we got, but truthfully I doubt that I will be again.
(3)
Winston G.

Perhaps it was my high expectations for this restaurant that led to a very average opinion of the food here, but I was not impressed with Blackbird. Having gone to Avec, Publican, Violet Hour, and just about every other restaurant in this restaurant group, I was hoping for Blackbird to be the best of them all, especially since it has a Michelin star. It definitely was not. You are much better off trying Avec and Publican, especially at their lower price points too. I came here for lunch and started with a chef's daily soup, which was a potato puree soup on this day. Way too salty. Would have been good had there not been a grip of salt in the soup. For the entree, I had the wood-grilled sturgeon. Nothing about this entree stood out -- I thought the cabbage provided some nice flavor, but otherwise, it was just okay. The sturgeon was a bit on the dry side, but that's about it. Service was attentive and professional, so no complaints there. Perhaps it's unfair of me to judge based only on having two dishes (and a dessert), but I was expecting something great for a restaurant with this many accolades. Oh well. Hope you have better luck than I if you check out Blackbird sometime.
(3)
Josh K.

An absolute must visit in Chicago. The food is unbelievably tasty, elegantly plated, and thoughtfully constructed by the Chef and cooks. I doubt there is much more that I could say that hasn't already been said about this mainstay in the fine dining scene by one of the best restaurant groups in these parts...but I'll tell a little more about my experience. Went for my birthday, courtesy of my ladyfriend. I began with a bourbon cocktail, she had a white recommended by our waiter. Very nice. I was served a nutty custard w/bacon and greens, she had a shaved cauliflower salad. Lovely and unexpected starts. I chose the quail, inspired by orange chicken, this was a medium rare quail that was. to. die. for. Flat out incredible. Her pea soup was vegan and one of the very best soups I have ever had, the texture was absolutely perfect. Next, I was served rabbit saddle w/escargot baragoule, she chose the maitake mushroom entree. I would gladly eat my entree every day for the rest of my life, if I was not in a Michelin-starred restaurant I surely would have licked my plate. Her mushroom was enormous and totally devoured by the end. The desserts were very nice, though far less memorable, mine was sort of a play on a hot chocolate. The service was helpful without being too talkative or absent, very well balanced. Great, great meal.
(5)
Tiff W.

I HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT. I had been to Blackbird two other times for dinner and each time, I came away underwhelmed. Blackbird is talked up so much that I was expecting my mind to be F*@%ing blown. Don't get me wrong, the food always ended up being amazing, but I never completely understood the genius of the flavor combinations. That is, until I went back on Tuesday night for Tasting Table's Dinner Tales series at Blackbird. We started out upstairs in the private lounge for some signature cocktails and canapes, which consisted of roasted foie gras (decadent, topped with some nuts), lamb tartare (perfection, I could have eaten that all night long), and sablefish (lightly salted and also topped with some nuts). Perfect start to the night...little did I know that the night would get exponentially better. After an hour or so, we were led downstairs to the main dining room. Assigned seating...no problem. Due to a quirk in the seating arrangement (or the fact that we were a party of three - hello third wheeling with my roommate & her boyfriend!), we were seated next to Tasting Table Chicago's editor as well as with some of Chicago food scene's most reputable and respected food writers. I was absolutely star-struck...like STAR-STRUCK. I'm pretty sure my roommate & her boyfriend found it extremely weird and creepy. Anyhow, the first course was was a grilled sturgeon with braised oxtail, trumpet mushrooms, pickles, dill, and crispy knefla (similar to spaetzle). It was paired nicely with a 2009 Box Car Chardonnay from Sonoma. It was definitely my favorite dish of the night...party in my mouth. Second course was roasted guinea hen with a cauliflower-almond puree and fennel-yuzu-jalapeno glaze, paired with a 2007 Rex Hill Reserve Pinot from Willamette Valley. The hen was PERFECTLY cooked, and I loved the cauliflower-almond puree, even if Paul Kahan said that it was a little older-fashioned and indicative of the type of thing Blackbird was making when it first opened. Good food is good food, in my mind. My roommate didn't like the dish as it had a cilantro-y taste to it, but I love cilantro, so yeah. Third course was the most homey and recognizable, even if the flavors weren't crazily inventive - pork belly, knackwurst, & smoked bacon "charcroute" (Alsacian sauerkraut) with fingerling potatoes and homemade caraway mustard...an extremely fancy sausage with kraut and mustard, if you will. The kraut was made of shaved turnips and I loved that there were pieces of dehydrated kraut on top as well. It was paired with a 2008 Chappellet "Mountain Cuvee" Bourdeaux blend from Napa. It was a lovely wine, but I don't think it paired particularly well with the dish...the dish needed a beer pairing methinks. Finally, dessert was a Chestnut Financier with Camembert cheese, balsamic caramel, and bittersweet chocolate ice cream. LOVED. Dark chocolate ice cream with a thin slice of cheese on some chestnut cake? Chocolate and cheese? Genius. It was paired with a 2008 Andrew Rich GewÃ¼rztraminer Ice Wine. Perfect. Dinner was interspersed with Paul Kahan speaking to all of us about the origin of the dishes at Blackbird as well as the history and evolution of the restaurant. It was really a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and it was made even more memorable due to our table-mates. I really got a new appreciation of Blackbird.
(5)
Flor D.

Well hello delicious! You are truly sexy, soft spoken, and flavorful. Blackbird, you exceeded my expectations and that's more than I can say for other places. For those people who hate reviews that have nothing to do with food, SKIP this. We all know the cuisine is amazing and innovative. I am not going to add anything new here. Let's focus on the restaurant and it's past for one simple review. Born in 1997, Blackbird has become one of Chicago's more respected eateries...well at least that's what I was told from people on the street. Ask the locals right, they know it best. Executive Chef Paul Kahan truly honors his respect for food and local ingredients. On my recent visit, they were running a "save our coast" promotion serving up Gulf Shrimp two ways. They were delicious and proceeds went to support people impacted by the oil spill. If that ain't responsible business, then hell....throw him to the wolves. So what about the space? What about the minimalist touch to detail? From reading the BIO, the James Beard Award-winning design was created by Thomas Schlesser and it's something straight out of West Hollywood-this coming from a Native Californian. Blackbird personifies simple elegance by providing it's patrons clean lines, limited tables, and a soothing color palette for the eyes. One can't help but feel fancy, free, and at ease in the environment of gray, white and ORANGE. Food-delicious. Sweets-Pastry Chef-you rocked my world with your OVALTINE FOAM and banana concoction. Call me anytime. Wine-great selection, great knowledge. Overall, Blackbird is stellar. Don't question...JUST GO.
(5)
Gary C.

Yes, it's true. I'm a fan of Paul Kahan. But here I am, writing about not the legend that is Kahan, but Pastry Chef Bryce Caron. Yes, the "newest" addition to the Blackbird/avec family (he had a stint at Blackbird a few years back) returned to back to the nest in 2011, revamping their dessert menu. After Patrick Fahy's departure, many thought that the post-dinner options at Blackbird would falter. But Chef Caron has created such an amazing seasonal dessert menu. I had the opportunity to try the fall seasons menu and it was fantastic. Imagine: a deconstructed sponge cake with raspberries, caraway custard, and a buttermilk ice cream. The cake was so dense and flavorful. The raspberries and custard layered more flavors onto the dessert, and the subtlety of the ice cream balanced the sweetness. The other dessert my fiancee and I had was the chestnut mousse, with persimmons, caramel, and Perigord truffles. The architecture of this dish was amazing, and the taste matched it's visual beauty. Blackbird is definitely on to something. They've got The Man in Paul Kahan, CDC Dave Posey, and the Candy Man, Bryce Caron. Highly suggest you make your way to this Michelin rated establishment...and save room for dessert.
(5)
Jen D.

I have been wanting to try Blackbird for quite some time. I have driven past it several times and had the impression it may be pretentious especially with the price tag. Upon entering the restaurant, I quickly found it quite welcoming. In fact, my two favorite things about the restaurant was probably the service and ambiance. We never felt rushed-very, very attentive staff. Our waitress was incredibly down to earth, the ambiance was great. The food was delicious of course. It's definitely pricey, but worth trying. I would absolutely go back.
(4)
Daniel S.

Pretentious wait staff and overly close together tables for such a "fine dining" Michelin rated establishment. The two stars is based on that I expected a lot for the accolades and price but other than the great salad with the egg over easy, the balance of the meal was good, but nothing worth the acclaim nor the pretentious wait staff. Pick another chicago top restaurant.
(2)
Eddie H.

I flew to Chicago to celebrate my sister's engagement and Thanksgiving and wanted to do something nice for them since they were hosting me. After some yelping I found Blackbird and my sister said she had always wanted to go. We made reservations for Wednesday before Thanksgiving. My sister, her finance and I had the tasting menu with wine pairing. With tax and tip it was around $200/person but worth it. Out of the 10+ courses (can't remember exactly because of all the wine) there was only one dish that I wasn't delicious and it was only because I found it overly bitter. The service here is impeccable. The server briefed us on each course and wine pairing and followed up with us after each one to see how we liked it. I had to pop out for a cigarette a few times during our 2+ hour meal and each time the hostess had my coat in hand without having to ask for it. The other diners were also very nice which is a plus since the tables can be very close to each other. They were very intrigued with our dishes and we had a fun time. Probably the most expensive meal I've paid for since I was treating them but well worth it for the experience and to celebrate their engagement.
(4)
Tricia D.

I learned a few things on my first trip to Blackbird: 1. Eating dinner at 9:30 (my bedtime-ish) makes me feel like I'm in a dream. So surreal. 2. The interior of this restaurant is minimalist and a little cold. The waiter service matched it (cold, but just enough attention). 3. Easy street parking on Randolph if you dine this late. 4. The Chef Week prix fixe option saved me about $15. 5. That endive salad with pancetta and a poached egg was delicious, and I thoroughly enjoyed the chocolate ganache dessert with parsnip ice cream. But the ($28 value) ricotta tart left something to be desired. It was a little lemony, cold, and the dried up mushrooms on the plate didn't seen to match. I wasn't particularly satisfied with that dish. 6 . Chef Week makes for a great reason to catch up with oldie but goodie friends from high school!
(2)
Faith C.

We arrived early at Blackbird, and got seated right away. Shawn, our waiter, was so great, made observations and helped us with our selections. There were 4 of us, and we got 2 prixe fix lunches, and 2 ordered off the menu. The squash salad was fantastic, the bbq eel salad with watermelon, were all great! My absolute favorite was the broccoli soup - but everything was a "favorite'! For our entrees, we chose the sturgeon, the bouillabaisse, roasted salmon, and hangar steak. Everything was prepared to perfection, with sauces that magnified the effect of the freshness of each dish. The hangar steak was simply the best "meat" dish of any I have had in my life. We all shared and everyone agreed- that if you find yourself in Chicago, you are making a big mistake if you don't put Blackbird on your list. If you can't go during dinner, go at lunch. This place should be on everyone's bucket list. Thank you, Shawn, Shannon, and all at Blackbird!!!!!!!
(5)
Samuel M.

I've been wanting to come here since seeing it on "190 North" when the restaurant debuted in 1999 (I was 10 years old). Finally made it last week, and it's seemingly just as buzzy as it was back then. After eating the food, I'm not surprised. Roasted Foie Gras ($20) is smoky on the outside, but soft like butter on the inside; a nuanced, interesting take on a classic. Ditto for the Belgian Endive ($17), which comes encased in a potato shell and topped with a poached egg; the gorgeous melange is presented and then mixed up tableside. Clove-rubbed elk loin ($42), served with Job's Tears (ie Japanese risotto), sunchokes, and black truffles is subtle yet elegant; cloves tend to overpower any dish they're in, but not here. Mont Blanc, for dessert ($10), chestnut glace with vanilla cream, is finished with a pour of warm chocolate tableside; a perfect cap to an excellent meal. Pricing is high, but appropriate for the caliber of the food. Tables are very close together, which I didn't mind but which would probably put off some diners. Service is impeccable. All in all, in the sea of often indistinguishable restaurants that is Chicago, Blackbird truly stands out. It has transcended trendiness, and is a real original. I could not recommend it more highly!
(5)
Sarah S.

4.4 Went to Blackbird for lunch during the $22 restaurant week special. I feel like every magazine I pick up these days just raves about this place so I was super excited to check it out. First impression, the space is super cool. They have this very cool piece of art on one of the walls, I wish I had asked who it was by. Annywayyys, the food was really excellent, although I think I allowed myself to get so hyped up by the reviews that I was a teensy bit disappointing. One thing to mention off the bat: their portions are beautiful but small. I know if I had taken my bear-of-an-eater boyfriend, he would have been pissed. Maybe stick to girls night out on this one. All of the food was so complex and interesting, and I didn't feel like I needed a three hour nap after I was done. I started out with the potato soup with candied sunflower seeds, dehydrated beet, and seared trout belly. The sunflower seeds added a perfect crunch, and the beet added a pop of flavor. The potato soup itself didn't have quite enough salt for my liking, but the quality of the ingredients stood up on their own. My friend was a little more adventurous than me and got the confit baby octopus with fennel, chestnuts, finger lime and chili. This was EXCELLENT. I didn't realize until that moment that it wasn't that I didn't like octopus, I just didn't like rubbery octopus. This had a melt-in-your-mouth quality that I had never experienced with octopus before. It wasn't quite as soft but I would almost compare the texture liver. Next up was the wood-grilled salmon with chanterelles, kohirabi, apple, thai poppy jam and brown butter fish sauce. The fish was cooked exquisitely, and had a nice almost caramelized crust on top that was really great. In general I found the dish just a little bit bland. The mini chanterelles were cute but didn't have as much of an earthy flavor as I'm used to. Maybe more of a variety of veggies or a sauce would have done the trick. Lastly I had the bittersweet chocolate cremeux sweet potato, hazelnuts and ginger. I have to preface this with a disturbing fact: I am not much of a dessert person. I know, it's weird. For me, the flavors were excellent but the dense texture was a weird combination. The service was very nice and I felt there was always someone available to help but nobody was hovering.
(4)
Amanda M.

I have been here several times before, each time was a positive experience. This time was not. Our server was totally aloof and not at all attentive. Our appetizers didn't come out for almost 1.5 hours after we sat down and our server never swung by to even check in with us. My appetizer (soup) was quite tasty, but luke warm at best. Entrees were quite small for the price. When our server did finally check in with us after finishing our meal and I let him know about the soup temperature, he didn't even acknowledge my statement. Slow, very mediocre service, average food combined with a large bill don't make me in any hurry to come back here given all the amazing choices in the city.
(2)
Young R.

Beautiful restaurant, modern and brightly lit. Many of the starters sounded delicious -- we ended up splitting the soft shell crab and quail sausage. For entrees, 3 out of 4 of us ordered the duck with white asparagus. It was pretty generously portioned with perfectly crispy skin. Very happy with that. I'm a pretty adventurous eater, but the dessert menu seemed a little too bold for my taste -- most of the desserts had some strange non-traditional dessert ingredient like turnip or quinoa. The one we did order -- the jasmine ice cream with rice cake and rhubarb -- was very good. Nice cauliflower puree amuse bouche to start and two pieces of candy (one fruit, one chocolate truffle) to end.
(4)
Erick N.

On weekdays Michelin Star restaurant Blackbird offers an amazing lunch deal; a three course prix fixe for just $22. While the portions are on the small size, it is a reasonable amount of food for lunch (just be sure not to come starving). The complexity of the ingredients and the artistic presentation definitely are indicative of a Michelin star venue despite the bargain price. There are only two choices for each course, so picky eaters may not be able to take advantage of the prix fixe, but there is also an al la carte menu with several more offerings (albeit at a higher price). There is no amuse bouche, but a couple slices of tasty bread were served soon after we were seated (though no offer was made to replenish our plates once we consumed the bread). Blackbird features modern decor and like many of Chicago's fine dining establishments it is on the smallish side. There is seating for roughly 56, so tables are spaced close together, but I did not find the venue to be noisy. There is valet parking available but I found ample free parking just north on Lake Street. The dress was quite casual at lunchtime, the vast majority of patrons wore jeans. There is an open kitchen and I enjoyed stealing glances of the chefs working their magic periodically. As each dish is rather complex and a small kitchen is feeding fifty plus people, the pace of the meal is slow (our three course lunch took roughly an hour and a half), but it is a pleasant atmosphere for a leisurely meal. Service is extremely polished and attentive, but unfortunately our sever did not exhibit much in the way of personality and was all business. Blackbird is known for unusual flavor combinations and savory dishes often have a sweet component, similar to Schwa - but in a much more refined environment. For the first course I opted for the confit baby octopus; the presentation was nice and it was enjoyable but lacked a wow factor. The best octopus I have had is by far the one served at MK. My wife went for the soup of the day; a Jerusalem artichoke based soup with a small piece of fish and this was by far the superior choice. I ordered the pekin duck confit for my main which again was tastefully presented and was good, but nothing special. The portion of duck seemed more of what I would expect from an appetizer. My wife's wood grilled sturgeon was similar in terms of presentation, taste and portion. Dessert was definitely highlight of the meal. I had an espresso sponge cake with honey turnip ice cream and blood orange wedges. This dish looked beautiful and tasted even better. The turnip ice cream was exquisite. This dish I would definitely order again. My wife's bittersweet chocolate mouse with candied cashews and butternut squash was also her favorite part of the meal. While I have to admit I was expecting a bit more from Blackbird based on the Michelin star status and stellar reputation, for $22 this was undeniably a great deal despite not being quite as good as I had envisioned. My lunch (other than dessert) was just missing that wow factor I have experienced at other equal caliber restaurants in Chicago and I longed for our server to display more personality. If I were to return to Blackbird for dinner, I would definitely expect a significantly better experience or I would be disappointed, but for a $22 lunch it was well worth a trip.
(4)
Phil K.

Blackbird is really a top notch dining venue. Dinner with excellent wine ran about $240 but it was well worth it. Service was friendly and approachable, yet sophisticated. The lamb was delicious.
(5)
Adam S.

Went here for lunch. I would say it's probably 4 1/2 stars, but I decided to round up. Nice space, very modern. The food all looks great presentation-wise. It also tastes good as well. I had the beet soup with lamb sausage. It was a great, great soup. Nice texture and the lamb was a perfect flavor compliment. The soup was the reason I bumped it to 5 stars. I had te pork belly sandwich which was nice, but not the best I've ever had. The fries it was served with were definitely above average. The slaw was fresh and tasty. The service was nice, and they were quick when they learned I was on a lunch break (which I appreciated). About $25 all told which isn't too, too bad.
(5)
Tracey S.

Stellar in every way. Perfect cocktails, spot-on wine pairing. They noted and accommodated my food allergies with no fuss. Service is impeccable and generous. It's easy to see why this place (deservedly) gets all the press and awards.
(5)
Lindsey B.

Disappointed with the small portion sizes. Yes, I'm a girl; however, I do enjoying eating. Further, the food wasn't that memorable. I didn't leave excited to tell the world about anything from their menu. The tables were so close together, they had to be moved to allow people to sit down. I could hear every word of the table sitting on either side of me :( Which made me turn mute in fear that conversations with the boyfriend would be equally as disruptive to my dining neighbors. I'm bummed because this restaurant is extremely close to where I live, I was hoping to develop a neighborhood gem. This place does deserve a star or two for their cocktails. Best libations I've experience in a while. Unique flavors, worth the $12 per cocktail price.
(2)
Chris B.

Top notch. It's the kind of place you think of when you want a cool, classy place to eat. Some of the best sweat breads I've had and two perfectly cooked, well composed fish dishes.
(4)
Stacy H.

My boyfriend and I came to Chicago for a convention that he had to attend for school. We thought it would be really nice to go out to a nice dinner at least one night, so we chose Blackbird. Upon arrival to the restaurant, we were a little over-whelmed by the minimalist decor and shoulder to shoulder seating. The restaurant was not busy, but they managed to put us right next to a couple of mid-40's business men who were very boisterous. Needless to say, we were very uncomfortable. I was barely able to make a peep, I was so uncomfortable in the situation. After choosing our entrÃ©e off the menu (overpriced, in my opinion). We decided that we simply could not stay any longer. We did not want to ruin our last night in Chicago with a overprice, uncomfortable experience. We hastily cancelled our order - hoping that the cook had not started it yet - and booked it out of there as quickly as we could. On a high note - our night ended up great - ate some magnificent Thai food in a much more comfortable atmosphere, bought a bottle of wine, and headed back to our hotel to cuddle and watch a movie.
(1)
Dennis S.

Our daughter was visiting from Australia, so I took her to Blackbird for lunch. Good decision! We've been back for dinner, another good decision. Blackbird is both classy and contemporary, a nice combination. I'd been warned about the crowded conditions, but we had plenty of space and a great time. Wonderful food combinations, from traditional bouillabaisse to creative confit of suckling pig with mushrooms, walnut consomme and pawpaw. Good wine list. Could be a five-star with another visit or two. Adding a few more cheeses to the selection would help too.
(4)
Leilo P.

Blackbird. Such a special Chicago spot. There are some restaurants, like Gibsons, that you HAVE to try in Chicago and Blackbird is definitely on this list. This tiny place serves up some amazing food. For starters, this is a tiny place, so you will hear the table next to you talking about going to his doctor appointment and she's mad he never calls when he's out with his friends, but the dinner is supposed to make up for it! Blackbird is not where you go with 4 or more people. My meal started with the confit of suckling pig and the foie gras. Both were absurdly good, that kind of good where you just sit back and say "decadence" with a smile. I had the lamb for dinner that was huge on my plate, definitely got my bang for the buck on that one... my boyfriend on the other hand, got a sad little fish on his plate. We both enjoyed it. The lamb was tough, but I like my lamb cooked that way and the waiter was nice enough to explain that it takes 12 hours to cook it. My boyfriend's fish was buttery and soft, not flaky. We ended our meal with cheese, which I don't remember too well because I was so full from the lamb. This is definitely an enjoyable meal, not a romantic-profess-my-love-so-others-can-hear-you kind of place. I'm only giving it 4 stars because this place is ridiculously small - I hit the guy next to me with my purse on my way to the bathroom and no one deserves that after spending $300 on a meal.
(4)
K B.

This is a 3.5 star review, due to the expensiveness of the tasting vs my satisfaction. My girlfriend and I both had the tasting menu. Let me preface by saying the place is definitely dressy, so dress up or feel outclassed. And the tasting menu is just the right amount, a perfect belly ache. Also to note, lots of wine choices, although not many cheap bottles. And the service is quite attentive. On to the food: 8 course meal with 2 additional bites. My favorite courses were the apple cider cream with smoked paddlefish caviar - really cool presentation, chilled poached king crab with golden beets - all about the flavor of the crab, chorizo pork patio roast w/ zucchini and figs, and the sourdough parfait with celery granita and huckleberry. My girlfriend really liked the arctic char w cauliflower, my complaint was that while the flavor was delicious it totally masked the fish. For cocktails, I strongly recommend the London Calling. The house made cucumber soda is absolutely delicious, and is mixed with lemon, ginger syrup, apple butter, plymouth gin, and Pimm's #1.
(4)
Jenn J.

Have been hearing for a few years now that this is the place to eat in Chicago. I finally got a chance to try for my self and I need to be honest so that other people trying for their first time have the right expectation. First of all the menu sounds fabulous & the plates look wonderful. Look and sound are one thing and execution and taste are another. The food in my opinion was awful, no flavor and nothing special. The suckling pig, really needs to be renamed dry and "gamey" pig, the endive salad could have been great but lacked any flavor what so ever. I had read the pastry chef just this month being named as one of the best and unfortunately not even that was delicious, except the cookies. The best part of the meal was the wine, both bottles of wine were fabulous but I went there for a culinary experience and incredible food not wine. Sadly that did not happen and I would not return.
(1)
Lana Z.

Went with my fiance for Restaurant Week. Although we were looking forward to trying it, we are not usually too fond of the small-plate, snooty type of places that I thought this might be...some of my foodie friends love it but for us, my fears were realized. They took my coat as soon as I came in and I wondered how they would know which one was mine on the way out but sure enough that was a non-issue. We were also seated immediately and did not have to wait for our reservation - being someone who is usually on some sort of a schedule (as we were that night), I appreciated that. The black napkin for my black outfit was also a nice touch. We started with the endive salad and garbanzo soup - both of which we thought were very good! The little falafel in the soup had a great flavor. They also brought a little butterfly shrimp piece for each of us and that was delicious - I wished it was bigger than just a bite! For our entrees I ordered the atlantic cod and the fiance ordered the farm raised chicken and sausage. The presentation was very nice; however, the flavors were just ok. The chicken seemed a little dry and the cod a little fishy. Both were items we probably would not normally order had we gone on a different day but I still expected them to blow me away, and they didn't. The service was very good, although at times it felt like there were a few too many people milling around. The tables are almost all connected (they literally have to move the table in order for the person sitting against the wall to get in). Despite that we still enjoyed the atmosphere. Oh, and our wine did have some sediment on the bottom which I think happens when wine begins to crystalize? We didn't say anything but I sort of wish we had because I don't think that should have happened; however, we didn't realize it until almost the end of our glasses and we had somewhere we had to be so we weren't going to have another glass anyway....Having said all that - we enjoyed ourselves but given how expensive it is on a regular night (and was still $60/person even during RW) I doubt we will be going back.
(3)
Alexander G.

Nice, open atmosphere, attentive service and $22 for a 3-course lunch prix-fixe. How can you go wrong? Well, for the most part things went right. Great broccoli soup with seared tuna to open and a delicious walnut cake dessert. Unfortunately the sturgeon main had too much salt and too little other flavor, so that was a bummer. The wine list is nice but not cheap, most bottles easily exceed $100.
(4)
Kelly K.

This place opened well before the small plate craze became en vogue, and it was refreshing to have my own entree for once (don't get me wrong, I love small plates, but I wasn't about to share this veal tenderloin with anyone!). Cocktails- nothing on their winter cocktail menu really spoke to me, so I had the waitress concoct a vodka based cocktail of her choosing. 5 min later, I was sipping on a delicious raspberry lemon concoction. Apps- Mussel soup with white fish. I'm a sucker for shellfish, and minus one really funky mussel, I wanted to slurp up every last bite. Entree- Veal tenderloin. The waiter raved about it, so I had to try it. It was tender beefy goodness with artichokes prepared two ways. The veal was organic and grass fed, so it was extra yummy. Sweets- Banana pain. It was just what I needed to round out a very savory first two courses.
(5)
Grace L.

This eatery has been on my list of "we should try that sometime" places for quite some years now. I mean, the Beatles song is good right? The reviews for this place have been good right? Well, for part of this year's anniversary, we booked two at Blackbird. The place itself looks chic..white decor, clean lines...ready for a photo shoot nice, sandwiched between two other restaurants, Avec being one of them. Upon being seated, they asked to put my purse on one of those purse hanging on the side of the table hook thingies. I refused, it was a big purse, yes, but not large enough to trouble our eating neighbors that were seated less than six inches away from us...and you thought airlines were being scrimpy on leg room and personal space? Not to worry though, because I didn't have a choice with my personal belongings, another person just took the purse from my side and hung it anyway ten minutes later, just in case I didn't have enough leg room to begin with. Overhead compartments or under the seat in front of me next time, perhaps? The server was pleasant enough and took our order. Appetizer for me was the mussel soup and hubby got the suckling pig. The mussel soup was well...just ok, nothing spectacular, the mussels were a great size and sweet, but overall, many a cioppino have tasted better. Suckling pig was much better, and the apricots it came with went really well with the fat of the pig. Husband 1, wife 0. For our entrees, I got the lamb saddle, hubby got the duck breast. Both meats were cooked wonderfully, tender and succulent. My lamb was not as flavorful as the duck, the duck was spiced better, but my spring pea falafel was what made up for it. All the spice and flavor that could have made the lamb better ended up in the falafel, making the falafel stronger tasting than the lamb. So for this round it was a draw. Dessert: I got the honey parfait and hubby got the brown butter cake. The server put in the criollo chocolate for our anniversary. Wow, three desserts! Yeah! The criollo chocolate was ok, but it was hard to eat and I wasn't sure how to grasp the concept of what we were supposed to do with the large hollow chocolate sphere, the tonka bean ice cream was a nice touch. Brown butter cake went with really well with the berry flavor, it was a bit like a much happier version of a berry crisp. The winner here: the honey parfait, where each bite had a the sweet of the honey and the little passionfruit caviar burst with the sour. Great texture and lots of fun to eat. At the end, me: 2 Hubby :2, so what better on an anniversary then to make it a draw? Overall, the portions are quite large, so you don't feel so cheated on the food here, you won't leave hungry for sure. Our appetizers almost filled us immediately. The service is ok, but you might feel that people around you are getting better treatment, where as we had to ask for water refills a few times and we had to "elegantly" flag down a server because we were really, really done with our entrees, some others got servers surrounding them like buzzards. Thus, a three star it is...
(3)
Elizabeth S.

Our server here hands-down made this dining experience what it was. Giving him complete trust, he chose everything from appetizers, entrees, and a wine pairing for each. This lead to the most memorable meal I have ever eaten, and a stomachache from stuffing myself to the point of having to be rolled out of the restaurant on a forklift. Every course here is like a small, extravagant meal in itself. Flavors and textures that mesh well and are unique to each other. Thanks Blackbird, for setting a standard I can't find anywhere else.
(5)
Sue F.

For the price point, I was disappointed. We had the 8 course tasting menu. Elements of some courses were exceptional. Examples, Octopus on the black cod dish, mushrooms on the lamb tartar dish, whey braised parsnips and candied olives. Lamb tartar was probably my favorite dish. There were some inconsistencies....my smoked char was really not smoky at all, my husbands was more so. I liked his char better than mine. But really, the problem is nothing stood out. It was pretty lackluster. I can't remember much of the meal at all. I had to refresh my memory by reviewing the menu. The service was excellent. The pairings were excellent. But, this couldn't overcome my disappointment in the meal. I really wanted to love this place.
(2)
Adrian J.

Although I like to consider myself a foodie the truth is i lack the budget to support such a fantastic habit. Blackbird was on my to-do list for a while and I got to sample it last night for NYE. I tried a 5 course tasting menu that was $85. Very reasonable for NYE and a Michelin star restaurant. The decor is very modern and welcoming. As soon as I walked in the hostess took our coats and we were shown to our waiting party. The tables are very close but unless you make it your mission to eavesdrop, it should not be an issue. The service was quick and thoughtful and not overly crowding. I won't delve into the complete details of the menu since it constantly changes but I enjoyed the lamb and the scallop course that we had. I don't think the crowd is overly stuff or pretentious as other reviewers may have suggested. In other words for a fine dining experience that will not necessarily drain your budget, this would be the place to try.
(4)
Agnes F.

Blackbird's lunch prix fixe is one of the best lunch deals in town. For $22, you get 3 courses, appetizer, entree and dessert. I opted for sepia noodles for app, sturgeon with ham hock for entree and something chocolatey with parsnip ice cream for dessert. Blackbird definitely gets an A in having inventive combination for their dishes, ingredients that you don't think of putting together works so well together that you wonder why you didn't think of it first. Service was friendly but professional and i love the fact that they don't give you too much food that you suffer from a coma in the afternoon. After all these years, Blackbird still rocks!
(5)
Nina M.

I have been here three times (pretty expensive) but 2 times were amazing, third time was just pretty good. The first time was late January 2006- I had the MOST AMAZING salmon ever, no restaurant I have visited gets it right. It was juicy with this white sauce on too over cous cous. My god I drool thinking about it. That was my first and last time I had it because I went last winter (Dec 2009) and it was not on the menu. The waiter said maybe it was out of season but it was around the same time so I don't know. Anyway the second time I had a meat that just fell off the bone the flavor hit every spot. We got a free sample of a skate wing. Delicious! And we got some chocolate dessert for free. I die for chocolate, the waiter said it was homemade. I also had the best red wine there. It is Cabernet Sauvignon called Jefferson Cuvee 2006 I believe. I am not huge in wine but I tried to find this bottle to buy with no luck. The third time I had some clams that were in a soup, just ok but I was sick so maybe that was why. Overall delish!
(5)
Raymond S.

Intro: Blackbird sucked. Now to the rest of the review The place is very small. The waiter has to pull out your table in order to be seated, the tables are merely inches from each other. The decor isn't too fancy, the bar only sits a few people and you wouldn't want to come to this place if you plan on discussing anything private with your dinner companion. This is definitely not a place for large groups. Me and my date originally came to the area to visit Avec, but it was close. Blackbird surprisingly didn't have a wait so we decided to give it a try As for the food, it was nothing special. I order the foie gras appetizer, which was a thin measly slice of which only half was actually edible. Definitely not worth the $25 paid. For entrees my companion order the lamb saddle and I had the duck. The flavor was extremely lacking and the portions were minuscule. You gotta have either one or the other! It took a long time for our bill to come. Overall, I expected to experience at least one aspect that would blow me away at Blackbird. The service wasn't great, the food was bland and the environment was tight and suffocating. It wasn't horrible, but not worth the price I paid. Unfortunately I wish Avec wasn't closed that day
(2)
Melissa C.

I had dinner at Blackbird this week during a stay in Chicago and it was SO wonderful! Although small and full, it did not feel overly crowded and service was still efficient and attentive. They had a great wine selection, and the waitress described them all very well for someone like me who doesn't understand many wine terms. We started by sharing the endive salad with pancetta and a poached egg in a crispy potato "nest". I normally don't love Lyonnaise salads, but this one was spectacular! The ingredients weren't so hot they made the endive soggy, and the dijon and basil dressing worked perfectly with the other strong flavors. The salad was large though, and since I was getting an entree I was glad I shared it. Next we split two dishes- the striploin with fried polenta, escarole, poached quince, and almond relish, and the pork roast with whole wheat knephla (I had no idea what this was but it was good), zucchini, figs, black sesame seeds, and dill. I don't know which one I preferred- the meats were complemented perfectly with the innovative flavors that accompanied them. I had never tasted those combinations and it was really interesting. I would have a hard time going back and not ordering any of those three dishes! For dessert we split the miniature apple tarts with apples and gouda ice cream with black walnuts. It was really interesting and the gouda ice cream was the strangest ice cream I've ever had, but it was great. Half was definitely enough, but I liked it a lot. There was nothing wrong with the meal, every part was so well thought out I was very impressed. I want to go back already! The table next to us got the tasting menu and I think I'll have to try that next time.
(5)
Lauren M.

My birthday restaurant this year was Blackbird. I started with the pork belly with uni and chose the rabbit saddle for my entree the food was obviously excellent so I decided to go back and do the tasting menu. Both times the service has been remarkable, I saw a waiter run across the dinning room for a fork. Nothing about the restaurant is sloppy even the artwork on the walls is tasteful. The ladies bathroom is a treat and I encourage you to look behind the orange curtain. Great soap and lotion, nice white towels, what a treat! The bubble gum ice cream dish, maybe the best thing I have ever eaten. The restaurant is spotlessly clean and is a great example of how to do pricey food right. Dress up to go, be fancy, and have a great time!
(5)
Tiara Lynn A.

Two stars for Blackbird? Really? I KNOW. You love it. All my friends love it. I get it. That's why we tried it twice. TWICE, because when we told folks we didn't like the place the first time they looked at us like we'd grown extra heads. Trip 1: Condescending server (no, I wasn't drinking that night so I *won't* have the wine pairing), tarragon overload, textural issues. A short rib so tough it stuck in my teeth. (Yes, server, I know what sous vide is; that doesn't change that this went far beyond "toothsome" and straight into leathery.) The chickpea soup was to die for and a few other courses on the tasting menu were okay, but we left disappointed and felt like we didn't belong. We enjoy fine dining all over the city and have NEVER felt as disregarded as we did that night at Blackbird. So we share the review with everyone and decide to give it another chance after everyone insists they were probably having an off night because OH. how they love Blackbird. We decided to try lunch this time. Trip 2: Inattentive server ignored us entirely after we ordered and we waited...and waited. First course...okay, I don't get the confit baby octopus; I LOVE octopus but the texture of this...eh. Mushy, unpleasant, a little too fishy. The carrot soup, however, was divine. I'll give them this: they know soup. And then we waited. And waited. Aaaaaaaand waited. Finally we broke down to ask: where's our second course? The kitchen lost our ticket. It happens, I get that, and they comped the bill. Great. But the duck legs that arrived were dry dry dry (for confit style? really?), and my herb salad was mostly mint. Not delicious and seriously, a single tiny duck leg? Hardly an entree. Dessert... meh? My husband couldn't figure out how to eat his because the paired flavors all tasted bizarre in a bad way (though the pain perdu was extraordinary) and mine was okay, but overall we left, once again, unhappy. We're done. Should I not be mad since they comped the meal? I don't know. It took over 90 minutes to have a 3-course lunch and the food wasn't great. It just made me want to go back to Sprout.
(2)
alan q.

We've finally got to try Blackbird and I must say it did not disappoint. The decor was modern and sleek. We started with Tempura Soft Shell Crab which was very good. It was crispy and the celery and figs complimented it nicely. For our entrees, my wife had the Poached Halibut. This was like eating heaven on a plate. It's one of the best fish we've ever had. I played it a little safe and had the Chicken and Pawns dish. The chicken made me rethink how chicken should taste! I must be cooking the hell out of chicken as I've never had any piece of chicken that moist. For dessert we had Lovage Ganache with Bing Cherries, Cocoa Quinoa Krispies and Gruyere ice cream. This was pretty rich, but I love chocolate so I thought it was really good with the tart Gruyere ice cream. Overall this is a very good restaurant that open my taste buds to how food should taste. But be prepared to be there for awhile as the time between dishes takes awhile. So hopefully you enjoy your company as you'll have plenty of time to catch up.
(4)
Kailin L.

I came here early on a Saturday night with one of my girlfriends. We had the mussel soup and scallops to start, split the sturgeon, and sampled four desserts. Yes, four. Don't judge. Mussel soup and scallops were divine--the broth for the soup was incredibly flavorful (if only I could recreate it at home!) and the scallops came with a pear sauce type thing that I really enjoyed. We also loved the sturgeon. For dessert, we had the Meyer lemon and hazelnut tart (more hazelnut than lemon), chocolate ganache, banana pain perdu, and frozen parfait. Our favorites were the chocolate ganache and especially the Meyer lemon and hazelnut tart (the tart came with a sesame sorbet and crunchy sesame topping, which I really liked, but maybe not everyone will). The banana pain perdu resembles cubes of banana bread, which was fine--except it comes with bourbon barrel wood ice cream that tasted suspiciously like...hairspray. Overall, though, we had a lovely time! Our waiter, Chris, was incredibly knowledgeable, and the staff was friendly and attentive. Just watch out for that bourbon barrel ice cream.
(4)
Vu N.

What a disappointment! This was the only bad dinning experience I had during my trip to Chicago. The service was slow, and the food was just not that good. Some of the ingredients and combinations were interesting, but most fell short of what I was expecting. My party of 3 ordered 5 appetizers and 5 entrees to share. The only memorable dish was the elk strip. The rest were so-so and a few of the dishes were just plane terrible.
(2)
Aurore L.

My new super hero in the pantheon of desserts is on flavorful steroids: Lemon curd with olive oil, Basil, Graham Cracker and Persimmon sorbet. Fresh. Complex. Balanced. P-E-R-F-E-C-T. And worth giving up all the chocolate in the world. And that shuts me up.
(5)
Micheal S.

Gonna give this place another try. The service was great yet the food was not up to par. Halibut for 38 bucks has to be on point......cooked perfect but lacking flavor. I look forward to going back.
(3)
Lynn N.

After hearing raves about Blackbird on Top Chef, I became intrigued. Then, after learning about its $22 prix fixe lunch, I just had to go there on my Chicago visit. I am SO glad that I did. For appetizers, I ordered the grilled sepia (aka cuttlefish) with blueberries, chamomile-dusted almonds, and lightly acidic dressing, and my friend ordered the chilled broccoli soup with bacon. The sepia looked dazzling and tasted just as wonderful with perfectly-cooked seafood, lightly toasted almonds, and just the right tartness...Easily one of my favorite appetizers EVER. I'm usually not a fan of chilled soups, but my friend's creamy and savory soup converted my thinking. I really loved my sturgeon entree too. It was my first sturgeon experience, and I loved the fish's firmer texture and the perfectly ripe plums which accompanied it. My friend got the chicken and sausage main dish. I liked the juiciness of the roast chicken, and he really liked the sausage, but I found that the chicken lacked major flavor. I was not wowed by my vanilla parfait dessert nor was my friend crazy about his layered chocolate bar. Nevertheless, when I can eat an amazing lunch of carefully crafted cuttlefish and superb sturgeon in a lovely setting, I am a very happy child.
(4)
Paul S.

Excellent food perfectly prepared in a modern minimalist space. Impeccable, compact wine list. I was meeting while eating (don't recommend it in this place) so don't remember dishes exactly, but the fish dish I had (black cod?) was perfect in every way, and the butternut squash soup was also flawless. A temple of modern cuisine.
(5)
Madeline H.

Loved Blackbird! The service was fantastic, food was excellent (and interesting), and the overall restaurant space is beautiful. The smaller tables are pretty close together, however, so be aware that you can hear your neighbor's conversations well. I tried the mussel bisque for an appetizer and my boyfriend got the suckling pig. Both were excellent and the bisque was poured into the soup bowl table-side. For entrees, we got the sturgeon (I had never tried sturgeon before but read rave reviews about it) and my boyfriend ordered lobster with fried polenta and coffee. All I can say is wow! The flavors were very intense and both dishes had very interesting combinations of ingredients. For dessert we tried a walnut cake which was served warm. Everything was fantastic but be prepared to spend a lot more money than an average meal. This is a place for food lovers looking for creative dishes. Not for picky eaters or anyone looking for classic dishes.
(5)
Jeremy G.

Fantastic, all around. There was a good crowd, for a Wednesday. The waitress was knowledgable, and the food was perfect. I look forward to coming back.
(5)
Caitlin A.

This place is a bit pricey so I suggest going for lunch. I ordered the duck leg confit and it was the best duck I have ever had. It came on a bed of quinoa which added an interesting aspect to the texture of the dish. The portion was also very appropriate and perfect for lunch. I was satisfied but not stuffed. I have never been a fan of whiskey, but I ordered a drink with white whiskey and absinthe and it was surprisingly refreshing. This drink has completely changed my view of whiskey. The overall atmosphere is rather business like, I would not suggest bringing a rambunctious friend or child.
(5)
Andrea A.

Blackbird was a pleasant surprise. I'm not going to lie. When I first walked in, I thought it might be one of those pretentious and overrated restaurants that everyone raves about but is in all actuality boring and overly hyped. Dimly lit with a minimalist design, I think this would be a great place for a date. They have quite the extensive beer and wine list. If you're not the beer or wine connoisseur, don't fret. Each of their listings has quite the accurate description of what to expect. The menu was simple. I'm not much of a seafood fan so I still don't know why I ordered the fish (probably paranoid about my figure), but their fish was probably the best fish I've ever had. Light, flaky, and perfectly portioned, it melted in my mouth. I'm making another visit to Chicago soon, and you better bet I'm going back!
(4)
Carol L.

Blackbird - FAIL! I had slightly high hopes for this place. Read great reviews for it, and the menu seemed simple and focused enough. I was expecting a few well-crafted dishes that will have me saying, "Mmm, this is actually pretty good." But the meal was a disappointment. My friend and I got the charcuterie plate with the duck sausage and the sweetbreads to start. The sweetbreads plate was decent. Good flavor and texture. Mildness and crispy breading of the sweetbread went well with the black pepper mousse it was served with. However, the charcuterie plate was nothing to write home about. I'm sure you can get better cold cuts and sausage elsewhere. The entrees... maybe I got the wrong thing? The halibut was pretty awful. I was glad there wasn't much on the plate to begin with. It became a chore just to finish the plate. The fish didn't taste fresh. The flavors didn't seem to work well together. The uni was the only saving grace of the dish. My friend got the pork belly, which was good, but not $33 good. =\ You can tell we are total suckers because we went on to order dessert, hoping it would save the day. But sadly no. We got the criollo chocolate thing. The milk meringue was kinda cool. Imagine a shrimp chip, but instead it's a milky white chip that melts in your mouth. It was creamy and crunchy all at once. The rest of the elements on the plate were strange in a bad way. The ice cream was covered in a really hard chocolate shell, making it almost impossible to eat. We joked it might fly across the room if I tried too hard to crack it. Overall, the food was just bleh. The service was great though. Oh, be forewarned, the tables are VERY cramped. There's like maybe 6" of space between your table and the ones next to you. It's impossible to get out without sticking half your butt on the other person's table.
(2)
Brian S.

Although we were looking for Avec (which was slated to reopen the following day due to being closed down by a fire) we were completely surprised by our luck at find this gem right next door! I am pretty certain that they (Avec & Blackbird) are both owned by the same company. Very cool, who's who of Chicago, stale yet clean and very stylish room! We sat at the bar ad had a blast as the staff, bar back to hostess, to servers to bartender, where all very, very polite, quick, responsive and all-knowing. Heck, one even handed me his iPhone for World Series updates!) We drank great Pinot Noir and the all new, super premium Maker's Mark 46! This set us up for the octopus appy, then entrees of skate and vegetarian fare. Totally fantastic! Totally fabulous! We REALLY enjoyed the bar, as you sit above everyone and can see the entire room, plus the tables are shared.
(5)
Steven S.

Got the tasting menu. Pretty inventive but not terribly tasty. My main of buffalo tasted like shampoo. Great drinks.
(3)
Rick C.

I'm writing this a few weeks after eating here. We came for restaurant week. The place itself was kinda cool in a stark kind of way. We got seated right away and the service was pretty attentive. My wife went with the scallop appetizer which was quite good. I had the garbanzo soup which was ok. With the scallops, we were off to a good start. We also added the suckling pig app which was good not great. For entrees, we had the chicken and sausages and the trout. I liked the chicken and the sausage was really delicious. I just wish I had a bit more of both. The trout I found was just ok. Prepared well, but I didn't like the pumpernickel and I felt it was a bit smokey. At this point, we were feeling a bit letdown. Were our expectations too high? Everything was cooked well, but was it a bit boring? Maybe it's just us. We had a bunch of restaurant week dinners that week and this was good not great. Then the desserts came and that changed everything. We had one of each. My mind blanked out while I was eating so I can't give you a great description. One was vanilla, one was chocolate. Both were two of the best desserts we've had in a loong time. My wife said let's order two more, I laughed, she didn't. I'll say we ended on a good note.
(4)
Nathan W.

This place is badass. Amazing food and the service was, despite what others are saying, fantastic. Example: I'm a vegan and wanted to avoid dairy. You'll note: There's nothing vegan on the menu. The server graciously offers numerous vegan options, made fresh, and they take great care of me the entire night. Polite, quick with drink refills, you name it. Great place.
(5)
Barri S.

Really is as good as it gets! Super delicious, fantastic presentation and great service. Went in for lunch and was promptly seated. Great relaxing environment. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Daniel S.

Disappointing... particularly given the hype. 1. Ambiance - as noted, very minimalist and therefore a bit cold. Doesn't bother me as much as others, but something that should be noted. 2. Service - matches the minimalism of the decor. I felt condescended to at two points... particularly after I asked if they were still doing chef's week -- which they weren't, even though I made the reservation through the chef's week website. 3. Food - This was the most disappointing. The Duck breast with water chestnuts and beats, AND the Miso glazed veal tenderloin were seriously lacking in flavor. The meats were very well cooked, but fell extremely flat on the palate.The garbanzo bean soup with falafel was good but unexceptional. The best part of the meal, unfortunately, was one of the amuse-bouche. 4. Value - given the high price of the food, and its unexceptional quality, I left Blackbird very disappointed. Perhaps it was an off night, perhaps my last two weeks of partying in Southeast Asia have dampened my taste buds, but what can I say other than my experience was very unexceptional. For the money, I would much rather go to MK any day.
(2)
Catherine S.

I've been here once I think is during restaurant week. We went there for lunch since this is the only place that we were able to make reservations while other Micheline places are all pretty booked. We went there with pretty high expectations, but not only the food was just ok and little, the food display is not really not that nice either. I wouldn't really want to go back unless there are friends suggested me to go with recommended dishes.
(2)
Rajiv H.

Went here for restaurant week again this year, and even though Blackbird has gone through some major changes in the kitchen, I can safely say it's still my favorite restaurant in Chicago. The restaurant week menu isn't quite as good as the regular menu (why would it be?), but it was still excellent. I see some of the more poor reviews come from either lunch diners, restaurant week diners, or uneducated diners. I have no problems with any of those except for the uneducated diners. I know I sound extra yuppie right now, but hear me out... I'll be the first to admit that the first time I came to Blackbird I didn't know what many of the ingredients mentioned in the dishes were, but I still could taste the distinct flavors. I don't really know how you can blame a restaurant for your own shortcomings. This time out, my wife and I both got the seared diver scallops wtih pears, brussels sprouts and powdered sauerkraut for an appetizer. Best scallop appetizer I've ever had. Just a touch better than the exceptional scalllops we had at Vie just a couple days before. For my meal I got the roasted farm chicken and sausage with cauliflower, maitake mushrooms, kaffir limes and applewood broth. I didn't expect it to look anything like it did. The presentation, which I usually don't really care about, was amazing. There were these hollow cylindrical sausages with the other ingredients inside it. The flavors were great, especially the limes and broth. I don't know if it was intentional, but there was definitely a shift towards citrus and tart flavors this time. Not that the flavors were overpowering, just saying. My wife hates typically hates citrus like it stole her first-born-child-which-she-hasn't-had-yet, but she loved her Sturgeon. I love that a restaurant as distinguished as Blackbird actively participates, and, further, embraces Restaurant Week.
(5)
Yanne M.

Food is good, but the portion was way too small for the money, in my opinion (still hungry after entrez and had to have one of their expensive desserts). So, I guess the difference between what I expected and what I got is what makes it two star, not more.
(2)
Suana W.

mrehhh. my expectations were about six feet tall, but my experience was only three. sad! we got a bunch of apps to split as a table, but nothing particularly stood out in my mind. oh wait, those little cooked meat nuggets sprinkled within the steak tartare was quite delicious. i did like that one component! -__- for my main, i got the lamb belly. for that type of braised meat, i expect more tenderness and flavor than i got. i also wasn't a fan of the sweet maple broth that it came in - that shiz is more suited to pancakes! out of all the desserts, the mascarpone panna cotta was the winner of the night. i make a ton of panna cotta at home that is better than most restaurant's, but i conceded defeat to this one. it made my taste buds sing. overall, the wait service was quite snobby and uppity, i think he needed to take the stick out of his hiney. and apparently he's never had raw persimmons - i swear his lip curled when he mentioned that he's only ever had cooked ones. DUDE IT'S A FRUIT!
(3)
Amanda L.

One of the most exciting parts about being newly single in Chicago is that I'm get to go to all these nice new restaurants on first dates. My lovely date today suggested that we go to Blackbird, since it is close to both of our offices in the West Loop. He made reservations for us at 11:45 and we were off to the races. The ambiance is wonderful. Very understated and classy, with an uber-professional staff. Our water glasses were never less than half full, they didn't intrude on our typical first date conversation, and the food was delicious. I ordered the Pork Belly sandwich because my handsome date had mentioned that he had heard good things about it, and he ordered the Short Rib Burger. We went halfsies on the sandwiches, because both were out of this world. Seriously delectable. The garlic frites and cucumber salad were a nice touch as sides for the entrees. It was a perfect first date spot, and I could also see it being great for a girls luncheon, or business meeting. I highly recommend Blackbird!
(5)
Laura L.

One of the reviews said that Blackbird was "unpretentious dining". Are you kidding me? I could cut the snootiness with a knife the minute I walked in. The crowd was a bunch of "andy warhol" look-a-likes with their dark-rimmed glasses and ALL black attire. It was eerie. Maybe it was an off night, but my date and i walked in ONLY because Avec was way-too crowded. We were unaware that our dress code (i.e him in dark designer jeans and a blazer) would warrant such horrible service and eye-rolls from the hostess. Regardless, we were seated and decided to give this place a shot. I had no idea that "haute elf food" was in now-a-days, especially during a recession when people are looking for stellar customer service at a bare minimum if they're going to pay an arm and a leg for a meal that barely satisfies. Don't get me wrong, my salad was beautiful, but it was ALL decor and swirls of sauce on an over sized plate and hardly any substance. When my boyfriend asked a question to clarify exactly what "sturgeon" was or "skate wing" - the waitress looked at him like he was a bug. I was livid. Not to mention, her appearance was APPALLING. She had a BLACK EYE and looked like she was recovering from a nose-job or something (maybe another angered patron clocked her?!). I mean, that's not something I want in my face taking my order when I'm eating at this over-hyped up place. Overall, the place paid dearly when we were ready to leave but that still didn't pacify me. They comped our alcohol and desserts/coffee after I pulled the manager over (that's the only reason this place gets 2 stars). I told him that the waitress forgot our espresso orders and didn't bring us a second bottle of wine that we had ordered in the middle of our meal with our entree. Oh and in case you're wondering, this place was not so busy that their service would've been this horrible. I might consider coming here again to give it a "second chance" visit. We'll see.
(2)
Vivian C.

My fiance too me to Blackbird for my birthday as a surprise. I have been bugging him about taking me somewhere with life changing food. I'm a chef. He's a chef. We just wanted a great meal by someone who loves to make amazing food. First impressions: Very bustling and busy in this joint. We had late reservations at 9:30, but the place was still going strong. We had drinks next door at Meiji, recommended by the hostess. Our server, Erin, was (hmmm, how do I put this?) classy, sophisticated cool. The service in this restaurant is phenomenal, as it should be. Napkins were folded for us whenever we got up from the table, water was filled for us when it got low, even though the bottle sat on our table, dishes were cleared and utensils replaced without missing a beat. The bread was okay, tasted a bit hard, but I didn't take more than two bites, since I wanted to savor the meal. My fiance had mussel soup, which he loved. My first course was the Glazed veal sweetbreads with lime onions, tamarind, bee pollen and fried chocolate. So flippin' delicious. I wish I ordered two. The balance of the plate with the slight crispness of the sweetbreads and the crunch of the fried chocolate just amazed my mouth in the sweetest way. I had a second course (I really wanted to order 5 apps and an entree, but resisted) of Roasted hudson valley foie gras with charred green garlic, black garlic, green almonds and shrimp salt. I loved the shrimp salt. It brought out a richer and sweeter flavor than just plain salt. Here is where the dish lost me: the foie gras was slightly undercooked. I only ate half of it. For the main course, the fiance had the sea bass, which he thought was well-seasoned and well-cooked, but not the impressing imprint he was looking for. Mine definitely left an imprint - I had the sturgeon with snails. I actually did not like the selections of the main courses. They were good but nothing popped out at me. The sturgeon was cooked well and so were the snails, BUT, unfortunately, it was salty. Overpowering salty. I tired to brush it off, but it tasted like everything was salted in each step of the cooking process. I tried to wash it away with a drink, but it just made it worse. The snails were salty and tossed in a salty sauce, the napa cabbage just soaked in salty water & the smoked fresh pickles just made my head explode. I felt very bad to not enjoy my entree and the server apologized and took it off the bill. We didn't mind paying for it, but as she pointed out, I did only take a few bites. For shame. We opted for cheese and then dessert, but because it had been so busy, we asked for it both at once. We had the 8 year aged cheddar cheese with granola. It hit the spot. Then we had the brown sugar cake with raspberries. The plating looked silly. The dessert was just alright. I would not order it again. We ordered another plate of cheese instead. The coffee and tea selection is good. Be careful when ordering. You have to look at the prices. I almost ordered the black tea for $150 bucks. Eeek. So here is what I love. Blackbird is busy with great style without the pretentious nonsense. You can wear jeans here and relax while enjoying the fine dining service. The plates are beautiful and the unique ingredients are a plus for food lovers. I will opt to try something else the next time I go, but I will definitely be back.
(3)
Theresa N.

I finally got to try Blackbird during Chef's week after having a long love affair with Avec next door as well as Publican. I came with a little apprehension as I feel like a restaurant week or chef's week menu isn't always a good representation of what the food is normally like, but I couldn't resist paying $33 for a 3 course meal here. I was pleasantly surprised and it made me want to come and try eating at Blackbird on a regular evening. They started us off with an amuse bouche of a pancetta or prosciutto (?) wrapped coffee beignet, which was interesting but probably my least favorite part of the meal. As my starter, I got the endive salad with pancetta and a poached egg. The presentation was beautiful and anytime a poached egg is added to anything, it instantly becomes a winner! For my entree, I decided to go for the roasted chicken and sausage with cauliflower, maitake mushrooms and a kaffir lime broth. Chicken is not the most exciting protein to order when you're fine dining, but anytime it is prepared well, it is so satisfying. The skin was crisp and the chicken was tender. Lastly, I had the chocolate ganache with the parsnip icecream while the rest of the table had the vanilla parfait. They loved their dessert, as did I, but I would only recommend it if you're a huge chocolate lover. I still think I enjoy the casual atmosphere at Avec more, but the food at Blackbird was great and Paul Kahan again did not disappoint.
(4)
Phil F.

Amazing experience of contemporary American cuisine. A lot of thought goes into the menu here and I love that. It is little food though, if you get a tasting menu. I went home and ate leftover Giordanos ;) Stand-out was scallops with some pear yumminess goin on and sauerkraut powder. Weird but true and delish. Super expensive but its worth it.
(5)
Amy C.

Joe (my husband) and I had been talking about going to Blackbird for over six months, we tried to during Restaurant week but there were no reasonably timed reservations available and during chef's week the car I was driving broke down and we had to cancel our reservation at the last minute. So...make a reservation 2 weeks ahead or a month ahead if it is a special priced pre-fix menu week (Late winter). Finally, it was Joe's birthday and I surprised him with dinner at Blackbird. The food was amazing: fresh ingredients combined beautifully. Joe had the Elk Strip loin that was slightly rare and delicious with juicy blackberries, walnuts, and these salted broccoli tops. From other reviews it sounds like this is the best item on the menu right now. I had the Sturgoen which is a meaty non flaky fish. I was a little hesitant but wanted to order something I had never had since Chef Paul Kahan is known to make unusual dishes with local ingredients. It was great. The dessert menu was so different that we almost passed on it, but when we tasted the milk chocolate mousse with grilled corn and silk, frozen peaches and mesqite we couldn't argue that corn should stay in the savory catagory. My one complaint is the minimalistic decor and loud crowded atmosphere. On the walk back to the restroom I saw all kinds of plaques on the wall displaying the many awards Blackbird has received. The chef awards and food innovations are well deserved, but I do not know why anyone would give the place an award for ambiance. Almost everything in the restaurant is white, save a few yellow daisies on the bar and tables, sleek and modern. Fine. But the tables are so close together that it is impossible not to ease drop on your neighbor's conversation. Blackbird looses it's classiness when people are bumping into one another.
(4)
Terri M.

I was overall let down by my experience here. I wish I could give a separate rating for the food and the service, because the server is what really ruined it. We went on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, it was just 2 of us, and we had a later reservation at 8pm. We were there just before 8, and were seated at one of the tables along the wall, and I have to say I am just not really a fan of dining rooms laid out in this fashion, I always find it hard to hear whoever I am dining with across the table over the people at the tables on either side, and both tables next to us were on the louder side when we sat down, thankfully they were replaced by quieter people shortly after. I am not sure what our servers name was, I can't recall him saying. He looked a lot like a Ken doll, and I must say he seems to have been hired on looks alone, because he was not a very good server.....I work in the industry too, I expected much better at Blackbird. First off, the hostess gave us lunch menus instead of dinner, and did not give us a prix fixe menu, so we were looking for the wrong menu for a good ten minutes, before I got a staff members attention and got us the right menu. By the time our waiter finally got to our table we had picked out a bottle of champagne, which it then took him 20 minutes to find. When he finally got back with the champagne I had to ask about the prix fixe menu before we received one. We both ordered the 7 course tasting menu, paired with wine. By the time we finally got our champagne it was like 8:25, by the time we finally got our amuse it was 8:40. The four top that sat down next to us about 30 minutes or so after we did had their amuse 5 minutes after we got ours, they had a different server though. He brought all of the pairings of wine to the table what seemed a long time before the course they went with, a lot of the wine had gotten fairly warm by the time the food arrived. Overall the waiter was nice enough, though not very attentive or timely. For what seemed like a slower night, with what seemed like a lot of people working in the front of the house for such a small dining room I think our meal and our wines could have come out more in sync. Which I think was just a matter of poor timing on the servers part, not firing our next courses soon enough. Which is something a good server should know how to do. Also about halfway through our meal the music in the dining room went from sort of quieter background type music to playing Roxanne by the Police, which while not a bad song was really out of place. Didn't really care that much for the dining room overall. On the bright side of this whole experience the food was fantastic. The kitchen did a great job. All of the food came out hot and cooked perfectly. Every course was delicious. Especially the confit of suckling pig and the smoked waygu tartar. Thankfully it was someone Else's job, and not our server's, to see that our food made it from the window to our table, or I am sure it would have been as cold as our wine was warm by the time he got around to bringing it to our table. It didn't make up for the poor service though, but it is the reason I gave my review 2 stars instead of 1. I don't know if I will ever go back there, I don't think it was worth the money, especially when I left still hungry after 7 courses.
(2)
John O.

I was so looking forward to going to this restaurant after reading about how great it is. Unfortunately it does not live up to the hype. The food was good for the most part but short of outstanding. The only dish that was way off was the crispy confit of suckling pig appetizer. I would've sent it back had the waiter not made a mistake and given us another appetizer for free. The standout appetizer was a soft shell crab dish that was a special for the night. My main course of grilled short rib and hanger steak was good, not great - it just lacked a bit of soul. I didn't care much for the service. Our waiter offered nothing in the way of recommendations and seemed very rushed at all times despite the fact the restaurant wasn't very busy. The decor is bland and the space is tight. I won't be back here and I don't recommend it.
(3)
Jessie S.

While I was not disappointed by Blackbird, it didn't really WOW me like i was anticipating, which doesn't particularly seem like the restaurant's fault - word of mouth has a tendency to overhype and I'm never crazy about the "less is more" all-white, minimalist look. I suppose i might give it four stars if it weren't constantly name dropped. We started with a bottle of pouilly-fuisse and the scallop and fluke tartare appetizers - both were good, i really enjoyed the scallop/brussel sprout combo. I had never had fluke and its quite good. (All of the food was beautifully plated). For our main courses, we ordered the duck, sturgeon and alaskan sablefish. Each dish was incredibly creative in its make-up and presentation, but for whatever reason, it failed to wow. My duck was good, and i Love Love Love beets, so i was pleased, but i do NOT like cutting the fatty skin off my duck, just personal preference. in general I wasn't crazy about the other aspects of the dish, the crunchy consistency paired with mushrooms was so odd. Both fish dishes were good, but not great and ultimately, I just didn't feel like it was worth the pricetag. the after-dinner caramels were FANTASTIC. so points there. So, to sum it up, it was kind of like a date, that was fun, and i liked him.. but it took me a month and a half to realize he didn't call back. And i didn't mind. Maybe the feeling is mutual.
(3)
neil c.

Expectations can make or break a meal. Going into a place with no or low expectations and having a great meal can make for a stunning evening. Going in with high expectations and have a perfectly good meal can be a it of a buzzkill. We went to Blackbird for my Mother's 60th birthday - she nominally picked the place, but with a lot of influence from my brother. I had been to Avec previously, which I highly enjoyed, so I was very excited to check out Kahan's adjacent 'more formal' restaurant, and sadly this excitement didn't quite pan out. The food was all good, but not 'stellar'. The service was fantastic and friendly, and they get high marks for that. But the gestalt experience was just 'pretty good'. I'm not saying I wouldn't go back, but your more likely to find me going to Avec or The Publican, if I have my druthers.
(3)
amanda f.

Really great food. The only thing that I didn't like was the service. I felt like the staff was uppity, and she made fun of me for not knowing what an ingredient was in a dish. Other than that, dessert was amazing, along with the foie. Thank goodness for the overturned ban.
(4)
Audre L.

Very good food, had foie gras, softshee crab and pork apps. My entree was the sturgeon. Interesting presentation. Overpriced. Perhaps a bit passe at this point. Won't be going back anytime soon. But a nice place for a special occassion, and to at least go there once.
(3)
Guy N.

First trip to Chicago with wife, first restaurant we ate at on first night of trip, first 5 star review. Wow. If this was any indication of what was to become of the weekend, I was excited. I have never had such a complete dining experience. Exterior, simplistic and narrow. Not very assuming at all. We walked in and were greeted immediately by 2 hosts. Our coats were taken and we were shown directly to our table. The interior was very narrow and tight to the point where tables had to be pulled out in order for you to get into the booth. There were a couple of big parties as well with the open kitchen in the back of the room. Super tight but I see it as trying to fit in as many people as safely possible so that they don't have to turn away more people than they probably already do. More people equals better prices overall it would seem so I don't mind being so close to other tables. It also gave us a chance to scope out other people's dishes as they came out and people were so ecstatic that they were more than willing to talk about how good their food was. I know we were, but I'd be lying if I said that I wouldn't care if a sneezer or cougher was in my midst. he. Our waitress Sarah arrived quickly and greeted us and immediately set us up for water and breadsticks. She then recommended a couple of cocktails for us and we were started. Breadsticks were very tasty and hard to put down. They were soft and had a lot of flavor. No butter needed. (but added some anyway) I had the Cannes Artist and it was good gin and some citrus with a touch of lavender. Very tasty and subtle which is how I like my drinks. The wife had the Hibiscus Kiss which is Sparkling Wine mixed with hibiscus and St. Germaine. We like Jamaica (the Agua Fresca but also the country) so this was very familiar and refreshing. Good start. I have to mention that regardless of the size of the house or the amount of patrons that were waiting for a table, there was a clear message that we were in no rush to order, eat, and get out of there. Sarah didn't have to say a word but just the way everybody conducted themselves made it pretty apparent that we were to have a nice relaxing dinner. Nice. So after a while of scoping the menu and asking Sarah questions and sipping our drinks, we finally decided to order a couple of appetizers to whet our appetite and a half-bottle of Pinot Noir to pair it off. Satisfied that we ordered our first course, no longer than 3 minutes later, the chef sends out an Amuse Bouche to start us off. First official one for me other than the creations I make at home so this was a good surprise. Suzuki Sashimi w/ Olive Tapenade, Mustard Seeds, and Chive/Dill Cream - Wow. The mustard seeds were subtle and provided the pop texture while the tapenade provided the salinity. All together, it was incredible. Great start. Veal Sweetbreads w/ Candied Kumquats, Black Pepper Jam, and Kohrabi - Delish. Sweetbreads were subtle and not overpowering and cooked perfectly. The jam was absolutely amazing and complemented the dish well. Octopus Confit w/ Ramps and Red Onions - Wow. Octopus doesn't have fat to render so they used olive oil to slow cook these bad boys and it comes out as soft as butter. Served with malt and what seemingly was Kewpie mayo, this dish was unique and amazing. Ready to order another dish. Sarah came by along with the other staff to ensure we were happy and our water/drinks were full. We finally decided on a couple of dishes that complemented and didn't overlap our already delicious experience. We also paired each dish, thanks to Sarah, with a glass of matching wine. Slow cooked halibut with Uni, Spring Radishes, Ramps, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, and Reduction Sauce - What a great dish. I've seen a few chefs poach their fish in Olive Oil but have never actually tasted it. What a great concept and what a great complement of sides. Best halibut I've ever had, hand's down. Have..to...duplicate..at...home.... Roasted Lamb Saddle with Spring Pea Falafel, White Asparagus, and White Fromage - If you ever had any bad expectations from lamb regarding gaminess or taste/texture, eat this dish and be amazed. The taste was that of the best piece of grade beef that you'll ever have. Cooked MR was perfect and heaven. The Spring Pea Falafel was on the verge of being too salty but realized that it was the seasoning of the falafel that makes it so good/unique. The great green color is just amazing to see and adds to the overall flavor of the side. Good stuff. Wish we could have had enough room for dessert but we were done. We will save that experience for next time. Great great great experience overall. Sarah was rad in her vast knowledge of food and drink and also referenced us to a cool bar afterwards for a night cap. Thanks Blackbird for an unbelievable introduction to Chicago!!!
(5)
Monica S.

Absolutely amazing food and great ambiance for a reasonable price. This is a great place for a special occasion dinner, or just for a weeknight hangout with the girls (or boys). Take a risk and don't be scared to try an unusual dish outside of your usual comfort zone. The menu is experimental, but edible and delicious. The seasonal drinks are interesting, and worth a try. I would definitely come back.
(5)
A R.

Great meal. I'm pretty sure I had the pork shoulder.
(4)
Elyse C.

so much yes. prix fixe--great, but small. we ordered the endive salad and waygu beef tartare as extra, and contemplated something else too. (the salad was cooler than any other salad i've ever had, you'll have to try it to see what i mean). the octopus appetizer was possibly my favorite dish, or the beef tartare. i wasnt a big fan of the sturgeon, i didnt read the menu close enough and should have ordered the duck, but everything else was delicious and the beer the server paired with the tartare was light and perfect. my biggest complaint was the hostess....she sat us in the banquettes, right in between two other couples while other tables sat empty. then she proceeded to stomp around the dining room the entire meal, very distracting.
(4)
Greta Y.

I went to dinner here and had a delightful experience. We made an early reservation on a weeknight and were the first people in the place. The liquor selection was very impressive and they had both 15 and 20-year Pappy in stock which tends to be hard to find (but is much more available in Chicago than in Phoenix where I'm from). When we sat down for our meal the chef sent out a little tasting bite thing of perfectly-seared tuna; I remember wishing there were about 20 more of those bites... We ordered the arctic char, veal tenderloin, rabbit saddle (all of which wereimpeccably prepared and artfully presented) and a chocolate pudding/mousse dessert with bourbon peaches. The dessert can only be described as "holy shit, oh my god, I just had a foodgasm." Wait, no, that describes the whole meal. Anyway, I'll be having dreams about that chocolate thing. I wish they could fedex me some in a refrigerated box or something. Seriously. That good. The service was great at this restaurant: informative, courteous, and attentive without being overly-intrusive. As we ate it got busier, but our server never failed to neglect us -- the manager/owner also checked in on us several times throughout the evening. I didn't get any sense of pretentious attitude from any of the staff we interacted with. Don't forget to use the bathroom and CHECK BEHIND THE CURTAIN. :-) I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of my dining experience here and would highly recommend it. For tourists -- skip the downtown steakhouse fare and come to West Loop instead!
(5)
Becca S.

I'm thinking about my dinner at Blackbird and it was so freaking good that I'm getting a little verklempt, so talk amongst yourselves. I'll give you a topic: sweetbreads are neither sweet nor bread, but they are LIKE BUTTAH. Discuss. Sweetbreads are, in fact, thymus, a fatty gland that sits above your heart. Or rather, above the hearts of the poor baby cows who let me eat their delicious, delicious, thymuses (thymi?) at Blackbird last weekend. They were perfect--lightly breaded and fried and served with golden beets and black truffles...MMMMM!!!! Thank you, baby cows, thank you so, so much. And thank you, Blackbird staff, for being so genuinely nice and friendly and helpful. Midwestern hospitality is something that takes a little getting used to when you're expecting the large amounts of 'tude you're likely to encounter at comparable restaurants in NY. But here, even though this is the kind of place where I haven't even heard of half the ingredients (lovage? treviso? maitakes?), I am not at all condescended to, and it is such a nice feeling! You know what else is a nice feeling? The feeling of the sturgeon amuse bouche sliding down your throat. It was incredible--I have no idea how someone can pack that much flavor and texture into a tiny two-biter, but someone did it!! I wish I had ordered a meal made entirely of amuse bouches. Instead, and somewhat unfortunately, I had the short ribs, which were only OK. They were grilled instead of braised, and I felt like not enough fat was rendered off to give it that falling apart texture that normally makes short ribs so good. Its accompaniments, cauliflower bits and sesame gnocchi, were forgettable. Disappointing, especially for $36. However, we ended on a high note with the sweetcorn bavarois--a flan-like substance served with cornbread pain perdu, candied pecans, and bliss maple sherbet and seriously, this is one of the best desserts I have ever had EVER, and I almost never say anything like that about something that contains no chocolate. The idea to make a pain perdu out of cornbread is sheer genius, and the corn-maple combo is just out of this world. Finally, though we were positively stuffed, the homemade hazelnut mini-Butterfingers presented with our check were too beautiful to resist. Down the hatch they went, and they were--TRULY--like buttah.
(4)
Sean D.

I was there the night blackbird opened and I've been going ever since. Always a splendid meal. However, Paul (or his exec. chef) have really outdone themselves with this latest menu. Best meal I've had in recent memory, definitely up there in my top five. how one can make duck melt in one's mouth is beyond me.
(5)
Kimberly L.

My bouche is amused, all right. What a delightful experience. Gracious service, delicious food, and a fun atmosphere. Appetizers--Thumbs up: Very tasy bay scallops with beeted brandy, grapefruit, crumbled pine nut caramel and beauty heart radish. Don't be afraid of this if you hate beets (as I do). Delish! Now for the thumbs down: Alaskan king crab tail with ricotta mayo, sunchokes, smoked paprika and pickled parsley. This had a very weird taste and texture. It was a little like a crab omelet. I didn't care for it. Now on to the entrees...I liked the aged pekin duck breast with sauerkraut dusted yukons, black raisin and savoy cabbage. I preferred chowing down on my own entree, however. The wood-grilled california sturgeon with broccoli, parsley root, violet mustard spaetzle and dried black bean. Holy crap this was delicious. There was not a bite left on the plate! The server was lovely and helpful. She suggested some really excellent wine pairings. I pretty much stuck with the bubbly all night but my dining companion switched to a really delicious pinot with her entree. I wish I could remember which one because the server explained it's not something they always have. (Drinking 3 glasses of champagne = poor memory. Okay well, 4 glasses but one was consumed at the opera.) Because we were in a hurry to get to said opera, we did not have time for dessert. We were offered some very nice chocolates with the bill--what a nice surprise! I'll be back, Blackbird!
(4)
Marisa A.

A month ago, Adam R. and I were salivating over Boka's posted menus and carefully scalping reviews. Our first Michelin star-rated restaurant, we thought! We expected the food to be creative and delicious. Unfortunately, we were let down. Boka kinda sucked, to be honest. The good news is that Blackbird is everything we wanted Boka to be. We went for an early dinner on Saturday to celebrate his birthday. I got the Painted Lady, which was frothy and tangy. He got the Blackbird Orange and he enjoyed that. A waiter brought out an amuse-bouche of fennel custard with macadamia nuts. "It tastes like Cooler Ranch Doritos," said Adam R. And, well, it did. We ordered three appetizers: the veal sweetbreads, ahi tuna, and octopus. The veal was delicious! I wasn't sure what to expect based on the name of the dish, but I really enjoyed the crispy coating and the spongey interior. It came with Chinese mustard and these impossibly crisp bunches of kale. So fun to eat! The ahi tuna was his favorite, with savory streusel and truffles. I didn't like the bitter oranges in the dish-- overpowering, in my opinion. The octopus was our least favorite because on its own, it was a tad fishy. But with the fennel, chestnut, and lime, I could appreciate the flavors in the dish. For my main course, I had the pork shoulder and I loved it. It had a light, slightly sweet glaze and was fork-tender. I loved the burnt leeks and sunchokes it was served with, but didn't care for the bitter kumquats... again, it had that bitter citrus peel taste that my tongue just can't get over. Besides the kumquats, it was a totally modern interpretation of a very hearty, comforting dish. He got the lobster and it was just as tasty as my pork. It meshed unexpectingly well with the coffee flavor. Compared to our appetizers and main courses, dessert was pretty meh. We tried the espresso sponge cake. It was fine, but not noteworthy. But the little chocolate bites and cookies they bring with your bill? Completely yummy. Take note, Boka, with your stingy macaroons.
(4)
Sarah J.

My only experience at Blackbird was really just OK. Knowing how much our meal was going to cost, I didn't like being seated so close to fellow diners that our elbows touched if we weren't careful. The food is good and it's interesting. But I wasn't full when we l left. The portions are just too teeny tiny. I'm not a person that needs my plate heaping, not by any means. But this is the opposite extreme. I thought the itty bitty bowl of soup served "compliments of the chef" was a joke. I really did! It was just plain odd. I had to stop on our way home to get something else to eat which was completely irritating having just paid a good deal of money on a meal at Blackbird. I won't go back unless someone insists and even then I'll put up a good fight, first.
(2)
Kristin H.

On Saturday, 3/23/13 my brother and I had 10pm reservations at Blackbird. We had reviewed several menus, reviews, articles, and our own tastes to pick a tasting menu in Chicago. I am so pleased we settled on Blackbird. The tasting menu was better than anticipated and I had extremely high hopes going in. From the pine nut custard with caviar and braised apricots, to the absolute best duck I have ever tasted, to the cheese course with a supreme cow's milk, the meal was impressive to say the least. Back to the duck, the simple preparation was presented with a single stalk of broccoli and potato granola, sesame and raisin cream. I could go on and on about the duck. The first 3 courses wow'd both of us! The custard, hamachi tartare with both crispy and stewed lentils, rhubarb, in spicy marrow and a sprig of chickweed. The spring pea and tofu soup was the best soup I have ever tasted. Just to give proper coverage, the chef did amazing work with sake-steamed cod paired with braised octopus. Both were prepared to the perfect texture and taste. The pork and elk were also creative, precisely prepped and delivered with excellence. We chose our own wine, starting with champagne and moving to an Oregon Pinot for the remainder of the menu. Exquisite food, simple and sophisticated atmosphere, but no stuffiness or pretentiousness. In a word, FABULOUS.
(5)
Jessica W.

Came here for the $22 prix-fixe lunch w/ my friend. They cancelled the reservation I had made on opentable before I even got there. Not sure why they did that. When we got there, they seated us in the back, even though the restaurant was essentially empty and there were more well lit spots. Later on, my friend pointed out a pattern in the way that they were choosing to seat people, but let's not get into that... onto the food! I was not impressed with the appetizer and entrÃ©e. The main part of the ahi tartare and duck courses wasn't bad, but the flavors that they were combined with didn't seem to work, but that could just be my personal taste. I had been looking forward to eating at Blackbird for the longest time, and this meal was just really disappointing. However, the dessert, a really delicious honey parfait saved the meal, and I wish I could have had just a giant portion of that. The service in general was pretty bad. Maybe I could have dressed up more, but usually that doesn't affect the way I'm treated. Here, after seeming annoyed at our presence when we first arrived, they just kind of ignored us for the rest of our meal. It made me really uncomfortable the entire time, and I don't think I will return. I do want to try Avec though...
(2)
Ann T.

My trip to Chicago was two years ago, but I still remember the amazing dessert I had at Blackbird: grilled cornbread with corn and coconut ice cream and nectarines. I also had the suckling pig with baby artichokes, preserved lemon, slivered red onion, some kind of green sauce and cracklin. I did not actually remember all the ingredients for these dishes, but was able to relive my meal when I found the info written in an old Moleskin I had tossed in a drawer.
(4)
Joel M.

I took my fiancÃ©e to Blackbird for a nice dinner this winter to celebrate her birthday. I didn't want to try to decipher the menu or pick a bottle of wine so I just ordered the tasting menu with the wine pairings. I figured at a place like this (and on a night like this) I better go big or go home. Lets just get this out of the way now - the total bill after tax and a decent tip was $415 - which is the most I've ever spent at a restaurant in my 25 years of life. The tasting menu consisted of a 12 course meal, 11 wine pairings (one was a beer), and took us about 3 hours to get through. The dishes included foi gras, lobster, scallops, short rib, veal, and some fish I had never heard of before. They were all FANTASTIC. I'm a simple food guy so these were pretty much expanding my palette with every bite. The flavor and texture combinations were perfect and everything was extremely well executed. I would go into more detail but I don't even have the vocabulary to describe some of these dishes. The ambiance is exactly what I wanted - an upscale modern place without the pretentious attitude. Our server had perfect timing, was very knowledgeable about the pairings, and never made us feel uncomfortable, thirsty, or rushed. A couple random things: - 90% of the guys were wearing jackets (including me) on a Saturday night so probably a good idea - 90% chance you will be drunk by the 6th or 7th course with the pairings (one girl knocked over the coat rack on her way out it was hilarious) - Tables are very close together and it can be cool or awkward depending on who is next to you
(5)
Max and Steph C.

Based on what I had heard I was expecting to really enjoy Blackbird, however I was disappointed. The ambiance was ultra-trendy and tables were crammed together so close that you could hear the other tables' conversations more clearly than the person across from you. Not my style. When the menu came, there was a small selection, but I was able to select something very easily. When the food arrived I was blown away at how small the portions were for the prices we were paying. After the meal, I literally went to another restaurant to satisfy my hunger. Overall, it seems like they are trying too hard to be trendy and chic. By the many positive reviews, it is clear that others appreciate this type of establishment, but as for me, I expect better.
(2)
Arlene A.

This was one of the highlights of our trip to Chicago and the most expensive meal we've ever eaten ($150 before tip for 2 entrees, 2 cocktails, an appetizer and a glass of wine). We had just checked into our hotel. It was 6 o'clock on a Friday night, Frontera Grill had a 2-hour wait for a table, and I was starving. Blackbird was highly rated in our guidebook, and they said they could seat us at the bar or on the patio, so we hopped in a cab. The cocktails were unusual, and the mixers were house made. The bartender was charming, knowledgeable and helpful (we were sitting under a vent; I was freezing; she loaned me a pashmina). The bread and butter were exceptional, always a good sign. We popped the complimentary amuse bouche into our mouths and were delighted (but don't ask us what it was). The appetizer, softshell crab tempura, was orgasmic. Our fish and pasta entrees were works of art . . . not a lot of food, but every mouthful was delicious and interesting (house-made cheese filling in the pasta!). Service was impeccable. Blackbird was expensive, and I am so glad we went!
(5)
Sue K.

I'm becoming a huge fan Paul Kahan. I've ate at Publican and Blackbird now, and I'm really looking forward to Avec. In fact, I have urges to drive down to Chicago every day to eat there. I came here with a friend for the $22 prix-fixe lunch. In fact, I think she is the yelper below me, so it might make the reviews for Blackbird seem a bit harsh since her dissatisfactions are being reiterated. But, they did cancel our reservations even though we were early. Yeah, it was weird. We walked in saying we had reservations, but they didn't even acknowledge that they cancelled ours. But, I guess the restaurant was pretty empty so reservations weren't necessary? I'm not sure why that happened. Anywho. We were sat in the back and it took a while for them to take our orders. These dilemmas took away a star. I was completely satisfied with my meal. For an appetizer, I ordered the warm baby-octopus confit with black chickpeas, asian pear, hazelnuts and eucalyptus . Everything blended so well and complimented each other well. The octopus was nicely cooked, and it just tasted so good! I would recommend this dish. My friend, on the other hand, ordered the ahi tartare, and she wasn't as happy as I was. There was one thing in her dish that had a bitter taste to it, and in her entree too. Which, led her to give Blackbird 2 stars. And after sampling her dishes, I agreed. That one off taste in both her dishes would have left me unhappy with my dishes. Luckily, I loved my dishes. My entree was the wood-grilled sturgeon with applewood broth, green almonds and haricot verts. So good too. The sturgeon was very delicious, and the sauce was so good too! I don't even know how to describe it. I would recommend this over the duck. Finally, for desert we had the white honey parfait with coconut sponge, passion fruit, rum and caramelized white chocolate. This dish basically saved the meal for my friend. She thought it was amazing, and actually came back to Blackbird on a different occasion just to order deserts, despite her dissatisfied review. I was debating between 3 stars of 4 because of my friends unhappy experience, but I gave it a 4 because MY good experience. I'm excited to try Avec next, and I will say that my friend tried it and loved it.
(4)
Erin O.

This is just a tiny bit under a true 5 star review. It's very sleek minimalist design in the interior, which really allows the food to be the star, as there are no other distractions. The tables are a bit tight, but I don't think this hurt the vibe, or my meal. I was eating alone, and I had the tasting menu. I was a happy, happy girl when I left. For a tasting menu, this is a well priced option. It was 10 courses, and each was excellent. The menu as a whole was earthy, and almost freakishly balanced. Each dish made sense in it's spot on the menu order, but if you just had one, you'd be happy, and feel like every sense was satisfied. Some of the flavor combinations were very interesting, and none were in a bad way. How good was the food? I think the weakest dish was the foie gras. You heard me, of 10 courses, the most amazing thing on the planet was the weakest option! The frog legs dusted with lentil flour were amazing. The sweet corn bavorois was transcendent. The maple ice cream with the cornbread pain perdu was a perfect bite, or two or three. The wait staff was very attentive, accomodating, and they gave me perfect wine suggestions. I told them I didn't want to drink too much, but wanted to have a smart pairing. They suggested a fruitier white wine to start, and gave me a half glass of a dry white then a half glass of red to finish, which was perfect. The beef short rib with sesame gnocchi was incredible too. One bite with out the gnocchi would be very western in flavor, then with a bit of gnocchi, it becomes an Asian inspired dish. The flavors just morphed and built upon each other unlike anything I've ever tasted. My only two slight drawbacks of the entire dish were that the foie torchon I had was a bit on the salty side, and the squab was a little rare for my taste. Everything else was seasoned and cooked perfectly, and the service was phenomenal. For an added giggle, definitely use the restrooms and peek behind the curtain. It's a fun approach to a boring room. I recommend anyone who wants to try something enjoyable, and a little different to go here.
(5)
T V.

After hearing all the rave reviews about this restaurant, we decided to come here for Valentine's Day. For Valentine's Day, the restaurant only offered a 5 course prixe fixe or a 10 course prixe fixe meal. We opted for the 5 course prixe fixe meal since it was a week night and we didn't have several hours to spare. Looking back I wished we had opted for the 10 course because every course we had was spectacular! All the courses were so different in taste and texture, but at the same time made my taste buds want more and more. Some notables from our meal were the lamb tartare, braised rib and steak, cheesecake made from goat's milk. My husband and I love to try out new restaurants in the city. We eat out very often and love trying out the prixe fixe and tasting menus. This is the first place where I have eaten everything off my plate. After dinner I was stuffed but couldn't stop thinking of the enjoyment I had at the restaurant. Service was on point throughout our stay. They even had our coats ready for us as we walked out. I can't remember the last time I have felt so good about a restaurant!
(5)
Rachel L.

On the culinary landscape, Blackbird is the place to go in Chicago. For balance, just a few pros and cons. PRO: It's won tons of James Beard and other awards, and it is innovative cuisine. CON: It's super pricey and the food is not for everyone. If you're a meat-and-potatoes-kind-of-guy, this restaurant is probably not for you. PRO: I had the salad with potato basket and poached egg, which was a highlight, and the chicken with shrimp. Both were yummy and unexpected. My boyfriend had the duck fat poached elk strip, which was also good. He had an appetizer, but I forgot what he ordered so it couldn't have been the most memorable. Desert was nice, but I wish they would have told me it had goat cheese in it... CON: Did I say it was expensive? PRO: At least now I can say that I went to Blackbird. CON: With so many other restaurants in Chicago, I probably wouldn't go back.
(4)
Avital l.

this is a very nice place great value for the money the service is very good as well all around great value try it !
(5)
Brian B.

I took my girlfriend here for her birthday the other day. We had to move our reservation multiple times due to sickness and the Blizzard of 2011. They were accommodating every time. We were seated quickly and the service was very attentive but not obtrusive. They were very economic with their table visits which I enjoy. This is a small space and well appointed but the tables are a little close. I ordered the tartare for appetizer and the short rib for dinner. The tartare was delicate to the point of blandness. The short rib was dry, tough and full of gristle. Both dishes seemed to be technically sound but neither was worthy of a second visit. For fine dining, you can do much better in the West Loop and even on the same block.
(2)
ari b.

I so wanted to be wowed by blackbird. the lunch i had there a couple years back was outstanding but tonight's dinner, one i was looking forward to for weeks, was just ok. there were moments of brilliance... there were moments where i was left scratching my head. our order for 4 diners: yikes, the amouse bous: yikes sturgeon belly? rubbery luke warm get this out of my mouth yuckiness. my sister's exact words were... "i wish that never happened" fois gras: rich and complex and well accompanied by everything but the plums (for me they didn't add) sweetbreads: beautifully cooked... seared to perfection and tender on the inside. left me tingling... good dish. scallops: weak... did not feel that they were cooked as i like them... not sure i could describe what was missing about their preparation, but it was unexciting. the accompaniments to the scallops lacked for me a salty element to give the sweet context. endive salad was as good as the first time i had it... a winner of a dish. suckling pig: for me take away the ling... it was suck pig. ouch. what a disappointment. I had suckling pig at blackbird for lunch last time and it was a game changer... sooooo tender and delicious with cracklin skin... but tonight.... nothing about it was good... it was not hot enough the meat was fatty and the skin was crisp but all in all it lacked flavor. dinner: sea bass, beautiful flavorful precisely cooked fish, weak flavorless accompaniment. duck: very well prepared duck... tender meat, skin crisp, fat well rendered. the rest of the plate was not the most flavorful, nor was the meat for that matter. golden beets were forget-able. pork shoulder: i've never experienced this cut of meat without it being slow smoked or braised. it was as tender as it could have been considering it was grilled, but i was still disappointed with it texturally. the black truffle that was to be with it turned out to be some muddy smear on the bottom of the plate that instead of giving me that ethereal truffle buzz made me feel like i was eating dirt. desert was maybe the best part. chocolate ganache with parsnip ice cream played beautifully off the saltiness of the parsnip chips... delicious. panna cotta was savory and fascinating... why is the thyme there? oh, it belongs there were my thoughts... very cool. service, friendly, but then she forgot about us for nearly a month after we stopped ordering drinks. wine help for me, a wine novice was appreciated and tasty. bill was 300 and for 300 i wanted to be jumping for joy and clicking my heals by the end, but i just wasn't nothing about this meal made me think, that bite alone was worth the price of admission. many items on our plates were obscure things that i've never had before, but they are obscure because they don't taste great. i don't feel like the chef was trying to please the crowd, and to an extent, from an artistic perspective, i get it. i appreciate contemporary art and music, probably more than most, but i don't feel reached as an audience member after this dining experience. i likely will not be back. More thoughts: so i woke up this morning at 7:15 wide awake (not generally an early riser) still thinking about my meal at B. Bird. i was wired... not sure if it was the sweetbreads or the espresso that had me but i was up. I felt terrific when i woke up and really good at the end of the meal for that matter... like i could lift a truck. I remember thinking to myself, i enjoy the feeling of having eaten that food more than the experience of consuming it. there is no roadmap for eating the complex dishes served. there were often so many elements on the plate that it was hard to know which ones should be playing off each other. some did not fit to me. i was intrigued by the food, enough to write this much, enough to think about it since i ate it with little interruption. i was impacted physically by the food... the nutrients or whatever is in the sweetbreads that isn't in a muscle cut of meat made me feel great... It's a mental thing... a sensory thing. I feel about this meal the way I feel about the Coen brothers' movie A Serious Man... it was so uncomfortable and fascinating. it pulled my interest but didn't satisfy me. i thought about it for a long time afterwards but was not gratified. I guess this is what culinary art can be about. I'm just not sure I'll need to have an experience like this again.
(3)
Sandy N.

I came here during Chicago Chef week so we ordered from the prix fixe menu. The restaurant is pretty small and the dining tables are all along one wall--the majority of the parties were couples so this worked out well for the restaurant (I didn't see any large groups). I had the seared Ahi tina, the seared skate wing, and my boyfriend had the endive salad and the sweet potato agnolotti. We shared the flourless chocolate cake and the orange mousse. The agnolotti was great, but other than that the first and second courses really didn't stand out. The cake was good and the mouse was OK. All in all, it was a good dinner but not good enough to come back.
(3)
Ria C.

If you're hungry, don't come here. The presentation, plating, and quality of food is great, but I think of Blackbird as an appetizer course of a progressive dinner. You'd have to venture to another location if you really want to go to bed satisfied. I would come back here though for a full tasting. Appetizer: Duck Liver Pate-This was good and one of the larger portions of the 3 course meal. Slightly tart and refreshing which is surprising for pate. Entree: Grilled sturgeon-Again, this was very well presented and the service was very attentive, however the portion was very meager. a four inch slice of fish was presented on top of a few pieces of vegetables. All of the flavors came together very well but I was hesitant to take each bite as there were very few to begin with. Dessert: Blood orange sorbet. Again, yummy, but very small. I need to come back for a degustation.
(4)
Johnny T.

I have a confession to make: I had never been to Blackbird before today. This is a slightly scandalous admission because I'd told multiple people that I _had_ been here. I've been to Avec a few times and, I thought, if you've been to one you've been to the other. Nope. Not even close. This isn't to say that Avec isn't great, but Blackbird really surpassed my expectations. I got more than my money's worth, had great food and loved the setting. I'll be back. I sauntered in here for the prix fixe lunch. It's casual Friday and I was looking pretty sexy (as opposed to my usual dead sexy) in my dress shirt, fitted jeans and boots. Conscious of the way I used my walk, I was pretty confident that I would run across none sexier than I. Nope. Not even close. Just like that crazy lady in a commercial was falling in love...with a phone, my sexiness was upstaged by a restaurant! This place was si chic with it's all white elements and Miami vibe. _This_ was next door to Avec? Wha?? Thrown off my game by playing second fiddle to decor, I quickly got my act together when I started sipping a glass of complimentary rose'. Heeey. That's right! SOMEbody recognized the sexy up in here!! Since all was right with the world, I exhaled, took another (four) sip and ordered off the prix fixe menu. $22 for app, entree and dessert? Shut yo' mouth!! I had to have it. I ordered the cuttlefish, pork and chocolate. Order in and OCD raging, I excused myself to the mens room. I appreciated the choice of soap and/or lotion and the individual monogrammed hand towels, but I was unnerved by the ominous curtain directly behind me. Shell shocked by the incessant previews for Sorority Row, I was convinced that a hooded killer was primed to jump out and slash me for any one of a number of bad reviews. Nope. Not even close. But I got the h#ll outta there tout suite anyway. Note to self: never go in there at nighttime. Back at the table, my food was on its way. First course: salty cuttlefish prepared like linguini and served with a white creme and crunchy elements. Oh yes. I was halfway into it when I remembered that cuttlefish scare me. Have you ever seen one of those things? Hideous. Second course (accompanied by a Brown Ale): the pork. Wow. This pork was cooked just right (I prefer well done & sans trichinosis), seasoned wonderfully and paired with lovely accents. I devoured it before realizing not only did I NOT offer any to my companions, I hadn't said a word to anyone once I began eating. Delicious. Dessert: chocolate financiers with bourbon ice cream and apricots. I don't have to say anything else. Despite not knowing what a financier was (a banker? rich person?), I enjoyed every bite of that delightful confection. For $22 plus beer, tax and tip, I enjoyed a shi shi lunch (perfect lunch portions) at a shi shi restaurant (definitely coming back) for Jeff Foxworthy prices. I can't believe I passed up coming to Blackbird for so long because I thought it was the same restaurant as Avec. Sorry, Avec, but... Nope. Not even close.
(4)
Ross E.

I had a great night here with my brother and a couple of friends. We did have to wait over half an hour past our booking time and had to make quite a fuss to get seated, and they weren't super friendly about it.. The food was great through - my strip loin and short rib for main course was superb. Great wine list too.
(5)
Scott S.

My girlfriend and I went here for our 6th anniversary. We ate pretty early, our reservation was at 6:30. The dÃ©cor is very modern and clean, with bench seating running the whole length of the restaurant. right from the get go they started off poorly. Despite there being three tables in a row open, they tried to sit us directly by another couple, and instead we asked to sit at the middle table. I am sure the other couple appreciated a little extra breathing room as well. We tried sitting at the end table that was open as well, but it was "spoken for." We ordered the endive salad which was great for our appetizer. It had good flavor and a light dressing that went well with the egg yolk and bacon. The Dinner entrees are all very fancy, and involve some sort of seafood or rabbit. I chose the simple lamb, which was very good it was served in a very modern style and came with complimentary sides that worked well with the meat. My girlfriend got the black bean pasta and really liked it as well. Portions were small as we expected. The drinks were really good, I ordered the smoke and sour (Whiskey sour with smoked meringue on top). The dessert was where we really decided we had kind of had enough of the place...see the entire atmosphere was stuffy. It's a modern dÃ©cor, but it's also pretty pretentious in how the servers are, the woman who sat us, the gentleman taking the orders...all of it. Plus the couples coming to the restaurant as the evening progressed were much older (50s and 60s) and hardly spoke. It felt like when I was young and had to go to the fancy restaurant with my grandparents. SO...despite the food being great, we still wanted to leave because we felt so uncomfortable the entire time. Dessert sealed the deal. We ordered the raspberry sorbet to share and what they brought us was a full sized dinner plate, with about half a handful of sorbet/banana pudding pushed over to the side, and the plate had been painted to make sort of a crescent moon shape...it looked ridiculous, and wasn't very good. So we were ready to leave pretty quick after that. Food is good, atmosphere is boring and stifling. Overall poor experience and I do not recommend this restaurant.
(2)
Maureen F.

I went here for lunch with my partner for the first time a few days ago after years of admiration for Paul Kahan. The dishes we had were both clean, perfectly executed, and helped emphasize that there is still delicious seasonal items in the midwestern winters. My partner had the organic pork belly sandwich with fennel slaw, b&b pickles, & dijonnaise on crusty, white bread (ciabatta of some kind?) which he claimed was a bit messy but he still ate every last bite. It came with a side green bean, cucumber, and red onion salad and garlic frites. The salad wasn't mind-blowing, the onions were a bit too overpowering but the greek yogurt/lemon sauce it came in was the perfect mix of tart and creamy. And the frites! There was a small mountain of them! For thirteen bucks, I was shocked at how much food came out on his plate but even more shocked that 95 percent of it tasted so great. I went with the crispy duck confit and country sausage served with cauliflower, maitake mushrooms, smoked grapes, and kaffir lime. The presentation was of course beautiful, the duck glistening oh-so-slightly but still maintaining a perfect crunch, the sausage was fatty but still snapped, and the vegetables were okay. I greatly enjoyed the grapes and the cauliflower but the mushrooms were a bit overcooked. We ordered the phyllo brittle with caramelized white chocolate, almond yogurt, blood orange, aperol and cranberry sorbet for dessert. I'd describe it as an extremely posh version of shredded wheat which sounds disparaging but it is so not. The brittle paired so well with the chewy candied cranberries and tart bits of blood orange. The sorbet was not as tart as I was hoping for though, cest la vie. The wine list was stellar as well, prefaced by a tempting list of special cocktails, but we opted for a bottle of Villa Ponciaago 'La Reserve' Fleurie which had just enough spice to pair well with the pork belly sandwich but also had a delightful floral, velvety finish that complimented my duck confit. The service was seamless from the beaming hostess to the informed waitstaff and the open kitchen wafting delicious scents just beckoning for a return visit before you head out the door, back into the Chicago winter.
(4)
Amanda T.

Perfection. That pretty much sums this place up. I came here a few weeks ago for my birthday after the douchebag restaurant we originally had reservations for gave our table away because we were 5 minutes late. Blackbird was pretty packed when we arrived. I was expecting not get a table right away, but they welcomed a pair of slightly underdressed kids with open arms and sat us right away. The staff was phenomenal. Everyone from the hostess, to our server (she was such a sweetie), to the busboy were overwhelmingly nice and attentive. My glass of water was never more than 1/8 empty. The food is an adventure for any epicurean palette. Even people without any taste buds would love it. All the flavors complimented each other so well. The scallops with grapefruit...ahhhmazing, and so was EVERYTHING else I ate. I also discovered one of my new favorite wines that night. Everything was delicious. The restaurant itself is nice, clean, modern, simple. I sound like a little kid writing this because it makes me excited just thinking about it. I have zero complaints to whine about, and I love whining. Bravissimo!!!!
(5)
Riz A.

I'm sorry, i just don't get it. The only reason i'm giving this place 3 stars is because we had a reservation on a weekend and they gave us a great table and excellent service. That aside, the food was so.....uninspired? I had the pistachio gespacho with ahi tuna and watermelon - it tasted very dry and lumpy, just not that good of a taste, i know that the ingredients were fresh, but the flavor was very whatever. I then had the 'fried' chicken entree and a drink, both of which were just as bland and unspired as the gespacho. my girlfriend had the vegetarian entree, and hers was decent, probably a 5/10. I know this place gets a lot of hype, but i think that it involves a lot more people trying to convince themselves the food is SO good ( because it's so expensive) . When it comes down to it, it's just not that good. I'm sorry, i just don't care that much for "presentation" and awesome service if the food is not that great. It's definitely a 'seen and be seen' kind of joint, but i found myself craving some chicken wings afterwards....
(3)
Laurence K.

What can I say This is my absolute favorite place in Chicago I have been here no Less than 50 times in the last ten years. Donnie,Edward and Paul have really got there shit together . Probably the best dish I love is the Sturgeon Someone in our party always gets it when its on the menu. Also pork how can ya hate it? Paul does incredible things with it. Just look at publican. hes evolved it into its own restaurant. Also probably my favorite place for dessert too. We've done many dinners at Chicago's finest places and a lot of times ended up here afterwords for dessert. heck were had 15 courses at Alinea and still came here after. What can ya say. Its my Favorite place!
(5)
Rich L.

Came here in early to mid-September; we had a table of four and all got the tasting menu. Though I can't remember much of what was on the menu (not very memorable), I do recall feeling underwhelmed by a number of the courses. There were one or two that were outstanding, but the large majority of them were neither good nor bad...just ok (or 3 of 5 stars). A consensus at my table was that many of the dishes seemed forced -- the different combinations of ingredients didn't complement each other and sometimes tasted odd. I have no problem paying the extra $ for the tasting menu at a restaurant, as long as I get good value out of it. In other words, I'd like the dishes to be better than just ok. And at $100/person, I definitely don't think this meal was worth it. Maybe it was an off night, but there are too many other great tasting menus at great restaurants in Chicago for me to recommend the one here. My recommendation here is that there are a few things on the menu which really are outstanding; if you can figure out what you like, order them as entrees and skip the tasting menu.
(3)
Diego D.

Best meal we had in a while. We were a group of 3 for dinner , we had 3 different main: Veal, Lamb and Venison, all 3 dishes were superb, service was also impeccable.
(5)
Kathy H.

On a snowy snowy day Mon night this past February, I took my friend Maggie to Blackbird after a long day at work. I had never been although have eaten at its sister restaurant Avec a few doors down a couple of years ago. She had never been to either. I was surprised how busy the place was considering it was so snowy out, but then remembered it WAS Chicago after all. The decor was understated and minimal, the lighting was just a tad too bright. I sat along the banquet seating that ran the length of the restaurant towards the back and had a full view of the restaurant and its patrons, which tended towards the late 30's/early 40's and definitely leaning on the well-heeled side. The kitchen sent out a lovely little complimentary amuse-bouche - a slash of sashimi with some microgreens. Since it was nearing 9pm, neither of us were particularly looking for a heavy meal, so we ordered one appetizer to share - the charcuterie plate - and devoured the whole thing. I probably would have ordered another one if I didn't have the braised short ribs coming! The only complaint I had about my entree was that it was a little on the fatty side. Maggie had the arctic char and pretty much finished it clean off. We had no room for dessert but ordered some lovely teas. The waiter, who at times during the dinner had seemed a little stilted - I couldn't decipher if he was awkward or standoffish - suddenly seemed to perk up near the end of our meal. Maybe it was because we were one of the last 2 tables lollygagging around (and it was nearing only 10pm)! When Maggie asked about a certain tea on the menu that was priced ridiculously (something about hand-picked near a full-moon or something to that end), he perked up even more and told us that it was good but wasn't really that spectacular in his opinion. The conversation moved to the commerce and distribution of tea, and somehow I learned that there is wild ginger growing in Wisconsin (indigenous I believe he said). I mean who knew! I was a satisfied customer. Not only did I have a delicious meal, but I also walked away with a random nugget of information to add to my collection of interesting but useless facts!
(4)
Bingying L.

We were somewhat disappointed with this place given the prices and the Michelin star. The mussel soup and suckling pig appetizers were pretty interesting. Unfortunately, despite the promising plating and fancy ingredients, the main courses turned out pretty subpar. The veal tenderloin was just ok. The pork loin was dry and a little tough, and didn't go particularly well with the truffles. We had the lemon hazelnut tart for dessert which was the beat dish of the night. The bill came up to $170+ including tax and tips. Not quite worth it when I almost gave myself a pat on the back for managing to finish my entrÃ©e. The atmosphere was a little snotty for my liking as well. Plus they topped it off by not giving us the complimentary truffles that the two tables around us got. We'll find better places to spend our money next time.
(3)
Tiffany K.

Blackbird, I had high expectations! What happened? I came here for an anniversary dinner. Maybe I can put the blame on my foie gras. I never had foie gras until my first dining experience at Blackbird. It came out cold but that was already forewarned by our waiter. (I guess foie gras served cold is an acquired taste because I've had foie gras months later at Epic and it was so much better served warm!) Anyway, I had the california sturgeon and garlic braised snails with cabbage and fresh pickles. That totally made up for the not so great foie gras. My boyfriend had a meat dish that I cannot recall. So I won't write about that. :) After our main course, we ordered dessert which consisted of french vanilla ice cream, caramel, chocolate, and espresso flavors. Deeelectable! A small, contemporary restaurant. Service was nothing too spectacular. Food was okay overall. Maybe I ordered the wrong items off the menu; I doubt I'd give Blackbird another try. :(
(3)
Kim W.

i just... don't know. how well do you rate a well-known trendy restaurant with a pleasant, impeccably well-mannered staff offering a great wine list and lovely cocktails? well... i can't tell if it was the terrible weather, the insufferable haughty patrons nearby, the sterile decor, the too-bright lighting or just the unimpressive (albeit mostly tasty) food that makes me flummoxed. (the halibut and the mussel soup i'd definitely recommend to the all seafood lovers.) so really, i'm glad i ate here just so i know what the deal is. but we spent a ridiculous amount to just feel so-so. everyone look painfully bored and unenthusiastic to be dining here. i suppose that's the impression that i'll never forget.
(3)
Sarah K.

Coming here was truly an experience. I would recommend it to anyone. The sweetbreads were amazing. However, everything I had was wonderful. The atmosphere is great, but it's a tight squeeze. The tables are close, so close they move them aside for you to be seated. Nonetheless, the waitstaff manages to do it oh so elegantly. This is a must, add it to your "to do" list!
(4)
Natalie V.

I ate here one time (about 8) years ago and the only thing I clearly remember was the amazing amazing Toasted Almond Ice Cream. I still fantasize about it and have vague hopes that at some point they will share their recipe. I remember that the appetizers opened my eyes to a world of new flavors and that one of them had beets. I also remember how expensive it was and being disappointed in the portion sizes, small even by high-end dining standards. Hopefully that has changed.
(4)
Jacob W.

Despite the acclaim, I was half-expecting my meal at Blackbird to be somewhat disappointing. Perhaps it would be pedestrian, unimaginative, and stingy. I was way off, fortunately, and had one of the best meals of my life so far here. The fine-dining equivalent of sister-restaurant Avec. The food is both inventive and traditional, well-balanced and sophisticated. It delights and challenges your palate. The interior is small and chic, tables are very close together, it's noisy but not at all deafening. The service is both personable and extremely professional, not snobby in the least. Blackbird also has one of , if not the best, cocktail programs of any restaurant in the city - which is not surprising considering that Kahan is also being The Violet Hour in Wicker Park, one of the best cocktail lounges in the world. Now for the food. I could see how some people would say the portions are too small, but for me and my girl, they were just right. We had 3 courses each and felt just right afterward, not at all hungry or gorged. Large people with larger appetites might not get full on 3 courses, but I think the restaurant has perfected the portions so that they adequately fill up the average diner. Appetizers: we shared the Suckling Pig and Fried Frog's Legs. The Suckling Pig came with a generous block of pig topped with summer truffle and paired with zucchini and fig-molasses puree. The dish was spectacular and also the most balanced, complex dish of the night. Now, the summer truffle smelled straight up like semen, and I didn't enjoy eating it because I couldn't get passed the smell of semen. My girl agreed that it smelled like semen but she really loved the earthy complexity of the truffle, so it's just a matter of taste. If, like me, you can't get passed really pungent foods, don't get this, but realize that it's a limitation of your own palate rather than a shortcoming of the kitchen. The Frog Legs were chicken-fried and tasted like exquisite chicken nuggets, paired perfectly with avocado puree, pickled jalapenos and fried lilly bulbs, which tasted exactly like the frog legs. We might have actually preferred the legs to have had the bones in them, but the restaurant preferred that diners not have to play with bones. This was a very small portion compared to the pig, but very good. Entrees: we shared the wood-grilled Sturgeon and Lamb saddle. We both preferred the lamb, but the sturgeon was also very good, best fish I've had in a while in Chicago. A beautiful slab of sturgeon paired marinated kale, kale chips, walnut puree and a delicious little boneless chicken wing. The dish was rather simple but the sturgeon spoke for itself. The lamb was perhaps the best entrÃ©e we've ever had: 5 or 6 sizable chunks (maybe 10 - 15 bites total) of perfectly cooked lamb paired with caramelized cabbage, smoked ricotta and walnuts, I believe. The elements combined for an exquisite mouthful. An extremely sophisticated and well-balanced dish. NOTE: the table next to us ordered the dry-aged sirloin, and we regretted not getting this when we saw it. It looked insanely good. I'd get it next time if it's still on the menu, or something similar. Dessert: we shared the Chocolate Torte and the Cheddar Cheese plate, and preferred the cheese plate. The torte was very good and very savory - perhaps a bit too savory for me. Again it was extremely balanced, with a smallish dark chocolate torte paired with a scoop of burnt honey ice cream and a spattering of cumin puffs - yeah, pastries flavored heavily with cumin. I love chocolate and cumin together, so this was delicious. The cheese plate was mind-blowing. A beautiful, chaotic presentation of cheese, black currant jam, toasted brioche and mascarpone. A cheese-lover's ideal dessert.
(5)
afro d.

sorry major late review.. (feb 08 2013) restaurant week. there is a reason why blackbird is a institution in Chicago. i went to blackbird during restaurant week. i had made reservations a week ahead. when i arrived it was bustling with so much people. i told them i had reservations and not to long after they had my table waiting. they took my jacket and placed it in the coat room. when a place is that busy i was expecting the service will be slower but it was not. they were on top of the game. i had gone by myself because some friends canceled at the last second. it didn't matter. it all about the experience. so i ordered 2 three course meals. the food was done very well especially the attention to detail. the service was great. they would check up on me many many times during my meal. i mean you can just look at my pics to show you how wonderful the food was. this is a place i would easily recommend because of the service , attention to detail, the atmosphere and especially the food.
(5)
R. Allan F.

Had dinner here because I heard the pastry chef was amazing. Dessert was good but not that amazing. we got three desserts and most tasted like treats for little kids. Bubble gum ice cream, a fudgesicle, and something else not so rememberable. The waiter we had was the worse. A schlub who suggested his favorite bottle of wine for $96 and it tasted like sewage. dinner was the saving grace. I would not rush back to this place any time soon. Way over priced what the low quality service.
(2)
Catherine X.

Everything about this place can be summed up by its appearance. From the exterior to the interior to the menu to the food, everything is simple, clean, has a modern flail, but not too inventive. Everything is out in the open --including the kitchen. There aren't really any hidden flavors or surprises. I enjoyed my tasty Caseificio salad, and I probably could've eaten just that with bread if the bread wasn't so meh (yes, that is an adjective). For an entree, I ordered the Grilled california sturgeon with gold bar squash. Please learn from my mistake and STAY AWAY! They should've renamed this one "Squash with coat of fishstick-like crumbs" because that's what I was served. Two of my friends ordered the fried chicken and the wagyu beef burger-- both of which were uniquely delicious! I couldn't help but look at their dishes longingly... Now that I know better, I'll probably be back, but I'm not in a rush.
(4)
Nicole M.

There is a continuum of duck. On one end there is mushy, tough undercooked duck, on the other greazzzy, stringy overcooked duck. In the middle lies a tiny space for succulent, tender, juicy duck breast perfection. (And aren't all truly great breasts that way?) That miniscule space is elusive, some even say that it does not exist. Blackbird not only found that space, but owned it with their bacon smoked duck breast. The same could be said for sturgeon-- it has the potentioal to be very tough and dry. Blackbird found that middle ground and served up lovely, lovely tender sturgeon. The service was amazing-- very helpful and friendly without being too intrusive or too elusive! My only complaint is that the space is a bit loud and crowded. Eh, with duck like that, who cares?
(5)
shai h.

I came here for my birthday a few months ago with my boyfriend. Everything was AMAZING! We had a really nice time and everything was awesome. The service was good. I would definitely come back to try more menu items.
(5)
Sylvester J.

Less Than Nothing Special and Why Would I Pay So Much For That? They have their Michelin Star and it's not so easy to get a reservation so you would assume that the food would live up to the hype. I went there for dinner and yes of course I knew what the pricing was, however, after dinner I felt that the pricing and value were a complete mismatch. The best part of the restaurant was the ambiance. The service was alright, well maybe a little inattentive. I liked the wine list though. I had a vegetarian dinner, well they ran out of one of the ingredients so I had to make a request. Usually, when I want to go to a restaurant that doesn't have a vegetarian option, I call in advance and make special arrangements. Blackbird's website listed an option so I thought that I'd be ok. So for a $30 entrÃ©e they gave me a plate of sautÃ©ed chanterelle mushrooms with huge pieces of fried nori. The nori was awkward to eat, it tasted good, but smaller pieces would have been great. My dish desperately needed fat and maybe some salt too - poached egg would have done the trick. Nothing was all that memorable otherwise, well my amuse was the best part: it was simply spinach and hazelnuts. For the cost of dinner there, I can think of a dozen other places that I'd rather go.
(2)
Diana Z.

Honestly? I'd recommend that you walk two steps over to the sister restaurant Avec. The food at Blackbird is chic to the point that you can't really eat it because it's over-thought. Sometimes you just want to sink your teeth into something savory, homey, and satisfying. Avec has better food at a lower price, so why stay at Blackbird? Oh, and the wait staff are a little snootier. I ate at the bar at Avec and the waiter was SO nice and friendly, recommending different dishes based on my preferences. The waiter at Blackbird seemed more interested in chatting behind the counter than taking my order. But maybe it was just a fluke.
(3)
Victor L.

Most chefs at fine dining venues are able to cook gluten free. Blackbird is no exception. Last weekend, celebrating my girlfriend's promotion (in these tough times), I took her to eat at Blackbird. I did note to the receptionist in the phone reservation that she does have celiac disease and they were very accomodating when we arrived. The lamest shit ever is when a place advertises they have gluten free options and it is something either totally disgusting, or an extremely small selection (like 1 dish). While most places can't exactly cater to every group that has a dietary restriction, it is really insulting and not very nice (and might I add poor business practice) to subjugate people with celiac disease to sub-par food, just so they can advertise that they have gluten free. Like the heart attack inducing meat-za at Lou Malnati's (their gluten free pizza made with sausage patty - actually my friend who seems to always be on the atkins liked it, though of course he said he could only eat 1 piece before his stomach started to reject it). At Blackbird, we sat outside, which was very wonderful for people watching (especially facing the people waiting to get into Avec next door). The waiter was very knowledgeable about what had gluten and what did not, and basically ran down the whole menu and actually most of everything did not have gluten! And when he was explaining what had gluten and what did not, his attitude was like "oh this is no biggie," and it made my girlfriend very pleased, particularly as it made her feel normal. It is not often that celiacs can order from the main menu of a restaurant (let alone go out to a restaurant at all without risk and feeling nauseated for 2 weeks). This is a BIG DEAL for people with celiac disease. It was funny when one of the bus boys brought us some bread and I said no need for bread. The guy looked so shocked!!!!! NO bread!?! No no bread please. I didn't really explain (happens all the time) and he walked away perplexed - that bread must have been damn good. If its as good as the bread at the Publican than I am sure he's right to be perplexed. But I know that my gf LOVED bread before she got sick, and for me to eat it and enjoy it in front of her would be torturous. We were first served a very pleasant amuse bouche (gluten free of course), but for the main appetizer she had the mussel soup (which she devoured - I almost had to get her to stop licking the bowl). I had the quail and it was so damn good - reminded me of pigeon from the chinese restaurant. The asparagus with the interesting puree that i couldn't identify went handily with the sweet meat of the quail. For the main course, she ate the scallops and those were gone before I could spell mollusck (sic). I had the pork belly which had spinach, another very deliciuos tart puree, and there wre some fried shrimps. I didn't even bother to deshell the shrimps. I just consumed them. The desserts were wonderful but not nearly as wondeful as the main courses and appitizers. And the drinks were damn good too (she drove home - I got drunk). I won't say that it was the best meal of my life, as I have consumed some wonderful things in my life in restaurants, fine dining and regular dining, around the world. 4 stars for a solid performance, 5 stars for being so gluten free friendly. I will definitely return with more people with celiac disease.
(5)
Laura G.

After months of planning, I finally made it to Blackbird for lunch. We arrived early and got a table without a reservation, but it was packed by the time we left. The place is small and fancy, and it is a great place to go for a nice lunch. We started off with the carrot soup that came garnished with a small piece of white fish. The soup and fish were both delicious and the perfect start to the meal. Although I am not a big pork person, I ordered the croque madame after seeing the succulent sandwich sitting at the table next to me. The sandwich is HUGE, and it arrives with a very generous portion of amazing French fries. I enjoyed the sandwich, especially the caramelized onions and fried egg on top, but it was very filling for a mid-day meal. I would recommend going here when you are not in a rush to get back to work and can take the time to enjoy the meal and relax.
(4)
Margaret R.

This restaurant was recommended to us by 2 sets of friends who had recently dined in Chicago. It's a complete ($$$) splurge for dinner but apparently they have a great lunch deal. We called mid-day for a table and they accomodated us at the bar for dinner at 7. perfect. they have the #2 Mixologist in the country/world? I don't know but she was absolutely incredible. The special drink menu- order the one with "Pickle" in the title. Best drink I've ever had I think. The service, ambiance and moreover, the FOOD were all truly spectacular. The salad w greens, egg and potato "nest" was gorgeous & tasty. The halibut w browned butter- to die for. My S.O. had the quail egg w sausage inside and loved it- and then the filet- All wonderful! Enjoy.
(5)
Tom H.

It was a year ago but we thoroughly enjoyed this great dining venue which came highly recommended from Conde Nast's Chicago office. Food was excellent, great presentation and our waiter provided impeccable service. It was a bit of a cab ride from the Golden mile but it was well worth it.
(5)
Ruth Ann M.

Add me to the ranks of the disappointed. Everyone at our table got different entrees, and we got a couple appetizers, so it allowed me to sample a good portion of the menu. NONE of the dishes were impressive AT ALL. It was all very bland. The portions are so small, I was hungry again in a couple hours. I am counting calories right now, and I estimated my meal to be a mere 270 calories. That is NOT enough for a dinner that cost us about $50 a person. Darn.
(1)
Alex H.

The biggest thing Blackbird did wrong was setting such high expectations. It's not that the food, service, or decor aren't very good--they are (the latter two probably would get 4 stars each, the food was probably closer to a 3). But for all the hype and for what you'll end up spending, I just expected more. I had a stuffed squib entree on the recommendation of our server and found it under-seasoned and over-cooked, simple mistakes that I just can't forgive of a restaurant with its own Michelin star. With so many great dining options in Chicago for the price, I'd look elsewhere.
(3)
Michael S.

Blackbird is one of the best single representations of Chicago--unpretentious, fine dining. Two of us ate 10 amazing courses each, with wine pairings, in [nice] jeans. Can't do that in many places. My latest visit was for the Mangalitsa--the kobe beef of pigs--tasting, which will be offered throughout January '10. Regardless of crammed tables full of chatty customers, the only disruptions in table conversation were by the food. The two were blowing off each other, without warning, to take in the heavenly flavors--and she was gorgeous too. When was the last time a pig took priority over a beautiful woman? At [unnoticed] lulls in service, wine glasses would be topped off--so I have no complaints about service. The wait staff also did a great job in making me feel like I was a part of the community while dining. The warm welcome was greatly appreciated coming out of freezing Chicago winter weather. Blackbird is definitely special event dining for those that aren't high rollers, but If you're going to have one great meal in January, make it the Mangalitsa tasting at Blackbird.
(5)
Christopher Thomas B.

Very good new American destination in Chicago's now several year emergence into the national culinary scene. The menu has some options ranging from safe to curious. Wine options at different price points. Make a reservation in advance, especially if your party is large. There's not much room to wait unless you grab a drink next door.
(4)
Sonya P.

First time I came here was during restaurant week. Flash fried kale was a revelation, with a salty, crunchy, savory snap. Favorite dishes were the bouillabaisse and the stuffed quail. Overall a wonderful dining experience. I love the minimalist aesthetic of the restaurant. A clean slate on which the food is the focus. My only complaint was the cocktail. The bartender served my sazerac with ice, which is a big no no, but easily overlooked.
(5)
Jessica L.

Blackbird is STELLAR. Every bite of food will SING flavor to you. Friendly, knowledgeable staff. Clean and sophisticated dining space makes for an impressive date night or special occasion dinner. My sister and I went last weekend and enjoyed: -Mussels Soup. Served hot from the pot, straight to the bowl at your table. Chock FULL of mussels, whitefish, salty broth, a touch of cream. Incredibly hearty and comforting. -Octopus Confit. I will describe this small plate as "deconstructed sushi." You can taste the salty sprinkles, strands of soft seaweed, and chewy octopus (they even stripped off the tentacles so it's truly smooth and tubular.) -Pork Collar. ohhh.....lightly sweetened (brown sugar?) served with oniony leeks, roasted turnips, and....luxurious black truffle. As you slice into it, watch the juices cascade down the meat. Superb, Blackbird. -Sweet corn ice cream with bacon brioche (I repeat, bacon brioche), candied pecans, and basil-infused maple syrup. Sweet, savory, creamy, crunchy, with a refreshing finish. Absolutely exquisite. -Shredded phyllo brittle. With a woven texture like your favorite Triscuit cracker, but with a honey sweetness like baklava, this dessert features almond yogurt, pomegranate seeds, and fresh melon sorbet. In sum, Blackbird will never cease to amaze your tastebuds.
(5)
Newyork F.

This place is awesome. Very attentive waiters and great cocktails. The food is very good. I love the Banana Pain Perdue dessert.
(5)
Michael T.

Their Prix Fixe lunch is the best value downtown. I typically spend more on drinks then I do on the meal. The cocktails are excellent there too!
(5)
Shweta N.

I came here during Restaurant week, and I have to say that although the food was tasty, I definitely prefer Avec. This may have ultimately been because of the limited menu options as we only chose from those given on the restaurant week menu. I'll definitely have to go back and try items from their regular menu....but having Avec just next door makes that a really difficult feat!
(4)
Juan M.

4 stars for the food, 5 stars for the service. Wow, it's hard for me to recall a place where we have received more thoughtful, considerate attention (thanks, Sarah!). First, we checked Yelp (of course) for GF restaurants in The Loop or thereabouts. Thanks to Victor L., we got enough insights to decide to opt for Blackbird - what a great decision that was! A pleasant staff greeted us; it's a tiny cramped waiting area near the bar, but it was okay as it didn't take long to get seated (they do Opentable so we had reservations). More than one member of the staff came by to confirm my wife's GF issue and adjust our experience accordingly. Our main server, Sarah, was very gracious and walked MarÃa through the whole menu. After listening to her, I asked her to just order for me. I wasn't disappointed. We got a great French Syrah (Le Papillon something or other) that really set the evening for us - appetizers were the apple bisque for her and the seafood soup for me. Sarah had the foresight and thoughtfulness to come by and murmur to me the following question: "Your soup has a crouton in it; would you like us to remove it in case you would like to share a taste with your wife?" Wow. The whole night was like this. I had the veal which was prepared really nicely and MarÃa tasted (she didn't want more than the appetizer). We both got awesome desserts that hit the spot as well. It's a cool people watching place as well; we had reservations for 9:30 and ended up leaving around midnight - no joke, it was like being in Madrid or something in terms of being able to do sobremesa without someone breathing down your neck to leave. Yes, it was cheek to jowl seating, but it seemed to work here.
(5)
Erin C.

I'd been wanting to try Blackbird for awhile and was excited to finally come here. The menu is really creative and has some interesting food pairings. We had the scallops for an appetizer (yum) and I ordered the sturgeon for my entree. I had never had sturgeon before and I really only ordered it because it came with sauerkraut gnocchi and I was intrigued. The sturgeon was excellent - very flavorful and paired well with anjou pears on the side. And the gnocchi was really interesting (good for a side, but nothing more). Our server was super helpful (we sat at the bar so our server was actually the bartender). Not only did he refill my wine often, he also performed some magic tricks! The restaurant itself is nice, though small, and very chic. Minimalist, white. The crowd seemed a bit on the older side and I definitely felt underdressed in my jeans & sweater vest (I had come from work). Most people there were pretty dressy - or at least wearing all black (and this was a Thursday night). Overall, it was uniquely delicious dining experience.
(5)
Lisa C.

Firstly, If you like that you need someone to pull the table out in order for you to stand up and use the washroom or to leave, than this is your place. The tables are stacked so closely together that I was bumping elbows with the person next to me and could feel their eyes on my food and ears on my conversation the entire time. That is if you can hear the person across the table without shouting. I ordered the Halibut and the fish was sooo salty that I couldn't finish the dish. How does a restaurant of this supposed caliber over salt their fish? Maybe it was because the Chef (Mike Sheerin not Paul Kahan) was too busy yelling at the other cooks in the kitchen which was in plain view of my eyeline, and very distracting. The time in between the courses was a lot longer than at plenty of other restaurants. I don't think you should be wondering where your server or your next course is after 20 minutes. The only savior was the desert Azuki Baba - full of flavors that melded seamlessly into the next. Yum! The rest of the food was mediocre and kind of boring. There's nothing that special going on at this restaurant and because of the lousy environment I don't feel a need to ever go back here.
(2)
Car M.

Best meal of my life to-date. The decore inside is minimalist, and tables are close together, but here it is all about the cuisine. I've never experienced such a masterful and unexpected combination of flavors. Be prepared, however, to break your wallet.
(5)
D. K.

Blackbird is delicious. You can't beat the 3- course lunch menu for the price, and I haven't been disappointed yet. The desserts never sound appetizing, but then they come out and you never knew such flavors existed! Yum.
(4)
melissa g.

I remember this place being WAY better a few years back, but overall still a great place to grab a bite and makes me feel like I'm back home in SF. Great place to grab a bite if you're use to SF eateries like Universal, Slow Club, SPQR, etc.... I'd say its a good date spot if you can grab the seats at the bar, only bc the tables are so long and the place is so loud it's rough trying to have a conversation with the person across from you without yelling.
(4)
Chuck D.

Rave reviews of Blackbird made it to me way over in Grand Rapids, Mi before I even lived in Chicagoland. It had been on my must try list for nearly two years before I had a chance to make the trip. My wonderful boyfriend tried to get us reservations for our anniversary on short notice (no, actually not his fault for the short notice! haha) just a few days before, with no luck. However, we were told to come by anyway and they may be able to seat us. It was pouring rain and we were drenched by the time we made it to the restaurant. The staff was wonderful to us. They took our coats and gave us some towels to dry off with (without so much of a "where is your umbrella, you idiot" look). They were able to find us a table even though they were booked. I wouldn't suggest trying this (make a reservation about a week in advance, if you can), but they were absolutely great. Aside from the staff, Blackbird's food was everything I expected it to be. So so imaginative - I mean goat meat sausage corndog?? yum! The waiter suggested I try the pork collar and I was not disappointed. Everything was cooked to perfection and the flavor combinations were absolutely amazing! My tastebuds and tummy were on cloud nine. The cocktail list was pretty imaginitive - I was happy to find rye whiskey in their Blackbird Orange (delish!). A small list of wine by the glass, which was a little disappointing, a long wine by the glass list is always a must for me (the boyfriend is not a wine drinker), however it was well chosen. Definitely a little too pricey for us to visit often, but we were not disappointed! A last note - about the size - when I first walked in and looked at the cramped quarters in which we'd be sitting I thought that we would not feel seccluded, but it is set up in just a way that we did not feel like were were sitting at a giant family table like I feared. Very cosy actually. :) If you like finding unique and imaginiative dinner options, this is the place for you!
(5)
Pauline S.

Had the tasting menu over the weekend and was quite pleasantly surprised--it's actually quite a good value and tasted great. I believe there are about eight or nine different courses for a total of $110 and many of these are quite filling. One course had beef in it and since I don't eat beef, they were very accommodating about this and traded it in for a octopus dish, which actually turned out to be one of my favorites from that night. The two desserts were interesting; I particularly liked the chestnut mousse. The cocktails were also great--I had the Luna Sea and enjoyed the robust flavors and hint of sparkling wine that accompanied the brandy and juices. Our waitress was lovely and did an excellent job of explaining some of the dishes. This place is certainly a nice restaurant where people put a bit more effort into the presentation and dress style. Therefore, I thought a bit more care could have been taken when bringing out the silver ware and placing each on our tables--it was a bit haphazard at times, as if they were just plopping a fork and knife down quite crookedly. Not a big deal and didn't really damper my evening, but it was something I noticed that I was surprised to see.
(4)
Karen B.

The food was amazing - there was nothing we tried that wasn't absolutely delicious! They even found a way to make a radish yummy! The portions are small and at least one member of our group was still hungry after appetizers, salad, entree, and dessert. They had the best squash soup I've ever tasted! If you can skip wine your bill will be much more manageable. Our service was just ok which was disappointing considering we dropped a very very large chunk of change for a party of 4.
(4)
Meatdowntown C.

Sadly rating this place at 2 stars. I took a friend for a birthday dinner here because I thought it would be a Glorified AVEC and it was not. We had dinner and we were not really pleased. The duck was just borderline "ok", but not good. The vegetarian plate from my friend was a total overpriced joke and bland. The deserts were questionable and the service a little more pretentious that I would have preferred. In summary, not the best experience. Right after dinner we stopped by AVEC and had more food....and we enjoyed better than Blackbird (for a third of the price). To be fair, I may give Blackbird another chance given than I have the utmost respect for AVEC.
(2)
Helena P.

So nice! I don't remember talking so much about any restaurant as I talked about prix fixe lunch at Blackbird. Three courses for 22 dollars of delicious, well-presented food? Cannot get better!
(5)
Aubrey P.

A friend recommended this place on our trip to Chicago. We normally like to try new things and aren't afraid to spend some cash for a memorable meal. We had some high expectations going in because of this recommendation and others we'd heard. The atmosphere was very clean and airy almost without decoration, but it didn't feel as stark as it could have because of the attention paid to lighting. All the furniture was modern and tasteful. I thought our service was very good. Exciting recommendations on wine, attentive without being intrusive, and overall displayed good judgment. As I would have expected in a place like this. The menu was a collection of interesting combinations and ingredients that were mostly new to me. The food was well prepared, but it almost seemed like there was always one ingredient too many in each dish. As if the chef was trying too hard to impress us with new combinations. In the end, I felt the combinations were more about flash and fancy than about creating really solid new flavors. I thought the meals, while high quality were a bit overpriced and over produced. I'm sure there are some who will come back again and again for the privilege of paying for these unique flavors, I will not be one of them.
(3)
Steve H.

Finally got a chance to try this spot out. The wife and I have been meaning to make it here but we are not that great at making reservations way in advance. Well she finally did and it was well worth the wait. Everything about the place is first class. I love the minimalist decor and the close seating. It is very cozy and everyone is in such a great mood. One downfall about the close seating is they are unable to keep the wine bottles at your table. They are afraid of them knocking over, and it is probably for the best. On to the food. Very very good. I started with the mussel soup and my wife had the endive salad. They both were incredible, the amount of mussel's that I received in my soup were very surprising. Her salad was very good and the "potato" basket is a very nice touch. For dinner I had the sea bass and she had a mushroom dish. Again both were good but after the appetizers were expected a bit more. For desert we opted to try to chocolate cake with ice cream. Everything just melted in your mouth. We had a great time and look forward to returning in the near future.
(5)
Cinsou E.

I got a reservation with my wife for a lunch. The set is beautiful, very modern and people are very nice. We order the Fixed price menu 22$ and we also took a bottle of sauvignon (around 40$). At the beginning I was a little bit disapointed. I ordered the octopus salad. It was no so tasty and rubbery. Then I had a sturgeon. Amazingly good ! And the dessert was wonderful. So, This restaurant deserve on my opinion a 4*. Congratulation to the cook. I will definitely come back.
(4)
J D.

I thought it was awesome, pretty much everything about it, except when we accidentally went in the wrong door that led us upstairs to their private dining room or something. If you're in Chicago, definitely hit this spot up. I had the sturgeon, and it was perfectly prepared. The wait-staff here is ON IT.
(5)
Rebecca T.

I don't know what's so great about this place. One word: OVERRATED. I've been there twice for business lunches - once when it first opened and once a couple months ago - and I have yet to experience the wonder that is Blackbird. I got the only thing that looked even slightly appealing on the lunch menu, the croque monsieur, and it wasn't even that good. Maybe I'm not "foodie" enough for this place, but it is definitely not worth the cash you're going to lay out.
(1)
Kathleen C.

Despite the Zagat rating, I just am not getting on the Blackbird train. Don't get me wrong, it's not BAD per se - I get the techno minimalist decor and the posh location. I'll even give you that the Croque Monsieur is damn good. However, every other thing I've had there was trying so hard to be cuisine they forgot to make it taste good. Also, slow service and a pain to get reservations - I have never in my life not been able to get a LUNCH reservation at my initial requested time.
(3)
Laura B.

Exquisite food, modern "white / black" environment. Reminds me of a true French cuisine with many smaller delicious courses. While Yelp lists this restaurant as "American (New)", I would throw in the "fusion". There is a blend of flavors that is unique but wonderful to the palette. These are chefs that you expect to win the "cook - off" reality shows. As a heads up, if you like large portions, you may leave hungry.
(5)
Marc A.

New chef same great place
(5)
Matthew S.

The design says it all. From the excellent service to the amazing, inventive food, Blackbird creates and atmosphere and a total experience. Coupled with a great wine list, the food is unbelievable, and beautiful both to the eye and to the stomach. The food, both in presentation as well as quantity, is one of the reasons I love the Chicago food scene- for the most part, it provides honest quantities that actually allow you savor the gustatory celebration you're having. I credit Paul Kahan's (as well as Mike Sheerin/other team members) Midwestern roots for creating the earnest, genuine food experience without over-hyping. Will definitely be going back.
(5)
Derek D.

There isn't much to say that hasn't already been said, but I was compelled to show my appreciation. I hate giving 5 stars because it implies that nothing could have been better. If half stars were an option, I would have given Blackbird 4 1/2 stars, but it was a great experience, so 5 it is. I recently moved to Chicago to work as a cook at one of the best restaurants in the city. One of my Chefs in culinary school is from the area and he recommended Blackbird. I decided to go for lunch and ordered the pre fixe meal. I sat at the bar and chatted with the bartender who was very friendly. After telling him where I work, he presented me with a free dish of the fluke tartar. Being a lover of seafood, I was very impressed by this dish. The presentation was something you would see at a fine dining restaurant. It was seasoned perfectly and included some sort of "crisps" for added texture. The second course was octopus confit. The octopus was very tender. It came with some sort of wilted greens that were nicely seasoned with vinegar. My main course was sturgeon with pork belly. The fish was perfectly cooked and the pork belly added a nice saltiness. The dessert was shredded phyllo, which did not sound all that great, but I was pleasantly surprised. It came with a white chocolate coating and fruit sorbet (not sure what kind of fruit). The service was great and the bartender was very nice. For $22, there is no doubt that this is one of the best meals and values I have ever had.
(5)
Clarissa D.

I went to Blackbird for a late, long indulgent dinner and the meal I had is in the running for best meal of my life. The place looks so pretentious because it's tiny with very minimalist decor, but they really know their food. Total foodie heaven, and usually places would lose a star for being as expensive as Blackbird is, but everything is worth the price. The menu itself is a lesson in fine ingredients and ingenious combinations. Here was the meal I had (not including the perfect wine pairings suggested by our super-friendly, very clever server): 1) Appetizer: 'scotch' quail and egg with fresh bacon, pomelo, marcona almonds, parsnip puree and american sturgeon cavier ($15) 2) Entree: grilled california sturgeon with sauerkraut gnocchi, anjou pear and celery root puree ($31) 3) Apres: the amaaaazing cheese selection, which not only includes a lovely range of cheese from roquefort to cheddar but also perfect accompanying flavors ($15) The amuse bouche was a tantalizing little parmesan broth concoction. Very good start. The appetizer was my least favorite because the sheer difference between all the different elements combined into this little dish made the whole thing kind of hard to appreciate. The sturgeon entree was delicious. Sauerkraut gnocchi??? So amazing. However, I was MOST impressed with the cheese at the end. Not only were the cheeses themselves such high quality, but the little things that came paired with them were perfection. Also our server was the most jovial, well-versed, foodie of a man. The wines he suggested were exactly what we were looking for. The experience I had at Blackbird was unforgettable. To be frank though, you can't truly enjoy Blackbird without going all out. The only reason I could do this was because the friend I was with goes to the Cornell hotel school, which pays for food adventures such as this one. Definitely save up to go, make a reservation well before-hand and prepare to be impressed. It's also a fun place to go with a group of people who enjoy trying new things and eating different food. Everyone can get something different and you get to try all the dishes that are beyond comprehension until you actually taste them and realize that wow, cocoa nibs and walleye are a perfect combination.
(5)
Aki S.

Excellent service. Brilliant food pairings. Endive salad was tops, so too, the Diver Scallops. Dandelion Greens were a treat, too. Would def come again. Pricey with a group, but worth it and not pretentious.
(4)
Jennifer B.

I went for lunch, and while the $22 fixed price menu looked good I got the croque madame and a glass of wine. The food was good but the place just felt a little on the pretentious side for me. The waiters wear suits or at least shirts and ties and everybody in there kind of seemed up themselves. Maybe because they were all there having business lunches. Anyway, the food was good but I don't think it lives up to the hype.
(3)
Carolyn D.

Traveled to Chicago for the first time and wanted to try this place out. The decor is crisp and clean and staff very friendly. After we were seated, they gave me a black napkin because I was wearing black and offered a purse hanger to hold my purse. Cool! We ordered a nice bottle of rose and for starters had the foie gras, squid, and peanut gazpacho. Everything was pretty tasty, but I was not a fan of the squid because it had a very mushy texture, which I have never experienced with squid. Our main courses were the sturgeon and duck breast, which were both excellent. I am a big dessert fan and ordered the brown butter cake, which I wasn't very impressed with. This place really filled up quick and had a fun, lively vibe. Overall, our experience here was great and I would love to go back when I am in Chicago again.
(4)
Slu S.

I had been to Blackbird once before and was not terribly impressed, but I have to admit that my last turn in the 'Bird was exceptional. The front of the house was excellent. Low pressure, but full of information. The food was outstanding. I had the suckling pig appetizer which ranked as the third best pork dish that I have ever had (after Maurice's BBQ in Columbia, SC and pork back that I had in Pienza, Italy). Then I moved on to the Croque Madaam. Tremendous, but skip the frities. We finished off with the Meyer Lemon Tart with Shaved Fennel and Citrus. Unreal. If I would have reordered, I would have skipped the Croque, but you can't hit them all. Great dining experience and I will be back.
(4)
Karen P.

service- Spectacular!! Love the bartendar that speaks multi-language!!! ambiance- eh food- didn't remember anything else besides the fois gras. resto- small!!!! remember to call for reservations extra info- PRICEY!
(3)
John O.

Blackbird is one of my favorite restaurants but I have had mediocre service from them from time to time and it gets REALLY LOUD when the place fills up. Still, the food is amazing and although its not quite on par with the level of Allinea, Everest, Avenues, etc. its still a mind-blowing culinary experience. For appetizers, the crispy, suckling pig is outstanding and if you can get it, the foie gras special seared on toasted brioche with huckleberry compote, crushed pistachios and bittersweet chocolate & red wine sauce is not to be missed. For entrees, I am partial to whatever they are doing with game birds and as of the last visit, it was a roasted quail with gingerbread stuffing, salsify and baby Brussels sprouts Dessert is always a treat here. The dense "Chocolate Marquise" with whole milk ice cream is not to be missed if you are a chocolate lover. All in all this if you love food and you live in Chicago you should come here at least once.
(4)
Anupama A.

We started with a little bubbly rose which was some of the best rose I have ever had! Then we had an interesting endive salad with a poached egg which was surprisingly nice. Then I had the halibut entree which was amazing! the Bf enjoyed his wagyu beef too. Overall a great experience and would go there again, though with one app, 2 entrees and about 4 drinks it was a hefty bill! Great place for a special occasion.
(4)
Ronald D.

Had an excellent meal here tonight! We thought the service was excellent! The waiter was attentive and extremely helpful. They offer a tasting menu as well as the regular full menu. The Amusch Busch was awesome. Pork belly wrapped in bacon with pickled radish. Really good, could have had several of these. We shared 2 appetizers. Foi GRAS. It was very good. The other app was suckling pig. Good flavor. Not my favorite, bit good. My son had the steak dish and I had the sturgeon. The steak came and it was not cooked medium rare. My son was hesitant to say anything and ask that it be redone. The waiter was understanding. At the end of the meal we spoke to the chef. He apologized and was upset that the kitchen would put out a dish clearly over cooked. This made my son feel better. When it came back it,was,excellent and cooked a true medium rare, as it was ordered. My sturgeon had been recommended by the waiter and was Great. We asked for a wine recommendation. He suggested a pouilly fuse. It was an excellent choice. The deserts were also very good, the chorale item and the sponge cake. Overall an excellent meal. The place is understated and very comfortable. This was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
(4)
Lon T.

One of the best meals I've had in Chicago. Anyone who gripes about small portions or the price should just go to Olive Garden as they really don't get how great this restaurant is. My friend and I started with the Charcuterie plate and daily soup which were terrific. For the entrÃ©e we shared the pork belly and duck. Both are not easy to do right and the chefs here know how not to overcook the duck. Dessert was the white honey parfait with coconut sponge, passion fruit, rum and caramelized white chocolate. Impeccable service, solid wine suggestions from our waiter and Marcus Samuelsson was sitting next to us loving the food also.
(5)
david s.

amazing food. started with sesame gazpacho(w/ yogurt, almonds, melon & smoked duck). next a signature cheese salad. fantastic in it's simplicity and complex flavors. pork tenderloin with quinoa and greens. Sarah the server/bartender paired each course with perfectly balanced wines. wonderful experience and excellent service...!!!
(5)
chris a.

This is the most "L.A." place I've been to in Chicago, and that's a bad thing. Food was decent, but more so because of the ingredients than the preparation. The ambiance was just really pretentious and borderline snooty. This is definitely a place to be seen at more than to eat at.
(2)
Jen A.

Eric took me here for my 27th birthday. He really wanted to try it and I heard it is Anthony Bourdain's favorite restaurant in Chicago. Sadly, I was a little disappointed. Amuse bouche was a refreshing bite of citrus shrimp. Everything Eric ordered was delicious, scallops for a starter and pork belly for an entree. Heaven in four courses. I chose the suckling pig to start and had the duck for dinner. I love duck but the way it was prepared was ridiculously fatty. I felt like I had a brick of butter for dinner. I'm not Paula Deen. I'm giving this place three stars based on my order, but I would give Eric's meal a five. Sigh-- I'll give Blackbird another try and order something else.
(3)
Andy M.

Don't think review 631 will do much for this place but can't hurt. Best food and presentation. Server was so attentive. Can't fault anything. The only reason why people would want to rush through this is if they were at maybe a lunch (which we weren't). Highly recommend for an exceptional experience.
(5)
Jason G.

I'm not sold on this place. portions are small, food was decent, but nothing out of the ordinary.Service was great - fast and friendly. Really small place!
(3)
Jourdan S.

Great food and service. My only reservation, would be a some of the presentations on the plate and when they arrive to the table i.e. the addition of soup ingredients or salad ingredients table side. They are all more masturbatory than they are practical in a display of showmanship or proof of freshness. Reminds me of certain spots in Manhattan in 92'
(3)
Kelli J.

Dined at Blackbird last night. So good. Service excellent, cocktails/wine excellent, food - you guessed it, excellent. Standouts were the octopus - smoky, the textures was none like I've ever tasted, could have eaten 10 portions. My husband ordered the pork belly, wow! Very good sized serving of pork, the leeks were great on their own, very light and tasty chorizo broth. For dessert the friend polenta - I will be dreaming of it. The table are close together, but I was expecting worse, it's really not that bad. Will definitely return!
(5)
Beatrize N.

I ate there yesterday and I haven't eaten there in a while.. I must say I forgot how noisy that place gets and the eating like some people have pointed out is a little difficult to maneuver at moments but with that out of the way.. there are great things too... the servers are very attentive, even thought I noticed one rolling his eyes when one of our group asked a question. I totally loved the mussel soup I had it was just amazing...you could make that at meal in itself. Unfortunately, I would have to say the the rack of lamb was not so good and it was served on a bed of radishes and soybeans which I would have enjoyed more without the strange "cheesy" sauce they served it mixed it, it tasted like blue cheese and I had a hard time with the smell and it's taste. I would go back but ask more questions next time.
(4)
Erica A.

My boyfriend and I celebrated his birthday at Blackbird last night and I can't express how happy we both were with our meals and the service. He ordered the quail appetizer, the rabbit for dinner, and the mont blanc for dessert. He was so happy with every single bite and was in awe throughout the meal. I am going totally vegan for lent and our waiter and the kitchen were beyond accommodating. They kindly prepared a vegan version of the pea soup, maitake mushroom dinner, and banana sorbet (with carmelized bananas and hazelnuts). I let my boyfriend finish the pea soup because it was so amazingly perfect and it was his birthday after all. There wasn't a drop of food on either of our dishses or a drop of a booze in our glasses. The drinks were out of this world, I had the slayer and he had the violet violet. I've never had a drink with so many layers of flavor and a perfect amount of heat. The service was amazing, welcoming, helpful, and kind. We're not the type who can regularly eat at restaurants like this and they didn't make us feel bad for that at all. We wanted to go back and thank the kitchen staff but it was too humbling. It really was a very memorable night and I would recommend Blackbird to anybody looking to really treat themselves.
(5)
James J.

in a word, underwhelming. or maybe another word (if it's a word)... meh. We chose this place for a special occasion because we thought it was a special place. We really didn't feel that. Everything about the restaurant seemed "out of touch." The service was disconnected, aloof. The food was really underwhelming. Elaborate, dramatic presentations, but short of flavor and texture. It really felt like a restaurant resting on past achievements. Really hard to believe this place got a Michelin star when there are so many better restaurants in town. A few specifics... Server gave same exact script to every table around us and projected a sort of pretentious aire, like we should be thrilled to be there and were in for an amazing experience. That's what we were anticipating... ...So we went for it. Tasting menu. 11 courses. Amuse: Sturgeon. Dry, bland. Cantaloupe Buttermilk Soup: Good! Sepia (cuttlefish): Meh Wagyu carpaccio: Good. Foie Gras / Ahi: Really just ok. Halibut: Meh Pork: Good, but 2 enormous chunks of fat Lamb: Also good, but again with lots of fat and inedible gristle. Sorbet: Good Chocolate mouse: Comparable to Julius Meinl (local cafe) but good Some kind of sorbet with sesame: Tasted like peanuts and my wife's tongue swelled up and her lips went numb. Nothing stood out. Nothing I would crave or want to have again. Every dish just didn't have a payoff. Service was off from start to finish. Opening Line: "This is our complete menu for the evening. There are no specials." No drink offer for first 15 minutes. Same exact script to every table around us. Going through the motions. Ended badly with my wife having an allergic reaction to a dessert despite numerous warnings about it. That changed our experience (woud have been 3 stars), especially since the server blew us off. However, I really think the responsibility falls on the pastry chef though for serving something that tastes exactly like nuts to someone with a nut allergy. Why even go there? Again, we chose this place looking for something special. It wasn't bad. It wasn't spectacular. It was nothing special.
(2)
Nicole C.

I dined at Blackbird for the first time on Valentine's Day. The special 4-course tasting menu for the evening was amazing. I fell in love with the skate and the lobster. It's a shame they aren't on the regular menu! The atmosphere is very vibrant and modern. This is a great place to grab dinner and drinks with friends, but may be a bit too loud for a date. I'll definitely be back when my pocketbook allows. :)
(5)
Andrew S.

I have known about Blackbird for a long time and I had Expectations of the place. I am happy to say that it was wildly more spectacular than I expected. I had the scallops as a first course. They were cooked perfectly and literally melted in my mouth. I had the short ribs for the main course. It was the most elegantly presented food I have ever received. The ribs were sublime and tender and juicy. The service was excetional. My boyfriend who is a restaurant insider had some gripes about the dinner service (sloppy table cloth change out, dishes left on the table). I would never have noticed but found his comments amusing...
(5)
April F.

A slick, chic, delicious eatery by Donnie Madia. Go here on a date, order a nice bottle, and enjoy some 'surious' Chicago cuisine. NB: Not recommended for those who aren't intrinsically adventurous at heart.
(5)
Rachel R.

I recently went to Blackbird for lunch with the girls - the three of us have been friends since diapers. It was a rainy Wednesday and our reservations were for 11:30. I was the first one in the restaurant and it filled up to a nice crowd by the time we were finished. We each had a glass of wine (mine was the $15 Gypsy Dancer Pinot Noir) and skipped the appetizers. The note of the bottom of the menu said that it has just been updated the day before. I am not sure how often they update the menu, but we obviously were getting fresh food. One of us had the fish sandwich, one of us had a ham sandwich, and one of had the bouillabaisse. All of our dishes were good and we felt a little pampered having a gourmet lunch. We ordered two desserts. My friend got something with chocolate mouse which was really good. I had something that was so unique I just had to try it: kalmata olive cake with rhubarb, toffee and buttermilk ice cream. It was really good and tasted kind of like a fruit tart. The "cake" was kind of blue in color from the kalmata olives and was served as little balls. It didn't taste like olives so don't be scared and if you see it on there give it a try.
(4)
Mary O.

This was a hard one to rate ... we had the 10 course tasting menu with paired wines. They were very accommodating about making a couple of substitutions for me. The food was excellent. It deserves a 5 star rating. But I can't give it 5 stars, and I won't be back for dinner. I can't stand the tables being so close together when you are having such a nice meal. Don't get me wrong, I Love Love Loooove Avec next door. But it's a casual place and therefore don't mind the communal tables. I could have rated this anywhere from 2 to 5 stars ... I settled on 4 because the food/service is wonderful.
(4)
Nana H.

I sort of work in the culinary industry, and it's my job to sort of know what the trends are in food, and etc. I'd been advised to go to blackbird, for an affordable but contemporary "art food " meal- as i cant really afford moto just yet. My boyfriend made reservations for 9pm, Thursday night the day before- so i dont believe there is too hard of a wait. The space is minimalist, but it is also very dynamic. I love white on white with a splash of color. The service is very very good- but it does not compare to the food. The dishes were excellently prepared, the chef is a james beard chef- which is the highest level of recognization for chefs. For a 9pm reservation- they were already out of the rabbit when we tried to order it, so perhaps if you are going there late, call and reserve specials. The tables are close together, but if you have good company, that doesnt matter!
(4)
Patricia P.

I love Blackbird! Is one of these places that will challenge you with their menus, but always delight you with a weird yet exquisite combination of ingredients. From duck to potbelly, and event ice cream with olive cake, everything I had at Blackbird has been delicious and unique. Service is great!
(5)
Lover of Dogs H.

Service was excellent. Food was great but nothing memorable - nothing terrible, nothing mindboggling, just overall good. The all white decor is chic and glamorous. The decor makes me feel cool and sexy. But the place is a bit too cozy for my taste. I'm a very small person and I felt so tight and close to people sitting next to me. I might as well have been on a group date. We had to move our tables to slide into and out of my seat. This is something I can handle... not something that I would take a star off for. I think it would be even better if they expanded the restaurant so that they had a bar area where people could mingle, grab drinks, & appetizers.
(5)
maria w.

Lots of restaurants have great food and Blackbird is no exception. For us this was a splurge on a Saturday night dinner. For appetizers we had the arctic char and endive salad which was beautifully presented and delicious. My son had the strip loin which was a generous portion. I had the striped bass with apple, celery, and pistachios. This was a smaller portion but very rich in flavor and totally satisfying. The service was lovely - warm and not pretentious at all. I enjoyed a little slower pace between courses so we didn't rush from one dish to the next. We were disappointed the elk was sold out and the table next to us was told the striped bass was sold out as well. With very few entrees to chose from nothing should be sold out on a Saturday night at 9 pm. Great cocktails and a very manageable noise level. With 2 cocktails, 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and an after dinner drink our bill came to $150. Well worth the price for a great experience.
(4)
Rudy W.

let see , where to begin when you have $30 price tag per meal. I suppose you'll be expecting some sort of service, courtesy and good food. when we come in, we were the only two person eating at the restaurant (6:00 pm), later around 7:00 pm we see some more crowd. ok back to the restaurant. as stated earlier, we are expecting a price ratio on service, quality and price should be on par. if you see average of $30 in a menu, you'll be expecting some sort of good food. so we ordered a couple of entrÃ©e. - Malted apple bisque with smoked sablefish, granny smith apples and hickory (nice touch, good flavour, very good) - Grilled prime beef short rib with cauliflower, sesame gnocchi, persimmons and sarsparilla root (very good, but to my taste, the meat has too much fat on it. about 40% fat, making the meat very soft and tender. but again, too much fat and making the taste really good.. lol) - Roasted wisconsin veal chop with salsify, braised artichokes and pumpkin (very bad, dry) overall experience, not coming back for 2nd. - service, the gal that show you the door and the menu, excellent the person who serve you the meal, horrible. they just shove the food to the table not telling which one is which and what they are serving, we have to call up our server a couple of time asking, what is this. food was mediocre at best, but for the price, horrible. Morton probably has better food, service and price ratio. the sauce, I know they are experimenting with some combo flavour, but that makes the food taste just wrong. if the waiters are not busy talking to them self would be much better.
(2)
Diana H.

No one needs to be told this is a great restaurant with great food, the menu was very personal and inventive, not a copy of anyone else's, the cocktail menu was great, and after LA "artisan cocktail" prices, $12 seemed like a flat out bargain! What they may not know is how stellar the service is. My fiancee has food allergies - this makes fine dining a challenge - the go to nice dinner out is usually a steak and baked potato.... I, on the other hand, LOVE going to restaurants with inventive menus and immersing myself in the restaurant experience. The staff at Blackbird was amazing. The amount of attention given to making sure he had a great fine dining experience great. ingredients were adjusted not just stripped away til there was nothing on the plate, and when we were not sure about something, we asked and the ingredients were triple checked. We enjoyed our meal immensely, and next time in Chicago, we'll be back.
(5)
Lynn L.

Thank you Erin! Great service, crab appetizer, sturgeon entree, dark chocolate brownie desert... Excellent priced Napa 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. Named after the same plane my son's basketball team is...
(4)
Camille D.

incredible everything. service was stellar, food was delicious. will be returning soon!
(5)
Natalie T.

4.5 Stars VIBE I love the simplicity and intimacy of this dining room. There's a gorgeous flower display at the entrance and from the moment you walk in, everyone is welcoming. The service is excellent. I think I sat beside Paul Kahan interviewing an interior designer. Weird. I ATE/DRANK The $22 prixe fixe menu is one of the best value meals I've had in Chicago thus far. I started with the smoked artic char - the flavour and freshness of this fish was spot on. Then I moved onto the duck. The portion was a good size for a three-course meal (though a bit small). For dessert, the winter coupe was a pleasant surprise. The yogurt tasted like vanilla. It was excellent! OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK Don't fly this coup, especially at lunch. Great deal. Wonderful introduction to Chicago.
(4)
Kevin M.

Very good dinner and service. We had the rabbit and the sturgeon. All was delicious. Would surely return if ever in Chicago again.
(4)
Lin Lin S.

My entree, the rabbit, was the best rabbit I've had. It is a roulade of tender rabbit meat, paired with chewy n creamy barley risotto, drizzled with honeyed yuzu sauce. The place can get loud and cramped, especially when there are multiple parties waiting for a table, all standing on each others toes by the hostess stand/front door - why do restaurants do this? I did not find the hostess (long brunette haired girl) to be very welcoming or friendly. "you can go next door to avec to get a drink..or go somewhere else..."
(4)
Horace L.

Thoroughly impressed with everything I ate. Excellent service, and one of Kahan's best restaurants.
(5)
Sean E.

Sat outside, good service. The farm eggs with chicken wings appetizer was fantastic. The sea scallops were pretty good too, but overpowered by the corn. We had the grilled sirloin entree which was great. Despite the delicious beef, somehow the best part of that dish was the charred cabbage.
(4)
Elise M.

Awesome food and ambiance. Tight little space and you had to share tables with other people but its so worth it. Their variety cheese plate is super yummy! Will be back.
(5)
Santiago A.

Excellent food. I'll definitely be back and hopefully soon. We started off with some drinks at the bar while we waited for our table. I had the Matcha Swizzle. Besides a fun name, it had Cubaney anejo, Sirop JM, Shizuoka green tea, lemon, and angostura syrup. OK, this was such a good mixed drink, I would almost come back here, just to order another one. My date had the Blackbird Orange. It was made with Murphy Law Riesling, Pierre Ferrand dry curcao, Imbue vermouth, orange juice and bitters. I almost ordered this too, but wanted to be original. It was a good move, because I liked miine much better. This was good, too, though. I had the dry-aged striploin with fried polenta, escarole, poaces quince, and almond relish. It was even better than it sounded. My date ordered the aged duck breast with grilled leek, green grapes, quinoa, and creamed foie gras. I tried some of her dish, and it was really, really delicious. The dishes were perfectly portioned and had elegant and fun presentations. For dessert, we decided to drink our calories... I ordered the kentucky pie cocktail, because it sounded manly. It was pretty good. My date said she wanted to try a conquistador. At first, I thought she was referring to me and told her all in due time. Let's have one more drink and I'll ask for the check. Turns out, she meant the cocktail. Oh well. At least, it was very delicious and refreshing... and if we're being honest, probably more satisfying. If I had to choose again, I'd pick it over the kentucky pie. Overall, a great experience! Glad I went.
(5)
Christine Y.

I wanted so badly to love this place more than I did. The decor is very sleek, the service is excellent, and the food presentation beautiful and combinations innovative, but unfortunately the actual taste of the food did not live up to the hype/price ($90 for an appetizer, entree, dessert, and iced tea)/Michelin star rating. I had: 1: Appetizer - scallops. Beautifully presented, the scallops were juicy and tender (though small), but this was probably the highlight of the evening. 2: Entree - roasted Alaskan halibut. Very buttery and delicious, but I felt like they could have done more with this dish? All I really tasted was butter, though the fish was quite tender. 3: Dessert - espresso chiffon cake. The fig ice cream that accompanied the cake was superb, but the cake itself was just dry. Once again though, beautifully presented...but oddly enough, had (bitter) green sprouts as garnish? (the sprouts seemed to be a theme, as they showed up in almost everything we ordered) My friend had the scallops, lobster, and white chocolate mousse, and we agreed that the food, while delicious, was not mind-blowingly awesome, and certainly not worth the $90 we each paid. I have only been to one other one star Michelin restaurant (Frances in San Francisco), and unfortunately the taste of Blackbird's food doesn't even come close. Once again though, service is amazing: we walked in without a reservation, and they managed to squeeze us in between parties despite it being busy night. Other reviewers seem to rave about the lunch prix fixe menu, so perhaps this place would be a better bet for lunch.
(3)
Josep M.

Going there has been a very pleasant experience, since the very beggining you feel like something good is going to happen, and when you read the menu you can guess what's it. In contrary as many restaurants in the US, this one has the right amount of dishes in the menu. Very good service, celler and food quantity. The food is fresh, tasty and surprising, everything I tried, was a bite of hapiness.
(4)
Matt R.

I finally went to Blackbird last night and loved everything about the evening. It didn't hurt that they had saved a window seat for us either. The appetizers were terrific. We had the quail with sausage and soft shelled crab and loved both. We were both interested in the lamb but were told that it was dry aged so had a particularly strong lamb flavor. That could be good or bad. I suspect it was delicious but, with so many fantastic options, we decided on other entrees. I had the steak which was phenomenal. Jen had the sturgeon which was so good. There was a very slight fish aftertaste but it was entirely pleasing. We began the meal with cocktails and went with wine pairings recommended by our server and she was spot on. We were pretty content by the time the dessert menu was passed around but made room for coffee and the brie plate. Overall, a very nice meal and it actually felt like a value considering how much we liked everything and that the prices felt entirely reasonable on everything from the food to the drinks. Thank you Blackbird.
(4)
A B.

Wonderful Experience! Had a last minute change if plans and ended up at Blackbird with party of 6. They welcomed us warmly and were the exact right balance of service without being intrusive. The food was excellent, from the crisp potato cup in my salad to the perfectly prepared sturgeon. The Josmeyer Reisling in their wine list is one of my favorites - and not easily found. An overall great experience! Thank you Blackbird!
(4)
Laura R.

I adored the ambience. Check out the bathrooms! I truly liked the food. The champagne was good. I would have to say though, that the portions are a little small and it is kind of loud and noisy inside, but I would go back,perhaps.
(4)
Sahar M.

It is a small restaurant. The food is excellent, but portions are very small. The endive salad is excellent, rabbit, sturgeon and wings and suckling pig. Just perfection and perfection comes with a price!
(4)
Laura L.

Finally made it out here. Most of the food was delicious and drinks were yummy. My husband and I love fine dining, but this one was the biggest hit to the wallet that left us the least full which, no matter how good the food is, means something. Corned beef tongue - meh. reminiscent of traditional corned beef, just not as good, and the only dish where i questioned the accompanying components Broccoli soup - above average with exciting snail sausage but the broth was nothing i hadn't had before Suckling pig - order 10!! Sturgeon & wings - holy yum! yes please. Lamb saddle - made me think of a new take on prime rib w/ horseradish. the smoked ricotta was the single best thing i tasted there Cinnamon danish - nothing I haven't had before Cocktails were all delicious (although of course Violet Hour has them beat)
(3)
Yvonne O.

I haven't been here in what seems like ages - and that is a shame because it is still as delicious as I recall. I headed here for a birthday lunch and was able to snag a table at the last minute. They had both the prix fixe lunch (A steal at $22 for three courses) and the a la carte available. I got the lamb tartar to start and my friend got the bibb salad. Both were great! He said it was one of the top salads he has ever had and I loved the lamb - finely diced with just enough onion and sauce. For entrees I went with a mushroom dish (amazing) and he had the pork belly sandwich that he said was solid and came with a massive amount of fries. French press coffee and dessert was next - I went with the sweet potato ice cream and he got the chestnut/vanilla ice cream thing (I am blanking on the actual name) and they also brought him a deconstructed birthday cake - which was so nice!! All this and a couple of drinks was only $100 before tip. Service is impeccable, while dishes might be a bit slow in coming for the average weekday lunch, but when food is this good, you can't complain about a 90 minute lunch!
(5)
Tai Z.

I splurged on a handful of restaurants before leaving Chicago earlier this year and Blackbird was the most underwhelming by far. Good food should leave an impression. There are dishes I've eaten years ago that I still think about regularly to this day. I've had food that has made me want to move to the city where I've eaten it. There are meals that elevate eating beyond sustenance or social experience. Blackbird provided none of these things. In fact, the only thing I still remember about my ~$175 meal was the two dessert courses. Not only were they not very tasty, they were actually kind of nasty. The flavors just didn't work together at all. Nothing about the presentation redeemed the dishes either. The decor was nice, but that aside I struggle to see why anyone would want to go here over Publican or Avec (both of which have provided me with great meals).
(2)
Joanne C.

We came here for my birthday last week and it was a really nice evening. The service was impeccable and the food was enjoyable. There were so many things I wanted to try but we decided to do the tasting menu as we had time to spare and the tasting menu had things we both wanted to try. The standouts to me were the fish dishes: arctic char and halibut. I have never had arctic char before but have heard about it many times on Food Network ("Chopped" fan here) and wanted to see what it tasted like. It was pretty good: kinda smoky and buttery. The halibut was firm and flavorful, and the cucumber-miso sauce was an interesting combination. Bf really liked the mustard seeds and at one point I had to ask if he was ok because he was just sitting there staring at his plate. "I'm just eating the mustard seeds. They're good." Another thing I really liked was the birthday cake flavored ice cream I got as a birthday treat. It was unlike any dessert I've ever had. I took a spoonful into my mouth and had to ask my bf, "He did say this was ice cream right?" because the texture was cake-like but it melted at the same time. How did they do that???! I want to go there and say it's my birthday again just to eat that ice cream. Service was some of the best I've had at an establishment: water glasses always kept full, plates cleared in a timely manner, silverware was changed for each course, and servers telling us what each dish was. Our main server (I forgot what her name was) was very friendly and patient with us, since we took a while to decide whether we wanted separate entrees or the tasting menu. It was a very relaxing and enjoyable 2.5 hours. I would like to come back and try their lunch menu.
(4)
Ryan K.

Wow, what a disappointment. While I don't live in Chicago, I am here enough to use it as my culinary Mecca. Alinea, Aviary, Purple Pig, Maude's... These are near religious experiences when it comes to food and wine for me. Blackbird had been high on my list of places to try so I saved it for a special night out w my wife. I would have been happier w a cheeseburger and a PBR. After looking at the menu, I realized that our food leanings were going to be Pinot friendly. I asked our waitress (who was great) to suggest me a bottle, as I was not familiar w some in the 100$ price range. The bottle that she picked was terrible...and this is coming from someone who loves every wine you give me. It was the equivalent of fresh pressed cranberry juice and was so tart and acidic it made my teeth hurt and nuked anything i ate following it. After much internal debate I deemed it undrinkable. In fact I sat there thinking how many bottles of wine I have had at restaurants in my life (1000+) and how I was going to send one back for the first time ever. Not a minor decision at all... They were gracious about it and bottle 2 was much better. I had the rabbit dish and was dismayed to see that the entire plate was about the size of three pieces of sushi. While technically well made it was bland and unmemorable. The garnish and the accompanying sauce which took up half the plate were so vinegar heavy that they killed any flavors. Listen, I get it...with fatty rich foods, you need some acid. But this was like someone pouring white vinegar on your meal. The escargot with the plate (a personal favorite) tasted like they came out of a can and were proclaimed by my wife to be one of the worst things she had ever tried. Still hungry, I ordered dessert. While it was good, it was only 2-3 bites and nothing memorable. In summary, Blackbird has committed one of the biggest sins for any restaurant. I left there dissatisfied, hungry, and not happily 300 dollars lighter. The only reason this isn't a one star review is because the service was impeccable.
(2)
Mallory S.

We decided to go all out and do the Tasting Menu with wine pairings. The Tasting Menu is $110 per person (additional $55 per person for wine pairings). This includes 11 courses and 9 different wines. Here's what we had: Spring Onion Custard (so good!), Confit Baby Octopus (strange but pretty good), Butternut Squash Soup (amazing!), Shetland Salmon (very good), Sturgeon (great), Foie Gras (very rich, very good), Striploin (yummy), Lamb Belly (fatty/heavy but still tasted good), Grapefruit Sorbet (very good and refreshing!), Chestnut Mousse (loved it!) and Soft Valhrona Chocolate (delish!). All of these dishes contain so many components that I do not do their description justice. The service was wonderful, the ambiance was modern but very welcoming and warm, and I would recommend Blackbird. If you want to visit Blackbird on a budget, go for their prix fixe lunch for only $22!
(4)
Natalie L.

Blackbird was the perfect spot for a ladies night client dinner. Thank you Blackbird for making me look good!! Thank you for accommodating our last minute reservation (and last minute additions to that reservation). Thank you for the fantastic crab appetizer. Thank you for the delicious duck. Thank you to the amazing sommelier for the amazing service. Thank you for the beautiful and exquisite desserts. Thank you, Thank you!!
(5)
Emily W.

Delighful prix fixe lunch Professional and efficient service Delish food, perfectly sized portions Bread pudding was fantastic Lots of Asians taking food pix (seems like a good sign, no?)
(4)
Tatyana M.

It's really 3,5 stars this time for dinner. We didn't want to risk and be disappointed with ordering the tasting menu (like it happened in Senza), so we played it safe ordering 4 appetizers, 1 entree and 2 deserts. From all of this the only thing that was outstanding were their deserts. All the rest of the dishes were not really yummy or memorable. The description of the dishes in the menu were a bit misleading. For example instead of quail breast stuffed with bacon sausage that we received in reality the menu said: "roasted quail and bacon sausage" which lead you to believe that you will get the whole bird in stead of a 2 bites piece. The service was quite the same as I described in my first review and the value was even worth then the first time. To bad that it turn out to be this way. We really wanted it to be a great dinner. in the end we were glad not spending even more money on tasting menu.
(4)
Heidi R.

I went to Blackbird last night with my boyfriend. It was his birthday and it was a total surprise dinner. I blindfolded him and he had no idea where we were going. He had been talking about Blackbird since the day I met him so this was big for me to surprise him at a restaurant he has been dying to go to. I had phoned ahead to let them know it was a birthday celebration dinner and I had told the hostess on the phone that I was bringing in some angry bird cake decorators to put on the dessert we ordered. He is also a huge fan of angry birds! The restaurant is small and quaint. We had a small table near the front and both started out with a cocktail. He had whiskey and ginger ale and I had a Chardonnay. Both were perfect. We started with the smoked wagyu tartare and crispy braised beef tongue with radish, black garlic and yogurt. I have never eaten beef tongue but boy am I happy I gave it a whirl! Since we were sharing the appetizer they split it in two so we both got our own plates which was beautifully presented. For our entrees, I had sautÃ©ed striped bass with little neck clam, parsnip, chorizo and pear. The pear tasted absolutely amazing with the bass. It was a perfect sized portion! My boyfriend ordered the grilled becker lane pork rib chop with caramel potatoes, green asparagus, sea beans and cured egg yolk. The most interesting part of this dish was the cured egg yolk that is actually served shaved on the plate. We had know idea what it was but asked our server who explained the process. Both dishes were amazing. For dessert, we ordered a type of chocolate mousse. But the best part was the way they plated it. They added one candle and made a chocolate nest for the angry birds decorations. It was exactly what I wanted but never expected. These Chefs there definitely know how to be creative and know exactly what they were doing. This was an amazing experience from beginning to end. Kudos to Blackbird and our awesome server Iver.
(5)
Brooke B.

Take advantage of the $22 lunch for Restaurant Week, it's a great way to taste 3 items off the menu for a decent price. First off, if you're a sucker for presentation (like me) you're going to love this place no matter what the food tastes like. Beautifully plated with bright colors never hurt anyone willing to pay astronomical prices for small portions. I began with the baby octopus salad, my fiance w/ a potato soup. Mine was delicious, lightly smoky and perfectly cooked. My fiance didn't complain about the soup, because I didn't even get a taste! For our entree course, I got the salmon, which was cooked just the way I like it, just a little bit raw in the middle. It was quite small, but for lunch...it was an appropriate portion. The compliment of flavors was nice. Sour apple cubes and the salmon itself sat on a creamy sauce...with steamed greens, which are always my favorite. My fiance got the duck confit, which was the disappointment of the meal. It actually wasn't confit at all, it was basically a piece of deep fried duck. And, if it's possible with duck...it was dry. However, presentation still was nice. Dessert was heavenly. I had a pear something...which was my idea of a dessert. Small and sweet. My fiance had the chocolate mousse, which again, was gobbled down before I could taste. That means two thumbs up. My main complaint about this restaurant is it's ALWAYS crowded. And the seating is quite communal so if you're going on a romantic date, think twice unless you want your neighbors to hear your entire conversation.
(4)
Christy L.

I don't get why this restaurant continues to get such rave reviews (or a Michelin star). I've been twice, and both times the food was underwhelming and expensive. I don't mind paying for good food, but it ought to be memorable, and I couldn't even tell you what I ate. Several people have told me that Avec is better than Blackbird. I'll have to check it out ...
(2)
Lorrie M.

I'm hesitant to give this place 4 stars since I only was able to join Blackbird for lunch. Given the schedule for my travel, we were not able to grab dinner here so lunch it had to be. Plus they had this nice $22 fixed price menu for lunch that was spectacular for how much you paid. There are two choices on the menu for each appetizer, entree and dessert round so the bf and I naturally selected different things so we could try all the dishes. The appetizers were delicious, soup and salad but a fresh take with octopus and fresh broccoli cream and our entrees were excellent as well. I feel that they really take the traditional sounding dishes (i.e. roast chicken, grilled fish) and make it pretty spectacular. They actually did my chicken breast stuffed and wrapped in a PERFECT crispy chicken skin but in a round presentation so it looked nothing like roast chicken. The presentation was fun, the food was good and the dessert was delicious despite that it was chocolate and I am not a huge fan. Good portions for lunch (I was pretty full by the end) and they have an interesting cocktail list. We ended up spending $80 with tax and tip which is pretty reasonable considering we both ordered drinks. Recommended although I'm not sure for lunch since the atmosphere is definitely upscale and not relaxed so don't try coming here dressed in a tshirt or you will feel awkward.
(4)
Curtis H.

Had a really fun experience here, and the food was very tasty. Portion sizes could be larger, but overall the quality is quite high. Definitely a Chicago staple worth a visit, but be prepared to shell out some dough.
(4)
Michelle M.

Did you know? Blackbird has pretty good availability without making a reservation online. My fiance and I dined here for my birthday on a Saturday night. It was one of the only good restaurants that had an 8pm reservation. Thinking that we needed one, we actually saw several empty tables on our way in. We ordered the pork belly appetizer and sad to say, it wasn't as tender as I thought it would be. It also wasn't as favorful either, somewhat underseasoned. We moved onto our main courses, which was the halibut with cucumber-miso juice. Just something about the cucumber didn't below. It wasn't very refreshing, but more fragnant... in a bad way. It was an interesting idea, but the two didnt come together along with the bits of mustard. My fiance however had the duck with foie gras. The dish is to die for. It's a very rich dish, but yet has very simple flavors. I absolutely loved the green grapes, which I found to be the right type of refreshing vs the cucumber-miso juice. The duck was cooked perfectly and was a good comeback for the other two dishes. Other things to mention about the restaurant, it does feel very pretentious. There is a no cell phone policy and the crowd is a bit more trendy. Overall, it was worth the try, just be sure to get the duck.
(3)
Casey N.

Fabulous dining experience. Had the salad of endives as an appetizer and the strip loin and short rib with mustard greens and apple-onion puree for my entree. My sister had the duck breast with potato granola, broccoli and raisin cream. It was all A-mazing! I'd like to go back to try some of the entrees we missed out on that looked and sounded delicious. Dessert, while still tasty, was the low point. I had the goat cheese "cheesecake" which was intriguing, but not something I would order again. My sister had the bittersweet chocolate torte, which was again, interesting, but not super tasty. My cocktail, the London Calling, was forgettable. Service was great. Restaurant space itself was not my favorite. Check out a full review, including photos, on my blog: caseycooks.com/2013/03/dâ€¦
(4)
C W.

Great food, but... Table for four. Two foodies, two civilians. Foodies wanted to order the really appealing entree sampler - 12 items for $120 each. Refused unless everyone at the table ordered it. "we can't deliver meal timing if only two order". Fine, but we have traveled to eat here and told them we did not care. If we had split our two joined tables by 6", two ordering the sampler and two ordering entrees would have been OK, but that was not an option according to staff. Staff very indifferent to solving the problem, focused on style over substance. Left us very disappointed amidst great food. To quote an old saying, a gallon of shit in ninety-nine gallons of great wine is still a hundred gallons of shit. I'm not one of the foodies, but wanted my foodie to have what she wanted, especially given the pricing. Go somewhere that wants you to be happy.
(1)
Suzy D.

This is really more of a 3.5 star review. My husband and I came here to celebrate his birthday. We had never been before so this was our first trip to Blackbird. For the appetizers we had the wagyu tartare, the sweetbreads, and the foie gras. Although I was hesitant about ordering the sweetbreads, they were actually our favorite of the appetizers. I found the chunks of meat int he wagyu tartare to be a little too small, and the foie gras wasn't exceptional. Also the size of the foie gras was quite small fro $20. For my entree I had the pork, and my husband had the lamb belly. The pork was tender, juicy, and very tasty. The kumquats and sunchokes were a lovely accompaniment as well. The lamb belly was very rich, but tasted kind of just like any other braised meat, and did not really stand out. For dessert, I had a cheese plate, and my husband had the chestnut mousse with persimmons. The chestnut mousse was very tasty and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Overall, the service was great, and the food was good; however, for the price, we have had better. We are glad we went, but are not sure we will be returning.
(3)
Brett F.

Finally! And just as fabulous as I expected... Shame on me for taking so damn long getting to Blackbird. Thinking of all I've been missing out on, man, what a tasty, tasty loss! Fortunately, my gorgeous dining companion, Jelena Z, was kind enough to assist me in making up for all of that long lost time with a marvelously mind blowing birthday lunch here. An overdue omnivore I am no longer, hallelujah! Our lunch ultimately was a stellar success thanks to the three thoughtful - and unwaveringly consistent - components that seem to make every Paul Kahan establishment a Chicago sensation: looks, service and fucking fantastic food. Yep, this guy just gets it right... the recipe for righteousness lies simply in placing really knowledgeable, talented staff and superb, straightforward cuisine in positively chic, contemporary surrounds. Sit back and watch the magic happen. The Kahan machine is all about Winning. Duh. There's almost nowhere to dine out and feel sexier than I did at Blackbird. Take one part sexy-yet-scruffy server (seriously, can their staff get any HOTTER?), one part dainty lunch prixe fixe (for only $22 p/p) and one part Oz Cocktail with Pierre Ferrand Ambre, Plum Wine, Apple Cider Syrup and Sparkling Wine (amazing) for all parts to-die-for. Business lunch, celebratory lunch, or just seeking lunch fabulosity? Blackbird shall be my go-to from this moment forward. So what was consumed, you ask? For a paltry twenty two bones: appetizer \\ beet soup with lamb bacon, horseradish yogurt, toasted almonds entrÃ©e \\ wood-grilled sturgeon with ham hock, red beet, cabbage, smoked dates dessert \\ chocolate ganache, tahitian vanilla, gastrique, parsnip ice cream Gorgeous. Ambrosial. Divine. All of it. Especially the lamb bacon. To note: it should be mentioned that the portions of the lunch prix fixe are most definitely that, lunch-sized. While it was absolutely just the right amount for me, I'm also a small eater. Hungry folk may feel more satiated opting out of the prix fixe... the a la carte menu items are all of standard entrÃ©e portion. Blackbird, oh how mighty you sing! Our relationship has just begun, and I'm smitten already. Look how fast and hard I fall... you've got "it" and now I want more.
(5)
Lexie V.

Aw man. I was really hoping this would be a 5 star experience. I came here almost a week ago and I have extreme buyers remorse all week. I feel like I just wasted a lot of money on something that was mediocre at best. I'm a mere college student yet budding foodie, so I don't have a ton of money to spend. When I do, it better be good. I heard some good things about Blackbird but I was really let down by my experience. If you can afford to be disappointed then see for yourself, but if you're at all like me then go somewhere else and invest in a good meal (Alinea, Moto, Boka, Avec, etc.) A friend chose this place and I was really excited to try it for the first time. We got the tasting menu with the wine pairings. Let's start with one of the highlights of my dinner: their butter. I don't know what exactly they did to make the butter so freaking good but I wanted to eat it like ice cream. However, it is kind of sad that one of the best and most memorable parts of my $200+ dinner was the complimentary butter. I honestly can't even remember half of the dishes because they weren't very memorable. I can name off at least 70% of tasting menus I had at other places over the past few years, but I was here last Saturday and can only name a few of the dishes. The elk was great. I've never had elk so I have nothing to compare it to, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The rabbit was okay, I could have done without it. I substituted the lamb tartare for salmon which may have been the best dish I had. Strange, because that wasn't even on the tasting menu. The octopus was just bad. I am not a huge octopus fan to begin with, but this was just rubbery and salty. The fish and squash it was paired with was really good but the octopus completely ruined it. I can't believe a michelin rated restaurant served a dish so sub par. I could barely finish it, and my friend was trying to be positive by saying "Maybe we are just really sensitive to salt?". No, we aren't. It was just bad. The wine pairings were very disappointing. I definitely regret ordering that, I would have preferred to just stick to what I know. Usually I love wine pairings because I get to try new things and the flavors usually compliment each other really well. Here, not so much. I actually had to have my friend drink the last two because they were WAY too sweet for what they were paired with. It also tasted like Franzia to me. The service was okay. There were a few times where our food came out 5ish minutes before our old wine glasses were taken away and new ones were poured. We were there late and there weren't many other tables so I'm not sure why there were so many errors. I really didn't care, it could have been worse, but for the price point I would expect something better. Other than that the service was fine. Our servers were polite but not very engaging or noteworthy. They seemed rushed. So all in all I am really disappointed that I spent that kind of money here when I could have gone to many other places in the city that I know are good. I absolutely love the other restaurants in this group (Avec and Big Star are some of my favorite places in the city). Maybe they were having an off night, but I have no need to go back and see for myself.
(2)
Timothy S.

I don't usually write reviews, however my experience at Blackbird was phenomenal. We tried the tasting menu and enjoyed every bit of it. The server was knowledgeable and walked us through every bit of the food and wine pairings. We hadn't planned to go to such a nice place and were underdressed, but the staff still welcomed us without any pretentiousness or hesitation. The staff was fantastic from the host we met at the door to the server to the guy who poured the water. The food was phenomenal and worth every penny. I highly recommend this restaurant for it's food, atmosphere and personnel.
(5)
Raph V.

I had to reserve a month in advance for my 5 year anniversary. When we arrived we had to wait another 45 minutes to get seated. What's the point on making the reservation!!!!! The only good part was our waitress was nice and the food was incredible but I would never go there again.
(1)
Fort Z.

Best restaurant ever! I can proudly say it is not less than the French Laundry. The fish, the meat, the veggie, all cooked with perfect timing. The crowd is quiet and peaceful. The only problem is the tables are too close to each other. I could never miss a business deal others are discussing and I avoid taking my own deal there now. If you are not using every table, I think it is much more beneficial for you to remove one table and make rest of the usual guests feel more comfortable. This place also has a fantastic wine selection!
(5)
Seth F.

I am FAR from the biggest fish fan in the world. I honestly have no problem with it, I am just more of a texture taster and would prefer pretty much any other type of meat prepared of similar quality than a fish. But the Sturgeon here is the best fish I've ever had and it was the best of the four meals we ordered here, which included my mainstay, Short Rib, a Duck Confit and a Rabbit dish. Honestly, I think Yelp has this one backwards with Avec. It seems that most people just don't think that the quality lives up to the higher price tag, but I couldn't disagree more. I felt every aspect of my visit to Blackbird belayed and defended the higher price, from the quality of food and the effort of preparation, to the general atmosphere and ambiance.
(5)
Todd L.

We had reservations for 8pm on a Saturday night and the restaurant was packed, so we didn't get seated until about 8:30, despite being there 15 min ahead of our reservation time. But what can you say...it's Saturday and it can be expected I guess. Despite the delay, we did have a great dining experience. I had the elk, which was served on a bed of job's tears (I can honestly say I've never had this, nor had I heard of it before, but it was an absolutely delicious barley type grain). One friend had the sturgeon, which definitely lived up to expectations and the other had the pork patio roast. My only disappointment is that I didn't get to try the lamb tartare and some of the other appetizers. After looking at that menu, I could probably do an appetizer only night and be in love... Definitely an impressive restaurant from the food to the line up of James Beard plaques in the hallway to the bathroom.
(4)
Nic M.

Had an 8 p.m. reservation on a Friday to celebrate my birthday and was seated immediately. Service was attentive, if a little stuffy and overwhelming. In addition to our server, who took the drink and food order, there were a lot of different runners to do all the different tasks. I hope Blackbird has tipsharing. Food was excellent. We had: * Carrot custard with toasted pine nuts - unexpected and delicious. Pure carrot flavor with an interesting savory note. * Endive salad - fun presentation with crispy potato bowl. With eggs, pancetta and potatoes, it's like a breakfast salad. * Striploin and short rib - Steak was perfectly seasoned. Sounds cheesy, but the perfect flecks of salt on the steak made my tastebuds dance with joy. Grainy mustard with fried mustard greens is a natural combo. * Roasted striped bass - Fish itself was kind of bland. But getting a bite of fish with the celery, celery root puree, and apple, was good. * Saxon creamery cheddar - brioche was waaay too salty. However, husband and I both agreed the cheese was the best dish of the night. Fruity notes in the cheese + fruity jam was a match made in heaven. * Raspberry candies and caramel pistachio candies - don't remember exactly what was in these (might've had a few cocktails by this time). The raspberry was light and refreshing, and the caramel was very rich. Overall, it was a fun experience for a special occasion.
(4)
Kathleen M.

We decided to up our game for Adventure Fridays so we ramped it up a notch and went to Blackbird. Visually very cool, minimalist and it makes it seem more spacious than it is. Because in reality, there are lots of little tables in there. Our friend from DC was late and they were beyond gracious about waiting, they acted like it was their pleasure for us to occupy a table. My friend and my sister ordered the short rib burgers which were huge and fabulous and they loved them and the fries. My daughter and I decided to have the Prix fixe for twenty two dollars - a fabulous price with delicious tasting food but it is really just a taste which makes sense for the price. I loved it all but if you are hungry it might not be enough for you. OK, yes, the "you" I am talking about is me! One of my favorite things was the fabulous lemon soap and lotion in the ladies' room. I know, goofy but still I loved it!
(4)
Adam M.

Blackbird is a place that I have always wanted to try and it certainly lived up to the hype. My girlfriend brought me here as a surprise for my birthday and it was great. We started off with the Smoked Wagyu Tartare and Crispy Braised Beef Tongue. This was soo good, and they even split the appetizer for us in the back before bringing it out to the table. For my main course I ordered the Grilled Becker Lane Pork Rib Chop. This was delicious, the presentation was amazing and the taste was even better! The meat was perfectly cooked and I was very interested by the cured egg yolk that was a great addition to the meal. My girlfriend insisted that we order dessert so we went with the Chocolate Mousse. Little did I know she had them place Angry Birds into the dish and the presentation was perfect. Blackbird has now become one of my favorite restaurants and somewhere I would Highly Recommend!
(5)
Kashif A.

Went with the wife. It was alright, nothing to brag home about. The food was ok but at $200 for the two of us, we were underwhelmed.
(3)
Tom X.

Having tried avec next door and being underwhelmed after having read all the glowing reviews, I decided to give blackbird a try as it looked from the outside to be a much different style. Made a reservation to try the prix fixe menu for lunch and headed on out on a gloomy friday. The inside of the restaurant is very simple, white paper table cloths surrounded by very modern and clean furnishing and adornments. Half the people there were dressed in suits and ties while the other half were in jeans and tshirts, so it was an eclectic collection of patrons for sure (well, at least the lunch crowd is... I have a feeling the dinner crowd here is much more formally attired). There are only about 2-3 choices for each course on the prix fixe menu so we decided to each order a different dish per course so we can try as many things as we can. Appetizers: 1) Sepia noodles: chewy, flavorful, beautifully presented. One of the best sepia noodle dishes I've ever had. 2) Asparagus soup: the soup itself was ok... wasn't overtly impressive to me. There were little pieces of fried bacon inside and those were actually really delicious... as bacon tends to be, but the soup wasn't anything to rave about. Entrees: 1) Chicken and sausage: simple and good. 2) Sturgeon: tender, mild, great. Read it in many reviews that people loved the sturgeon and it lived up to the hype, that's all. Dessert: 1) Chocolate ganache: WOW! 2) Forgot the name of the other dessert we got, but it was also delicious. (I know, that's not much help, unfortunately I was in a food induced euphoria by then and brain was running at 50% capacity) Overall: this place is definitely different than Avec, and it's definitely worth the price for the prix fixe lunch at $22pp. Make a reservation and hit it up for lunch if you ever get a chance, you won't regret it.
(5)
Rachel V.

This restaurant is absolutely awesome! The ambiance, food and drinks were amazing. What really knocked the Blackbird dining experience out of the park for me was the service. There seemed to be more staff than customers, and these beyond attentive workers were constantly bustling around, moving in sync with each other and predicting each customers needs before they were asked for help. Extremely impressed!
(5)
Todd S.

When they called to confirm my reservations they asked if we had any diet or seating preferences. I asked for a special table for my wife and I and they have us a great table. The waiter was great, food amazing and interior modern and sophisticated.
(5)
Mary Ann C.

Dined here last week with a group of girlfriends! The place was packed on a January Saturday night! Highlights: The food and creatively crafted cocktails here are amazing! I loved my duck with crispy skin, lentils, and some type of yogurt sauce. This entree was sublime! The endive salad was fabulous, and much to my surprise, the staff cut and presented the salad in front of me. What a show! Very fun and a nice treat. The other women at the table had the steak, pork, and scallops, and all were thrilled with their choices. I liked the sleek, white interior. It was also a nice treat to pull back the curtain in the women's bathroom. Give it a try when you are there! If it was possible on yelp, I would deduct half a star because the tables are too close together, there is really no space at the check in table, and the acoustics are awful (really could not hear the server most of the meal). Additionally, I asked the server which cocktail to order after I had narrowed it down to two, and she gave a long speech which really made it hard for me to decipher which she preferred. Clearer and more personal explanations would have been useful with the cocktails, as her recommendation of the duck was spot on! You must dine here! Quite the culinary delight!
(5)
Peter H.

Blackbird is, in a nutshell, subpar and overpriced. I am astonished it has a Michelin star (in the company of places like Moto, Spiaggia, etc.). If you are on the fence about which types of reviews to believe (the beaming, emphatic ones, or the meh ones), I'll make it easy for you: if you're accustomed to eating well, you will be disappointed by Blackbird's mediocrity. If you eat at "nice" restaurants rarely, I'm sure it will meet your expectations. To start, we had several cocktails and glasses of wine, which were fine. In particular, the prima vera was tasty. But we were most excited about the food, and ordered three dishes that sounded great on paper: foie gras, rabbit, and halibut. The foie gras was a bit bland. It is served chilled, as a slab, with a few interesting accoutrements. But really, I've had better foie gras off of the shelf in the Whole Foods fridge. For foie gras that is meant to be eaten on its own (sans bread, as we were instructed), I was disappointed at what they were serving us. No matter, we powered through. The halibut was, like the foie gras, bland. It is seared on one side, and then doused in a butter cream sauce that was much more butter than cream. It tasted like generic whitefish. Moreover, there were way too many sharp, garlicky turnips adorning the halibut plate that did absolutely nothing for the dish. In addition, as I was eating my halibut I found a long-ish hair in the middle of my plate. This extinguished my appetite, and I mentioned it to the waitress who took the plate away. She later came by to assure me it was not a human hair, but some sort of "turnip hair." Possible, but even so, your dish should not be served with vegetable matter that looks like human hair. They served us a complimentary dessert neither of us wanted (or had the appetite for), which was a fun dessert (bubblegum ice cream) but nothing special. We made the best of our dinner and enjoyed another cocktail. The nibbles we had of the rabbit saddle were tasty, as the dish was supple and well-seasoned. But for this dish, I would have rated Blackbird with one star. Bottom line: expensive and overrated.
(2)
Adam S.

I went here again last night to see whether the recent successes and awards had changed Blackbird. Specifically, I wanted to see if they too had gone down the path of appearance over quality. I am happy to say that they have not. In fact, I find it interesting that the James beard award and the Michelin plague are nowhere to be seen, or perhaps in the hallway leading to the bathroom. The service, food, and decor remain pretty much the same quality as they were 10 years ago when I first began to dine at this restaurant and long before our French friends came here to judge Chicago restaurants. I do believe this place merits the Michelin star, and think 1 star was appropriate. It is better than many of it's peers in the 1 star category. I would dine here again many times before heading back to the purees and foam of Alinea, lukewarm food and dated decor of Boka, stuffy pretentiousness of Spiaggia or overpriced snobbery of Sixteen (and, frankly, I will support nothing Trump related, but that's another story ...) Here goes: FOOD: 5 EVERYTHING is fattening, artery clogging, buttery goodness. Food looks good on the plate but emphasis is still on taste. Flavorful, savory food with interesting twists but not so much about the show that the food gets lost. This visit, I had as my appetizer the confit of suckling pig with fried ipswich clams. YUM!! Dinner was aged pekin duck breast with golden beets, chestnut soubise and munich malt. My guest (from UK) had the skate wing appetizer and the lamb. Both of us cleaned our plates and enjoyed dinner. Portions are large enough to fill you up but still leave room for dessert, which we both had. Not a fan of the desserts, but mainly because in this category I am a "Joe Sixpack". I want an apple pie or brownie with icecream and am unimpressed by fancy schmancy nondescript deserts. DECOR: 4 Has not changed. Could get old, but it's clean, crsip, minimalist. Uncomfortable seats to some extent but nothing that woudl keep me away. Slightly loud, but nowehere near Publican or Girl and the Goat levels of noise. SERVICE: 4 Prompt service, attentive but not overwhelming. And many of the people there have been there for years. Small things like having my coat ready for me when I was done with my meal, the tasty amuse bouche at the beginning of the meal, excellent wine selection, and general friendliness (without being giddy) of the staff were added plusses. VALUE: 4 Excluding our relatively expensive but great bottle of wine, we paid about $200 for the two of us to have full meal with appetizer, main, and dessert plus coffee. This included the tip. I would say this places Blackbird in the same value tier as Crofton or graham elliott. OVERALL: 4 Most dinners I have had here: Amazing food and nothing healthy on the menu. No attitude amongst the staff or clientele and no need to wear suits and ties. Love it. Bring on the butter and bacon baby!
(4)
Michael U.

Full review w/ pics in blog. Arriving 5 minutes late for our noon reservation we were greeted by a most-pleasant hostess and taken to a great table near the front of the room. Water was poured and menus were delivered - both the daily $22 prix fixe and the standard lunch menu. Almost on cue the waiter appeared at our table and stated "are you ready for the foie gras?" My sister laughed at me, typically, while I confirmed the fact. Browsing the room I was very impressed by the modern yet refined feel - the place nearly felt "casual" while the open kitchen teamed with life in back, Chef Kahan proudly working alongside his team. Before getting into the food I will note that while professional, the service at Blackbird was invariably slow on this day due to the fact that a server had called in sick while another didn't make it to work until later in the shift - aside from delivery of dishes our waiter really never checked on us and the delay between bread and appetizer was 30 minutes, appetizer and main nearly 45 minutes, and main and dessert another 35 minutes. Chilled cuttlefish noodles with avocado, red onion jam and puffed buttermilk was absolutely revolutionary with well poached cuttlefish cephalopods spiral-cut into "noodles" and paired with creamy avocado, sweetened red onion puree, and "crispy" buttermilk chips - a nice juxtaposition of textures, sweet and savory, brine and earth. pan-fried sautÃ©ed veal sweetbreads with smoked potato salad and microgreens was another winner with the succulent gland melting in the mouth yet given plenty of balance by the crispy panko-style coating. Not oily in the least, salted only enough to enhance, and well paired with a creamy potato and microgreen salad with heavy hints of smoke and undertones of apple and spice. , roasted Hudson Valley foie gras with peaches, peppers, and tomatoes was new to me - I'd never had roasted foie, only seared and terrine. The chef stated he wanted to do "something different" and if this dish was "different" then I'm all for it. Somewhat more "dry" than the standard foie, the lobe was easily cut with a knife and was perfectly prepared with no veins, strings, or discolored areas to be found. Using the acidity of the peppers and tomatoes (also roasted,) and the sweetness of the peaches (grilled,) to offset the unctuous liver proved a perfect compliment and the chef resisted more common presentations that rely on a bread of crunchy component to add texture - instead allowing the fruits and vegetables to stand on their own with the liver. wood grilled California sturgeon with gold bar squash, cucumber, bbq onion, zucchini bread, candied olive and it once again shined. Three 1-2oz slices of fish, perfectly grilled outside and barely touched inside simply flaked apart and melted in the mouth while the mellow squash and crisp cucumber were accented by the sweetened onion. Adding texture - a "zucchini bread" that was described to us when the dishes were collected as dehydrated zucchini bread cut into croutons (I describe it as delicious) and olives as sweet as honey - unique and unexpected, but also great. I selected the classic "croque madame" with house-cured ham, Swiss, red onion, fried egg and pommes frites simply because I couldn't pass it up when I saw it on the menu. Clearly not exactly classic given the onions and cheese selection, but quite good none the less. Less heavy that the versions with sauce Mornay at Bouchon or Butler & the Chef and although not quite as tasty, very good. The fries, an item I generally don't prefer, were on par with Keller's famous pommes and much better than Doug's raved duck-fat fries in the Chicago culinary landscape. warm walnut cake with NY674 apples, brown butter gastrique, and fromage blanc ice cream was definitely as good as it sounded with smooth and thick slices of spicy cake well tempered by the sweet apples, creamy yet acidic gastrique, and creamy cheesecake-esque ice cream. sweetcorn bavarois with cornbread pain perdu, pecans, maple sherbet the dish featured a sweetcorn Bavarian cream/pudding with shortbread base alongside chunks of brioche style cornbread accented with cinnamon and honey then topped with candied pecans. Alongside this amazing presentation was a sherbet that tasted like the very essence of maple syrup - I found the sherbet particularly thrilling in its texture as many maple ice creams seem too "milky" to accurately portray the maple flavor as it is traditionally seen in syrup or molasses. Discussing the meal on the way to the game it amazed me most how much we each kept coming back to the supporting aspects of the dish as much as the main component - the zucchini croutons, the potato salad, etc - the attention to detail was truly stupendous. Service issues aside I absolutely loved the meal from top to bottom and look forward to dining Avec and the Publican on future visits.
(4)
Stephanie W.

Oh lawd jesus, I was out of my comfort zone here. My boyfriend and I walked in and were easily the youngest people there by 20+ years. Everyone looked very moneyed, which hey, the place isn't cheap so what would you expect? I ate there a while back, so I won't review specific dishes since the menu changes. Items were hit or miss for me. Some of them were meh, but a few were shockingly tasty for the weird combo of ingredients used. (How does coffee and cinnamon on MEAT taste good? That shit cray.) It is an expensive but fun experience. Because of the prices, I probably wouldn't revisit.
(3)
Leslie G.

If I could give Blackbird 3 1/2 stars, I would, since that would be more accurate. I took my boyfriend here for his birthday recently on a Tuesday night. It wasn't crowded at all, which was nice since the tables are very close together. We started with the sauteed skate wing, which would have been very good except for the fact that it was way too salty. My boyfriend, who puts extra salt on everything, even thought so. He ordered the elk strip loin for his entree, and I had smoked sea trout. I honestly can't say if I just made a mistake in ordering or if my dish was just mediocre. The fish tasted like smoked salmon, which wasn't exactly what I was expecting. There was also some sort of sauce that did not complement the rest of the dish, in my opinion. My boyfriend thought the elk was pretty good. Interestingly, dessert was by far the best course. I had the cocoa gateau, which was delicious. My boyfriend ordered the banana pan perdu, which he said was the best dessert he's ever had in his life. Overall, it was good, but for the prices, I think it could have been better. I've been to better restaurants in this price range.
(3)
Natalie N.

This place is Michelin rated?? This restaurant falls at the very bottom of my list when it comes to Michelin rated restaurants I've dined in. Service : Our server was fantastic. She really did a great job, was very friendly and knowledgeable. Cocktails: Decent but nothing to write home about. Food: I had the endive salad and my fiance had the scallops. My salad was one of the best salads I have ever had. It was inventive and delicious. I did not at all enjoy the bites of the tiny bay scallops off of my fiance's plate. Yes, I'm a scallop snob. For the main course I got the lobster with fried pollenta and he got a steak dish. My lobster was undercooked and jiggled like a jello mold. Pollenta was nothing to write home about, and felt strangely misplaced on this plate. It is up there with the most unappetizing lobster dishes I have ever had. The steak dish was tasty (nicely seasoned) but it was the smallest portion of steak I have ever seen. I think there were 4 paper thin slices on the plate. We did not get the tasting menu and this was a tasting menu portion. We were there celebrating a birthday and they brought out a plate with a candle and two tiny pieces of chocolate. It tasted like nasty chocolate gum with nuts in it. Overrated, overpriced food. Will not be returning.
(2)
Kaycee E.

Great ambiance + Best Roast Duck Breast Ever Dined here last Friday night. This place was packed and reservation is highly recommended. The service was attentive and the waitress gave good recommendations on food and wine. Ordered: Endive salad with crispy potatoes, pancetta, and poached egg- This is an interesting salad. The crispiness of the potatoes, smokiness of pancetta, and the running yolk as dressing made great combination of flavor and texture. Interesting presentation. Pork belly with uni and red beets -- The pork belly was very tender but not as flavorful as I expected. Overall it was a decent dish. You can't really go wrong with uni. Aged duck breast with potato granola, raisin cream -- This past month I have had several duck breast dishes at various restaurants. This is notably the BEST roast duck breast I ever had. The breast was prepared medium rare and the crispiness of the skin complemented really well with it. The potato granola and raisin cream brought this dish to another level of perfection. Great flavor. Great texture. Great presentation. My friend had sake-steamed black cod and was pleasant with the dish. I took a bite of it. It was well seasoned and flaky. We didn't save room for dessert. Will definitely try the dessert next time. A satisfying experience. It lives up to its Michelin 1-star.
(5)
Holland H.

Erin was awesome. Super helpful with the menu and the food was incredible. The Presbyterian drink was also very delicious. Thanks for making my girlfriend's 25th a spectacular one!
(5)
Ted K.

Went for lunch which is quite a bargain. Had appearance of a space ship which has landed in the West Loop. Cool interior, great service. Very responsive to the fact that one person in our party has a nut allergy. The smoked arctic char and asparagus were nice starters, but the entrees were even better. The sturgeon and the hanger steak were both superb. The desserts were not too sweet, which I like. Had the bittersweet chocolate torte and the roasted peanut ice cream. Had the You're Turning Violet, Violet cocktail which was excellent as well. Actually, I had three., but who's counting when you're having fun.
(5)
Mary C.

Went there last night on a double date. Simple yet stylish decor. They were accommodating despite that we were late. Staff was very nice. The food was good, sadly not great. I've heard about this place from a few friends who lived it but I cannot say that I would go back. Got 2 appetizers - endive salad (tasty) and asparagus (ok). I wanted something flavorful- waitress recommended pork ribs (really good but burnt). The chicken my one friend got was way too oily and dry at the same time :( although had good flavor. Grilled striploin looked good but I could not try it from my other friend because it was covered in nuts and I'm allergic but he said he liked it. I think the best dish that I would recommend for you to get it the AGNOLOTTI - that was really delicious. I'm not giving 5 stars because place is not bad and they didn't do anything wrong but just didn't give me 2+ dishes to rave about. For $200/couple bill I would expect better food.
(4)
Theresa T.

Yikes. I had such high expectations. The portions were way too small and I left hungry. They give you exactly one piece of bread to start with. I ordered the lamb with caramelized cabbage. Tasty, but would have loved to have had more of a portion. My date ordered the sturgeon with chicken wings. Make that one tiny deconstructed chicken wing. His sturgeon portion again was ridiculously small. Taste was adequate. The environment was stark and felt cold. Don't go here if you want to have a romantic date. Make sure you dine before you come and bring a lot of dough....you'll be paying for it.
(2)
Rits M.

I went to Blackbird expecting great things- the chef used to work at Alinea. Sadly for me, it didnt live up to the hype. The waitresses were wonderful and super informative, I liked the look of the place, clean and simple lines. However, the food was rather a let down. It was definitely inventive and creative but I cant say much for flavour and taste. I truly enjoyed the pea soup and the veal tenderloin. But the pork and the sepia salad left me cold. I had the ganache for dessert- its not a real ganache, so beware. The chocolate was way too much for me but the lovage ice cream and grated cheese was delicious. Oh and I love the Little Wing cocktail- but my tastes tend to run more towards sweet where drinks are concerned.
(3)
Linsey M.

Picked Blackbird for a night out in the big city, partly due to its Michelin star, but we were underwhelmed. The soft shell crab appetizer deep was good, but the only really interesting part about it was the potato chip crust and that's probably because it added a knockout of salt to the dish. The halibut was cooked very nicely, and the turnips and smoked sauce provided understated flavor. The poached salmon was also cooked very nicely and provided the most memorable part of the meal through the caramelized onions, which burst and popped with sweet oniony goodness. In summary, it was good, but I expect more at this price point.
(3)
Adam R.

Simply amazing food. All than needs to be said is EAT HERE
(5)
Lola K P.

Food was excellent, almost 5 stars, but -1 for service, which really lagged for this caliber restaurant (as others have noted). The decor leans to attitude-y hipster-ish minimalism. Meh. We came for lunch, got the three course prix fixe menu which was a great deal. It was the perfect amount of food, we left very satisfied but not grotesquely stuffed. I started with a delicious soup, girlfriend got the salad, I got the fish, she got the chicken which looked a bit funny, all chopped and wrapped in its browned skin in a demi-circle, but tasted very good. The cheesecake dessert was very nice. Dunno know about dinner - I would return for lunch, but not in a hurry.
(4)
Jeff R.

Blackbird. One of the most respected and well known restaurants in the city for the past 14 years. I had never been so it was an appropriate idea for my birthday dinner (that was two months ago!). Overall I liked our meal and thought the food was very good. The space is small and very minimalist and extremely close tables with no privacy. We had an early seating so it wasn't packed when we sat down but by the time we left it was wall to wall. The service is spot on and I like the menu as being very approachable and easy to understand. What I appreciate most about Blackbird is that they serve 'regular' food prepared with a fine dining touch and style. There are no gimmicks, no foam balls wrapped inside a magic cube of grass colored corn starch (I'm exaggerating a bit here). Everything is refined, clean and classy. I give it 3 of 4 stars because I wasn't blown away with anything and I think the menu is priced to perfection (i.e. on the expensive side). Blackbird does all the little things right and presents a sophisticated and elegant meal in a setting more relaxed than the menu would suggest. A quick rundown of the meal: amuse bouche of salmon and grape, I had the salad of endives with crispy potatoes, basil, dijon, pancetta and poached egg to start and the prime striploin as the main dish. Everyone else ordered a few soups, soft shelf crab, and a lot of fish for mains. We did the obligatory birthday dessert of rice bread pudding or something and chocolate for me madre. The desserts were very good and a nice way to end the meal.
(4)
Amber P.

I went to Blackbird with my husband a couple months back. I thought they were very accommodating to my gluten free restriction. I think there are enough reviews on here to describe the food and service so I won't get into details with that. I just wanted to chime in and let people know if you do have dietary restrictions BB is a great option.
(4)
Kim G.

I had the 10 course tasting menu. Unfortunately, all 10 courses were good but unmemorable. The cocktails and wine were great. Service was great and we got seted right away on a Friday night with a reservation. With all the great places to eat in the West Loop, I doubt I'll be going back to Blackbird.
(3)
Phill C.

Finally restaurant week came around and gave me an excuse to make a reservation. I easily made a reservation, which I was glad about since last year I couldn't. I'm just happy Chicago is lucky enough to have a restaurant week. I got there a bit early and was glad I did, since I discovered the Chicago French Market nearby (and some kick ass macaroons). Metered street parking was easy to find nearby and we were easily able to spot the unique looking build. From across the street, the glass front portion looks like pacman with a smooshed head. The interior was nice, although a bit cramped in the area next to the bar. The other side seemed a bit more spacious, with half-booth tables. Anyways thats fine, even though we were seated next to a blind date fail. Apart from the food, the service was exceptional. From the hostess/coat check upfront and to our servers, we received great service. Our server was super friendly and happily explained the menu to us. Drinks were constantly refilled and wouldn't let my glass go past half. I started with the Garbanzo Bean Soup with falafel. Oh and with some pickled asian pear, sumac, and caramelized egg yolk. That was a pretty tasty soup that was packed with flavor. I also love me some falafel action and this was really good. The tasmian trout was cooked perfectly medium rare with a nice crispy skin. I also tried some of my friend's roasted farm chicken and that was some great chicken. I really enjoyed my vanilla parfait and the cinammon truffle with our check. Had a great meal and will be back to check out their lunch prix fixe menu.
(4)
Derrick T.

Having been on my list for awhile, decided to make the walk over on a nice day to try out $22 prix fixe menu with a new employee in the company. (Figured might as well go somewhere tasty for one of their first meals with the company.) Selected the chilled kohlrabi with sturgeon belly, hibiscus gellee and grapefruit as a first course. A tasty few bites, with the grapefruit flavors and gellee really highlighting the dish for excellent contrast. The sturgeon belly was underwhelming in size, and par in taste. Beautiful presentation. Selected the roasted chicken and sausage with lime onions, tamarind, and smoked cucumbers as second course. Chicken was roasted nicely, as was the sausage, but nothing phenomenal to write home about. The smoked cucumbers were innovative and tasty. Beautiful presentation. Selected vanilla parfait with blackberries, saffron honey, and milk meringue as dessert. Very tasty smooth parfait with perfectly fresh blackberries. The saffron honey added a very nice element to the dish as did the intriguingly light and flavorful meringue. Beautiful presentation. (Are we sensing a trend here?) Verdict: With all the hype around Blackbird, I think I may have set my expectations too high. The food quality certainly was high, the presentation was gorgeous, the portions a little bit wanting. The preparation of the food was good, but I was not blown away. It may be the dishes I chose, or it may be the lunch option just isn't comparable to the dinner. I would look at potentially going back, but I'm not entirely convinced yet that the flavor of the food matches up with the ambiance and environment they are trying to present. Why four stars then? For $22 for three high quality beautiful courses, it's definitely a great deal.
(4)
Lucia Z.

Came here a few weeks ago with my husband. The ambiance reminded me of Corton in NYC... very minimalist with cold lighting and a chilly atmosphere. The duck and steak were both very good, but i was not a huge fan of the pork belly appetizer as it was a bit on the dry side. I also was not particularly impressed with the service. Glad we went, had a good time, but probably won't come back. But worth one visit at least.
(4)
Christine N.

Coming to Blackbird was an experience that I wasn't prepared for. First if all, I'm from LA. Second, I've been eating what my mommy cooks for me since the day I was born. So what does this mean? That I'm not the greatest judge when it comes to food that is not... ordinary. With that thought in mind, my boyfriend and I walked into this place which is located right next to its sister restaurant, Avec, on Randolph. I came here thinking I'd have a similar experience as in Avec. How wrong was I? You walk in to an equally bustling restaurant. But it's white and bright. The decor is extremely minimalistic and clean with white everywhere with spots of beautiful yellow flowers on each table. We were a bit early for our reservation, so we went to the bar and ordered a bottle of wine. Bar tender was friendly, extremely helpful, honest, and kind. He didn't suggest the most expensive item on the menu by any means and explained each dish with precision and helped us pick a wine that we didn't know how to pronounce. Im addition, the prices weren't as ridiculous as I expected it to be for a trendy restaurant. Mind you, this place is not quiet. We were seated and you sit close to the people next to you as in Avec. This part I wasn't such a fan of. You're either in the family style dining, or you're in the formal dining setting where yo can enjoy your date and high end food. We ordered the elk because it seemed to be the most popular, and I got the duck. Both were cooked extremely well. The elk wasn't gamey at all and the duck was succulent. Again, I'm not used to this new type of food. As much as everything was prepared perfectly, I don't think my palate is quite used to such experimental food. Having sweet sesame and a lighter cream with chickpeas with my duck didn't feel like enough flavor, but I had one of the best experiences here in terms of service and experience. This is a big step for me sooooo more experimental restaurNts? I think so :)
(4)
Nelson M.

Restaurant Review Fine dining or a amuse bouche for a meal. I had high expectations for this restaurant for a company function and even recruited other people to go, however I should have heeded the advice of a friend when he told me that left dinner feeling hungry and went out to eat afterwards. For our meal, it was a set three course menu. The event was held in the upstairs private room which is great considering the restaurant on the first level is small. Our first course was a light salad with a few candied walnuts and very thin slice of fruit. I unfortunately did not take a picture of the menu so I can't recall all of the exquisite ingredients used in my dish. The second main entree was flank steak medallion with small finger length potatos. The flank steaks total weight was likely 2 oz split in between two pieces. For flank steak, the meat was tender, but still difficult to cut through with the provided knife. The flavor was spot on but left you wanting more. For the final course, a beignet x2 with caramel sauce and small helping of ice cream. You could take this all with one bite. The flavors were there but just not enough for the portion. Even though I did not have to pay for this meal, I really think that "super fine" dining is likely not for me. I ended up heading out for a late night dinner. Pro- great flavors, exquisite ingredients, attentive wait staff Con- super expensive, super tiny portions Hidden deal- Lunch pre-fixe menu would be your best bet if you like fine dining with super small portions. Otherwise if you have a good appetite I would look elsewhere
(2)
Kenny O.

I'm a big fan of Paul Kahan, but Blackbird falls a bit short of the expectations the rest of his restaurant empire. I've been here now twice for lunch and once for dinner, and maybe it's the fact that I'm used to the value and portions of Avec that is biasing me, but I just don't think the quality I get at Blackbird is worth the premium from his restaurant next-door. The lunch special, if you're planning a cute casual event during the day, is amazing. $25 or so for a 3-course prix fixe lunch? Yes, please. However, even given that this restaurant is typically $$$-$$$$, the portions are inexcusable. When I dine here for lunch, it really feels as if it's the amuse bouche of the meal rather than the actual three courses I'm paying to eat. A tiny watercress salad, a baby octopus confit, and a teaspoon dollop of ice cream hardly justifies a meal. Perhaps I'm just a bit too used to the American diet of quantity over quality? Hardly. I've been affording the opportunity over the past few years to dine at some of the country's/world's best restaurants, and some of them offer a damn compelling lunch special. Jean-Georges in New York (a 3 Michelin Star restaurant) offers an absolutely gut-busting 2-course $32 prix fixe lunch with full-sized entrees (and each additional entree at $16 each); I think the foie gras alone I get at JG weighs the same as my appetizer and entree at Blackbird. Anyway, enough with the berating. Why do I give Blackbird a 3/5 rather than something lower? I still love the food irrespective of price and portion. I've gotten severely spoiled by Avec (among my top casual eateries in Chicago) where I can get absolutely stuffed for the same price I can get my interest piqued at Blackbird. Kahan owns both restaurants, so I'd expect some quality/value parity among the two, but perhaps Avec is just severely underpriced for its quality whereas Blackbird is priced just right. Who knows. Anyway, lunch is a good time to try out some of the top sellers here including the baby octopus confit. Though my octopus was a little rubbery, the taste was out of this world. Octopus seems to be the perfect vehicle for a soft confit with an acidic dressing. If it were cooked perfectly, it may have been one of my top dishes in Chicago. For dinner, expect to pay $$$+. It's fair to say that I would come here pretty often if I weren't a lowly PhD student on a stipend. Until then, however, I have to double-check my wallet to see if I can afford another splurge or not. The ambiance at Blackbird for dinner is less intimate than, say, Alinea, but it has this cheery character to it that is great during a rainy night. I highly recommend eating here for dinner if you need to just get out for an intimate dinner one night. ***TL;DR. Kahan is amazing. Avec is on par with quality of Blackbird. Lunch prix fixe is underwhelming. Dinner and atmosphere is tres chiq.
(3)
Madison C.

Black Bird was a beautiful restaurant. The decor was modern and all White. There were Black shiny Cadillac Escalades and Lincoln Navigators parked outside with drivers waiting for their patrons. Did I somehow got invited to P. Diddy's White Party?? The dishes were delicious and fresh. We were eating culinary artworks.The plating were creative and gorgeous. If you are like me and do not have a private driver, you can take the "L" to Black Bird. Take the Green "L" to Clinton. Chicago train system is user friendly and clean. Black Bird received a Michelin Star for 2011. Congrats Black Bird. Cheers to great food in Chicago! PS Ladies room: cute design. Be careful w/ the faucet. No matter which direction I turned I couldn't adjust the water temperature. I had to wash my hands in boiling hot water. Ouchieeee!!!
(4)
Jess C.

I am tempted to rate Blackbird (sadly) at a 2.5 stars because the servers seem arrogant and cold. More importantly the food was not good especially for the price. Endive salad: tasted too bitter for me, just ok and lacked flavor Wagyu Tri Tip: Extremely fatty and chewy, and lacked flavor Sea Bass: Cooked well but very simple. I guess it was decent. Chocolate Ganache: best part of the meal, but it was tiny! The free salted caramel candy that came at the end of the meal was probably the 2nd best part of the meal. Should have listened to all my friends who warned me that Avec was the better of the 2 sisters :P
(3)
Brendan B.

I went with my brother and we ordered some items off the menu. Sarah was working at the bar, and she was outstanding. Her descriptions of the food were incredible. Anyhow, her suggestions led me to get the lamb. It was an phenomenal dish. The flavors went very well together. For apps, we went with the foie gras (just to say I've tried it), the salad (unbelievable - especially the bacon), and the soft shell crab (tremendous). All around it was great. Originally, I was going to give 4 starts, but after reading and writing my own review I changed to 5. The only reason I almost went with 4 was because we went to Avec for desert. The desert - bacon wrapped dates - and they were one of the best things I have ever eaten. See Avec review for more.
(5)
Tinley M.

Let me preface this review by saying that my meal at Blackbird was truly one of the most delicious meals I've had in my life. The service was a little slow, but the incredible food and wonderful dining atmosphere made the longer meal desirable rather than irritating. I ordered the sturgeon, which our server noted has been on the menu for 16 years and is the most requested item. It was definitely the right choice: the fish was wood-smoked impeccably and served in a meat (chicken? Maybe pork? I forget) jus which added body to the otherwise light sturgeon. Topped with caviar and roasted fingerling potatoes, every single flavor on the plate came together in a completely unexpected but much appreciated way.
(5)
David M.

Yes, Chicago, I've read your reviews. I see how some of you think the seating at Blackbird is close enough to satisfy the needs of an overly curious proctologist. I also see how some of you think that the noise level is comparable to the KISS performance of 136 dB measured at the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest in July, 2009. Well, whether you agree or not, maybe these issues of ambiance are worth a star, at most. Maybe. So, after having read almost all of your Yelp-views, here's what I, an unsophisticated tourist from the west, have to say about those of you who rate Blackbird as something other than 4 or 5 stars: Either you had an unfortunate, bizarre, and not-likely-to-be-repeated experience, or this, and other great restaurants of the world, are not the kinds of places you should be patronizing because you will never enjoy them. Don't waste your time and/or money on them (although you might just want to go so you can tell everyone else how they're not up to your standards:-). Blackbird is a great restaurant. It's worth a Michelin star and Chicago should be proud to be able to boast about it. I was there the other night for dinner. Had tastes available only in Michelin ranked restaurants. Each dish contained a welcome surprise: Layer upon layer of taste. The integrity of the individual ingredients paid great respect. Incredible. The level of dining surpassed what is currently available in Denver. How I wish Paul Kahan and company would pay an extended visit to the Colorado Rockies. Instead of droning on about any particular dish, just know that the place provides a cutting edge example of upscale, new American cuisine. The front operation flows seamlessly into the dining area where the servers are skilled and efficient, doing their work quickly and stylishly. The food can't be beat and although the dishes are not large, the prices are very reasonable for what you get. Far less expensive than you'd pay on either coast for an equivalent experience. Blackbird, you rule. Wow. I love Chicago . . . and mostly because of you.
(5)
Guillermo M.

Extremely creative plates with excellent presentation and very good flavors. Some of the plates achieve grandiosity like the calamari noodles. It is a place were you just have fun eating and experimenting with colors and textures. Don't expect huge servings so if you rather have a huge plate this is not your place.
(4)
Jeremy G.

I went there with my girlfriend for my birthday and overall it was a good experience. What we really liked about the place is that one could feel that everything was made on the spot, and that someone actually spent some time composing the meals. Also, the cooks take risks, and we like to be surprised. Starters: Excellent bread! Very good: octopus on parsnip puree and a lot of thyme. This was a marvel. Not good: Butternut bits on very, very bitter fried endives. The brownish blood sauce was not very appealing neither. That was a miss, and there goes the 5th star. Entree (I always find this word funny, because it's French for starter): Not bad: sea bass with fennel, pretty classic. Good: Lamb's saddle on sweet cabbage, horseradish and apricots. The meat was cooked to perfection, the rest was a bit too sweet, and the ricotta (which tasted a lot like sour cream, I think) was completely unnecessary. But overall, this was an excellent dish. No carbs in all the above-mentioned dishes, we would have liked a potato or two with the meat and fish... But the real surprise were the desserts... Cheesecake on mustard, and the melted chocolate on rice with date ice cream. It was bold, original, and absolutely delicious. I'd give 5 stars to the dessert's cook. Otherwise, the wines are clearly overpriced but the single malts are not.
(4)
Andrea R.

I heart fancy lunches!! And I heart Blackbird! I joined my favorite Yelp ladies, Colleen C and Jelena Z, for a delish lunch here a few weeks ago. Much pricier than my usual lunch of PB&J or weight watchers frozen meals, but they do happen to have a $22 prix fixe lunch menu at Blackbird. I had originally planned to take advantage of this deal, but it looked like a ton of food (and I had dinner plans to look forward to) so decided to go with just an entree instead. Oh, and a glass of very refreshing lemonade (hot Chicago day). I ordered the lamb burger topped with bacon and machego cheese. Clearly I'm pregno because I can't remember the last time (if ever) I ordered a lamb burger, but it was soooo good. And the fries that came with it may have been even better! It also came with some sort of side salad, which was kinda gross, but who needs salad when you've got tasty lamb and fries... Our fancy lunch came to under $50 for the 3 of us. Not bad! Our waiter was also attentive, although a little on the slow side. Then again who needs to rush during a fancy lunch? Next up- fancy dinner at Blackbird. Stay tuned...
(4)
Colleen C.

Me: I have one regret, Blackbird. BB: What on earth could you regret about this experience? Me: No room for dessert. BB: Take responsibility for yourself. Me: I'll be back for dessert. BB: That's better. Me: Indeed. Sexy people go here, FYI. Like, not sceney sexy people...but really cool people that don't need to put on a show or strut around and peacock to get attention. Good looking, crisp, classy people. It's interesting. It's a bit intimidating even. But, they are here for a reason...I assure you. Pros to interior: Clean. White. Much thought into the design and layout. Crisp. Clear. Classic. Sexy. Idyllic for those who'd never be able to pull off an all white motif. It's done, and done well. Cons? It's small, and as mentioned many times...the tables are very close together. Such is life at an upscale eatery, I suppose. But, I'd be failing if I did not mention it. If you are clumsy, this may not be the place for you. Or, opt for the patio. Popping in for lunch seems to be a great introduction to this not-so-hidden gem. A nice glimpse into life at Blackbird, without being too cramped, crowded...or requiring too much forethought for reservations. (Though, still recommended...their lunch business is still pretty hopping). The $22 prix fixe lunch is an excellent value, and unfortunately I could not indulge due to an earlier indiscretion. Next time I think that eating McDonald's for breakfast is a good idea, step on my hands. Regardless, the regular lunch menu is still stuffed full of beautiful dishes...and I opted for the Croque Madame. The lady sandwich was very well prepared, a beautiful egg with a sunny disposition perched atop perfect grilled ham 'n cheese. Comfort food. Fantastic. The frites left a bit to be desired...and unfortunately, that's a high crime in the land of such a stellar Croque Madame. A bit limp and lame, and...tepid. A lamb burger with bacon? Well, of course. We'll take two. Both devoured in entirety...though, again the side accompaniment was a bit of a letdown. A mixed small onion salad, so salty, barely edible. Other than that, this dish is a total winner. Me: No dessert? BB: We've discussed this. Me: Ah, right. I'll be making my reservation above on this page soon. BB: We'll see you then.
(4)
Linda T.

came here for lunch after a friend recommended this place. i know its a trendy place, but the hostess kept eyeing me as i was not dressed "trendy" enough and had my backpack. got the seafood bouillabaise which was a little spicy with 5 mussels, 2 clams, 2 pieces of fish, 1 shrimp, and several slices of fennel and potatoes. broth was welcoming and homey. got a dinner roll prior to my meal with a big slab of butter. dinner roll was delicious and buttery...wished i got another one to use up that butter with.... table next to me started with a unique looking salad in a bird's nest type ring. server helped her break the "nest" and tossed the salad....pretty interesting.... good place for dates or hang outs
(3)
Cristina T.

I came to Blackbird after purchasing the "Dinner Tales" tickets from Tasting Table online. The menu was 4 courses with pairings for each course. Basically "Dinner Tales" is a 4 course meal with each course explained by Chef Kahan. We were welcomed with a cocktail hour where we drank expertly mixed drinks and ate lamb tartare, foie gras and sablefish appetizers. When we were seated in the main dining room, Chef explained the origins of each course, none of which are currently on the menu, but all utilizing seasonal ingredients. I was incredibly impressed with the quality pieces of meat and fish in each of these dishes-I mean Paul Kahan owns a butcher shop so its gotta be good! The oxtail preparation and the pork belly were my favorites followed by the foie gras in a close second. Wine pairings were given for each course and each was explained in-depth by the sommelier, who was incredibly knowledgeable. Service was impeccable and friendly. When you walk into Blackbird it is a true culinary experience. This just makes me love this type of cuisine even more. Each dish has a story and is well thought out at Blackbird. A must try for any Chicagoan.
(5)
David P.

4.5 Stars! Had one of my best lunches in a long time. Appetizer: Wagyu tartare with pickled beets, grilled cucumber, shallot confit and borage. Nice way to start off a meal with an excellent tartare dish. Well-executed with sweetness/saltiness/acidity from the beets,nice subtle flavor from the shallot confit, great crunch/texture and freshness from the cucumber, and nicely garnished with borage. Entree: Grilled lamb tenderloin with wild mushrooms, grapes, hearts of palm, vidalia onion jam and burnt cinnamon. After my first bite of the succulent, tender lamb naturally sweetened with grapes, vidalia onion jam and garnished with hearts of palm and seasoned with burnt cinnamon I cried out, "LAMB, LAMB, LAMB! God! I love LAMB!" It was hands down the best lamb dish I have had to date. Actually, I loved the dish so much that I ordered it again... :D (In my defense, it was a small portion.) Desserts: White chocolate sponge with caraway custard, raspberries and buttermilk ice cream was delectably moist. Great interplay of rich, sweet and acidic components. Almond financier and curd with plums, curried cous cous and thai basil was good but not as good as the white chocolate sponge. Wine: Nice bottle of 2007 Robert Sinskey 'Point Of View" Napa Valley paired nicely with the lamb. Port:: Taylor Fladgate 20yr Tawny was a solid dessert wine. We will definitely be back to experience their appealing tasting menu.
(4)
Stacey A.

I'll start with this: Despite the fact that I work in the service industry, I am not Blackbird's ideal clientele in the slightest. I swear too much and drink too much and am not of the "fine dining set" - nor will I probably ever be unless I marry a Doctor/Lawyer and wipe my butt with hundred dollar bills. And this fact was more than a little bit apparent when my friend and I went there for Restaurant Week. Blackbird had been on both our "lists" for a while because it's a pain in the ass to get to (who the fuck actually lives over by Randolph and whatever?), and it's expensive and again, I am not their ideal clientele. But Restaurant Week seemed like a cool time to go because it features a cheap menu and I knew I wouldn't be the only weirdo off the street eating there. Blackbird is a SLICK restaurant. And maybe slick isn't the best word, but it's very clean and streamlined and everything is white and stainless steel and even though all the tables are all but right on top of each other, you manage to feel kind of like you're in a private jet or something while you're there. And then there's the service staff, who kind of glide around, replacing your silverware and swapping out plates with this kind of perfect quiet that I would never in a million years be able to replicate. Their questions are smooth, they know their shit, and you get the sense that MAYBE they're judging you a little bit but they're so good, that you can't be certain about it. And then there's the food. And omg it is everything I hoped it would be and then some. Any words that I try to string together regarding how incredibly delicious it all was would just...not be good enough. So I won't, but I will tell you that I WILL go back for dinner and I WILL pretend like I'm the sort of person who goes there all the time and I WILL enjoy every bite of everything. (Also: That foofy-looking cocktail with the pink peppercorns and the grapefruit and the booze? Is way way good.)
(4)
Amelia B.

I just came here for a business lunch today, and was entirely underwhelmed. Though I did scour the Yelp reviews before coming here, I suppose I should have paid more attention to what dishes to order. Appetizer: I was intrigued by the coffee-scented fluke tartar. What I got was a mound of flavorless fish. I get that it's supposed to be subtle, but this was subtle to the point of complete blandness. The crisp was a nice touch, though I wish there had been more of it. I could only get halfway through my small appetizer before I couldn't stomach the blandness anymore. Entree: I love bouillabaisse. Absolutely adore it. And I knew they had bouillabaisse on the menu here, so it was a no-brainer what I would order. Poor choice. First, I understand bouillabaisse to be a mixture of fish and shellfish. Mine was ALL shellfish. About 9 mussels and one gigantic shrimp. Don't get me wrong, I like mussels, but they are not exactly my favorite part of bouillabaisse. The one gigantic shrimp was amazing, but the utter lack of any type of non-shellfish left me floored. The broth was nice, but nothing special and somewhat bland. And there was a lot of oil in it compared to most bouillabaisse broths. I don't think my companions faired quite as poorly. The croques were quite hefty and came with tons of fries, though the amount of grease oozing out of the croques turned off one of my colleagues. Service: Here's where I expected Blackbird to shine, and it definitely didn't. I didn't get the snootiness vibe that other Yelpers have commented on, but there were a lot of elementary mistakes that service made. For example, one of my colleagues and I wanted to share the fluke appetizer. The server obviously didn't get the "share" part, and brought us out each an appetizer. And both the entrees & the appetizers were set down entirely wrong--not one dish was put down in front of the right person. Now I know that's not that big of a deal when you are at TGI Friday's or Chili's, but I expect WAY more from a restaurant of this supposed caliber. When I order the bouillabaisse, I don't expect a croque to be set down in front of me. Underwhelming food & amateur service? I don't think I'll be seeing Blackbird again soon.
(2)
Emily F.

Amazing meal. Though we had reservations at 8pm, we weren't actually seated until close to 9pm. The wait sucked, but in return our drinks at the bar were covered by the house. Otherwise, service was pretty good. I would go back again.
(4)
Joseph H.

Came here with my roommate from LA and his girlfriend. They were doing their best to hit all of the hot restaurants in Chicago and this place certainly made an impression. We got the prix fixe lunch menu. Nice little salad to start, a duck main entree that was very good, and a chiffon thang for dessert that was sick (i.e. good). I would certainly return for dinner. Lunch was a steal though @ $22 per person.
(4)
Vince E.

Blackbird is a Chicago institution and well known for innovative offerings. The decor is very white and clean/modern and matches the food, which is visually well put together. However, quantity suffers as portions are generally very small. I tried the stuffed quail which was very moist and tasty for a small bird. Also sturgeon from california which was fresh and flaky, and ironic that I came all the way to Chicago to have something grown from home in CA. The one item I did not care for was the fried soft shell crab, which is dipped in and fried in a kind of corn starch, judging by the transparency of the batter. Crispy, but it becomes very sharp to to the bite and impinges on the mouthfeel. A nice restaurant for going out to with good food, though borderline stuffy. One of the servers asked our friend to remove his hat for the remainder of the meal.
(4)
Pam G.

I went to Chicago last week just to have dinner at Blackbird and I was not disappointed. The earliest reservation we could get was 9 pm, but that turned out to be just fine since that gave us time to got to RM Champagne for some bubbly first. It was a beautiful night and we were able to snag one of the outdoor tables which was great. Our waiter was very good, professional yet friendly. We went for the 9 course tasting menu which was a lot of fun. It actually ends up being 10 courses if you count the amuse bouche, but the portions are the perfect size so that you don't get stuffed. I can't remember what all of the courses were , but my favorites were the pea soup, the halibut and the lamb. The dessert was a little strange, some modern deconstructed carrot cake thing, but everything else we really enjoyed.
(4)
Matt L.

Amazing food and great service. Had the steak tartare, sweet potato soup and the lamb. All very good, great favor, plating and ingenuity.
(5)
Jeanne L.

An overall enjoyable experience. Ambiance: Classy and not too dimly lit. The tables are closer together than I would like, but that may be my only problem with the restaurant. Quick summary of dishes ordered: APPETIZERS: [[ Coffee-scented Fluke Tartare ] ]- Just a big *bleh* of salty/fishiness. I could not discern any coffee-scent. [[ Glazed Veal Sweetbreads ]] - The first bite I had was pretty good, smooth, tender, flavorful, but then the next two bites I had were horrid as I realized that this tasted like one of my nemeses.... LIVER. [[ Octopus Confit ]] - Not chewy at all. A very mild dish overall even with the sauce. No complaints. [[ Smoked Suckling Pig ]] - Was good, but had a mild formaldehyde scent/taste to it, which I'm going to assume I just associate with smoked pork now. [[ Nova Scotian Scallops ]] - GREAT! Perfect taste and texture, also great with the brussel sprouts. The powdered sauerkraut was interesting, in that it added more texture/dimension to the dish, but wasn't very flavorful. ENTREES: [[ Roasted Australian Sea Bass ]] - This dish had an overall taste of bitterness that grew on me. The fish itself was cooked very well. The dandelion greens were bitter. The green papaya offered a nice compliment with its oh-so-light pickled taste. [[ Alaskan sablefish and sweet potato brandade ]] - The presentation is wonderful. The first bite is wonderful, as it melts in your mouth in buttery goodness, both the brandade and the fish. But then it becomes *too much* smooshy butteriness... and then you're glad that you're just trying your friend's dish, and didn't actually order it yourself. [[ Aged Pekin Duck Breast ]] - Delicious. The best thing I ate. DESSERTS: [[ Chocolate Ganache ]] - Mmmm so rich. [[ Fromage blanc panna cotta ]] - A good mix of different flavors.
(3)
Sarah A.

I might be biased about my experience because I was proposed to a few hours after eating here...but I really liked my meal. The food and the service were great. I should also say that I was here on New Years Eve so mabye they stepped it up a bit for the occasion. I would recommed giving it a try especially for a special occasion.
(5)
Carolynne M.

This restaurant once offered a dessert that featured bacon. And it was insanely delicious. If that doesnt warrant 5 stars I dont know what would. 'Nuf said.
(5)
Sarah J.

The food was good, but I would have expected more for the price.
(2)
Unknown K.

Seriously - it took two hours to eat lunch. No one ever asked how the food tasted. The entrÃ©e was great, the others meh. The waiter "chris" wore a suit and was arrogant. Loud. Whatever.
(2)
Michelle Y.

Blackbird is a gem in Chicago. Great food, reasonable prices. My friends and I were so impressed, we asked to pay our compliments to the chef...YES! He came out, and I was star struck by how nice he was. I'd definitely go back the next time I'm in Chicago.
(5)
J. C.

Loved it. Great decor and energy. My boyfriend enjoyed it too!
(4)
denis s.

For being so laid back, Paul's skills are intense. Award winning chef has sophisticated palate; bring yours. The level of cuisine is excellent and adventurous. Well executed.
(5)
steve h.

from the execution to the presentation and most importantly to MY palate, everything is done superbly and professionally without a stuffy air of arrogance. where do they get the ingredients for their dishes? i'm thinking they have some sort of co-op connection with the garden of eden itself. kinda like my connection with binny's.
(5)
alexis K.

Awful!!!! I went to Blackbird the first month it opened, and have consistently gone there once a year since. This time the food was so bad, it was fantastically disappointing. First, the wine. At $15 a glass, the pour was half a standard for a fine dining Chicago restaurant. Then the amuse bouche, flabby and flavorless. My husband and I had the foie grass appetizer, it was disgusting with terrible presentation. Like at food covered up with a sweet pecan topping. Our dinners, the spare ribs and pork belly, again flabby, poor presentation, just totally overpriced. We were stunned. This was our favorite place in Chicago. Every place as a bad night; however, this was so far off the mark we will never come back.
(1)
Greg L.

I have been eating at blackbird for seven years; and i have to say Paul's still on the top of his game. The ingredents always show through. I have to give a shout out for the bacon ice cream. It's still my favorite restaurant, although I have to mention I just had a great meal at bluprint. I'm taking my freind from out of town to blackbird next week, and you should take your freinds.
(5)
Mike K.

This should count as 3.5 stars because my girlfriend thought it was more like a 3, but I would give it a 4. We went for dinner. I started with the endive salad, which was artfully plated to look like a bird's nest. For my entree I had the scallops, which were perfectly cooked. My only complaint is that the tables were almost uncomfortably close together. My girlfriend didn't like the waiter, but I thought he was very attentive.
(4)
Brad A.

Excellent food and drink. The service there was really good too. I went there for a business dinner and felt out of place. Most of the people there were on a romantic dinner.
(5)
Timmy K.

Blackbird can be described in two words: absolutely fabulous. My girlfriend, Megatron, and I have wanted to go there after hearing so many of our friends rave about it and we're glad we gave it a whirl. Despite it being too bright for me and the aesthetic reminding me of A Clockwork Orange, I still found it to have a welcoming atmosphere and was spared the ultraviolence. The service is awesome and the food is even better. We found the foie gras to be quite good, but not the best. Meg's swine was divine and my duck was perfectly cooked and seasoned, which is a rarity. The king of the night, however, was the sweet corn ice cream we shared for dessert. It was like nothing we'd ever tasted and was easily one of the best, if not the best, desserts either of us has ever had. Everything was presented very well and, after seeing the table next to us get it and love everything they were served, we're going to make sure to get the tasting menu next time we go. My one gripe with Blackbird that prevents me from giving it five stars is: ass. Yes, ass. The tables are so close together that every time a server would tend to the table on either side of us, I'd have ass right in my face. Not that there's anything wrong with a good ass in the face every once in a while. It keeps a man honest. But I really wasn't a fan of the moons over my foie gras. Take out a couple tables, Blackbird. Your guests will have a more enjoyable meal, ass fetishists will stop frequenting your establishment and you'll still make tons of dough.
(4)
Serena V.

I feel like I owe Blackbird a 5-star rating after dining at several so called "best restaurants" in Chicago. Dined here on several occasions for both lunch and dinner and each experience has been perfect. Food never disappoints - great balance of being unique/progressive yet leaving you feeling like you actually ate a piece of meat (or anything else). Service is friendly yet classy.
(5)
Rafael M.

Visited 8/3/2010. From what I can remember, the appetizers and desserts were great, while the mains left a little to be desired. The drinks and the wine selection were great as well as the very attentive waitstaff (without being too intrusive).
(4)
Jessica R.

We went to Blackbird during lunch for my bf's birthday. The pre fixe menu was great and the desserts were awesome. The best part was definitely the drinks. Of course we left hungry, but I expected that. I didn't expect being wedged between two very loud tables of business people in an otherwise uncrowded restaurant. There was no reason for us to have been sat there. We couldn't hear the waiter, much less each other. I specifically noted that it was a birthday event in the reservation, not a loud business lunch. It did give us both the opportunity to silently enjoy our tasty lunch, but that was not the plan...
(4)
Sacha H.

fantastic resto. order one of the specialty cocktails that change seasonally. if you're headed there anytime around the date of this review (august '10), ORDER THE LAMB SHANK. just do it. the other plates our table ordered (the tri-tip & the duck breast), were o-kayy, but i am salivating over the memory of that lamb shank.
(5)
Patrick N.

i ate lunch with the wife at blackbird during our recent chicago culinary adventure. we enjoyed all aspects of the restaurant. the food was unique and delicious, the staff was knowledgeable and kind, and the space was terrific. i can't wait to go back and try their dinner offerings.
(5)
Ken L.

This place is pretty nice for lunch, I would definitely come back. The all white decor and the lighting make this place very well lit which sucks for me, since my face gets incredibly red after just a sip of cabernet. I had some cold octopus dish for appetizer and although the portion was ridiculously small, the dish was ridiculously tasty. The croque monsieur was not bad but not great. The french fries and olives that came with it were a notch above the rest though. The service was excellent. Seated immediately (we had reservations) and the maitre'd took our coats off. I don't know, I feel weird having a lady take my coat off (yeh, yeh, call me a country bumpkin) but it was a nice gesture, nonetheless. The server was very knowledgeable, accommodating, and just plain nice. Oh yeh, I noticed that they had a subtle Blackbird logo on their restroom hand towels. Pretty neat.
(4)
Julia W.

Our meal at Blackbird was easily one of the top three meals I've ever enjoyed in Chicago. I've not been gone from the place for even 12 hours, yet here I sit, longing for another amazing endive, poached egg, pancetta and crispy potato salad. The presentation is surprising and lovely, the flavors comforting and lingering... I could eat that salad for breakfast, lunch and dinner and not tire of it. Justin thoroughly enjoyed his mussel soup with white fish--I was glad he was so interested in his dish that I did not have to share mine! We chatted with our wonderful server, David, about entrees and pairings from Blackbird's extensive wine list--he was friendly, warm and knowledgeable and happy that I finally chose his favorite--the venison--for my entree. Cooked perfectly medium-rare, the dish was a wonderful mix of flavors and textures--the tender venison paired so well with the crunch of sugar snaps, the sweetness of black mission figs and the velvety texture of the bacon panisse. Fantastic. Justin had the roasted duck breast with honeydew melon and cucumber--once again, there was little sharing going on, which hardly mattered since we were both so enamored with our own selections... Justin passed on dessert but I had to try the buckwheat crepaze--layers of thin buckwheat crepes in a fresh, tart rhubarb consomme, with creamy pistachio ice cream and candied celery. I think if one could eat Spring, it would have those same wonderful, fresh flavors... Service was excellent. We were warmly greeted by the hostess, our server and his assistant; needs were anticipated, we were left to enjoy our meal at a leisurely pace and questions were answered honestly and thoroughly. We were seated at a two-top at the front of the house, next to the window with a great view of the outdoor diners and with ample room to move about. When another server seated a couple next to us, through the glass, Justin good-naturedly waved to them. They laughed and turned to me to mouth "Happy birthday" through the glass. When other servers are aware it's my birthday and encourage their patrons to wish me as such, I feel extraordinarily well taken care of. It was a lovely gesture and a sweet surprise. I had wanted to visit Blackbird for *years* but for whatever reason, never made a reservation... I guess good things do come to those who wait... Hopefully I won't have to wait too long for my next phenomenal meal there.
(5)
Jessica R.

My boyfriend and I walked in for drinks and an appetizer because the wait at avec was so long. We were treated very well by the hostess and had a table within minutes! I We shared the octupus and endive salad which were both really tasty! I was so impressed by the octupus because it wasn't chewy which is why I usually dislike it! For drinks, I had the champagne (don't remember the name) and my bf had another citrus-ie drink with whiskey (dont know name either!) but the specialty drinks really were nice as were those two app's. Can't say much about the entrees..will have to come again and try them out!
(4)
Marc L.

Weak. The sturgeon was cold, the foie GRAS was stale, way overpriced. Very disappointing. Avoid.
(1)
Anne M.

Oh yes it IS knock-your-socks-off-good! Awesome food, service, ambience. Easily one of my best meals in Chicago in 5 years. The best on the menu - braised octopus and suckling pig appetizers, california sturgeon and venison entrees were FABULOUS. The chocolate polenta dessert with olive oil ice cream was out of this world. Sweet, courteous, attentive waitstaff excelled. A pretty perfect evening.
(5)
Taylor O.

Update: I finally visited for the real deal with an out of town friend from California. I'm glad I made it out alive. See Susan Y.'s review for a narrative. As far as the food, it's just perfectly executed and great ingredients. I ordered the "berkshire blue cheese salad with treviso, seckle pears, blood orange and crispy artichokes" as its still barely winter and I appreciate the winter ingredients. The blue cheese slices melted in my mouth and the lettuce was the perfect slightly warmed by the oil temperature where it all melded together perfectly. I had the vegetarian entree the "roasted yellow split pea panisse with radicchio, smoked paprika ricotta, pickled hen of the woods mushrooms and pumpkin seeds." I wasn't sure what to expect but it was a crunchier baked thing. It was amazing, though not all that much in quantity so I was glad to have gotten the salad and snagged bites of the short rib/steak and fish. With all this I had a glass of grappa, as per my brother's recommendation from studying abroad in Italy. I was asked if I wanted it 'sweet' or 'gasoline.' I selected gasoline which I regretted rather quickly. Accustomed to the wine split of fruity and dry; I figured it would be along the same lines. Wrongitty wrong. I'll try the sweeter grappa next time since I don't really like what tasted to me like half Everclear half sake. Overall, pretentiousness took a star away initially but it earned it back after dealing with us well (assuming I am not blacklisted, though blacklisted from Blackbird has pretty good alliteration). First review about group event: I've been waiting for awhile to eat at this glowing minimalist box and finally an opportunity arose and seize it I did. A postcard arrived in the mail from my alumni association; on the way to the paper shredder but wait... what does this say? Blackbird. Well that word is one bird that excites this food nerd. And so I was web registered for this private event upstairs in no time. Upon arrival I walked upstairs to the private event dining room. Tonight it was arranged without tables so as to be conducive to mingling. There were couches lining the walls. The well lit bar had the wine selections lined up and ready to pour. This was apparently a pairing according to the printed menu but it did not work out like that. The wine's were mostly vintage 2004 from what I can remember. I stuck with mostly the Pinot Noir for 5 glasses and it was great. Servers with trays of tiny food cubes shuttled around throughout the night. The first I tried was a small bagel chip with some sort of salmon or crab mousse and a clover-like green on top. I also tried a cube of scallops and apparently foie gras (or some variation of). I normally may not have eaten this but by glass 3 of the wine and hunger having completely taken over along with the absolutely beautiful presentation well what the hell once you pop you can't stop. The cube presentation was nice with all sorts of beautiful colors and even tinier cubes of jellies perched next the larger cube. Dessert, however, is where the small plates shined much brighter. The cookie-like cherry item was hot out of the oven and so perfectly executed I can't imagine it done better. Then there were various small graham cracker like cookies with perfectly formed half spheres of smooth chocolate. I quickly moved around mingling and trying to head off different servers to snag a few more of these. Overall, I was extremely pleased with the wine and dessert and the other small items were good. Now, if it wasn't all the size of something baked in an Easy Bake Oven it would probably do me a hell of a lot more good. I'll be back for a real dinner though so I'll reserve my final star until then...
(5)
Dalis N.

Went here for a nice lunch with friends while we were in town and the lunch menu was a great way to sample a high quality restaurant like this without having to drop $$$$ on dinner. I had the prix fixe lunch ($22) that started with the daily soup, which in this case was a parsnip soup with trout belly, golden raisins and pine nuts. A very strong start to the meal! For the entree I had the trout (which was cooked perfectly) that came with an arugula broth. I didn't know arugula could be made into a broth, but wow, it was good. It was perhaps the most interesting piece of the meal. The fish was a good size portion and plenty filling. For dessert I had the white chocolate mousse with kumquats, cara cara sorbet and green tea "steusel" (it looked like green tea dust). It was quite good too, esp the kumquats and sorbet. All in all a good meal with great presentation and service. My dining partners had the whitefish sandwich and the pork belly sandwich (loved them) and a mushroom strudel dish that was on the menu that day (which was ridiculously small and the poor girl had to bum fries off the guys that got the sandwiches). I recommend going here if you are curious to try it, but don't want to (or can't) spend tons on going for dinner. The only minus of this place is how hard it is to get in and out of your table! Also, (without having gone to Avec), I would recommend The Publican over Blackbird in the Paul Kahan empire!
(4)
Sven K.

We had a wonderful experience at Blackbird. Appetizers were all very good (maple glazed veal sweetbreads, foie gras torchon and smoked suckling pig) and - with one exception - entrees as well. While the peking duck was perfectly cooked and very flavorful, the elk strip loin was very disappointing. There were two slices of very unequal thickness; the first one was medium rare, but the bottom was tough and blackened, with a burnt taste - and the second piece was very thin and dry. Fortunately, our waitress was very accommodating and offered to exchange it for another entree - a wonderful veal tenderloin. It was great. Desserts were also very good ( chocolate ganache with parsnip ice cream - exceptional, meyer lemon-hazelnut tart) though the cocoa gateau with goat's milk was too heavy on the goat - even though I am a big goat fan in general. Service was exceptional - our waitress was extremely knowledgeable, accommodating and friendly, and made sure that we were happy. The restaurant itself is indeed fairly cramped. Overall we would certainly come back!
(4)
susan v.

Wow. Clean, contemporary setting. Busy on a Monday night. Awesome food. Three of us shared two appetizers and two entrees. Endive salad, diver scallops, elk -- all scrumptious. Can't wait to return!
(5)
Sheila Y.

I thought my 100th review should be of a place that really blew me away and this is Blackbird. I came here about a month ago on a Friday for lunch. I was seated immediately without a reservation and really fell in love with the space. It is one big open room with a bar against the wall near the entrance. Everything is super stream-lined and I like that they didn't go over the top minimalist (as seemingly strange as that sounds). I was greeted with water and bread with a sort of seasoned butter. There were bits of what I decided were rosemary and fennel and it was only exceptional when I scraped these butter bits off and slathered them on my bread. Otherwise it was nothing to write home about. I started with the confit of suckling pig with chiogga beets, watercress, and sauted bitter greens. I paired this appetizer with a MacRostie Pinot Noir. This was a match made in heaven. It was basically a pulled pork in the most fragrant and rich broth imaginable. I took piece after piece of pork, soaking it in the sauce and using the bitter greens to cut the richness. Then sipping the wine melded it all together. It was heaven! I then ordered the California Sturgeon with cabbage and grapefruit over some kind of cream sauce. This was paired with a Chateau de Fontaine Audon Sancerre. It was fruity and crisp and cut the cream from the sauce. The sturgeon was absolutely incredible. Every bite I took tasted like the sea...there is no better way it could have been. The cabbage was like a kraut which made the grapefruit really sing. I was so happy at this point that dessert was a necessity. I didn't want this lunch to end. I ordered the buckwheat crepaze with a rhubarb consomm and pistachio ice cream. It was topped with candied celery that I could have eaten handfuls of. I loved it as much as everything else I had that day and will always keep this meal in a special place to recall on those occasions when I am away from Chicago. I will make sure to come for dinner at least once before I leave for Seattle. Blackbird really is a high mark in the Chicago dining scene.
(5)
Norman C.

This was my third visit to Blackbird and I have to say this is one of the best restaurants in Chicago if not one of the top 20 I've ever eaten at. I went with a group and we had the scallops, suckling pig, quail and tomato mozzarella salad as appetizers, all of which were great. For dinner we had venison which was amazing with figs and the two others had sturgeon and cobia which were the fish specials. The desserts were fantastic and the wine we had, helped out by a very knowledgeable sommelier, was amazing. I highly recommend this restaurant!!
(5)
Jason B.

First things first: I signed up for yelp in order to write this review. I had been waiting for my dinner at Blackbird for about a month and a half. I have to say that although the food was incredible the experience was entirely lacking. I went to dinner with my dad. We both decided to try the tasting menu and both opted for the wine pairing. The amuse bouche was a duck sausage corn dog which although tasty was quite oily. I understand that it was a corn dog but... maybe what I am trying to say is that a deep fried duck sausage is not the best choice to start off a meal. The Appetizer courses (1-3) were chilled cuttlefish noodles, pistachio gazpacho, and roasted foie gras. Excellent. The cuttlefish was on the right side of salty while the buttermilk provided a perfect contrast. The trout caviar popped both on the plate and on my palate. The gazpacho was creamy and nothing like the tomato heavy gazpachos of Spain. The foie gras was unbelievable. Rich, velvety, and perfectly balanced by the clean taste of the corn puree. The fried okra was completely superfluous but was damn good. The dinner courses (4-7) were scallop, sea bass, pork belly (by request) and the wagyu beef. To be quite honest the scallop was the one non-dessert dish the whole night that felt, meh. I love scallops and cook them all the time. I have cooked better scallops. Completely forgettable. The sea bass was great. The fish was cooked perfectly the skin gave the plate a much needed crunch (or crisp as it were) and the accompanied vegetables (heirloom tomatoes and tomatillos) were the best vegetables of the night. The pork belly, which I requested to the server at the start of the meal replaced what would have been the lamb chop. Pork is greater than Lamb so I was cool with that. I was not disappointed. Succulent, juicy, and perfectly complemented by the crispy shrimp--head, tail and all. The wagyu was, well, wagyu. It was a flat iron which is a shoulder cut and one used by chefs to bring high quality wagyu beef to the masses. I say keep that stuff coming because this piece of shoulder was as tender as most pieces of tenderloin that I have had. The smoked quinoa was wonderful and cooked perfectly (al dente pasta would be a perfect analogy). The final three courses (8-10) were the dessert courses. The first of which was a lemon sorbet which was a nice palate cleanser that posed as a dessert. Forgettable but served its function which was to provide a nice transition to the real dessert the ninth course Ricotta Fritters. WOW. I am not a huge dessert person but this was tasty. (The fact that it was fried cheese doesn't hurt). It came with campari and pine nut ice cream. I tasted the campari, the pine nuts not so much... until i realized a few stray pine nuts on the bottom of the plate. I noticed them because i was literally trying to scrape the last bits off of this plate. Best dessert I have had in a while. Almost kind of made me wish it was last because the tenth course was a let down compared to this. The dark chocolate financier was good. But after those fritters all I could think about was more fritters. I gave the majority of this plate to my dad. At this point I am sure you are thinking: 1.) This review is way to long and 2.) How could you only give this place 3 stars? It sounded like you loved it. Here is why: I took my dad out to dinner, i.e., I payed, but the whole night it felt like the server expected him to pay and treated him as such. **Note to nice restaurants don't assume the older person or the person you expect to pay is in fact paying its quite presumptuous and rude.** The server was good but it always felt like he was rushed into explaining the courses to us before leaving (at one point he did not bring our wine pairing until halfway through the course). We also did not receive a wine pairing for the ninth course which is kind of a joke especially when you are paying $55 for accompanying quarter filled glasses of wine. Which gets me to a main concern the bang for your buck. The tasting menu was $100 per person. The plates were very much a taste (3-4 bites) which is okay but was not a good value when compared to a la carte dining. I was not necessarily hungry after dinner but felt as though I did not get my money's worth. The bottom line is that dinner for two cost $400 (including tax and tip) and for that much I should have been left dazzled, amazed, gorged, and in a state of happiness akin to a nitrous high. I was not. As a side note: The bathrooms were disgusting. I only visited the male's bathroom so I cannot speak for the ladies. But guys, clean up your act, urine all over the seat and the ground? Toilet paper strewn about the floor? Better yet, Blackbird staff--take better care of your bathrooms. When I leave my table I do not want to feel like I have been transported to a bathroom at Wrigley Field.
(3)
Jenny H.

When my lunch date recommended Blackbird as our locale of meet-up, I immediately yelped it and was already impressed by his pick. Indeed I soaked up the white-on-white minimalist decor and the splash of yellow florals. I just got off shift, so I wasn't fully prepared for the fancy panciness of the prix fixe menu. I ordered an apple and pancetta vichyssoise to start. I'd never had it prior and made a fool of myself attempting to pronounce it to our waiter. It harbored a savory thick creaminess that oddly tantalized my taste buds. My lunch buddy got the mixed greens and felt it didn't offer much besides existing as a bowl of pure, leafy vegetation. Our main entrees shortly arrived. My duck, while tiny yet beautifully plated, tasted waaaay too salty. The highlight of the meal was the vanilla parfait dessert. Oh-so stunning, delightfully sweet, and not too rich. I spent the rest of the meal, still ruminating on the parfait. I don't think either of us were fully prepared in the spectacle that is the Blackbird prix fixe lunch experience. I could see this as a lunch outing with the girls and maybe I just needed to ditch the lackluster date. For now, it was just A-OK.
(3)
Janet E.

We were able to get a reservation easily for lunch around noon. Thankfully we beat the crowd because the restaurant became pretty busy around 12:30pm. Blackbird is a great choice for lunch because they offer an affordable prix fixe menu at $22 per person. We shared each of our dishes and ordered: mixed greens salad with basil dijon vinaigrette (tasty but very boring looking, it seriously looked like a bowl of leaves--no color) charred baby sepia (octopus) with green tomato, blueberries, chamomile almonds and cynar (surprisingly delicious but was a little salty for my taste) wood-grilled sturgeon with chanterelles, kohlrabi, plums, thai poppy jam and brown butter fish sauce (the fish was very tender and juicy. nicely cooked!) aged pekin duck breast with green garbanzos, tequila braised radish, watermelon and white sesame (great mix of flavor of salty and sweet) bittersweet chocolate soup with pistachio brittle, preserved lemon and eggplant stracciatella (i'm usually a chocolate lover but the preserved lemon, chocolate and eggplant threw me off a little) almond financier and curd with plums, curried cous cous and thai basil (the almond cake was good and the basil sauce added a nice savory touch) Service good, food good, prices good!! I'm so glad I was able to make a return trip here! Street parking and valet parking are available.
(4)
Emily S.

HOLY SMOKES THIS PLACE IS AMAZING. Go right now. And worship at the feet of the orange headband wearing chefs, the obnoxiously good cocktails, the sexy man behind the curtain in the bathroom, the perfect waitstaff, and the unbelievably good food. Thank you Blackbird. Best meal I've had in awhile.
(5)
Julia F.

They have one Michelin star but I can't say same thing to them service and food are not great and tiny tables and some stuff doesn't even know English.
(2)
Anthony N.

***Blackbird's upscale lunch might feature portions that veer on the dainty side, but my entree and dessert were both delicious and among the best I had in Chicago*** Despite Blackbird's strong reputation (a Michelin star, James Beard award nominations), I had heard some negative criticism that caused me some concern. After visiting Blackbird for lunch, there were definitely some things you could nitpick about it. The portions were a little dainty. And the decor seemed a little outdated as well. The room was very minimalist and too modern with lots of white, modern chairs and sharp angles throughout the room. It felt like the kind of dining room that would have been trendy 10 years ago. The food at Blackbird was very good though. It showcased everything you would want in an upscale restaurant--high quality ingredients at peak form that are cooked with skill and feature both satisfying flavor combinations and nice presentations. The bread at Blackbird was standard stuff, but it was still a good and hearty multigrain bread (served with butter). My lunch entree at Blackbird was a grilled lamb tenderloin that was served with maitake mushrooms, cherries, vidalia onion jam, and burnt cinnamon. The lamb was cooked between rare and medium rare and it was very good. It had a great flavor and was very moist and tender. The sides were great. I like cherries and mushrooms and they were both excellent here. The dish was very flavorful. It may have been a little one dimensional with mostly just one flavor (sweet). But when the ingredients are this good and the food is cooked this nicely, it is hard to complain. My dessert was also very good. It was a banana pain perdu (French toast). The pain perdu had a great and moist banana nut bread-like center as well as a crispy outside. The garnishes were great too. There was a nice cream as well as a good butterscotch. There was also some bourbon ice cream, which was dense and creamy (it also had a great burn to it). All the flavors went very well together. Service was good and efficient (as plates came out quickly). The staff was also pleasant. They do pretty good business at lunch so you might want to make reservations (seating is available inside via tables or bar seating; there are also tables on their outdoor patio; the patio faces the street). Prices were reasonable given that this was an upscale lunch. They feature sandwiches as well as entrees and everything was about $15 and below. The portions were a little on the small side so you might want to order a starter, but those only go for an extra $10-$12. I am a big fan of an upscale lunch with flavorful (but not overly heavy) food and Blackbird does it very well. Their lunch reminded me of Spruce in San Francisco, which was one of the most satisfying meals I've had in the Bay Area. That puts Blackbird in good company and it is one I will definitely go back to for lunch if I find myself in Chicago again. I am not sure what the parking situation is. I believe they have valet. Also, Blackbird does not seem to be in the most congested part of Chicago so you should be able to find street parking.
(5)
Syddie P.

Very minimalist, lovely ambience and who can resist white tablecloth and fresh flowers on each table, right? The food was good but for a late brunch with the restaurant mostly empty we couldn't understand why it took 45 minutes for us to get our food. The food was good - I think. It wasn't that good to be memorable though since I can't recall what it is I ate. Their house butter and the warm bread were quite tasty though and the service was very good. I would recommend this spot for a nice evening out with some girlfriends or a date. The food wasn't the best but it was good enough and the service and the ambience does make up for it.
(3)
Emilija P.

We initially came to Avec, but since they had a 1.5 hour wait we decided to nix that plan. Not a bad choice since our dinner was very good. I had the endive salad as an appetizer. It was very delicious and you got a large portion. It had a variety of textures and everything was fresh. The cocktail, Solstice, was very refreshing although a bit pricey but that comes with the territory. Moving on to the main course, I had the sturgeon and it was amazing. I ate every last morsel on my plate. The portion was small but extremely good. For dessert I had the dark chocolate brownie and it was the bomb! So chocolatey with just the right amount of crunch. Super good! Overall, great experience and even better that we didn't have to wait an obscene amount of time. I get very put off by restaurants who start you off with 1.5 hour wait times.
(4)
Cindy G.

I was here about a year ago, and just realized I never wrote a review. I had the duck and can still remember how delicious it was. Blackbird also serves interesting cocktails. The ambiance was trendy but quiet. I don't recall the service being exceptional but also not anything to complain about. I would go back!
(4)
Cara N.

Nice place for a birthday celebration. There were 5 of us. Had to take an early reservation as the place is always busy. A very sleek modern atmosphere. Everything is clean and white. Bench seating along the wall but they did not over crowd us. Between the five of us we had aged duck, endive salad with poached egg that came in a little potato basket. Presentation was wonderful. We also had asparagus with lemon & saffron. Mains courses of steak loin and halibut. All perfectly cooked. Portions are small. So that left room for dessert. We all ordered chocolate. They brought my husband lemon ice cream with chocolate mousse. It was a wonderful evening.
(5)
Michelle O.

Delicious. I had the veal sweetbreads, sturgeon and cinnamon concha dessert as well as some really excellent red wine (Chateau Caronne Ste Gemme, Haut Medoc). My husband had the soft shell crab appetizer, striploin and bittersweet chocolate pudding. My personal favorite was the sturgeon. The radishes added a nice exclamation point to the dish- really spicy and full of lime flavor. My husband loved the soft shell crab appetizer. We had a great anniversary dinner here and I'm planning on returning for the fixed lunch with an out-of-town guest soon! Loved it & can't wait to go back.
(5)
David R.

I had the privilege of dining at Blackbird on a recent business trip to Chicago and found the restaurant to be very good, though it did fall just short of a 5 star rating IMO. I did the 10-course tasting (8 menu courses + an amuse and a 'bonus' dessert). Below were my observations: Course 1: Seared Ahi with ground cherries, challots, and wild rice. This was our amuse-bouche. I found it to be a nice, light way to begin a long tasting but there was nothing particularly memorable about it. Good sear on the ahi. 7/10 Course 2: Chilled turnip cream with grilled hamachi, smoked chicken consommÃ©, apples, and coriander yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ This course was a very 'different' kind of chilled soup. I liked the presentation - a bowl of perfectly arranged proteins was presented, and the thick turnip cream was poured over it from a small carafe. The flavor was very mild, but one of the two cuts of hamachi had a fishy taste. The other was fresher tasting. 7/10 Course 3: Black cod pil pil with heirloom tomatoes, watermelon, and sunflower yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ The presentation on this was absolutely beautiful. The cubes of compressed watermelon and tomato were the kind you hope for (but never get) whenever you cut either fruit...rich and full flavored. Perfect. I thought the portion of fish was a little lacking, but this dish was one of my favorites of the night. 9/10 Course 4: Roasted halibut with green faro, kohlrabi, mustard, and cucumber-miso juice yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ I'm not a huge halibut fan, and I suppose this was as good a presentation and preparation one can hope for with this protein. The thinly sliced radishes on top were a fantastic decision, they really worked to enhance the flavor. The faro was a little al dente for my taste, but that's to be expected with the ingredient. Tasty, but not overly memorable. 8/10 Course 5: Roasted pork belly with uni, red beets, tamarind, turmeric, and okra yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ This was a tough one for me. I really do like high-class pork fat dishes but this one was completely devoid of 'lean' - essentially it was a cube of seared pork fat. Tasty? Absolutely. Appetizing? Questionably. 7/10 Course 6: Aged duck breast with grilled leek, green grapes, quinoa, and creamed foie gras yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ As a foie gras fan (and from California where it is currently banned) I was excited to try this dish. Unfortunately, I'm not a big fan of duck white meat due to its gaminess and this dish was no exception. The skin could have been crispier as well, IMO. However the crispy quinoa and the foie gras cream were delicious. 7/10 Course 7: Dry-aged striploin with fried polenta, escarole, peach, and almond relish yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ Who else thinks those are nectarines? The server insisted they were peaches, but I know my stone fruit...anyhow, the "peaches" were the real star of this dish, SO flavorful. The striploin was (by definition) a tougher cut of meat. I tend to go for the bone-in filet typically so I didn't enjoy as much as most other diners would. 7/10 Course 8: Prairie fruit farm 'black goat' goat's milk with caramelized figs, black olives, and cipollini onion yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ This course didn't have a whole lot of impact to be honest (although the plating was beautiful). The brie-textured goat cheese was a terrific departure from the usual dry format, but the rest of the dish was decidedly too "fig". 6/10 Course 9: Pear sorbet with poppy seeds and pedro ximÃ©nez vinegar yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ Maybe my least favorite course of the night, this first dessert had a thick, toothpaste-like texture and was overly tart from the vinegar. I suppose it was designed as a palette-cleanser but it came off heavy where 'refreshing' should have been found. The poppyseed touille was this dish's only saving grace. It was crispy and perfectly flavored. 5/10 Course 10: Milk chocolate pudding with mesquite crumble, bourbon peaches, and caramelized milk ice cream yelp.com/biz_photos/blacâ€¦ Where course 9 failed, this dish succeeded. Maybe one of my favorite dessert experiences in recent memory, the dish had two major components: strips of thickened pudding and the ice cream. The texture was just right, and the crumble added the needed crunch. Absolutely amazing! 10/10
(4)
Vanessa B.

I have lived in Chicago for 3 years and always wanted to go to Blackbird, but I had so many other restaurants to try that I just hadn't gotten around to it. Oh my gosh, why did I wait so long?!?!? Went here for lunch with two co-workers this week and everything was just perfect. We shared the wagyu tartare. I've had beef tartare a couple of times before, though granted it wasn't wagyu, but was never a huge fan and wouldn't order it myself. Somebody else really wanted to try it though, so we got it as our appetizer. Holy creamy goodness. There were a lot of components of the dish that I typically wouldn't think of myself enjoying - pickled beets and cucumber - but the ENTIRE thing was delicious. The cucumber was grilled and went perfectly with the tartare. For my entree I had the lamb tenderloin. It was cooked at a perfect medium rare, which I was really impressed with as the cut is bigger at one end and smaller at the other. Usually this results in the smaller end being well done, but not here. It came with what I can only describe as an onion jelly that reminded me of Paris, licorice root which I never knew was so good, and cherries. Perfection. Finally, we decided to share two desserts. The chocolate ganache with parsnip ice cream, and the meyer lemon hazelnut tart. Sadly they were out of the tart, but our waiter took the liberty of bringing us the frozen parfait with campari. The ganache was out of this world. The perfect balance of bite and richness I dream of in chocolate, which actually paired very well with the parsnip ice cream. I am, unabashedly, a chocolate dessert lover. However, the frozen parfait was absolutely delicious as well. Truthfully I'm not even sure what the main part of the dessert was, but it tasted damn good. A tangy tangerine sauce lined the bottom of the plate balancing the sweetness of the parfait, and little frozen balls of campari dotted the plate with deliciousness. Just as a side note, and the cherry on top of my whole meal, our server was absolutely gorgeous. So gorgeous that without so much as a word from me about him, my two straight male co-workers began a conversation about how he was too beautiful to be a waiter! I am definitely going to have to go back to Blackbird ASAP! I have found my new favorite Chicago restaurant.
(5)
Joe S.

Came here for the 3 course pre-fixe lunch (by the way, only $20) when I was in town. The restaurant was quiet at 11:30am but soon filled up fast and was bustling by the time service started. The food was all excellent and the service was spot on. I would recommend coming for lunch as it is much easier to get a reservation and you get a taste of the same food (and save a little money). On to the food... There was a cold carrot/fennel soup to start. It has a piece of halibut and some litte accoutrements scattered in a bowl. They poured the soup over the bowl and the little garnishes all floated to the top leaving an island of fish in the middle. The fish and soup were portioned small but the richness and creaminess made it hearty and filling. Then I had the duck leg confit with grilled white asparagus. Also tasty and portioned appropriately small for a 3 course lunch. Kind of hard to mess up duck confit so I cant say too much about it. There were these little crispy green garnishes that my tablemates thought to resemble tree trimmings. Although they look like a deep fried fern tree, they tasted buttery and crisp and really complemented the meal. Eat the whole plate, dont be scared. Lastly, for dessert I had the chocolate pudding with cocoa nibs and candied pistachio. My guests all had the sorbet. I won. Go with the chocolate, always. It was one of the tastiest desserts i have tried. I will definitely return on my next trip to Chicago.
(5)
Janet K.

Disappointment. Ingredients seemed fine and high quality. Execution was just sloppy. Some of our food came out luke warm when it was clearly meant to be served hot. Some dishes just lacked flavor... not a tasty place. Service is pretty bad. Disorganized, multiple waiters hovering at your table when you don't need them, and none to be found when you just want to pay and leave. Not sure if this was because we had a late reservation, but I expected better for a higher end place. On a positive note. I liked the space - modern and calming. Have only been once but the experience and food was bad enough that I probably wouldn't go back to try again.
(1)
Elizabeth W.

I had been wanting to try Blackbird for a while and FINALLY did during restaurant week this year. Come to find out they have a lunch 3-course Prix Fixe menu all year round!!! Amazing deal for a really delicious meal. When I went, I had the baby octopus as an appetizer, confit duck leg as an entree, and the most delicious vanilla pudding and red wine poached pear dessert ever. My sister had the chocolate dessert and, unfortunately, suffered from severe dessert envy after I let her try some of mine. Over all, our meal was fantastic. The food was fantastic. The decor was minimal, crisp, clean, and inviting. The staff was friendly. Only negative comment I had was, because the space is so small and the location is fairly popular lunch spot, it did tend to get a little cramped and crowded as our meal progressed. Can't really blame people for flocking their though, it was worth the tight quarters for a really enjoyable lunch.
(5)
Steve A.

The food is unreal. I could eat here every night if I lived next door. Clientele is upper-class. No vulgar, obnoxious idiots. Really perfect... just wish the portions were slightly larger, but then, somehow the character would be compromised. This is a place for amazing flavor and conversation--not a TGI Fridays where you loosen your belt mid-way through the meal. If you haven't been, go.
(5)
Ling H.

Walking for our reservation at noon, the hostess was super nice and immediately acknowledged us and offered to take our coats and miscellaneous items for safe keeping. We were seated quickly. Decor was minimalistic and contemporary. The definitely used the small space to maximize the square footage because I could eavesdrop on the conversations next to me so if you're trying to have a nice, quiet, intimate lunch/dinner, this may or may not play into your plans depending on the type of person you are I guess. The food was very good and reminded me of one of our favorite restaurants in SF. They also offered a $22 prix fixe lunch! I opted for beet soup and the crispy duck confit while the bf went with the prix fixe with the warm sepia noodles, sturgeon for entree, and then the chocolate ganache for dessert. ----------------------------- Beet soup- Very beety and was nice and warm. It was presented like any other fancy dining establishment where they bring out your bowl with the ingredients in the soup, then pour the actual soup from a serving dish. Warm sepia noodles- definitely one of the best things of this lunch. The noodles were cooked well and you can taste the freshness of the ingredients. Definitely something I would order the next time I'm back. Crispy Duck Confit- I was actually very surprised by the actual crunch as I slid my knife through. The meat was cooked very well and stayed moist. I didn't think I would like the country sausage, but it was actually surprisingly very flavorful and wasn't of your typical "breaskfast sausage" taste. It came on a bed of grilled cauliflower, maitake mushrooms, and grapes. I liked the vegetables, but thought that the grape was too sweet and contrasted too heavily with the more delicate tastes of the vegetables. That was pretty much the only thing left on the plate. Wood-fire Sturgeon- I had a bite of this and it was very well cooked as well. Good flavor. The beets that came on the side were too pickled for my taste and I didn't think it really added anything to the dish as a whole and stuck out like a sore thumb. Chocolate ganache with parsnip ice cream- YUM! The ganache was rich without being overwhelming and I loved the parsnip ice cream with the subtle hint of an earthyness in it. I wish I knew how to make this at home! A definite great presentation of the dish. Love! ----------------------------- It was a great first glimpse into the finer dining side of Chicago for our first day there, but the only thing that took away from the experience was that the waiter brought out the wrong beer for the bf. Service was professional, but would not be mistaken as friendly service.
(4)
J Z.

We ordered the lunch prix fixe menu. I had really high expectations, in light of their Michelin star. However, at $80 for two, it was a very mediocre lunch. I had the Arctic char and roasted cauliflower - extremely bland and undercooked. Had another fish for the main course. It was well cooked, but again, bland. The course was finished off with a blood orange ice cream. Overall, the meal was not any better than those served in excellent non-Michelin restaurants. Portions are extremely small, even for a restaurant of this level. Felt like I needed more afterwards. Would not return.
(2)
Leang E.

Maybe if it didn't rain that day...We needed it, but it would have been nice to have an outdoor lunch. We sat inside the sleek clean and simple looking restaurant, and our waiter was kind of slow. He did ask us for drinks, but after only deciding on water we didn't see him back for another 15 minutes or so before he took our order. In fact, all the people who arrived after us were served their food before us. We each decided on the prix fixe menu. We loved the white bean gazpacho soup, and the strawberry rubarb dessert. I felt like my duck confit was a dry, and my coworkers just thought the fish was okay. I am sure the girls would like to come back for the changing of the seasonal menu, but I'm reluctant and don't see myself coming back that soon.
(3)
Jason G.

one of the best restaurants in chicago. glad i wasn't picking up the tab.
(5)
D.R. B.

I'll be pretty straight forward. This is a restaurant for people who want to feel they are at a cutting edge ranked New York City restaurant even though they have never been to NYC. Sadly I've had better and less expensive meals at better rated Michelin restaurants in NYC. + Good grilled octopus -way too expensive -food was bland -portions tiny -stuffy/anxious ambiance bottom line-they are trying too hard to be something they are not. Chicago has restaurants that are truly great...this isn't one of them.
(1)
Kori E.

Blackbird definitely delivered. This place is super yummy! We came here this past Saturday night with another couple and we had the best dining experience! I love getting dressed up and going out to nice meals and Blackbird did not disappoint. We started off with the suckling pig and the sweet breads and both were very tasty. The sweet breads blew the pig out of the water though. They were prepared with a maple glaze and they were just delicious!!! The pig was tasty as well, but just didnt compete with the sweet breads in my mind. For my main I had the Alaskan Sablefish and it was good. The fish was a little more fatty than I would have liked, but it was cooked perfectly! The picked cranberries were delicious as was the sweet potato served with the fish. My boyfriend had the Sturgeon and he loved it. The fish was almost like a meat and it was also cooked to perfection. My friend had the Chicken and sausage and I snagged a bite of the sausage and it was very good. Her husband had the duck and he loved it. For desserts we ordered the chocolate ganache and the banana bread. Both were OUT of this WORLD! OMG! I am still dreaming about those desserts. The service was also phenomenal! This place is so refined and has it down! We ordered the last bottle of the Ponzi Chard on the menu and the waitress gave us a similar bottle that was more expensive for the same price. To me that is outstanding customer service! Its just one of those restaurants that has everything down from the food to the service to the decor. I would definitely come back. I want to try Avec next ;)
(4)
Phillip H.

Whenever I've been involved in a conversation about good Chicago restaurants, Blackbird inevitably comes up. A few weeks ago I finally had the opportunity to see what the fuss what about. The final bill was a bit of a shock to my system, but it was worth every penny. The food was unique and delicious, the drinks were top-notch, and the service was hands down the best I have every experienced. If you have some extra money you're wanting to spend on an amazing dinner, Blackbird should be at the top of your list for Chicago.
(5)
Clement C.

Another great eatery in the West Loop! Blackbird presents food in a simple yet gourmet quality. This place takes Business Lunch to another level. Right up there in quality meets dining with Sepia, Province, and a few others. The service here is extraordinary. The food is top notch. Without drinks or apps almost anything entree you get hovers around $20, although the 3-course prix-fixe lunch can be small. You can taste your food with your eyes before actually taking a bite.
(4)
Agi P.

We enjoyed the Chef's tasting menu and it was fabulous. One of our best meals ever. Even the bread and butter was extraordinary. With cocktails, the whole meal took about 2.5 hours so be prepared. With tip the total for two was $378. We chose the most expensive option but felt it was worth it. Excellent service. Highly recommend.
(5)
Kristin M.

Went for Chef Week, and was pretty uninspired. The space is nice, but the tables are so close togehter, it's difficult to move. We were seated right beside the kitchen, which was very noisy. I've seen multiple compalints about the service, but our waitress was very sweet, and showed up at the appropriate times. We were never left looking around for service. The food, which I was most excited about, was pretty disappointing. It was good, but really nothing special. Apps: Sepia noodles (very interesting, had the texture and flavor of fish) and endive salad (highly recommended by Yelpers, but in my opinion it was just a salad with a soft boiled egg on top). Entrees: trout (good, but not special) and chicken with sausage (very nice, but had large fatty bits, which was disappointing because it was just a little (2oz?) piece). There were some interesting components to each dish, but overall they were just average. Dessert: vanilla something (ok) and chocolate ganache (very good, very rich). Cocktails: Blackbird orange (good) and Conquistador (excellent). I've had some really good meals lately, and Blackbird just didn't stack up to Gilt Bar and Girl & the Goat. I'm really glad we at least got a good deal with the Chef Week menu. I would have been really upset about parting with $100 or more per person on an average tasting meal.
(2)
Jacob O.

I'll get right to it, This cramped Chicago locale's food quality is marginal at best, but considering the price point for it's food quality makes Blackbird a complete write off. Between the hilariously high prices, embarrassingly small portions, mediocre food, and claustrophobic cramped interior, both my wife and myself consider this restaurant a joke. I had the duck breast and while it was decent, it surely was not worth the $40 price especially since it was so pathetically small. My wife's black bean cappelletti was equally disconcerting. Not only did both of us leave unsatisfied, both because of the food and the ridiculous price tag of over $100. Both of us had to stop over at Subway just to get a decent meal.
(1)
Tiffany L.

I usually try to avoid places that lean more towards art than food, which is what I assumed Blackbird was; however, after coming here for lunch, I was pretty impressed. I came here for lunch and ordered the duck confit. It was absolutely delicious--perfectly seasoned, tender, juicy duck paired with a sweet peach confit and some fennel to dissipate some of the sweetness. The portion was a bit small, but I thought for the quality of food, the price was acceptable. My only complaint is that the food took quite a while to come despite the fact that the restaurant was about half empty. Be prepared to wait if you come here, but the food definitely makes it worth it. Definitely would like to try the prix-fixe lunch menu the next time I come.
(4)
Ali W.

Blackbird feels kind of stuffy. Some of the premier firms in Chicago take their clients here, so you frequently sit next to a bunch of business suits if you come here. Our waiter was not attentive (I did not even have my water refilled)...maybe he was tending to those business suits. Blackbird has a holier-than-thou atmosphere. We enjoyed the desserts more than our entrees. Here is what we ordered. * Grilled Striploin with Zucchini, Crispy Lemon, Cream Cheese, and Egg Yolk Vinaigrette * Aged Duck Breast with Pretzel Dumplings, Turnips, Mustard, and Black Beer Broth * Mud Pie, Mesquite Brownie, Candy Cap Ice Cream, Toasted Marshmallow, Burnt Peanut, and Scotch * Rhubarb Popsicles, Hibiscus Lassi, Bitter Almond Meringue, Japanese Knotweed, Vermouth, and Black Lime Dust I did not like the pretzel dumplings that came with the duck breast. It was like a doughy glob that had no flavor. I felt like the meat entrees were pathetic; the striploin only had two small cubes of meat and the duck breast was so small that it hid underneath the flavorless dumplings. I did not feel full at all from the entrees. The desserts were definitely better than the entrees. Not only were they beautiful, they had a combination of multiple flavors and textures that danced on my tongue. I have never had a rhubarb popsicle, hibiscus lassi, black lime dust, etc. -- not to mention all in one dish! I would just come back for the desserts and give those business suits the...evil eye. 1 star off: Pretzels at a high-end restaurant?! 1 star off: No water refills at a high-end restaurant?!
(3)
Maggie H.

3.5 Came here for the lunch prix fixe and was able to try the entire menu thanks to my lovely lunch buddies. Standout items: - Starters: Corn gazpacho - I'm usually not a fan of cold soup (WEIRD) but this one was delicious! It had the sweetness of corn with bits of charred peaches. I would definitely pick this over beef tar tare. - Entree: Salmon and Skirt steak. Salmon gives you more food, but both had great flavors. I think I would rank the salmon a tad above the steak actually... - Dessert: can't go wrong with either options So why only 3.5? For nice places like this, food isn't everything. While the meal was just fine (I wasn't absolutely blown away), the service left something to be desired. The pacing of the meal was slow (2+ hr lunch, and the place wasn't busy) and the service was fine but not super attentive. Great atmosphere for business lunch, girl's date, or your next tinder date ;)
(3)
Jeffrey C.

Blackbird, blackbird, what do you see? I see a signature restaurant looking at me. Inspired by Eater's Bill Addison ( eater.com/2015/5/21/8629â€¦ ), I made it my life's mission to visit all the restaurants of Paul Kahan's One Off Hospitality empire. Challenge accepted...challenge completed! The last review on the list is Blackbird, Kahan's signature Michelin-starred restaurant and home to a hefty bill at the end of the night. It's not my favorite of the Kahan joints (that honor goes to either Big Star or The Publican), but as far as top of the line restaurants go, Blackbird does it pretty dang well. It didn't hurt that we brought our cousins' little baby to her first Michelin restaurant, which will surely go down as a milestone in her young life (she was just old enough to chill out at dinner and sample a little food, not old enough to be a cause a ruckus the size of a San Andreas earthquake). For their part, the staff was very accommodating to said baby, and yes, we did ask ahead whether it was appropriate. Service, as expected, was top of the line. The restaurant itself is also clean and crisp, white without the white linen and a nice, pristine contrast to rowdy, communal Avec next door. We stuck with cocktails (great) and beer, but went HAM on appetizers and entrees to create a communal table tasting menu. The appetizers were thoroughly fantastic, that I honestly can't decide what I liked the best of La Mer: the soft shell crab, the scallop, or the prawns. Table baby definitely loved the scallop, and by that, I mean she loved the melt-in-your-mouth buttery foie gras torchon that accompanied it. I guess my vote would be for the prawns, delightfully light yet tasty and beautifully presented. I had decided ahead of time to go with Blackbird's signature sturgeon for the entree, and I was not disappointed in the least. It's a meaty cut, salted well, and presented aside a tasty asaparagus-ham combo. The wife's artichoke cappelletti was a light complement and perfect for splitting alongside the sturgeon. Our cousin's pork belly was another winner, and I just regret I had but one visit and couldn't try the duck. We ended the evening with a luscious chocolate cake and an interesting bubble gum ice cream. The latter may be one of my least favorite flavors alive, but the dish acquitted itself well, with help from copious strawberries and cream. Gun to my head, the Kahan list: (1) Big Star (2) The Publican (3) Avec (4) Blackbird (5) Publican Quality Meats (6) Nico Osteria (7) The Violet Hour (8) Dove's Luncheonette. But you can't really go wrong with any of them.
(5)
Tiffany W.

I had a great experience at Blackbird. The food is delicious, and service is really excellent as well. First, the food. They have a $25 set 3 course meal option, and that seemed like a good deal to try several dishes, so I went for it. No regrets -- everything was delicious. My tomato gazpacho was such a pretty color, and so smooth, rich, with a good mix of spices. I had their salmon entree which was good as well, a very simple dish that didn't stand out too much, but was still really well done. For dessert, I had the summer coupe, which had really good ice cream and this chocolate/caramel mix at the bottom -- yum! My boyfriend also ordered the suckling goat appetizer after a recommendation from our waiter -- I normally am not a goat fan, but this dish was excellent. The almond milk they add to it adds the perfect touch and adds creaminess and richness to the dish that complements the goat very well. The service was also spot-on. We were attended throughout the meal, and the waiters knew the dishes inside and out. The only thing that was a little strange was that several folks in casual shorts and t-shirt attire with backpacks kept walking in and back to the kitchen. I figured they were staff coming into work? It was a pretty casual atmosphere overall so I didn't mind too much.
(5)
Simon K.

Here's all I remember from the night: Salt. The scallops, steak, and pork belly all had so much salt that the dishes were hard to eat. While it was better when all the ingredients on the dish were eaten together, the saltiness still overpowered everything else on the dish. If we try to focus on some of the positives of the meal, the salad was fresh, crisp, and lightly dressed so the natural flavors stood out. Their peach dessert was delicious as well, a perfect end to the meal. Also, their service and ambiance definitely allow me to understand why it got their Michelin star. But in the end, I was slightly disappointed. Blackbird had been on my list of "places to try" for quite a while but I don't know if it'll be making it onto my list of "places to go back."
(3)
Kara B.

Celebrated our anniversary last night at Blackbird and it was truly a great experience. As soon as we sat down, our waiter brought over champagne to celebrate. It's a nice touch especially since many people dining at Blackbird are there for a special occasion. The wine list was absolutely wonderful and huge...many great choices. There were also some more rare beers on the beer list that my husband enjoyed. We were feeling quite adventurous (and hungry) and we ended up getting two appetizers each as well as an entree and dessert. The portions were small (as to be expected in a fine dining restaurant) but we left full due to the amount we ordered. I think you could definitely get away with one appetizer and an entree, though. Looking back, I almost wish we would have ordered three appetizers each and no entree (although that may be weird...)because the appetizer offerings were definitely the most intriguing and the favorite part of the meal for both of us. I ordered the Indiana sweet corn gazpacho and scallops for my appetizers. Both were absolutely phenomenal, but the scallops took the cake for me. Have never tried (or had a desire to try) foie gras in my life...but I was feeling adventurous and it really was delicious. My husband ordered the gazpacho as well and the soft shell crab as appetizers. Both were great. For entrees, husband got the pork belly (great) and I had the strip loin (wonderful). I usually order my meat medium but decided to go on their medium rare recommendation...and it was pretty rare. Good, but rare...definitely be prepared for some significant red if you order medium rare. We finished the meal with the Mud Pie dessert...which is pretty much a peanut butter and chocolate lover's dream. Definitely get it. The service definitely stuck out. Our waiter didn't bother us too much but came over and checked on us at just the right times. He made some great recommendations (which we took) and he had a great personality to be a waiter at an upscale restaurant. The host/manager (?) also came over as well multiple times. The atmosphere is nice...tables are a little close (had to literally move the table to get out and go to the bathroom) but it didn't bother us too much since we were dining at 7pm on a Tuesday night and the place wasn't packed. The bill at the end of the night was pretty pricey...but I guess that's partially our fault since we "went all out". Would highly recommend Blackbird, but would continue to try other great Chicago fine dining restaurants before coming right back.
(4)
Carolyn T.

We came here for our six-month "anniversary" (also, we may have been trying to find an excuse to have a fancy dinner out). I am also a fan of other Paul Kahan establishments, such as The Publican and Dove's Luncheonette, so I was especially interested in trying this single Michelin-starred restaurant. We didn't have trouble making a reservation and we were seated immediately after arriving. Score! We had already studied the menu ahead of time, so we knew we wanted to order the endive salad as a starter. The server came out and never said a word, but he gave us a little tableside show (after patiently waiting for me to take a "before" picture first--thanks!) breaking down the endive salad. This salad is unique because it's tucked away into a sort of periphery bird nest made out of crispy potatoes (you've got to see this dish to understand). He cut open the salad and then tapped the knives together in a cute little flourish. The salad was topped with a perfectly poached egg, which went very well with pancetta, basil, and dijon. For my entree, I enjoyed the sturgeon. This was easily the best sturgeon I've ever had! I felt like I was cutting into a perfectly cut and cooked meat. We knew we had to order dessert because a) we love dessert and B) Dana Cree had just won the James Beard Award for pastry chef, so we need we couldn't pass up the opportunity. After going back and forth between a few options, we opted for the gooey butter cake. It was very good, but I think my expectations might have been a little bit too high (or perhaps we ordered the wrong thing). My favorite Dana Cree creation is still her ice cream, which is available in the freezer at Publican Quality Meats! Obviously, the menu changes a lot and since I delayed writing this review for three months, the only thing I had that's still on the menu is the endive salad. The main reason I reduced Blackbird to four stars is because the tables are way too close together. Unfortunately, this did not provide for a particularly comfortable or romantic dining atmosphere. There was a hook for my purse underneath the table, which I appreciated at first, but it actually could not accommodate the size of my purse (which wasn't *huge*), especially because the women sitting at the two tables flanking us also were using the hooks for their purses. When we initially sat down, the host actually had to pull the entire little table out to allow me room to walk comfortably to my seat (I'm a petite person). We could hear the entire conversation of the couples sitting next to us and we almost felt awkward talking. This was a bit disappointing. I recommend Blackbird for an upscale regular date if it's in your budget or for business people traveling who have the tab covered, not for a special occasion. I read there's a $25 lunch menu, so I would definitely return in the future to try that after having a great dinner experience. Overall, the food was delicious, and I do think Blackbird is deserving of the Michelin and James Beard accolades.
(4)
Nat K.

Came to Blackbird as a recommendation. As much as we all read Yelp reviews, I read all the positive and the negative reviews before patroning here. The ambiance is intimate and we were seated promptly. I ordered a whited striped bass paired with a bottle of 2013 A.P Vin Pinot Noir. The white striped bass was light and flavorful. The pinot was smooth and flavorful. I'm not sure what the prior negative posts are all about. If you want a meal the size of your face get a deep dish pizza. This is exquisite fine dining. The presentation was amazing. Blackbird has this food snob's stamp of approval! Check it out it when in Chi-town!
(5)
Dustin H.

Blackbird siiiiinging in the dead of niiiiiiiiight! Taaaaake these broken wings, and leaarrrrrrrrn to flllllyyyy.... er.. Oops. Sorry. I have been publishing an art magazine called Faesthetic since 2001. Chicago artist Matthew Hoffman is this year's cover artist. You can find more about him here: heyitsmatthew.com He's really great. Like... really really great. Blackbird is also really great and it has been on my "to do" list since relocating to Chicago. I was very excited when Matthew recently invited me to a private art inspired dinner at Blackbird. His art, I should add. BB has been doing this on again, off again artist inspired series for a while, and it doesn't seem to be heavily advertised. Note to Blackbird: grow this series and promote the hell out of it. It's a fantastic concept. The idea is the kitchen collaborates with a notable artist on a concept driven meal, and the consumer gets both delicious inspired food along with some sort of artist hands on involvement. In the case of Matthew's event, the themed food focused on Strawberries and Salmon, and the takeaway was a limited edition mini sculpture. The evening started with strawberry cocktails, thankfully not including salmon. There wasn't assigned seating, and since I was flying solo, I ended up being surrounded by my friend's wives. No complaints here as they were all fantastic dinner dates. As the meal began, the chefs came out to explain their idea for the dinner. They talked about Matthew's artwork, which typically focuses on some sort of word play with a short sentence or phrase. They hoped that the 4 courses would read in the same way, with all of the ingredients making up the letters and words in their simple statement. They wanted you to leave feeling like like the concept was clear, and boy oh boy was it ever. Would I order each individual course in the future? Probably not. But together, everything worked as a perfect celebration of Strawberries and Salmon. Other than the dessert, which just focused on Strawberries, each dish had a great balance of the two featured ingredients. To start, we were served a visually beautiful salad with a Strawberry and Beet cured King Salmon. It was perfectly delicate and rich, with a wonderful bit of sliced green Strawberries, something I certainly would like to see more of, in general. Everything was sprinkled with Poppy seeds and herbed Buttermilk. I would have loved a second serving. Next up was a strawberry gazpacho which, while yes cold strawberry soup sounds more like a dessert than an appetizer, it had a nice balance of the sweet to salty. The addition of smoked Salmon roe seemed to delight to everyone at the table, and I particularly enjoyed the charred Strawberry and curds floating around the bottom of the bowl. These guys know how to play with food. As we ate, our glasses were constantly filed with either a rose, or a chardonnay. I went with the white, which was a crisp delicious palate cleanser. For the entree we were served a nice portion each of roasted king Salmon and braised Pork. The Salmon was... good! The braised pork, even better, while being a bit off the ingredient theme of the evening. Many remarked on how well it was prepared, crisp on the outside and melt in your mouth on the inside. Of course, there were more Strawberries, this time roasted, as well as some charred Fennel puree. It should be noted, each dish had a small delicate piece of Matthew Hoffman's art served along side the food. One piece was a small phrase made out of wood, another a small phrase made out of laser etched plastic. It was hard to figure out what it all meant, until dessert arrived. A huge portion of strawberry summer pudding with Parmesan Cheesecake arrived. Strawberry jam, olive oil and basil finished the dish. It was a bit overwhelming, but everyone of us was up to the challenge. I'll admit, at this point I was on strawberry overload. Every tastebud in my mouth was just saturated with a acidic high note of the berry. We were also provided a small wooden tray, with two bite size candy like pastries on top. A chocolate number, and another lighter in flavor number that... I think had some sort of popcorn powder on it? I have no idea what it was, but it was delicious, and thankfully lacking in Strawberry. As people started to take note of the wooden tray, a few people flipped it over to reveal a mirror like surface. Several clever dining guests realized all of the small pieces of art from the other plates clicked together on the tray, creating a sculpture stressing the importance of slowing down and taking note of whats happening around you. A refreshing statement as we all live in a world that's moving way too fast. Throughout the dinner, Matthew would walk around the room, talking to the 20 or so guests and you could tell he was really enjoying himself. We all were. It was a lovely event, and I hope to make the next one.
(4)
Hannah C.

Dessert was definitely the star here. The mud pie may be one of the best desserts I've had out in years - complex enough that I wouldn't make it at home, but mostly focused on being delicious. The corn fritters (vegetarian app of the day) were fine but a little dry. The croque monsieur was good but not phenomenal and so packed with meat and onions it verged on hard to eat. The fries were a bit limp and disappointing, especially given how long it took to get our food. That said, service was impeccable. The hostess was especially amazing - the size of our group changed at the last minute but she managed to seamlessly accommodate us. I wish I'd caught her name, since she really was excellent.
(4)
Burak G.

Good food but I won't be back. Not my kind of place. If I like to be packed into a tight space for hours to endure discomfort, I will take an economy flight to a tropical place (at least there is a looming reward for the pain). Makes no sense that an upscale restaurant experience should include sitting knee-close to strangers. Especially difficult to understand this sort of a business decision in a city with reasonably cheap real estate. After we initially got seated to our table ( that was an inch apart from the tables on each side), I asked us to be moved to the bar. It proved a better experience for sure.
(3)
Sarah A.

Makes me want to do fine dining more often. The super awesome lunch chefs were flexible with my food accommodations (vegan). Amazing, delicate food. Thoughtfully put together with a great balance between spice, texture, and ingredients. Chilled cucumber soup was to-die-for. Had modified dishes of -eggplant -roasted mushrooms. The best dessert was definitely the nectarine/peach dish with a light berry sauce pour-over. I drank a Temperance Cocktail - ended up being a refreshing ginger/mint combination. Would highly recommend for any special occasion - loved the personal service.
(5)
Alex T.

In a town full of expensive to uber-expensive restaurants, Blackbird holds it own by providing superb food and wonderful service. Besides the great tasting food, our waitress was able to listen and make recommendations based on our tastes. Her knowledge of the drink menu was quite in depth to the point of us having a conversation about making rum. The softshell crab appetizer, roast lamb, pork belly, and tres leches cake were all unique and delicious in their preparation. Bravo! or Yummy! Either one fits.
(5)
Ben C.

Worst service I've ever had at an "upscale" restaurant in Chicago. -It took 15 minutes from the time we sat down to the time anyone came to take our drink order. -15 minutes to receive our drink order. -Then another 15 minutes for our waiter to ask us if we had any questions about the menu. and to take our order. Really?... When the food finally came (starters), it was delicious. If I was in the kitchen working my ass off as a chef or on the line, I would be PISSED if my work was overshadowed by the wait staff. -After we finished the first plates, we were excited for the main courses to arrive. But instead, we played the waiting game again. After sitting so long after our first dishes, my stomach started saying, "I'm not that hungry anymore," and at this point we were ready to leave. Right as we're about to get up, pay, complain and leave, the main courses arrive. The food, once again, is spectacular. -My wife asks for more bread for the table. We proceed to eat and we're almost done with our main courses and still no bread. I have to ask the waiter, once again, for him to get the bread my wife asked for. Then suddenly it arrives... At this point we decided to leave. We decided to get dessert and after dinner drinks somewhere else, somewhere we could at least get decent service at. I feel bad for the back of the house, your hard work and talent is being dominated by terrible front of the house. When you're paying over $200 for two people for a dining experience, you should expect and receive impeccable service and timing. Not the case here. I will not come back. I will not recommend this place to any of my colleagues or my wide network. Don't waste your money or your time here. It's Chicago, there's many other restaurants that you can go to, many of them in West Loop if that's what what you fancy...
(1)
A C.

Absolutely delicious and amazing service. Had Walleye. It really was to die for!!!! Flavored with dills and rhubarb. Simply delicious and beautiful presentation with ribbon made with rhubarb. Highly recommend this place. I can't wait to come back.
(5)
Emily B.

Expensive but totally worth it! The tasting menu is definitely the way to go while dinning here. It offers 9 small plates that are absolutely delicious and very filling
(5)
Patrick M.

Another fantastic prix fix dinner last night. Blackbird is not talked about enough as the Chicago treasure that it is. How can a restaurant exceed high expectations every time we have eaten there for nearly 20 years? The corn gazpacho was the best soup I have ever tasted. The service is polite and attentive without hovering or intruding. Tempo of service was perfect, didn't drag but never rushed to flip table. Wine pairings were also perfectly matched with overly generous pours. Watching the chefs cook was ballet. Wonderful, wonderful night. Thank you, Blackbird!
(5)
Jannis W.

My first dining experience at an establishment with a michelin star and boy it was a memorable one. This place is quite pricey. The entrees ranged anywhere from $30-$42. I quickly went to Yelp to do my research when I learned that the BF's parents chose this place for dinner. I was getting nowhere with my research because a lot of the items on the current menu 1) had not been photographed and 2) had not been reviewed. Logical deduction: this place updates its menu often! A simplistic approach to design but a big wow off-the-charts approach to food. I can see why you would have to book in advance for this place, AMAZING. It was a little odd seeing waiters walking around in nicely tailored suits, as though they had just walked out of a board meeting or something (reiterating, first time at a michelin star restaurant). Unfortunately dressing nicely was not enough to bump my rating up to 5 stars. 4 stars? It took an hour and 5 minutes for our food to arrive. I counted. I was hungry. Worth the wait? Heck YES! Why did the portions have to be sooo small?! I was yearning for more towards the end and I kid you not, I had a DREAM about eating my meal that night! I was in bliss, savoring EVERY SINGLE MORSEL over and over and over and over. What was ordered... 1) Roasted Monkfish - don't be afraid it's my first time too ;-P I'm talking about ordering monkfish. It's amazing. Dense yet mild. Please order this. 2) BF's mom ordered roasted halibut. I had a taste, so good. 3) The boys ordered the grilled striploin. Perfectly cooked. All the flavors melded together so well. I'm no food expert but what puts this place over the top is me not being able to say that I have had a similar dish elsewhere. The two desert dishes ordered were peach sherbet and cinnamon concha, drool. Please come here...it's the BOMB DOT COM
(4)
Caroline K.

Last week we had our wedding at blackbird and I can't express how perfectly it went -- all really bc of the private dining room manager Caroline M. She was always responsive, flexible, and on point. And that's true from the very moment we signed the contract to secure the space (months in advance) to the very end. I have to say Caroline was by far the best person we worked through throughout the wedding planning process. And oh yes the food was amazing!
(5)
Jing C.

My BF took me here for early V day celebration since I will be out of town on this weekend. I have walked passed this restaurant a lot of times. This is my first time here. Not sure if because I had high expectations for Blackbird. I was quite disappointed. To start with, our waiter was really handsome (like the model from perfume commercial). However, his service quality has a long way to catch up with his look. We learned about his name from our bill. He didn't greet us what so ever, and just gave us the drink menu right away. The whole interaction we ever had with him was pretty much placing our orders. We had other waiters brought our dishes and served us food. I guess our waiter's main goal was just making sure this place looked high-end enough so people will feel special. Now let's talk about the food. I'm a big lover for beef tartar. When I ordered the appetizer, I was amazed about how little the portion was. I'm a petite girl. When I say "little", you can imagine the benchmark. :p Then it tasted very bad - too much seasoning overpowered the fresh taste of beef. I think it probably because there was so little beef to start with. My BF did like the duck breast. I thought it was mediocre. I did like venison - the only dish lived up the reputation Black bird had in my opinion. The dessert we got was mediocre as well. When I say mediocre, that means definitely no mind blowing taste or creative design. Just regular chocolate cookie with ice cream. One last complaint: when we were ready to leave, nobody was by the reception desk to get us coat. We stood there at least 5 mins, then finally someone grabbed our coats. One thing pushed me to posted this review right away was our waiter saw us waiting there the whole time and he didn't do anything. He just kept walking around and took orders. :( Really?!?!?! A good way to check the real impression from someone about the restaurant is if they will ever want to come back again. For us, the answer is definitely NO. Thank you, good looking people, your food is not amazing enough for me. Hopefully someone could take some feedback from a lot of other yelpers to improve the restaurant. How about start with the soul of the restaurant first - the food?
(2)
Kevin E.

Fabulous dinner in a lovely, bright setting. I had the tartare for a first course and my guest had the soft shell crab. Both were outstanding. She had walleye and I had sturgeon for our main course and they were both excellent as well. We had a very lively Sonoma Zinfandel from Geyser Peak that went really well with the whole thing. This is an excellent restaurant and the service was impeccable!
(5)
Austin Y.

This review is just for Restaurant Week 2015. Items experienced - Steak tartare: 1.5/5, very small portion. Flavors were subtle to a fault, I only got a hint of the smoked mushrooms and the beef was chopped so finely that its texture was close to mushy. Duck confit: 3.5/5, a small but expertly cooked confit. The buttermilk spaetzle was excellent, flavors of fermented squash came through but I thought the sauce could have used a bit more acidity. Good, not mind-blowing. Bourbon butter cake: 3.5/5, stunningly plated dish. The cake was a little too sweet for my liking, smear of pumpkin balanced the sweetness a bit. I couldn't stop eating the complimentary bread with maple-infused whipped butter, it was warm and delicious. For the portion size, I expected to be wowed, may try Blackbird again for dinner at some point.
(3)
Monique B.

Amazing food, outstanding service, the best bartenders. This restaurant gets amazing ratings for a reason. I'm so glad I visited this place with friends who liked to share food because it meant I got to try more than just my meal. We had the endive salad, pierogi, and beef tartare. Personally, I thought the salad was the best, but both the pierogi and the tartare were also good. The beef was super rich, so we were all glad we shared appetizers because it would have been hard to finish an order on our own. For entrees we got the duck breast, sturgeon and abalone mushroom dishes. Let me just say, that if you like duck, make sure that you order it here. The skin was crispy to perfection, the meat was moist and perfectly cooked and I was a little sad I had to share with the table on this one. The sturgeon was also a delicious choice. I don't like mushrooms, but I did taste the pasta in the mushroom dish and it was yummy as well. We couldn't decide on which dessert to share, because although the portions weren't massive, they were filling. We asked our waitress to choose and she brought out two because she couldn't decide either and told us that one was on the house. Honestly, the dessert is one of the only reasons I gave this place 4 stars instead of 5. I wish I could remember what she said the two desserts were, but I found that they had too many flavors and the flavors just didn't go well together. Service was excellent here, although there was a time or two when our waitress wasn't readily available and it took us a while to make eye contact with her. I was also a little disappointed that a table was not immediately available for us, despite having a reservation. However, waiting a little while allowed me the opportunity to chat with the bartender, who was extremely knowledgeable and provided me with a delicious rum that I had not tried before. I wish the restaurant had more bar space so that I could come and get drinks from the bartender without feeling like I'm sitting on top of the diners. My only other slight complaint is that the restaurant is a little tightly packed. I would have enjoyed a little more elbow room, especially when spending a nice chunk of change for a meal. Overall, a great showing, and someplace I'd recommend if you're trying to impress your date, spouse, client or in-laws.
(4)
Jay P.

For a restaurant that is ranked #3 in Chicago, Michelin 1 star and ranked #35 in America it was pretty terrible. You know its bad when you bring 6 people to the restaurant and some of them don't finish the dish. I personally did not like the taste of the food. My friends also disliked it but those who enjoyed it ordered the Duck. The inside of the restaurant did not feel high level. it does not feel luxurious. It is just a small restaurant with limited seating and has nothing special to the ambiance. I would never go to this restaurant nor will I recommend this place to other people. With the same price you can go to a much better restaurant. If you are looking for high end and luxury place, this is not it. That would be more like Alinea or Tru.
(2)
Ashley T.

I have read about Blackbird and am so glad we finally had a chance to try it! Definitely lived up to the expectations. My mom and I decided to split an appetizer and entree since we were not incredibly hungry. The appetizer beef tartare was large and definitely good to split. It had a wonderful mix of flavors and was different than any other tartare I have had. We chose the barbecued sturgeon for our entree and it was delicious. The barbecue flavor seemed to be from a rub not from a heavy sauce so the skin was crispy but the fish was light and very good. This restaurant has a very inventive menu and extensive wine list from many areas. We were able to sit outside which was great for a summer night.
(5)
Kim L.

Great cocktails and food. Perfect amount for lunch. The dear and I came here for lunch. We chose the $25 lunch menu and had the following Butternut squash salad Broccoli mushroom soup Duck confit Hanger steak Grape sorbet Green tea matcha parfait? Hanger steak could do without the pickles Duck confit would be nice as a duck thigh The soup was too salty as a combination Highlights: butternut squash salad, grape sorbet, Highly enjoyable and affordable :) thanks for the first drinks and prompt service
(5)
Kim S.

Food and management is horrible! The manager called my friend a "moron"...he was a complete jerk.
(1)
Thu D.

Maybe it was because I had very very high expectations since Blackbird has a Michelin star and James Beard awards, but I wasn't overly impressed by my dining experience. The restaurant was on the smaller side and had an upscale and intimate feel. The plates followed suit and were very pricy for how small the portions were, especially the entrees which weren't much bigger than the apps for double the price. My friends and I joked that Blackbird is probably not the best place to bring a date since our SOs would be very unhappy with the amount of food for the exorbitant price tag. My friends and I wanted to try a bunch of dishes and shared the endives salad, seared sea scallops, beef tartare appetizers and the wood-grilled sturgeon, and aged duck breast entrees. Everything was very well-prepared and tasty and my favorite was the scallops because of the sweet corn and the surprise of the pickled blueberries. However, again, my biggest gripe was just how dang small the plates were! Granted we did share the dishes, but each entree came with about 4 bites of meat. I mean I wasn't expecting a huge hunk of protein, but call me crazy for hoping for a little more for a $40 plate. Overall, I think Blackbird does serve delicious, well-prepared food, but for the price, I was expecting dishes that either blew me away or portions that were a bit larger. Probably wouldn't return for dinner, but may return for lunch which is $25 for a 3-course meal!
(3)
Patty C.

I came for the raved about lunch menu, and I must say it was one of my worst lunches ever. I also feel so bad for dragging my sister to this place. Service was a joke. The hostess settled us down with the menus. We waited for more than 5 mins at our table before the waiter greeted us. By then we were ready to order. My sister ordered the mixed green salad, duck confit, and mango parfait. I ordered the trout confit, duck confit, and the blossom sorbet (fancy sundae). It took 20 mins. before our appetizers came. My sister's salad was way too tart from the dressing. My trout confit was so fishy that I only ate the zucchini on the side. I also ate two pieces of bread since I was so hungry. We both ordered the duck, and we were both disappointed. The portion was very small, but that's a good thing because it was way too salty. The desserts were boring at best. The mango parfait was actually sloppy. During this whole meal, our waiter did not even show up once to check on us. We had to flag him down to get the bill. This was an expensive and awful lunch. I wish I had just skipped over to Au Cheval or even Little Goat. At least I would be full.
(1)
Angela Z.

If you're considering this restaurant, please try not to give it impossibly high expectations, which is what I think became the problem for many of these Yelp reviewers who are giving Blackbird low ratings I do not believe it deserves. I came into the restaurant knowing that it was one of the higher end ones in the city for sure, but I was oblivious to the fact that it had a Michelin star and I had no idea what a Beard award was (go ahead, you can laugh at me). If you are looking for a restaurant on par with Brindille, Avec, The Publican, etc., simply go here and read the reviews no further. If you're simply curious about the dishes, I've described my experience a little below. Truly exquisite tastes in all of the menu items. I'm a food lover but not an expert, so some of the flavors, such as those in the tartare, were a little overwhelming for me. As for the Suckling Goat- The almond milk appetizer was juicy, tangy, salty, and a hint of creamy from the almond milk cream concoction they poured around the center. Seared Walleye- The fish, the fish! Such sophisticated flavors. The best fish I have ever tasted, and I being from New England, I have always been extremely skeptical of Chicago seafood. I can't say that the entire dish, every bite was the best, but there were certain parts of the fish that were cooked better and ultimately make me say it was the best fish I've had. I can't describe the flavor, but it was just sophisticated and delicious and my mouth was watering, and does a little thinking about it. The Mud Pie was a good chocolate dessert, but I probably should have gone for something else. My friend got the banana pudding like dessert which reminded me of Magnolia Banana Pudding but honestly I think it tasted even better which is saying something because Magnolia's Pudding is my favorite dessert of all time. Service was good and timely, and the wait for the food was fine. Don't forget to visit the bathroom, and when I say that I'm not trying to remind you to do your business.
(5)
Kevin K.

Opentable lunch reservations were easier than Marilyn Monroe in '62. They took our coats at 1:30 after awkwardly confirming our res and just before walking us through the spotless operation-room feel, white everywhere and mid 60s French diner-like. We passed the bustling Patrician crowd until we arrived at our 2-top.. the table's gonna have to move for you to squeeze in alongside the next table, even if you're 79lb Angelina Jolie from the cover of Globe when Hillary Clinton adopted that alien baby. We actually saw no celebs, but the 40yo Cougars next to us bragged about Vogue as they ordered another glass of red and pushed away their half-empty plates. Great cocktails, and Blackbird's $22 vieux carre boasts yellow VEP.. "You the best I ever had. Best I ever had." Will return to drink their $26 old fashioned as their booze was easily the best part of lunch, just like Elizabeth Shannon's webcam scene in American Pie (and her career). Those winos next to us were right. It should've been a light lunch, but Darth Vadar was serving us and she SUGGESTED we order more than two starters and a main. The force was strong with her so we passed on "smaller" recommendations, instead adding the croque monsieur, which was in fact far too much. But as much as we ate, we tasted very little. The charred sourdough is deliciously light and crumbs flew after every satisfying crunch. Slather a healthy dose of perfectly-salted room-temp butter on each bite. It's downhill from there. Tartare is chopped finer than Mila Kunis pre-Kutcher baby, but the steak drowns in heavy sesame flavor and crunch just like Kunis drowned in Kutcher's....... White grapes add sweetness to the starchy sweetbreads but overall too sweet and badly in need of acid/salt. The Croque monsieur's very large and sticky while the duck's bland.. salt on both please. Lunch needed a crash course in seasoning and acid. Blackbird was too celebrity for us. Swanky 1* feel, even slightly intimidating, but empty and unsatisfying once up close and personal.
(3)
Gregory W.

Excellent food. You will find options to please the palate that you won't find elsewhere.
(5)
Robin W.

Don't go if you're hungry... We ate dinner at the bar to save time on the dinner wait, and between the three of us sampled an appetizer and three entrees. Everything was delicious, and tiny, with the chicken being lowest cost around $27. We left hungry and while we had a nice experience, agreed we didn't need to visit again.
(2)
Rick F.

The folks at Blackbird have it down pat. From fantastic service to amazing food, they know how to make a memorable experience for their customer. I hosted a dinner for 9 this evening and each of us walked away feeling as though we had the best evening, meal and experience of our entire trip to Chicago. Thanks to the Blackbird team for reminding us what exceptional really is! Cheers
(5)
Sarah C.

Every single thing we ordered was amazing. The endive salad, scallop appetizer, sturgeon, mud pie ... Absolutely delicious.
(5)
Leila T.

This place was not good at all. We did a little restaurant hop where we got 2 small plates from a couple different restaurants. The 2 at blackbird were not good and I highly recommend to eat elsewhere. The pierogi: I was expecting a light and fluffy dumpling filled with prominent filling, what we got was 3 tiny tiny pierogi that were so-deep-fried that they were burnt, such a thick coating of breading that was deep fried, so much dough, and a tiny teeny bit of filling that you couldn't even taste the flavor of. Just not good. The mud pie: ugh this was not good either. The flavors just didn't blend. I think each component SOUNDS good but it's not good together. Salty/crunchy piece, chewy dark very very rich chocolate, burnt marshmallow (why do people think burnt taste is good?), some sort of ice cream that has no flavor, and whipped cream on top. Sounds like it would be somewhat cohesive but something was off. Not a fan.
(1)
Erin M.

This is one of those reviews that risks being a rambler because there is so much to say and it's all so wonderful that it's hard to know where to start; don't say you haven't been warned! The space itself is gorgeous. The full glass facade and all of the white and wood tones make the atmosphere almost as wonderful as the food. It's sleek, it's modern, it's chic, and it's also a lot of fun. The way the tables/booths are aligned, lends itself to the feel of a European cafe where tables are so closely spaced that you can look down the line and see literally everyone in the house. At the same point, you never feel overcrowded. Nicely done, Blackbird. And oh, the food! I hope my Polish relatives won't read this/hate me for life, but the pierogis were the best I've ever had. Not only were the pierogis themselves amazing (I think the small farm cheese did the trick) but the Brussels sprouts and mushrooms they were served with rounded out the flavor palate. The kielbasa broth brought it all together. I fell asleep dreaming of the pierogis. For the entree, I had the sirloin. I literally cut it with a fork. My only regret in ordering the dish was that I didn't order 3. I don't typically have a big appetite, but I'm convinced I could have devoured it all! The gnocchi that accompanied the dish was prepared in a style that I've never experienced. The gnocchi was almost puffed like a twice baked potato crossed with a tater tot. My husband may have been given a dirty look when he reached for the last precious gnocchi. We ended with 2 desserts, a gooey bourbon cake and mille feuille. It's hard to say which was best as the flavors were so different (rich vs. light and fruity) but both were as good as they looked (gorgeous presentation)! The service was also incredible, from the way winter coats are briskly hung, purse hooks are offered, and an amuse bouche is offered nearly the moment you are seated. Then comes the gorgeous food descriptions, the drink recommendations, and the offers to make something not on the menu for your vegan dining companion. Service is great from the moment you step inside until your departure when a cab is promptly hailed for you. Easily one of the top 5 meals of my life thus far.
(5)
Diana J.

Went for lunch and had the prix fixe 3course meal for $25: Beef tartare- good flavor, but too many sesame seeds mixed in. I get that they wanted to create texture, but it was a bit overwhelming and I couldn't taste the beef itself. The dish was very tiny! Duck confit- excellent! Super crisp while juicy inside. I was sad they only gave me a small thigh piece. Spaetzle was a perfect accompaniment, soft yet chewy. Dessert was chai ice cream with orange blossom ricotta. There was a good amt of honey butter "croutons" which was really just super crunchy granola tasting tidbits. Again it was overwhelming of sweetness and too much crunch (literally hard on my teeth) against the soft chai ice cream. Not impressed. Service was extremely slow. We waited a long time to order, and the dishes were all very slow to arrive. It was 1pm on a Monday and the restaurant was only half full. The servers were not friendly or talkative. I am hesitant to return, since Chicago has such a breadth of other wonderful restaurants to try. I'd much rather spend my money and time at Avec next door!
(3)
Adam Z.

To start: pretty cool atmosphere, great drink selection and good service.. The food: I felt like they were stretching with some of the flavor combinations-- trying to over think it. Wife ordered the sturgeon. Decent but food was lukewarm at best. Steak was good but the three pieces of fingerling potatoes to accompany was pretty sad. Flavor profiles good not great. I've never thought walking away from a Michelin star restuarant I should have to try to think of a really amazing thing about the experience. I'm still trying to think of something that blew my mind there. In the end, the restaurant was just "meh."
(2)
Tatiana H.

I visited Chicago last summer with my dad, and I definitely recommend eating in the patio area if the weather permits! For a 1-star Michelin restaurant, the prix fixe menu was super cheap. Although on the light side, the meal was enough for me. On the other hand, it may have been a little too light for my father, so he had to order additional items. Everything was in season, fresh, and vibrant. Our service was impeccable!
(5)
Alon S.

The food was very tasty and you probably can't go wrong, but... 1. The dishes are WAY TOO SMALL. We came with expectations for small dishes, but we could never expect such small dishes. 2. We waited about 35 minutes for the entrees, so be prepared to spend some time waiting. These are two of the dishes we ordered- - The Duck was good, but not much better than other restaurant I've been too. Wouldn't recommend this if you come here. - Hangar steak - done perfectly with great sauce - definitely recommend it (small) Conclusion - Pros -A relatively affordable 1-Michelin Star restaurant with good food as expected from a restaurant with these prices. Cons - noisy (at lunch), small dishes, and long waiting time.
(3)
Christopher C.

We went to a rehearsal dinner here for a wedding that took place. We had went up to the private room so it was nice and quiet and the decor was nice. The salad we were served was good, but was very small. I love salad and would have liked more salad than what we were given. Then we had a choice between the pork belly or the sturgeon. I chose pork belly. I had never had pork belly before and i did not care for it. Then they brought out the desert which was some kind of sponge cake and it was nasty. I liked the restaurant but was not very fond of the food served here.
(3)
Eli J.

It was ok. Just pretty normal. Which I'm going to be honest was a little bit disappointing since this place has a Michelin star. I've been to a few Michelin star restaurants and this one just didn't stack up in my opinion. Chicago has an awesome restaurant scene and not sure how a place like this get's recognized over other spots that I have been to in the city. Also I promise that I am not looking for huge plates of food but the portion sizes here are kinda ridiculous with how small they are. My wife ordered the pasta and 75% of the plate was empty. Not sure if they were going for some type of presentation but it came across as odd. I had the pork belly which was good but I would have rather walked down to Green Street smoked meats and had a better cut of pork belly for a 1/3 of the price.
(3)
Arti N.

During my foodie crawl weekend to Chicago a couple of months ago, Blackbird was the perfect antidote to the artery-clogger we had for the previous meal at Hot Doug's, and of course we ordered specifically to make it so. The patio table where we sat was perfect in the mid-Sept weather! My friend and I ordered only two appetizers to share together along with a glass of wine each (remember we were on a foodie CRAWL). Both the bbq eel (w/ watermelon, avocado, gooseberries, and sumac) and the heirloom tomato salad (w/ plums, country ham, poppy seed crisps, and buttermilk [dressing]) were light and fresh. The only reason I have not given this more stars is pretty complicated (and human): 1) I tried 17 restaurants or bars in less than 72 hours, and BB did not rise to the top. Unfair I know... but to my credit I was def NOT saturated by the time I arrived at BB... so I know I am not (too) harshly judgie. 2) Service: We got pretty lukewarm service ... not the mid-western hospitality I'd been seeing at other places around town 3) Avec (also by Paul Kahan) so blew this out of the water... for me anyway, in terms of flavor. 4) We only got to try 2 items, one of the pitfalls of a "crawl" in the way we did it... I just didn't try enough to know if I *loved* or not.
(3)
Jackie M.

I had the 9 course tasting menu which included mushroom pansies with grapefruit , ivory char crudo, celery root soup with lobster, Faroe island salmon, smoke brine chicken breast, grilled sirloin, cow's milk white cheddar, sorbet. Overall the restaurant decor was clean and contemporary. However, the tables were too close to each other. It's very thoughtful for the hostess to provide a table hook for my purse. The bread was very good. Overall the tasting menu was good, but it wasn't memorable or amazing. The food presentation was nice, but it not amazing. Been there, done that. Service was okay, but not amazing.
(3)
Zachary A.

Blackbird was probably my first true, upper-class dining experience since moving to Chicago, and it was given to me as a treat. It was so good, I could easily see myself coming back! I went with my best friend and we both really enjoyed our meals. Food: - Appetizers: Celery Root - divine! Sounds like it could be questionable, but in reality, it's amazing. Scallops - We shared these, but honestly, I could have ordered 4 plates of them and just had them for dinner. So good! Sweetbreads - Get these! Get them now. - Main course: I got the pork collar and man was it good. I wanted something different and something outside of what I could normally find at restaurants I would frequent. The meat was cooked to perfection and I savored every, last bite! - Dessert: My friend pleaded with me to not get the angel food cake because it sounded outdated, but after a consultation with the server, he actually said it was very good and highly recommended. I am glad I listened to my gut on this. IT was not my grandmother's angel food cake! Atmosphere: It's classy, but not stuffy. I felt comfortable being in there enjoying a casual dinner with my friend without feeling like I was interrupting the Yalta Conference.
(5)
Customer X.

It is a wonderful restaurant with great food. The decor is gorgeous. It is fun to sample various dishes there. The restaurant is clean. The size portion is fair. The service is great.
(4)
Brenda P.

3 1/2, but rounding up to a 4 for it's flawless service, presentation and the PERFECT burger! Visited for lunch on a Monday. Decor is stark, but added touches (like the bright flowers on the table and their equally bright orange menu) liven it up. Blackbird is VERY small. It was not full on the day we went, but given its small size, I can see how reservations can get full quickly. The food: Duck Liver Pate: good though unusually rich. I couldn't try more than one bite from the hubby's plate. Croque Monsieur: house cured ham, swiss, caramelized onion, mornay sauce and fries. Good Croque Madame: same as above, but add a fried egg on top. Good Blackbird Classic Boullabaisse: delicate and not very filling, but it was delicious and perfect for the cold weather. Grilled PQM Short Rib Burger: it comes on a brioche bun with kale and BACON CREAM CHEESE. I would come back for this alone. E X C E L L E N T! I almost teared up at not being able to finish it. This was our last Chicago meal, I was completely stuffed! Steamed Pumpkin Cake: this was delightful. I really enjoyed this although the custard made the cake all mushy! That irked me. I had to push it to the side to properly enjoy the spice and pumpkin flavor. Orange Blossom Parfait: I wasn't expecting much out of this one and it was great! Service was great. Our (very handsome- all the gals agreed!) waiter was also able to recommend a nice bottle of sauvignon blanc which we really enjoyed. All that said and done, I am not sure how this qualifies as a Michelin Star recipient. Was it good? yes. There are so many others out there though that are equally good and even better! I didn't find it exceptionally memorable especially when I compare it to others (The Modern? Auberge? Gary Danko?) No way! I will definitively try and make it back for dinner and see how the experience compares, but for now....it does not make sense. I am keeping it at a 4 until my next visit. Savanna, thanks for the curtain tip ;)
(4)
Sach M.

This place out does itself every time. Service is always nothing short of perfection! The staff, from valet person to server, everyone is just always nice. The knowledge that the staff carries is commendable. The food - I have never had any complaints. Honestly, I have never ever thought of saying otherwise. I love how sometimes they would serve complimentary scallops if you're waiting for the drink or first course. The meat is always perfectly cooked, the way it should be. I love that they have good varieties of dishes. I am not fan of places that would offer 4 choices of sea food in same course. The presentation is way amazing. The pairings offered are very well thought. And we all know how seriously Blackbird takes its desserts. Always a class apart! My only suggestion is that you should work harder to stay a Michelin Star because honestly, you guys deserve that and a star more. And Chicago needs you :)
(5)
Kateryna G.

The food: 1/5. We tried the prix fixe lunch menu. The pea soup was interesting, fairly light in consistency, but not what I expected on a cold day. It had asparagus in it, which made it crunchy and less enjoyable. For my main I had salmon and it had a nice flavor and consistency, but it was half a size of a dollar bill at best with a few cubes of beets. What kind of lunch is that? Duck confit was tiny too with ONE fingerling potato cut in 3 pieces. We got bread pudding and chocolate sunday for dessert. Bread pudding was flavorless, but at least it was almost double the size of my salmon. Stuffing myself with dessert is not my idea of a great lunch. Chocolate sunday had good ice cream, but brownie bits were too dry. The service: 4/5. We sat at the bar and our server was very attentive, but not very knowledgeable about the menu. Overall: 2/5. Having to pay $36/person for lunch and leaving hungry doesn't justify coming back.
(2)
Melody T.

Quite possibly the best duck I've ever had and the dish solidified duck as my new favorite meat. Not an easy feat. Perfect portion. Crispy skin. Tender duck breast. Brussel sprout deliciousness. And to think I almost got the halibut. I would have missed a life changer! Order the duck breast. Also had a great st Joseph Syrah that wS delicious! White chic decor. Was worried we might be underdressed but didn't feel too causal in heeled boots, silk shirt and jeans. The crowd isn't all young hipsters or yuppies... lot of older folks too.
(5)
Rich B.

Excellent dinner although apologies I can't remember a single thing we had. We did the tasting menu and it was a perfect amount of food for our group with lots of variety. One of our party didn't eat meat and they were totally lovely with working with her to make sure all was well. Great vibe: casual dining room. Lively. But the food and especially the presentation speaks of a more formal restaurant. Wonderful.
(5)
brian w.

Nothing special. Took my mother here tonight for her birthday. We ordered the endive salad, which was very good, I ordered the lamb loin, which was mediocre, and my mom ordered the soft shell crab app as an entrÃ©e. No complaints about the taste of the food or the drinks, except now I'm suffering from some major heartburn, which I rarely get, and I don't believe the value of what we received versus what we paid was worth it. I know there's an artistic element to their cuisine, but damn, how do you get away with charging $38 for six small slices of lamb and a few, yellow grape tomatoes cut up on a plate?! $168 in total for what I just described, including my mom's dinner? I'll go elsewhere next time.
(3)
Jialing L.

Came here for restaurant week lunch menu in 2014 and really enjoyed it. It's one of my friend's favorite restaurants in the city so I'd been meaning to try it out. I ordered the steak tartare, the wood grilled sturgeon and the dark rum cheesecake with pineapple shaved ice. The steak tartare had extremely good flavor and melted in my mouth. The sturgeon was cooked very well had just the right amount of flavor. I absolutely loved the dessert. The only thing was that the portion sizes were small but I knew that going in since it was the restaurant week menu. The service was really good especially since my friend had accidentally made the reservation for the week after but they were extremely accommodating and got us a spot after a short wait. Definitely looking to come again.
(4)
Sarah S.

Loved the food - quite expensive, but really, really delicious. This place feels very fancy, almost out of place in usually pretty casual Chicago. White tablecloths, very formal waitstaff, and I would definitely feel uncomfortable if I hadn't dressed up. This matches with the price. The food, however, is worth the slight stuffiness of the place. The Sturgeon is absolutely amazing, as is the duck. I also loved the Endive salad, which comes in a really cool presentation with a sort of potato bowl with the greens and dressing inside. The cheese plates here were the most interesting part of the meal. Rather than presenting multiple cheeses together, they present one, and then really create a presentation with the accompaniments so that the whole thing feels way more like a dessert than a normal cheese plate. It's hard to describe, but definitely worth ordering.
(4)
Maria D.

I am so happy I returned! What an improvement. Perfect Night :) My boyfriend and I had our date-night here on Sunday. Our waiter was wonderful. He was able to answer my questions about all the dishes and wine thoroughly. His suggestions were right on! We shared sweet breads, which they kindly split for us without us asking! (nice touch - keeps the presentation intact) Sweet breads were lightly seared and sprinkled with herbs and seared grapes (cooked to perfection without masking the taste). Then I had a beef tongue and chilled melon soup (a winner!) while my guy had the duck breast (I also dug into) and all three dishes were amazing... The wine list was very interesting and reasonable. We had a few glasses of sauvignon blanc, by Henri Bourgeois (Pouilly Fume upper Loire) and a half-bottle of South of France Merlot blend (which was Grand Cru at $41) both were a treat and perfectly complemented our dishes. And finally the "cheese cake" which just a our waiter had described was a blend between desert and a cheese course was outstanding! Bravo!
(5)
Hannah D.

Blackbird didn't live up to the hype for me. Our dinner here was okay, but it was just that... a solid three stars. Our dinner was nice, but the menu was not that imaginative. Or when they tried to do something different with a dish, like the beef tartare, it just translated to over seasoned. I think our cocktails were actually probably a highlight of the menu, which is good, but would have liked our dinner to be on the same level. It feels like they try hard with the service in terms of having a more formal waitstaff, having someone take your jacket at the door, seemingly lots of people on the floor running around and being busy. Despite all of this, the service was pretty average as well. We spent a lot of time waiting. We asked for the drinks menu and then waiter forgot about us... but it was just weird because it didn't seem that busy or chaotic. Could have just been that night, hard to say after just one visit. All of the staff were very friendly. Overall, not wild about the ambiance and setup. We sat along the wall and we were so close to the tables on both sides we had conversations with both couples at some stage because you can't help but be in their space. The server actually had to pull the table out just so you could sit down, to give you an idea on how tight it was. Ironically our table was quite long so you were almost closer to the person at the table next to you than the person you are dining with across the table. I had trouble hearing because it was a bit noisy. I hope my review doesn't come off as too harsh or 'nit-picky' but I guess I'm just trying to give this context to say explain... Blackbird is fine, but it's not fine for the price. If you're looking for a special night out on W Randolph or that area, I don't think I would recommend this as the first spot you go. It's not a dinner you finish, and think... can't wait to get back here.
(3)
Alissa W.

WOW very very impressed by the place. Showed up for our reservation and we were immediately seated. The service is excellent our waitress was extremely knowledgeable on the entire menu. She went over everything in detail. I started with the summer cantaloupe soup they appetizers were a lot of red meat or pork so I went for this and I was not impressed. Just not my personal liking so that was my fault. My entree I ordered the fish which was cooked to perfection with grillled romaine and fingerling pototeos. Everything was just to perfection. I wish I saved room for dessert but I was to full !
(5)
Matt S.

I thought the service was really attentive - the drinks (both with and without alcohol) were refreshing. The food: Apps - Eel and scallop - hit and miss. the flavors of the eel and watermelon did not mix really in my opinion (my dining partner loved the combo.) the smoky corn paired really well with the scallop. Main course: duck and lamb - both cooked perfectly. What I was missing in this experience was a really special sense of FLAVOR or seasoning. It was a good but not great - didn't take my breath away.
(4)
Maile N.

This was our 5th and final dinner stop during our recent trip to Chicago. Blackbird is modern Chicago cuisine and dishes are presented in a very artsy new-modern way. I quite enjoyed my burrata and asparagus 1st course - did I tell you that I love burrata! :) My pork dish was pretty good, although I wasn't blown away - the waiter said this is his favorite dish, but I don't know, the flavors just weren't coming out as I'd like and it wasn't as juicy/tender as I'd like. I really like the pineapple Italian ice dessert I had though - very refreshing and cool. Service was pretty good, and I loved the orange headbands the kitchen cooks were wearing. A playful contrast to the white modern decor and straight lined architecture. Someone will hail a cab for you when you're done. Thank you!
(3)
Kristin R.

I would say that I gave it 4 stars only because I thought it was a little overpriced, but that may only be due to what I ordered, which was some type of chicken that's no longer on the menu. What I do remember, though, were the amazing cocktails. This is more of a business spot than date evening, although that may just because I had gone there right after a Friday. Beautiful interior, but felt a little cramped with folks a little closer than usual, BUT I don't think that was their intention with the establishment. For men I would go back just for the drinks but not necessarily dinner.
(4)
Olivia S.

My last stop before I left Chicago. The load down? Service was excellent. Decor was elegant. Food was great. Delightful place to celebrate amspecial occasion. Get the endive salad. A perfect batch of endive leaves enclosed in a thinly fried potato stick basket. And topped w/ deliciously cut porchetta & a poached egg? Yum! I had gotten the duck confit. Perfectly fried on the outside w/ the right amount of juicy meat on the duck leg. The skin was also crisped well. And the vegetables added a nice touch to balance the meat. Concord grape bread pudding was spongy yet deconstructed perfectly to mesh w/ the other ingredients of halved grapes, whipped cream & ice cream. The goat cheese sorbet was surprisingly delicious. It had subtle hints of goat cheese flavoring but nothing too thick. And it was amazing in the parfait w/ that topped dollop of homemade whipped cream. It's worth coming here for lunch. There's a $25 pre-fixe menu, yum!
(4)
Jay S.

The main reason for my mediocre rating for this restaurant is that the quality of its food is not on par with its excessive prices. Blackbird has the typical high end dining experience where it seems like you are paying more for ambiance and visually artistic dishes rather than a tasty, satisfying meal. I ordered the bbq pork collar which had a great visual presentation, but it was a rather small portion of food(which is to be expected at places like this) and somewhat bland. However, I must admit that the service and ambiance here is amazing. As soon as you walk in the door the staff makes you feel like a VIP. So if you are looking for a very classy, high end experience to impress your date this might be a good option for you. But if you are looking for a delicious meal you should probably look elsewhere.
(3)
Jason H.

My first upper class dining experience, and I enjoyed it. Came here to celebrate my gf's birthday. Service - top notch. They split the appetizers we wanted to share before bringing them out (with presentation maintained). We were asked about food allergies. Our server apologized for the delay in our entrees (steak and lamb) though neither of us felt it was a long wait. Cocktails - we had a Lake Effect and a Nomad. The LE was very, very strong and the Nomad not so much. Both were good though. Appetizer - the sea scallops are good, but not out of this world. Others - the house bread is very fresh. We also had some salmon from the chef for tasting, which was extremely delicate and tasty. Entrees - the lamb loin and striploin were terrific. I especially enjoyed the peanuts/puree with the strip. Dessert - bourbon gooey butter cake and angel food cake. Both were great, and we especially enjoyed the use of large sugar crystals on the angel food cake. Perfect place for a special dinner, but not in the regular rotation for a working stiff like me. I'd like to come back for the prix fixe lunch some time.
(5)
Rachel C.

Expertly prepared and very accommodating for my brothers lactose intolerance, but his food wasn't as great. Everything else was awesome. Amazing drinks, great service. Presentation of each dish was beautiful. The duck was tender and juicy, and the scallops were amazing. Endive salad was phenomenal. Steak was tender; hardly needed a knife. Overall, appetizers and entrees were 5 stars, desserts were 4 stars!
(4)
Rob L.

Food was fantastic. Had the venison which was done perfectly. Great menu selection to select from for any appetite. Only drawback to food was portion size, pretty small. I would have no problem giving them 5 Stars, except the waiter we had that night was not friendly at all and was all around rude and unwelcoming. For the most part, he was stuck up and pretentious to everyone at the table. If we asked a question about anything the tone in his response was "really? you're an idiot for asking that". Not sure why he was like this, as we were a table of 6 and ordered tons of appetizers and drinks, entrees, etc. for a birthday celebration. I'd go back for the food, but definitely not for the service.
(3)
Angie K.

Call me crazy, but after going out to a fancy dinner, I would hope I don't want to order pizza after. Like other fancy places in the West Loop, food is king and the decor can be a little sparse. However this simplicity was immediately overtaken by the very attentive service. The place is tiny so I'm impressed that the waiters are even able to maneuver around all the tables without knocking over wine glasses. Nimbleness of the waiters aside, let's get to the food. Endive Salad: Came in an ADORABLE little setup with an edible bird's nest-like fence surrounding the lettuce and poached egg. The chefs clearly painstakingly placed every single piece in a strategic manner.. and I was dying to take a picture! Almost as if he could hear my thoughts, the waiter announced the dish name and started to hack away at the nest and poached egg, mixing it all together. It was a shame we couldn't take a picture before, but it sure was beautiful The crispy pancetta was really tasty with the dijon, but the dish was nothing too special. I think the presentation was probably the highlight of the dish. Seared Scallop with Corn and Blueberries: the scallops were great. The corn and blueberries were interesting touches, but I would have traded those for larger pieces of scallops! Beef Tartare: This beef tartare looks very different from the usual. It's crumbly and crunchy (poppy seeds?) and tastes like mustard. We were not impressed. Sturgeon with Braised Pork Cheeks: Yummy!! I really think the combination of the two proteins were a great match. Usually fish is the flakier protein, but this sturgeon was solid and the braised pork cheeks were fall-apart tender.Not an obvious match- genius! Duck Breast with Peaches and Turnip: I thought the peaches and turnips were just unecessary. The star was the duck and the pesto was a back-up dancer. The duck was moist and had a great crispy skin. It wasn't game-y at all. Again, I would just give up all the peach and turnip stage props for a longer performance from Mister Donald. All in all, I think the toppings/additions to each dish were unnecessary, but the main proteins were amazingly cooked- I wish we had more! In an ideal world, the extra's would be traded in for larger pieces of protein. I'm not sure about the origins of the name of the restaurant, but I am assuming they are referring to a baby blackbird's portion sizes. The quality of the service and food would be 4 stars, but what did we pay for if we still wanted to eat dinner? Maybe the 5 plates was not enough for the 4 of us, but none of the dishes were so extraordinarily amazing that we were DYING to have more.
(3)
Paige E.

There isn't much more I can add that hasn't been said already. The food is incredible. We went for lunch and I had the duck. I can honestly say it was the best entree I have ever had in my life. The fermented squash was out of this world and duck was so tender and well-flavored. The portion on the duck was pretty good too. My SO got the hanger steak, and while it was delicious, it only provided him with about six bites of food. I'm knocking off one star though because the service was ABYSMALLY SLOW. We were trying to have a quick lunch so my SO could get back to work at a reasonable hour, but we ended up spending two hours at lunch because it took us forever to get each course (about 15 minutes in between finishing one course and receiving the next... that is WAY too long). We also didn't get enough water refills for my liking. I was very obviously drinking out of my SO's for about 20 minutes because my glass was empty for that long. It could have been because they were understaffed for restaurant week, but if they're going to participate in restaurant week, they should know how busy they are going to be and plan accordingly.
(4)
Kristina W.

Wow, just wow. The food at Blackbird is incredible - creative, flavorful, impressive - but I have to knock them down a star because some of the plates are just so teeny tiny. I ordered the smoked eggplant for lunch, which was so delicious, but the plate was literally one round slice of eggplant that could fit in the palm of my hand (plus sauces/small accompaniments). It was so so good, but couldn't I have two small slices of eggplant? That said, I would definitely recommend Blackbird and will be returning.
(4)
Jennie C.

Ah Blackbird~~ever since my first encounter at restaurant week 3 years ago, I've been a fan. Yes the portion was small, but the dessert was amazing. So when I had a day off from work this year, the first thing I thought of was: lunch at Blackbird! And it was as good as I remembered it to be. My friend's carrot soup was beautiful and luscious both in texture and flavor. My steak tartare was lovely too. The duck sausage was a wee bit on the salty side but I loved the flavors. And the desserts...OMG....perfect balance of sweetness. I'd say Blackbird is my fave dessert place in the city.
(5)
Sofia J.

$25 for 3 phenomenal courses? Believe it. My friend and I tried a different option for each course and it was 6 for 6 - flavor and portion size. Love that they don't compromise on selection from the main menu. Every dish has so much delicious detail and the bread and butter is the cherry on top. This experience absolutely makes me want to come back for dinner.
(5)
Megan F.

Blackbird was good! Nothing special but I certainly don't have any complaints. I went for lunch and ordered off the pre fixe menu. There were 3 appetizer options, 3 entre options and 2 dessert options. I had the corn fritter appetizer, the faroe islands salmon with blistered snap peas and baby carrots and some kind of peach pancetta dessert. They serve everyone a large hunk of crusty bread with herb infused butter when you first sit down. The bread was amazing! The corn fritter was just okay. Could have done without. The best part was the sauce/oils they drizzle on the plate and the small tablespoon size salad. But, the salmon dish was great. Slightly overcooked but the snap peas, baby carrots and sauce were incredible!! Dessert was, by far, my favorite part of the meal. I wish I could remember how it was described on the menu because it was truly incredible. It came with zucchini ice cream which, who would have thunk, was amazing! I really liked how accommodating they were for dietary restrictions, allergies, etc. While I didn't make any such requests, they made sure to ask every member of my party and there was a call-out on the menu to mention any restrictions. I also loved the portion sizes. When the dishes first come to the table, you don't think it'll be enough food but by the time you finish eating you realize you're content. Lastly, the service was excellent. The host/hostess and each server were really great. Overall, a nice restaurant to try but don't stress if you never make. Despite, all the great things I mentioned about the place, you don't want away thinking about that amazing dining experience you just had.
(4)
Arthur M.

Three of us went just after noon: Blackbird's lunch menu is a beaut. The only thing over twenty dollars is the prix fixe, and that's 3 courses. The ladies went that way and I ordered 3 courses a la carte. Service was amazing, from the time our coats were taken at the door, to the warmest table in the restaurant beside the kitchen, to black napkin for my girlfriend in black. One standout was the squash soup, velvet and deep like a faux fur blanket on a seat warmer. I enjoyed the kick of spice in the boullabaisse, and using the table's bread and molasses butter to supplement the rich rectangle of toast with saffron aioli. The textures and temperatures coming out of the kitchen were perfect and each ingredient shined across all the dishes. Dessert was killer, of course the cremeux was cremeux, but the sorbet with crumble was like a Lucky Charms marshmallow trifle.
(5)
Riscarte B.

Did a business lunch and took advantage of the twenty five dollar prix fixe menu. Had the broccoli soup, the hanger steak, and the bourbon ice cream. All of the food was excellent and the presentation was really nice. The one area with room for improvement would be the time it took between placing our order and getting our food. They apologized twice for the wait, but when we had planned on only an hour-ish for lunch actually taking closer to 2 wasn't part of our plan. Overall a great deal on excellent food in the Loop.
(4)
Victoria K.

Fantastic meal at Blackbird - everything we ordered was delicious, especially the lamb loin. We had a lovely evening! Will definitely be back.
(4)
cy c.

cocktails are interesting, that's the best part food is ok. I'm not into their fish dish. service is cold and almost non-existence, as a michelin star restaurant standard.
(2)
Stacy R.

This restaurant came highly recommended to us from a friend who had visited Chicago and tried it before - so we were excited to give it a try! The food was impeccable - great flavors and delicious combinations that were unexpected but paired so well. Save room for the poached cherries - My regards to the Chef! My disappointment was in the service we received. A big part of the dining experience for us is the server and the ebb and flow of the meal. We watched as our server spent time at the host stand, socializing with guests at the outdoor bar adjacent to the restaurant, but failing to engage us in light conversation. Call me picky but if we are paying a premium price, I expect a premium service. Blackbird almost got it right! I wouldn't cross it off the list for a second visit but it's certainly not at the top either. The food deserves 5 stars. The service deserves 2. Do they make half stars? Let's say 3.5 overall.
(3)
Agustin K.

A solid restaurant offering one of the best prefix lunches I've had. $25 three course lunch prefix. Make sure you make reservation. I made one for 12.30pm on Thursday and they were packed, saw a few people waiting for a table. Patrons are mix between professionals and maybe visitors. The decor is clean and simple and service is efficient. Portions are just about right for 3 courses, you won't be coming back to the office and falling asleep. I was quite impressed by the choices and enjoyed the crudo quite a lot. For entree I had the sausage and that was pretty flavorful as well. Overall, I think they executed the farm to table concept quite well and I will consider coming back here with my clients.
(4)
Leilanie C.

If you're looking for something unique for your pallet, this is the place you want to be. We knew it was hard to get rsvp's at the restaurants on Randolph, but my bestfriend and I decided to be spontaneous. Leaving it to fate, we landed at Blackbird because they were able to accommodate us with a 30 mins wait, which was nothing compared to 2-3 hours wait on a busy night. The host, Ryan was very welcoming and accommodating. Thank you! The food was beautiful and delicious. The service was impeccable and the atmosphere was nice.
(5)
Lori S.

I went to dinner at Blackbird last weekend and of all the restaurants I've ever been to with great reviews, Blackbird served up the most disappointing experience. I am shocked they have such favorable reviews. I made a reservation (for four people) and ended up changing it (via Opentable) a couple times that day. Know it was a pain in the butt, but I had out of town guests in and since the times were available, it should not have been as big of a problem as it became. Around 5:30pm, I changed the reservation time to 9:00pm. We arrived at 8:55pm and were told our reservation was cancelled and there was no availability. Luckily I had the confirmation email and since I was able to pull this up, I was told they would sit us in about 20 minutes. There was no place to wait in the restaurant, so we went next door to grab a drink. The hostess said we would receive a call in 20 minutes. Around 9:25pm we still hadn't heard anything, so my friend pulled up Opentable and saw there was a 9:30pm reservation. He quickly booked it and went back to Blackbird; the hostess told him there wasn't availability at 9:30pm. Advice---change the restaurants availability online then. Around 9:45pm we received a phone call saying our table was ready. We awkwardly stood in front of the hostess stand (no place to wait) until we were sat a little before 10:00pm. Originally we wanted to go with the tasting menu but after the lack of friendliness from the people at the front of the restaurant, we decided to just quickly eat and leave. Around 10:20pm our server appeared and we ordered everything. For an appetizer we ordered the scallops and an endive salad. The appetizers came out quickly. The endive salad was really good but the scallops were some awful salty gummy ceviche. The entrees did not come until over an hour later. No explanation about the wait time or anything and we just sat there and hoped the meal would be good. I had the pork belly which was recommended. It was basically a pork belly salt stick. The other guests ordered the salmon, some other fish dish, and the chicken. I tried the salmon which was a poached flavorless salmon. The other guests also didn't like their entrees. Everyone agreed the endive salad was the highlight. Overall: My stomach hurt after dinner because of all the salt, we spent over $200 at dinner (for 1 salad, 1 appetizer, 4 entrees and no drinks whatsoever), the staff wasn't friendly, the food wasn't good, we spent 2 unwarranted hours at dinner, and somehow Blackbird was crowded. Maybe it was an off night for them or it was some weird episode of Punked.....whatever it was, I wouldn't return or recommend the restaurant. I suggest you go elsewhere. There are enough better restaurants in the area.
(1)
Chris E.

Considering all the James Beard awards Blackbird has won, I came here with a ton of expectations. Since I was visiting Chicago, I took the train here because it's only a few blocks away. The exterior and interior of the restaurant is white, very simple and sleek looking. It definitely has a modern, trendy feel to it. Everyone was dressed to impress and specifically for men a button down and jeans fit the bill. The atmosphere was very relaxed and the noise level was low to moderate. We were seated towards the back, right in front of the kitchen for dinner and just a warning that the temperature is a few degrees higher in that area, so you might break a sweat just sitting there. As for the food, it was everything I expected considering this is a French restaurant. The presentation of the dishes was elegant, the portion sizes were small and the food was amazingly delicious! With each bite, I wanted to just eat more and more, but had to contain myself because there was only so much to go around on each dish For entrees, we had the Wood-grilled Sturgeon and Aged Duck Breast. The Sturgeon was so soft and a bit tangy actually, but the flavors just jumped right onto my tongue when I took a bite! Immediately, the tanginess was evident. I had a chance to try a piece of the Duck Breast as well and the meat was incredibly smooth, cooked perfectly and very easy to chew thru. Both of us clearly didn't get full off of any of our dishes, but luckily we were already full from an earlier meal so it hit the spot. Along the way, there were also little palette cleansers as well so be prepared for that! Service was also excellent!
(4)
Sara A.

Oh my god the god damn food. I am a worshiper for the chef now. And the bartender, like oh my god what a genius. The butter cake killed me at first bite. Super nice staff who keep you entertained, earned the show. My new favorite place in chitown.
(5)
Dalia M.

We came here Friday night to celebrate our move to Chicago, new jobs and surviving being back in the workforce after a hiatus at grad school the past two years. Blackbird is an upscale, classy joint where the crowd definitely skews older. We were seated immediately upon arrival. Service was always prompt, polite and non-invasive. We shared a bottle of Pinot Noir and an endive salad. The presentation of the salad was something I would decorate my apartment with. I had the duck and my boyfriend had the lamb saddle. Both were very tasty and I even left with a doggy bag. I don't know if the menu rotates seasonally but I would come back after trying some of the other nice places in town.
(4)
Heidi L.

Not sure what all the fuss is about. The service was good, but the food was somewhat bland and uninspiring. For the price I'd prefer a place like Boka.
(2)
Samantha M.

My boyfriend took me to Blackbird for my birthday last week, and it just might have been the best dining experience we've had in Chicago to date...and considering the amazing and diverse restaurant scene in Chicago, that's saying a lot! We decided to splurge on the chef's tasting menu, which I would highly recommend for a special occasion. It allows you to taste 8 different plates on their menu. As soon as we arrived at the restaurant, the staff knew exactly who we were and what we were celebrating and remembered that my boyfriend had called ahead about the tasting menu. Our server, Sean, was wonderful. He was very attentive, helpful and knowledgeable about the menu. I don't eat beef or pork, which we had alerted the restaurant of in advance, and they offered me two substitution options for each of the two courses that contained beef/pork. I will spare you from detailing each of the 8 courses but suffice it to say that everything was delicious and beautifully prepared. Highlights for me were the celery root soup with grilled lobster, the sturgeon and the teff flour crepe dessert, which really looked like a piece of art more than a dessert. Like I said earlier, the service was impeccable. Every detail was thought through, and it showed. We had a great meal and a really fun time and will definitely return!
(5)
Emily S.

The lunch fixed menu was delicious - great price and three delicious courses. The service was perfect. The staff was attentive without being overbearing. Will definitely need to go back to try more on the menu.
(5)
Lisa D.

What a disappointment! My boyfriend brought me here for my birthday and I was so disappointed by my meal and he was as well. He got the sturgeon and I got the walleye- both tasted bland and lacked flavor. He told me after we left that he had made a special birthday request for me and it never happened. The meal was expensive and not worth it. So many better places to go in Chicago. It's overrated and I won't recommend it or come again. It received 2 stars based on the presentation and being seated right away.
(2)
Kate N.

Went for lunch yesterday with a friend. We both did the prix fixe lunch menu for $25, and everything we ate was phenomenal. The portions were fairly small, but every bite was delicious and I was fully satisfied by my meal. The reason it's only 4 stars is because the service was really slow. I totally understand that the food takes time to prepare and that doing a three course meal isn't a quick lunch, but there were times that were practically a crawl, most notably when we asked for the check and in a half full restaurant, it took about 8 minutes to get the check and then several more for them to come pick it up. I would go again for dinner, but with lunch service this slow, I can't afford to be away for so long!
(4)
Eric Y.

A little of this and a little of that. There are a lot of components to Chef Kahan's food at Blackbird. Each plate presents a lyrical interplay of these components - visual, aromatic, textural and of course, flavorful. After perusing the menu, our table of four had some difficulty deciding what to order. Conveniently, there is a tasting menu option and after token discussion, we agreed on the gluttonous option. One dish that we wanted to try, the quail, was not on the tasting menu and they agreed to swap out the chicken for the quail. This was a 9 course tasting menu (including the amuse). Each course had a number of components - even the amuse had 4 distinct items on the little spoon. The amuse was delicious - crispy duck (more like duck bits), with sunflower, dried cherry and kohlrabi. That's one bite with a lot goin' on! Highlights included the ivory char crudo with smoked char roe, turnip, green grape, pearl onion, and pumpernickel (6 components) and the celery root soup with grilled lobster, preserved lemon, celery and marigold (5 components). The star of the night was the grilled strip loin and braised veal cheeks with smoked potato gnocchi, charred cabbage, caraway seed, sour cream, black garlic and dill fronds (8 components!). The aforementioned quail, roasted, with bone marrow stuffing, dates, rutabaga, cider-onion jam and almonds, alas, was a bit of a disappointment. On this dish, the interplay of components did not work and the quail was overcooked. There was a cheese course (5 components), a palate cleanser of preserved buddha's hand (4 components) and then came dessert which was a delicious riff on breakfast cereal. "Milk and cookies with buckwheat cookie butter, frozen cranberry, milk jam, parsnip, and brioche." This 7 component dish was truly a case of more is better - each component, delicious on it own, was even better when combined with other elements so that no two bites offered the same experience. Some tasting menus leave you uncomfortably full and others leave you strangely unsatisfied (who hasn't secretly gone home after one of those and scrounged for something else to eat?) This one offered just about the perfect amount of food - very much appreciated for the drive home! Service was smart, prompt, and unintrusive. There's a nice cocktail and wine list including some aged Loire wines which you don't see very often and come in at a nice price point. A little of this and a little of that - works for me!
(4)
Jen C.

Overwrought. True flavors masked by gimmicky add-ons. Simplify flavors! Loud, noisy and very tightly packed.
(3)
Elisa G.

I went to this restaurant yesterday night with my boyfriend. The environment is very nice, the decor is simple but classy. The food is quite good but not amazing. In particular, the starters are pretty tasty. We had a quail and vail sweetbreads. I really like the vail but the quail was a little tasteless. As main, we had monkfish and strip loin. I would say everything is good but nothing is amazing that make you say: "I want to go back". The desserts were very disappointing. We both thought that there was too much liquor... The service was very good. Our waiter was very nice and she would not go to the table very often but you could clearly see that she was checking on us all the time. At the end of the day, would i go back? probably yes, but I would not get any dessert. I think it is a good pick but for 130$/person, I think there are better ones in Chicago.
(4)
Tova M.

Wow. Just wow. Blackbird is exceptional. I came here for lunch, and every bite was better than the last. For the dessert, my friend and I would've licked the plate clean if we weren't in public. Match the outstanding food with the fantastic service, and you can understand why Blackbird has such a great reputation. If you come here (and you should!), I highly recommend: 1. Sturgeon 2. The orange blossom dessert I will definitely be back.
(5)
Sarah C.

Had the $25 prix fixe menu and it was def worth it (make reservs)! I had a green salad with potato bits, monkfish (never had before but texture was similar to lobster), and ice cream with peanut butter crunch pieces. Each plate seems simple but every piece of food and sauce contribute to the flavor as a whole Also tried my friends short rib burger, which I would actually go back for! And we shared the hangar steak-very tender and melts in your mouth! Would love to try the dinner tasting menu!! and a ervice was great.
(4)
Lauren L.

Lovely coffee and donuts that are worth the detour from wherever you are. They are truly amazing. It's a small shop so I suggest booking brunch at one of the many nearby spaces and arriving early with a few friends to dive into donut dependence without spoiling your appetite. They have mini donuts that come in 3's. We tried cinnamon sugar-best I've ever had and blueberry lavender. I would love to test the pepperoni pizza one someday. Interesting!
(5)
Ann J.

Had dinner here last night with a colleague and one of his clients. Service was good, though a bit stuffy. The food was excellent, but the portions are very small. This is not the place to go if you are looking for hearty portions. That said, our server's wine selections were superb, and I highly recommend the sea bass. Be sure to try a dessert as well... They look like pieces of art!
(4)
Shuangshuang W.

We had generally good three course experiences for lunch here. The most impression one was ice cream with goat cheese. The duck confit was disappointed. Maybe dinner chef can do much better and deserve its reputation?!
(3)
Isaac S.

With a group of four, we were treated very well. The staff is excellent and works to make sure you're always taken care of and never needing to ask for anything. The food is excellent but a bit anticlimactic. The taste was very good but it really didn't blow me away--especially for the prices they are attempting to justify. I felt like I was paying more for the multiple people on the waitstaff than the food. Would I return? Probably not. It is definitely a restaurant to try though.
(4)
Eric W.

I will give the chef and culinary team their kudos. But to have such artistic and delicious food in a disingenuous and pretentious atmosphere, it really results in overall disappointment. I won't be back. And as a foodie, I know what constitutes a great dining experience. This experience was far from it.
(3)
Sheldon T.

If the food matched the attitude and pretentiousness this place would be fabulous. OVER IT... All the suits standing around asking select tables about their experience/needs...save your money!!! Or invest it where it is met with warmth and grace...
(3)
Brandon B.

Only a few times a year do I splurge locally on a place in the home town that is a long-standing renowned dining experience. For my significant other's birthday we chose Blackbird, guided by OpenTable and the Michelin guide. Minimalist,white, and elegant, the seating is tight and intimate, and the sound levels are reasonable. Service was kind to us in our occasional-foodie inelegance and was attentive and excellent as you could ask for. Centrally: the food was well worth the (for me) high cost, a fine balance between filling/comfort and modern/surprising--not too much of either extreme. We had a cocktails each: wonderful unique smooth blends, more on the sweet side but still potent, and a half-bottle of red wine which was just right for us, the server was able to help us choose the best for the cost (range $40-140!). Appetizers: watercress soup (a new favorite for my bitter palate) and the earthy toasted pirogi). Mains: duck breast (rich with mustard and black beer broth) and venison (with a marvelous molasses bread pudding--really more sweet bread crumbs). Finally the famous desserts: a birthday cake-flavored airy ice cream (free) and the teff flour crepe: one of the strangest looking but most wonderful tasting desserts I have ever had (it looks like moldy leather!). Finally a 3-shot italian bitter liquor sequence that really topped off the night with a bang. I will very likely come back here often to try all the desserts, which are the superstar of the great night!
(5)
Beth M.

I would give this more stars if I could. My husband and I have been wanting to go here after we ate Avec years ago.We ended up doing the $25 lunch special on a Friday for his birthday. Let's be honest, it was the only way we could afford the place. Ambiance is great. It's nicer but the kind where men can get away with wearing jeans and a button down. Our waiter Sean was very attentive and helped us pick out drinks. I got the parsley soup, he got the beef tartar. I LOVED the soup. So unique. Love the presentation. I don't even like brussel sprouts and I ate those. I didn't try the beef tartar because I had an incident with raw beef a few weeks ago that is making me stay away, but my husband quickly ate it all. Entree course: I got the salmon, he got the duck confit. Again, we both ate it so quickly and were very happy. At first sight the portions look very small, but once you finish after the app you realize it was the perfect amount of food for lunch. Dessert: we got one of each: the grape sorbet with peanut butter and honey milk, and the cinnamon ice cream/whip cream/rice pudding thing. The first so unique, the second so comforting. And to top it all off they brought out a bday dessert for him, which was so unexpected and so, so nice. Oh, also street parking is totally doable in that area. It's more money ($4 an hour), but it was worth it for us.
(5)
Joyce K.

I can appreciate Blackbird for what it is, a white-tablecloth restaurant. The service seems like it's a well orchestrated dance that has been practiced repetitively in a fluid motion, guaranteeing that every movement is concentrated on giving impeccable service. We came for the prix-fixe lunch menu, $25 per person. It began with an heirloom tomato salad which had nice flavor and was sweet in nature, great portion size Then came the duck confit which was a touch salty and dessert was the concord grape sorbet which tasted like welch's grape juice frozen concentrate. I wanted to like it, but nothing in particular stood out to me. I'd like to think that maybe it was my fault for bargain shopping at a high end restaurant. Perhaps the best results can only be found in the main menu.
(3)
Sandy N.

It was good and very small portions for the price. I believe I came here when it had first opened and I believe it was good then too. The fresh pumpkin sourdough bread with sage butter was delicious.
(3)
Â¥ W.

Love the concept. Food was smaller portions which made it possible for us to try many plates. For first timers, definitely go for the tasting menu! They have an assortment of savory appetizers that will fill you up before getting to the main course, so remember to leave some room! Lack of one star because the table setup was so cramped! I clonked the guy next to me with my purse trying to get to my seat. :(
(4)
Corey N.

Having been a few times, the food is consistently very good -- well prepared and interesting, without being fussy. The room is very minimalistic -- mostly white -- and can come off as a bit sterile or even cold. The only other negative is that the tables are veryclose together -- too much so for a fine dining restaurant. Personally, if I'm dining for two, I prefer to sit in the small bar area, near the front of the restaurant.
(4)
Louise S.

I see such varied reviews for Blackbird but our experience here was stellar! From downtown (magnificent mile) this restaurant is a decent walk but whenever he travel to Chicago we end up wandering this way as there are some amazing restaurants in this area (au cheval, girl and the goat, Avec) We have been meaning to try blackbird so this time we made reservations before leaving Dallas and got in on a Saturday night. The decor is so clean (white white white) but in a modern trendy way. The staff were super friendly and not stuffy at all. Speaking of decor..do check out the bathrooms and do peek behind the Orange curtain. Ok....the food! As the menu changes often you may not recognize the food I ordered so I'll start simple...it was all amazing. We stayed with the arctic char which was very good. For entree I chose the duck breast and this was one of the best duck dishes I've ever had. Hubby ordered the grilled sirloin and he preferred my duck. His was great (though I felt the horseradish took away the juicy meat flavor slightly??) No matter how full you are after the meal don't miss the dessert.. we chose the Orange blossom parfait and it was such subtle delicious flavors. I want it again right now. The chef sent out a couple treats (one before the meal and one after dessert) which is always a nice touch. I loved Blackbird and highly recommend going here if you are in Chicago
(4)
Orr W.

Went here for lunch with my wife during Chicago's chef week. The beef tartar appetizer was tasty, and the steak was really good. However, the portions were exceptionally small (even after considering this was a prix-fixe menu) My wife had the cauliflower appetizer and the duck. Again, pretty good, but not good enough to justify the small portions and the high price.
(2)
Dan M.

I had such high expectations for checking out Blackbird one evening while in town on business. I felt I had done my research and this would be a swanky place where I could take some important folks. The restaurant itself has very modern dÃ©cor and has a simple layout inside. Big fan of the simplistic and modern layout of the restaurant. We were immediately greeted at the entrance and brought over to our table and I appreciated that they had a "hook" that could be placed on the table to allow women to hang their bag off the side of the table. Shrug just seemed like a nice touch. After perusing the menu we were told that the executive chef had a tasting menu which showcased all of the "favorites" and although it was pricey... I felt it would be the right way to proceed with the night. We ordered a bottle of wine which was delicious.. so much to the point that we ordered two so a great start there. I wont go into a ton of detail but I thought the combinations that were being attempted including the cow tongue were all OK efforts. To be honest.... There is nothing significantly memorable about this particular menu which was disappointing. I did look at a few of the one off dishes and they looked better than a few of the items I was having on the tasting menu. So while OK, I was disappointed by the true flavoring and the cost was extremely high (past $400) for two people which I know includes two bottles of wine but just seems high. Just an OK spot for me but a great place to be swanky.
(3)
Jit D.

It is over hyped pricy restaurant. Ordered few items based on Yelp reviews. Thought the flavors were bland and easily forgettable dishes. My next seat passenger in the plane had similar experience for her holiday dinner at this place. Can't recommend.
(2)
Van T.

*Lunch review for 3/11/14 Opted for the lunch prix fixe. I'm not sure if the lunch menu is as representative of the quality of the restaurant compared to dinner. I started with the steak tartare for my appetizer, the monkfish for my entree, and ended my meal with a chocolate sundae. The food was average, with the best course having to be the appetizer. When you go to a place of this caliber, walking out thinking the bread and butter were the best things, I think 3 stars is accurate
(3)
Umair H.

While the buzz around Blackbird was immense in 2008/09, the restaurant is still a good location and classy setting for both lunch and dinner. I suggested a weekday business lunch this week (after not visiting since 2012) with a friend and walked out happy based on the food, seating, and general ambiance (not much has changed in the past 2 years). We both ordered the short rib burger, cooked medium rare. It was certainly one of the better burgers I've had for lunch in the Loop. Notable ingredients that augmented a juicy beef patty included the potato bread (right texture) and the "bread and butter onions" and the sauce which was based on mustard. Areas of improvement include the wait time for food (turned into a longer lunch than the 1 hour that I had budgeted) and the excessive saltiness on the fries.
(4)
Lynette H.

This place is spectacular. Very upscale but not pretentious at all. We were offered an Amuse Bouche that. Was some kind of ahi.. Too bad it was just a small taste because I loved it! Also during dessert they offered us a small plate of special chocolates. The cocktails are great!!! I ended up ordering the same drink twice, Rum Rebellion. And my husband ordered Tree Fort and then Mezcal speciality cocktail. For appetizers, I ordered an endive salad with panchetta, and egg and other wonderful things. That was amazing and so tasty. My husband ordered the foie gras...of course it was amazing. Wanted to order a second one, but we refrained. For dinner my husband ordered the Rib Collar. It was so good! And I ordered the Chicken Breast with Sausage. ORDER THIS! So flavorful and unique. Tim ordered a dessert but I was so stuffed I didn't get anything. But our waitress comped a dessert for me.. And I'm glad she did because it was so yummy. I wish I could remember what it was called. It had a puff pastry, peaches and some kind of yogurt. The service is impeccable and the ambiance is just right. The prices are little on the expensive side. But definitely worth it. I would definitely come back!!
(5)
Tiffany W.

When it comes to $$$ restaurants, I really expect a lot because c'mon, I'm not going to pay an arm and a leg for nothing. But when it comes to a Michelin star rated restaurant, expectations are on a whole other level, and I have to give it to Blackbird for being by far one of the best restaurants I've been to in terms of food, service and price. Pros: 1. Dress code. The restaurant doesn't come across as "snobby" in any way, and they don't expect their customers to be dressed to the nines. I wouldn't say come in wearing beachwear or tennies, but they won't look down on you wearing a measly old sweater and boots either. 2. Service was impeccable. I so wish I could remember my waitress's name because she was wonderful! A part of why my experience here was so good was because of her. She was patient, attentive, knowledgeable, and made some rather good recommendations. And it's not even just her, almost everybody on staff waited on each patron's hand and foot. 3. Complimentary appetizer and dessert bites. (Who doesn't like free food?) 4. The bread and butter. Not lying, it tasted like mashed potatoes. It. Was. Awesome. 5. The food. Did I mention the food? Oh. My. God. It was incredible. For me, I started off with the Seared Bay Scallops. Priced at $17, it was worth it because they put more baby scallops in that dish than I could have possibly counted; it felt like it was never ending, as I would find one here and there under a slice of pear, which were sweet and juicy. But trust me, I am definitely not complaining. I didn't order an actual dinner entree, but I did get both the Smoked Arctic Char and Steak Tartare from the Appetizers menu. Both were delectable, but if I had to choose a favorite, I would go with the fish. It had a nice smoky yet fresh and zesty finish (thanks to the lemon), and it was paired quite nicely with cucumbers and mandarinquats. The beef was tasty as well; it was lemony and freshly cut. The slices were a bit on the longer thinner side, so don't let your eyes be bigger than your stomach. For my boyfriend, he started off with the Suckling Pig and got the Wagyu Flatiron as his entree. The appetizer was outstanding; I can't remember if it was that crispy, but it was full of flavor and extremely tender. It is a "heavier" appetizer, but it's great to share. We have to thank our waitress for recommending the Wagyu Flatiron because everything about that entree was delicious. The meat itself: medium rare, juicy, tasty, and just downright amazing. It's accompaniments? Wow. I hate cabbage, but Blackbird has turned me into a fan of charred cabbage. We ended the night with a Steamed Pumpkin Cake, which was also phenomenal! The cake was delicious and it was moist, thanks to the steamed milk that was poured on top. And the best part was that it was topped with a scoop of coconut ice cream, which made it all the better. Cons: The restaurant is fairly small and seating is quite tight. Everyone literally sits elbows to elbows, and you're bound to hit somebody when walking through the "walk ways." Another small thing that was meh to me, but could be a big deal to others, is that they don't seem to have normal teas that aren't worth an arm and a leg. By that, I mean, tea blooms really are not that special except for in Chicago (apparently) so places that offer such "unique" teas really up their prices on it. With that said, I made my $7 Jasmine Tea Bloom worth it by refilling the pot three times. Lol. Tips: I suggest making reservations either by phoning in or on OpenTable because this tiny little restaurant fills up quickly. Also, for all you fruity wine lovers: they don't have Moscato, but they have an excellent Riesling by the glass!
(5)
Jenny S.

Just got back from a colleague lunch date here! This place was suggested to us because of the $22 lunch prix fixe meal. Definitely a good lunch deal for those in the Loop/West Loop area. Firstly, the wait staff was extremely attentive and accommodating, A+! What we both had: *caramelized cabbage soup with mustard, beer onions and potato cake. *wood-grilled monkfish with salsify, black trumpet mushrooms, buckwheat and grapefruit. *duck sausage with dried parsley root, brussels sprouts, buttermilk and mustard seeds. *pumpkin cake with toasted coconut frozen custard, toffee peanuts and sage. *mint ice cream, chocolate crumbs, fudge sauce and fernet whipped cream. *2005 Yves Breussin, Demi-Sec Vouvray The soup was my favorite! Very flavorful and different from anything I've ever had before! It reminded me a lot of what I think upscale, modern Polish food would taste like and I loved it! As a person who doesn't eat fish very often, I did enjoy the monkfish very much and would probably order it on my next visit. The duck sausage was very flavorful but the casing was a little difficult to cut through and came off the link a little too easily for my taste. The desserts were wonderful! I would say the pumpkin cake was much more unique but I still deeply enjoyed both! The only reason I wouldn't give it a higher star rating is that I think compared to all the other restaurants in that area, it was just average. I enjoyed my meal and had a great experience, but when compared to all the other establishments on that street and within a 5 block radius, I think they need a little more "something" to make them stand out. Overall, a good restaurant, though. The wine was excellent as well, great way to celebrate a Friday!
(3)
Jennifer M.

Had a business dinner at Blackbird this week. I'm from Atlanta and was hosting clients from NYC. Fantastic experience. We had a large group--8 people--so we got to sample many items. The highlights--the bread (simply wonderful crustiness), Endive Salad, Beef tartar, Walleye, Duck, Pork Collar. Found the Suckling Goat only okay. We tried most of the desserts, and our top choices were the mud pie and cheese selection, particularly the Widmer's cheddar. We did not have an issue with the wait between courses--the appetizers came out quickly and mains followed at an acceptable pace. Our server was the perfect mix of knowledgeable, friendly, and not overly obtrusive. Highly recommend Blackbird.
(4)
Jill and Ying J.

Writing this review hurts me a bit. After hearing all the praise this place has gotten, I brought my wife for her birthday with probably a tad too high of expectations. First, the service was straight up fantastic - our waiter knew his stuff, everyone was super nice and accommodating, and the place ran like a well oiled machine. The wine list was also extensive and fairly reasonably priced: half bottle of grand cru for $41? yes please. The amuse bouche was tasty, and we were even more excited for the actual food. To start, we got the scallops and beef tartare. Both were great, and you could really taste the very complex and sophisticated flavor profiles. There didn't seem to be enough to go around. The entrees were just the opposite. Overall they both felt flat and one-dimensional. As beautiful as the plating was, it felt like something very simple. And that is just it. Blackbird does the simple dishes, with very flavors that are very well done, but muted and subtle. I think we may just not have a discerning enough palate for this place. We talked it over afterwards and realized we much preferred the full-body flavor of their little sibling, Avec. It's like comparing a very crisp chardonnay to a napa sauvignon blanc, that's laced with cocaine. Maybe we just need our cocaine.
(3)
Chef C.

The food here is awesome. We came for the $25 lunch prix-fixe and was very impressed. We got the steak tartare, Sunchoke Soup, Duck Confit, Salmon and both desserts- all were amazing. All highly recommended. The service was attentive but not amazing. Our waiter was nice but we only saw him once. I would definitely go back for the food.
(5)
Steve A.

Blackbird has been nominated or received a James Beard award virtually every year for more than a decade, and there's a reason. We had the tasting menu, which consisted of ten courses plus a couple of extras. There were several home runs, and a couple of misses. Stellar items included the Foie gras in an amazing shitake broth, and a sweet and savory course of cheese and chocolate. Misses were the sturgeon and the striploin. Service was super efficient, unobtrusive, and friendly. The wine list is pricey and doesn't have a lot of depth, but we found two reasonably priced half bottles that accompanied almost every course. The place gets noisy, because there is no acoustic treatment, but we went early and had a front corner table that was quite intimate for the first couple of hours. An excellent culinary experience.
(5)
Jeff A.

Michelin Star whatever, the experience was overrated. My meal was good, not great. Way too pricey for what I got. Too many other wonderful options for me to repeat.
(2)
Jess M.

Dined at Blackbird for a birthday celebration just last week. First glance at the menu, I honestly couldn't pick out a single thing that I was feeling thrilled about. The excellent star rating might sound odd based on my first impression, but as it turned out all of the very odd sounding flavor combinations were absolutely delicious. I'm thoroughly impressed that an establishment that has been around for 10+ years is still creating such interesting menus. Service was casually unassuming but excellent, cocktails were superb, and dessert was 100% worth saving room for- we ordered 3 ( there were only four of us ladies) and we finished off every last bite. For the price- this meal was definitely 5 stars.
(5)
Vicki Z.

It's really just an OKAY. Don't understand why it's so popular... Nothing memorable including the popular dish beef tartar with beef tongue. The sweetbread was the best dish in our dinner but hey I have had much better sweetbread than this.
(3)
En L.

It didn't start very well...we were seated right away but no one come by for over 10-15min. I got seriously annoyed. The place was not super busy, hence, I don't see a good reason for the lack of attention. Someone finally come by, apologize and take out order. Food is awesome. Beautiful and tasty. The duck is heavenly. Food is 5 stars but I have to deduct couple points for the service.
(3)
Mahsa T.

WARNING to restaurant week patrons: the menu listed at choosechicago.com is not the same prixe fixe lunch menu that they give you in the restaurant--either Blackbird did a switcheroo (which is shady and shameful of you Blackbird!) or there was a mix-up and the wrong menu has been put online. I was really looking forward to having pumpkin bisque and braised short ribs and pear sorbet but when I got there today for lunch I looked at the prixe fixe menu in horror to see that they were instead offering the following: APPETIZER: choice of mixed greens, parsnip bisque, or duck pate ENTREE: choice of roasted chicken, grilled trout, or a sweet potato vegetarian dish DESSERT: an unidentifiable thing called a satuma chiboust or the chocolate pave (which was the only thing I liked on the whole menu) Where do I begin with my disappointing experience with Blackbird (and I had such high hopes for this place). You've led me astray fellow Yelpers (either that or everything I had today just totally sucked). I got the duck pate, which looked and tasted like SPAM, and I've never had SPAM but I imagine that's what it would taste like. For my main entree, I ordered the trout--it had no taste or flavor whatsoever, I could have been eating a piece of paper! My friend ordered the chicken which was just really undercooked and bordering on being a salmonella hazard. I had the unidentifiable dessert called a satuma chiboust, couldn't really tell you what was in it but it did NOT taste good. The chocolate pave was decent. Service was hectic, sporadic, and unorganized. We were greeted nicely at the door but that was followed by an almost mandatory request to let them hang up our coats somewhere in back because the restaurant is so small that there's barely enough room for people to sit like sardines in the communal seating area, much less their coats and purses. We were sitting by the door and every time someone came in we'd get a blast of cold air. I swear they had no heat on in the place and by the end of my meal, my fingers were turning blue and I was about to catch pneumonia. And I couldn't put on my coat because they took that away! The meal was unbearably long for the teeeeeeeeeeeny tiiiiiiiiiiiiiny portions that were served. We had to wait 15 minutes between each course. I was bored, cold, and hungry. I think there was one waitress for the whole restaurant and she was dressed in plain clothes, while the bus boys wore nice slacks, a shirt and tie (odd! and kind of stupid if you ask me). One of the bus boys kept throwing the utensils on our table before each course instead of delicately placing them. Our server disappeared when we needed to get our bill. And during my meal, all I did was watch the hostess shuffle people's coats back and forth, back and forth. And we had to wait 5 minutes by the door to get our coats back when we left. For all the hype about this place, I was expecting out-of-this-world good food and the food was not even good. If you're going to give me teeny tiny portions (see pictures), it better be packed with flavor, which also was not the case. I say save your money and try a different restaurant this week or if you do go, just order from the regular menu, they have sandwiches for $13 that I saw on my way out on someone else's table that was actually a good size with a giant heap of french fries on the side. My experience with Blackbird left me hungry and sad :(
(2)
Lora L.

I think this is as close to food porn as I've ever been... Amazing, artful presentation mixed with a little molecular gastronomy - Everything we tried was top notch and INTERESTING. They serve the right drinks, the right combinations of flavors, the right presentation - spot on. The only thing I can find to complain about is that the ladies room faucet had 1 temperature and that was scalding. Hopefully they've worked that out by now... Really special but not suffocatingly fancy at the same time. I thought the prices were extremely reasonable for what you got. I went with a coworker and we both had drinks, starters, entrees & desserts (cheese plate for me please : ) I would recommend this place to anyone with an artistic flair and an open mind. Definitely do it up and try different things on the menu. Super cool.
(5)
Mikhail S.

The $22 fixed price lunch is one of the best deals you'll find in Chicago. Comes complete with everything you'd expect from an upscale restaurant: -menu items you can't pronounce, written in French or ancient Sanskrit -ingredients that sound like they're from a German fairy tale -combinations of things that you didn't even know were physically possible ("Does that say watermelon... and clouds?") - 40 flavor cocktails And most importantly: - Amazing food and service you'd expect from a Michelin restaurant, at 1/3rd of their normal price Definitely one of my favorite meals. I'd like to say the fish was delicious, if it was fish. It could have been truffles, or foie gras, or any number of fancy sounding ingredients I order reflexively without actually bothering to look up. Anyway, if you enjoy high quality dining and are looking for a good lunch place, you won't beat this.
(5)
Paul C.

Blackbird will probably be the best restaurant I ever gave a 3 star Yelp review. Maybe Blackbird was the victim of my too high expectations. I came to Blackbird wanting to plan a special night with my boo. We still had a great night, but I'm not so sure Blackbird had much, if anything to do with that. The ambiance at Blackbird is top notch. I loved that they didn't cram us into a small space. Too many trendy restaurants try to increase their profits by stacking people on top of each other, or worse, forcing you to eat at the same table as strangers thanks to "communal eating" design. Blackbird realizes that the dining experience isn't just the food, it's also the entire environment, and they've crafted a very comfortable, intimate dining room. Service is also impeccable, friendly and knowledgeable. Foodwise, I have no complaints. Everything we tried was excellent, but nothing--aside from the butternut squash soup--really knocked us off our feet. While the dishes obviously require a high degree of proficiency, there was no dish that had me thinking I need to come back to Blackbird for a second visit. Portion sizes are also on the small side, so do yourself a favor and don't come hungry. We ended up stopping at a Wendy's on the way home and that was after having appetizers, a main course each, and a desert and cheese plate. Blackbird is OK in my book. My boo and I had a wonderful night, but I don't see us rushing back here anytime soon. For the money, I feel like there are better options in Chicago, but that said I would definitely go back to Blackbird on your dime. I'm glad I tried Blackbird once, but don't find myself in any particular hurry to repeat the experience.
(3)
Melanie V.

Blackbird is a modern, trendy restaurant - without being pretentious. The service here is the best! Our waiter wasn't snobby at all; in fact, he was VERY friendly and attentive. He made us feel welcome and made sure that we had a great dining experience. I ordered the seabass and I loved it! However, I ordered the 'Pink, Pink, Pink' martini just for the name of it. Maybe I should've actually read the ingredients and not picked it based on the name. Whoops. All in all, we had a great experience. ;)
(5)
Marissa C.

The restaurant's name reminds me of the movie Public Enemies which is one of the reasons I wanted to visit Chicago. I may make the trip back just to eat here again. Blackbird has a very modern and clean dÃ©cor, but do not confuse impeccable appearance with pretentiousness. Both the host and waiter were very friendly. They started us off with a flavorful amuse bouche. I had the mussels soup to start and the pork loin with white chocolate. Of course I'm always intrigued by chocolate be it for breakfast or dessert but I just wasn't sure how it was going to go with the pork loin. I'm pretty sure that pork should never be eaten without chocolate again. What an interesting and mouth watering combination. My boyfriend started off with the stuffed quail appetizer which he barely let me get a taste of, but it was really delicious. For his entrÃ©e he had the pork belly, it came with a great crunch on the outside and a really moist and flavorful interior. For dessert, we shared the brown butter cake with raspberries and goats milk ice cream. The ice cream was a nice sour flavor to balance off the sweetness of the raspberries and cake. It was light which was a perfect ending to the meal because it didn't leave us feeling stuffed. I want to stress how welcoming the atmosphere was. We ended up talking to a friendly couple next to us who seemed to be regulars and know a good deal about the owner and Chicago eats. Even the bartender and one of the cooks acknowledged us with smiles. This is haute cuisine in a beautiful place with friendly people. Blackbird, we shall meet again.
(5)
Dan T.

I hate to say that I was a bit disappointed with my experience at Blackbird. Granted, it was my first time there and I'm sure everyone has an off-service, but I'm sure it didn't help that I had just had several mind-blowing meals leading up to this point. The $22 lunch prix fixe is unequivocally a phenomenal deal, and even if I was less than impressed with the meal as a whole, it was still a great deal for the quality of food we were served. I like the idea of the coffee-scented fluke tartare, and loved the texture and bite of each piece of fish. However, the bread sauce felt redundant and stale, and the dish as a whole paled in comparison to the amazing brightness and crisp notes of the ceviches I just had at Frontera Grill. The baby-octopus confit was another beautifully executed dish, but did not seem to sing out flavour-wise. The lamb entree was probably the most disappointing. I refrained from posting pictures of the greyish pieces of meat we were served, which could not hold a candle to the sous-vide'd and perfectly seared lamb we had at Graham Elliot, which was infinitely more tender and savoury. The decor was crisp and clean, and the wait staff were nothing but friendly and completely accommodating. I have no doubt that this was perhaps just an off day amongst many good ones, as I don't doubt that their many accolades are not well deserved. Unfortunately, I think it was just our bad luck and if we had not been on a tight schedule, we could have have asked for a re-do of our entrees (which I am sure they would have been more than happy to accommodate). But this was the meal we were served, and unfortunately the only meal I can base my review upon. Hopefully I'll get another chance to come by and give Blackbird another chance the next time I'm in Chicago!
(2)
Bill Y.

Anniversary dinner, and the service was excellent! Recommend to anyone.
(5)
Judith N.

This place reminds me of why i love food so much. Was happy that it started opening at 5 for the opera season, so knew it would be easy to get a table before Chicago Ideas Week Session at the Oriental Theater. My girlfriend and i split the goat's ham and fried leg app (and they put it on two plates) and it was good throughout. Then we split the Gnudi entree and the veal entree. The Gnudi was the best i've had in the city ... and i order it a lot. So light and fluffy, and the crispy kale was perfect. The Veal was of course, delicious as well. We washed everything down with a bottl of the white rock vineyards claret. All in all - its a little expensive to make a habit but this is a place to go for a treat!
(4)
Vivian C.

I came here last Monday for lunch with friends and fellow Yelpers Cathy H. and Tom H. $22 prix fixe seemed like a steal, and I was ready to get my EAT ON! I ordered the $22 prix fixe lunch: veal sweetbreads appetizer, stuffed quail entree, and a peach brioche. The sweetbreads were oh-so-chicken-nuggety, all fried and crispy and savory! I very much enjoyed those innards, and I think you will too. My stuffed quail was pretty delicious too. Like most entrees at nice restaurants, this also included a scattering of other ingredients that I failed to recognize, but who cares. It was good. The peach brioche was... interesting. Our waiter poured some type of peach juice all over the brioche, so the brioche looked like it was swimming in a pool of water. I ate the curious thing with fascination and confusion. It just goes to show how little I know of fine dining, and how absolutely uncultured I am. "Why did they pour that juice all over my bread?" I haven't found an answer yet, but all you need to know is that it was good. I should warn you, though, that the prix fixe portions are tiny. Cathy H. calls this a "big plate-tiny food" place, and indeed it is. Blackbird (and all other "big plate-tiny food" establishments), I've always wanted to give y'all this suggestion: I think y'all should buy some smaller plates and put the same amount of food on it. You see, this will effectively create the illusion that there is a lot of food. Anyway, if you don't opt for the prix fixe, you should probably order one of their sandwiches. My friends each ordered sandwiches, which were pretty decently priced, and they both really enjoyed their meals. I think the sandwiches were $13 each, or so. Their portions were pretty big, and Cathy H. especially enjoyed the GIANT servings of fries that came alongside the sandwiches. Oh, and I can't write this review without mentioning their TRULY EXCEPTIONAL service. Our waiters and waitresses were all gracious, attentive, and responsive. Also, when my friend found what may've been an eyelash or a string in her food, our very gracious host ended up not charging us for that entree AND gave us two free desserts! So gracious. I enjoyed my meal, though I thought the portions were quite small. This place also has a very classy yet casual feel about it and is both spacey and intimate. Add some great service to the mix, and I'd say that this was a great introduction to Chicago fine dining for this West Coast kid.
(4)
Bonnie n.

yoms, the tastiest meal i had in chicago during this trip. We were sat outside on a beautiful day so that was extremely enjoyable. The negative was that there were bugs attacking us all night (but that's what you get in exchange for the nice ambiance). my bf and I shared everything and it made me happy :) salad of endives with crispy potatoes, basil, dijon, pancetta and poached egg-- extremely well presented, the potatoes were fried and crispy like chips the only negative is that there needed to be more pancetta. roasted hudson valley foie gras with hazelnut, parsley root and spicy pickled lime- mmmm... really really rich and so good. makes me sad that i'm gonna lose out living in cali and the foie gras ban starting july 1. roasted alaskan halibut with turnips, almond, pickled turmeric and smoked butter-- the smoked butter just made this dish, and the halibut was perfectly cooked roasted rabbit saddle and confit leg with barley risotto, broccoli, egg yolk and yuzu- so glad my bf ordered this and shared with me. so darn good, one of the best rabbit i've had espresso chiffon with blood orange, honey and golden turnip ice cream- so disappointing, wasn't at all like what i expected, not sweet, and the foam on it tasted just disgusting. even my bf thought so. hay-honey semifreddo with strawberries, quinoa, and chamomile- sooo freaking good. mmm mmm mmm. the quinoa was a nice added crunch. soft and crunchy at the same time. noms definitely would come here again
(4)
Tom Z.

The appetizers were superb. Will have to try more next time as they were more succulent and flavorful than the entrees (decent as well). would recommend the suckling pig for anyone out there. The goat cheese cheesecake looked as good as it tasted.
(4)
Sharon S.

I'd give it 3.5 stars - Went to Blackbird for their 3 Course Lunch Pix Fixe Menu. Started with the warm sepia noodles with spring onion, avocado, green pumpkin seeds and lime, then had the chicken with sausage, with caramelized onions, and for dessert had the Chocolate Ganache with Tahitian Vanilla Gastrique and Parsnip Ice Cream. I'd say my favorite was the appetizer. The noodles were cuttlefish like - different yet very good! Main meal - I really enjoyed the chicken, the skin was super crisp, but I wasn't a fan of the sausage, it was hard and didn't really enjoy eating it. The dessert was good as well. I didn't find it exceptional but quite delightful. The space was smaller than I expected but very classic and modern. Staff was very nice and was always refilling my water, which I greatly appreciated. I'd probably come back again and try something else on their regular menu. It's decently priced. I've also heard good things about their brunch so that would also be an option.
(3)
Tom D.

I was really impressed with my experience here. All the meats were just beyond succulent and juicy. I enjoyed their custom drink list and menu staples very much! Service was sweet.
(5)
John K.

Been here twice. Once for lunch which was outstanding (they have a great burger). Dinner was good but nothing stood out. Maybe it was just an off night.
(4)
J M.

We had reservations at 8:30pm and were seated immediately. The service was top notch as well... but the food, eh. The portions were teeny tiny--- My husband got the elk, which he says he liked but wasn't blown away. I had the cod, which was incredibly salty as well as everything else on the plate. The presentation, however, was beautiful. But not everyone goes to a place just for presentation, you want to the food to be great too especially for what you pay here. Not sure that I would go back again. Plus, the place is tiny, the tables were extremely close together. We were there with a small group so we had to speak up to hear each other, however, I always had the feeling that our "neighbors" were part of our conversation as well.
(3)
Larry B.

About two years ago I had dinner at Blackbird. This time it was lunch for myself at the bar. The food was excellent, and the bartender made a good suggestion for a drink to go with my lunch. On a hot summer day, what people wore ranged from coat and tie to shorts. My suggestion is that for this classy place, leave the shorts at home; the food deserves more respect.
(5)
Minh C.

Our party of four had an early reservation - 6PM - so the noise level was actually perfect for conversations. The service was a little slow, although this may just had been the kitchen starting up for the night. Onto the food... I had a bowl of falafel, egg yolk caramel, and white pepper, all mixed together in a smoothly blended soup of garbanzo bean. Even though the soup had no cream, it was rich in flavor, especially when eaten together with the falafel. For my entree, I had the roasted lobster, laid on top of fried white polenta, braised lobster mushrooms, carrots, and, yes, coffee. The lobster was cooked perfectly, not chewy like some places like to make it. The coffee added a nice bitter taste to balance the richness of the lobster. All in all, a great entree. For dessert, the four us ordered individually, but did a clockwise rotation of plates until we all had a bite of each of them. First up for me was the dark chocolate-sourdough sponge cake with yogurt panna cotta, sarsaparilla figs and coriander. While this sounds delicious, it was perhaps my least favorite. The sponge cake was bland and the yogurt panna cotta was a lightweight contender at best. Next, I took a bite of the sweet, soft, valrhona chocolate paired with pistachio pain perdu, buttercream, and candied beets. Every bite of this was a bite of heaven and a sharp contrast to the spongecake. My third bite was of the espresso chiffon with blood orange, honey, and golden turnip ice cream. The bitterness of the blood orange went well with the espresso chiffon cake and would be something I would try again. Finally, I had a bite of the white chocolate mousse with stewed rhubarb, pine nut granola and saffron. As expected, this was on the sweeter side of things, and had a nice finish to each bite as my taste buds switched from the white chocolate to the rhubarb. Though on the pricey side, I would definitely come back for another bite of the valrhona chocolate!
(4)
Ramya P.

The best pre-fixe menu ever! $22/person for lunch... I'll take it!! Our host was very accommodating and offered us the veggie option for entree from their regular menu. This is the least intimidating ambiance for a modern american cuisine I've experienced. The food in itself was simple... but daring at the same time. Although I wasn't a fan of the basic mixed green salad, I really enjoyed my potato soup, sweet potato gnocchi and LOVED the dessert platter.
(4)
Zo O.

3.5 Bread & butta wasn't spectacular. Standard. Went here for lunch for a friend's bday, and I decided to try out the $22 prix fixe menu. I was def tempted to order the whitefish sammich, but I figured I should go with something more blackbird-y. haha. I got the asparagus bisque which was cool and light, but I like my soup hot. It was O-K. I then ordered the sturgeon with soybeans, and I swear I thought it was chicken! It was chewy! But I guess it's cause the way it was prepared. It was O-K. I got the hazelnut dacquoise with espresso, crispy chicory caramel and apricot kernel sherbet, which was purty good. +1 for my friend's free bday dessert :) some polenta fried blueberry something, something. DELISH & sweet(sweet of blackbird to hook it up). I don't know if I'd come here for dinner since it seems like the same stuff at a later time with additional number$$$.
(3)
Kensey W.

yum and such a good deal! came here expressly for the prix fixe lunch which was delicious and an amazing deal. tried an octopus appetizer that was great because the octopus was so tender and not rubbery in the least. and also, not fishy or too salty either. that's important too. the other appetizer was a hot, chowdery, spiceful soup with two delicious chunks of tuna. that may have been the best thing of the meal. mains were decent. i had the sturgeon, which i found to be too salty. i also didn't like the texture, but i usually don't eat/like cooked fish so it may have been standard texture. (i was trying to be adventurous since this restaurant has a good reputation.) i did really like the sweetness of the pear chunks with it though. i got to try some duck leg confit over the tastiest beans that looked lightly tossed in cream sauce. the beans were the best part. for dessert, i got to try my friend's dessert which was an assortment of creams and goos and sauces and two little pieces of cake. there was something resembling a semifreddo, which was the best part. the other goos were nice too but one tasted just like jello liquid and that was a big turnoff. my own dessert was a chocolate cremeaux, which was very decadent and smooth and creamy. the only thing about it was the it was smeared on the plate in that fancy way some restaurants do and it looked like poop. overall, a really good experience. i would definitely come back to get the prix fixe again, just because it's so fun or i'd love to even try some of their sandwiches. since the entrees were the least exciting part of the meal, i'd be hesitant to come back for dinner. but still, very very yummy.
(4)
Jen R.

We used valentines day as a perfect excuse to finally give Blackbird a try. I went into dinner expecting one of the best meals that I'll eat this year and I was not let down. The food was absolutely delicious. After reading several yelp reviews about the smaller portions, we decided to both get our own appetizers (and im glad we did because the portions were small). We started with the veal sweetbreads and baby octopus. They were both delicious but I would strongly recommend getting the sweetbreads. AMAZING. The boy got the rabbit and loved it. I had a few bites and was surprised at how good it was. However, I don't think it was better than pork shoulder that I got. The pork literally melted in my mouth and was so tender. I could have eaten it with a spoon. So after all of this.. why 4 stars and not 5? The desserts -- after all of the pastry and dessert awards the chef has won, we were both expecting to be blown away by the desserts but both thought it was the most lack-luster part of the evening. We got the espresso sponge cake and the black walnut cake. Both were good, but we just weren't blown away by either. I'd probably skip dessert when we come back.
(4)
Lina M.

Great ambiance and super cute. Had lunch and dinner on two separate occasions. Dinner are much better. However, $22 3 course lunch is a great deal. Place is fairly small so make sure you have a reservation. One thing that I did find a bit annoying is the frequency at which they keep refilling your glasses of water. Literally every few sips.
(5)
A K.

Blackbird restaurant is ridiculously overrated. The presentation of food is decent, but everything else is a miserable failure. Ingredients clash with each other (like pork bellies served with sea urchins), foodstuff is not of the finest quality you'd expect for the prices they charge (we judged by pork and sturgeon), sauces are simply bad, and overall resulting taste is either blunt or unpleasant, always unsatisfying. If you are full of it and need to go where "everybody" goes, then go ahead, pretend this place is good. But if you love yourself and your food, spend your time and your money elsewhere.
(1)
Tina R.

Although they didn't offer a dinner menu for restaurant week, my husband and I were able to try the modified tasting menu with 7 courses. We had heard that the portion sizes were a bit to be desired but since we got the tasting menu, we were fine. And everything was fantastic! We started off with cocktails, me the Luna Sea and my husband something with scotch. Mine was very tasty, not too sweet but flavorful with the plum. My husband definitely liked his since he got two. The first thing was an amuse-bouche, which was yummy but can't remember what it was. Then we had bay scallops, perfectly seared and rich on the inside. Then came the butternut squash soup. The char added a hint of smokiness while the roe a bit of sea saltiness. A strange combination overall. Our entrees came next. First was the ahi tuna with mushrooms and some chickpea mash. The tuna was unbelievably smooth and rich, loved the mushrooms. The chickpea thing was totally amazing though! Probably our favorite part of the meal actually. It was sweet and nutty at first but then ended with a hint of spice. The bar was crispy on the outside and creamy like polenta on the inside. Wonderful! After that came the pork shoulder with leeks and kumquats. The pork was really good with the sauce and the kumquat gave the dish a unique turn with a burst of bitter citrus. Before dessert, we were given a goat cheese sorbet to cleanse our palate. I adore goat cheese in sorbets and ice creams. It gives it such a rich but not too sweet sensation. The dessert was the espresso spongecake with blood orange and turnip ice cream. The spongecake was the epitome of spongey and the espresso flavor was well balanced with the ice cream. Overall, a really great meal! The service was excellent also! Our waitress was patient, well spoken and not at all snooty. She seems like she really enjoyed the food, the people there and serving us. I'd highly suggest Blackbird!
(5)
Rachel S.

The BF and I came here for our 5 year anniversary. It was, how you say, an excellent choice. First off, we were greeted by a lovely list of signature cocktails. I'm a sucker for a signature cocktail. I had the "Spring Thyme" which was amazing; I'm also a sucker for herbs used in beverages. My bf ordered something like the "Black Bird", when there was another drink on the menu called the "Black Beard" hence, there was a screwup. We explained the mistake to the waitress when we figured it out, and she let him sip on the incorrect drink while the bartender made the correct one, which was cool. The food: shall we just say that all the hype is well deserved. We had a crispy sweetbread for an app (we were feeling adventurous and decided to give the old thymus gland a try). It was amazing. I will never doubt the deliciousness of a gland again, as long as it is prepared at Blackbird. I had a fish dish which was probably the best thing I've ever eaten. My bf had the pork belly, and I'd guess he'll say the same thing. Its expensive, but out of control amazing. If you're looking for a mind blowing culinary experience, I highly recommend you give Blackbird a try.
(5)
Jason L.

And so Lynn and I were joined by our friend Virginia, she from the southern portion of that state we call "home." As a result, we ended up at Blackbird . . . You see, we originally planned to eat at the Girl and the Goat, but they couldn't accommodate increasing our reservation from two people to three, and so we had to cancel our dinner there -- trading in Stephanie Izard for Paul Kahan. (Sorry, Stephanie - next trip!) Now, keep in mind that Lynn and I had dined at Kahan's newest restaurant, Publican, the night before, and we enjoyed that so much, the bar was pretty high . . . as was the concern that it might not have met our expectations. Instead, I should have remembered the motto of one Alfred E. Newman: "What, me worry?" In other words, dinner was GREAT! We met Ginny at the restaurant . . . sort of. We were about half an hour early for dinner, and went next door to Kahan's *other* restaurant, Avec, for a glass of wine and to catch up -- after all, we hadn't seen Ginny since last week's conference in Vegas. At 9:00 pm exactly (7:00 for us Californians), our table was ready and we were seated . . . BTW, the waitress at Avec told us to go ahead and sit down; she'd bring us our check -- which she did. Much easier than having to wait; and very nice, too. After having so much pork in the last few days, Lynn and I were definitely ready for some lighter fare. She opted for the chilled cantaloupe and buttermilk soup with paddlefish caviar, candied sourdough, ginger and anise hyssop -- fresh, bright, and flavorful -- while Ginny and I both had the salad of endives with crispy potatoes, basil, dijon, pancetta and poached egg (yeah, yeah, I know -- pancetta IS pork, but still . . . it was soooooo good!). Ginny had the roasted farm chicken and blue prawns with quinoa, grilled snap peas and mish mish (?) -- sweet, succulent and surprisingly sumptuous. Lynn dove into the roast lobster with lobster and maitaki mushrooms (OMG). Meanwhile, although -- I admit -- I was momentarily tempted by the elk poached in duck fat (?!?!?!) . . . I sighed and instead ordered the wood-grilled sturgeon with chanterelles, kohlrabi, plums, thai poppy jam and brown butter-fish sauce -- oh so delicious! and the 2008 Vincent Dureuil-Janthial Puligny-Montrachet "Champs Gains" paired beautifully with all three entrÃ©es. For dessert, Ginny had a selection of five cheeses -- Shadow Brook Farms "Chevre Frais," goat's milk (Lincoln, Nebraska) with bing cherries; Nettle Meadows "Kunik," goat's milk (Warrensburg, New York) with mustard genois; Green Dirt Farm "Bossa," sheep's milk (Kansas City, Missouri) with hazelnuts' Cobb Hill "Ascutney mountain" cheese, raw cow milk (Hartland, Vermont) with blueberries; and the "St. Agur" cow milk (Auvergne, France) with apricots -- paired with a half-glass of Pouilly-FumÃ© (for the goat cheese) and a half-glass of CÃ´tes-du-RhÃ´ne (for the rest). Lynn had the frozen cucumber mousse with musk melon, peanut meringue and lime ice -- brilliant! -- while I chose the raspberry sorbet (so intense, so smooth, so flavorful, and still bright and fresh). All in all, this was another wonderful meal in Chicago . . .
(5)
Elana L.

Good food better cocktails. Lynn House knows her cocktails. The food is excellent. Everyone needs to try out one of Lynn's cocktails before they eat their meal or better yet grab your food and drinks at the gorgeous bar.
(4)
Ethan N.

I'm not the biggest fan of "new American" cuisine, or whatever exactly this place would purport to be. But regardless of that, it was a very good meal overall. The appetizers didn't exactly blow me away. Eight of us split three different appys. Steak tartare - 'Twas okay overall. Really nice flavors, but it seemed underseasoned for me. The texture was nice. Suckling pig - I did not get this dish at all. I regret to say I didn't read the details of it on the menu, so maybe I missed the concept. It's basically chunks of lukewarm pork and sausage in a wrapping of ... more pork or skin or something? There are also uncooked garbanzo beans in it. I'm obviously not doing the description justice, but I felt like there was a decided lack of harmony on the dish. Veal sweetbreads - These were dynamite. Crisp and fluffy at the same time, great flavor. They come with pickled cauliflower which is a great accompaniment to the earthy sweetbreads, really cuts the heartiness down a bit. For the mains my lady and I shared two dishes. Sea bass - It was paired with a clams, chorizo, and pears, and then bathed in a clam broth of sorts. The fish was cooked fantastically, I just wasn't sure about the other pieces of the dish. They weren't particularly harmonious with the fish. Lamb belly - This dish was effing delicious. Some people at our table thought it was just "allright." That is until I reached over and slapped the wrongness out of their heads. It's a beautiful example of tender meat treated right (take note ladies). I tried hard not to wolf it down in desperation of making some of its carbon part of me forever. Someone else at our table ordered it and couldn't finish so I stole hers from her plate without a second thought. The table did order desserts, but alas I didn't sample any. For the record, the mascarpone panna cotta was the big winner. Everyone loved it. I hear the lunch is the way to go at this place, and I would happily come back to try it.
(4)
Rachel W.

Dined here on a Tuesday evening, typically a quiet night in restaurant-ville, but not at this establishment which was buzzing. Arrived promptly for our 8pm reservation and were immediately seated in a lovely table in the window which only added to our great experience. I came hungry, knowing I would want to take advantage of as many tastes as I possibly could. Everything I ate was delicious. I ordered the sturgeon as my main, and as other reviewers have suggested, it was fantastic. Just go. Check it off the list.
(5)
John L.

Went here last night with the lady. We've heard about blackbird and wanted to check it out. This is what we found: 1) price is on the high end, but it is not undeserved. appetizers are around $15 and entrees are around $40 each. 2) portions are on the small side but that is how these types of places operate. 3) quality and taste are great. We got the mussel bisque, foie gras and the lamb entree. Lamb was superb. It is so tender since it is roasted for 8 hours. 4) ambiance is very modern and the staff was very attentive and kind. It was a good experience but for the price point I do not know if I'd go back.
(3)
Gabriela R.

AMAZING! I can still savour the butternut squash (best i've tried) soup and the halibut :) Came here for dinner and had a taste of the rabbit as well --it was delicious. Have to recommend this place for a great dinner experience. Service was OK
(5)
Triphena W.

Really nice lunch. The food was thoughtful, beautiful, and delicious, if not slightly overrated. One criticism: the bread was served warm but tasted a day old. Nonetheless, $22 for 3-courses is a great way to sample Blackbird. The courses are modest in size. I felt satisfied...barely. The restaurant was about 1/3 full so conversation was easy and I wasn't rubbing elbows with neighboring diners as might happen during a busy dinner service. Easy street parking during lunch time. If you're in the mood to dress up and people watch, go for dinner. If you want to have a relaxed meal with great food at more reasonable prices, I recommend lunch!
(4)
Lawrence Y.

We had a 930p reservation on a Saturday night. We showed up a tiny bit late and waited at the bar a few minutes before we were seated, but that was no problem. We sat at the table next to the window, where I'd get cold every once in a while but it was fine. I don't recall our servers name but we were tended to very well throughout the night. Napkins were always folded promptly when excused from the table - yeah, it's that kind of fancypants. The restaurant had a good ambiance to it. It was minimalistic to my mind, well lit - something I wouldn't have expected but it was nice. We started off with the king crab appetizer (alaskan king crab with celery root-ricotta, picoline olive marmalade and pickled ground cherries) - very good, small portioned. For my entree, I got the pork rip chop (grilled becker lane pork rib chop with caramel potatoes, green asparagus, sea beans and cured egg yolk) which was surprisingly tender, juicy and well, good. In retrospect it was a nice experience, a bit on the pricey side.
(4)
Shari B.

Modern, sleek restaurant with excellent food. The veal sweetbreads appetizer was definitely a highlight and a dish that I highly recommend! The steak tartare was great- loved the textures and flavors. For our mains, we chose the rabbit and lamb belly. The lamb was disappointing- I thought it was a bit stringy and not "fattie" as you'd think the belly part would be. The rabbit was tastier. Overall, the service was good and attentive.
(4)
Erika K.

Blackbird is an imaginative dining experience that proves why it has been an elite restaurant for over 15 years, and why chef/owner Paul Kahan was the 2013 winner of the James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef. Full review here: thebuckwheater.com/blackâ€¦
(5)
Kara K.

Maybe its because I'm a vampire that I don't find lunch time dates or daytime restaurant lighting very sexy--but Blackbird has officially changed my mind. I've heard and read all the rants and raves about this West Loop eatery from, "It's the Baby Jesus of restaurants," to, "It's aggressively overrated," so I really didn't know what to expect. However, from the moment I walked in, I was sold. Oozing with sexiness, exceptional cuisine and punctuated by sleek, minimalist decor and a hot staff, Blackbird is tha bizniss. My Favorite Foodie Friend and I strolled into a packed Blackbird on a Wednesday afternoon and were immediately seated. Our handsome and gracious server greeted us, delivered the menu run-down and had our mouths watering something fierce. We decided champagne would quell our hunger momentarily so the sommelier recommended the Pierre Gimmonet Grand Cru Blanc de Blanc--and what a wonderful recommendation it was! As we sipped our bubbles, caught up on life and perused the menu, we made our decisions--and what awesome decisions we made. For our first appetizer we split the salad of endives with crispy potatoes, basil, dijon, pancetta and poached egg. Absolutely savory and subtle, yet containing several layers of intense flavors. Next up, was the butternut squash soup with trout. I initially ordered mine without the fish but upon seeing and tasting my FFF's soup with it, I asked our server if he could add it to mine. He did so graciously and I then proceeded to devour one of the most piquant butternut squash soups I've ever had in LIFE. A mind-blowing combination of explosive flavor and texture. The crispy duck confit and country sausage with cauliflower, maitake mushrooms, grapes and kaffir lime was my choice for an entree--and what a smart choice it was. The duck was tender and seasoned to perfection and the intensity, variety and dimensions of flavor of the garnishes had me swooning as if LL just walked in the room. My FFF was winning the smart-entree choice game too with the woodgrilled sturgeon with chanterelles, kohlrabi, plums, thai poppy jam and brown butter fish sauce. Absolutely delectable. By this time, I really had no more room in my stomach but FFF insisted I order the bittersweet chocolate gateau with goat's milk, cola nut, fresno and cherry sorbet for dessert. Being the chocolate whore I am, I was super satisfied with this choice. Since the lunch rush was winding down, we got a chance to chop it up with the chefs and watch them do their thang. Very cool and friendly guys who invited us to come back at any time. From start to finish, this experience was simply outstanding. Blackbird, with its mind-blowing flavors, exquisite plating, extraordinary service and daytime sex appeal has earned a place as one of my top five favorite restaurants in Chicago.
(5)
Abhishek M.

I am almost ashamed of having lived right next to Blackbird for 1.5 years now and not gone sooner. I like eating out and checking out new restaurants but also prefer a casual dining experience. The white table cloth may have deterred me from checking out Blackbird sooner :). This was another business dinner so the fact that I spent oodles of $$ and walked out hungry didn't pinch too much but I would be skeptical to go back just for this one reason. Don't get me wrong, I haven't had too many molecular gastronomical (sp) experiences aka no Alinea, TRU etc on my resume but I was definitely wowed both by the presentation and execution of everything that came to the table. Their cocktails were a little fruity but not uber sweet and very refreshing for a hot summer day. I tried one with rasberries and another one with blueberries, both really good. We ordered the crab and veal sweetbread for appetizers and I loved the veal. Being a sweetbread virgin, I didn't quite know what to expect but enjoyed the texture and taste. I ordered the sturgeon for my entree and I am so glad I went with the server's recommendation. Apparently it is their most popular dish since they opened and definitely one of the best fish servings I've ever had. 3 small pieces of Sturgeon were served with a small salad and a sauce of sorts. (See why I left hungry?)
(4)
RJ H.

Let me be perfectly clear and concise: I have NEVER had anything other than flawless at Blackbird. Even dishes that I might not have particularly cared for (it happens): still flawless, still fresh, still delicious. A cornerstone recommendation of mine to foodie-minded friends visiting the Windy City. "Go to Blackbird. Go other places, too. But go to Blackbird."
(5)
Rich W.

Blackbird offers the best lunch deal in the city - $22 for a 3-course Michelin-level cooking. After a year, it was time to return to see if it had improved. Appetizer was charred baby sepia. The execution was perfect. And the accompanying vegetables provided bright flavors and contrasting textures. A beautifully composed dish. Entree was duck confit with green garbanzo beans and watermelon. Another exquisitely composed dish - with the duck executed to a tee. The watermelon added an element of surprise that worked well. Dessert was chocolate cremeux with cashew and bergamot sauce. This was another visually stunning dish that showcased contrasting but balanced textures and flavor profiles. Service was painfully slow and sterile. The decor hadn't changed - still cold and sleek. Portion size was anemic. After three courses, I was still a bit hungry. That said, the food improved from my previous visit a year ago. This was accomplished cooking - with mastery in composing textures, colors, and flavors. If they improve their woeful service during lunch, I will return in a heartbeat. Blackbird is at the top of its game; it is contemporary American at its best. From the quality of this meal, Blackbird seemed to be cooking at 2-Michelin-star level already. I wouldn't be surprised if they garner a second star within the next couple of years.
(4)
Gretchen R.

I ate dinner then lunch a few days later at Blackbird. Dinner was the better of the two meals. Lunch is only M-F and you should make a reservation or come early to ensure you can be seated. It's really small so not good for groups larger than probably 6. Plenty of 2 and 4 person tables. The tables are very close together, plan on eavesdropping on your neighbors. LUNCH (Monday 1130am): $22 prix fixe lunch is pretty standard. The salad is enormous for an appetizer. I followed with the sturgeon, was okay. The garnish of buttered cabbage was delicious. Espresso cake with turnip ice cream was interesting. Eaten together it was good--turnip ice cream alone was a bit strange. They serve little glass bottles of Coke (warning if you were expecting to get unlimited soda). meter parking: $3.50/hr. DINNER (Friday 9pm): Tasmanian sea trout ($36) at dinner was delicious cooked medium (this is how is was automatically served--great b/c I hate overcooked fish). I would return for this! I'd had it before at American Fish (Michael Mina) in Las Vegas and it was amazing there too. It's similar to salmon and is very moist. Our water glasses were refilled probably every 5 minutes. The service really was amazing for dinner--def. worthy of it's Michelin star. Dinner was the better of the two dining experiences. meter parking: free at this time Blackbird is a bargain. Where else can you eat a 3 course meal at a Michelin star restaurant for $22? (If you know, please message me!)
(5)
Martin R.

The lobster appetizer and pork collar were both terrific. Very tasty. The service was very good, especially considering we came in without a reservation. Highly recommend.
(4)
Jessie H.

Got there at 5:45. Early dinner, but the place was empty. Had the best table and best service ever. **ladies! They even provide purse hooks for you to use!** Shared the Roasted Hudson Valley foie gras with warmed quince, pecan shortbread and saison sophie which was extremely decadent. The warmed quince was heavenly and paired really well with the rich and savory foie gras. Then shared the slow-cooked Tasmanian sea trout with niagra grapes, shaved brussels sprouts, celery root and granola and the grilled prime beef short rib with cauliflower, sesame gnocchi, ground cherries and sassparilla root. Both were really tasty and cooked to perfection. Tasmanian sea trout is really rare to find outside of the Australia/New Zealand area so it was definitely a treat to have. It cooks like salmon. The 5 of us then split 3 desserts: sweetcorn bavarois with cornbread pain perdu, candied pecans and bliss maple sherbet - SO GOOD. this was the best thing ever. manjari chocolate pave with black mission figs, crispy chocolate and lime salt - this was really really rich, so if you like a lot of chocolate, then this is for you. apparently it's not for me. they also had a panna cottta that sounded amazing but was the least liked dessert within our group. i would definitely recommend a reservation as this place was PACKED by the time we left. prepare to throw down a lot of cash, but know that it was completely worth it.
(4)
Shirley L.

3.7 The space (all white) and ambience are great. Had a bite of the octopus appetizer which was amazing. I ordered the braised becker lane pork shoulder with sunchokes, burnt leek, kumquat and horesradish caramel. I think the kumquat threw me off... and the pork could have been a bit more tender... but overall, it was good. Desserts were a mix -- I ordered the peanut cake, which was good, but the chestnut mousse with persimmons, caramel and perigord truffles ended up being my fave. wine bumped up the prices even more, which is why my rating is an "ehhh good" vs. "very good." probably would not come back, but would recommend trying if you've never been.
(4)
Sarah C.

My partner and I enjoyed my birthday dinner here on Sunday, May 19. It was a full house, and though other reviewers commented on the cramped quarters, my date and I didn't find it to be a big issue. The service was attentive without being overbearing, and the food was excellent. Portion sizes, though small, were just right. Chic, sexy, interesting: Blackbird is recommended if you are looking for something special.
(5)
Angie N.

From the outside Blackbird doesn't look like much, blink-and-you'll-miss-it building with the restaurant name in small letters above the door. Inside is also minimalist - white walls, wood flooring, hints of brushed chrome here and there, nice pops of color brought in by a couple of huge vases of yellow daisies. Long narrow dining space, nice bar off to the right. I really like that the ambience and noise level did not compete with our dining experience. We were greeted immediately, our coats taken, and lead to our table (FYI - space between tables is nil - they have to pull them out for you to get into your seat - so those of you with personal space issues, consider yourself warned) Our server Sarah was the best, so personable and friendly, and great with the recommendations. Here's a rundown of what we enjoyed: Cocktails - Hibiscus Kiss (me), Cannes Artist (hub). Both were very delicious and got our appetites going. Amuse Bouche - Suzuki (Japanese Sea Bass) Sashimi with tapenade, mustard seeds, and chive dill cream - First time to enjoy one of these in a restaurant. It was the perfect first bite of taste and texture. Amused my bouche! Sweetbreads with Candied Kumquats, Black Pepper Jam, and Kohlrabi - Another first, and I could not stop eating them! Such amazing flavors and textures. Octopus Confit w/ Ramps and Red Onions - Another hit. I'm a fan of octopus already, but this was prepared in an entirely new and delicious way, bonus - also discovered that I love ramps. With the above apps, we enjoyed a half bottle of recommended Pinot Noir - a favorite wine of mine. Thoroughly enjoyed. For entrees, we went with the following: Halibut with Uni, Spring Radishes, Ramps, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, and Reduction Sauce - The hub chose this dish and it was amazing. Probably the best Halibut I've ever had...wish there was more of it ^_^ Lamb Saddle with Spring Pea Falafel, White Asparagus - I was determined to be adventurous and not eat one of my usual choices and decided on this dish. I was greatly rewarded. The lamb was juicy, tender, with just enough fat around the edge of the 'saddle'. I loved the falafel - found out that spring peas are in season and was very happy to see them incorporated into a few dishes during this trip. With the above entrees, we each enjoyed another recommended glass of wine each - I'd dish on which winery - but I was getting "fuzzy" by this point ^_^ A well deserved 5 stars for a perfect dining experience on our first night of a fun and memorable R&R weekend (First time to Chicago!). Can't say enough good things about Sarah - she elevated the experience with her professionalism and friendliness. On her last recommendation, we chose our next stop - Pops for Champagne...
(5)
Sonia C.

Their $22 prix fixe weekday lunch is awesome. I came with a friend and we split everything. We started with the cuttlefish noodles and the sunflower gazpacho. I've eaten a lot of cuttlefish, but this was one of the freshest and most interesting preparations I've ever had. The sunflower gazpacho tasted exactly like if they had pureed sunflower seeds along with lots of cream. A very interesting taste though I probably wouldn't have been able to eat more than the very shallow portion provided. We had the duck and the halibut for our entrees. I normally don't like duck because I don't like the gamy, metallic flavor, but this one had a nice smoky flavor that covered it up. The greens beneath the duck was also savory and satisfying. There were 2 little slices of juicy sausage that complemented the duck perfectly. The halibut was also seasoned very well and had a very good strawberry relish accompaniment. Desserts were artfully presented though they didn't wow me taste-wise. The sesame sponge with tart frozen yogurt tasted a little bit like Chinese sponge cake plus Pinkberry. Not bad, just not amazing. The white chocolate mouse with some sort of fruit sorbet was better. Portions were very small, but after 3 courses served with some complimentary bread, we were pleasantly full. Service is great. I would definitely come here again! Lunch is very affordable, dinner not so much. (Note: Contrary to what it says on their website, you can't choose any appetizer, entree, and dessert you like. Rather, the prix fixe menu only has 3 appetizers, 2 entrees, and 2 dessert options.)
(5)
Lily H.

The food was amazing there!! Everything just melts in your mouth!! Our party had the lamb, duck, pork, chicken and veal (don't remember the exact names). And we had the wagyu tartare (a must have) and the pate. There was not on dish I did not like... Even the veal was good and I don't normally like veal! My friend hates lamb but she loved it! We were trying to go the restaurant Avec next door but they don't take reservation and the wait was 2.5-3 hrs wait. So we decided just to go to blackbird, no wait if in patio. We still put in our name and number which Avec called when we were already paying for the meal. We were extremely happy we did not wait for the Avec, otherwise we wouldn't have had an amazing experience at Blackbird. The service was flawless. All the waiter/waitress worked together so that we would have our meals placed all at the exact same time in front of us. Would definitely go back when I visit Chicago again!
(5)
Andrea H.

I couldn't wait for my foodie friends to arrive in Chicago so I could finally try this place. I was holding a reservation for 4 on a Thursday night. Little did I know, two more people had been invited to join. Now I'm all about "the more the merrier", but this provided a bit of a challenge, as this place is teeny. It took some finagling, but thanks to the great staff at Blackbird, they were able to accommodate our party of 6. Since my friends and I are all foodies, we decided to taste everyone else's selections. I started with the Vive Lautrec - a very tasty mix of absinthe brandy, hennessy black, lemon and hyssop. My friend had a very good drink as well in the Vitis Labrusco. Comprised of gin, niagara grapes and jasmine, it was very refreshing and different. For the first course, I chose the sweetbreads with golden beets, truffles and molasses. This was definitely the highlight of my meal. Probably the best sweetbreads I've ever had. My friends chose the mussel soup, foie gras, endive salad and baby octopus. All were good, but I definitely chose the winner. My friend was disappointed with the octopus. She felt it was a bit bland. Kudos to our server for throwing in the endive salad for our friend who did not order a starter. A very interesting presentation. For my main course, I chose the pork collar with black beans, cipollini onions and poblano peppers. I was just ok with this dish. I'm not a fan of mint and the dish is topped with mint and cilantro. I love cilantro, so the rest of my meal involved me picking out the mint to get to the good bites. Once I figured it all out, it was pretty good. My friends ordered the lamb, spare ribs, sturgeon, squab and fried chicken. The lamb was phenomenal! There are very few foods that I don't like, one of them is lamb. That being said, I loved this lamb. Best I've had, hands down. The rest of the dishes were very good except for the spare ribs. Disappointingly bland. The friend who ordered it was very sad. Very. We decided to share some desserts. We ordered the sweetcorn bavorois, both chocolate desserts and a slice of cheese. All were pretty standard. My friend raved about the corn one, but to me, it just tasted like cornbread. I'm really waffling between 4 and 5 stars. Depending on how you order, it could be a 4 star experience, or a 5 star. The place is very loud and the service was a bit sporadic. I'm going to give it a 4 for now, but since I know what to order now, next time will probably be a 5.
(4)
Sarah S.

Blackbird, you did not live up to the hype or my expectations. Our food was cold and overly smoked (2 of 4 plates) despite no mention of smokey flavor on the very detailed description. Dessert options were very limited as you were "out" of several. Hmmm. Not worth the money. Much better meals at places like perennial variant with the same commitment to local ingredients and better prices.
(1)
Christopher W.

This place is utterly fabulous! From the sleek interior, to the friendly staff, to the astounding menu -- just amazing! For those like appreciate a true dining experience, this place is not to be missed!
(5)
Keith A.

I took my brother here for his bachelor dinner along with one of his long time friends. This had come recommended by a bunch of friends, so we were looking forward to this. It was very easy to get to, and there was plenty of parking in lots nearby. We were running slightly late, but it wasn't a problem at all. We were seated right away. The drinks list was great, there was lots to choose from and all of the prices were very reasonable. I settled on a glass of Chateauneuf du Pape since its rare to see a list offer up CdP by the glass They started us off with a small plate of halibut in a white sauce. It was very well cooked and tender. It started off things very well. We then moved into two appetizers for the three of us. We got a plate of crab tails as well as a charcuterie plate. The crab tails were very delicious and had great texture to them while being perfectly cooked, and the charcuterie plate was delicious with some pancetta and a whole slew of other stuff that had a variety of sauces to dip in We then moved into the entrees and I got the peking duck breast. This was perfectly cooked and was very delicious with a good amount of tenderness on the meat, and a crispness to the skin. A real good balance between the two makes it really good. The red sauce has a bit of tangyness to it that complimented the duck as well My brother got the wagyu and we all tried a small piece of it. This was extremely good and melted in the mouth. It was a bit of a tease, but it was great to try Most of all, for high-end dining, this was very affordable. If we weren't covering my brother's bill, it would've been around 75-80 a head after tip, and I've certainly paid more for a lot less. I can't wait to go back here at some point in the future
(5)
Andrew T.

Being in town for only a few days left little time to eat at even a select few restaurants. Thus, after reading about all of its praise and coming across its affordable 3-course prix-fixe lunch offering ($22pp), I decided a few weeks ago that Blackbird was a must to check out while in town. I made reservations for my girlfriend and I at noon in anticipation of it being really busy around lunch. While only a few guests were dining there once we arrived, the restaurant quickly filled for lunch by the end of its first hour open. Ambiance was very classy. The coat-check at the entrance was a nice surprise when we got in. My girlfriend and I decided to forgo the prix-fixe so she could get the Korean-influenced Short Rib Burger while I could get the Grilled Lamb Tenderloin. The waiter was very helpful in suggesting the best temperatures for our meat to be cooked (medium-rare for both) and, based upon his suggestion, I was convinced into ordering the soup of the day, which was a Butternut Squash Soup with Smoked Sable. We were offered typical complimentary bread and butter to start. The butter was very rich with a touch of sweet from the spoonful of poured honey. I tried her burger, which was more on the rare side. Though the fries were better than I would've expected. Very good as far as french fries go--crisp and delicious. My soup was memorably presented as the contents were presented alone in the bowl before the waiter poured the vibrant yellow soup into the bowl at the table. Rich, creamy, and comforting soup on a gloomy Autumn day. The slivers of fish were fatty and smoky. The smokiness reminded me of bacon, but this was better. There were a lot of different flavors in the bowl. As for my entree, the sunchoke vegetable was something I had never had before...it was interesting. It reminded me of jicama or radish. Overall the lamb dish, which was cooked well, was good but not as memorable as the soup. As we ate, we could tell there were a lot of regulars dining here around us. That wasn't surprising and wouldn't mind coming back as well after having a very good lunch here.
(4)
Luan N.

I have never partaken in any illegal drugs in my life, yes even a doobie reefer (whatever you kids call it these days). That's if you don't count breathing in the fresh Jamaican air or taking a breath past an Amsterdam cafe. But I can only imagine this is the closest to a psychadelic experience I could encounter. Yeah, I know the people that abuse drugs are the ones that have the most interesting stories. But I value what little brain cells that I already have. So restaurants like Blackbird are my anti-drug. So my 3 course price fixe lunch at Blackbird was my hallucinogenic trip. I haven't had all my senses titillated like that in a long time. Time just stopped... until I had to put quarters in the meter. I was savoring all these abstract colors and textures. Who would have thought strawberry preserves and A1 sauce would go together with duck tartare. Every bite was such a sensory implosion and I could hear the tater tots seducing me. My counter-intuitive logic was telling me to drown out their sinful suggestions by plugging these tots into my ears. When the chilean sea bass with microgreens, radish, and tarragon puree arrived I had pupillary dilation, euphoria, and tachycardia. The dish had a hint of pine sol flavor and like an LSD trip, it brought me flashbacks from the time I had my appendectomy. I was 9 yrs old, post-appendectomy, and the nurse forced me to walk down the hallway for exercise with an IV saline bag still attached to me. I begged her I wasn't feeling well and it was not a good time. I ended up booting, yaking, and hurling onto the hospital floor. And I still remember the pine sol fumes that covered up my vindictive stench as I smugly shuffled the hallway past the nurses station with my ice cream cone in one hand and a IV stand in the other. Back to moo moo land at Blackbird. The fritters with a milk chocolate gooey center, the delicacy of the soy sorbet, and the articular texture of the sliced apricots was just harmonious euphoria.
(5)
Roger W.

Blackbird is a fine dining restaurant under one of the most celebrated chef in Chicago. The same chef who is responsible for creating some of the best dishes I had in recent years at Avec. Chef Paul Kahan is the culinary mastermind behind Avec, Publican, and Blackbird. Unfortunately, my experience at Blackbird was quite underwhelming. I love the idea of tasting menu. Perfect opportunity to sample different flavors of what the restaurant has to offer. Tasting menu of similar size usually last about three hours or less at other restaurants, so I was a little surprised when dinner went well over four hours. The real problem was the timing between courses. Some courses came out a little too quickly, while others took way too long. There were some highlights from the tasting menu, but it was difficult to overlook several issues. The duck breast was chewy and tough. The sherbet was bland with little flavor. There were too many ingredients on each plate that didn't complement each other. Small problem turns critical when a restaurant is competing at a high level. Sadly, I cannot give Blackbird more than two yelp stars when this is probably the worst Michelin one star experience for me so far.
(2)
Edward L.

Went to Blackbird for Chef's Week and had their tasting menu for that event. I have to say for a one star Michelin restro I was expecting more. Service was OK, the food was OK, and the noise level...? REALLY LOUD! It's a not a good place to go for a nice dinner & conversation. The whole place feels manufactured & the food mass produced. The setting while contemporary is not very comfortable. Not impressed & will likely not go back.
(2)
Mike M.

Fabulous - one of our favorite places to eat in Chicago. Have been a regular for several years and never been disappointed.
(5)
Caroline A.

I don't know why it took me so long to dine here! I had a lovely dinner at Blackbird last night and look forward to returning many times again. We had 8pm reservations and were seated promptly. The restaurant is modern minimalist for sure. I tend not to like this type of decor because it is too cold and sterile for my tastes, but Blackbird seems to do a great job of contemporary decor while still maintaining warmth and comfort. Our server brought me purse holder for the table. I immediately knew it would be a good night! We started off with the Champagne Opportunity cocktail. It was basically a champagne cocktail... I thought it was a little too sweet, but was still delicious. The amuse bouche was skate wing in a salty broth. It was topped with green onion and candied walnuts. Delicious. For an appetizer, we had the grilled octopus confit with coconut-horseradish, fingerling potatoes, granny smith apples and candied black olives. Sounds good, right? Sadly, it was very disappointing. The octopus was overcooked and kind of tasted like chewy styrofoam. However, I liked the coconut horseradish and apples. For the main course, I had the grilled California sturgeon with celery root puree, Anjou pears and sauerkraut gnocchi. It was perfect. The gnocci is actually fried... which was surprisingly good. The sturgeon went beautifully with the celery root puree and Anjou pears. It was the perfect balance of sweet and savory. My friend had the crispy Swan Creek farm duck breast and duck leg confit with smoked cauliflower, salsify, fried chocolate and celery. It comes out pretty rare, which I like a lot, but he didn't. We skipped dessert, but were brought mini hazelnut macarons and lychee jelly. It was a sweet ending to a delicious meal. Service here was absolutely fantastic. It was perfect. Also, I did peek behind the red curtain in the bathroom.
(4)
Jessica J.

We ordered the quail and soft-shell crab for appetizers and the lamb saddle for the entree. Meats were cooked well. Flavors were interesting and delicious. Lots of Asian flavors (star of anise, soy sauce, yuzu with the lamb). Servers were professional.
(5)
Bob D.

Chef Week, you mean Chef weak. Kidding, I have much respect for the empire that Blackbird is a part of, but don't think you can sneak in and get a great meal for a bargain. The room is slick and contemporary, for these prices i would like a leetle more space between me and Trixie. Trixie was funny though, she explained to the waiter how her boyfriend used to work for a famous chef in NOLA, he left to come work at Blackbird. The waiter did not know who she was talking about. I had high hopes of getting the Chef week special menu and being wowed by the creative technician in the back. The chick pea and falafil soup was a great start, the crispy well textured falafil was a genius counterpoint to the creamy sumac laden broth a true winner. The other starter was a bland monosyllabic appointment of perfectly cooked sepia. Described as "warm sepia noodles" someone got lazy in the kitchen and left most of them unseperated. Not a huge deal but certainly showed a lack of detail. The avocado, pumpkin and lime seemed to have the same profile as the sepia and left me wanting chick pea soup. Entrees were Chicken with sausage served in a broth of kaffir lime. Kudos to the perfectly cooked chicken and delicious sausage, but kaffir lime was no where to be found, the broth would have been better represented as bottled water from the island of blandito. Thanks to my limited choices for being cheap, I was stuck with Sea Trout, a true loser of a fish posing as Salmon this look alike was very salty, had barely a sear on the skin. The salty skin did little to mask the mediocre flavor of this low end fish. Served with flagolets (one of my favorite legumes) that were so mealy, so grainy even with the paltry portion sizes I refused to eat them because of the risky gastrointenstinal distress from undercooked beans. To round out my entree were crispy dough balls of pumpernickel and an apple puree, both these items seemed to belong elsewhere. Dessert was fine, it helped me ignore the coffee grinds floating atop my $6 coffee. Had the waiter ever asked how anything was, I may have explained my boredom, but obviously anyone who comes in looking to get out cheaply will be funneled through like the undesirable he is. The prices here are quite stiff, unfortunately most of the food is mediocre and too focused on the technique rather than the ingredient.
(2)
Vivian Y.

Went for lunch last week and enjoyed the 3-course lunch for $22. Some of the most beautiful presentations I have seen on a plate. Great flavor combinations. My friend and I shared our courses: 1) celery root soup with sturgeon belly 2) Octopus confit The soup was delicious, very smooth consistency and sturgeon was lightly seasoned. Octopus, maybe should not be done as a confit as I prefer my octopus with a "bouncy" texture rather than chewy - but the flavors were there nontheless. Entree: 1) Braised short rib in consumme 2) Sauteed skate wing Both entrees were delicious. At first, I wanted the short ribs in a reduction rather than a broth but decided that it was a great way to enjoy short ribs at lunch - less heavy. Super tender (onesixyblue could use a lesson from these guys!) Skatewing was done perfect! Cripsy pan fried on the outside and fork tender on the inside. Desserts: Wow, yum. homemade sorbets. Highly recommended for a fancy lunch or a business lunch. Service was superb!
(4)
Kevin T.

Great meal overall. Excellent service, very friendly waitress with great recommendations. Environment is average. Menu changes regularly. Duck tartare, pork collar, and wagyu steak were all delicious. Coming from NYC this has been one of my favorite meals in Chicago so far. Definitely recommend and would return again.
(5)
Allison C.

I came here with a group of girlfriends. We had a blast! The food looked beautiful and tasted good. However, I can't say that my culinary experience here was memorable. Plus, it's pricey. I've had greater food-gasms at less expensive places. But I'm thrilled to try Avec and Publican (mostly Publican).
(3)
James Z.

It's Chef Week and I went to Blackbird. Let me just say right off, I THOUGHT I WAS A FOODIE. After Blackbird, not so much anymore... it's not a bad thing. I'm just not as frou frou with my food as I thought I was! Anyway... Set the scene... Party of four. Two gay men and two straight women. Good times for sure! We walk in, and we're immediately greeted by the hostess. Good. Okay, she offers to check in our coats and bags. I thought it was odd she piled the coats on the counter, but I later found she stored it. So that was fine. We sat down, water was filled, and bread was given. The floor manager (probably floor manager?) came by and asked if we have any questions about the menu. He noted that they were out of the flat iron steak and instead it is lamb. Sad face. Two of us were really looking forward to the steak. We order our three courses for the Chef Week Menu. I ordered a veal appetizer, sturgeon as my main dish, and satsumi with cheese ice cream for dessert. The veal was all fat. (This is where the "I'm not so much of a foodie as I thought I was" comes in.) It was somewhat delicious, but the texture bothered me. The sturgeon was great, but after awhile, I couldn't eat anymore. I'm not big on fish and since they were out of the steak and had lamb as a replacement, I was out of options since I'm not a lamb fan either. The presentation, however, was beautiful. The dessert was the winner for me. The satsuma with pineapple glaze and cheese ice cream was pretty good. In terms of service, it was hot and cold. Thinking it was lunch, we thought we'd be out of there within 90 minutes. Our friend had to leave after 75 minutes to go to a meeting. The second course barely came out. She asked to pack the dessert, but they couldn't because of the ice cream that came with her chocolate pave. However, the floor manager did it anyway and gave my friend an extra bit of cake to compensate for the ice cream. Brownie points there. Literally. I asked for an iced tea, but it didn't come until 30 minutes into the meal. He apologized and luckily didn't charge me (as he shouldn't). That was good and bad, right? The gentleman cleaning up our table asked us if we wanted to see a dessert menu. I found that odd since they knew we went with the Chef Week set menu. To me, that says the communication lines are a little off. Perhaps that's also because there is not one waiter or waitress? Instead, it looks like multiple people run the entire floor with a food runner (who - by the way - had a beautiful purple and white dress on!). Overall, food was either amazing or blah, and service had its moments as well. More like 2.5 stars since it's smack dab in the middle, but the dessert was so good it's 3 stars.
(3)
Amy L.

Good food and very nicely presented. I came to lunch with a co-worker and I was just so underwelmed with the portion. We did the fix prixe lunch but I didn't read all the other yelper's comments on that before and I was prepared for small portions.. Just not that small. The food was really good, but I wish they would give a bit more, I understand $22 is very little for a three course meal here but maybe cut out one of the course and just make the portions bigger? I had the appetizer- a slice of sashimi portion, the entree, two slices of sashimi portion about double the thickness of normal sashimi, and an ice cream cheesecake that will fit in the palm of a 4 year old. I think I got full from the latte that I ordered at the end though. I do wish to come back and try it for their dinner and hope it is different
(3)
Stephen M.

Having driven from our downstate farm, we arrived 10 minutes late for our 5 p.m. reservation. Or: trying to get a last minute reservation for my daughter's belated 21st birthday dinner, the only opening Blackbird had was one upstairs for 5. When the hostess had told me that the reservation would be upstairs, my antenna rose in potential warning. She assured me that it was quite pleasant, that it was surrounded by artwork and many requested to be upstairs. I wasn't so sure since we had driven by the restaurant a number of times and were always attracted by the street level, full window looking into the stylish, white restaurant interior always with the lush bouquet of flowers at the front. When we arrived, we were greeted by two friendly hostesses who checked our coats and confirmed that we would be upstairs (damn! I thought). As we climbed the stairs (no big deal, but it might be a triathlon challenge if a woman is wearing significant heels), we entered a very attractive room with a bar and an interior of tables surrounded by a banked wall for seating. There was art-work and flowers with the dÃ©cor set in gray with black tables and chairs. It was a stylish, subtle setting. A criticism of the downstairs had been that the tables were too close and that it was noisy. Not so upstairs. After we were seated, a waiter approached. He got an A+ for the whole evening. We had both looked at the menu on-line (recommended). When we asked about wine or any selection, the waiter succinctly described the item, telling us the spicing, preparation, texture and taste expectation. No pretension at all. My daughter had read that the drink menu, cocktails, were excellent. I looked at the selection and chose wine. My daughter chose a drink called a BB gun. This is now her favorite drink. (If you are naÃ¯ve, as a parent, you would be surprised that a 21 year-old could have a favorite drink with her first drink. No one is that naÃ¯ve of course. And of course, this birthday dinner was fairly belated.) The order. Father: mussel soup; foie gras (shared); pork belly. Daughter: celery root bisque, butter poached lobster. Dessert (shared): cheese plate and criolla chococlate. Wines at waiter's recommendation (Kohler Sauvignon Blanc (to start), Van Duzer Pinot Noir (pork belly), Vineau Chevreax Vouvray (lobster). Each plate and the whole dinner was an explosion of interesting tastes, twining together and contrasting in interesting ways. The amount of food was satisfying. Note: do not come to this restaurant with a Las Vegas expectation of all you can eat, waddling out at the end. Mussel soup: with white fish, superbly infused creating a strong suggestion of a bouillabaisse, but better than any I've had in the states. Foie gras: I am reminded by my spouse that I had foie gras in Paris, but I don't remember; this was excellent and I will remember it. The sponge cake and puffed barley that accompanied the foie gras was genius. Pork belly: The pork belly reminded me of a cross between ham and bacon; it seems like a small plate, but the tastes were so rich that more would have been an excess; the chorizo broth was another artistic inspiration. Daughter's report: celery root bisque (delightful, being caught off-guard by raw oyster, but not unpleasantly), butter poached lobster (not too rich as some lobster can be when served in a butter bath). The wines complemented the meal as you would expect given the waiter's recommendations. Next time, I would try the Zinfandel with the pork belly, the waiter's other recommendation. Father and daughter agreed that the cheese plate was wise to order (we weren't certain of this before). The restaurant clearly understood the cheese taste, complementing them with such items as carmelized honey. The criolla chocolate was exactly as described by the waiter, but did not knock our socks off. This is more a criticism of our decision than the selection. Daughter debated whether to get another BB gun, ultimately deciding not to. Recommendation: bring designated driver (for father and daughter, a/k/a wife and mother, who unfortunately was home, happily watching the Olympics, recovering from surgery). We have discussed plans to return to the restaurant in April for my daughter's next birthday when she turns 28. No, it's not that bad, but Dad did delay this 21st birthday dinner for too long a time. Daughter is talking of a continuing "birthday" tour of more Chicago restaurants. If you can find a companion who has such an acute ability to appreciate and describe artistically created food, you are as lucky as I am. Recommended.
(5)
Andrew A.

We ate at the bar, giving us very good access to, of course, the bar. I tried a new Scotch from their extensive menu, Jura Island Superstition. My lunch friend shared her wagyu tartare with pickled beets, grilled cucumbers, borage (not sure what that is?), and shallot confit. She enjoyed it more than I did, but I have no complaints. We kept challenging our server to pair whatever she was eating with a good wine, and by all accounts, we kept him busy, and he did no wrong. The entrees arrive, she had pork belly sandwich with fennel slaw it had cucumber salad and garlic fries, which evidently tasted a lot better than it sounds, or maybe exactly as good as it sounds depending on your take on fennel. I really enjoyed the grilled sturgeon and ham hock with smoked dates and walnut consommÃ©, which, as luck would have it, paired well to my Superstition Scotch whisky. This is a small place, but fills up quickly. The waitstaff are very friendly, and do not offend the eye at all!
(4)
Erica W.

Don't believe the hype. Yes, Blackbird is super-trendy, with modern ambiance, and filled with beautiful people, but the food was just ok. Yeah, I said it. I know that most people gave this place 4 stars, but I won't be rushing back. The food was good - don't get me wrong, but I wasn't rolling my eyes to the back of my head. I went tonight for Chicago Chef's Week, so there was a pre fixe menu. I had a really interesting Mediterranean soup, some trout with garbanzo beans, and a vanilla/orange ice cream and a chocolate tart dessert. Everything was solid and I understood where the chef was trying to go with the food, but it just didn't resonate with me. The nice thing was that they brought purse hangers to our table to hang on the side of the table. Nice touch. The disappointing thing was the bathroom. It needed attention. I should have taken a picture on my phone, but I didn't want to do them like that. Paper towels all over the floor, pee on the toilet. Nasty. Then I walk out and see James Beard awards. Something was wrong with that picture. My friend made a comment about how the men's bathroom would probably be worse - she ended up going in there later b/c the women's was occupied, and she said it was cleaner. Go figure. Other than that, the service was good. I liked how two servers came to our table to present the dishes at the same time. The waiter was attentive for the most part. If someone wanted to take me to Blackbird, I would go, but if it were my choice, I would probably try somewhere else first.
(3)
Larry S.

Took a colleague to dinner there a few weeks ago.We were early but the staff were able to accommodate us. Fantastic wine list and we chose a killer Willamette Pinot Noir with lots of knowledgeable help from our server. Duck and the steak were outstanding as were the Pork Belly and the Veal Sweetbreads. Great staff and ambiance for a fine dining experience. Pricey but great value. I will be back (with the wife).
(5)
Or A.

I really had high expectations for this place... I came here with my family to celebrate my brothers graduation (this was my choice) At first it seemed nice, we got seated at a nice table right next to the open kitchen. We were enjoying watching the chefs work over cocktails and wine. When it came time to order I finally convinced my family to go for the chefs tasting menu. BIG MISTAKE. There were only two dishes that were actually edible out of the 8 savory dishes we received that night. I was sooooo disappointed with the food, I was so excited to eat here. This was my first time in Chicago and I expected so much more from the food here, seeing that almost everyone who rates this place gives it 4-5 stars. The dessert also lacked in flavor, and was very redundant. We got two ice cream courses... I would expect more from a 120$ tasting menu. I don't understand why people are raving about this place, my family was literally about to stand up and walk away after the 3rd course. Now the service. The service was terrible. I felt like I was at a funeral. None of the runners looked me in the eye or smiled when they came to bring or take away any food, it was depressing. And for the server, he saw that we were not enjoying our meal and only came to ask once (during a 3 hour dinner) if everything was ok and when we told him no he made it seem like it was our fault... I now see what a Michelin star can do to a persons ego. After realizing we did not enjoy the meal he avoided us the rest of the night and gave us a poor apology at the end. This is unacceptable at a restaurant with such high standards and prices. At least the service should be good. In the end I only gave one star because of the two dishes I liked and because of the decor and cocktails. I do not recommend this restaurant unless something changes.
(1)
Joe D.

Recently dined here with my fiancee. I'll try to walk you through the evening. Walked into the restaurant and we were greeted by two nice hosts. One of them took our jackets, the other took us to our seats. The restaurant was nice and cozy on the inside. They sat us next to another couple and a group of four. The other couple must have been married for about 30 years - they exchanged about 10 words for the entire meal and were constantly looking over at us - sort of ruined the mood from the get go. We felt as though each and every move of ours was being scrutinized. The service was prompt, and the server was polite - maybe a little too on top of things and too polite if that makes any sense. There were points when we felt smothered and just wanted to talk without being interrupted by somebody topping off our waters or asking how things were. We started with a couple of drinks. The drink menu was what you would expect - lots of wines and high end spirits. We ordered a couple of appetizers. I opted for the suckling pig, and my fiancee went with the scallops. Both were good, but not mind blowing. For the main course, we ordered the elk loin and the pork collar. Again - both were okay. The highlight of the evening was probably the dessert, which also happened to coincide with the miserable couple next to us leaving. We had a dark rum cheesecake with pineapple shaved ice. It was pretty tasty. The pineapple shaved ice was my favorite part of the evening. The whole meal I thought was good, but definitely not $200 good. We likely wont be opening up our wallets again for Blackbird.
(3)
Tom A.

I expected good things considering this place has been in the neighborhood for quite awhile now and seems to still be doing well which is usually a good sign. Unfortunately, I left disappointed. The food was just OK - which is unacceptable considering the prices here. We had a couple of uninspiring appetizers and a ho hum salad. The short rib and sirloin was definitely done well, but didn't save the experience. I don't need to be blown away but if you are going to have an expensive fine dining restaurant with small portioned and simple dishes, they better taste damn good and leave you wanting more. Unfortunately, nothing we had will bring us back in. Also, usually I don't mind the close quarters seating, but if you're going to charge what they charge, you'd prefer a little bit more space. I definitely prefer Avec next door. Better food, better value for your money, and a more casual atmosphere. If fine dining is your thing, you can undoubtedly do better nearby.
(3)
Samantha H.

Two words for you: skate wing. Get it...now. The crispy skin was absolutely perfect. In fact, all of the seafood skin was the best I've ever had. Amazingly crispy and flavorful but the meat itself very tender. Even the Amuse Bouche was tasty! Since I'm on food, I'll keep going. Beef tartare was very tasty. Definitely a different, lighter preparation than I'm used to but more refined. The lamb was good, but not the star. I'm kinda regretting not getting the duck to be honest. But the Maitake mushrooms that came with the lamb were like amazeballs. I don't know what they are, but yum! The elk was awesome as well. One of our party got the halibut which she said was great. The decor was a bit cold, but modern. The service was good. Our server was very well versed on the wine list. Overall quite an enjoyable dining experience and the food was outstanding.
(5)
Hillary L.

Am I too severe? Did I have too high of expectations? Alas, Blackbird, you disappointed me. So much so, that I almost wasn't going to write a review - maybe I was deceived? Of course, I couldn't let my opinion go entirely unheard. The company was not lacking and the atmosphere was professional since you barely dared to speak candidly near the two tables that were an elbows' length away. A perfect place to go with someone when you do not want forced intimacy with all of the people milling about and the opportunity to join the next table's conversation. After much inward debate as to why I am giving the 'I've experienced better' ratings, the food simply did not tempt me. I could barely eat the entirety of the beautiful, crunchy round basket that surrounded the poached egg and potato salad. I chose the halibut for my main entree, and also had difficulty finishing it - it seemed to be missing something for me. The cocktails and wine, of course, were delicious, and service was top notch, but next time I want to go to a designer dinner, I will be choosing (or suggesting) a different venue.
(2)
Mihir P.

Quite overrated. I was expecting a 5-star experience.but it broke down to this: Food: 2 stars I had a decent noodle salad for my app. Noodles seemed homemade and had a richness to it. My friend had a salad with egg in it which was tasty. I liked that one of the staff came by and cut it up at the table and mixed the egg into it, My smoked trout entree was ok. I expected more smoke. My friend had chicken which was so bland and boring. and still was red and pink in some areas. Neither of us finished our entrees as they were meh. Atmosphere: 3 stars. I did like the minimalist decor and that they had The Stones playing. Not expected but awesome! Service: 2 stars Our waitress was nice and knowledgeable but didn't want to get her hands dirty. The bussers and manager were doing the delivering and clearing more than she was. She didn't check to see how our meals were and I saw her yapping away with other employees. She also got our desserts wrong because her mind was elsewhere.
(2)
Taryn T.

Chef week, part 2! If I were ever to have a torrid affair with an older man, I would want him to look exactly like our waiter at Blackbird: an eloquent, mysterious, angular-jawed Adonis in a dark pinstripe suit. Sigh. Thank you, Blackbird, for making it so easy to rate you five vs. four stars. This restaurant is very tiny, so definitely make reservations. Very crowded, very trendy, awesome people watching because it seems to be regularly packed with the "cool kids." While the chef menu portions were small, the presentation was awesome and the food focused on contrasting and very distinct tastes. I'm too lazy to look up the online menu and write down what I ordered, but trust the other 450+ reviews and know that it's damn good. This would be a bad first date place during pique dinner hours because of how close the seating is and how loud the place can get. But if it's someone you know well, it'd make a pretty hot spot.
(5)
Emily S.

Loved it! Blackbird has really embraced Restaurant Week, and we had a wonderful dinner that allowed us to sample Blackbird's pricey menu at an introductory price. First, the way Blackbird does the menu for RW is something that other participating restaurants should note. We received the regular menu which had the RW selections noted with a subtle red dot. Great idea. I ALMOST went off-RW menu with the pork loin until I noted that, at $35, it was more expensive than a 3 course RW dinner! I started with the salad of endives with pancetta, crispy potatoes and a poached egg. It was beautifully presented in a ring of crispy shoestring potatoes. Just as I was wondering how the hell I was supposed to attack it, our server busted out a pair of shears and snipped my salad into bite-sized pieces in front of me. The salad was really delicious (but what with a poached egg is not delicious?). My husband had the scallop appetizer, which was also very good. I had the trout with flageolet beans, pumpernickel and pink lady apple. At first bite, I thought the fish was a bit salty; however, when I got bites of the fish with beans and the dry pumpernickel and the tart apple, it all worked really nicely. My husband went with the roasted chicken and sausage, which he said was really good (I think it was a bit small for him though). Desserts were good, although I much preferred the vanilla dessert to the chocolate ganache. I'm not really one for chocolate though. The service was excellent and well paced. We never once felt like our waiter was annoyed that we were doing the RW menu. We would certainly go back for a special occasion. Obviously, Blackbird is on the spendy side, and as much as I would love to just dine here on random Saturdays, we don't really roll like that.
(5)
Vaidehi T.

My rating is 3 and a half sars. We went here for lunch. Their $22 lunch 3 course pre- fixe menu is the best deal in town. Its a great option to experience Blackbird if you dont want to break the bank. We had 3 vegetarians at our table, and we were offered a veg entree from the regular menu even if there was no veg option in their pre- fixe menu. The presentation for every dish was unique and beautiful. The diver scallops appetizer was the best of all. The mixed greens salad was nothing too special. The entrees were not too great. My fish was a little overcooked and in comparison the veg gnocchi was better. Both the desserts were spectacular. My main beef here is the service. It was not personable and there were long waits between our courses. The service was very mediocre, I realize that they might be putting their best foot forward for the dinner service, but I expected more from a michelin star place. Also, dont go in too hungry for the pre- fixe, because the portions sizes are not too generous.
(4)
Liz G.

My husband took me here for our 1 year wedding anniversary and we were blown away! When he made the reservation, he told them we were vegan and they said no problem. They had plenty of options for all of the courses, each dish was delicious! They even cut my salad for me. Ladies, don't forget to look behind the curtain in the bathroom ;) A memorable and delicious night !
(5)
Rachanee S.

Four of us out for a late lunch. It has a modern minimalist decorated atmosphere without being cold. Sexy without being distasteful. The service was professional, classy and respectful. Our food was BEAUTIFUL!!!! Our food was REMARKABLE. It was food that made you glad to be celebrating.
(5)
Molly M.

Came here for a work dinner with my boss and some coworkers. This place is tiny and busy! The service was impeccable and efficient. We ordered some French Burgundy wine which was amazing, and I had the duck breast entree which was one of the best-cooked pieces of duck I've ever had. This is a great special-dinner spot.
(4)
Melissa B.

I've heard about this place for years and years and I finally laid down the law with my husband that we were in fact going out for dinner on Randolph street last friday night. We were both so impressed with Blackbird that I believe this is now our favorite date restaurant! We were seated immediately and I was particularly impressed with the waiters wearing suits. I liked that look and approach to the service. We started out with some fun cocktails - holy cow! We normally choose a bottle of red wine with dinner, but we couldn't resist trying out Pablo's daughter and You're turning Violet, Violet. These were both fantastic - very creative and tasty. Our dinners were fantastic - we are both snackers, so I wish we would've had a bigger appetite because I wanted to try some appetizers. But we knew it would be a waste of money - in the future, I would come way more hungry! I had the halibut and my husband had the short rib dish and we couldn't have been more happy with our choices! We did each have room in our dessert compartments, so we ordered the poached pear and the chocolate cake desserts and had an incredible finish to the dinner. Our waiter was so kind as to recommend a nice dessert drink for each of us according to what we ordered, and he was SPOT ON! We will be back and I haven't stopped talking about it on all social media. :) I highly recommend this place. It isn't cheap, but so worth it!
(5)
Leena T.

Blackbird is my jam. Hands down my favorite restaurant in Chicago. Expensive, but worth it for food so impeccable, beautifully plated and ridiculously delicious. I don't remember ever eating anything from Blackbird that sucked. My first trip there was in 2005 with my future husband, and I had a main of sturgeon, braised beef short ribs and cornichons that rocked my world a few different ways. Sturgeon is one of my favorite fish, and they always seem to have it in some form on the menu. I also remember a dessert with a waffle, bacon, and ice cream that was awesome. And their endive salad with pancetta, poached egg wrapped in a column of crispy fried potatoes was super fun and tasty. Future trips yielded tastes of fried veal sweetbreads with pickled raisins and banana pudding and delicate malted foie torchon with coffee struesel and pumpkin jus. Incredibly creative and always delicious. And the service is on-point, yet comfortable. I fucking love this place.
(5)
Amin S.

Blackbird was on my list of resturants in Chicago to try and finally took several friends for dinner! We were all very impressed with the menu and the quality of food!!! I have to say we will definitely return to this resturant. The ambiance is casual however the food and the drinks are excellent! If you have not tried Blackbird give it a try soon.
(4)
Jessica L.

My sister and I went here for Chef Week just this past week. The atmosphere was really nice, very happening yet still calm. It was a small, modern and chic place. The service was great, everyone was very nice and attentive. When my sister went to the bathroom, they even covered her plate so it wouldn't get cold. That is pretty ballin. We just shared all of our plates. For the appetizer we got the mussel soup and the ahi tuna. Both were really good. I didn't think the cream cheesy spread really complimented the tuna that well though but the tuna itself was good. For our entrees, we shared the sweet potato angiolotti and the halibut. Both were really good! The halibut so moist and buttery (but didn't have actual butter in it) tasting. Our desserts were okay, nothing exceptionally good. We had some complimentary caramel bites too. Overall the food was good but nothing I was too crazy about. I like the small feel of the place but it was just a little too pretentious for me. The portions of the food were also extremely small. I'm not a BIG eater so to speak but these portions were just minimal for my liking. It would definitely not have been worth it if we paid full price (versus the Chef Week special for $30 3 course dinner). I added pics too!
(3)
Fawn Q.

This has to be one of the best restaurant that I have ever ate at, I am a huge fan! I went with a group so we tried many of the dishes there, but my favorites are the spiced veal sweetbread and the roasted lamb. All the dishes are very innovative, exotic, and sophisticated, there are many ingredients and flavors in the dishes that i haven't even heard or tasted before The spiced veal sweetbreads was light and crispy on the outside and extremely tender and juicy on the inside, one bite and I'm in heaven. the plate also had apricots, nori-peanuts and chickweed, each ingredients were tasty and brought a different dimension to the dish when eaten together. The other favorite is the main dish - roasted leg of lamb, I'm so glad i got it. The lamb was very juicy and tender, with the right combination of meat and fat. the onion jam really made this dish, the marriage of the sweet onion sauce with the savory lamb leg is so delicious. The dish also came with mushrooms, cherries, hearts of palm which were all really tasty and refreshing without ever overpowering the main ingredient some of the other apps I liked are the suckling pig and beef tartar, but i wasn't a huge fan of the desserts overall, amazing service and even more amazing food this makes me want to move to chicago, sigh maybe someday!
(5)
Lollie K.

It pains me to rate this place so average when it truly is supposed to be one of the most outstanding restaurants in the city. Anyway, I entertained one of my husbands colleagues here about a month ago and was not very impressed with the flavors of the food. It's definitely not unique or memorable, and for what you are paying for experience and uniqueness. The service was extremely slow, and the waiters/waitresses not attentive (almost a little pretentious). I'm sure there have been better days -- and when things are super busy sometimes quality can be sacrificed and unfortunately it was just one of those days for us. I could be a little harsh, and my husband and his colleague seemed to enjoy it all very much!
(3)
Andrea P.

Let me start off by saying that the service here was exceptional. They were extraordinarily attentive without being an overwhelming presence during our experience. The decor is very simple yet elegantly chic, the tables are close together and although you should feel crowded, they manage to pull it off. We started with the pan seared scallops with brussel sprouts, powdered sauerkraut, and pear. I must say the combination was a bit complex but overall it was good. For our meal we had the Alaskan sablefish and sweet potato brandade, shrimp braised onions, turmeric and pickled cranberries and my boyfriend had the butternut and ricotta tart with black trumpet mushrooms, quinoa and wakame. The Alaskan sablefish was cooked to perfection however the brandade was too fishy for me. I felt that the onions overpowered the sablefish and in combination with the fishy brandade, the dish became overly complex and unbalanced. the butternut and ricotta tart with black trumpet mushrooms, quinoa and wakame was a unique combination but again, it was too complex and I could only stomach a few bites. In defense of the restaurant, I am not a complex palette eater, I am particular in that I feel all of the food must be balanced and flow smoothly together. I do appreciate the uniqueness behind the complexity of each dish, but I do feel that complex eating is an acquired taste.
(3)
Jessica G.

The atmosphere is pretty comfortable - sleek and modern though a little loud when the music gets turned up. Also when the room does not have a ton of people in it, it seems a lot larger. Comfortable as we were not packed in there like sardines. Service was really good. Drink refills came without us having to ask, food came out in a timely fashion, and our server was very educated about the items on the menu. I did find it cute that when our salad came out, a team of servers came over to cut it up for us as it was in a nifty little potato crisp ring with a poached egg on top. Also, I was impressed that when we left, the woman at the front desk knew exactly which coats were ours without even asking and without any sort of coat check ticker. As for the food... I have to say that I think we will be skipping chef and restaurant week going forward because it seems like the special items for those menus are more mass-produced and, while they are good, the regular menu seems to have a bit more oomph. That said, what we did have off the menu tonight was good but not blown-away good. The afore-mentioned salad was quite tasty and - the pancetta was not as crisp as I'd like but the potato ring and the poached egg, my first, were both very tasty. The entree was a ricotta and butternut tart and it was very light with a fresh and slightly sweet flavor. The wakame and black trumpet mushrooms were really good but I loved the quinoa - very nutty and a nice texture shift for an otherwise fairly soft dish. Last, and my favorite, was the vanilla parfait for dessert. Wee cubes of vanilla on a light crust with some satsuma slices and a bit of a citrus sauce. The campari bubbles were really tasty. My husband was expecting to be blown away by his meal and while he liked his trout - it was extremely well-cooked - he felt it was lacking a little bit of something. Overall quite a good meal though I think we will need to go back at least once to sample the regular menu to confirm my suspicion that these special weeks are maybe the issue we've been having.
(4)
Caesar R.

Have had Blackbird on the list of to try in Chicago for about 4 years now. Finally getting a chance to do so and glad we did. What a sleek cool looking restaurant with a great looking staff and clientele. We arrived a little early for our 9pm reso so we grabbed a drink at the bar. They had some great cocktail offerings for us. I don't remember what was in what I ordered (American Gothic) but the wife had the Little Wing and I in turn had order envy. The little wing was some kind of perfectly refreshing adult soda for the warm summer evening. For our dishes we had: Tempura soft shell crab with braised celery, figs, toasted jasmine rice and lovage Spiced veal sweetbreads with white asparagus, apricots, nori-peanuts and chickweed Wood-grilled sturgeon with chanterelles, kohlrabi, plums, thai poppy jam and brown butter-fish sauce Aged pekin duck breast with green garbanzos, tequila braised radish, watermelon and white sesame banana pain perdu with butterscotch, malt, pinenut and bourbon barrel wood ice cream The wait between Appetizers and Main Dishes was really, really, really long. About 45 minutes. They were kind enough to send out a complimentary dessert in addition to the banana french toast thing. So they get a little credit there, but be prepared to wait a long time for your main dishes as we noticed this happening at quite a few tables. Overall, I wish I didn't wait so long, but was so glad we wound up here for dinner last night.
(4)
Mario F.

Just really great food. We had the tasting menu with wine pairings...and the food was delicious and the service was really good (our waitress was a really generous with the wine pouring). Just a solid Michelin starred restaurant that is as good of a value as you are going to get.
(5)
Eddy C.

My friends and I celebrated NYE at Blackbird. While I admit I do not remember all parts of the evening, I only have nothing but good things about the parts that I do recall. FOOD: Absolutely amazing. Probably the best out of the "high end but not quite break the bank high end" restaurants in Chicago that I've dined at. I started with the crispy veal sweetbreads -- perfectly prepared with a light, airy finish and the garnishes (pumpkin seeds, raisins, cabbage) served as an excellent complement. For my entree, I opted for the pork belly at recommendation by our server. I know pork belly is so 2007 or whatever but that dish blew my mind. Every bite was amazing; hands down the best pork belly I have ever had. DRINKS: Libations at Blackbird do not disappoint either. . They have an eclectic cocktail list full of drinks that require a decent amount of time and effort to prepare. I had the Rye Smash, which my fuzzy memory thinks included muddled lemons and simple syrup. Whatever it had, it was good. Blackbird has a vast wine list with lots of options for all sorts of budgets. Considering the cost of the food, I was pleasantly surprised to find a decent number of bottles in the $30-$50 range. SERVICE: Top notch. It started with the hostesses -- I think we were greeted by three different people, all very friendly. Our server was terrific and did an excellent job taking care of our party of 13. Waters were always refilled and dishes were cleared promptly. I don't understand why all restaurants don't place an emphasis on service the way Blackbird does. Kudos to everyone at Blackbird for making sure we had a terrific NYE!
(5)
Andrew C.

My date and I arrived promptly for our 8:30 PM Friday reservation and were immediately seated in a quaint table in the window which only added to our great experience. Being in the middle of December, I thought it would be cold right there, however they had mini vent which made it cozy and comfortable. I came in hungry, knowing I would want to take advantage of as many tastes as I possibly could. Looking in detail through the menu, I wanted to try everything. After a bit of indecisiveness, we both started off with the Blackbird Orange cocktail. For my appetizer, I had the salad of endives with crispy potatoes, basil, dijon, pancetta and poached egg. She had the Smoked Wagyu Tartare and Crispy Braised Beef tongue with radish, black garlic and yogurt. We both split the foie gras. For the main course she ordered the Aged Pekin Duck Breast with fuyu persimmon, red wine braised radishes, black beans and sesame. My selection was the Roasted Leg of Lamb with maitake mushrooms, grapes, hearts of palm, vivalia onion jam and burnt cinnamon. They were both top notch, the presentation was amazing and the taste was even better. Being from Texas, I have to admit that the portions seemed to be small, however it ended up being just right, appetite and hungry satisfied. The service itself was top notch; besides being very attentive and knowledgeable of the wine spirit pairings, utensils and silverware were always correctly arranged, water was topped off, and napkins promptly folded when leaving the table.
(4)
Dennis J.

I feel like there should be a badge for completing the Kahan tour - but at any rate, Blackbird was the only place left (Violet Hour, Publican, Big Star, Avec) and we used my wife's return after a month away to indulge in fancy food. Everything was wonderful: food, service, atmosphere. But none of it really resonated with me the way it did when I went to Sepia. I guess I prefer the old world comfort feel there to the modern feel at Blackbird. The two most memorable parts of my trip: the white on white door (super neat) and the sasparilla truffles that came at the end. At any rate, here's my ranking of the chain in terms of dearness to my heart: 1. Violet Hour (where I learned of craft cocktails, and had the Blue Ridge Manhattan - the greatest smelling cocktail I've ever had, I'm still flummoxed why it's not available as a cologne) 2. Big Star (the hot sauce on the hot dog, the huitlacoche taco, Paloma!) 3. Publican (fried veal brain! an awesome chicken + sausage + fries dish) 4. Blackbird 5. Avec (which I think is pretty unimpressive for how much love it gets)
(4)
Erin M.

On my recent trip to Chicago, I was really excited to try out some of the fabulous eateries the city had to offer, and up until the last night when my mom and I dined at Blackbird, we were blown away. Unfortunately, I have to say that regardless of the hype and the great previous yelp reviews, Blackbird was really disappointing! The space is quite modern and cool and there was great lighting (which is always key to me when dining), but everything else felt way too pretentious. To start, our server pretty much ignored us for the first 15 minutes. I got the impression that she felt like she should be dining there, rather than serving. When we finally got her attention, we ordered a bottle of wine and I started with the wagyu tartar. It was alright, but nothing I would write home about. For the main, I had the roasted farm chicken and sausage, and my mom had the halibut with fava beans and rhubarb. I understand that they've been nominated for the James Beard award, and I believe they have a Michelin star, but even so, the presentation was so ridiculous! All my food was perched on the far left corner of my bowl, with an artful swish of something (cauliflower puree I was told by my server with distain) and the applewood broth poured into the bowl. I think they were going for avant garde, but it looked like it was trying to hard. Half way through eating my dinner they realized that the sausage hadn't been included so it was brought over on the side. All in all, it felt like a lot of pomp and smoke for a dish that was good but not great. Likewise for the halibut. All in all, I'd say their reputation has gone to their head at Blackbird, and it was too bad that we ended the trip with a bit of a let down, not like our previous dinners at Publican or Cafe Spiaggia. If you're heading to Chicago, I would recommend on of those two instead.
(2)
Erika G.

Sport dining. I've been here a few times over the years, and this is a world-class restaurant. With world-class prices. When I was dating that NYC investment banker, wayyy back in what - 1998? - and he was anxious to show off his big banker wallet to me, I always obliged him with reservations at Blackbird. The food was impressive, the guy . . . not so much (but we're not reviewing him, you'll have to offer me a glass of Veuve to get THAT dish). If you have a New Yorker friend that has that annoying habit of constantly referring to NY as "the City" and going on about how everything in NY is so much BETTER and more FABB UU LOUSSS than anything we have . . . take them here, and it'll shut them up. And you'll have a really nice, chic, delicious dinner also.
(4)
Carol K.

I can't believe given how often I eat out that I had never been to Blackbird before last night. What an oversight on my part! While the style of Blackbird is a bit modern and minimal for my taste- it is clearly just a plain backdrop for some really god food and exceptional service. Have a drink at the bar while you wait for your table. They make a great dirty martini and have some of the freshest tasting blue cheese stuffed olives I have had in awhile. We were promptly seated at our table and within minutes our server was telling us all about his favorites and encouraging us to try something new. We started with the mussel soup (delicious!) the Sweetbreads (yes, I know what it is and I loved it anyway) and I can't even remember what the third item was as it disappeared so fast! As for our entrees- the trout comes looking more like salmon (interesting but really good) my duck breast and duck sausage was amazing and the lamb with lima beans another winner. We also sampled three desserts: the pear sorbet, the olive cake and the cornbread. In my opinion- the cornbread was the best choice although all were gone in a flash! Blackbird is a bit loud and the tables are close together (we actually ended up meeting the people seated next to us who were from NY) so I wouldn't suggest it for an intimate night out. But it is a perfect place for friends to gather and share some great food together. Will I be back? For great food and impeccable service? You bet.
(4)
Sonia L.

This place is fun to experience, but beyond that I give it an average rating. The customers here are more pretentious than the restaurant itself. The dishes are okay. I actually had a much better dining experience at Avec, Blackbirds's sister restaurant. I got the sturgeon. It was good, but probably worth about half of what the price was. The striploin was paired with escargo and green lentils, which was odd combination. The meat had a woody taste to it, which was a bit overbearing. The service was good. They were friendly and professional. The thing I did like was the extra courses we were given. We got butternut squash soup with a porter foam. It was good, but at the same time I am glad I didn't "pay" for it (although the cost was lumped into our meals pretty much). Anyway, I would not recommend this place for the food. For the experience, sure why not. But otherwise just save your money.
(3)
Eve A.

Just had lunch there for the first time with a few coworkers and what an amazing meal it was! And just $22! A pleasant walk, fresh food, gallant atmosphere! Likey, likey!
(5)
Lynn N.

Service - I reserved a table on OpenTable but something messed up and they didn't have it, but were able to seat me and my dinner companion within 15 minutes. They were apologetic and friendly and I was looking forward to a delicious meal so I was more than happy to go with the flow. Food - I got the 'chickory glazed lamb loin with escarole, crunchy turnip, pine nut hollandaise and preserved meyer lemon' It was cooked as requested and absolutely yummy. Presentation was artistic and inspired but they could have brought it on a paper plate. The lamb was very tender and just delicious. Decor - There's a healthy buzz but nothing too loud you can't hear your table speak. Would recommend for a date, parents in town, girls reunion, anything!
(5)
Bella D.

I have to say I love the decor and service. The lunch menu was okay. I didn't really like the sandwiches. I should have gotten the burger. Oh well. Lunch birthday was fun with my gal pal who shared the same bday week. Def will try dinner here but yes maybe its more of a drink and appetizer place. :) Thanks Blackbird.
(3)
Dolly K.

Food made with passion, creativity, flavor and a great ambiance. An ever evolving menu and great staff.
(5)
Trevor T.

Dinner here was very nice. The service was a little too causal for my taste, but still was good. I like to have things explained to me if people are pouring sauces and it's just nice have that kinda interaction it shows that the server is excited about the food. The octopus was great and very tender. The aged duck was good, but there was a little bit of connective tissue to get though on all the filets. Chocolate ganache was everything I dreamed of and more. I shall return.
(4)
Maria B.

This is the first time i've left a restaurant confused. Confused because: A. I'm still hungry after ordering a 3 course 'tasting' menu. TRANSLATION: for $22 i thought i was getting a satisfying lunch, instead i received microscopic portions for this prix fixe menu. From what i saw at the other tables, you're better off ordering the al a carte items like the sandwiches, entrees, etc...b/c you get a normal serving size. B. The place won a Michelin star - I don't get it?!?!?! TRANSLATION: Original & beautifully plated dishes, but food had ZERO flavor! C. I waited forever, yes forever, and a day for the food to arrive. TRANSLATION: they better be cooking an 8 course meal for the amount of time it took for the food to come. I had high hopes for Blackbird & was let down by the previously mentioned items : / The only reason i'm NOT rating this place at 2 stars is b/c i had an extremely delicious and unique strawberry parfait here, that for just a second, had me forget points A - C above.
(3)
Lois A.

The pork belly sandwich that dreams are made of. Really. And until you try it you will have no idea how good it is. I anticipated it being great and I was still surprised. Lunch here is not quick. Even with prompt seating for our 1:00 reservation it was about 20 minutes until we were able to order and an hour until our entrees came. You can hear everything being said at the tables next to you and this proved extremely entertaining for me during my long wait for the best pork belly sandwich ever. "Are you texting me? Right now? Ohhhh, you're SEXTING me!! Oh my...on my, I do believe I will read this many times..." I will stop there. Just know that I heard some very X-rated things during my Blackbird experience from a couple twice my age at the table next. Certain things I may never be able to wash from my brain. I had a salad that wasn't extremely memorable and the charred sepia with blueberries to start. The sepia was awesome. As I said before, I can't even tell you how good the pork belly and frites were....just insane. I also had the lamb and it was excellent. I am really glad I didn't go with the pre-fixe lunch because I can't imagine missing out on the pork belly. I left very full but not wrecked for the day and finally able to burst out laughing at all of the things my poor little virgin ears had heard.
(4)
Eric G.

This is a review based on Restaurant Week Lunch! I've wanted to come here for a while now, and what better time to come than during Restaurant Week! 22 bucks for 3 courses at a plcea like this is a great deal. I started with Arctic Char then went onto the Duck Confit before having the Bread Pudding. All of it was very good. The portion was a bit small for the entree (I am not basing this review at all on the portion sizes as the price was phenomenal enough). For the Char, the fish was missing a little something, but when eaten with the garnish and other seasonings on the side, it was perfect. The duck was so tender. I ended up picking it up and eating it like a chicken wing after trying to be fancy with my fork and knife. The bread pudding was steaming when you cut into it. Such a nice end to the meal. Our waitress was very personable, helped with a wine selectio (without just pointing out the most expensive wines!) and service altogether was quick without being rushed or intrusive. I would like to come back and sit up at the bar. This would be a great date night place.
(4)
Eric Y.

I went here a few months ago with a friend of mine after I picked him up from the airport. We wanted to check it out since it has one michelin star. The ambience of this place is kind of classy but kind of hipster. However, one thing that this place is that this place is tasty. I had their mussel soup and I can truly say that it's one of the best soups I've ever had. I am a huge soup person, and this had a tremendous level of that fresh season taste brewed into the soup. Amazing! The other dish I had was the duck breast. This dish was good....kind of reminds me of chinese duck in a way. The hardest thing with duck is to keep it juicy and tender. Blackbird was able to accomplish both of those things. However, the dish could be a little bigger....hahaha Overall, this place is good and I cant wait to try AVEC next door. -Newbs-
(4)
M S.

This restaurant is beautiful. I really wanted to like it. I had the fortunate luck of being able to go on an expense account for lunch. I found the staff to be cold and almost snobby. I thought the food wasn't that great. I didn't even think the menu selection was that appetizing. I go out to eat to a lot of nice restaurants, and I am really surprised this place has a Michelin star. I was disappointed as was most of the table I sat with. Do yourself a favor and try Avec next door instead.
(3)
Dave L.

I was pretty excited to eat at Blackbird as I'd heard some very good things. Went here on a double date over the weekend for an early dinner. I really liked the layout of the restaurant and the decor. The staff was very friendly and they had no problem accommodating the one person in our party with a gluten allergy. Why the 3 stars? Well first off, they brought us an incorrect starter. We asked for crab legs and got skate. We ended up keeping the skate, and it was good, but it was a disappointing start. It did take quite awhile for the mains to come out after we were done with starters. For mains, I liked everyone else's main much more than mine... I was very excited for the duck fat poached elk strip loin and was actually pretty disappointed. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but not great. I enjoyed the rest of the dish more than the meat itself (didn't know what knefla was but I do now!) The wine pairing the waiter suggested to accompany my main was a plus. At dessert they initially forgot my friend's scotch (which ultimately was comped, so thank you very much for that), and on the way out it took them 10 minutes to find mine and my girlfriend's coats while we waited in a non-existent waiting area being bumped into every 10 seconds. The service left something to be desired, and the food was good, but it wasn't jaw dropping. I really feel like this was one of those experiences where I managed to order things I didn't realize I wouldn't like plus it seemed like a slightly off night for some of the staff. I definitely want to go back, and I could easily see changing this review to 4 or 5 stars.
(3)
Jimmy P.

Incredible service, friendly bartender and super attentive wait staff. The sweet bread appetizer was amazing and the pork shoulder entree was well portioned and so tender it fell apart. Why take a star off? The desserts were so small it was almost heart breaking. The chocolate dessert and the walnut cake were just perfect ends to a meal. However, the chocolate was a couple tiny drops and the walnut cake maybe, if i'm being generous, 4 spoonfuls. I don't get small desserts because you've already ordered, the restaurant has won and squeezed a tidy profit from my wallet already, why not give me an adequately sized reward at the end? It was a sad end to a great meal where I wanted to order five more of the desserts, but at $11 a pop it didn't feel right. One tip, the portion thing applies to almost everything on the menu. If you're a normal male that enjoys eating, you'll need an appetizer and an entree, and I recommend you eat the bread because even that might not satiate the beast.
(4)
Brian S.

I needed to wait at least one week before writing this review. I needed to be certain that my experience at this Beard-bearded restaurant wasn't simply disappointing because I had such high expectations. I needed to know that, in fact, no, I was supposed to have a much better evening. And I'm willing to finger a culprit -- one that invited me to the restaurant in the first place, no less! -- Chicago Restaurant Week. It is a shame that I both live for amazing meals and earn a meager salary, but it is for people like me that prix-fixe menus and weekly specials exist. In a way, the restaurant is investing in my cultivation as an engaged diner so that later on, when I can afford to drop three figures on a meal regularly, I will do so. It is the equivalent of a student-rate ticket to a cultural event -- restaurants are investing in my future patronage. But I do not want to return to a restaurant where the service suffers based on my participation in such a program. I will accept a limited menu (as long as the options are still high-quality) and a surplus of fellow patrons in exchange for a discounted dining opportunity, but I still want to be treated well and have a delicious culinary experience. I didn't feel like I got the most out of either of those things last Saturday. Our waiter was seldom-seen (even when I wished to spend more money! Like a regular patron! On an additional drink!) and tight-lipped once we answered his first question, which was, rather embarrassingly, "Are you here for Restaurant Week?" I love good service at a restaurant. Not the patronizing, wide-grinned TGIFriday's style of service, but the knowledgeable, engaged, passionate (yes, I said it) guidance of someone who understands the food they are about to serve and is very excited about it. Although if the food is similar to what Daniel and I selected, perhaps there isn't too much to be passionate about. Er, okay, that was a bit harsh. It was all good. The soup, though thin, did evoke Mediterranean flavors thanks to the sweetness, the garbanzo beans, and the falafel. The chicken was perfectly cooked and had just the right amount of tender fattiness. My cocktail, the Blackbird Orange, sang in the back of my throat -- the mild spiciness of the honey uplifted the tart citrus notes, and they get extra points for using a local distillery. The endive salad tasted great in the way that it could not possibly have been screwed up. But the highlight was the presentation -- tall endive shells stood proudly, surrounded by their fallen cousins, in a stadium-like ring of crisped potatoes. I would have enjoyed another gaze or two at it, but the server quickly destroyed it. Why? Was I incapable of figuring out how to dissect this structure? The butternut and ricotta tart was a serious disappointment. I had never had quinoa served toasted (it's better boiled and slightly chewy, like rice, in my opinion). Its crunchiness was off-putting, especially next to a "steak" of butternut and an unidentifiable crust for the tart. The chocolate ganache was also lacking. The parsnip ice cream may have paired better with a ganache that actually had distinguishable chocolate flavor; here, the only thing one tasted was the earthiness of the parsnip. I'm concerned that some Restaurant Week patrons may not know what they're missing out on when they have a sub-par meal at a superstar restaurant like this. If one isn't used to good service and good food, this would be a divine treat. But for someone who's been around the proverbial block a few times, this experience just didn't sit well with me.
(3)
Jennifer S.

This is my favorite restaurant in Chicago for a special night out. service: totally professional without being cold. Our waiter knew the menu and wine list inside and out. He also paired up some fantastic wines with our dessert. food: the menu is wonderful, it is always so hard to decide what to order. Each dish is truly special - perfect blend of flavors. The unique layering of ingredients is what makes this place special. I had the baby octopus to start and the sturgeon with the poppy jam for my main- both were fantastic. Their desserts are just as innovative. The chestnut mousse with persimmons & the steamed black walnut cake with lingonberries were a wonderful way to end a great meal
(5)
Tina T.

Blackbird is a true culinary dining experience. Yes, it's pricey; it's minimalist and stark. You are incredibly close to your neighbors and often will find yourself getting into a conversation with them about the food. The food . . . because that's what Blackbird is really all about. Innovative ways to best feature the highest quality of fresh, organic ingredients. Each menu item is like a masterpiece; a blending of unique flavors that explode into your mouth. A friend and I dined here recently and were quite pleased. I prefer red wines, she prefers white; but the wines available by the glass were quite good, even though there wasn't a huge selection. She had the endive salad, perfectly accompanied by pancetta, egg, and dijon mustard. The salad arrived inside a fried potato basket, which was then broken up and mixed all together. The tastes together were simply phenomenal. The other appetizers, the suckling pig and foie gras, were divine. As was both entrees that we tried. Unfortunately we did not have any room for dessert, which is a shame because they all looked phenomenal. Blackbird is one of those places that should be tried at least once in your life. It is a testimony to what creativity and simple, premium ingredients can become.
(5)
Mike G.

Private dinner function held in the restaurant's second floor setting. Great setting to experience the best any restaurant could offer.
(5)
John T.

Had one of my best cocktail experiences today at Blackbird. I had heard of the restaurant from friends but decided to pop in to just relax a bit after a long day while traveling. Ryan the bartender was amazingly cordial and not only made me the best martini I've ever had but explained the individual ingredients and had amazing knowledge to explore different drinks. I will be back often now that I'm in Chicago. Can't recommend it enough.
(5)
Carolina M.

This is the best restaurant I've been in Chicago! And it includes one Michelin star restaurants like Boka, steakhouses like Morton's, traditional places like Gibson's, ethnical restaurants, BYOB... We had veal sweetbreads and lamb tartare as appetizers, strip loin and short rib and the elk loin as main dishes and bittersweet chocolate torte and sweet potato ice cream as dessert. I can't tell you which of them were the best of the night. All of them were amazing. Strongly recommend this place.
(5)
Sheley L.

Blackbird has the most amazing prix fixe lunch ever! It's $22 per person for 3-courses of exquisitely prepared and magnificently tasting appetizer, entrÃ©e and dessert that screams culinary mastery and execution with the only the freshest and finest of ingredients. The prix fixe menu had 3 appetizer choices, 2 entrÃ©e choices and 2 dessert choices but everything tasted phenomenally good! Even though the menu changes often, I'm sure everything will all be executed to perfection! The two of us got the following selections and shared everything... Appetizers: Coffee-scented fluke tartare with lemon cucumber, saffron, and bread sauce - the fluke was so fresh and light with just enough of the coffee hint to give it that extra oomph. The accompaniments were artfully plated like a wonderful French painting. Braised octopus confit with pickled ramps, baby romaine, miner's lettuce, malt and candied red onion - looked very plain but was anything but plain in taste. So tender and refreshing! Sooo good! Entrees: Wood-grilled california sturgeon and garlic-braised snails with smoked fresh pickles and napa cabbage - so light yet so flavorful. Absolutely divine! Lamb tenderloin with fig, fresh pickles, grilled onions, pea shoots - this was the least gamey lamb I've ever had, so smooth and buttery. The slight sweetness of the fig complimented the lamb perfectly! Desserts: Fried polenta with klug farm blueberries, lemon verbena and smoked brown sugar ice cream - incredibly delicious! The only thing I would change would be to use French vanilla ice cream instead of just whipped cream. But 5 stars nonetheless! Hazelnut dacquoise with espresso, crispy chicory caramel and apricot kernel sherbet - yummy yummy yummy! All of this amazing food in a delightful setting with amazing service (they even provided me with a purse hook for the table so that it doesn't touch the ground!). Such attention to detail! Even though the portions or small, it's super satisfying!!! I LOVE BLACKBIRD!
(5)
David H.

Consistently good cuisine every time I've been. The service can be hit or miss though, but I recommend this place to anyone visiting Chicago. Also, it's much easier getting a table here than Alinea ;)
(4)
Kevin D.

Wow, service was excellent, food was excellent, prices are reasonable... Eat here period
(5)
Kathleen C.

An unhappy 4... I have waited forever to visit this restaurant. I was expecting fireworks! Unfortunately, only mini fireworks to be had... I had an early reservation since Blackbird apparently is filled up at "normal" dining times for weeks ahead of time. Even so, the spot was pretty crowded considering it was not only a weekday, but also 5:30pm. We were quickly greeted and seated. The hostess was very helpful. Our server was also very nice, but seemed a bit "above" in her attitude. Very nice, but very distant and sort of cold. However, she was still very good and I have to say that Blackbird stacks up with top service in the city. I especially liked the purse hanger...rivals the purse chair. Service is definitely a 5. As to the food, I was really expecting perfection. The amuse bouche started this out well as the lamb tartare was delicious. "I could eat a whole bowl of this" was the verdict at the table. However, the remaining courses didn't wow as much. Don't get me wrong, the food is good, excellent in fact, but I don't think it compares to some of the other high end dining spots in the city. I had the sepia noodles which were good, and had an interesting texture. The soup starter was more delicious, but a bit salty. My entree was trout - this was also quite good. The portion size was large and the trout was tasty, but it didn't overwhelm. It was served medium, which was nice. However, the bean accompanyment had an odd texture that I didn't think really went well with the trout. The chicken entree wasn't a standout and was a bit salty and unremarkable. For dessert, the ganache was tasty, but I'm not sure I'd seek it out (and I'm a dessert girl!). Overall, the food was nicely presented. I did like that when my appetizer came out, and it was the wrong one, they took all of the food away to ensure it didn't get cold while waiting for my correct appetizer. However, based upon the reviews, I was really expecting to be happily stunned by the food, but was not. We decided that there were other places we'd rather visit for better food at more reasonble prices. Even so, a 4 for food. The room was very contemporary with a lot of white and a few splashes of dark wood. It was nice, but a bit formal. I think it may have been better if it had been darker outside because the room would have seemed more warm and cozy I think. I'm not sure how it would be if the table next to us was full as the tables are very tight, but overall, about a 4. I of course visited the bathroom since that is one of my rating categories. I was so unimpressed! For a restaurant of this caliber, the bathroom should have been a) nicer and b) cleaner. It was such a marginal bathroom - 3. As for value, visiting during a deal week (restaurant week, chef's week) is a good deal as the total cost is the same or less than individual entrees. However, the typical menu cost is quite high. I am someone who is willing to pay for delicious food, great service and high quality. However, I have other spots that I think have better food, for much better prices. I think the general value is low. Also, the wine list is one of the most expensive I've seen. Individual glasses start around $12-$14 and I really don't think it's necessary to not have a wider range of pricing. There are plenty of delicious wines that can be offered for lower per glass costs. And a corkage fee of $25! A bit high, though compared to the individual glasses, maybe a better plan. Value is a 3. I don't think I will be back.
(4)
Leslie P.

Amazing! We came here for my boyfriend's birthday and everything tasted wonderful. We had the endive salad that was presented beautifully. For entrees, I had the chicken and sausage which was perfect and my boyfriend had the sturgeon. We liked both of them, but agreed the chicken and sausage was better. The dessert was truly amazing. We had the bananas foster extravaganza that had fresh banana, banana chips, banana bread, and chocolate sauce. It. Was. To. Die. For!!! The only reason why I didn't give 5 stars was because it was still a little over-priced and the tables were extremely close to one another. It took away from an intimate setting because you could hear others' conversations clearly.
(4)
Mehran F.

i have been to blackbird certainly more than 50or 60 times in the last 5 years. i used to fly to chicago from san francisco each week for a few months, and blackbird was my home away from home, going there a couple of times a week, and some weeks, three times...yes, i can be obsessive ... blackbird is a solid 4. always consistent. and at times floating to 4.5. what makes the experience so good to me normally is when one of the partners, eduardo is present. great guy. also, i really like chef paul kahan. everyone there is good...the deserts are amazing..not too sweet...beautiful and tasty. you do not go wrong with any food and/or desert you order there. you may end up liking one dish more than another...all that means is that you will need to go back and try something else. price/value is fair too. not cheap but not expensive either. fair. my feeling is that they will in all likelihood get one michelin star when the book comes out.
(4)
Lana S.

I've been twice and thought Wow, they've got it going on...it's a cool modern atmosphere....something out of a futuristic space novel. Everything is white...which makes the guests and the food pop. However I've not yet been impressed with more than the presentation. I did however enjoy some very tasty cocktails on my last visit. The Thyme Bandits and Lillie's Pride were incredible! Check it out....see for yourself...but make sure you go to Maude's and or The Girl and the Goat -both just down the street. I loved them both. Cheers to great dining in Chicago!!
(3)
Farrah D.

This place is teeny, tiny--my friend and I had no reservation but decided to chance it. After a few minutes of finagling with the hostess, they were able to seat us (or literally squeeze us in) at the bar--better than nothing since we really wanted to try this place.The chief mixologist was waiting on us, and as a result, we got some excellent drink recommendations! Our food was delicious, and the service was great even in the location we were sitting. If you can get a proper reservation, I would recommend Blackbird for a fine dining experience.
(4)
Jim K.

How can I add to the reviews of the many other Yelpers who have already dined at Blackbird? This place rocks...AND rolls. I must admit that we had an "in" when we dined there last night as we know one of the chefs. Did we get preferential treatment? A little, in being able to sample a wider range of the scrumptious symphonies of flavor that come from the kitchen. But Blackbird was really buzzing last night so the experience came down to the food, our server and the staff and we were not disappointed in the least. To begin, my beloved Vodka Negroni was served right the first time on the rocks with a piece of orange peel. Yum. For apps, we tried the Pea Soup, Sweetbreads (a weakness of mine) and the Sauteed Skate, along with a few other samples across the board, which were all stellar. Our entrees included the wood grilled Sturgeon (one of the best pieces of fish we've ever tasted), the Halibut (a little dry, but nicely complimented by the braised onions, sweet potatoes and cranberries) and the Pork Rib Chop (out of this world). After an intermezzo of coconut sorbet with passion fruit (WOW!) we shared the Almond Tapioca and Banana Pain Perdu...comforting desserts with flavor to the max. Yes, the tables are close together and the group of ladies to our right were having a very lubricated and noisy good time, but all in all a fantastic experience and one we hope to repeat.
(5)
Tracey S.

I have a general rule that I follow on Yelp. I only write reviews for places that I feel very strongly about one way or another. I don't typically review a place that I feel was just mediocre. I'm making an exception, however, for Blackbird since I feel that you shouldn't have a mediocre experience when paying for an exceptional one. My husband and I went to Blackbird on Saturday night for our 6th anniversary. I'd always wanted to go, but somehow we just never had. We got there a few minutes early (we had an 8pm reservation) and waited a few minutes for our table. Not a problem. However, we were standing in the doorway (there weren't any available seats at the bar) which is sort of an awkward place to stand and I even said to my husband, "where should we stand? Should we wait outside?" The hostess just ignored us. Now, in a regular, everyday sort of restaurant that's fine, but at Blackbird I suppose I was just expecting more. The first thing that struck me were the tables. Perhaps it's a well known thing there, but I didn't realize how close they were to each other. In fact, when our "neighbor" went to the restroom, her behind literally hit the bread on my bread plate. And this woman was not large by anyone's standards. My husband sat on the banquette and I sat in a chair with my back to the flow of the restaurant. With the closeness of the other tables, every time our waiter came by, I literally felt like if I turned to look at him we would have been close enough to lock lips. Not particularly comfortable. We started out with a glass of champagne each which was very good. Then we had our starters. My husband ordered the octopus and I ordered the fluke. His was overcooked and mine was, for lack of a better word, un-nuanced. The portions were quite generous, much more than I was expecting, and the ingredients were top notch, but the flavors were just one note. Again, I really just expected more. And the more I read other reviews here ("innovative and exciting", "cutting edge", "amazing", etc.) the more disappointed I am since our experience was nothing like that. We proceeded to order two glasses of wine with our entrees. He had the lamb and I had the duck. Again, the ingredients were excellent and this time both were cooked perfectly, but there was just nothing interesting at all about either dish. At this point, I knew I didn't want to stay for dessert, so we went elsewhere to finish our celebration. I don't want to go into too much detail (this review is long enough as it is), but our service was just mediocre - our entrees sat finished on our table for over 10 minutes before anyone came by, the waiter took my champagne before I had finished, etc.. I'm not trying to be difficult, but again, the expectation is just greater when you dine at a place like Blackbird. I've been to Avec (fabulous) and The Publican many times (LOVE it!), I also love Big Star and have been there twice, but honestly my experience at all of their other places from the service to the food was a thousand times better. When we left, the hostess said, "So how was everything?". I said, "it was ok, not great...". She said, "What did you order?". At that point I just wanted to get out of there and enjoy the rest of our anniversary and I said, "Nothing. Don't worry about it." And she didn't. She went back to looking at her res. book. That sort of sums up the experience for me.
(2)
Angella K.

Wonderful cocktails, really unique use of eggplant (honeyed rose eggplant in a suckling pig confit appetizer and also eggplant in my dark chocolate "soup" dessert), fantastic sturgeon, and life changing rare elk loin poached in duck fat. The elk loin edges out the rare steak I devoured at Sona in Los Angeles nearly two years ago for the title of Best Red Meat Ever. I might have given Blackbird 4 stars had I ordered another entree, though. Tried sauternes dessert wine for the first time, which was divine. The only disappointment was the sepia appetizer, as I've had better elsewhere. The service was a bit on the slow side even though we dined late (9:30-11:30pm) when it was not busy.
(5)
Justine K.

The food was beautifully prepared and so fresh and flavorful! I was warned that the portions were small but I was pleasantly surprised when my sturgeon entrÃ©e arrived. It was just the perfect amount. I'd much rather leave satisfied than stuffed and bloated these days! I know my second time around I should give another entrÃ©e a shot but that sturgeon was really impressive! I wish I could say the same for our appetizer. The veal sweetbread was just too strange of a texture for me. Never had anything like it before, so I really can't compare it to anything. I left off that 5th star because of the seating arrangements. I get it - Blackbird is a swanky, contemporary, foodie atmosphere and I have experienced sitting very close, side by side, with other tables but this was just ridiculous! We were ON TOP of one another. You barely want to speak to the person you're with because you just know at least 4 other people, (each 2 seater table beside you), can hear everything you're talking about! You're practically breathing on one another. I will be back with my husband but I will definitely request a window or end table!
(4)
kira d.

This meal was, hands down, the best meal I had ever eaten. EVER.
(5)
Jason F.

Yup it made it to 5 stars. Hands down my best dinning experience in Chicago. My girlfriend and I went here for my birthday about two weeks ago. The food, service, atmosphere, and company were perfect. I had the alaskan sablefish and sweet potato brandade, shrimp braised onions, turmeric and pickled cranberries. It was cooked to perfection and every morsel of food was packed with flavor. My cocktail was the Blackbird Orange, which hit nice notes of sweet with whiskey. As a designer I am a real sucker for aesthetics. The striped down minimalism of the decor was beautiful, with just one large black and white piece of art hanging on the wall near the bar. I noticed that they even changed out the color of the napkins to match the color of your pants, as not to get white lint on black slacks. Their attention to detail may seem over the top to most, but it's the sort of thing that makes me feel better about my own ridiculous and meticulous habits. If you live in Chicago you have to eat here at least once.
(5)
Tara J.

excellent food, excellent service. I would eat there every night if I could. Make sure to try the Endive salad. Yummy! P.S. Seth Meyer's was there the night I ate there...pretty good celebrity sighting :)
(5)
R O.

I wish I had something interesting to say about our meal and experience at blackbird. Was it good? Yes. Was it interesting? Sort of. Good service? Yes. Nice ambiance? Sure. Would I go back? Probably. Was it a good value? Meh, probably not, but I don't feel like I got ripped off (and this is the main reason I'm knocking it a star, the lack of value). Anyway, so that's all I've really got... I guess I could go into my elk and how the sweetbreads were great, but they weren't all that interesting other than they were just good. There are no ironies... nothing hypocritical... there was no conflict... it was just a really straight forward, clean cut in that modern kind of way, good dining experience. So if someone where to say to me, "Oh I went to Blackbird last night." My response would be, "Oh... that's nice... did you enjoy it?" And then probably stop listening because they did and so on and so fourth... It's not that I'm ambivalent or unimpressed, it's just that, I have nothing interesting to say... so I'll stop writing in circles and end this. BTW, did NOT go during Restaurant Week.
(4)
Chrisna A.

Faced with what would become a 75 minute wait at avec on an early Saturday night, we left its "waiting area" and ended up next door for some drinks. I had two. The first one was their classic special of the day, the Jack Rose. Although its name is the Jack Rose and grenadine is one of its main ingredients, I was surprised when the pale pink glass arrived. I thought that it was slightly too sweet, but the finish, which consisted primarily of apple(jack) and lemon, was great. The second one was the Last Word. I did not expect the bartender to immediately know what it is, but I am also an idiot. Her version was awesome. I wouldn't mind going back for the food, but as a 22-year old who looks 16, its crowd seems slightly too old for me. The young couple next to us was having a lot of fun though!
(4)
Phaic N.

I've had mixed experiences here. Sometimes the food has been stellar. Other times, not so much. For the price, there are far better options - where the food is consistently excellent - in the City.
(3)
Laura M.

So this is where I went for lunch today with hubby for my bday. Perfect. I love to eat at places where I cannot replicate the food at home. Here are just two examples of what we ate: crispy confit of of swan creek farm suckling pig with sour cherries, roasted chiogga beets, housemade prosciutto and local cress mission fig beignet with black raspberries, butterscotch and bacon ice cream The pork dish, at first, I thought was too small (almost like a pate) and would only fill a molar, however, it was so rich with so many flavors it filled up my husband. The beignet dessert dish...wow...butterscotch was drizzled under the fruits and beignet and the beignet were shaped like mushrooms so it looked like a tree branch design. The biggest beignet was filled with warm fig/raspberries that turned out like a jam. And the bacon icecream! Who would have figured to do that? Yes, it tasted like bacon at first and then went sweet like French Vanilla. Oh, and my husband ordered the soup of the day and get this- the ingredients included apples, juniper, eel, and hazelnuts. It was served as a broth with two pieces of eel. Can I tell you that it was delicious? It was kind of sweet with something tasting like nutmeg. The restaurant is very minimalist in style but the staff is very friendly. I am so happy we went there today.
(5)
Gary C.

Dining out on Valentines night rates right up there with New Years Eve, 2 nights I prefer to stay home for a romantic evening or attend a house party with friends. Why deal with over-booked restaurants, inflated menu prices, curt service and have you ever tried to get a cab on NYE? I have to report Blackbird did it right on Valentines; a gracious welcome from the host, table was ready and waiting, professional helpful staff and a diverse, elegant 4 course tasting menu that offered value for the selection. I'm putting Blackbird back on my radar.
(4)
Steve Scott S.

Disappointing. Like the space, the food was not memorable. The duck I ordered was, i'm sorry to say horrible. It was smoked so heavily with hickory, that it left an awful aftertaste that was like having just smoked a cigarette. I was surprised to talk with 2 other parties who were also very displeased. Maybe it was just an off night. On the upside, I did love the decor.
(1)
Lara M.

This is the setting of my second best meal, ever. Next to Alinea. While the decor wasn't my favorite (lighting a little too bright, seating a little too cramped), the food more than made up for it. We were seated next to a little elderly couple who ate there bi-weekly. Naturally, we took their recommendations. I was not disappointed! Can't wait to go back.
(5)
Jacquelyn S.

came here for a late lunch, so my friend and i were the ONLY diners! decor was minimalist -- all white and very sleek. waitstaff was attentive and patient. food was outstanding!!! we ordered the whitefish sandwich (see photo) and the lamb burger... for such an upscale restaurant, their lunch offerings were surprisingly down-to-earth, altho they still squeezed in some extra touches -- like the homemade (i think) vegetable/root chips. everything was well seasoned and balanced.. good blend of tastes and textures in my one dish: salty, crunchy, sweet, tangy and chewy. prices weren't bad at all for lunch... next time i'm in town, i'll def be back for dinner and the full experience!
(4)
Michael S.

So, I brought my girlfriend here for her birthday on a Thursday evening. The food is probably closer to a 4 star rating, but the service is really what knocked my rating down a notch. I'll start with the service, since that is my main beef. First, I clearly noted in the Open Table reservation notes that it was my girlfriend's birthday. There was NO acknowledgement, no dessert with a birthday candle, nothing. I mean, yes, I realize it's kind of cheesy, but 95% of high end restaurants in Chicago will do that sort of thing. Strike one. When ordering entrees/appetizers, I asked the waiter (possibly also the manager, since he said he picked the champagnes on the menu) if I could order a half size portion of the sweet potato gnocchi as an appetizer. He gave me a look as if I was from another planet. This is not that novel of a concept and plenty of high end restaurants do it. You simply put less pasta on the plate. Regardless, we ordered a WHOLE and they split it for us as an additional appetizer. Strike 3, I finished my cocktail and it stayed empty a long time. I know there aren't 4 strikes, but this is my review, so here's strike 4, the table next to us received truffles with their check and we didn't receive any. I must note that I'm not a person who goes out of his way to b*tch about service at restaurants and I was never rude in the slightest all evening, but when I'm paying $200+ for a dinner out, I expect a little better personal attention. I mean, come on. The food: The food overall was a redeeming quality. My girlfriend had the butternut Squash soup and I had the wagyu beef / beef tongue to start. Both were delicious. Next, we followed with a split of the sweet potato gnocchi. Very good, but the seaweed was a little bit of an odd accompaniment. It added a strange fishiness to a delicious dish. For entrees, she had the cod, which she enjoyed, and I had the pork rib. I must say, I was a little disappointed in the pork rib. I expected this to be a slam dunk coming from Paul Kahan, since he is the master of all things pork, but it was kind of dry. When it came out, cooked white as can be, I couldn't help but think of the, "pork, the other white meat" commercials. If I would have known it would be like a dry piece of chicken, I would have ordered something else. Overall, the flavor was good, but I think it is a cardinal sin to dry out a piece of meat. Drinks: The cocktail, the pear tree, was awesome. It was delicious and I already had a buzz after drinking just one. The pinot noir by the glass was a nice selection, the champagne was good that my gf chose, as was the tawny I had with dessert. So, that's my rant about blackbird. The food is a thumbs up, the service needs help. There are plenty of other excellent restaurants in this city and I will not be rushing back.
(3)
Alf O.

A trendy culinary treat, that's actually worth it. The food is fantastic, and experience rests comfortably on the good side of the pretention fulcrum.
(5)
Jenny S.

More like 3 1/2 stars . . . It was interesting. While the food was delicious it was all just a little too rich. I started out with the pinenut gazpacho and I finished about 3/4 of it and my tastebuds couldn't handle any more so I had to stop. The sturgeon was so rich I could only eat about 1/3. For dessert I tried the beignet with BACON ICE CREAM. Ok, that was it. I couldn't eat anymore. While the beignet was good, the bacon ice cream was just a step too far. It tasted like frozen bacon grease. It's hard to explain but I feel like the richness of the food overpowered the flavor. Everything was sort of overloading my taste buds but not in a good way. The service was excellent and the restaurant itself is clean & modern. It's just that the food itself feels like it's trying too hard.
(3)
Karin V.

With so many great restaurants and only 2 days in Chicago, it was difficult to decide which places I should eat at during this trip. Chef Paul Kahan has been recognized as one of the city's top chefs, so I wanted to try one of his restaurants (Blackbird, Avec, The Publican). Ultimately, I chose Blackbird because of their $22 three course pre-fixe lunch...what a fantastic deal! Since this was only be beginning of many meals to come, I wanted to keep lunch *relatively* light. So the hubby and I split one of the pre-fixe lunches and ordered an extra entrÃ©e to share (the pork belly sandwich was calling my name). Wood-grilled Octopus Confit - the presentation of the octopus was unique...almost like it had been congealed into a block of terrine, then sliced. The octopus was tender and delicate, although I would have liked some char to give it more flavor/smokiness. The candied red onion and pickled ramps were a nice complement. Sous-vide Lamb with Lime Onions, Tamarind, Smoked Cucumbers - the lamb was beautifully cooked, really moist and tender. Although the other components had sounded interesting, they didn't quite taste right with the lamb. Organic Pork Belly and Cabbage Slaw Sandwich with Garlic Frites - the sandwich was scrumptious. All the elements were perfectly balanced...salty and fatty pork belly, acidity and crunch of the slaw, warm toasted bread. The fries, on the other hand, were a disappointment. They were soggy and no garlic was to be found. Fried Polenta with Klug Farms Blueberries, Lemon Verbena, Smoked Brown Sugar Ice Cream - I loooooooved the flavors and textures of this dessert. Sweet, fruity, salty, smoky, starchy, creamy, crunchy...combined to make *the* most incredible bite. I've never had polenta as part of dessert before, and it worked so well that I hope to find it in more! Although there were a few missteps, I'd still recommend lunch at Blackbird. Good service, well executed proteins, and their fried polenta dessert was phenomenal (a MUST if you dine here). And of course, you really can't beat their 3 course lunch for only $22. **For pics of each course, go to my blog link under my profile. Enjoy!**
(4)
Hannah B.

I had high hopes for this Chicago eatery until I started reading the mixed reviews on opentable.com . With my expectations lowered we venture out for a business dinner here last week. We started with the octopus confit which was quite different than anything I've had before. It had a very strong smoked flavor. I went with the Halibut next, which was very salty. I think I should have had the duck or quail which were both delicious. If you are looking for a filling meal you'll have to get an app, entree and dessert to feel full as the portions tend to be small. The chef does have some unique textures and flavors but nothing wowed me. It actually felt very midwestern nouveau with dishes such as trout and sturgeon. The service was its saving grace and quite excellent.
(3)
will c.

The price fixe lunch is probably one of the best deals you can ever get. The smoked wagyu tartare and crispy braised beef tongue was excellent and flavorful. The organic pork belly sandwich with garlic frites was excellent. I rarely comment on the fries, but they were perfectly fried. The wood-grilled sturgeon was well flavored and very tasty.
(4)
Andrea R.

Ring in this vote as 3.5 stars. I say 3 but my boyfriend says 4, so we'll split the difference. I didn't much care for either my appetizer or my entree, but he liked both of his choices. SERVICE/ATMOSPHERE: The service was decent, we showed up 20 minutes early for our reservation, but were promptly seated anyways. Bread service was prompt, water refilled often. The waiter was a little weird though... he kept poking his head into our conversation over my shoulder scaring the crap out of me. He also gave us a little TOO much extra time when we were not yet ready with our drink orders the first time around. Cant hold that against him though since he seemed to be one of only two waiters amongst the all other staff doing who-knows-what. I had the champagne cocktail, it was pretty good. I'll echo others' comments that the tables are too close together. The hostess had to pull our table out into the aisle for my boyfriend to slide into the booth. (Rant: this was very annoying to me... my bf is kind enough to let me usually have the booth, which was made awkward by Blackbirds need to have too many tables in a small spot. I wanted to go wash my hands in the restroom, which meant I had to take the aisle seat lest I wanted to have to move the table multiple times into the aisle to get in and out... I'm not used to feel trapped in my seat, which is what happens to you if you get the booth side) The FOOD: I ordered the green garlic bisque to start. It was so so green... too green. If I had wanted something that tasted like wheat grass, I would've gone and gotten a shot of it at Jamba Juice. I couldn't decide if I thought the soup was outright bad, but it certainly wasn't something I would order again. My bf ordered the endive salad which he enjoyed. It comes with a crispy potato "birds nest" that they chop up for you at the table. I ordered the Waygu steak for dinner. This was the biggest disappointment for me as it is one of my favorites. It was either cooked improperly or a cheap cut or both. Super-fatty Waygu should turn juicy and succulent if seared right, not fibrous and tough. The roasted quinoa was good, but not good enough to make up for the sad display of steak on the plate. The bf had the scallops which again were lovely. The cheese plate was also good... included some nice, local selections. Overall, I wouldn't say that you shouldn't go here... just be prepared that some things on the menu will be much better than others.
(3)
Rasmus P.

Hands down one of the top 3 dining experiences so far in Chicago! The food was exceptional good, and the wine list had some good hidden gems on it - combined with very good service (discreet, but there when needed), this can be highly recommended... So why not 5 start? Well, first of all 5 starts would indicate that there would be nothing better - and even though this was very good I have to ask myself - would i prefer going here again, or The girl and the goat or Gilt bar? Or even better is there something out there thats even better - well i will try to find it... Maybe i will come back one day and change to 5 stars... For now: Go there!
(4)
Debbie W.

Outstanding meal, start to finish. The space is nondescript, but comfortable, but it doesnt matter because the food is fresh, slow, organic, and fantastic. The chef started us off with some kind of delicious melt-in-your-mouth raw fish, and we had great appetizers, especially the sweetbreads with shaved summer truffles and golden beets. AMAZING, While still buzzing from our apps, the waiter came over to apologize for taking so long with our entrees, along with a 'gift' from the chef of his 'crispy maryland soft shelled crab' -- something i never would have ordered-- and it was (as much as i hate using this phrase) TO DIE FOR! The entrees now had a lot to live up to, and they did. The crispy 'fried' chicken was fresh from a local farm, and served with a smoked potato salad, the roasted lamb was color of corned beef and one of the tastiest thing i've ever had, and the waygu steak so far exceeded my expectations, i really wish i had been the one to order it. The fish was the least impressive thing at our table but it was still a great meal. The dessert we ordered was healthy and good, but the after-dinner standout is the tea menu. I've never seen such an extensive tea menu including some 'vintages' that were over 100 a pot! While I wasnt gonna go that far, I did splurge on a $12 pot of Jasmine tea which was hands done the greatest tea i've ever had.
(5)
Erika O.

Went on Restaurant Week. Delicious!!!!
(5)
Sarah P.

We did the tasting menu and every one of the ten courses was absolutely terrible. We went there over a year ago, and we still talk about how bad it was. Worst restaurant I have ever been to in my ten years in Chicago.... and one of the most expensive. We thought that because we don't frequent many fine dining establishments our pallets were not sophisticated enough....that's why we didn't say anything when we were there. Upon further reflection....complex food should still taste good to the novice!
(1)
Alicia S.

Went for restaurant week and it was wonderful! The prix fixe menu was the perfect preview of their cuisine on a smaller scale. I'd totally recommend going for lunch since the price is more affordable and the crowds are smaller if you hit it at the right time.
(4)
Ashleigh J.

5 stars for food and service. We sat at the bar, bartender was knowledgeable and friendly. Food was divine. Skate Wing, yes please! The atmosphere is, well, kinda cold. But I can look past it b/c the food was so DAMN good.
(5)
Sandi R.

This place is amazing! The culinary skills really shine through from the selection to the presentation of the food. I can't wait to make another reservation!
(5)
Faye S.

I went to Blackbird for my birthday. The food and drink were delicious. I had 'New holland' cocktail and it was so good that I ordered a second one. Bread was a little hard for my taste. For appetizers, I had 'suckling pig', while bf has 'octopus'. They were both great. The food came out pretty slow but I did not mind that because they sent something in bite size out to keep us happy in the meantime. For entree, I had 'Pekin duck breast', which was delicious and tender and remind me of Chinese food in a way. My bf had their new dish, 'lamb saddle'. The lamb was recommended to be medium rare. It was delicious. We did not really care for the fried polenta and honeydew that came with though. For dessert, we had criollo chocolate with ice-cream. Chocolate was so good. We really enjoyed our meal. Our server was sweet. The downside is that tables are very close to each other.
(4)
Joey D.

Just started yelping and thought my first review should be of my favorite Chicago restaurant, Blackbird. My most recent dining experience here was about a month ago, and as always they did not let me down! The highlight had to be the Sturgeon with the smoked snails. I'm a sucker for their grilled sturgeon and this is tied for the best I'd had it here. (The tie going to last years sauerkraut gnocchi preparation). I am continuously surprised at how this Chicago staple gets better time after time. And I can't wait until my next experience:-)
(5)
Tammy L.

Went for Chef Week and had a really nice time. I don't eat meat, so I had the endive salad with poached egg for the appetizer, the sweet potato agnolotti with crispy black kale for the entree, and the flourless chocolate cake for dessert. Everything was delicious and our server was amusing. We wanted recommendations on wines, and he definitely did not steer us wrong. They let us relax and have a nice evening talking to friends--we never felt rushed or ignored, which is so nice for one of these prix fixe deals. I will definitely be back!
(4)
James P.

The menu was interesting, and the apps and entrees well executed and delicious. The dessert was beautiful and good, but didn't taste great. I thought there was pretty good price to value relationship for the food. Service was pretty good, but not what you'd expect from somewhere that purports to be so nice...I ran out of water before dessert and didn't get anymore for some reason. I wasn't in the mood to chase the waiter down, though. In addition, more than one of the staff bumped into me and/or had his pits way too close to my face or on me. That's probably because of the space (see below), but that's not my problem. The ambiance is my primary reason for the overall rating. The noise here is simply unacceptable. The cramping is simply unacceptable--you're basically at a communal table that has nominal spaces--you have to pull out a table and do acrobatics to get out of the banquette--the waiters can't reach diners at the banquette without getting all over diners seated in chairs--it's a total nightmare if you're looking to have a nice dinner. Together, they are miserable. (If you're inclined to conclude I'm just unusually sensitive, consider that I gave Publican a 5, and obviously didn't mind its space and noise levels, despite the fact that others seem to complain about it.) Also, more than one patron near me (so I refuse to chalk it up as an outlier) behaved like an older version of a South Park schoolboy--I guess hot restaurants attract moneyed louts too.
(2)
Sara D.

Well, despite the frowny face 'two stars' I'm giving Blackbird, I came with a close friend and we had a good time. I had read all of the previous reviews and was really psyched for a knock my socks off, lick the plate clean meal. Came mid-week, the hostess was super friendly. Blackbird is definitely a place to come to 'be seen', the vibe here is fairly pompous and flashy. That didn't stop us: we were starving and hurriedly ordered some cocktails and an appetizer. The drinks came right away, but we waited at least 25 minutes for the appetizer. We shared a starter that involved some greens and a mini corndog. I could've eaten a whole plate of the corndogs: hey Blackbird, I know that you're all fancy fine dining here, but how about offering a plate of those? This isn't a dish to share, there is one 'dog' per plate. It took a solid half hour to get the main courses after the appetizer. The sturgeon was delicious, but the scallops were so-so. Although they were cooked to perfection, there was strong licorice overtones. The meal ended with the chocolate pistachio desert; it had a nice crunchy bottom layer of nuts with a smooth chocolate top which reminded me of a chocolate pots de creme. Overall, the food was good, it's just that at that price point we expected more. If I went back, I would definitely go ahead and order the tasting. The portions are small on the regular menu as is, and by the time you order an appetizer, entree, dessert, and drink, it's almost worth it to pay a little extra for the tasting menu.
(2)
Tenley G.

Excellent, innovative food; a staff that is attentive but not punctilious; phenomenal cocktails - really, try ANY cocktail on the menu and your taste buds will sing; and a modern atmosphere that lacks the stringency that can sometimes ruin other restaurants. However, the bill may escalate at an alarming rate. Be prepared to spend at least $100 - $150 for two to have a good time.
(4)
Monica T.

Three and a half stars, though if I had ordered my friend's entree and stuck with my dessert, I'd give it four. I am quickly ramping up on the Chicago restaurant scene with a lesson in names and faces on the local culinary circuit. At Blackbird, I've managed to acquaint myself with the cooking of Chef de Cuisine Mike Sheerin, who came from WD-50, NYC's answer to molecular gastronomy. So you ask, what business does a food alchemist have in a seasonally-driven kitchen such as that of Blackbird's? Well a whole a lot, now that Chef Paul Kahan is busy working on a new restaurant. The idea is that Sheerin preserves the integrity of Blackbird by offering a new perspective on how to prepare seasonal food. The amuse for the night was a watermelon salad, which seems to be a popular ingredient for summertime. It was nice and light, though typical for a watermelon preparation. Our waitress introduced the Grilled California Sturgeon ($30) as a fish dish for meat lovers. The firm flesh of the sturgeon held up well against the plank grilling, which gave it the texture of pork tenderloin and the flavor of smoked meat. While I found the fish a bit dry, I couldn't keep from devouring the rye gnocchi and guanciale, which was the equivalent of rye mash potatoes (sans the potato) perfumed by lemony, herbaceous caraway seeds. Perhaps it was the guanciale or the oyster mushrooms or simply just a heavy hand, but I found the dish a little on the salty side. I was looking to end my meal on a on light note, so I skeptically chose the Buckwheat Crepaze ($10), which is essentially a torte decked with layer upon layer of thin crepe batter. You could definitely taste the buckwheat with the candied celery, pistachio ice cream, and rhubarb consomme keeping the flavors of the dish bright. The spongy texture of the Crepaze was perfect for soaking up the rhubard consomme and melted pistachio ice cream. I also had a chance to try the Venison ($34) and Milk Chocolate Cremeaux($10) dessert. I only had one bite of the venison and all I have to say is that it was stellar. Cooked medium rare, the presentation was beautiful and the flavor profile, incredibly light considering the heaviness of the meat. I've never been a fan of spiced chocolate, so I mostly stayed away from the Milk Chocolate Cremeaux, which came with a coconut-curry ice cream. Salty-sweet combinations are a trend in Chicago restaurant scene, but the custard, ice cream, cashew, and lime combination was too busy for my taste.
(4)
Julie G.

I'm sure there's not much else to say about this place, so allow me to just share a play-by-play of my experience. Enjoyed a drink at the bar called The Equinox which was truly awesome. The duck sausage appetizer was probably the best part of my meal. It was served warm and tasted truly amazing. I had the trout for the main course. It's a different kind of trout that I've had before and tasted kind of like a super mild salmon. I prefer my fish to be cooked a little longer but it was still very good. Also, it was garnished with some type of spicy peach item which offered quite an exciting juxtaposition of flavor. And he waitress recommended a wine to pair with my fish that ended up being quite perfect. Dessert was a chocolate banana concoction of some type that was also different than I expected but also very good. And I really must point out that the service was truly extraordinary in every way. So why only 4 stars, you may ask? There was something about this place that was just a little too cool for school, and everyone there was either an uber-foodie or playing one on TV. I'm pretty sure I technically wasn't hip enough to be in there, and a slightly more relaxed and accessible atmosphere would go a long way for this establishment. That's just my two cents...I know everyone else pretty much f**king loves it there.
(4)
Jen B.

This place is like a restaurant you see in movies. Very minimalist white decor, tons of light, beautiful people, servers that seem entirely more grown up than me. Makes me feel like a real adult but also kind of a fraud. In other words, not really my scene outside of a work situation, but a great spot for a biz lunch. Small portions of really well done dishes. I tried the whitefish sandwich and calamari. Both were light enough not to give me a food coma and well-seasoned.
(4)
George L.

love the duck and lamb tartare. nice deco and awesome matching orange menu
(4)
Bora U.

Blackbird was one of the first restaurants on my list of "must tries" when I first moved to Chicago in 2006. When one of my friends came to visit from NYC, I knew this was the place I wanted to take her. I made reservations for a Friday night three weeks in advance to ensure we'd have prime seating at a reasonable hour. When we got to the restaurant the hostess and manager greeted us at the door. We requested outdoor seating and they were happy to oblige. The first thing I noticed about Blackbird was its uber-stylish patrons. There was a waifish woman with a pixie cut hair-do and modern space-suit type mini dress on. The men were dressed in super stylish fitted trousers and of course those Prada loafers. The decor of the restaurant is certainly minimalist in style but the crowd provides just the right touch of embellishment. My friend and I gazed at the simple menu and peered over to each other with fearful eyes. We knew this restaurant was WAY more than we could afford, so we decided to budget our dinner. We went for a bottle of white wine for a bout $46, two salads, and we split a white fish entree and shared a dessert. The server was more than happy to split our entree and was never snooty about it. Our salads were amazing and as a suprise our server brought out two full entrees. He indicated that the chef wanted us each to have our own portion - splitting the entree would do the white fish no justice. SCORE! We were completely satisfied at the end of our meal even though we knew we'd have to starve the rest of the week for what we had spent on dinner alone that night (~140 with tax and tip). I've been to Blackbird twice more for their lunch specials. Once for the $22 prefix, and once for the $14 dollar sandwich deal. The $22 prefix is a great value and a little more than I could eat during lunch! The time I went for the $14 salad/sandwich deal, I was a little disappointed with the service. My friend and I both had the white fish sandwich - which is to DIE for. And the meal was topped off with to-go boxes filled with three donuts - which were more like profiteroles without the ice cream. We decided we wanted to stay and have coffee with our donuts and he seemed a bit...annoyed. The restaurant was nearly empty, so I didn't see what the passive aggressiveness was about. We didn't let it get to us, but if your restaurant is offering a $14 lunch special - deal with it. Anyway, the 4 stars is just because I can't afford to go to this restauant more often! But I do plan on coming back for special occassions.
(4)
Scott S.

Now here is a refined, glorious restaurant. Chef Paul Kahan knocked one out of the park with Blackbird, back in its 5 star days. A small, simple menu made with wild, subtle combinations of fresh ingredients. There's always a wonderful, ever-changing soup and several glorious salads (including a burata salad to die for). Main dishes tend to rotate, but some of the utter stars are the pork belly sandwich (soooo flavorful and melty) and a skirt steak with wonderful, ever-changing secondary elements (the smoked grapes are always divine). Dessert is a separate, small menu that changes roughly monthly, with a selection of 5 great cheeses or a few different choices - again, some rotating standards, like the milk chocolate cremeaux with kaffir lime or some other ice cream. There have been a couple of recent changes of chefs de cuisine and pastry chefs; I feel the food's not quite the same level as when Paul stood in the kitchen himself; hence my lowering to 4 stars. I'd still drop in for lunch here any day - and of course after 3 or so, there's always the option of going next door to Avec ;-) A wonderful, wonderful restaurant; if you haven't been, it's one of the jewels of the new Randolph dining corridor.
(4)
Missy M.

I saw my opportunity to eat here on a budget and I took it! Restaurant Week I love you! The place is minimalist and posh. The staff was very friendly and unpretentious. My BF almost ordered off the regular menu for lunch (which I might add was so reasonably priced we want to come back soon!), but we both ended up with the prix fixe menu. Every dish was so complex and original. After the 3 courses, I couldn't even recall what I had just ate but I knew it was spectacular!! So many components that were interesting and complimentary in ways I never knew existed. As soon as the first course was over I completely understood why this restaurant is so highly regarded in the foodie world. If you think you can't afford Blackbird....think again and go for lunch! Special touch: the James Beard awards in the hallway to the restrooms. Also, the orange curtain IN the restroom. What a pleasant surprise when I peeked behind it! Love it! ;)
(5)
Stephen M.

Just a great place for a fun, albeit expensive, meal. The modern decor and uniqueness of the food (I had skate wing) makes for a very memorable experience.
(5)
Max M.

THE REVIEW Define bad idea: Attempting to go to Avec, a no reservation restaurant, on a Saturday night at 7pm. There was a hour-and-a-half wait. People were packed in like sardines in a can. There were people in the hallway and outside in the street. So, I took the opportunity to check out Blackbird instead. There were considerably fewer guests waiting and the restaurant did look inviting. If Avec and Blackbird were siblings, then Avec is the mature down-to-earth and confident one of the two. Blackbird, on the other hand, is the "younger" flashy insecure one. She's the one that wants all the attention. Whereas Avec is laid-back and doing her own thing, Blackbird takes herself a little more seriously. This difference is unmistakable. Perched on a desolate stretch of Randolph St, Blackbird screams for attention. From the outside, the restaurant seems inspired by Edward Hopper's famous painting "Nighthawks"; a futuristic version. eaobjets.files.wordpressâ€¦ static.howstuffworks.comâ€¦ The interior is decorated in formal masculine color tones: grey, black, white. There are sexy sleek lines and contours. The servers echo this sibling's high maintenance vibe. Blackbird serves modern American food which tries oh so very hard to impress: grilled octopus confit with coconut-horseradish, fingerling potatoes, granny smith apples and candied black olives grilled california sturgeon with celery root puree, anjou pears and sauerkraut gnocchi eggplant and pumpernickel pave with braised spigarello, cucumber, oven-dried tomato and cinnanmon consomme These are just some of the examples of what I'm talking about. Yet, I think most people will agree that I found myself gravitating towards those more familiar and straightforward dishes: salad of endives, crispy potatoes, basil, dijon, pancetta and poached egg slagel farms organic pork belly with parsnip-olive, black eyed peas, black trumpet mushrooms and sweet potato jus braised skirt steak and grilled prime hanger steak with spaghetti squash, chestnuts and vidalia onions I ordered the endive salad with poached egg for a starter. For my main course, I compromised and chose the most creative yet sensible item: the country-fried rabbit leg with lemon confit and brussel sprouts. Both dishes were excellent. The salad is a hearty portion of greens wrapped in a beautiful cylinder of showstring potatoes. The servers toss the salad tableside for each guest that orders this item. For $10, you get value, flavor, and theater. Brilliant. The rabbit leg wasn't like Popeye's seasoning, but it was pretty damn good. My companion's courses were strong as well. The quail was a bit on the skimpy-side in terms of portion. Her Tasmanian Sea Trout was cooked to perfection. We didn't have dessert. Our check came out to $150 with three drinks, tax, and tip. That's a considerable premium above the $100 that Avec would've charged us. Ultimately, Blackbird is a solid experience. i do feel bad for her though. She's paid for the breast implants and buys $1000 pairs of shoes. Meanwhile, her flat chested tomboy sis Avec seems to be getting all the action these days...
(4)
Leah G.

Amazing. Loved the gazpacho, the halibut, and chocolate criollo dessert. I also had roobios tea, which was the only thing that wasn't that great. Great for birthdays, as there were folks celebrating on either side of us. Service was great. I sat at the restaurant from 7-10 pm on a Friday night, and no one rushed us out! This definitely upped my standards for good food.
(5)
Steven S.

In from San Diego for a meeting and have dined here before. Although not quite up to the standards I recall the last time I was in, the food was still creative and well prepared. Very well chosen wine list. Generally one of my favorites in Chicago.
(4)
Sam G.

They didn't have a reservation available for us at a table but said that we could get a reservation for two at the bar, so we took it. Sitting at the bar was actually quite pleasant. The restaurant was fairly small but the seating looked very close together so I think we have had more room actually sitting at the bar! All the food was delicious and had extremely good flavors mixed together. The cheese salad is a must for an appetizer. It was one of my favorite dishes. It included incredible tasting cheese with parsnip cake, pickled green tomatoes, greens, and candied coriander. For a main dish, the turbot and the rack of lamb are definitely worth recommending. In addition to the food being awesome, the service was good as well and we had an excellent dinner here!
(4)
Jessica S.

We went for a birthday dinner and everyone had a FANTASTIC experience. I had the champagne opportunity cocktail, and an other tried the hibiscus kiss, both cocktails were tasty. We were given an amuse-bouche of shrimp (what else was with it I missed, but it was good). 2 of us tried the cheese salad and the other 2 got the endive salads to start out with. The presentation for the endive salad was very entertaining. Not only was it delicious (got to love eating with people who all share what they get) but it comes out in this nest looking bowl (tastes like potato chips) with an egg on top and then they cut it all up for you (which is good, because I don't know if I would've known how to tackle it). My cheese salad was really good, the flavors went really well together (I liked it better than the endive, even if it didn't come out as fun). Entrees consisted of lamb, steak, halibut and trout. I had the lamb and it was AMAZING. I have no idea how they seasoned it, but it was money (medium rare, with the crusty, seasoned, just right amount of fat for flavor edges). So good! Everyone enjoyed their entrees as well. Dessert (always the best part) was also great. I had the white chocolate mousse with green tea and kumquat and a cup of coffee. Everyone else got the doughnuts, lemon curd and banana cremeux? All was delectable. Tim got a candle on his plate since he was the birthday boy :) Finally, our check came and with it some little squares, some were strawberry (it was like eating a cube of strawberry jelly coated in sugar, good, but not my favorite) and caramel (salted and very tasty!). Best of all, the service was OUTSTANDING! Everything from giving those wearing black pants black napkins instead of white, providing the ladies with purse hooks, taking your jackets and then helping you with them as you leave and never having an empty water glass (this is truly amazing as Tim tends to drink water faster than people can refill it). I loved this place and would happily come back :)
(5)
Michael M.

Went here for a birthday dinner with my roomate and our dates. Everyone loved their food except mine (sea bass) which wasn't bad by any means, but lacked the wow factor that my friends plates had. They had the Pork Bellies and Halibut, but what I should have ordered which came out at the table next to us was the tri tip, it looked amazing. Desserts were interesting to say the least. Drinks were the best part! Don't miss out on these!
(3)
Andrew M.

Something special here. Blackbird was refreshing. From a standpoint of food alone, Blackbird sits in an elite group of restaurants that include Alinea and Tru. I visited for a special occasion recently and was very impressed. We ordered the tasting menu and were very impressed with the flavor, texture, presentation, and quality of every course. My wife and I could not decide which we preferred more - TRU or Blackbird. Of course, a night at Blackbird will cost you less than half of one at TRU. Blackbird waitstaff deserves special attention, because unlike their more expensive brethren, Blackbird does not have 4 waiters for every table. They have just one, and those waiters are very good. Attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable - even when the restaurant is packed. Something I had not seen elsewhere is given the small space, you end up sitting very close to your neighbors. At Blackbird, this works surprisingly well. During our tasting menu, we met 5 different couples sitting on either side. We had interesting, vibrant conversations with strangers, something we had not expected nor experienced at any other restaurant. Blackbird is my new Special Occasion restaurant. Far more value than its more expensive brethren, but still something special. A gem.
(5)
Carrie S.

High dining experiences tend to be rarities for me. It's not very often that I go out to lunch to a fancy, minimalist restaurant. However today, I just had the most amazing lunch!! Whoever dreamed up a prix fixe menu is a genius. Today's lunch was an economical and delicious way to try some stellar food on the cheap. I tried some selections from their $15 prix fixe menu. They had a red and white wine featured for $5 a glass. I got a nice pinot noir to go with my meal. For my first course, I had a salad with red lettuce, musclin, and topped with a lovely dressing. It had a hint of sea salt or something salty enough to pop out at you. For my second course, I got the organic pork belly sandwich. The pork belly is topped with cabbage slaw, dijonnaise, and a winter salad of daikon. It came with a side of crispy garlic frites. The pork belly sandwich is to die for awesome. It tasted like a modern twist on the pulled pork, coleslaw topped sandwiches populating picnics. Instead, the flavors melded so deliciously together where every bite was an experience. My dining companion Lauren got the whitefish sandwich. The whitefish was delicate against the crisp bread while still tasting a symphony of flavors. The accompanying turnip chips were really tasty too. Delicate, light, and tasty chips tasted so good. The third course is a cute little to go box of doughnuts. The doughnuts are moist and flavorful while still being light. Even if their prix fixe menu is way to draw people in a bad economy, it worked for me. I enjoyed a great lunch inexpensively for a restaurant I would normally find out of my price range. All I know is that I want me some pork belly sandwiches because that's the best lunch sandwich I've had.
(5)
Rachel W.

love love love blackbird. one of my top choices in the city. The decor is ridiculously minimalist...almost as if to say, focus on our quality food. Its the same layout as its brother, Avec which is next door, but fancier. Great atmosphere, a small amt of outdoor tables in the summer. It is small, not a ton of room and you are seated close to your dining neighbors...but it adds to the experience Make sure to get the poached egg salad...amazing. Fish is great here, as are their meat dishes. I would dress up to go here, most people are, and heels sound great on the hardwood floor! Good date place.
(4)
Ronni S.

Ate here a few weeks ago at a networking dinner. The food was to die for. OK, I'm a straightforward kind of girl when it comes to my meals. Give me spaghetti and I'm happy. So, the menu was a little bit daunting to me. Food I'd never heard of, things I couldn't even pronounce! And combinations that had me going "say what?" But I AM adventurous, and I'll try almost anything once. I'm glad I did. The presentation was beautiful! Each dish was prettier than the next! Everything tasted wonderful, and the portions were the perfect size. Dessert. Oh my God, dessert. Mouthwatering! I can't remember what I had, as it was a few weeks ago and their menu changes (so no web site references to help me). But I do remember that it was all yummy. I didn't care much for the acoustics of the place. People had to shout to be heard and my ears were ringing by the time the meal was over. It was also pretty cramped. Still, I did enjoy the meal and the service.
(4)
Kate L.

All in all, I enjoyed my experience at Blackbird. The atmosphere and service were great and the food was very good. However, it wasn't all that I expected it to be, based on reviews that I had heard from family & friends. We split an ahi tuna appetizer that wasn't my favorite, I felt that it was a little bit over-cooked. I had the duck as my entree, which was delicious but very fatty (to be expected for duck, I guess) and a desert that was just ok. It didn't 'wow' me but I would definitely give Blackbird another chance.
(4)
Anna G.

YUMMY. A great meal during the summer! The atmosphere was a little claustrophobic. I hate tables that are on top of one another. Aside from that, AMAZING. Our waitress was very nice and knowledable about the dishes on the menu. The softshell crab with jalepeno was crispy and very very tasty. My pistachio gazpacho had little bits of watermelon and ahi tuna-- I HAD to try it simply out of curiosity it was OUT OF THIS WORLD! I think I had a porkbelly entree but its been so long I can't remember---must have been decent because I'd remember if it was horrible or succulent. The dessert we picked was a homemade melon sorbet, a good way to end our meal and clean the palate. HIGHLY recommend it for a date night! Can't wait to go back.
(5)
sarah b.

yumIEEE I thought I didn't like mushrooms and squash until I went to Blackbird and it made me question all of my food dislikes. I feel like a five-year old who only liked chicken nuggets who suddenly discovers a whole new universe of food. Yes, minimalist experience. Extraordinary you-never-noticed-they-were-there-until-you-Âneeded-them unpretentious service. I ordered the cheese salad and a fish with mushrooms and squash that were both exceptional. But there was special attention paid to every food matching so the end result was unexpected and well-rounded. We had the cheese plate to finish things off and each cheese came with a complementary fruit/nut pairing. Wine list was comprehensive, but friendly and had a lot of reasonably priced wines that you aren't likely to find intimidating. The tables are too close together. Aside from that, the only disappointment was that I hadn't found this place sooner. Four stars only because I didn't love the space and how squished in everyone was.
(4)
Jacqueline M.

We went to Blackbird for my husband's 30th birthday and had a lot of fun! The service was excellent and so was the food! We got the tasting menu, which was well worth the $100 price. We were both so stuffed afterwords! The cocktail were great too! The beef and soft shell crab were my favorite things! I didn't really like the peanut gazpacho or the foie gras.
(4)
Colt E.

Really enjoyed our Chef's week dinner here. At first we were a little bit afraid of the crowded seating (you kind of have to move tables to sit down), but Blackbird seems to make it work and we ended up having no problem with it, though it was a little hard not to listen to the people next to us. For $30 the food we had was amazing. The chopped salad prepared in front of me was impressive and quite enjoyable. The duck we had was well cooked. The sweet potato peanut ravioli (I think?) was good, and definitely interesting flavors. The ravioli was obviously freshly and carefully prepared so I appreciated that. The side of krispy kale was another item I've never really had anything like before, but enjoyed. Over all I thought the meal was great and the Chef gives you flavors that you appreciate and need to think about. Well worth the trip. Thanks Blackbird!
(4)
Jeffrey M.

I've heard the decor described as cold and sterile, but I thought bright. I started with a bourbon cocktail called the Blackbird Orange. This was the best cocktail I've ever had, and that's saying a lot. For dinner I had the chef's tasting menu. It was inspired and imaginative. Throughout each course seemed to top the one before it. Some standouts for me were the cold pea and Greek yogurt soup, the foie gras, the pork belly, and the leg of lamb. I've only become enthusiastic about food since this past February, and so far this has been my favorite dining experience.
(5)
Aaron K.

Very good things go on at Blackbird. Impecible food overseen by a Chicago master is a good part of it. The deal this week for Chef Week is a steal. For $30 we received the largest 3-course meal I can recall having. The mussel soup is a meal in itself and I could not help but finish the entire dish. From there on every bite I could finish was wonderful, but I honestly could have received half as much food and still left full. The cocktail program here is fairly solid as well. The current menu does not match the website, but the overall menu has a similar seasonal feel with a focus on lighter cocktails (mainly vodka and gin drink with a couple lighter whiskey and rum). They do know their classic cocktails and I was able to get a sazerac. While fairly heavy on the absinthe it did not disappoint. Looking at the menu and experiencing the portions I would not hesitate to return if the opportunity were to arise.
(4)
Chris S.

Few places have impressed me as much as Blackbird. I took my fiancee here to celebrate our 1 year anniversary and we had an outstanding dinner. The Sonoma Zinfandel bottle we drank was very yummy. The tuna apricot starter was delicious. The avocado fish noodle appetizer was tantalizingly interesting. Our fish main courses (her the trout, I the halibut) were cooked to an unprecedented level of perfection. The desserts (hers a basil cream lemon dish, mine a banana cake butterscotch ice cream plate) were out of this world. Dishes were composed of simple ingredients but somehow flavors unfolded in your mouth with each chew. Service was also excellent -- attentive, but unobtrusive. Prepare to drop change at this place, and best to don your best duds, but that's all worth it. Blackbird is highly recommended.
(5)
Jason M.

After reading the reviews and hearing the hype Blackbird made my list of places to try. Since they started their new prix fixe (or shall we say recession) lunch special I was sold. The three courses are salad, whitefish sandwich/lamb burger and doughnut dessert. Salad: I love salty food and this one was too salty for me. The greens were fresh and it was a nice mix, but the salt over-powered the dish and took it close to unpleasant Fish Sandwich: This dish was served on perfectly toasted sourdough bread and with onion and red pepper tapenade. I enjoyed the sandwich although I did find it a bit greasy. It needed a paper towel bath and I would have been incredibly happy. Garnishes: Fresh Olives, Potato and grape seed oil salad and fresh turnip and potato chips. All of the flavors were alright, but nothing really inspired me. Maybe my expectations were too high, but this is Blackbird right??? Dessert: An amazingly cute box with two chocolate kumquat donuts. Finally a creative treat with the flavor I was expecting... All in All Blackbird was an elegant experience. If my expectations weren't so high it would have done much better. I just was expecting a bit more in the flavor department.
(3)
Molly L.

Disappointed, for sure. I ate dinner here a few months ago and didn't feel compelled to write a review because it would have been on par with all the other stellar reviews. But today's prix fixe lunch pretty much took my Blackbird experience from amazing to very mediocre. Let me explain. Blackbird somehow got wind that we are currently in a "financial crisis" and decided to start up a $15, 3-course prix fixe lunch menu to create a more "affordable" lunch option. Not cheap for most of us, but what seemed like a steal for Blackbird. The three courses were a mixed greens salad, a choice of either a lamb burger or seared whitefish sandwich for the entree, and then two chocolate covered, kumquat-filled donut holes for dessert. The salad was simple and tasty, but a little salty (even my date who loooves salty food agreed). We shared the burger and sandwich. Burger: not very exciting...and small (fine because it's lunch, not fine because it's $15). When I ask for it cooked medium, I also want it cooked medium, not medium-wellish. Whitefish: greasy! but otherwise good flavors with a sort of red onion, roasted red pepper slaw. The red pepper peeking out was pretty much the only thing of color on this plate. The homemade fries and chips that accompanied our entrees were tasty, but not inspiring. Overall the entrees were just fine in taste, and didn't make up for anything in the mostly tan-colored presentation. Give it a little garnish of color! Dessert: definitely the best part of the meal. A nice little surprise at the end with the kumquat. If I could find a sugar daddy, I would still go back again for dinner (note, it gets absurdly loud as the tables are squeezed together...but also makes for good eavesdropping) - but I am sad to say - I do NOT recommend the lunch special. Try Randy Zweiban's newest, Province, around the corner instead.
(3)
Jennifer H.

This was my least favorite of the Michelin Star restaurants I've been too. My husband has been wanting to come here for a while and this place is a favorite with many of our friends. Since I had not been loving the menu my husband suggested trying their lunch Prix fixe for $22 to see if I would like. I opted for the soup of the day which was very good along with sturgeon and the bittersweet chocolate dessert. I found the dessert to be excellent along with the soup being good. I did not care for the fish. To be fair the waitress did offered to bring me something else since I did not care for it and only took 1 bite. She asked me several times which I very much appreciated but since my husband like the fish I just brought it home for him to eat later. While this restaurant doesn't appeal to my taste and flavor combinations, the services was very good and my husband and friend who had lunch with me both enjoyed their meals. I would say this restaurant may be changing to someone who picky with having some exotic items mixed in with most dishes (ie. sweetbreads, beef tongue, etc.) but is a favorite with my husband and friends.
(3)
N A.

I did a lot of research on this one! I wanted to pick a good restaurant in Chicago to dine in - a bit fancy, innovative, great food. Convinced by yelpers as well as by Anthony Bourdain's opinion, I made reservations for Saturday, May 29th at 6 pm. Arrived late but they were nice enough to accommodate for us with no delays in finding us a table. The place is quite nice, got seated in the first floor and didn't mind the proximity of my neighbors much. The dÃ©cor is simple yet elegant. The servers do not wear uniforms but dress quite nicely. Service - The server was excellent. Knew his way around the menu really well and even offered to let us make our own version of a tasting menu since we though 11 courses was a bit much for us and actually liked some dishes on the regular menu more than in the tasting one. Drinks - I ordered the Blond Hair Blue Eyes cocktail. Definitely a nice treat, slightly bitter and not too sweet. Quite refreshing. Dinner - We ended up getting three appetizers in tasting portions and then an entrÃ©e each. I later ordered dessert. -Amuse bouche - Duck crackling with chive florets and sea bean puree. A nice start to the meal. -Octopus Confit - ridiculously tender, wonderful almost smokey flavor and all the ingredients complemented each other very well. Our fave of all three appetizers. -Foie Gras - This being our first experience with foie gras: very interesting. Roasted seemed to work well and the charred garlic did as well. I had to ask for it without the shrimp salt because of allergies so I'm not sure if it would've made it a bit more flavorful for me. Will not make a decision on foie gras just yet until I try it elsewhere. -Suckling Pig - We were so excited for this one! The meat was tender, the stewed apricots enhanced the flavors of the meat as well as the beer vinaigrette. -Lamb Saddle with fromage blanc and spring pea falafel - This is what I ordered and I found the cut to be slightly 'gamey' - HOWEVER, when eaten with the fromage blanc quite delicious and very tender. The spring pea falafel were a nice surprise! -Pork Belly - My boyfriend ordered it. Quite tasty, the chorizo broth was very interested and he seemed to enjoy it greatly. -Brown Butter cake - Lovely dessert and oh-so-pretty (beautiful) presentation. The strawberry juice infused green strawberries and the goat cheese caramel sorbet in the strawberry sauce made for a wonderful and unforgettable dessert. The petit fours in the end were a nice touch (chocolate covered almond pieces and candied apricot). All in all, a wonderful experience and did not disappoint!! Exceeded my high expectations by far. Definitely recommend a visit if you are able to make a reservation: totally worth it!
(5)
Eileen O.

What I liked about blackbird 1. It was kind of exciting to go there because I'd heard so much about it. 2. It's lovely. Very clean and modern. 3. Coat check at the door, and a table hook for my purse. 4. The food was delicious. 5. They came around with fancy baby corn dogs that we didn't order. It was kind of funny, kind of sweet, and delicious. 6. The cheese plate at the end was outstanding. What I disliked about blackbird. 1. They had to move the table for each person to get to the wall seating. It was fine for when we sat down and there was no one at the tables next to us, but later in the evening when I had to go to the bathroom and the restaurant was packed - it was a little embarrassing. And I'm a pretty normal sized girl, so it wasn't an unusual situation for the restaurant. 2. The prices. Like other posters, I don't know that the meal was worthy of how much we paid, but if my husband and I had more money to spare this probably wouldn't even be an issue. A little more space between the tables please!! If I'm paying two hundred dollars for a dinner - I don't want my neighbors conversation to interfere with my own because they're louder than I am.
(3)
Lauren H.

One of the best lunches I have had. We opted for the $15 prix fixe lunch. It starts with a mixed green salad, I liked the dressing. I chose a whitefish sandwich which was perfectly cooked, and accompanied by olives, some kind of salad (potato and grape seed oil, I gather from other reviews), and turnip chips. Delicious. My dining companion ordered the pork belly sandwich (we split both sandwiches) and it was one of the best sandwiches I have ever had, I could not get enough of it and was heartbroken to eat the last bite because I did not want it to be gone. Dessert was two donut holes in a box to go, they were okay albeit a tad dry. I also enjoyed the "Champagne Opportunity" cocktail very much. Service was fine, except someone at the next table asked what was in the side salad and the server said "I don't know", rather than "let me find out for you" (but he did eventually find out for us--probably because he heard me comment on his response). I definitely want to go back and try their dinner, and perhaps lunch again as well. So good!
(5)
Keerthi A.

The ambiance is awesome! It is communal seating, they seat you next to other people on the same table, I must say a little too close to other people, but its not too bad. Small place, crowded, but the food was very good. Would definitely go back.
(4)
Shanti N.

Had a delicious champagne opportunity cocktail while waiting to be seated for dinner next door at Avec. I went to Blackbird during the week , which maybe explained the high level of service at the bar and the number of good looking men in suits.
(3)
Erin R.

All I can say about Blackbird is, JAZZ HANDS. A girlfriend and I jumped on the opportunity to go for lunch during restaurant week only to discover that their $22 prixe fix menu is YEAR ROUND M-F. Duuuuude. Also, the portions are perfect for lunch. My appetizer, my dessert, and the french press coffee followed by salted caramels were the best part of the meal. I had the pate, the trout, and the chocolate cake. The trout was tasty...but the chocolate and the coffee made the meal. The service was flawless. The food was wonderful. My dining partner was a hoot. All in all, it was a stand out experience.
(5)
Kelsey K.

I was told that this was going to be the best dining experience ever and, although it was good, I've definitely had better. I know they were going for a chic trendy look with the decor, but it was just a little too sterile for me. The food was good and inventive, the wines were awesome, and the service was wonderful. If I hadn't had other experiences that I enjoyed more, this would be on the top of my list, but because I have, I can't give it a 5. Avec (same owner) next door or Sepia around the corner were better for me, but I'm sure there are some that will disagree.
(3)
Jessica B.

It's Chef's Week in Chicago and three friends and I went to Blackbird, giddy with excitement. After all of the hype around this restaurant, I had no idea what to expect, but the thought of solid gold plates serving the finest cuisine possible did pop in my head. Overall, the Chef's Week deal is a big one. For $30 we got three dishes when an entree alone easily tops $30. The decor is clean and no frills, but that's okay. The full window facing Randolph is nice and it is bright inside. The tables are comfy but you are packed in with people next to you like sardines. Normally, I would not be a fan but the hostess took our coats (for free) and gave each of us a purse hook to put on the table, which didn't conflict with the setting. We got a bottle of wine (which can also be pricey) but when the waiter was out of the one we wanted, he recommended another one and offered to match the first bottle's cheaper price. Nice! I had the endive salad with poached egg and pancetta for the appetizer and I was very happy with it. Light and visually appealing without being too much. And they did tableside chopping of the salad so it was mixed properly. I had the duck breast with sauerkraut yukon potatoes too and was also happy with it. Overall, it was a great portion size and really nice taste. For dessert, we had a flourless-like chocolate cake and it was also delicious. Portion sizes were perfect but no joke, part of me wanted more. But that's just me being gluttonous considering how much that amazing food cost regular price. The tables tight fit was also a little difficult to get out of, especially as it gets busier there, but overall, I had a nice dinner and was happy with the food. There wasn't something "kaboom pow!" that made me want to run back, but it was a nice meal that was well prepared and a fun night out with friends. I'll take it!
(4)
chris c.

I got to eat at Blackbird while visiting town. I meant to take better notes but got distracted by the good food. For a cocktail, I had the Vive Lautrec (Absinthe Brandy, Hennesey Black, Lemon, Hyssop). Ok, maybe I had three. Anyway, AMAZING drink with three distinct tastes, first was a strong tart citrus, then, the smooth heat of the hennesey, and finally the anise of the absinthe. The three tastes stayed distinct for every sip. Octupus salad -- just ok. Maybe I'm not sure who this is for. Me, I love the taste and texture of octupus and was excited to see the choice on the menu. On the other hand, it was braised so long and slow that it neither tasted of octupus nor had the expected toothiness. Meh. Two others at the table ordered the sweetbreads, and normally, you can't keep me away, but at a place like this I have rules about not ordering the same thing as others in case I need a plan b. They apparently loved them since I never got a bite. Perhaps the reason I never tasted the sweetbreads was that I also ordered the "roasted" foie gras and it was so good I actually shut up and concentrated on hoarding my own food for 10 mins. For an entree I got the veal chop and it was delicious, cooked on the rare side of medium rare. The baked brioche was only ok -- next time I'll have the cheese plate. The place is noisy, but I'm loud.... besides, there is nothing finer than the crash of cooking from the open kitchen mixed with the buzz of conversation at a crowded restaurant.
(4)
A B.

Came here on a Thursday night, the place was packed, so definitely make reservations. Please keep in mind it's a tiny place so if you're waiting around for your table it can get pretty tight in there. We sat down and for the first 10 minutes not one person approached us and I didn't even know who the heck our waiter was going to be, that my biggest pet peeve, when no one welcomes you or introduces themselves. Now lets get to the food, for appetizer we ordered a fish soup and the endive salad, both of these dishes were amazing!!! For entree I got a Chicken dish and my husband got the Wagyu steak. I didn't think my chicken was anything special but my husband loved his food and swears it's his new favorite restaurant... I told him he was being overly dramatic!! We also got tea and two desserts. I'm not running back there anytime soon but would recommend for anyone to try it out.
(3)
Ling L.

This is a 3.5 star review. I can appreciate Blackbird for all the raves it's gotten: fresh, seasonal, creative, execution. Like everything reviewed that's been hyped, one can't help but go with such high expectations and sadly, not have them met. I gotta quit getting suckered like that. We had the prix fixe, a great price for the amount by Chicago pricing standards. Through no fault of their own, cold soups are not our preference, so I wouldn't dimiss it entirely. I wished one of us had gone for the cuttlefish noodles. But the stiffness of the waiter just made me hesitate changing my order. The halibut was the freshest piece of catch I had ever eaten. Flaky and tender, there's none by comparison. The duck confit was neither bad nor outstanding. It's just a notch above good. The desserts were nicely presented. Of the two options, I wish I could have more of the sesame cake, and only the sesame cake. It was so fluffy and light but full of flavor. When it appeared on my plate, I had forgotten what it was, and I thought I was presented sea cucumber for my sweets. Because they were small, I had to take tiny little bites and savor them as long as possible. If only they offer it as whole cakes to go. I'm still dreaming about it. One caveat. I made the reservation for my birthday as I wanted to try the place for a while, and because, I'm more of the planner than he is. But the waiter assumed it was my spouse's birthday and presented the birthday dish to him instead. That's quite presumptuous.
(3)
heather d.

I have been wanting to eat here for years...and finally made it last night. When i looked at the menu nothing really stood out to me so i asked our server what she recommended, she was great and even noticed i was pregnant (not very hard to notice these days) and called out what i could or could not eat and what the chef could do to modify dishes i could not have. I ended up with the celery root soup, lobster and meyer lemon curd for dessert. Each bite was better than the next. I felt like i was eating food from top chef. The place is a little stuffy and tables are close together and it is $$$$, but service was attentive and the food was out of this world. I am not sure i will be back anytime soon but so glad i go to experience it!
(4)
Ganya K.

I had the Tasting Menu here (11 courses) and it was an amazing experience. Each little bite was an explosion of flavor - I don't know how Kahan manages to pack so much flavor into such a small package. If you decide to do the Tasting, allow at least 3 hours to fully enjoy and savor the experience.
(5)
Frank L.

We have been meaning to try Blackbird for quite some time, especially after all of the great things we have heard about it. We went for lunch, and were able to do the lunch special which comes with appetizer, entree and dessert for $25 or something like that. I give it three stars because on the whole, the experience just wasn't all that impressive. The service was rather poor - we sat at our table for a good five minutes before anyone even bothered to ask us if we wanted something to drink. It was not very busy, and people all around us were getting service - why weren't we? The food was nothing special. It was our first experience at "fine' dining. It was different to see large bowls with very small amounts of food in it. I have the warm octobus and my girlfriend had the acorn squash bisque. (bisque was quite good). Warm baby octopus was...unique. For entree, i had the pheasant with sausage and my girlfriend had the sturgeon. Little did I know my pheasant was about three small slices from the bird with three or four pieces of sausage. For dessert, it was a lemon sorbet and chocolate creation with beet ice cream. Both were above average. I'm sorry this is not the most enthusiastic review, but Blackbird didn't speak to us like it does to many others. Who takes a flyer on Blackbird: Loyalists who swear by the food, and aren't afraid dish out for the puny portions - hey, it's fine dining! Who passes on Blackbird: Folks who want a little more bang for their buck, and who maybe don't need to try warm baby octopus and pheasant, when a good chicken and waffle would do.
(3)
George D.

No way can you beat a $15 lunch prix fixe at Blackbird. I mean, seriously? I've spent $15 at, like, Pizza Capri for a takeout salad. Here, you get a three course, haute cuisine meal. Ridiculous. Since I was there with family, I got at least a bite of everything. I tasted: ...the mixed green salad, which comes with the prix fixe. A green salad is a green salad of course, but this one is seasoned well and comes with a really nice, light dressing. There's also some interesting greens in there that you don't normally see to keep it interesting. ...the lamb burger (prix fixe choice), which was wonderfully zesty with a spice I couldn't pick out (and no, it wasn't mint--chefs who put mint on lamb should be fired instantly, right in the middle of service, no questions asked). It's served with a pile of silly-good pommes frites. ...the whitefish sandwich (prix fixe choice), which was perfectly moist and saucy (I think it was an aioli) and had a great consistency--lots of times fish sandwiches are too mushy and they fall apart on you. It's served with a pile of nummy beet chips and other types of root vegetable (maybe turnip?) chips. ...the donuts, which are what you wish munchkins would always be like. Crispy on the outside, soft and warm on the inside, filled with some type of tangy marmelade and covered on one side with chocolate. Don't drool on the keyboard. And they're served in a cute little box with handles. ...the croque madame, which is not on the prix fixe, but since my mom and I are big croque monsier/madame fans, we couldn't resist. It was outstanding. Perfectly sharp ham and cheese, and seriously, shouldn't every sandwich have a yolky egg on top? ...the soup of the day, which was creamy parsnip. The soup itself was outstanding, but they served it with a little pile of something that tasted like duck and was too flavorful, so it overwhelmed the soup. Also, you can add a glass of red or white wine to your lunch for another $5--also a good deal. They pick the wine, but the burgundy I had was pretty nice. Also, they gave me a glass of it for 5 bucks, even though I wasn't ordering the prix fixe. I thought that was pretty nice, since the cheapest glass of wine on their menu was somewhere in the $10-12 neighborhood. Honestly, why is Blackbird not packed to the gills at lunchtime? Even my non-prix fixe combo of soup and sandwich only ran about $18 together. I'm definitely coming back.
(5)
Diana P.

Fantastic restaurant and fresh ingredients/unique products. We had lunch here and loved everything we had. We did the lunch special for $15 and it came with a salad, entree and macaroon cookies. Great deal! I will definitely be coming back here and highly recommend it for anyone looking for great food. Dinner menu is pricier than lunch (prob. twice as expensive). Small restaurant so you need reservations. The only downside is that there's no parking around the area. You can valet for $10 I think it was (for lunch at least).
(5)
Jennifer K.

Okay, for those of you wondering if there are any good lunch spots in the West Loop area, Blackbird is your answer! They've been offering their 3-course $22 prix-fixe menu for quite some time now and I've always been meaning to go. A month ago, I decided to meet a friend for a long-overdue visit. We took one look at the menu and our eyes bugged out. The cuttle fish noodles with a side of avocado cream is delicious. A good balance of flavors from the salty cuttle fish to the creamy consistency of the avocado. The salmon arrived with an asparagus broth? It was a pink island in a sea of green...and it was savory goodness. Oh, but the real killer was the dessert. I usually want something tooth-achingly sweet. But instead, I got a sesame sponge cake with a tangy yogurt ice cream. Surprisingly, it was a very satisfying way to end the meal. Note to self: do not underestimate the wisdom of Paul Kahan. So, today I decided to drop in for round deux. Same lunch menu, a few different items. Okay, fine...I didn't order anything too radical from my previous lunch. I still had the cuttlefish and sesame sponge cake. They were awesome, which makes blackbird even better. A consistent kitchen is a kickass kitchen. But the pork belly with apple cider jus...drool. The pork belly just melted on my tongue and the sweet acidity of the jus made the dish a real standout. Because the menu is so wonderfully cheap - yes, for the meal you're getting, paying a measly $28 (that includes tax and tip) is a steal - I will definitely be dropping by as often as I can.
(5)
Ashley H.

LOVE LOVE LOVE Blackbird BUT SEE BELOW. We went here for Chef's week and it was fabulous. I cannot stop talking about how wonderful the food was. The tables were very close together which made it easy to over hear your neighbors conversations but became irrelevant when the food started. The chef brought out a small plate of shrimp with candied pine nuts and califlower-fantastic! I had the endive salad which came in a potato string like basket with a soft boiled egg on top. It was the most gorgeous thing I have ever seen and so delicious! I then had the antolloni (sp?) sweet potato entree with kale which I can't stop talking about. For desert we had flourless chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream and they also brought out small carmels. Best in Chi! Y 3 and not 5 stars? After my rave review, my parents luckly got a reservation for Chef's week for tonight...when the restaurant called to confirm they said, btw...we CANCELLED our Chef's week menu...HOW can they do this??? It seems to me that they signed up for the whole week...if they were losing money they should've thought about that before they signed up for Chef's week and maybe should've planned better... how bogus!
(3)
Rob C.

james beard award winning chef/restaurant, and it shows. presentation and flavor top notch. they offer an amazing $22, 3 course prefixe lunch. can't beat that--probably my favorite meal of the trip. (avec is closed until end of Oct.) i had the opportunity to try the following: *Organic Pork Belly Sandwich with cabbage slaw, dijonnaise, winter vegetable salad and garlic frites course 1 *coffee-scented fluke tartare with lemon cucumber, saffron and bread sauce -- good *cauliflower soup with halibut, puffed rice, plums, and preserved lemon course 2 -- amazing, esp. the puffed rice, crisp inside the strong thick cauliflower broth *roasted chicken and sausage with lime onions, tamarind, and smoked cucumbers -- delicate and complex *wood-grilled sturgeon with lillet stewed apricots, edamame, sea beans, and mizuna -- the wood grilled smokiness really came through and fish was cooked perfectly with lovely apricots course 3 *brown butter cake with red raspberries, goats milk, and caramel ice cream -- good *shredded phyllo brittle with almond yogurt, concord grape, and grape sorbet -- a wow type dessert everything was excellent.
(5)
Zurina K.

My experience at Blackbird was fantastic. My husband was sweet enough to make reservations here for date night a little while ago, and the entire experience was positive. We had reservations, and the place was packed. Even though we were a little late, they seated us quickly and we were well tended to by the staff. They seemed pretty on point with the service. The space is definitely cool, with very chic decor. We shared a cute little salad that had these cute little "nests" of potato that were totally delicious, and for an entree I had blackened sea bass, while my husband had a pork belly dish. Both were totally lovely. The chef treated us to a little smoked trout tasting dish with cucumber, which was also very yummy. I've never had a chef just randomly send me something, so I thought it was cool. The dessert though? THAT was amazing. I had the honey parfait, and my husband had the lemon tart with basil. SO good - I actually have dreams about the honey parfait. The only reason I'm not giving them 5 stars is because it was really loud in there. I had a really hard time hearing my husband, and vice versa. It was also difficult to hear some of the things the wait staff was saying. Other than that, the food was amazing so I definitely recommend it.
(4)
Jules D.

We were a party of 4 on a Wednesday night. We did the full tasting menu with wine and cocktails throughout. On the positive+ + Friendly, approachable server - not pretentious, which I appreciate. + Table handbag hangers, nice touch. + Clean, simple decor + Tasty cocktails + Nice variety on the tasting menu + Menu highlights - cuttlefish noodles, halibut, sturgeon, lamb, wagyu beef...all perfectly cooked. Room for Improvement - - Too crowded, we were literally bumping elbows with the table next to us...and hearing a lot of their conversation as well. - Noisy! You have to strain to hear your table-mates. Side Note...Duck Tar Tar - the table was split...two in our party thought it was the best dish of the night, the other two (including myself) thought it looked like Fancy Feast cat food un-molded from the can. It had the texture of what I imagine cat food to have as well. I would go again, but might want to try Avec or The Publican first. :)
(4)
Kim P.

Excellent food! We had a number of starters but the table favorite was the octopus (most tender I have ever had vs most that is really chewy) and the suckling pig. The main courses were just as delicious. All were wonderful, our table had the lamb, sea bass, quail and halibut. The quail seemed to be everyone's favorite. The only disappointment was our dessert. We ordered the fried peaches and were not impressed. The garnishes weren't flavorful and just altogether bad. The waiter noticed it was the only plate that wasn't licked cleaned so he brought us a chocolate dessert that hit the spot! The service was good and our waiter was helpful. I would definitely go back!!
(5)
Kate K.

I must not have "gotten it." Everyone seems to love this restaurant yet... I thought it was mediocre at best. I love food - don't get me wrong - but this just did not do it for me. The best parts were the soup and the dessert. Dinner was... terrible. I had chicken and my boyfriend had fish. The chicken reminded me of the chicken served at large charity dinners. You know, the partially breaded, kind of sad looking chicken? Bingo. Seating was crowded - if you have a table for two, you end up sitting in a line against the wall with each other. Sparsely decorated restaurant. Waiter knew the menu forwards and backwards so props for that - although if he didn't, that would have been surprising. Honestly, I don't remember much more. It was forgettable.
(2)
Ellen M.

We had our first Blackbird visit this past Saturday and it was excellent overall. Minimalist dining room - white walls and white artwork with yellow daisies juxtaposed on every table. The view of the room from my seat was simple and cool - I turned around to get Andy's perspective and it was stark and downright cold - like florescent lights on a depressed clown, so consider your sensitivity to your surrounding before you reserve. Tables are efficiently spaced, maybe six or seven inches apart, and you may be subject to rehashed political arguments at the table next to you. Despite this, I was comfortable. The service was great. The waitstaff navigate the close quarters with intent faces, ever anticipating the needs of their patrons, always making excellent recommendations and displaying businesslike concern. From the hostesses and waitstaff to the sommelier, they didn't miss a beat the entire night. The food was incredible. The best scallops I've ever had! Pan seared and topped with shaved apples and champagne grapes. For the entree I got the potato & vegetable turnovers - delicious and not too filling. Andy had venison - very tender. But my favorite taste of the night was the graham cracker ice cream...to the Blackbird pastry chef: I would do just about anything for another spoonful.
(4)
Fabian P.

I went here for the $22 prix fixe menu. The octopus appetizer was good...not great. The sturgeon as an entree was really good and the sponge cake was super yum. The portions are small so don't expect to get stuffed but the food is really worth the trip. It's an awesome bargain!
(4)
Glen A.

Yea, I don't think I've had a better meal. This was recommended by a friend, and everyone person we ran across in Chicago was aware of the place we were heading. If the restaurant has that many people aware of it, it's probably as good as you think. The place was packed when we got there for an 8:30 reservation, so they told us to walk 2 doors down for a drink and they'd fetch us. Zero issue doing this because it was so close and we brought our drinks from one place to the other when our table was ready. We started off with the endive salad and suckling pig. They were both amazingly tasty and it was a great set of apps to share for starter. The tables are super close and cozy, so we wound up chatting up the couple next to us. They were from out of town as well, but lived in Chicago for a few years and helped us out with some good after dinner spots. Super friendly crowd inspired at this place. The service was fantastic too. Everything just felt comfortable in the restaurant. For the main course, we had the duck and the pork belly. To say these meals melted in your mouth would be an understatement. They do such a nice job on the flavors of everything that I'm really left pretty speechless. This was definitely the favorite spot in Chicago for our foodie adventure.
(5)
Charlotte Y.

Maybe I live on Mars... quite honestly, sometimes I feel as if I do. Such is true after reading some of the recent reviews for Blackbird. To my astonishment (and pleasure) and to the contrary of other reviewers, my experiences with Blackbird were way wonderful. I've had the pleasure of dining here twice in the last 3 weeks - once the day before Valentine's Day (leave it to me to wait till the last minute to make a dinner reservation) and a second time 2 nights ago. On each visit, I can safely say that my dining experience was pleasurable, tasty and rather enjoyable. On my first visit - i.e. the day before Valentine's Day (which I admit felt a bit more... quick paced service-wise, although I can't say I was rushed) - I had the blue cheese salad, polenta cakes and a dessert whose name escapes me now. My companion had the chacuterie, braised lamb and cheese plate. We found the flavors to be interesting, well balanced, complimentary on each dish and fun. Even the cheese plate was incredible. After I saw the diner at the next table enjoying the octopus and then the pork belly entree, I vowed to return soon and prior to the next change of menu. Thus... a couple nights ago. I had the octopus and pork belly and my companion had the endive salad and rabbit. He raved; I raved... all were happy. As it was a weeknight, I will admit that the service pace was much more conducive to my preference for slow paced dining. I'm disappointed to hear that others have not had the same experiences as I, but honestly... I can't wait to go back... on the next visit, I'm going for the mussel soup.
(4)
Erin R.

Loved me some BlackBird! Pretty fancy place. We took my sister in law here for her bday. had reservations and was seated quickly. Our server was excellent. very helpful and made a wonderful wine selection. the Spot on Pinor noir was so good, I must find out where to buy that for myself! I had the chicken for dinner, it was unbelievable. the potato medley or salad it came with was full of flavors. I had a bite of my husbands pork belly. equally great, and again full of rich flavors. We split the gazpacho for an app and the watermelon mixed with the tuna and soup itself was different than any other gazpacho i have ever had. I would recommend this place to anyone wanting a good fine dining experience.
(5)
Helena B.

WOW. The food here was some of the best I've ever had. I anxiously scraped the plate with the side of my fork to ensure that I didn't miss a single drop of the sauce. It was all I could do to keep from leaning over and licking the plate. The best part of lunch was dessert. I had the olive cakes. Now, you are probably thinking what I was originally thinking - olive cakes are destined to be vile. Au contraire! Apparently if you peel the skin off (and perform some other Blackbird-kitchen magic) olive fruits can actually taste sweet; reminiscent of blueberries. So, so good.
(5)
Maryanne C.

i couldn't wait to eat here after trying Publican and reading all the great reviews on yelp. I was definitely not disappointed. Blackbird lived up to my over the top expectations. For the busy Saturday night, the staff was more than attentive. Beginning with coat check-in to the bag hook for my purse, I felt very welcomed and taken care of. They even ran out of the door as we were leaving because my boyfriend had left his phone at our table. There are so many choices on the menu. There is something for everyone- plenty of meats and seafood to choose from. My boyfriend got the endive salad with crispy potato and lardons. The presentation was so beautiful, he almost didn't want to eat it. I started with the scallops with brussel sprouts, powdered sauerkraut and pear-- it was such a great unexpected combination. Next, boyfriend got the pork loin with black truffle paste thing (recommended by our server). It was oh so delicious. The meat was had just enough fat, it was juicy, and well cooked. The grilled meat paired with the truffles was smokey and scrumptious. I had the chicken and sausage with cauliflower puree. The puree was insane. It was so smooth and velvety--a cross somewhere between foam and puree. After all that food, we decided to split a dessert. We chose the banana pain perdu (french toast) with malted mousse and wood barreled bourbon ice cream. It also had candied pine nuts, a streak of honey, and some sort of nut/meringue/dacquoise. Such a well composed dessert. The different textures, flavors, and temperatures of the dessert blew me away. I'm very picky with desserts, but the one here was perfect. Even down to the perfect quenelle of ice cream. It was a memorable dessert that blows out my favorite pain perdu from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc. Needless to say, we had a great time at Blackbird. I also forgot to mention the little tasty amuse bouche at the start of the meal and the traditional pate de fruit mignardises at the end of the night. Blackbird is perfect for small groups and couples. The place is quite small and its a tight squeeze with the tables. You are seated close enough to the next table that you could practically be part of the conversation. But it didn't bother me. The nice simple white decor and lighting creates a warm open ambiance. Avec is next on my list.
(5)
Amanda W.

I have only tipped less than 15% before in my entire life. If any place of service messes anything up and apologizes, I forgive them. I've had honey spilled on my dress and hair, and was fine because they apologized so profusely. Our meal was going nicely, and we were enjoying the food until dessert. The table next to us was a few minutes ahead of us in terms of its order and receiving their courses. They received their dessert and finished it. Our waitress said the dessert was coming. Silverware was put on our table. The silverware was then taken away, which then clued us in that something weird was going on. My mother said the other servers kept looking at us weirdly. After waiting for more than 20 minutes, my mom asked them for our dessert (cherry ice cream), which did not require much assembly. Silverware was put back on our table. We watched other tables get served main dishes and desserts. Again, my mother asked them as we started to get pressed for time to pick up my father from the airport. They claimed that it was coming without an apology. We would have cancelled the order had it not been part of the prixe fixe menu. Finally, we requested the bill and for the dessert to go. Then, one of the servers said, it was being "bagged." They gave it to us in 2 clear takeout containers without a bag and without any utensils with a quick apology (probably because we were blatantly glaring at them by that point). They don't have bags or utensils. Why would you have takeout containers and not a takeout bag? Also, how are you supposed to eat ice cream to go without a spoon? By then, we were in too much of a rush to be bothered. Needless to say, it just melted away in the car as we rushed to the airport. I usually feel guilty for tipping anything less than 15%, but when my mom asked me, I had no hesitation. I assume this was a one time issue, but it was handled so horrendously that I'm not sure I would go back. All a shame because the food was quite good.
(1)
Tyler W.

Chef was a judge on Top Chef Chicago. To be featured on Iron Chef. Food is very tasty.
(5)
Katie H.

I'm gonna preface this review with the fact that my husband and I don't spend a lot of money going out to eat. Usually $50 a week for one dinner out and then on special occaisions or every 2-3 months we splurge on a $200-$250 dinner somewhere special. For his birthday, my husband chose Blackbird. Nothing on the menu really jumped out at me, but all the reviews sounded good so I went along with it. Since we had family arriving that night, we had to pull out our AARP cards and make reservations for 6:30pm. The place empty except for a few early birds, but yet we were all seated next to each other - and yes those tables really are on top of each other. We ended up striking up a conversation with our neighbors, but if you are looking for some romantic alone time, you might be annoyed. The waiters are snappily dressed in suits....maybe to distract from the poor service. Well okay, not poor, but not great and at these prices it should be. But we got no reccomendations and were largely ignored. We started with a cocktail for him and a delicious sauvignon blanc for me. After a small tasty piece of pike for an amuse, we shared the salad with crisy potatoes and fried egg - it was delicious and I adored the presentation - and the suckling pig. Since nothing on the menu had sounded amazing to me, I opted for the scallop appetizer while Dan went with the fried chicken. The scallops were amazing - perfectly cooked and so tender, and just the right size portion for me. Dan's fried chicken was. . . okay. It was good, very juicy and tender though the portion was pretty small. It was by no means bad, but it left us thinking, "Huh, that was $33?" Along with dinner we enjoyed a nice bottle of chardonnay, reasonably priced around $35. We considered dessert, but I'm not a fan of fruit and every single dessert item contained fruit! Then we considered some cheese, but you have to order per person so while we might have shared a small $8 portion of cheese, we really didn't need a $16 portion. Our total bill was $140 plus tip. Had it been more I might have been more annoyed because I wouldn't have felt it was worth it. Everything was at least "GOOD" (the scallops and salad leaned more toward "excellent") but it didn't wow me as much as I had hoped. Given how infrequently we spend more than $100 on dinner, and the multitude of other restuarants I want to try, I doubt we'd be back.
(3)
Katherine M.

Liked it, but probably won't go back. Perhaps on a less-crowded weeknight we could have been delighted? For a Saturday night, was expecting everything to be "on." Outstanding: appetizers (quail, octopus, + the little frog leg "taste" they provided) am still thinking about Superior: Beer list & recommendations, overall food quality, freshness, and our waitress (Nikki, I think) who was genuinely pleasant, informed, professional at smoothing out/distracting us from service bumps along the way. Didn't feel rushed. Disappointing: Showing up on time for our reservation but not being seated for 20 min, having to schlep our own just-served drinks to our table through a packed space. Really tight fit between tables - I felt like I was sitting in coach. DONT drop your napkin or you might cause a big accident with a server swooping in. Throbbing, repetitive soundtrack until 9:30 when some eclectic stuff was put on. Beautiful, refreshing atmosphere; chuckles people-watching seemed to see a lot of bored daughter-in-law looking 20-somethings out with middle age parents. Plus the absolutely blotto guy sitting next to me - situation handled deftly by staff.
(3)
Jenna N.

I'd come back just for the milk chocolate cremeaux and curry ice cream. YUM! 1st floor seating offers elbow-to-elbow seating, but the hostess was really friendly and offered us a spot on the 2nd floor, which offered a little bit more privacy and from other tables and more attention from our waiter...or so we thought. The only downside i've had when i've been here is that the waitstaff is really quick to write you off if you don't order wine/alcohol. Our tab was still over $200 so I was a bit shocked when we had to wait over 20 minutes for another coke. We had to call the manager over to finally bring our beverages. The atmosphere was warm and cozy; very modern and minimalist in decor. Dinner was fabulous and very well presented. Both the bf and I had the veal sweetbreads for an appetizer, which was so delightfully delicious. I had the crispy duck for my entree and it was very flavorful with a minimal amount of fattiness. The highlight, though, was the milk chocolate cremeaux served with curry ice cream. I'm dying to go back just at the thought of this dish. All in all, it's pretty good; i've had a little bit better, but far worse. If you like Blackbird, might I suggest their sister-restaurant Avec? It's less expensive, but a great place to frequent.
(4)
Allyson C.

So happy I finally got to try Blackbird after living right beside it for 2 years and longingly looking in the window every time I walk by it. It lived up to and exceeded my expectations! The menu was so interesting with combinations I never would've imagined....like the pork I had in a caramelized white chocolate sauce. As great as the meal was the highlight came with dessert, which was sweet corn ice cream! If you go & it's on the menu, please order it. You will not be sorry! In addition to the fabulous food, the service could not have been better. Hopefully someday I'll get to go back.
(5)
House Of Fig S.

I don't know where to start...there were so many things that went wrong when I went to Blackbird. I love trying new restaurants that offer something different, so I give that benefit to Blackbird, but it simply does not live up to the hype surrounding it. Let's start with the tables. My boyfriend and I arrive at 4pm on a Saturday, pretty early, and the place is not yet packed, just as we planned. The tables are packed in there, extremely tight, so tight they need to scooch the table away from the table next to it, so you can get past it to the bench against the wall. Then after you are seated, they scoot it back. This leaves about 6 inches from the side of your table to the table next to you!! My purse that was touching my thigh was hitting the leg of the lady next to me. So don't expect any privacy. I understand Blackbird has some chef who likes to pair things that don't typically go together and has some buzz, so expect to see a lot of pretentious yuppies here. Seriously, it was like a Ralph Lauren commercial. The ambiance is fine, minus the tables and crowd that gets drawn here, but what it really comes down to is the food. I ordered the gazpacho with granola, which must have a waiter pour charge added to it for the price of this. It was just standard cold gazpacho, with some sprinkled granola, nothing to fuss over, kinda plain. I ordered the best meat-- pork belly -- salty, flavorful...it takes a lot of error to mess up meat like this, but alas, Blackbird proved it can be done. My plate of pork belly arrived and was laying in a pool of beef broth, with some green peas scattered about. Laid atop was a nice shrimp bit, with face and eyes intact staring you down. The meat was not cooked right and was too greasy, it was practically inedible. My boyfriend ordered a fish dish, I can't remember which one, and he said it was pretty "eh" too. After this, and about $100+, we decided to go to another restaurant and finally get some decent food. I'll leave you with the tip I learned from Blackbird: If you order an appetizer at an expensive restaurant and it is bad, cancel your order and just leave after that. It is normally a sign of what else is to come and will save you from wasting your time and money.
(1)
Kenneth C.

It was my pick this time for a Chicago dining establishment, and I picked Blackbird, a restaurant that along with erwin (which we went to my last choice) has been on my List of Places to Go In Chicago since I came here. Actually, the only two places left on that List are Charlie Trotter's and Arun, and will be Very Special Occasions. The executive chef is Paul Kahan, who has a very amusing Twitter filled with invective against food critics. Blackbird is different from the other places we've done. When it opened in 1997, it was hopelessly trendy, with stark minimalist colors and a very avant-garde look. These days, it's merely hoity-toity. Our server was a very classy-looking woman who seated us at our table and asked us if we'd like our menus now or would like time "to relax". She used the verb "relax" in place of "wait" throughout the meal, and it was a startlingly good word replacement. I'm surprised I've heard nobody else use this euphemism before. It's disarming and really, doesn't "wait" imply "impose upon someone to hold what they're doing for you"? I had a cocktail called the "Kentucky Cooler" that was served in a little copper tourine with pellet ice and a giant sprig of mint. Essentially it's mostly just a very fine whisky and sugar with a hint of mint, like a non-crushed Mojito. VERY refreshing. Copper, while a gorgeous presentation metal, makes for a REALLY COLD DRINK to handle. I wish I could properly describe all the food that we had, and show pictures, but sadly I cannot. The online menu doesn't 100% match the menu we ate at the restaurant. I'll do what I can. APPETIZER: Alaskan king crab tail with ricotta mayo, sunchokes, smoked paprika and pickled parsley. In every way, this was a delectable dish. The crab tail was savory and tender and slightly salty, the ricotta mayo was bold and brash, and the real surprise of the dish was the pickled parsley, which was extremely flavorful, something I never expect from a "garnish". I could have had a salad made just from this. MAIN COURSE: Three quail breasts on a bed of a couscous-like grain. Now, when my dinner companions tasted this, they thought it was AMAZING. I found it to be very good, but frankly I have had much better poultry dishes before and this wasn't distinguishable enough to me for me to fawn over. Whatever that grain was, though, it was DELICIOUS. I thought it was very fine spaetzle at first, but both of my dinner companions insist it was a grain, so I'll go with them. Maybe semolina? DESSERT: Tangerine chiboust with campari, pineapple, semolina and zingerman cheese ice cream. This, I found to be the high point of the meal. Essentially, I felt that the chiboust, which is essentially a custard/meringue/gelatine mix, was light and fluffy and contained the Essence of Tangerine. Slightly tart, mostly sweet, and a lot creamy. The ice cream was light and airy and paired well with the chiboust. I paired this with a 10-year tawny Port that, while delicious, was REALLY badly paired with the dessert, unfortunately. Way too much. I imagine this would go well with a light sherry. We had two amuse-bouche items this time. The first one was a peanut puree with a slice of bacon that had a very startling taste, and the second was an absolutely amazing chocolate ...drop...thing... with a rum liquid center. Overall, not the best place we've eaten at (I think Mercat a la Planxa wins that one, with North Pond and Brasserie Jo's close seconds), but very close and certainly amongst the best restaurants in Chicago.
(4)
ZZ K.

We were not impressed at all. For the price and all the hype, we expected better...
(2)
Dave P.

Sweetbreads, pork belly, beer. This place is awesome. Wish teachers were paid more...I'd be a regular.
(4)
Denise M.

Loved it. Loved it.
(5)
Garrett G.

Been here twice and the food was amazing both times. Haven't had a bad dish yet. The duck breast was a little too rich but still delicious. The enclave salad is great.
(5)
Danielle T.

This review is way overdue. We visited in April and had their 3 course prix fixe lunch, a real bargain at $22. Every single dish left me speechless in its inventiveness and execution. My starter was thin strips of octopus with avocado, a squeeze of lime and pumpkin seeds, followed by a black bean paste ravioli stuffed with ricotta. The dessert was the real highlight though: tiny fennel croissants served with poached rhubarb cubes and vanilla ice-cream. Fennel and Rhubarb! Who would have thought?? Can't wait to go back on our next trip.
(5)
EmmBee L.

Raw vegetables billed as "roasted" do not sing to me. They do not deserve a Michelin star, either. My pork collar was delish but it was chagrined to be surrounded by RAW freaking turnips and other Fall veggies. So what is Blackbird like? This is the kind of place that has a wardrobe credit for the staff's clothes printed on the menu. Seriously. But I digress. The evening started by us being ignored by the staff for an extended period while they chatted amongst themselves and looked thru us rather than take our rain-soaked coats or seat us at our reserved table. Perhaps because it was early and the restaurant was still minimally populated, the staff was moving in slow motion and their manners were still slumbering. After we were seated, we each had cocktails which were inventive yet not at all tasty (think: Gin and apple butter and.... cucumber?!) The evening picked up with a stellar lobster poached in butter starter. My husband's entree, the Sea Bass, was yummy, too. Dessert was also good. Two notes: (1) if you have dietary restrictions, think twice about this place. Every (and I do mean EVERY) place we've gone via Open Table has acknowledged the "special note" about one of us having to be Gluten Free. This place not only did not seem to get the note, they had to be constantly reminded and the staff did not seem very well versed on avoiding gluten. (2) The staff is not terribly friendly, helpful as a resource or even prompt. Combined with the fact that the dining room (even just 25% full) is wicked LOUD, this is a lousy date night choice. We wouldn't go back -- why bother with so many other wonderful options nearby.
(2)
Will C.

I'm a foodie. I eat out a lot and entertain clients a lot. This is my first yelp review--the experience was so disappointing that I felt compelled to review. I went to Blackbird 11/27/10. The food was awful. A bouillabaisse type starter that overpowered with an ouzo flavored broth. My pork starter came with skin on top that was inedible as well as disgusting. I literally had to spit it out. The pork itself was dry as well. I had the poached halibut for a main and it was dry. not clear how that happens when the fish is supposed to be slow poached. service was abysmal as well. could not find our waiter and gave our order to another waiter. actually, did not even know who our waiter was. Ambiance was the only positive, but after a bad meal and bad service, who cares about ambiance?
(1)
Edward B.

What do you do on a friday in Chicago where the weather exceeds 70 degrees? You've got it, go out to lunch and find a spot with a patio. This particular sunny day, I found myself wandering up Randolph to Blackbird. It was close to 2pm, and they were still able to seat our group (kitchen closes at 2 for lunch) . After being seated and perusing the menu, I decided on something light and the seared whitefish sandwhich seemed to fit the bill. And it did, to a tee. I highly reccommend this sandwhich. On the menu it is said to be paired with a house made potato salad, but instead it came with what house cooked potato chips. The ambiance was good and so was the service.
(4)
andy b.

One of my favorites in chicago. I thought i would not like it as thought it would be over rated and i would be let down. But everything was perfect. I had the WAGU beef and it melted in my mouth. In addition i had a PEUH AIR tea, which was tea for 28$. And it was amazing. I enjoyed it at the time, however i still crave it. Maybe they put some drug in the tea, i don't know but i am having thoughts of the tea...ALOT! The place was very clean, simple, spacious, and had a wonderful non rushed feel. The staff was very professional and relaxed and i had a great experience here.
(5)
Jessica F.

precise cocktails. perfect service. quick kitchen. the Love and I ordered two apps, and one entree, and two cocktails each. even though we are both big time eaters, the cocktails fucking killed it. the bartender, a young woman with outstanding blonde highlights and thick bangs is, indeed a goddess. i had 2 blackbird oranges, a perfect fall drink, and my lady had the peach...something, and something else she can't remember, but says, "it was so yummy." apps were the wanyu beef tar tar w/smoked beets and baby romaine (?) which was amazing. the beef was velvety, and so supple. the 2nd was the ahi tuna and foie gras, which was perfect. entree wise we went with the elk loin...wow. obviously, gamey, but a great choice, even for the wild life sensitive. I mean, it's Blackbird people. it's great. it's perfect. if you haven't, go.
(4)
Kelly C.

Really really REALLY good. For a special night out that isn't too pretentious or serious, this is the place to come. We had the tasting menu and the wine pairing and everything was superb. There were a couple of courses that I wouldn't necessarily order again, but that's part of the fun of a tasting menu; trying new things and experimenting with your palette. The staff were just the right balance between friendly and formal, and our server had great knowledge of the menu and wine lists (as you would expect, but don't always get). I have heard from friends who did not have the tasting menu that although the food was good, there are probably other places they would prefer to go for the money. So if you go, spend the money and get the tasting menu; it's difficult to fault.
(5)
Nari H.

I really enjoyed my experience here. Would come back more if I had the money. Service was impeccable and attentive. Food was absolutely delicious. Chef even prepared a mini taster inbetween courses which was lovely. Price is what you'd expect for a restaurant like this.
(4)
Shawn Z.

Went for lunch and had a great meal. $22 prix fixe that was light and balanced but with bold flavors. Really enjoyed the duck confit with green grapes, braised leeks and toasted quinoa. Nice space that was bright and clean. Overall a really great value!
(5)
Tracey J.

I dined at this restaurant for lunch for the first time on 10/6/2011, celebrating my wedding anniversary. Always wanted to come here. Reservations are recommended as this is not a very big venue. Decor is very modern, white, chic. Table are very close together and make it challenging for a private conversation. Service great. Food was good, portions are smaller. We both had the short rib sandwhich. Food was very flavorable. Drinks were excellent and with a great twist. This is a place to experience at least once.
(4)
Jim S.

Been twice...first time was fantastic...second time was just ok. Need to see some consistency here. Very cool ambiance and hip crowd. I'll be giving it one more chance...
(3)
Susan H.

Blackbird has an amazing pre fixe $22.00 lunch menu. It comes with three courses including dessert. My sister and I had a choice of three appetizers to choose from, two main courses and two desserts which gave my sister and I the ability to pretty much sample the entire menu. Everything about the meal was impeccable including the presentation. I would definitely go back for this more affordable way to try an expensive restaraunt!
(5)
Colleen B.

I had a very lovely meal at Blackbird. Goat for starters, Beef short-ribs for entree, and coconut-bay leaf panna cotta with quince for dessert. The dessert wasn't great, but good... I think the bay leaf was a little strong, but I do admire the adventurous combination. The beef with gnocchi was beyond rich, but very delicious. The goat and sausage was also quite good. All that said, I probably would have given this place 4 stars for the food. The fifth star is due to some really rockin' service. We had a vegetarian at the table and our server accommodated her in every way... they remembered her vegetarianism and when they brought us an amuse, they made sure to bring a vegetarian version for her. As a former vegetarian, I can really appreciate that kind of attention. The meal was great and the service is really what took things to the next level. I'm just glad it was for a work function and didn't have to pay for anything. If I could afford it, I'd be back for sure. Some day perhaps...
(5)
Roop d.

The food here is amazing..high marks on that. The atmosphere..hmmn.. minimalist and start is an understatement but I'm sure some like that cool edgy type of decor..its just not my thing. The drinks were not good..after trying a few I had her mix a cosmo and even that tasted bad. Unfortunately drinks, atmosphere, and service are deal breakers for me so I would likely dine somewhere else.
(3)
A.S. V.

Blackbird was hot stuff when it started up, and it's certainly good enough quality to stay around. However, for the price, there's other places that have more interesting food and better ambience.
(3)
Sean D.

Have been to this place around the corner from where I live for brunch a few times and aside from that it has huge plates and small portions I can't say that I developed a taste for it and that I would come back. The service is obviously good at this hyped place and the crowd is decent but for the taste of food I prefer Avec next door any day. That's my personal opinion.
(3)
hsueh y.

Food was good and perfectly cooked. I ordered foie gras for appetizer and halibut as my entree. I also tried my friend's endive salad and soft shell crab. Everything was good but not memorable. The most memorable course was the dessert. The avocado muse was sweet and salty with basil ice and blueberries. It's such an unusual flavor for dessert but it worked. Another dessert favorite was the black olive cake. The were 6 tiny little penny size balls, a little salty and perfect with the ice cream. The space was very crowed. Can you squeeze in any more tables? Our table and the table next to us were only separated by our table cloths. And the noise level was high. It's hard to hear anything there. The dinner was $98 pp including tax and tip. Everyone had 2 drinks, appetizer, entree and we shared desserts. It's not bad at all. But I just found out they charged me $117.60. I don't know what's the extra $18.60 for. All my friends were only charged $98. Just called the restaurant. Lets see how long I'll get money back. UPDATE: The charge was corrected 2 days later.
(3)
Christopher G.

Donnie, Donnie, Donnie... one of the coolest cats in Chicago. This man has reaked of style long before Chicago knew what it was or had to boast about having it. Anyway, Blackbird is a tough nut to crack for me, because as far as food goes - they definately know how to put the Mmmm... in your mouth. But the overall experience - I find to be one sided. One of the top restaurants in the city for gastronomia. This chef prepares food for the most discerning and/or bitchyest crowd in city. EVERYONE feels the need to pick apart this place - Why? -beacuase yes, it is very minimalist, yes the staff can give you the "once over" (some people enjoy flaunting their tailor-isms), and yes it can feel quite simply - cold. But notice that despite these (self inflicted) facts- Blackbird STILL is on top of it's game and is a very successful restaurant with many fans. Honestly- I can deal with all the pageantry that accompanies the place, but for my personal pocketbook, I prefer a bit more "warmth". But clearly, I am just a bit fuZZy that way. Excellent food- period.
(4)
Susan E.

Went during lunch and the food was great. I had the duck confit which was great and my friend had the sturgeon which she really enjoyed. The waiter really made our experience - he was extremely kind and made excellent recommendations. Would go back again!
(5)
Chitown F.

Amazing! Such a cool contemporary restaurant, that serves up some beautifully presented dishes. the menu is small and there were no specials on a Thursday night, that surprised and kind of upset me. only about ten entrees and eight appetizers on the menu. they are all amazing I'm sure though. I had the pork loin and my girlfriend had the chicken and sausage. we both agreed that her dish was better. I thought the pork was alittle tough, but he chicken melted in your mouth. we also had the endive salad that comes prepared in a crispy potato canister. the waiter cuts the salad up for you, before you dive into it. that was really cool and a fun way to start the meal. actually you get amuse bouche of raw trout first, which was delightful. We had the banana bread and ice cream for desert and it was unbelievable! Also, guys, when you use the restaurant bathroom, don't be afraid to look behind the red curtain...I wasn't and you will be shocked and pleasantly surprised. the service is impeccable and the meal is unforgettable. blackbird is amazing and I can't wait to go to the the rest of Paul's restaurants. Thanks babe for an amazing birthday dinner!
(4)
Kristina B.

As I mentioned with Avec, this is not the place you would want to bring a first date. Very brightly lit! I think I could see the pores on my dates face! I had the altantic cod which was very good. I've heard the pork belly is good, although very unhealthy--oh aren't all good things!
(3)
Rich C.

OK..I had dinner at Alinea the night before so it is a hard act for anyone to follow. I had the octopus confit,,it was tender but in a weird kind of almost mushy way. The smoke flavor was overpowering , and it was very salty. My friend had the ahi, and it was much better. I then had the quail. I was given three little drumsticks that had been stuffed. The stuffing tasted like pork sausage again overpowering the flavor of the quail. We had the hazelnut desert , and it was too sweet and the flavor of hazelnut was muddled. The room is also very loud, I know it's trendy , but hard to have a conversation with anyone besides your immediate neighbor.
(3)
Tim V.

Executive Chef Paul Kahan creates pretty amazing dishes. I never thought I'd enjoy crispy sweetbreads as much as I did. And the venison I had for my main was perfectly cooked and served with a bacon-ny sauce. My wife had the pork belly main with sauerkraut. Awesome, but not as good as the venison. Perfect wine pairing advice too. Overall outstanding service actually. The space is minimalist, but not off-putting. I really like eating here, and would do so more often if I made more money. There's the only rub. It's not that it's not worth the money, I just wish it was less.
(4)
Chang K.

Ranked one of the 50 best restaurants in America by Gourmet magazine, and with good reason. A long and narrow restaurant with a pure glass front, it looks as modern as the menu. The decor here is clean and austere - I remember white was the central theme. everything is very clean. my appetizer was a salad of endives, crispy potatoes, basil, dijon, pancetta and poached egg with a simply spectacular presentation. Only it had to be destroyed to eat it, and to be honest, the central flavor of the salad was an earthy saltiness. I forget what she had, but it looked fair, and tasted pretty good, but forgettable. The main courses - grilled california sturgeon and braised oxtail with knefla, celery root, local apples and curry, and the pan-roasted monkfish with parmesan, crispy prosciutto, ruby grapefruit, and salsify were just mind-numbingly good. The sturgeon was exceptional. The sauce was just perfectly savory, offering up flavors of soy and curry with mildness. The large pieces of sturgeon fillet were meaty and flaky, and the thought that sturgeon could be served with any other sauce was simply sacrilege. The monkfish was exquisitely prepared, the thick flesh soaking up the saltiness of the sauce, only to be countered by the sharp sour cleanliness of the ruby grapefruit flesh, which stood out in such stark contrast to the beiges and creams that made up the rest of the dish. Both were just superb. Desserts were a Meyer lemon mousse with white chocolate, anise and winter citrus, as well as chestnut crepes with bosc pears, sweet ricotta and maple ice cream. The lemon mousse was superb, but more sorbet than mousse. The chestnut crepes were just so perfectly balanced, that the lemon mousse, good in its own right, seemed so plain. The bosc pears and maple ice cream were such fantastic accompaniments to the chestnut crepes filled with ricotta. The tea at the end should not be missed either, as the Earl Grey is served in lovely pale ceramic pots, porcelain glinting with the faintest green. The tea itself is wonderful - opening the teapot reveals large silk bags with full tea leaves, giving the tea a subtle perfume that did not require milk or any sweetener.
(5)
Delaney P.

loved it!!! love love love it! i went like- f*** 5 months ago? yeah. and im still thinking about the venison i had. omg it was sooooo good. and it had beets- i hate beets! but i loved beets this night. and the sole...nice and acidic just like i like it. the octupus...not so much but thats just bc my mouth doesnt like the texture. i dont really like the set up. im a ppl watcher- who isnt? and i went alone so i sat at the bar and my back was to the restaurant and there was no mirror to reflect the restaurant. i kinda got bored between courses. but the bartender...kevin? steven? ken? i dont remember but he was into like everything chinese... was really nice and easy to talk to. would i go back? absolutely! but not in the winter...
(4)
larry w.

Maybe the most enjoyable lunch I have ever had in the city. Great beer list. James Beard Award winning Chef Paul Kahan is the mastermind behind this gem. The ambiance and decor is very NYCish. A must try.
(5)
Josh S.

My favorite restaurant downtown. It never fails to impress me.
(5)
John T.

Really wanted to like my meal, but everything was oversalted - especially the salad? "The salad?" you say? Yes, the salad was incredibly, surprisingly salty.
(3)
Charles L.

The sweet bread and foie gras both with chocolate were inspired and delicious. The only thing is the portions were small, I could have eaten double portions of everything.
(4)
David C.

This is the best meal I've had in Chicago. I had a pork belly dish that I still think about sometimes. It's been about 8 months and I need to give it another go. I understand the complaints about the noise, it is certainly tight quarters in there, but I had no problem conversing with my dining partner. Definitely go here.
(5)
Anne L.

I am giving 3 for now... I have only had dessert here. I will definitely go back with my significant other to taste what is on their menu.
(3)
Ryan P.

AMAZING! Delicious plates that are thoughtfully paired and prepared, and great service. Although it can get a little loud, it's one of my favorite restaurants.
(5)
J D.

My new favorite restaurant in the city, Blackbird was a delight from start to finish. My boy brought me here as a birthday treat and I'm still dreaming about the food two weeks later. First and foremost, the service is impeccable. Unobtrusive and yet always there, the staff seems to know exactly what you need at that moment. Case and point, the hostess noticed I had placed my purse on the floor rather than squish it behind me on my chair and she came right over with a nifty little silver hook that balanced my purse on the edge of the table. on top of that, not one person bumped into it the entire night. NOT ONE! Minimalist decor with an open kitchen, I had a great time watching what was going on; we had a two top next to the wall and despite the crowd, we had lovely conversation the entire night. On to the food. WOW. Just wow. Beautifully prepared and incredibly creative, I was both surprised and awed. To start, they offered us an amuse bouche of poached sturgeon over a fava bean mash with buttered radish. Delish. We ordered the diver scallops and suckling pig to start followed by the rabbit and atlantic cod. The scallop dish might have been the best thing i've ever eaten, period. I was reluctant to share it with my boy but it only seemed fair since I'd already eaten half his app. My cod was also outstanding, perfectly cooked with butternut squash miso, trumpet mushrooms, onions, and pancetta. The sauce accompanying the rabbit was to die for. Dessert might have been the only low point; it wasn't bad, in fact it was very good but just couldn't compare to dinner. The bill came with milk chocolate/sea salt caramels and handmade lychee gummies. WOAH. You must try this place. MUST. the wine list is great, lots of bottles in the $30-$50 range with half bottles too. great selection and very well edited. AND, there's a decent amount of street parking in the area so you can skip the valet.
(5)
Dani R.

I was disappointed with my food here. I had such high expectations overall. It was very pricey - I ordered the waygu - beef- it was so chewy and not tender and tasty as expected. I also tried their fish - it was very light and I liked it better. The beef was not even eatable for me. The staff is dressed very professional and stylish. The overall feel of the place is sophisticated. But the other items on the menu did not appeal to me as I thought they would. I will not return, but understand why some people enjoy it.
(3)
Phil Q.

Upon entering the restaurant, my wife and I were immediately greeted and were seated promply. The decor and ambience of the place was rather spectacular. Although not really very romantic, it had an urban hip feeling. We were seated at the bar and ordered two mojitos. The mojitos were ok (could have made them a lot better myself). The service was spectacular. It seemed like the staff really are concerned about your enjoyment and needs. The food was a bit pricey for dinner, but worth it. We were given a nice amuse bouche to start. Followed by a very delicious soft shelled crab for an appetizer. The soft shell crab was perfectly done, and the fried batter was light and airy. My wife had the pekin duck for her entree, and I had the wagyu beef. Both were cooked to perfection and the flavors from everything on the plate complimented each other wonderfully. The textures, flavors, and food placement were excellent. We ended with the sweet corn ice cream for dessert, and it was heavenly! Overall, we would definitely recommend this restaurant and will be returning in the near future!
(5)
Paul P.

Way overpriced. Dishes were nicely presented but don't go here if you want a hearty meal. Entrees are appetizer portions. Eating here is like eating at the contemporary art museum.
(2)
Seth G.

I am not a huge foodie, and don't have the most sophisticated taste. The menu was not very extensive. All that being said the Lamb Burger with a substitution of garlic frites as a side was absolutely delicious.
(4)
Howe N.

Creative, gutsy use of ingredients. Fresh, cooked to perfection. Excellent service. Comprehensive wine list with interesting wines with reasonable mark-ups. Great outdoor area. Unpretentious, delicious, lovely little restaurant - hope they stay that way!!!
(4)
annie c.

Recently celebrated with my boyfriend at this fine Chicago restaurant. Everything was superb, which considering how much our meal was, it should have been. Excellent wine list, even if they were a bit overpriced. Great place to celebrate something special, but it's not particularly romantic. In fact the couple next to us had a two year old int tow, but we ignored it. We were determined to enjoy the evening. We stopped at the Tasting Room, also on Randolph, after our dinner and I would suggest it if you are looking for a nice after dinner wine or port. Service at both were excellent and friendly.
(4)
Scotch B.

Sure did love this place. Went there for our 1 yr aniversary(on a monday) and everything was top notch. My wife and I are foodies, and we have high standards. Go with the Fried sweetbreads, and the pork belly if you want to taste their best. Service was great, and well worth the $
(5)
kb j.

This is a bright place. The decor is minimalist. The tables are crowded close together. it's a long room with a smallish bar on one side of the room. The food is well-thought out, well put-together and delicious. The service was efficient. We went for lunch and were in, and out, without feeling rushed.
(4)
Brian P.

Great tasting food, but it's very fatty. I went for lunch when the prices aren't as outrageous and got a very large serving of whitefish sandwich, chips, homemade potato salad, and olives for $10. The service is good and the atmosphere is trendy, but the environment isn't nearly as bad as some people who wrote reviews are making it out to be. It seems that everyone in there is enjoying their meal and having a good time, so it's a bit louder than your run of the mill pretentious upscale place, but it's not out of control.
(3)
Ann A.

Maybe it was all the glowing reviews, or maybe it was the overworked food, but I just couldn't get into this place. My friend and I had reservations this Monday and were hoping to have one of the greatest meals of our lives, but neither of us were blown away. We ordered the crispy veal sweetbreads for an appetizer and meh. It had a lot going on in terms of the elements and the sweetbreads went almost unnoticed under the mounds of fig and kalamata olive reduction. For dinner he ordered the sturgeon and I had the Tasmanian Sea trout. The fish were prepared well, but the flavors of the other elements just didn't meld together to form some otherworldly experience. And for the end of the meal, I had one of their cheese listings, the triple creme with smoked almonds and what I believe were candied figs (which, by the way, was the highlight of the meal) and he had the kalamata olive cake with buttermilk ice cream. The cake was just a cake with nothing to denote that there were actually olives in it. I don't know. I just hoped to experience food in a new and exciting way, and this just didn't do it for me. The service was okay and they do have a very nice wine and beer list, so at least we enjoyed our cocktails. The one thing I did like was the fact that it took awhile for our food to arrive, which allowed us to soak up the atmosphere and really have an opportunity to enjoy the moment.
(2)
K M.

stark, pretentious, and overpriced. Other than that nothing about this place jumped out at me, including the food. The food was good, but I don't think it was worth the raves it has gotten. It might be good for a business lunch if you want to impress clients with an expensive meal. The service was impeccable but cold, and I'd rather have someone a little sloppy but who wasn't a pretentious ass and instead made me feel welcome. I would definitely NOT recommend for a date, its so minimalist and has no character, and the tables are so close together- I'd be itching to leave! Its not the kind of place you want to linger over your meal at all.
(2)
Cristin M.

I have to admit, I had higher expectations for Blackbird. I really don't have any complaints, but to be honest, none of the food really made me say "wow" in any way. I did take advantage of the $22 prix fixe lunch, which I recommend, and would try again with different menu options available. I had the cuttlefish noodles to start with. I had tried these at a Yelp event a few months back, and really enjoyed them and thought they were very unusual/inventive, but this time around, they didn't pull me in. One of my friends ordered the cheese salad, which was actually very tasty, and had me wishing that I had ordered it. My halibut entree was a very nice piece of fish, but once again, the flavors didn't really get me excited about anything. For dessert, I chose the sesame sponge, which was enjoyable, and something completely different than what I would expect, but the pieces of the "sponge" were quite small and it left me wishing for more. I also tried my friends ricotta fritters, which were also really good, and probably the highlight of the meal. I didn't have any other complaints - we were seated next to the window, so I didn't have to deal with being seated too close to anyone else. The service was very friendly and our waiter had a great sense of humor. We ended up sticking around for about two hours just chatting, and it was nice to not feel rushed out of the place to open up the table. I'd give Blackbird another shot in hopes of some different selections. Maybe I just ordered the wrong items.
(3)
katherine ..

can something be too refined? every time i have been there i really just want one of the waiters to drop a glass or swear or something so that i can see yes, they are human. i don't like that my dining experience is contingent on who is sitting next to me. which each time has been coked out partiers or arguing couple. the food is exquisite despite all of this.
(4)
hugette s.

We went to Blackbird for dinner last Saturday. First of all, the night was off to a great start, because I had the best cocktail ever. It was called the BB Gun and it had buttered bourbon, apple cider, pear brandy, and some other stuff. We ended up doing the tasting menu (all pork) with wine flight, and it was expensive. Maybe it was just because it was a little too much pork (and this coming from a person that didn't think that was possible...) but I just could not get into the lardo or ham hock ice cream. Given this particular dinner, I don't think it was worth the price. However, I am willing to give it another try with another menu (or maybe just ordering from the regular menu without doing the whole tasting menu). Regardless, I have to go back for another BB Gun!
(3)
Mindy S.

Blackbird did eventually get back to my boyfriend about our substandard Valentine's dining experience and asked us to give it another try. I'm glad we did as our second experience was 100% better and I now understand why people get so excited talking about Blackbird. We ordered off the menu instead of getting the tasting menu this time and it was a major improvement. My endive salad and monkfish were perfect, while my boyfriend's sweetbreads were some of the best he's ever had. He also had the sturgeon which he enjoyed, but thought was a little overcooked. The service experience was also much improved as the staff was extremely gracious and informative. We did not feel rushed at all this time. Overall, I'm chalking Valentine's up to it having a bad night, but not necessarily indicative of the average experience at Blackbird.
(4)
Jason R.

Extremely disappointing. Not even capable of a simple wine pairing with lamb. Questionable as to whether they could crack the top 10 in Milwaukee.
(2)
Becky P.

Perfect preperation, delicious and unbeatable.
(5)
Jennifer J.

All I can say is yuck. A couple of us had the short rib, and it was so fatty that only about 30% of the small portion was even edible. High prices for a poor meal. The waitress was very nice & knowledgeable, but the service was slow. We weren't seated until 30 minutes after our reservation time. Very disappointing and will not recommend to anyone.
(2)
Matthew S.

service was great. food was outstanding. some of the items will freak you out (ie sweet breads), but everything we tried was simply sublime.
(5)
Miss O.

my boyfriend took me here for my birthday dinner.... it's taking me this long to write a review. anyway, i thought by far the service was impeccable. i loved how a table was waiting for us when we got there. the lighting is very bright for a dinner spot - everything is white. the entire staff was terrific. i have to be quite honest - i don't know if i was expecting more but the food was just good. not excellent, not superb, just good. it's worth the experience but nothing i had made me want to go back.
(3)
Britney C.

in my top 5 of all time. the kindof menu that makes you want to return until you have tried everyting on it (though it does change around). the space is minimal with clean lines so it really doesn't feel as teeny (maybe 15 tables?) as it really is. the space and menu =simple and interesting, not stuffy or overdone. i tried two of the mainstays on the menu: the endive salad with poached egg for the first course and the pork belly for the main course. both were really unbeleivable, though my friends did say the pork belly was better on their previous visits. my pals let me sample their veal sweatbreads and the atlantic cod. the sweetbreads were really talked up by our server and i suppose they were good I just don't have anything to compare them to (or maybe i am just not as adventurous as I would like to think I am). the cod was perfect.
(5)
Matt N.

Dined here last night and this was my second time.. It just keeps getting better. Great service, probably the best in Chicago...Food was excellent as this is truly a must stop in the west loop.
(4)
J M.

Delicious and service was wonderful!
(5)
Jay D.

This is probably one of my personal favorite restaurants in the city. Paul Kahan is a genius. The flavors are delicate, yet exquisitely balanced. Sadly (and gladly), the menu changes quite frequently, so many of the dishes I have greatly enjoyed in the past are no longer there (only to be replaced by new ones). Be sure to book reservations at least 2 weeks ahead if you want to dine on a Friday or Saturday--after 7 years in business this place still gets completely booked on weekends. Hint: Lunch is a cheaper, but equally delicious option.
(5)
Shaun K.

Blackbird embraces De Stijl stark, white decor as if it were Piet Mondrian. The simplicity is very apparent in the decor, so as not to take focus off the food. The service was efficient, though never rushed. The tables are set in such a manner, that anyone may peer to their side to catch a glimpse out the window and this also prevents shadows from incoming light. The open air kitchen provided excellent culinary delights. The organic raised chicken was crisp and sweet on the outside and was flavorful and tender in. The chicken was served with quince, which was popular during roman times and is related to pears, and spigarello - which is sort of like kale - it is bitter and goes well with the green lentils that made this a perfect combination. Along with guanciale, nice fatty pig cheek, an undertone of salt added to the many flavors from what would seem a rather simple dish. The bouillabaisse was purported to be fresh and flavorful, yet became very salinic at the bottom according to the Velarde/Suan duo. Salinity is a factor which cannot be ignored. Yet, the overall experience was one we will remember.
(4)
Sophie L.

So good! I had the bouillabaisse and it was amazing. The ingredients were so fresh and the broth was light but layered with flavors. The staff was friendly and unpretenious which makes the dining experience even better. Can't wait to go back. Great choice for lunch or dinner. I would definitely make reservations as it is on the smaller side.
(5)
a r.

I thought Blackbird was incredible. My husband took me there for my birthday and we had a wonderful experience. The hostess was friendly, greeted us immediately, and took our coats. Our server was knowledgeable and attentive. The food was amazing. We had the quail and cheese salad for starters. I had a lovely chenin blanc that paired perfectly with the salad. For entrees we both had the duck and it was prepared perfectly. A pinot noir was the perfect compliment to the duck. I would highly recommend Blackbird.
(5)
Mark P.

Excellent appetizers and mains. Especially enjoyed the sweetbreads and pork belly. Desserts were misses though. Wish the bacon ice cream was still available. Minus points for our snide waiter.
(4)
Nicola C.

This is a great place to go if you want to impress out of town friends or spend a ton of money on a small amount of food. I can appreciate that it is a fancy place, but it didn't stick out to me, i've had this same food at 20 other places in the city. However we did take friends from Dallas there, and they loved it, it just gave them that City Vibe that Chicago has.
(3)
Josie F.

This is a Chicago must. I dined here with three friends a week ago. First off love the atmosphere. The clean all white decor and open kitchen where great. Adding to it was the great music. If I could go to a restaurant and hear the Smiths you get a lot of points. Nice to go to some place that knows there is something beyond Buddha bar and the same lounge crap you hear all over. Kudos for that. As for the service and food. Thank you Christopher for giving us great recommendations and knowing your menu so well. However, I thought it was a bit odd that you did not tell us about the different components of each plate as we got our food. Some detail is good. We where there for them. Still you where wonderful. The host could have been friendlier. I was with some out of town friends and they had questions about the city you felt like ignoring. I ordered the shredded pork appetizer and the rabbit for my main. Both where great. The pork appetizer was perfection. The texture was the best part of the rabbit. The flavors seemed one dimensional. We shared two great desserts. The black olive cakes where fantastic. You would have gotten five stars if you did not seem so persnickety. You should not take yourself that seriously. Food lovers love life as well. It would be nice if we thought you did too.
(4)
david b.

i think this is one of the few places that truly gets better with age. .. .every aspect of the place is just .. .. . perfect. . ..
(5)
a s.

I'd been meaning to go to Blackbird for a while and finally got the chance. The experience did not dissapoint. Our amuse bouche of crispy tempura squid leg was just ok. I was dissapointed that the food runner didn't explain the dish further, as there seemed to be fennel and sea beans in the bottom. Also, it was difficult to eat this dish with the silverware provided. I could have used some sort of spoon for the tiny dicing of whatever it was in my dish. The bread and butter was delicious, and then my appetizer of scallop, maitake mushroom, fava beans and a tuile of pumpernickle. This dish was perfect. Scallops were seared just right, the seasoning, the textural and flavor combinations were tantilizing. Next I had the Tasmanian Sea Trout (akin to salmon or Arctic Char) with forbidden black rice. This was another winner. The sweet unctuous slightly acidic cherry mollasses was a great compliment to the fish oils and perfectly crisped skin. The flesh was a translucent medium rare and the kholrabi and turnips made a nice accompaniment. My problem with this dish is they seemed to leave out the forbidden black rice. Not one grain of rice on the plate...unless they incorporated it in a different manner perhaps dehydrated black rice paper, was that what that was?...either way, they should have explained the dishes rather than just serve and dash. I tasted others' dishes at the table and was pleased as well with the halibut, the gouda watermelon pistachio salad, and parmesan gaspacho. All were delicious and very cleverly conceived dishes. The highlight for me was my desert. I had the Avocado cremeaux with a chartreuse granite and hyssop gelee. The cremeaux was set atop a seemingly graham cracker crust and adorned with blueberries. These three flavors mixed gloriously together. Never have I imagined avocado and blueberries (and graham cracker!). But they took it one step further with the minty and anisey Chartreuse granite, and the salted otherworldy hyssop gellee. The different degrees in soft textured items on the plate blew me away, as did the flavor combinations that I never imagined. My only complaints are: no explanations for the creative food, inconsistent silverware (clearing and replacing), and the absence of a key menu-listed ingredient on my sea trout. I will deffinately return and hopefully they can get five stars.
(4)
Mission S.

A certain former Smashing Pumpkin and I share the same birthday. One year it seems we both decided to celebrate at Blackbird. He was up in the private dining room, and I was down with the proles, but I assume we both enjoyed this place immensely. I had the duck and it was divine. Expensive -- but you get some gorgeous food for the price. The service is excellent. The tables are close together, thwarting plotting and risque gossip so you are left to meditate over the white-on-white design and mull over who really broke up the band.
(5)
Dee W.

The seasonal dishes are always amazing - sometimes, I wish that they'd just keep them on their menu. My first time here, I had this combination of quail breast and oyster mushrooms topped off with a blackberry float and tarragon ice cream. Amazing - also, keep in mind that they are closed on Sundays.
(4)
Marnie L.

What a disappointment!! The waiter was rude, my lamb chops arrived raw instead of medium, but the waiter insisted that they were medium. After sending them back, they still arrived barely cooked the second time! My friend became horribly sick from her meal (also lamb), and was basically blown off by the manager/owner when she called to complain. We were so turned off by the place that we didn't stay for coffee and dessert. There are plenty of other restaurants in Chicago to spend your hard-earned money. Go to one of those instead and say, "Bye, bye Blackbird"!!
(1)
Shilpa G.

It's loud, pretentious and too plastic-mod-ish. The service was slow and lacking, and the dishes are really hit or miss. Loved my appetizer, disliked everyone's main dish in my party.
(2)
Tammy N.

special food with treats from the chef. yes the tables are so close together you feel like you may be in manhattan but get over it. unless you are in the cia, what could you possibly have to say that anyone else cares about. we had light frisee salads, fresh ravioli, chef's treats which wouldn't be on the menu anyway, and yummy creme brule.
(4)
John M.

frigging phenomenal. delux with seven or eight x's. bartender thought my girlfriend and i were chicago "industry", which i always take as a compliment. order anything. go anytime. thank me later.
(5)
Noah D.

So on my most recent trip to Boston I had a four hour layover in Chicago from 11-3. I think to myself, do I have time to hop in cab, eat lunch at Blackbird, and then get back to the airport. Maybe, but its worth the risk. The food here is freaking great. They are deft with the balancing hand and use primo delicious local and organic ingrediants I cant wait to go back. A++++
(5)
atima k.

love it... avec, blackbird... and the private events... all just great... won't go into details as i feel it's to be experienced yourself... but try them both... the best of comfort, ambience, service, and class
(5)
Sharon Y.

Starting with the service: exemplary! One person at our table ordered a glass of wine that wasn't quite what he had wanted, and we were brought another to try, the first was replaced with no question. At the end of the meal, staff stood outside for about 5 minutes to hail a cab for us. Now, what happened in between those two points is really what matters--the food! Every dish was perfectly executed--outstanding, creative and beautifully plated. No wonder they've remained in business for so long. This place is a true gem.
(5)
Gina D.

What a fabulous restaurant; the main reason to come is for deserts by Dana Cree, the very accomplished and talented pastry chef at Blackbird. Her creations blew me away! In my past career working with CIA-trained chefs and highly-expreienced professionals often twice Dana's age, never have I come across someone who can create such depth and range of textures and tastes so creatively harmonized on a plate. Each of her deserts provide their own unique experience. Unforgettable! Thank you, Dana!
(5)
Dennis T.

I came here for the fixed-price lunch menu. It's a pretty good value for a Michelin-starred restaurant. For the appetizer, I got the Arctic Char Crudo with white asparagus. It was pretty good, but nothing that special. For the main course, I got the Monkfish. The sauce was good, but the fish itself was over-salted. For dessert, I got the cheesecake. There was a bunch of stuff thrown into it, so there was an interesting mix of textures and flavors, but nothing that special. Overall, it was a pretty good lunch, but nothing that memorable.
(3)
Kim N.

Having had some epic meals the last few days in town, there was one last day of overeating to be done before heading out to Europe. It started with trying to hit more of Paul Kahan's places with his flagship Blackbird for the first meal of the day. The patio was up since it was warm. We decided ro head inside and take advantage of the air conditioning. Cloaked mostly in shades of white throughout, it was a stark and minimalist in a modern way. We sat between the bar and the open kitchen being able to watch both in action. Got the following between two of us: -Smoked Arctic char, cauliflower, 'nduja, pear, rosemary -Blackbird seared whitefish sandwich, lemon and herb aioli, gribiche, roasted tomato, grain mustard potato salad -Organic pork belly sandwich, fennel slaw, dijonaise, bread and butter pickles, cucumber salad, frites -STEAMED BANANA CAKE, Chicory ice cream, roasted hua moa banana, palm sugar, macadamia. Very solid meal all around. Im definitely intrigued with what a dinner service is like. The ambiance for lunch was pretty straightforward and casual. Service was pretty solid but since we were eating a late lunch some staff were going off the clock and there werent too many other patrons. Definitely interested in doing a tasting menu the next time i drop in here.
(4)
Denise W.

After living down the street for 3 years, I finally made it here. There was no wait nor reservation needed for lunch on a Friday afternoon. The food was delicious, decor chic and classy. Service was a little slow, I would have granted 4.5 stars for this. Our waiter appeared a bit rushed. We both ordered the short rib burger and a glass of wine. The burger literally melts in your mouth. I have to convince the BF to play hooky from work one day and meet me for lunch. Very romantic spot.
(5)
Russ I.

Very sexy place. Staff is great and will take their time to talk about food and wine. Appetizers were delicious. Gazpacho was my favorite. Now to the entrees. Lamb was oversalted with a side of hair. I didn't want to make a scene and bring it up. But for this kind of price, I expect the line chefs inspect each dish with a magnifying glass. Sturgeon was good, but still a little bland. I've had much better sturgeon before. Anyway, didn't feel like I was at a Michelin-starred restaurant.
(3)
Sheeva G.

I had a great lunch at Blackbird during my recent Chicago trip. The servers were extremely friendly, and the food was pretty solid. I did the prix fixe lunch, which included the beef tartare, the wood-grilled sturgeon, and the rum cheesecake with pineapple. I also had a great cocktail with gin and vermouth. I felt that everything was very fairly priced, and I loved the clean atmosphere. I definitely want to come back for dinner!
(4)
Lochin S.

we chose Blackbird for our 26th wedding anniversary dinner. We arrived early and sat at the bar for a cocktail first. I had the Nomad, and hubby had sazerac. both were perfectly delicious and balanced. on to dinner. tables are are along a long wall of cushy bench, so i took the bench side to watch the dining room. We decided to a la carte. my choices were seared scallop, then aged duck breast. hubby had butternut squash salad and sturgeon. my scallop was probably the best thing i have eaten. the duck was done so well, i even ate the skin which was done perfect, crispy with just a tiny layer of fat left. Hubby liked the squash salad, it was spiraled, like pasta. he never had sturgeon before, he said with the pork cheek, it flavors exploded in your mouth. dessert was an cruller. yep a donut. but we could have eaten another one or two! we everything was great, the wines we chose to pair with our entrees were fabulous. we can't wait to go again to try something else on the a la carte menu. or maybe if hungry enough do the chef choice.
(5)
Eric W.

This review has been a long time coming... The gist of it: We went here last August for our anniversary and got the chef's tasting menu and some fancy drinks. It was AMAZING. Everything was delicious, hands down. I would go back in a heartbeat, and I've been finding that the types of places I say that about are few and far between.
(5)
Ray-Ray M.

Love this place. Was visiting from NY and was looking for an upscale dining experience
(5)
Eytan R.

UPSETTING. They are trying hard to create high level food. But you get out of the restaurant with a sense of insatisfaction, especially given the check that most likely you will get. The food was really average or below. As most of these "cool" place, they keep you standing waiting for your table even though you made a reservation and the table is there waiting for you, just to show off the queue.
(2)
Hollina U.

Came here for Restaurant Week and was blown away! Loved the food, the service and the presentation. Would definitely come back to try the full menu!
(5)
Samantha L.

I give this restaurant a 3 instead of 4 or 5 mostly because my expectations were so high going in. The restaurant has been featured on Anthony Bourdain's show and people in Chicago talk about it like its the best food you'll ever eat. It is delicious, don't get me wrong, but for what I paid I would expect a little better. I am vegetarian, but will still try to provide an unbiased review based on what my 2 meat-eating friends thought. To start, we ordered a full course meal (not the pre fixe). This included a bottle of wine, 3 appetizers, main course and 2 desserts. I'll start with the bad. I think what made the taste not as great for me was an overkill of salt- that can ruin a great meal quickly. Secondly, one of the appetizers was a bit over cooked and tasted fairly average. For me, the best part of the meal was dessert- it was beautifully presented and a great size for sharing. Be warned that the layout and environment here screams "date"- not a bad thing if you're looking to impress someone. I probably would not come back for what it costs to eat here, but would maybe come for lunch or just dessert.
(3)
S E.

Came here to have dinner with four folks this week while visiting on business and Came away very disappointed in the overall experience. The food... although prepared well...was nothing special and I tried all 4 meals. The server got our bill wrong twice including trying to charge me for other patrons glasses of wine. We started out with the soft shell crab appetizer which was probably the best tasting piece of food in the entire meal. I had the braised short rib which was dry and stringy and had little flavor. I'm not sure how one can mess that dish up. My wife had the sturgeon which tasted fine but was nothing special. One of the desserts we had was in edible. For a $600 meal one would expect perfection, and we simply didn't get it... Or even come close to it
(2)
Savanna M.

Great lunch!! We walked from our hotel (Washington and State) and the walk wasn't too bad. We did the pre fixe menu and also split a lamb tartare (not often you see lamb tartare). The meal was top notch and definitely fine on the amount, not sure why I see other people complaining about not getting enough food. The staff was great and very accomadating. One tip - go to the bathroom and make sure you look behind the curtain ;)
(4)
Casey F.

Blackbird has been on my list for awhile and I finally got a chance to go a few weeks ago. I am a self-declared foodie and was excited to check it out. We were seated up against the window in the front. The restaurant is tiny so even though our party of 3 was on display to Randolph passers-by I was glad that we weren't seated further back. The tables are super tight. Honestly nothing stands out as being wrong with our meal, but nothing stands out as being something I'd rush back to pay tons of money for. The service was impeccable, the wine we had was great, and the food was beautifully prepared. That being said, the value is just not there. The portions were small. For a $40 piece of fish, I'd obviously expect it to be cooked perfectly, which it was, but I'd like something else on the plate besides sauce. I liked that I wasn't overly full but I know my husband left hungry. Between the table, we had 2 appetizers (lamb tartare was the highlight), 3 entrees, 3 desserts, 1 bottle of wine and 3 after dinner cocktails. I didn't see the bill but a quick assessment puts our bill at almost $400 after tax and tip. I've been to a lot of other restaurants with food just as good if not better for less money.
(3)
Sarah S.

I'm a fan of Blackbird and it never disappoints me on the food front. I went during restaurant week once again for their coveted $22 special menu. I highly recommend going during restaurant week if their normal prices are a bit much more you. Please note though, that I saw a lot of very fairly priced lunch items at about $15 which isn't too bad at all for amazing food. I started with the smoked wagyu tartare and crispy braised beef tongue (SOOOO good, I could have had 10 servings of this), had the duck confit for my entree (which was good but not enough so I would get it again) and ended with the chocolate mousse dessert with persimmons (amazing). Their dessert chef is award winning and it really shows. Do not miss Blackbird! Whether you're from the city or visiting the city, Blackbird is a must do place. The plates they put out are gorgeous and the taste even better than they look!
(5)
Le T.

This place was just ok. The food was generally good but the meats were cooked dry. We were told the pork ribs would be delicious but they were way dry. We really enjoyed the Arctic char crudo and the orange blossom parfait. When we made the reservation, the restaurant asked us about any special occasion. We told them it was our four year anniversary. They didn't do anything extra so why ask.
(3)
Erich D.

Blackbird serves excellently and artfully prepared food with great flavors and was a bargain. This Michelin starred restaurant offers an unbeatable three course prix fixe lunch menu at a mere $22. Sure, the portions aren't massive and you won't necessarily feel the need to loosen up your belt a notch after you've finished your meal, but it will still fill you up to a comfortable level. Courses: 1 -- confit baby octopus with fennel, chestnut, finger lime and chilis 2 -- duck confit with white asparagus and bread crumbs 3 -- soft valrhona chocolate with pistachio pain perdu, buttercream and candied beets The baby octopus was immensely tender and I had no idea octopus could be as tender and flavorful as they made it here. The duck confit was actually a little more difficult to cut away from the bone than I had expected which made me initially think that it wouldn't be very moist, but surprisingly it was as well as being savory and satisfying. Dessert was very vibrant, sweet, and really good. All three courses had pleasant, refreshing, and unique flavors that all harmonized well with one another. Each dish was also eye candy in itself boasting very vibrant colors.
(5)
Suman P.

This might be because I was there for lunch, but the price-fix lunch I had was a bit underwhelming, given the reputation of this place. The duck sausage was very gamey a bit flat. The artic char was very good. the cocktails we had for lunch were superb, and the dessert was mind blowing. Would I go back there..? Dunno. Maybe the dinner menu is better?
(3)
Pratyush R.

Food was excellent, the scallop and corn starter was one of the best things ive tasted in a while. Very arrogant service however. No apologies last minute change in the menu (didn't bother to tell us until we were about to order) as well as didn't take feedback very well. Restaurant is is also very loud and tables are too close together.
(3)
Jim U.

We had a 5:00 reservation on a Saturday and needed to get out for a concert at 8:00. The staff was very accomadating and made sure we could finish our 8 course chefs tasting menu in time. Usually a 3:00 meal but we were done before 7:30. We were also allowed to make a few changes for my wife who didn't want all the red meat on the menu. Everything was very good. Minimalist decor and close seating makes for a slightly more casual atmosphere than the food belies. Every table was taken by the time we left and the close quarters could have been slightly annoying if we had just been arriving at that point. There is a small bar and I noticed a few people arriving for drinks and then departing. Definitely not a place to show up to without a reservation. Very good food and excellent service, just expect to be slightly cramped and underwhelmed by the atmosphere.
(4)
Fletcher M.

The dishes here has a certain delicate nature which I very much so respect the chef for creating. The Arctic char is soft and crisp, the strip loin is prepared rare and the pork ribs are well balanced with beets and goats cheese. I even enjoyed the cocktails and the visual on the chocolate pudding for dessert. Nonetheless, the prices are sky high, the portions are tiny, and while I appreciate balance not a single dish stuck out to me as a "oh I want another one of those". Just a bit dissapointed.
(3)
Pauline T.

Blackbird didn't blow my mind like I thought it should have.
(3)
Michael R.

The food was creative and very well prepared. Presentation was outstanding. The scallops appetizer was especially good, perfectly seared and deliciously seasoned. The venison was farm-raised, so it lacked some of the gaminess that you normally might expect. The wait for our orders was a bit long and the seating is a bit cramped. Price-wise, Blackbird is definitely a "once-in-a-while" place. However the overall experience was very good.
(4)
Misse D.

It was fabulous. Denton and I came here with his parents. There is something to be said about going out to dinner with family that is willing to treat you to a fabulous meal. And it was fabulous. I enjoyed every course. The service was outstanding. They even give you table handbag hangers. The decor was gorgeous. The drinks were made perfectly. I have nothing but good things to say. I hope that I'll be heading back here on a date very soon.
(5)
Silvana D.

Here's the deal: every time I tell myself that I've already eaten at Blackbird a number of times, its expensive and let's try something new, I need to be smacked in the face and/or really think about it well. There are very few, if any, restaurants that can compare. So, if the choice is, Balckbird or some other joint, the choice should already be made for me. Not to say that trying out new places is bad, but there is time for everything. If Blackbird is even an option, go with it.
(5)
Graham S.

Oh, Blackbird.... you make me so happy. Recently visited Chicago from Southern California. Chose to visit Blackbird over other restaurants like Alinea and was definitely not disappointed. First and foremost.... Kyle the mixologist at Blackbird is AMAZING! The concoctions he comes up with are out of this world and we literally could have been happy with our experience just because of his drinks. Best drinks I've ever had. EVER. Chef Paul Kahan was actually on-site for our meal, which was a delight. Being from Southern California and eating in Las Vegas every once in a while, I am not used to actually seeing the "Celebrity Chef" at his/her own restaurant. Chef Kahan was actually checking the dishes as they came out. Freakin' Awesome! Last, but definitely not least... the food was innovative and delicious. I had the skate wing with a beet reduction that was perfectly prepared. The meal in general showed great creativity and was fun to experience. For Valentines Day, the tasting menu was only $55, which was a steal in my opinion. The dining room is a little noisier because it's a more hip layout, so don't expect quiet and romantic. However, the wonderful drinks, terrific food and good service make this a terrific recommendation for any meal.
(5)
Allan M.

Delicious food. Top notch service. Surprisingly affordable. Eat here, at least once.
(4)
Peter G.

Great place. Food was spectacular. Just the right balance of taste, creativity, presentation - all complexity served its purpose and made for a truly great meal. All ingredients were present and accounted for on the plate, our server provided just the right amount of detail to tell the story of each dish but stopped there. The servers were pros - available when needed, invisible otherwise. No-gimmicks well dressed staff really adds to the ambiance. Beautiful room, too! .....avoid sitting near the kitchen as its smell may linger on your clothes.
(4)
Mimi W.

I had to give this place a five because it was the first time I had good monkfish. (I have had a long-time obsession with finding good monkfish and I'm so glad my obsession led me to Blackbird; I decided to go here the minute I found out that they served it!) All the other dishes were amazing too. My boyfriend ordered the pork belly and was very impressed with it, even though the restaurant's specialty is seafood. While our entrees, appetizers, and dessert were all amazing, I was honestly most impressed with my drink -- I forget the name but egg whites were involved and enticed me to order it. My only problem with the restaurant? The tables were extremely close to each other and the couple at the table next to us kept trying to start up a conversation with us which was a little strange as it was our anniversary dinner but I'm guessing that doesn't happen very often.
(5)
Jason S.

Overall an excellent atmosphere, great service, and all star food. We loved the menu and decor. The portions were not small and we left with an impression that we would be back very soon. The duck was some of the best duck I have ever had.
(5)
Malati L.

Had an amazing meal and night at Blackbird. The food was amazing and the attention to detail was great! They even gave us a free wine paring with our meal! I must mention that our server was so nice..not uptight..just a real down to earth nice guy. I wish I had gotten his name to give him props! All in all blackbird will not disappoint my boyfriend and I will surely return sooner than later!
(5)
Chris M.

here's what we had: amuse: shrimp - very nice octopus confit - not at all what I was excpecting by excellant sweetbreads - always a favorite but have had better fluke tartare - not much to make this standout. if i didnt know it was fish i would have no idea. duck - my dish, ok, but nothing better than I could getin chinatown for 25 less. temp was medium rare but a little cold when it got to the table. fat could have rendered more. could definitely use more of the chanrellles which were the side pork skate wing sea bass brown butter cake- portion was super small, i probably could have eaten it in one bite corn ice cream - not my kind of thing overall the dinner was fine, not great, and for 85 i've had better and would probably point you elsewhere
(2)
lisa b.

Having returned tonight, and having a much less pretentious server than at my first visit, I found the entire experience to be top rate, where the high quality was stronger than the preciousness. A return to the lamb saddle with pistachio polenta was absolutely worth it, even though I usually like to try new things. There is really nothing like the rich taste of ground pistachios and white corn polenta with a crisp outer crust! It is definitely on my list of desired last foods to eat on earth...
(5)
Steven B.

I liked this place quite a bit, but I probably won't go back very soon simply because it is not very affordable. Don't get me wrong--the food and service kick ass. And the atmosphere is much hipper than you might expect from such an expensive "growed-up" restaurant. It's perfect for an aniversary date or any other occasion for you to splurge a little bit. For less-fancy occasions, I highly recommend that you go next door to Blackbird's younger cousin, "Avec." 3 things to watch out for (in a good way): If you or your date have black pants or a black dress, you will be offered a black napkin for your lap. This is my own personal barometer of how fancy-pants restaurant. is. Secondly, don't look behind the curtain in the bathroom. Just don't ;) Thirdly, steal a custom-printed paper towel from the bathroom and hide it in your suit-coat or purse. When you accidentally discover it weeks later you can flash it to your friends and brag that you, like, totally ate at Blackbird...they will all be very impressed.
(4)
Michael C.

Not much to say here; an experience to be had by all at least once. Came here for my birthday recently; a little intimated at first by the close quarters, but after two bottles of wine between my girlfriend and I we didn't give a sh*t. The dress code is as nice or as business casual as you want it to be; somehow people with full suits or jeans/sweater all blend together against an incredibly minimalist interior design scheme. The bar is small enough to fit in your spare bedroom There needs to be a fifth dollar sign on the yelp review to do the "price range" rating justice, but let me reiterate that this place is definitely worth a try, once.
(4)
Laur T.

GLAD TO SEE THAT BLACKBIRD IS STILL AROUND!! AND STILL DOING WELL!! I was here MANY years back (back in my prime ;p) actually invited by a business friend who was nice enough to have me crash her dinner plans along with 3 other of my then colleagues who she didn't even know (we were in Chicago attending a conference together). The things people do in reciprocation of hospitality sometimes never cease to surprise me (in a good way). Out of courtesy, I basically informed her I was in the city and next thing I knew, a limo was sent to pick us up from the hotel to Blackbird and she so gracefully expanded her intimate party of 4 to an intrusive group of 8. Blackbird has a really inventive menu. Glad to that it's still the case at present! How adventurous I was back then... I actually had the sweetbreads here which were really well prepared. Blackbird is AWESOME and I would never have chanced upon this place on my own back then. Service was excellent, food was fantastic! I enjoyed my dinner here thoroughly. It was a splurge and the tab for the entire table was picked up by my host. Super gracious. Phenomenal experience. This place HAS GOT TO BE SOMETHING! Afterall, it's one of the few restaurant business cards that I ACTUALLY KEEP. Probably the only one even...
(4)
Vanessa y.

Dear Blackbird- Oh how I wanted to hate you! You pretentious little restaurant with your stuffy service and out of this world food! And your stupid bathroom joke that is not funny. So my two dining companions and I arrived to find several pretty hostess who kindly took our coats and seated us. The table was definitely too close to the neighboring table but as were all the tables in this place. The waiter arrived with a stuffy look on his face and I was ready for a beer. I asked if they had 312 beer and his response was, "Oh no, that beer is too pedestrian for a place like this." I had been drinking quite a few 'pedestrian' beers earlier in the evening so I am sure I laughed a little in a snotty sort of way. Next came the food ordering. . . . . the menu seemed confusing and super fancy. Some fault to Blackbird, and some to the earlier mentioned beer. I picked on the waiter a bit about the menu and tested his knowledge. He passed with flying colors and we eventually ordered the vegetarian entree, the Steak, and the Alaskan Halibut. Oh and a lovely dinner salad. At this point, I took a bathroom break. I was on the toilet when I noticed a shower curtain? I reached forward and pulled it open to find a wall with a note on it "What did you expect to find; a bath tub behind here" . . . stupid. I returned to the table to find the food melted in my mouth. I sampled all dishes. I have no idea what was in the vegetarian entree but it was amazing. The red meat was the softest, finest cut of meat I have ever seen, and the fish was cooked perfectly to fall apart in the mouth. The portions were small but works out so you have to try dessert! The desserts were unique and fabulous. We had some sort of cake that was like carrot cake but crunchier? A dish that was like a a Hershey chocolate bar left in the sun and eaten just before the melt turns it into syrup. I think you would call it like mouse but I might call it Heaven. A grapefruit sorbet that was a perfect pallet cleanser and fit nicely with the 5 cheese platter that we also ordered. I don't think I can describe how wonderful this course was, I recommend you try it yourself. I even offered to share with our ridiculously close neighbors but I think they thought I was strange or drunk? At this point, our stuffy waiter seemed to lighten up a bit. One of my dining companions was worried that my obnoxiousness and numerous questions was going to get him blacklisted. To top it all off, as we were leaving I gave a quick thumbs up to the chefs who can see the floor from a quaint open kitchen. As all four of them started to listen to me tell them how wonderful it was - I thought I would show them. I lifted up my shirt and showed them the famous Buddha belly!!! My local friend hates when I do this, which only egged me on. After getting our coats and the manager hailed us a cab, I also let him see The Buddha Belly and told him how pleased I was. So Blackbird your place is a little stuffy, the tables are too crammed in and your beer list is too fancy for me. The bathroom is not fancy enough. Your prices are a little high but all in all your waiter recovered when he bought the table two beers and the food melted in my mouth. Thanks for an adventure!
(4)
Kelly B.

My friend and I went here on a last minute decision to splurge on a meal. We do that every few months and we always try a new restaurant. We called at 8:30 on a Friday night and asked if we could get a reservation for 2 at 10 PM. We showed up at 9:55 and were immediately seated. The decor is simple. Everything is white. No artwork. Sort of reminded me of Ping Pong but a well lit version (no low lighting here). And the place is smaller than I expected but large enough where I didn't feel like was forced to overhear the person's conversation at the next table. The coolest thing... and this is such a small gesture, but I loved it. Someone came over after we'd been sitting for about 5 or 10 minutes and offered to put each of our purses on table hooks. Never had that before and I thought it was great. As we settled in, I looked around and got the feeling there was an eclectic mix of people. Some looked very down to earth and others a little pretentious. But I liked the fact that all types were represented and therefore felt comfortable. I mean, I can only afford to treat myself once in a while and I felt like there were other people there just like me. In addition to the "regulars." The wine list is HUGE so be prepared to be overwhelmed. We went with a Bordeaux that was $31. Servers are in dresses and suits which took me a while to get used to but I actually came to really enjoy not seeing a uniform. It made me feel like it was my personal food consultant for the evening. The service was good. Our assigned server was very respectful and always on top of things. I felt the entire staff was attentive without being overbearing which I really appreciate. A server came out and gave us each a bite-sized portion of something the Chef sent out to everyone that evening which was complimentary. It was good, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was. Regardless, it was a very pleasant surprise. We had the veal sweetbread as an appetizer. It was phenomenal. The portion was a good size, meaning not too small or too large. For the entree, I had the duck and my friend had the lamb. That lamb was the best thing I ever tasted in my life. And the portions were just right (again, not too little or too much). My duck was good but paled in comparison with that lamb. I had serious food envy. But shame on me for not asking the server to recommend something or ask what their most popular item is. I usually do that but for some reason, this time, I didn't. For dessert, we each ordered a glass of champagne. I also had a pineapple-something-or-other which was basically pineapple, vanilla ice cream, shortbread, and a cinnamon crust type thing. It was VERY, VERY tasty. My friend had the cherry soup which was chocolate ice cream, cherries, and a mixture of some kind pored on top. It was good, but mine was WAY better (the envy was flipped to the other side of the table). The bathroom gag was weird to me because it felt out of place for that type of restaurant. And I usually dig "weird." But in the end I decided I liked it because it kept me guessing about the place. And it made it feel more down to earth. Cost was about $85 for each of us, not including tip. Very well worth it. I was happy we spent our once-in-a-blue-moon expensive night out there. I would for sure recommend it if you want to treat yourself to a nice dinner. Plus they'll hail a cab for you afterwards!
(4)
Dina I.

Been here at least 20 times. Service can be a little stuffy, but the food always represents. Never been disappointed with the quality of food, whether ordering a la carte or doing the tasting menu. Thought I'd put my two cents in. You can always count on Blackbird delivering.
(5)
James D.

We ate here last night to celebrate with some friends and it was great. We had four of the appetizers: cuttlefish, suckling pig, foie gras and the seared scallop. Highlights were the pig and scallop. For entrees we had pork belly, halibut, and the wagyu flatiron steak. All the entrees were great. I would definitely go back for any of them again. The atmosphere was pretty diverse actually, and the decor minimalist, but in a good way. I really enjoyed the whole experience and would definitely recommend it.
(4)
Gary R.

This place was pretty good. Quite foo foo/she she on the inside. There is a semi nude person painted on the wall of the men's room, which is shocking in some respects. The salad I had was quite tasty. The fried chicken was just ok, however. The chicken appeared to still have veins, which I felt was mildly horrifying. Our group also ordered a number of desserts (an effort to catapult to obesity) . The Bannana Cremeaux (or whatever its called) is really good. Lets just call it a hoitee toitee french Banana's Foster.
(3)
Matthew R.

The first time I went to Blackbird, I had the black cod with miso glaze which was really top notch, so when I went back, I had very high hopes. Unfortunately, nothing on my second trip was as good as the first. Everything I had was good, but nothing really took it to the next level. Add in the fact that the tables are VERY close together and the prices are outrageous and I was seriously disappointed. $18 for two scallops is just a ripoff. Despite all the drawbacks, I'm still rating it a 4 because the food earned it, but it was nowhere close to being a 5 and the ambience and prices are serious negatives.
(4)
Jane C.

LOVED the roquetford cheese salad, had the sturgeon which was very unique...but my aunt's pork belly was the star of all the dishes of then night...and i don't even like pork. ;) top it off with the olive cake and vanilla gelato. portions are small but very filling.
(5)
Anisha A.

Went for the $22 three-course prix fix lunch, one of the best deals this side of the Nile. And you even get a purse/fanny pack hanger at your table. The duck tartare is a must, served with phenomenal potato tots. I got the sturgeon, my dad had the trout. Both had bacon, confirming that fish and bacon is the new peanut butter and jelly. They should co-exist whenever possible. Had the sesame sponge for dessert. Charmingly sweet and light.
(4)
Jilliann S.

Interesting, creative menu & excellent service. Great presentation on the endive salad; plus, the homemade pancetta was delightful. Sturgeon entree was flavorful & filling. Only been on the menu for a week, but it's great. Husband had the cheese salad, which was good - but endive was better (and bigger) and he had the rack of lamb, which was delicious. Waitress was fantastic and explained the dishes in great detail. She also provided excellent recommendations (we followed her suggestions on the endive, sturgeon & lamb; she also recommended the mussel soup & pork belly/sweet shrimp entree -- I'll try those next time!). Only issue was that our table wasn't ready at the time of our reservation, but that wouldn't deter us from coming back.
(4)
Louise M.

I knew of Blackbird as one of top Chicago restaurants for years, but I haven't had a chance to go until just this last Friday during chef week. I must say that I was really looking forward to it, and had high expectation of how good it would be. I walked out less than excited about the experience. The food was just ok. It wasn't bad or inedible but I just really expected it to blow my socks off, and it didn't. Not sure perhaps during chef week, they chose to serve not so exciting food compared to their regular menu; but, you know what if you didn't want to showcase your best, why participate? People might have come back if they had great experience. There's not even a red meat selection on the chef week menu. It was chicken, fish, and a vegetarian choices only. I had the chicken, and the endives salad, as well as the chocolate ganache for dessert. They were good, but no excellent. We also ordered the foie gras. We were surprised on how generous the portion was, but was turned off on the presentation as it looked like a patty of fancy feast. I can't believe I said that. Too much of a good thing and I didn't like the combination of the citrus and sesame with it. The tables were so close together, and each time somebody left their table, their butt would rub against your side or face. Not, very pleasant though I had to do the same to the guy next to me who seemed irate as well. Join the club, buddy. I'm just very underwhelmed by my experience. When I talked to other foodie friends who had been there not at chef/restaurant weeks, and they had the same experience, I wonder it might not just because it's chef week. Too bad, as a place to be famed as one of my city's top dining establishments, I want it to wow and charm every one. It's overrated.
(2)
Sharon L.

i don't know why they named this place 'black' bird when everything in the place is WHITE. everything from their exterior to their menus. i'm not complainin', just sayin'. inside, it was a bit cozier than i had expected. but the decor was all very modern and clean; kinda reminded me of a polished wine glass. yea, i don't know either. appetizers: the wagyu tartar and confit of suckling pig were ordered. i wasn't expecting complimentary bread and butter to be served at a place such as this, but there were-- and my stomach was thankful. the bread had hints of cinnamon and the butter? whipped to perfection. wagyu tartar - 3.5 stars i've never had tartar before, so i didn't really know what to compare it to. after a few bites in, i forgot that i was eating raw beef. confit of suckling pig - 4 stars the pork melted in my mouth. i'm not sure what they did to tender the meat, but they did an excellent job. personally, i preferred this over the tartar. entrees: miso-glazed quebecois veal tenderloin and elk strip loin. veal tenderloin - 4.5 stars had about 6 2"x3" slices of heaven. cooked medium rare, every bite was savored. the sauce was salty and sweet at the same time and complimented the slightly seasoned tenderloins well. elk strip loin - 3 stars not as gamey as i thought it'd be. but perhaps it's because the smoked taste of the meat slightly overpowered everything else. **warning** if you order this dish, be prepared to wait at least 30 minutes. this dish requires the most preparation time. dessert: cocoa gateau with goat's milk, kola nut, fresno and hibiscus sorbet - 2.5 stars sounds very fancy, but what is it really? crumbled mounds of chocolate cake piled fancily on top of a dazzling white dish. oh, and can't forget about the sorbet. if you ever wondered what a flower would taste like in sorbet form, wonder no more! chocolate covered flower power! is what i would say to describe this dish to a fun-loving hippie. :) service: food came out slow, but that's to be expected at a place like this. the servers were friendly and not too over-bearing. the woman who served us had the most genuine smile. i couldn't help but to smile back. overall: definitely worth trying at least once. i felt like the portions were well-sized (not too big, but not too small). prepare for your wallet to return home feeling a bit lighter than before, but your tummy will thank you. check it out! if not for the chocolate covered flower powered dessert, then at least for the experience.
(4)
Sara B.

Is Blackbird good? Yes. Then why the 3 stars? Price. 4 people- 4 starters, 4 entries, 4 desserts, 1 bottle of wine, 1 bottle of water, and 1 drink - $530 with taxes and tip. Yes, the food was good, but not five hundred dollars good. Ok, I'll get past the price, what we had: Scallop starter was nice. It has some nice complimentary flavors added to the scallops. Husband had sweetbread, which he liked, I did not (but I don't like sweetbreads in general). Guests had the lobster app - it was okay, although a pretty good size. Main - I had the Sturgeon. Others had said they were disappointed in the amount of fish served, but I was pleasantly surprised at the portion size. There were about 5 good size chunks of fish. It was served with dry black beans, which were interesting. Not bad, not great - just nice. The fish itself was good, it was very meaty. Actually, if you are a vegetarian, it may even be a little too meaty. Very hardy. Husband had the pork belly, which he enjoyed and said he too was satisfied with portion size. Desserts - Walnut cake - Okay, a little on the dry side. Coconut panna cotta - worst of the four ordered, but again, I'm not a panna cotta fan in general. But I would stay away from this. Chocolate ball dish (can't remember the exact name) - This was a unique dessert and had all sorts of interesting chocolate surprises mixed in. If you like chocolate, this is the way to go. I had the Lemon Curd with basil reduction. Almost everyone at the table thought the Lemon was the best (we all tasted each others). I got a kick out of the bathroom dÃ©cor. Overall, good meal with interesting flavors mixed with the main ingredients. I just thought it was a little pricey. Oh, and I must say that the wait staff was excellent. 2 GREAT touches - 1) They give woman a purse holder to keep your purse off the floor or the back of your chair, which hooks on the table - brilliant touch! And 2) When we arrived they took our coats and hung them on a single coat rack behind the counter. During dinner they put them in the back with everyone else's. Then when you are paying your bill, they intuitively bring your party's coats back out and have them ready for you.
(3)
James F.

The NYE 5-course was fantastic. Great atmosphere, chic clientele, and sexy display of delicious culinary adventure. Highly recommend.
(4)
Bob S.

I finally made it to Blackbird this past weekend after having meant to go there for years while living in Chicago. It was definitely worth the wait. The interior is very clean looking - white and neutral; my girlfriend said it had the look of a modern-art museum. My only complaint about the layout was the spacing of the tables along the wall. They were so close together that if seated on the bench you have to move the whole table to get in or out. I know they're tight on space, but I've never understood why restaurants do that. The food was excellent. I started with the cheese salad - mixed greens, gouda, pistachios, watermelon, and pistachio puree. The saltiness from the cheese perfectly balanced the sweetness from the watermelon. Per the waiter's recommendation, I ordered the rack of lamb for my entree. I love lamb, but normally don't get it when dining out since it's very easy to screw up. After this meal, I think I'll have to change my mind...it was the best I've ever had in a restaurant. The lamb is marinated for 12 hours and then slow-roasted so it's amazingly tender. It's also served with a great mix of radishes, soy beans, and pickeled feta. Overall, a top-notch restaurant perfect for dates or special occasions.
(4)
K. J.

My husband & I ate here to celebrate our anniversary. We made reservations a few weeks in advance for 5:30 (we needed to eat early as we were going to the theater later that night). By the time it was 6PM, the restaurant was completely packed. Good vibe...definitely trendy. The restaurant is small (the hostess actually had to move our table in order to give me access to my seat) but its size is comparable to lots I have been to in Chicago. The service was outstanding. We encountered a small hiccup when we ordered as our waiter informed us that the only vegetarian option on the menu was not available that evening. As soon as I let him know I was a vegetarian, he stated that the kitchen would make something off the menu for me. The dish he described sounded delicious, so I ordered it. My husband ordered the chorizo pork patio roast. We both enjoyed our dishes, but my husband was disappointed in the portion size. It was enough food for me, but he was still hungry. We both enjoyed our desserts, and I believe I glimpsed the pastry chef smiling at us as we scarfed down our respective desserts. We enjoyed Blackbird, and plan to go back, but will be ordering more food next time.
(4)
David L.

We should have known better from the mixed reviews, but this was one of the last places on my list of places in Chicago to try. Should have left it on the list. The most arrogant service I have ever experienced, and possibly the worst fine dining experience I've ever had as a result. My wife was arriving in town too late for the kitchen, so I tried to order something - anything - to go for her to eat. I said anything would do; she had not eaten all day and had texted me to say so. We were told in a snooty manner (how snooty? ask yourself: at how many restaurants does the menu identify the store responsible for dressing the servers?), that the kitchen wants its food to be presented a particular way, and that therefore, as a matter of policy, no food could be sold to go. So I tried to explain to the manager that my wife had not eaten all day and I had promised her food, and that I would settle for literally anything; she simply reiterated, but with an increasing undercurrent of "you are not welcome in this restaurant." Then when I asked, what about leftovers? she actually lectured me that it was unacceptable to order food if we did not plan to eat most of it there. What unbelievable arrogance, to tell people how much of their food to eat and when. News flash: I bought the food, and paid a pretty penny for it too, in the case of a place like Blackbird. The food belongs to me. I get to decide whether or when I will eat it or leave the entire thing to waste. Do not lecture me. More generally, it is clear that the servers did not care whether we stayed or not, and in hindsight, I wish we had left. In terms of the actual food: Not that I can imagine any food that would justify the condescension and contempt we experienced here, and I will freely admit that the service put me off my appetitte, but the food was, quite honestly, a bit underwhelming, given the James Beard awards lining the walls (of which it would appear they are unduly proud) and so forth. I did like the celery bisque with pineapple, cocoa nibs, and oysters; although it sounds ridiculous, I found the combination to be a nice surprise in practice - a rich creamy experience without the cream - but even that, my friend was not so keen on. Nothing else was memorable for either of us. I'm actually saddened to read other reviews indicating this is the best meal they've had in Chicago, or ever. There are so many superior choices in Chicago. The town has rightly earned a reputation for pleasing foodies. Please don't settle for this place. Friends, Romans, countrymen, fellow Yelpers, I beg of you, do yourselves a favor and pony up the extra money for TRU, or Alinea, both rightfully celebrated. If it's too hard to get a table there, try Custom House. If you want something fun, for heaven's sake, try Moto instead. If you want something cheap and unpretentious but truly high-quality that is superb value for the money, try the Gage (which, by the way, is practically a "how-to" on how to treat your customers). I could go on and on. A truly fine restaurant does not treat its customers with contempt in order to prove its own worth. I lived and ate out constantly in West L.A. for three years, and I thought I encountered a lot of bad/arrogant/self-important service there, but who would have thought that a little modernist shoebox of a restaurant in Chicago would take the cake. Unbelievable, in the worst possible way.
(1)
Rob B.

Incredible. One of the best meals I've had in years. Don't let the Miami inspired interior fool, this place is super legit. Had the soft shell crab and the sweetbreads--both were amazing.
(5)
Richard G.

One of my favorite restaurants in the city. Consistently incredibly delicious.
(5)
megan j.

If you want an overpriced, tiny meal, where they serve you things you're allergic to after you informed them of your needs , then this is your restaurant! This was my first visit to Blackbird in 10 years, and remember when it was a hot place to go. No one talks about it anymore, but it was always solid, so my husband and I went for a three-course sherry dinner with some friends. The manager, Tracy, asked us if we had any allergies. My nursing, infant daughter is a allergic to dairy, and therefore I can't have any dairy in my diet. The dinner was pretty good, if really, really tiny. The courses were microscopic, which was probably for the best considering they COMPLETELY IGNORED MY ALLERGY. I didn't realize until the next day that there was some dairy in one of the courses, not until my daughter was uncomfortable and fussy. I called the restaurant to inquire about the diary in the food, and no one returned my call. Another call went unanswered by Tracy--someone else called me and left an indifferent voicemail message. The meal cost us $300, they poisoned my daughter with dairy I trusted them to leave out of my food, and when I got home I had a hot dog because I was still hungry (nursing mom!), and at the end of the day, the manager didn't seem to care. Fail.
(1)
Lauren B.

Having loved Avec, Publican, and Big Star, I only assumed the best of this place. I stopped by with colleagues for a drink and appetizer after work and had the charcuterie plate. I couldn't have been more disappointed. The veal sausage was nearly inedible! After asking the waitress, pointedly about it, I was brushed off with a "well, it's uncured veal." Normally with the tone my inquiry had, along with the unconsummed portions, I would expect any server to ask if they could get me something else, but nothing of the sort happened. And frankly, with a restaurant company known for doing great meats, I was shocked at the quality. Not saying I wouldn't try the restaurant again, buy they have one more chance and better make it good.
(1)
Jonathan R.

I live in NY and am here in Chicago for business. I'm really into food and many of my friends are chefs at two, three star restaurants in NY, who actually influenced me a lot and got me into the culinary world. After some research I found out about this place. I saw there are a lot of good restaurants north of downtown (across the river) but waaaayy too overpriced I thought. With that much of money you can go to a three star restaurant in NY like 'per se'.... Anyways. I thought blackbird was moderately priced and the menu looked really good. So I went there for lunch. As I only have one hour I kinda had to make a quick decision and have my waiter walk faster :) I ordered the pork belly sandwich and it really looked good. First bite, phenomenal. I am Korean. And Koreans eat pork belly a lot. like Americans eat sandwiches we eat pork belly with rice. So I know how greasy and oily it can be if not cooked right. It was just perfectly cooked that I could not see any oil dripping,, maybe two or three drips to be honest.. but it was good! I had to walk up to the chef who created the recipe and complement after I was done with my food. I think if they improve their customer service little bit, they could even get two stars next year! Overall,, food was amazing. I'm going there tonight to try out their dinner menu and the wine selection. Seriously, you can't get this quality sandwich for $13 anywhere else.
(5)
Julian C.

Meh. Overpriced and not impressive. The food was okay but nothing special and the service was friendly but inconsistent. The waitstaff attentively folded my napkin perfectly when I went to the men's room but failed to remove our empty bread & butter dishes until we were halfway through our so-so entrees. I would much rather pay 1/3 the price for three times the food and flavor next door at Avec any day of the week. I guess I just expected more.
(2)
James P.

The octopus is what made the meal for me. I love food, but I am not one to ask a waiter how a dish was made, except for this dish. The octopus appetizer came out and our group of four commented on how tender and flavorful it was. According to the waiter they let it soak for quite some time in some magical brine that gets rid of the standard chewiness. I had the quail and it was great. Our table also had the duck which was perfectly prepared. The only reason for the one star off would be due to the fact that Chicago is such an amazing city for food and for the money you can find some equally as good meals for a little bit less money. That being said, Blackbird is worthy of a detour and you will not be disappointed.
(4)
Steve M.

Although you can't beat the value of a $32 dollar 3 course dinner I wasn't blown away by the food. I started out with the endive salad with poached egg and pancetta which was the best part of the meal. For my main course I got the trout which was OK but it didn't wow me. The dessert was a chocolate ganache with parsnip ice cream which was a strange combination of tastes. The service was excellent. The blackbird orange cocktail was very tasty but overall I may have hyped the restaurant too much. I am glad I tried it but I am not sure when I would go back.
(3)
Stephen R.

This was a very nice dining experience. I am not a big fan of the shi shi type places, and this is clearly a fine dining experience. Food was high quality and very tasty. I had the lamb which was excellent, and the endive salad was great. I am not so excited about the prices, but what can you do. Swank, pricey, good food..has date night written all over it.
(4)
Kristine O.

Vegetarians are a four letter word at this restaurant. For a restaurant that changes its menu daily, how hard is it to provide a delicious meal for vegetarians? The only options were a single salad and a bland entree that tasted like sawdust. Topped off with green foam. How passe. I expected better from a top rated chef. It didn't help that we sat staring at the dish room during our meal. After requesting to be moved we were told that no other tables were available. Two other deuces sat empty during our entire two hour meal. After paying $100 per person I expected to leave full. I was disappointed. Open kitchens, white walls and food without a lot of flavor is so old. This restaurant would benefit from closing off the kitchen so the diners close by don't have to listen to all of the noise. This restaurant is over rated and pretentious. Better choices in town for your money. The only reason it gets two stars is my husband liked his dinner.
(2)
Samantha J.

Last night my husband and I decided to go to Blackbird, this white table clothe trendy restaurant that is across the street from us. We were not disappointed!! The restaurant is a stark white, with clean lines and in an intimate space. All the tables are 4 or 2 tops close together. The restaurant is trendy, with servers watching your every move to cater to your needs. We started off with myself having a glass of champagne and my husband having a beer. We enjoyed the soft shell crab appetizer which they actually put on two plates for us. Then we ended up splitting the Lamb Loin and the Steak Loin. The lamb loin was on a bed of spinach and cooked medium rare, it was very flavorful and comforting. The steak was the best cooked steak we have had. Literally my husband was astonished at the flavor, it has a smokey tasting outside with a great texture, then cooked medium rare with marvelous flavor. He woke up this morning and was still talking about that steak, he actually wants to visit a butcher to see if he can buy a cut and cook it at home to recreate the flavor. After dinner I had another glass of champagne while he had an after dinner cocktail. We split the chocolate pudding, which was really great. But, they don't have many desert options, mostly ice creams and fruit. Blackbird is not a cheap restaurant, but it was a fantastic dinner and worth the cost!!
(5)
Frank K.

Had lunch here today. Manager set us up for an unexpected 7 course tasting menu. Nice.... Food was creative, tasty, service was excellent and what a good value.
(4)
Jill S.

Food was amazing, but we had to wait a full hour to get our second course for the prix fixe lunch. They were not particularly busy, and our waiter never once came to our table during the wait, not even to ask if we wanted more wine, our glasses having been empty for a while. Still, best sturgeon I ever had.
(3)
Hanna C.

visiting chicago for the weekend with a large group, lunch at blackbird was the 1 foodie target for an otherwise hectic weekend. making a point of reserving for a large group on a lovely friday afternoon, we were graciously accommodated. ate: veal sweetbreads app., main - stuffed quail with gnocchi. both heavenly. the others had a variety of things, such as the bouillabaisse, and cauliflower bisque, and confit. all enjoyed their food, with top marks for presentation and service. like some of the other reviewers, there were those who were hungry at the end of the meal -- but for the calibre of cuisine and price point, this wasn't a reflection of value, more a word to the wise for anyone seeking a hearty meal versus complexity and execution. overall, it was a relaxed and sleek dining space, with attentive and quintessentially down to earth chicago hospitality.
(4)
Piriya M.

My husband and I went to Blackbird to celebrate his birthday, and we could not have made a better choice. We've been to our share of fine dining establishments in Chicago, and this is now our favorite since Butter closed its doors. We ordered the tasting menu with the wine pairings, and we loved pretty much everything on it. We will try almost anything, so we always order the tasting menu when we can. The menus change with the seasons, so there's always something new and different! Yes, you are seated very close to other diners, and it's a bit noisy, but we found this to be a fortunate "inconvenience." We struck up conversations with three different groups of all very interesting and friendly people. We thought it was pretty cool to randomly meet fun people in a restaurant who love a good meal and good conversation as much as we do. Great food, great service, great people. Go! You will not regret it.
(5)
Nancy V.

Blackbird was superb! Of course nothing less than that was expected of one of Paul Kahan's restaurant. We dined here last night for part of Chicago Chef Week. The service was good, not too invasive, yet still attentive at the same time. I had the 3 course prix fixe as part of the Chef Week special. First course was the salad of endives with baby lettuces, potato, basil, dijon, pancetta and poached egg. I could not have been happier with this salad. The poached egg and potato were my favorites aspects of the salad. The potato was shredded into circular rings and then fried to serve as a basket for the lettuce and poached egg. The poached egg was a hidden treasure in the middle of the salad. Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm a sucker for eggs! The main course was aged pekin duck breast and sausage with sauerkraut dusted yukons, black raisin and savoy cabbage. The combination of the yukon, fatty duck, and savoy cabbage was amazing. The duck was tender with a crisp skin and just enough fat to make you want more. Lastly, I had the satsuma chiboust with campari, pineapple, semolina, and zingerman cheese ice cream for dessert. I was mildly disappointed with the pastry cream dessert because it could have really used something else to add to the texture of the dish, maybe more semolina.. All in all, I was very impressed with the quality of the food. The portion sizes were a bit on the small side, but I really didn't have a problem with it since the food was so good. I'd definitely recommend this restaurant for a special occasion! Love it: Aged pekin duck Leave it: Chiboust
(4)
Mike R.

Went for an inexpensive lunch with a date and we both had a great time with their prix fixe menu. Timely, charming service and delicious food.
(4)
Kendrah R.

If I believed in Heaven it would be Blackbird (minus their dessert menu). The food is superb, great combination of ingredients. Just the right size portions. The kind of food where I savor each bite. I love the staff. The potential for this place to be snobby is huge (after all they put the J. Abboud on the menu as the clothing that the waitstaff wears! crazy) but it is not snobby at all. Waitstaff is down to earth, friendly, and one of the owners works the floor waiting tables. Decor: Do the light bulbs throw off crack? There is something about the lighting in this place that makes me feel practically orgasmic. I don't gravitate to modern design usually, but this place nails it. Sleek, polished, orderly, yet slightly casual feeling and very comfortable. I often want to hide under the table so I can get locked in for the night and just enjoy being in that space. Desserts: Skip dessert at Blackbird and go next door to Avec instead (same owner, better desserts)
(5)
Annie W.

Had dinner a few weeks ago with a girlfriend at Blackbird and can't believe I waited so long to go. We sampled several dishes and each one was absolutely to die for. The soups were incredible, the elk was out of this world (I've never had elk before), the vegetarian pasta was amazing, the halibut was incredible... the desserts were best of all. Wow. Also, if you're planning a wedding or party at Blackbird, the ladies in private dining are FABULOUS to work with. I'm lucky to have firsthand experience with them. They're both lovely.
(5)
Susan F.

What a nice little place in the west loop. Just came here with my family for a very late Tuesday night dinner. Many couples and groups of people were to eat to eat, drink, and relax. Food: I was semi-impressed with their menu, but I could tell it was kind of the restaurant where you pay a lot, but the meal is short and sweet, aka smaller than usualy (but not tiny) The appetizers weren't small and the Salads and soups were fantastic. I had the mussle soup. It was jam packed with mussles!!! I have never had such a hearty borth based soup in a restaurant. Kudos!! I had steak for dinner, they change their menu often. It was very good, but I wanted more! Great presentation. All in all, it was a nice dinner, but it took awhile for it to come out. The waiters and waitresses were very nice and took good care of us. I would go back again sometime in the next few years.
(4)
Crystal F.

My husband and I had a great experience at blackbird. I think it was my favorite meal of the trip..and we ate at most of the other trendy restaurants in the same area (MK, girl & the goat, avec). The food was delicious & the staff was great (super attentive & friendly). We sat outside on the patio & enjoyed talking to our neighbors (as you sit very close to each other) but this just made the experience more fun. Wonderful food with great atmosphere ( be sure to look behind the curtain in the bathroom ). And go to maudes for an after dinner drink down the street.
(5)
Lea G.

*Cocktail & Dessert Review Only* Went here last night after dining at Avec. I knew the dessert menu would be creative. There were five truly unique desserts to choose from and our bartender took the time to explain each one. She was great! For my cocktail I had the old dog new trick which is made from bourbon and a house made "cherry" which was served almost like a mojito with the fruit (cherry, orange) mashed into the drink served with ice = YUM! For dessert we shared the the azuku baba with rhubarb, st. germain, mint and forbidden rice sherbet and the jivara chocolate ganache with ovaltine, sesame and banana bread ice cream. I am familiar with azuku (red bean) which is very popular in asian desserts. The entire dessert not overly sweet which is a dissapointment for me because I have a sweet tooth. I will commend it for being differnt and something I don't think I could get elsewhere. The jivara was much more to my liking. Chocolate with carmelized banana over sesame rice cakes. Can I have another? Please note that with the "ovaltine" the chocolate is also not very sweet (more milky than dark). Must try if you are in the area!
(4)
Heather S.

Was here a few weeks ago with friends visiting from Manhattan. We didn't have reservations, so we sat at the bar. I liked the modern decor, wine was good, Picso Sour - Amazing - was one of the best ones that I have had. But honestly - the food was mediocre. I expected more taste and variety of flavors - especially for the price. I alone spent $100 - for 2 cocktails, split an appetizer, and my entree. The portions are extremely small. Also - I am not a fan of "Sweetbreads." There is nothing sweet - nor bread like about it - veal sweetbread - dead baby cow brains - disgusting. The gentlemen next to me was enjoying his sweetbread - so I'm sure that may have had an influence on my dining experience...
(3)
Peggy S.

I ended up in the hospital the night I had lunch here and I strongly suspect that my fish was undercooked. No fun.
(1)
Judith J.

Went there for Chef Week and the food was great. Really loved the Chicken and Sausage dish. Everything was well done and the service was great and we did not feel rushed. Will definitely return to try other things on the menu.
(4)
MJ E.

I went here for my sister's birthday and we had a nice time. I felt our waiter was very informed and was great at suggesting things. I decided to order the rabbit as that is an unusual menu item. It was good, but nothing special. After all I had heard about this place I guess I had built it up in my mind and I was just a little disappointed. My sister and I had a pleasant evening, but nothing really stood out to me.
(3)
Brad W.

Food is really good, service top notch, and the atmosphere is perfect for a small group of friends.
(4)
leyla a.

Still one of my favorites after all these years. I have eaten at Blackbird countless times and spent many NYE's with them and I agree with almost every review on here....they are simply the best! They truly know how to keep people happy time and time again. If you didn't like it, it just wasn't meant for you and maybe you should go have a nice cold one, on tap, at McCooolgiansns in Wrigley-LakeView-Wisconsin. Food is unmatched for the price you pay. I love, love, love the room and the artwork. Nice Wine list. Staff has always been nice as far as I am concerned, I did have one bad experience with a hostess a few years back - but who is counting, really? I like coming here for lunch, a long lunch and having a glass of wine or two with my meal. I also really like the private dining room upstairs, if you have not been to the private dining room, it is worth considering for your next smaller sized upscale event. I especially love that you can see people at Blackbird that you don't see in most other restaurants/bars in the city. These people must live some place not in the Midwest OR they live here and take refuge in the safety of their own homes and only come out to go to Blackbird and perhaps the occasional art opening.
(5)
Zach F.

My girlfriend received a gift certificate for $150 to Blackbird and I a lucky beneficiary! Being more of a steak lover I was a bit skeptical but left happy and fulfilled. I had the cheese salad for an appetizer and it was the highlight of the meal. My girlfriend had the scallops, which were also delicious. For my main I had the waghyu flatiron and was sorely disappointed. The meat, while obviously high quality, was smoked to the point that it overtook the entree. The chicken my girlfriend had was moist and cooked to perfection. For desert the cheese plate was a 7.5/10. Overall the meal was very good but for the accompanying price tag, I'm not sure.
(4)
marc z.

Wanted to give one Star for the excellent cocktails and the expert barwoman - but the other experiences do not justify it. Our food was cold, standing on the counter for 15 minutes. When we reminded the waiter that we wanted to eat: "Ooooooohh........" and grabs the cold food off the counter. The meat was tough and not eatable. We informed the manager. But for a "special" night out with a hefty-price-tag-restaurant, this just can not happen. if the restaurant is not capable of handling the amount of patrons then it should concentrate on quality and not quantity. We will not go here again, there are plenty of better alternative.
(1)
Greer C.

I tried Blackbird for Chef's Week. I should have spent my $$$ elsewhere (like Gilt Bar or L&E). The food was good, nothing to write home about. The girl at the front door asked if we were there for Chef's Week and when we agreed that we were, she made no move to seat us, in fact, she checked in the people behind us before she took us to our table. My view from the table was into the kitchen, which was OK, but I could also see the dishwashing area. That wasn't such a great view. The tables are SO close together that I may have been trapped in the maze of tables, if my meal had been any bigger. The Chef's menu was a smaller portion, fine with me because I wasn't overly stuffed when I left, but not really a good value. I was hoping to be wowed. I wasn't. I don't have any need to go there again.
(2)
Alida M.

They have a nice selection of dishes with interesting flavor combinations. The food was very good, especially the endive salad with crispy potato (a must have!). While the main courses were also quite good, they weren't spectacular, especially given the steep prices. The service is great. Our waiter was very helpful and recommended a really nice bottle of wine (he seemed to know a lot about west coast whites). When we left it was raining and a staff member hailed us a cab and held an umbrella over us as we walked out. The ambience was also nice - trendy, simple and fun while remaining very tasteful. Besides the prices the only other thing I would change is the dining room layout - the tables for two are pretty close to one another and we unwillingly could hear conversations from neighboring tables (that said, we made friends with a very nice couple who had been going to the restaurant for years and had excellent recommendations). Overall, it's a fun place to go with an interesting menu if you're willing to pay a hefty price and sit in tight quarters with other diners.
(4)
Seth F.

Key Yelp: A fashion forward, sophisticated new American, French inspired dining experience. An occasion place for most. The food was surprisingly good, and better then the menu reads. A tad of attitude, but very well done. Review: Lets try a Q/A format- Why and when would you WANT TO DINE at Blackbird? -You want to eat in a sophisticated urban setting. -You feel adventurous. -You enjoy wine food pairings. -You want to taste ingredients, proteins and preparations you may not have had before. -You want to approximate a NYC new American dining experience. -You don't mind glances, smiles and brief exchanges and pleasantries with the tables next to you. -You crave a cheese course for dessert. -You love pork. When and why would you NOT WANT TO dine at Blackbird? -You want romance. -You don't want noise. -A little attitude makes you want to hit someone, hard. -You want privacy. -You are really hungry. -You want comfort food* *OK-I ate for the first time and maybe the last, pork belly, which was sublime....this is comfort food for the most indulgent only...it was a rare treat for me.
(4)
Winnie L.

i had the halibut, it was yummy. the lamb was awesome too. The only thing I didn't like was the noise and seatings were really close to each other. I feel like I was eating with the two couples next to us. Haha.
(4)
Francis K.

I have had an unusually circuitous route to Blackbird. It seems unusual to me anyway. I first came heard of it whilst at a "Taste of Lincoln Park" summer fair. On this particular afternoon and after sampling oodles of portions I came upon this slice of pork that literally jumped out. I kept saying I had to visit their restaurant. My plans were spoiled when I learned it was "The Blackbird," so while the taste really lured me in, I simply couldn't bring myself to admit to go to one of these 'famous' restaurants. Hey! I'm weird that way! Fast forward a couple of years and one Sunday afternoon I was seated at Hopleaf (oh yes, DO go there :-)) and was chatting with the barman and I was joined by a happy bunch of happy revelers. We talked Bears football. In 2006 - 2007 every time I watched the Bears live they would lose. It turns out the exec. chef of Blackbird had this kind of luck. So we chatted for a while and they left. The Hopleaf barman recognized the exec. chef but I remained clueless. When he brought this to my attention, I decided, that I liked them enough based on spending an hour or so talking with them and finding him unassuming. So I finally made my trip and regretted instantly why I never gave it a fair shake. Upon getting into Blackbird, I was shocked by how small *it looked*. I should have asked but surely there is more to the space than meets the eye. Our service was slow initially. We literally had the awkward 5 minutes after being settled and waiting for your server to show up. It was a busy night, so it was understandable. Not gonna knock on the place for this. Blackbird's food is everything I expected it to be and MORE! I finally got to eat that braised pork that was still tattooed in my palate. You simply MUST try this. The Mrs. had sturgeon which was recommended by our extremely attentive server. Given the amount of time he spent with us, it is no wonder the service seemed slow to start. I will return but not frequently as it is a tad pricey.
(5)
Holly T.

This is one of my Chicago meals I keep coming back to and thinking about. I had arrived a day early before my conference, and I decided to take myself out for a nice lunch. I had read about this place on the Serious Eats Chicago Guide ( seriouseats.com/2008/09/â€¦ ). It was a little hard to find from the street, especially the door. The decor was lovely; large windows letting in natural light, a pleasant-looking outdoor patio, and everything inside was painted white, giving it a very clean, open feeling. Since I was dining alone and didn't have a reservation, I sat at the bar. Dining alone can be awkward, especially in an elegant atmosphere such as this, where due to the primarily business clientele, I felt underdressed; but the staff treated me well. The wine list was primarily French, which suited both my taste and the food. The bartender was kind enough to select some wine pairings to go with my meal, which all worked very well. I had the $22 lunch prix fixe, which included an appetizer, entrÃ©e, and dessert. Even though it was only lunch, these are still some of the most memorable dishes I ate on my trip. I started with the charcuterie plate of lamb country patÃ© and pickled lamb's tongue, with fresh ricotta-rye cannelloni, rhubarb, cocoa nibs and lovage. Of all these things, it was the lamb's tongue that is still haunting me; absolutely delicious. For my entrÃ©e, I continued with the lamb theme and got the grilled lamb tenderloin with smoked quinoa, cherry molasses and candied hazelnuts. The lamb was excellent but what really struck me most about this dish was the smoked quinoa combined with the cherry molasses. I never would have thought of smoking quinoa, but the smokiness infused it with a fantastic flavor. Finally, I finished with white chocolate mousse with kumquats, green tea struesel and cara cara sorbet. Again, a great combination. I can close my eyes and remember the crunchiness of the green tea struesel combined with the kumquat and the white chocolate mousse. I really wish I had photographed this meal; the main reason I didn't is because I felt awkward eating alone at the bar. But now that seems silly, since I would love to have the pictures to help preserve the memory. I'll just have to come here again next time I'm in town.
(4)
K. A.

Delicious!! I went there for a business lunch and was very excited to try this restaurant, especially because literally the night before I went there I saw it mentioned on Anthony Bourdain's show! I got the whitefish sandwich and it was to die for...I'm a really picky eater and usually get all sauces on the side etc...but I didn't care what sauce or ingredients they put on this sandwich I got it just like it was meant to be made and ate the entire thing! The ambiance of this restaurant is pretty cool too, very clean and, as others have mentioned, white. All in all, I would definitely go back for a sandwich like that!
(5)
David H.

Blackbird is a small 60 seat restaurant with, full bar (10 stools), unique beers, good wine list, outdoor cafe, open kitchen in a modern decor made of shades of white and brown accents (wood) and glass. The service staff is outfitted in suits and tie. Service is friendly, professional, they are well trained in wine and can describe the menu very well. The mix of food is meat and fish and quite different preparation of desserts. It is a place you go to dine and have courses of different wine. Very much a foodie eatery; not a steak and potatoes place at all. Portions are not large so I recommend when going have a salad, a appetizer, and a entree. All the food is consistent and presented nicely. Parking is available either on the street or by valet. Great place for a date and small group of four, The crowd is mix of thirty something,
(4)
Belle M.

We dined here for lunch last week while visiting Chicago. I am blown away by this restaurant. I had the blackbird bouillabaisse- which was fresh fish, mussels, calamari with fennel, potato, saffron, garlic, thyme and grilled bread. It was perfection--it was flavorful and big portion size. My boyfriend had organic pork belly sandwich with thegarlic frites, which was also excellent. For dessert we shared a mission fig beignet with black raspberries, butterscotch, bacon ice cream-- I was a little doubtful of the flavor combination but after a taste, I was speechless. The sweetness of the black raspberries, beignets meld well with the slight saltiness of the bacon. Service was on point--formal but not too stuffy and very friendly . (I realized SF service pales in comparison to Chicago's) . I also enjoyed the space, minimalist and great use of space. I enjoyed my weekend in Chicago--beautiful city, excellent food. I will definitely be back to this city and for sure at Blackbird (next time for dinner).
(5)
kurosh d.

Apparently after Blackbird gained their Michelin star, they immediately fired their expensive chefs and hired cheaper ones. It shows. For $200/plate, I expect the entire package - food, atmosphere and service. The restaurant is incredibly cramped. We were less than a foot away from people on both sides. The service was what I would expect at a decent restaurant. Again, when I am paying $200/plate, I expect more. They are severely lacking here. The food was hit or miss. A few courses were divine. A few were good. The rest consolidated my increasing frustration. The foie gras - typically one of my favorites - was hardly edible. Skip it.
(2)
Doug R.

For this review I will "adopt" the persona of one who had his first upscale dining experience. Blackbird looks awesome-all modern and sleek, but you knew that already. So much white! So much chrome! And, you get to have the illusion of eating on a nice, white table cloth. I will now spread butcher's paper over my table cloth at home and tell my friends this is how they do it in the big city (I kid, I understand the practicality of this-especially since I spilt things on the paper...). I was actually a little surprised that the hostess staff were incredibly friendly and did not turn us away at the door, even though we were dressed like sexy, intelligent hoboes. After a few over-priced bottled beers (GI-Matilda and 2 bros Ebel's Weiss, which were delicious), we decided to go for almost the entire Prix Frixe menu between the two of us. She-acorn squash butternut soup with scallops, sturgeon, and the chocolate pave. Me-baby octopus confit, pheasant & sausage, and lemon sorbet. Mine definitely does not "align" for the optimal connection of philosophy and eating, but whatevs... Her soup was complex, slightly elegant, and hearty. My octopus was cooked perfectly, but I found the chic peas to be annoyingly dry. Her sturgeon was succulent, dainty, and pretty much perfect. My pheasant was good enough, the sausage waaay stronger than the pheasant, and the sauce, heavily sweet and a little strong for the whole of the dish. The yam business going on underneath it all was quite tasty though. Whatever were the opaque orbs on my plate (my selection isn't on the online menu and my memory is faulty on this point), I found to be a distraction, annoyingly bland, and were soon banished to the corner of my plate to think about what they have done. Her chocolate pave was delicious and looked bad-ass. My lemon sorbet was indeed lemon sorbet...with a lemon to the power of lemon taste. I did really like the candied lemon peel. I finished it all, but it was unbelievably lemony...big headed Giada would have died for it. The wait staff were pretty spot on. Their timing was good, and they treated us with just enough niceness for us not to feel awkward, but with enough practiced professionalism to keep an almost haughty, barrier between us. It lets us concentrate on the food, and also on the possible faux-pas we might commit while eating. It was cool to see the chefs at work, fires blazing in the broiler, and the dish staff coming up to jaw a bit with the chefs. I even got to eavesdrop on the hostess and chef talking about what guitar gear to get the hostess's bf for Christmas. The consensus seemed to be that she can find what she was looking for, but be careful when trying to buy technical stuff for technical people, as their tastes are so specific. This is so true. Why put that in here? It was real talk from real people, something that was missing for most of the meal. Overall, it was pretty good. I would like to try EVERYTHING on their menu, but if I came for dinner and the sizes did not double the lunch ones, I would be pissed. I would like to dress up, be extra sexy and sauve, maybe slick my hair back, but not shave, and bring my other sexy and affluent friends here for a nice dinner. But. Ultimately, I'll still be the coarse, cynical bully, who will immediately smash the Jenga-tower display of food with my unsteady, hungry hand. So why 3 stars? I dunno really, mostly because I haven't tried anything else on the menu and I wasn't blown away by the food like I thought I should have been. I'll say 3.5, but still rounding down because I'm jealous of my lady for choosing the better meal. Oh yeah, and they lose a couple of points for having some weird-ass country/indie-female music on for most of the meal. It sounded like they found somebody's iPod in a bookstore in Belmont and put it on. Completely out of context. Luckily, they put on some Charlie Parker (i'm 90% sure anyways) right before dessert. This made sense. My auditory world finally came back into harmony. Will I go back? Eh, doubt it. Chicago's too big.
(3)
Rachelle B.

Each of us got the prixe fixe which included a salad, sandwich with pomme frites, and doughnuts for $15. As you can see in the photo, we got some kind of fancy chips instead of frites.. and there was no explanation as to why, which was kind of how the service was overall. I thought the food was good, but I not what I expected, and the service wasn't rude, but it wasn't very friendly or informative either. Very different than my last experience at Blackbird. Still I'm sure I'll be back for dinner or lunch again.
(3)
Rich K.

Not sure if this place is worth the money. I agree with the review written by Carol l. The meal was average in every sense. I wont be back anytime soon, unless someone else is paying.
(1)
Scott N.

Went for the NYE 5 course and it was superb! The flavors were complex and different but still satisfying and familiar enough to be approachable. The restaurant was simple and clean and the service was great and overall I just thought they did an excellent job.
(5)
PM D.

Super cool restaurant. I ate here recently for my birthday dinner and had an excellent and truly memorable experience. The food was wonderful and well presented. The endive salad comes in a crispy potato basket which the waiter will "demolish" tableside. Super cool and I think this is a must for anyone who eats here. We had the hay and honey semifreddo for dessert and it was fabulous.
(5)
Marla F.

The restaurant serves modern food and is decorated accordingly. I loved the design, especially of the bar area. They have one long shelf with all the liquors on it. Wish my house looked like this! Unfortunately, the food was a little too modern for my tastes. I ordered the "butternut and ricotta tart with black trumpet mushrooms, quinoa and wakame." I didn't know what 3 of the 5 ingredients were. That probably should have tipped me off, but I'm pretty adventurous with food so I went ahead with it anyway. When I got the entree, it just tasted really weird. This is when I realized, tarts are not meant to be eaten with mushrooms! I could only eat about a third of it... it started to make me kinda queasy. I was extremely glad when the dish was taken away and we got the bill and could leave. Glad we gave this restaurant a shot, and I'm sure there are other people who would like the food better. In my opinion, for the price ($125 for 2 people), the food should have been better. We are not planning a return trip any time soon.
(2)
Andrew K.

Kahan knows what he is doing. Blackbird is his step up from Avec (which is hard to do) and is no letdown. I have only been for lunch on the company dime, but it was well worth it. The man knows what to do with pig. Including getting it into each course (mmmm...bacon ice cream.) Service and decor delivers as well, but the pork is the standout. I look forward to his next endeavor...mmmm beer
(5)
Mark H.

Blackbird = Great Beatles song (which I am currently listening to) Blackbird Restaurant = Good food I went there on a Wednesday night with my wife for a "fancy date night". We definitely picked the right place for fancy. No jacket required, no tie required, shoes and shirt required (plus pants). But the place was beautiful inside, very contemporary interior. Needless to say the surroundings of the restaurant were great. Waiter comes to table "would you like bottled water or tap"? So far so good (until we heard him say to the table next to us later in the evening "everything is great here" when asked what's good. Come on, everything? Get real, be honest, if I have a pet peeve, that's it - "oh, everything is great here, you can't go wrong") I perused the wine menu for a while pretending like I knew what I was doing. Which, sometimes I do but most of the time I don't. I ordered a Pinot Noir from Oregon which is a great climate for Pinot's. The waiter made us feel like we had chosen the wrong wine, so a discussion ensued. In the end he chose a Burgandy/Granache mix from France for us and it was a fantastic wine. Bread and Butter comes to the table. Basically it was a slab of butter with chopped rosemary, salt and pepper sprinkled on top with some artisanal bread... So this is a place where you would expect something out of the ordinary, something special. Not with the bread and butter... Might as well go to the Olive Garden. So people don't come here for the bread and butter, so that's not a big deal as more of a disappointment. Appy time! We ordered an apple soup with scallops and a mussel soup with white fish. The apple soup was decent but lacked some flavor. The bay scallops however had a wonderful smokey, almost bacon flavor to them that accompanied the sweetness of the apple soup. Mussel soup... best dish of the night. It came with 4 huge mussels, white fish and the broth was wonderful. The soup had the mussel "fish" flavor with saffron and I'm not sure where the spiciness came from in this soup but it was great! Main course: Beef Short Ribs for me; Pork Belly for her. Beef Short Rib - The short rib is making a huge comeback in restaurants these days. They are almost guaranteed to be on any menu where the Chef went to culinary school. They were at this restaurant. The short ribs were good, that's it, good. Not great, just good. They were accompanied with some flavorless cauliflower, potato gnocci and unfortunately I can't remember the sauce it came with simply because well...it was forgettable. I ate it all because yes, it was good, but I have had better. One place that it is better is in my own home when my wife makes her braised short ribs... Heaven, seriously, Heaven! Pork Belly - This is where Blackbird hit it out of the park. The pork belly was served in a cabbage broth infused with chorizo sausage. Okay, pork belly, sausage, cabbage. Where can they go wrong? Four small portions of pork belly were served in a dish with just enough cabbage (which had been in the broth long enough to have a sauerkraut quality to them) and that's all you needed. This dish was rich (shocker considering pork belly is pretty much bacon) with more of a ham flavor then bacon, but it was great. Although this is a contemporary restaurant where you might think you will have to go to McDonald's afterward because you only got tiny portions, not here. We had no room left for desert unfortunately (must have been all the boring bread I ate), but we will be back for another try at this restaurant. Was it great? No. Was it good? Absolutely, I can't wait to go back.... Maybe they will have better butter next time!
(3)
A A.

My husband loved our lunch at Blackbird. The food was unique and well prepared. It was our favorite meal in Chicago. While I thought the lunch was a little pricey, my husband found it to be a good value - he really did love this place! I agree with everyone about the tables being way too close to each other. With so many negative comments about this, I wonder why Blackbird doesn't take out a couple tables so we all have a little wiggle room. The decor is plain and simple, but impressive looking none the less with a long row of tables for two with white table clothes. As a tourist, I was a little self-consious, being that most patrons are in business suits. The service was good - everyone was very attentive. We will definitely recommend this restaurant our friends and family who go to Chicago.
(5)
Derek E.

Good, but not knock your socks off. Really just three and a half stars. The food is decent and tries to be inventive, but it really just didn't execute as well as I hoped. The highlight for us was the '86 Smith Woodhouse Single Year Tawny Colheita. Absolutely delicious. See a full review and photos of Blackbird and other Chicago restaurant reviews on Gastronomic Fight Club: gastronomicfightclub.comâ€¦
(4)
christine c.

along w/ the other yelpers, i also had the $22 prix fixe lunch and yes, definitely small portions. if i ever go here again, it'd be for the pomme frites that come w/ their sandwiches/burgers. everyone had them and they looked absolutely delicious mmmm! i had the arctic char - which is essentially salmon, and it was a bit too salty for me actually. i went through about 3 glasses of water just for that one dish
(4)
Cathy H.

A friend of mine described this as "the place where Chicago's fine cuisine started," so when a fellow foodie friend was in town, I had to make a reservation here. Friend got the 3-course lunch pre-fixe, and it seemed like a good deal! She liked the stuffed veal and her sweetbread starter, but I think both were pretty small. Other Friend got the croque madame, and it was tasty. Loved the oozing sunny-side-up egg on top. I got the pork belly sandwich, which I thought was delish. My only complaint was that I got this weird little hair or string or something in it. It didn't bother me that much (it just made me stop eating the last fourth of my sandwich, but my good gym-going self probably thanks me for not eating more than 3/4 of the pork belly sandwich), but the restaurant was nice enough to give us two free desserts and take the sandwich off the bill. Awesome service! (They get another star just for the awesome awesome service!). And fries: I tried the regular (with croque) and garlic (with pork belly) and both were DELICIOUS AMAZING. BEST fries EVER. Oooh one more really cool thing: WE SAW PAUL KAHAN! He was wandering around serving the food. Lunch was totally affordable, and street parking was decent. I think the valet is only $4 (I called ahead to ask, but I can't vouch for it, since I just did street parking), so a good deal all-around.
(4)
Brad B.

I feel like I'm giving a lot of 5s, but this truly deserves it. From the semi-casual/formal atmosphere to the great wait staff and ultimately the mouth watering food this was a top Chicago restaurant experience. The chef sent an amuse to start with sturgeon and garlic. Our appetizer was veal sweatbread which was so good I had to cut it into smaller bites to savor it more. For my main course I had pork belly -- which i was convinced I would never eat again after a bad experience at Feast -- but was happily convinced this dish could be savory and tender. Dessert was good but not too memorable after such amazing first courses. We also had complimentary chocolate truffles sent from the kitchen to finish the night. Great restaurant, highly recommended by me.
(5)
Jessica S.

I heard a lot of great things about this restaurant, so I decided to check it out. I was not blown away at all. I was a little turned off when we were seated because they seemed short staffed. Also, I by no means mind having a leisurely dining experience, but at least take our drink order in a timely manner. It took us a good 15 minutes to order a bottle of wine and another 10 or so to bring it. We had the suckling pig for an appetizer. Honestly this was not good at all. Our main courses were good. I had the sturgeon and the boyfriend had Wagyu beef. Both were very good and had thoughtful and interesting accompaniments. For dessert we had the kalamata olive cake which I was impressed with. I am not sure I would go back here, for the price I can think of other restaurants I would go to.
(2)
Ryan W.

I have very little negative to say of Blackbird. My partner and I went here to celebrate a new job--it's definitely a high-end experience--and were delighted most remarkably by the service, which is utterly excellent. The cocktail menu is very fine, with heavy use of local distilleries' products. Additionally, the cocktails were interesting, more of the New Orleans vein than the Wrigleyville. Our food was very good, and even better plated. We were served works of art. I had the octopus appetizer, which I would not order again as it was much richer than I anticipated, and the texture kind of weirded me out. For the entree, I had the pork loin with carmelized white chocolate and beets. This was also very rich, but stunningly delicious. To round off the evening, we opted for a liquid dessert (cognac and grappa), and were wonderfully surprised when the waiter "picked up" the grappa. It was a very nice gesture and left us with a warm feeling...but maybe that was the booze. My only (and slightest) criticism of Blackbird is their arrangement of the seating. The din is a bitter louder than I would prefer and based on the spacial limitations, we were practically dining with the people to our right and our left. Though we met a charming couple from New York my right, an obnoxious business dinner was in full swing on my left, replete with discussions about how each other were "so good at connecting with people and helping them find their own potential despite respective weaknesses compounded by their willingness to take calls late at night," etc. Barf. Two cocktails, two appetizers, a half-bottle of wine, 2 entrees, and 2 after dinner drinks, with 20% tip: $260. Entirely worth it. We will be back, enthusiastically.
(5)
Madelyn H.

i finally had my first 'blackbird/avec/publican/whatever else those restaurateurs own' experience. and i loved it. the food was just the right balance of flavor and presentation... nothing too crazy but so delicious. nothing too heavy but enough food to feel satiated. i started with a fabulous champagne cocktail with orange water and orange bitters (i think). then i tried the endive salad with crispy potatoes and something like pancetta with a soft boiled egg. the whole salad came wrapped in a crispy potato. it was lovely. for a main course i had the california sturgeon with sauerkraut gnocchi. i didn't love the sturgeon itself, but decided not to knock blackbird down a star because the service made up for it. i would say that i'm not too picky about customer service... i probably wouldn't even rate a restaurant any lower if it had really great food and mediocre service. but i do feel obligated to mention how great i thought the service was at blackbird, not because they did anything completely over the top, but because they were just the right amount of friendly, informative and there when you wanted them to be. the waitress we had was great. she gave us time but came by often enough that we weren't waiting for anything. she brough over a little hook for my bag, which i thought was funny, and the server who brought my salad kindly offered to help with cutting the crispy potato wrapped around the salad, which would have been difficult. on the way out the hostesses were really friendly and helpful with getting our coats and a cab. i had a great experience at blackbird. can't wait to try avec and the publican now. the only regret i have was not trying dessert at blackbird, which i passed on only because i went with an out of town friend who wanted to hit as many restaurants as possible. so we headed to tru for dessert. that's another review though... must try: endive salad
(5)
Ellen R.

I ate here on 1/11/07. The food was spectacular. I love the use of fresh, local, in season ingredients. I had the sturgeon and oxtail. The presentation was flawless, food was fresh and very tasty. The combination of flavors was unique and appealing. Dessert was uninspiring, my group and I shared 4 of them. None of the 4 were standouts, or anything great for that matter. Dessert was a waste but the rest of the food is excellent, definitely worth coming back for. The minimalist, white-wall-black-napkin thing was a bit overdone. I can't tell you how sick and tired I am of minimalist decor. It did not work for this place at all... they definitely need a splash of color. Also, I agree with the others here the tables are far too close together. If I wanted a New York City dining experience I would go there, this is Chicago we have the room so use it. Stop cramming them in like cattle. It can be a bit difficult to have a conversation here because of the noise. Do not bring your older, hard-of-hearing family members here! At times the wait staff can be very snobby but they did soften up quite a bit once the dining room calmed down. I highly recommend the food here, which explains the 4 stars. If you are looking for the complete experience you may be disappointed. Definitely a must for foodies!
(4)
Justin R.

I have only been here for lunch, but I can only imagine how impressive dinner is, because it was amazing. I had the Sweet Breads, which were delicious. Also, I had the Char-grilled Sturgeon. It was one of the best pieces of fish ever. The flavor was amazing and it was so moist and tender. The Pear Consomme and Brioche Custard was a good dessert. For $22, you cannot go wrong here.
(5)
Mo O.

Oh how I love blackbird! I have never had a bad meal here...ever! My favorite menu staple is the endive salad with the poached egg. The entire staff is pleasant and wants you to have the full dining experience. The food is so wonderful & with a great wine list. It is not cheap but a special occasion meal or just because you wont be disappointed.
(5)
Johanna C.

Clean modern look on the inside (all white). They match their black/white napkins to your clothing (I was told by who I was dining with that that is a sign of a good restaurant). If you're a vegetarian, I'd say steer clear of this place. There's about one option you can take. It's really tasty but the real good meals are for the carnivores. The food come in small portions. Excellent presentation. The deserts are all very unique and tasty. My party sampled one of each. I remember us really liking the peanut butter and jelly thing. I could be wrong. Whatever, it was dessert, it was sweet and yummy! They have really great wines. We bought 3 different bottles that evening. Thank god that tab was on my company that evening... The waitstaff is pretty snobby. Maybe they feel they have the right...who knows. It can get pretty crowded. Definitely not a place for an intimate date.
(3)
Toby B.

I have been to Blackbird 3 separate occasions (lunch and dinner) over the years. For this 4th time, we went for a birthday celebration. Unfortunately, 4th time is the charm to know when something is just not good and we can say the experience is just not up to par. We were disappointed with the food overall and how bland it was. The sturgeon really lacked flavor even mixing everything in the plate to come up with flavor or just the sturgeon itself. Nothing we had really came out and made any impression worth enjoy nor remembering. We had higher expectations for Blackbird and felt let down. We won't be returning to Blackbird...Chicago has other fine restaurants that are much better.
(2)
Albert N.

My friend and I went to blackbird last night and i must say that we were both pleased with the food and especially the service. We had an 830 reservation. We arrived a few minutes early and there was quite a number of people already waiting to be seated. My first thought was that we will have to wait as well. But unexpectedly, the hostess seated us immediately. It appears there are still places that honor reservations and stick to them. As for the food, we started with the cuttlefish and mussel soup. Both were well prepared, appeared to be fresh and quite delicious. For the entree, my friend had the rack of lamb and i had the alaskan halibut. The halibut was excellent. the rack of lamb was very tender and well cooked. Our server, Christopher was a great help in choosing the wine. He suggested a merlot which complimented our dinner quite well. Desert consisted of olive cake with peaches and vanilla ice cream and chocolate fritters. After dinner, our server inquired if we had a valet ticket. He gave it to the valet and our car was waiting by the door when we came out. All in all, Blackbird is definitely a good place to go for fine dining. As long as youre not planning on eating a lot because their portions are small. Their customer service is excellent and would definitely go back.
(4)
Julie N.

A very unique experience. The food was interesting to say the least. Original in the flavor combination and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fresh and light. Service is excellent from the minute you step into the restaurant. Cozy little place!
(4)
t. o.

Best restaurant experience in years. Went for lunch with mom in from out of town and wife, and everything was pitch perfect. Cocktails, food, atmosphere, service. I can't say enough good things. This is what eating out should be like. They set a standard, in a town where the bar is fairly high. My only 5 star review.
(5)
Don J.

One of the best restaurants in Chicago without a doubt....I still remember the pork belly I had there two years ago and I have never found a place able to match this dish. While Blackbird isn't cheap, it serves great quality food, cooked simply but to perfection in a contempory restaurant. Their desserts are recognised as being some of the best in the country and the endive salad is served with thought and orginality. For two people with wine my bill came to $250 (never let your girlfriend pick the bottle of wine guys) which taking into consideration the great service and food, I happily paid.
(5)
Scott A.

Always awesome. Octopus last night was one of the best things we've ever eaten. Fantasic "birds nest" salad too.
(5)
Swapna P.

I got the 3-course prix-fixe lunch here and was not all that impressed, given the hype. The main disappointment was my entree, the beef short ribs in consumme. The meat was fatty and overcooked and the broth was bland. I would be willing to give them another shot though given how stellar a lot of other people think they are.
(3)
Kathleen C.

This has the best sandwich that I have ever had in my life. I am surprised that I only had to pay $10 as it is worth so much more... seared whitefish sandwich with lemon and herb aioli, gribiche, roasted tomato and homemade potato salad $10. And my lunch date had pork which he said was fantastic as well! organic pork belly sandwich with cabbage salw, dijonnaise, summer vegetable salad and garlic frites $13.
(5)
Kate S.

I forget how innovative and exciting Blackbird is. The flavors here are well-balanced, but not at all delicate--they're smoky, savory, and bolder than many other comparable restaurants. You can try transcendant preparations of pork belly, or quail, or venison. The tastes are not delicate and fussy; instead, they're quietly assertive, like they've been prepared by the kitchen of an infinitely refined country house owned by an obsessed foodie. The low point of this restaurant, for me, is the traditionally squashy bistro-style seating. The dining room is noisy and the tables are packed together. It's traditional bistro-style be-friends-with-your-neighbors style seating--not great for intimate private moments. Even overlooking the close-packed quarters, the room is rather minimalist and unexciting (I don't mind this, since I don't chose restaurants for their decor.) I have always found the service professional and efficient, and particularly good at suggesting wines to pair with courses. Servers take the not-there style of service, where they don't exhude any real personality and just focus on doing their jobs efficiently. They're not dazzling, but I am always perfectly happy with them and surprised how much they unobtrusively contribute to a great meal.
(5)
Matt N.

memorable dining. Every dish was excellent but the winner was the new lamb dish -- LAMB SADDLE -- holy hell in a lamby hand-basket it was good. And the combination of flavors was so incredibly conceived -- so rich yet also light..it was astounding. dessert (ovaltine ganache) also so note worthy. in the end, a really amazing experience. Worth the price for a special occasion.
(5)
Margie L.

We were visiting and some of our local friends decided to take us here for dinner. The food was amazing. One ordered the rabbit (rabbit breast and fried rabbit leg). He couldn't stop raving all weekend about the "kentucky fried rabbit". The service was fantastic and friendly (being that we were dressed all SF casual). And the dessert I had? The biggest yummiest raspberries imaginable served with -- get this -- balsamic marshmallows. Just give me a big ole' cup of those and I'll be happy. Wait. I already was happy.
(5)
K S.

The seating was tight, food wasn't memorable or spectacular(went summer of 09'). The amuse bouche to start the meal was some kind of clam that sorta tainted the rest of the meal. Very strong flavor, very fishy, not recommended. I remember hearing the conversation at the table next to us and the girl who was busting out of her dress was leaning into the old guy buying her dinner. Tight seating. Food was just not that good. Although totally different atmospheres and crowds, I will take waiting in line and sharing my table at the table next to me at Avec next door any day.
(2)
Nadine L.

This restaurant has it down. I also have a new found respect for this place after hearing Paul Kahan be interviewed at the Hideout last weekend. I ate dinner here two weekends for my birthday and was highly impressed from the second I walked in the door. Before even getting to the food I must say the server was above and beyond gracious and helpful. I honestly think she was the nicest server I've met (wish I had her name). She had perfect timing and was never hovering or too pushy. When it comes to the food it was simple, very flavorful and a great culinary experience overall. We started with the grilled baby octopus and if the chickpeas weren't just a tad dry this would have been my favorite appetizer ever. I then ordered the duck breast which was cooked to perfection and VERY moist. The potatoes that came with the duck were phenomenal and my husband and I fought over them. He ordered the short rib and said it was amazing but I'm not the biggest pork fan so can't comment on that dish. All in all it was a great intimate/chic birthday dinner and I can't wait to try Avec next door!
(5)
Hanna K.

Blackbird, your food rocked my world. Amazing, delicious, everything we'd hoped. Your service, on the other hand, left much to be desired. First, when I called, your hostess inquired as to if we were celebrating a special occasion. As it happened, we were - my husband's birthday. Thanks for asking. When you called to confirm the reservation, I mentioned the bday, and you said yes - we've got that down, thanks for choosing us for the celebration. Okay, great - I'm excited, maybe we'll get a free cookie or something....or at least someone will wish him a happy birthday. NOTHING. Not a single mention the entire night. I mean, you can't at least say happy birthday when we check in? Why ask me if we are celebrating a special occasion if you aren't going to do a thing about it? Why?? Second, our waiter was helpful, but not for a moment very nice about it. He made good recommendations, but in a manner that made me feel like an idiot for asking how the fish soup was, given we were drinking a bottle of zinfandel. I'm a red wine drinker who doesn't eat red meat, so I realize it's a challenge, but don't talk to me like I just ordered a glass of Sutter Home and ketchup for my steak. Jeez. Then, he didn't ask us until we were finished with each dish how everything tasted. I mean, we cleaned our plates, so obviously everything was delish, but isn't it silly to ask when you are clearing them? In short, Blackbird is like that really hot guy who doesn't want to give you the time of day. The food is divine, but they know it, so don't go thinking they are going to be, say, happy to see you or - gasp - wishing you a happy birthday anytime soon. Would I go back? I'm torn. We don't dine out at places like this (read: expensive) very often, so I kind of want to have a special night when I'm doing it. Blackbird doesn't deliver on that, but the food is insanely good. Maybe if I win the lottery and eating like this becomes a weekly thing, we'll pop in for dinner again.
(3)
Robyn F.

I came here earlier this year, and it was a great experience. Each course is very well-thought. You wouldn't think to put certain flavors together, but they coalesce perfectly together.
(5)
Gawin T.

Went here with my bf for lunch because we heard they had extended the prix fixe from restaurant week for lunch, and I have always wanted to try this place out. I had the prix fixe with the octopus for appetizer, trout for main course, and a pear infused custard thingy for dessert. The service was--meh. The food was good, although my trout was a little too salty, and the dessert was excellent--not too sweet with great pear flavor. But what was amazing was my bf's quail entree with sesame gnocchi and tiny cauliflower (not on prix fixe). He was all hesitant on ordering the quail but after eating it he raved to his friends for 3 days about how great quail is. I couldn't stop eating off his plate!
(4)
Morgan C.

I went to Blackbird today with three coworkers for the prix fixe lunch. When we walked in, an employee asked to take our coats. When I declined, he told me that it was quite warm in the dining room, which I thought was odd (and also an impossible statement to respond to, which made me uncomfortable). Maybe I was smuggling rare jewels or had a stray bag of pot or money in my coat pocket and I wanted to keep it close! What is with the pressure to give up your coat? I found our server to be uninterested in us to the point of rudeness. I like servers that are attentive without being friendly, since I don't go out to eat to MAKE friends but rather to spend time and eat with friends I already have, but it was clear that he was trying to be as uninvolved as possible. Maybe because we were drinking (free) water and ordering the (cheap) prix fixe? Just a guess. Believe me, I would have loved to be boozing and eating a long drawn-out meal but I had to get back to work. In any case, he didn't ask for a temp on the two burgers that were ordered, never checked to see if we wanted something to drink with our entrees, and he never told us what type of doughnuts we were given at the end of our meal. Also, when the table of two gentlemen next to us (actually, they were practically in our laps as those tables are WAY too close together) asked why they didn't get a little bowl of olives with their sandwiches like we did, their server said that the olives didn't come with the prix fixe. I thought that was a bad cover-up for a kitchen error as we were clearly also eating the prix fixe. If I were the server I would have apologized for the oversight and brought them some olives, too. Between the four of us we ordered two lamb burgers (temperature unknown), a whitefish sandwich and a pork belly sandwich. Everyone was very happy with his or her meal and we all agreed that we'd come back again for the prix fixe lunch. Based on the service, however, I don't think that I'd be as interested in dropping a bunch of money on food and wine that will never be explained to me by a server who might lie to me.
(3)
Ellen F.

For some reason, I am not able to give Blackbird five stars. Perhaps it is because I was expecting to be completely blown away by Blackbird, as I have been with the owners' other fantastic ventures. Nevertheless, I was impressed, it just didn't knock my socks off. That said, there is absolutely nothing wrong with Blackbird! Everything about my experience was excellent. - The decor is simple, elegant and chic. - The service is attentive without being overbearing or annoying. Our server made great suggestions and, as expected, was quite knowledgeable. - The drinks were delicious. To start, I had the blackberry julep, then a champagne drink (the name of which I do not remember), and a nice dessert wine, which the server recommended. - The food was fabulous as well. I started with the foie gras, which was phenomenal. (It may be inhumane, but there is a reason people eat it and pretend they don't know what happens to those ducks.) My friend had the salad of endives, which looked beautiful and he said was very good. Main course, I had the rack of lamb and he had the steak. The lamb was tender, juicy, and delicious. The pairing with soy beans (the online menu now says chickpeas, but it was definitely soy beans when I was there two weeks ago) was a bit odd and not my favorite aspect of the dish, but I would order it again. (That lamb was amazing!) The steak was delicious as well and unbelievably tender and flavorful. For dessert I had the milk chocolate fritters and I don't remember the name of what my friend had. As Donnie explained to us, it is essentially a deconstructed carrot cake. It looked quite good. All-in-all, if you are looking for terrific food and drink in an understated, beautifully crisp atmosphere, you cannot go wrong with Blackbird.
(4)
Natasha D.

Went here with my family from Montreal - a city known for its amazing food. My sister - a pastry chef in the making - is a particularly discerning food critic. We had starters, mains, dessert and wine - meaning we got to try it all. Everything tasted great - but what I loved about this place was it's exciting vibe, the crazy mixes of flavors (though my husband thought they seemed like randomly put together odd ingredients) and the perfect desserts. Would not hesitate to bring picky people, who can take some noise and crowded seating here for a unique experience.
(5)
Rob P.

Prepare to melt. Smartly dressed servers (clothing providers listed on the menu) bring out some of the best food one might have in quite a while. Portions are thankfully scaled to European standards (allowing for an appetizer/entree/dessert combo that won't have you calling for a bucket). The flavors are delicate with contrasting elements (sweet & tangy, crunchy & tender) making for a rich balance in taste. I had the sweetbreads for starters (kind of chicken-fried, delicious) and the quail for the main course (amazing). The unique milk chocolate cremeux dessert made me thankful that we didn't get something more traditional (not that there's much of that on the menu anyway). Although the sleek modern urban interior design is timeless and classy, it is starting to show a bit of wear. A cosmetic touch up over the next year (especially the bathrooms) should keep it from losing a star. And don't expect to be seated in a secluded booth. It's a small space (occupancy limit is 66), but you won't mind sitting amongst other friendly foodies who are dressed for a night out. In all, a winner.
(5)
Justin H.

Dined here for lunch on a Friday afternoon. The decor is minimal and clean, just like the food - small portions, but visually appealing. The food is clearly made from fresh ingredients and is reflected in the menu choices. I had beef-neck for my entree, which was quite tasty, and a dessert with sponge cake, pineapple, and vanilla ice cream that looked better than it tasted. Even the service was spotty with our happy-peppy hostess and our waiter with attitude and better-than-thou demure. Overall, there is something to be said about appearances at Blackbird. Everything looks and sounds so wonderful, but the real experience is simply average.
(3)
Kristin W.

You know a place is fancy when on the menu it reads "Server attire designed by....". I really love the food at Blackbird. It's fancy, strange, creative, and delicious. I have never had better gourmet in Chicago. The food is mostly organic and full of flavor. The menu changes often so its worth lots of return trips. My only beef with Blackbird is that I haven't ever felt truly comfortable here. The wait staff is snobby and inattentive. They look you up and down when you come in and almost always decide you aren't worth their time. The other problem is that the tables are hella close together. You can't have a decent conversation with anyone here and you end up just smiling and whispering a lot. If you feel like dressy up in your awesomest fancy clothes and eating amazing food you should definitely come to Blackbird. Oh yeah, make sure you have at least $50 to spend if you want to do it right. ** If its warm enough I recommend sitting outside. The sounds of the city muffle your conversation enough so that you can actually speak candidly.
(4)
Chris T.

One of the greatest dining experiences that I have had in my life. The food was amazing. We went and treated ourselves to the tasting menu (with their wine pairing menu). Please keep in mind, this was a very special occasion and you are looking to pay around $150 per person for what I am reviewing. We were treated to an 11-course meal. Standout dishes were the baby octopus and squab, both of which were the best I have ever had. The wines were all amazing, perfectly paired with each dish. By the time we had finished our meal, I was exhausted. To experience the tasting menu with the wine pairing will take you at least 3 hours. I was surprised with how full I was after the meal, and also surprised that I was fairly drunk as they gave very large "tastings" of each wine they brought out (around 5-6 glasses of different wines..and a desert wine). I could only afford to do something like this once every 5 years. I highly recommend the tasting menu, but I think once is enough for anyone...it is an experience...not a meal. But, what an experience!! Would love to go back and have the squab again from their entree menu.
(5)
B K.

This is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. I've been here multiple times, and I am never disappointed. The service is great, and the food is amazing. Each dish has been carefully thought through, and the blend of ingredients with each meal makes my admiration for the chef grow. The sucking pig may be my favorite menu item, but all the fish dishes I've gotten have been great too.
(5)
Jodi W.

I know this place is older than my grandma, but I love it, and I think the sommelier does an amazing job, the waitstaff is invisible and yet extremely helpful, and the food is sublime. I let our server order for me, and I wasn't disappointed. Started with some bubbly, had sweetbreads which were delicately crispy yet tender, and then fish - my dining partner had lamb and was oohing and ahhing the whole meal. We went early because we couldn't get a reservation at any other time, and it was packed by the time we left. It is difficult to stay special for this long.
(5)
Natalie F.

very cool place to be...but i was not impressed with our dinner....i can say that I've had better dinners!
(4)
Saskia S.

Very tasty, but not a 5 star event. The boyfriend and I checked this place out on a Friday night. Things I/we liked: 1. Endive salad & poached egg; grilled baby octopus to start. 2 separate dishes, both so tasty. Although B did point out that the crispy potato that encased the endive salad kind of tasted like those potato sticks you eat out of the can @ Passover. Kind of a weird association. Still delicious. 2. The amuse bouche was adorable and tasty--hibachi..yum. 3. My cocktail was both cute & tasty. Something pink. Mr. Pink? Can't remember the name, but tart and tasty. Apparently even alliteration inspiring. 4. Two little bites of dessert came with the check. Cute end, and the tiny marshmallow was minty (yes, minty!) and delicious. 5. The waiter was great. I think his name was Christopher.. Very relaxed, and dealt very nicely with the verrrrry drunk girls sitting next to us in a rather small space. Things I/we didn't like: 1. I think the appetizers were actually the best part of the meal. I ordered the sturgeon and it was very good. B ordered the duck and it too was tasty. But sadly, not 5 stars tasty. 2. The people next to us were falling down drunk. Actually, that should go up above. It was funny. 3. My dessert was underwhelming. Our very nice waiter suggested the white chocolate mousse. It was 'eh.' Served on a very large plate, but not much dessert. Honestly, there was just too much darn stuff on the plate (weird cracker like things, little cakes) and enough actual good stuff. Even the mousse tasted a little strange. Not really white chocolate. 4. The floor shook whenever someone walked by..it bugged poor B since he was sitting in the chair. It did make for some funny Jurassic Park/T-rex impersonations (the water glass..the shaking..get it?) but mildly irritating when trying to eat. Not sure we'd go back despite the 4 star rating. Rather try somewhere new next time and see if we can get a 5 star evening..
(4)
junryo w.

we ate here back in november, when we were visiting chicago. WOW about sums it up. we do quite a bit of eating out here in the san francisco bay area, and we've have yet to be impressed with the food as much as blackbird. we've eaten now at two different one-michelin star restaurants (ame in san francisco and redd in napa), and blackbird beat them hands down. we both had the tasting menu, and since i do not eat land animals, i had the seafood version. to echo the another reviewer, we had to restrain ourselves from licking the plates clean. i think my favorite was the sturgeon. my wife's favorite was the steak. she's not a red meat person by any stretch of the imagination, but she said it's the best steak she's ever had. even i had to try it. it was perfectly cooked. every single course of the tasting menu had great presentation with great flavor profiles and texture. yes, texture. slight crunch elements on every dish. even on the dessert. yum. the waiter was really nice. he was very attentive and explained the food for us, and since we fancy ourselves foodies, when we asked questions, he always provided us with answers. he never talked down to us nor did he over-did it. when the place became very crowded, his other waiters brought us food. they weren't as good as explaining the food as the head waiter was, but it was adequite. i have to echo another reviewer about the joseph aboud on the menu. i was surprised at this new marketing strategy. but i got over it. all in all, when michelin finally gets around to reviewing chicago's restaurants, i'm confident that blackbird will receive one star.
(5)
Anna B.

Culinary perfection with beautiful presentation. I had the cheese salad for an appetizer. The greens were fresh, the cheese delicious, and the watermelon contif completed the combination. For my entree I had the eggplant, which I was very happy to learn that it was all vegan. I expected the consomme to be meat based, but alas, it was not! yay! Dessert consisted of chocolate fritters with soy ice cream. Nothing is better than deep fried chocolate. Correction, deep friend chocolate in Belgian waffle mix. Oh, and they make a killer sidecar, which they named "My Car". Their home made bitters are a nice touch.
(5)
Meagan C.

blackbird was amazing! i had the short rib burger which was delicious. my bf had crispy duck confit which was so tasty. sister had the sturgeon which was very flavorful. the lentil soup was yummy. the coffee scented fluke tartar was NOT my favorite by any means, none of us liked it. tasted like the smell of a fish market but in jello form. *shivers and cringes* the dessert we had was out of this world! sooooooo delicate and they had a great balance of flavors. im really excited that my friend is about to start interning as a pastry intern here soon :) i will definitely be back to blackbird!
(4)
Peter H.

It surprises me that Paul Kahan is not a celebrichef but his food speaks for itself. I would say his food is top quality, creative and contemporary. Try the 3 course pre-fixed lunch, it's only $22 and I personally think it's the best deal in Chicago.
(5)
Gabe L.

I liked Blackbird. It's a little hole in the wall in the West Loop but I enjoyed it. I went there once for dinner a while back and more recently for lunch. I had the bouillebaise and got a sample of the fish sandwich. The seafood is very good and the wine menu is very strong. Definitely recommend.
(4)
Jacquelyn G.

Let me start by saying that if I was rating this on the food alone, it would without a doubt be a 5. Everything was presented beautifully and tasted incredible. I started with the garbanzo bean soup. I love love love garbanzo beans and it just sounded delicious. And it was. My husband had the mussel soup and he was equally pleased. We both had a really difficult time selecting our entrees because there were just that many things on the menu that sounded good. I finally settled on the roasted Colorado lamb saddle with pistachio polenta and fennel, and he had the duck breast. Again, A+. The lamb was cooked a perfect medium rare, and the pistachio polenta was pretty amazing. For dessert, I had the brown butter cake with raspberries and goat's milk caramel ice cream, and my husband had the criollo chocolate. We were both so enthralled with our own desserts that we didn't even try one another's. Mine was good, but the raspberries and sauce made it a bit too tart. No matter - the caramel ice cream stole the show anyway. All that said, while the food was terrific, the vibe was significantly stuffier and more pretentious than I anticipated. It was a Saturday night and crowded, but still, the service was slightly slower than I like. Also, I'm a fan of smaller restaurants which Blackbird is, but I don't need to hear the details of the bat mitzvah and Disney trip being planned ad nauseam at the table next to our right, or have the waiter practically in my lap as he's cutting the gentleman's salad (literally) at the table to my left. Tables are way too close for comfort so any sense of intimacy is lost. That, and I'm terribly easily distracted. I'm glad I went. The food was really out of this world. But it isn't a place I need to go back to repeatedly.
(3)
Gfiddy F.

Everything here is great, and especially pork dishes.
(5)
Tessa F.

I went to Blackbird this weekend and will not be returning. We had a girls night and were super excited to try this restaurant out. We had a 9PM reservation and had to wait until 9:25 for a table. On top of that we were treated like second class citizens. I am positive this would not be one of Barack Obama's favorite restaurants if he were treated the way we were. One of the girl's at our table ordered a steak medium and it came VERY rare. The look of the meat was fleshy it was so raw. A man working at the restaurant, who we later found out was the owner came over, and when my friend let him know she thought her steak was not done enough he shrugged at her like she was crazy. I ended up making a comment about how the steak looked pretty rare and he responded with "well maybe you should go back to the kitchen and cook for the rest of the night then." And then my friend politely asked to have it cooked more and he responded "whatever you want" very snarky. We stayed calm and were very polite during the entire interaction, but were INCREDIBLY shocked to know that anyone, yet alone an owner, would talk to us like that in a place of business. He actually suggested that I go cook because the steak was not cooked to my friend's liking. In addition the entire night he was inappropriately rubbing on some younger woman that was at the bar. This is a very small restaurant and it made it very awkward. This is supposed to be a michelen one-star restaurant. I do not appreciate being treated this way at a restaurant that is supposed to be of high caliber. Also, I had the pork and the cut of meat was super chewy from the amount of fat on it, The servings here are very small... thats inappropriate as well.
(1)
Kara G.

I've been here for both lunch and dinner and can say that the experience was incredible both times. The staff is friendly and knowledgable about the menu and wines, and the scallops were amazing! The crowd is more upscale and sophisticated, but definitely not stuffy, and the decor is very clean and modern- it actually almost made me hungry! I would recommend this place for a business lunch sure to impress clients, or for a dinner date sure to impress any girl with taste!
(4)
Dixie C.

The food here was simply just plain good. It wasn't so much of an experience like Moto (we went here for lunch) but it just tasted great. Service was excellent and they have an extensive beer list.
(5)
Ray J.

With my sister and brother-in-law visiting from New York, we went to Blackbird for a delicious meal at 8:30p on Saturday night. When we arrived, our table wasn't ready, so we had drinks at the bar for 20 minutes or so. Normally, this isn't any issue, but the space at Blackbird is very limited around the bar, making it relatively uncomfortable for us to while we waited. That said, waiting a few minutes for a table is expected on a Saturday night and the hostess kept us updated until the table was ready. Once we sat down we were greeted by our server, who promptly gave us wine glasses and opened the two bottles of wine that we brought ($25 corkage, 2-bottle max). He then disappeared for around 15-minutes before he came back to answer questions about the menu or take our orders. This was mildly irritating, but again, these things happen at a packed restaurant. We decided to live it up a little bit and get the tasting menu ($100/person) and weren't disappointed. The menu had just changed the day before and there were so many delicious sounding choices that the tasting was the only way to go. Here's what we had: 1) Fried pickles with buttermilk puree and green tomato 2) pistachio gazpacho with ahi, watermelon confit, sea beans and cocoa 3) baby octopus confit with shaved baby lima beans, pears, hazelnuts and eucalyptus 4) hudson valley foie gras torchon with peaches, nichols farm sweet corn, fried okra and shiso 5) seared maine diver scallops with fresh hearts of palm sugar snap peas and lovage 6) slow-cooked tasmanian sea trout with chioggia beets, fresh green chickpeas and candied seville orange 7) grilled iberico pork collar with fresh black beans, cipollini onions, honeydew melon, poblano pepper nad brioche 8) grilled wagyu flatiron steak with smoked quinoa, baby swiss chard, goat's milk caramel and lemon balm 9) yogurt sherbet with wild rice and ground cherries 10) sweetcorn bavarois with cornbread pain perdu, pecans and maple sherbet 11) manjari chocolate pave with black mission figs, chiogga beets and lime salt. Phew! We were stuffed. Everything was excellently prepared and the table enjoyed every course. For me, the fried pickles were fantastic, courses 2-4 were pretty good, then from the scallops through the wagyo beef was an explosion of awesomeness. I'd only been to Blackbird for lunch and I'm really glad that we experienced it this way, especially with the tasting menu.
(4)
Cherryl L.

It was a different fine dining experience for me. The restaurant is not that big. When we walked inside there is a long line of deuce tables of 4 tops. we got seated right away and our server asks what drinks we wanted. I got the morning flora== it's more like a cocktail that tastes peach & lime..was tasty :) The amuse they brought out was crispy pickle w/ sliced tomatillo and dill...i very much loved it....i could eat more of those but since it's only an amuse bouche u don't get much of it. my apps is the foie gras w/ corn and crispy okra and shiso-- i find the foie gras not the classic way of cooking it.. it's more of they sear it right away but not too cooked all the way... I'm more used of the classical way of cooking foie gras. the corn polenta was creamy and delish. my husband's apps is the crispy veal sweetbreads with meyer lemon, chiogga beets, artichoke and slow toasted garlic- i very much enjoy this sweetbread....i would order this if i have another chance togo back my entree is the wood grilled California Sturgeon with english peas more like a shape of croutons, pickled cucumber and ribbons of zucchini's. It's cooked perfect and looks like it's cooked as steamed...pretty decent.. Their cooking is more like a clean looking and really simple dishes. my dessert is fried pastry cream with molasses ice cream ....i find it too very fancy of making this dessert to a very looking simple pastry cream. I wouldn't want to order it again..the pastry cream is more into a warmer custardy texture. my husbands dessert is the dark chocolate financier with apricots, sassafras and bourbon ice cream the total of our bill is $163 and paid $25 tip before we paid they gave us 2 warm madelines to savor ..... the dinner took abt 2 hrs and this restaurant you have to have a reservation. The sister restaurant Avec is a first come fist serve basis!
(4)

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Address : 619 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL, 60661
Phone (312) 715-0708
Website https://www.blackbirdrestaurant.com/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Valet, Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : No
Attire : Dressy
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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Blackbird

619 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL, 60661

Blackbird Menu

Appetizers

Entrees

Cheese

Dessert

Healthy Meal suggestions for Blackbird

Appetizers

Entrees

Cheese

Dessert

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