BlackbirdPerfect in Every WayFrom the welcome greeting to the creative prix fixe lunch menu to the 'thank you' before exiting, this restaurant is the epitome of excellence; it is pure culinary pleasure.6/13/2013 12:00:00 AMWe were in town for a conferenceWe were in town for a conference and wanted to have a nice, quality dinner, after all the hotel and convention center food we ate during the week. Blackbird was a great find! While this is definitely a meat eater's paradise with pork belly, tartare, rabbit, duck and other selections, the singular vegetarian selection (fermented black been capelleni) was sublime. And my colleague, who is a whiskey/bourbon drinker, was stumped by the selection available.6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMHighly ranked and well worth itI had the 8 course tasting menu and it was great. The wine/beer pairings was excellent and I had a truly delightful evening with attentive and pleasant srevice provided.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMSolid dinner last Saturday nightWe definitely enjoyed our meal at Blackbird this past Saturday. Not all dishes hit their mark, but overall, we were impressed and definitely felt we'd dined well. The endive salad was beautifully presented but lacked zing and depth; the poached egg was lost in the lettuces and basil and the potato basket was basically a glorified potato chip. The hamachi with chili-infused marrow sauce, however, was sublime.
My husband was underwhelmed with his roast lamb saddle; the caramelized cabbage and cherries needed some zip; salt at the least, some heat more optimally. My striped bass with bitter almond yogurt, on the flip side, was a memory-maker.
The Scandinavian-mod interior was totally fine but did lack some warmth, the service was excellent!6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMReally great experience!Went there for dinner and had let hostess know prior of husband's hearing challenge - when we arrived they were quite busy and had said our table was finishing up - so we waited for awhile at the bar...so glad we were patient - it was the perfect table close to the kitchen so we could watch all the action but my husband could actually hear me the entire meal! Great big thanks! Onto the more important aspect - food!! Awesome - frog legs were so delicate! The hamachi was so fresh and tasty - the quail was amazing as well! Our final course was the aged duck breast which was so tasty!! We split everything and they coursed it out for us! We had just the right amount of food - were too full to have desert! Don't forget to sample the bread6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMLove Love Love!Appetizers by order of deliciousness:
1. honey-glazed quail
2. roasted foie gras with kohlrabi
3. fried frog's legs
4. tempura soft shell crab
Entrees by order of deliciousness:
1. aged duck breast
1. roasted lamb saddle
2. roasted rabbit loin and lap chong
3. roasted hallibut
(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.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic meal all around;Fantastic meal all around; my friends each tried each other's meal and the halibut was a surprise favorite. Dessert was also amazing. Staff was very helpful in assisting us to select a wine for our meal.6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything it should beWe made the reservation with high expectations given the recent honors from James Beard and were not disappointed. Tasting menu and wine pairing was great with excellent food and service.6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMAbsolutely amazing!I am only in Chicago a few times a year, but this restaurant is where I go when I am. I make sure I have reservations on time before I travel. The food is not just amazing, it has a creative and surprising mix of ingredients. Very good wines and you don;t have to spend much more than 50-55$ to get a good bottle and the cocktails are very good as well.
I tried the smoked char (appetizer) and the sirloin. Sample different appetizers from friends. And all where really good.6/3/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing food!This place did not disapoint in anyway! I will come back when I am in Chicago again6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat experienceThe food, the ambiance and service was great. We loved our experience.5/29/2013 12:00:00 AMWell-Deserved HypeBlackbird is one of Chicago's most highly regarded restaurants, having received numerous culinary awards, including two 2013 James Beard awards. With any restaurant that is so lauded, there is always the chance that it will not meet expectation. But I found Blackbird to be even better than expected. The cocktails, food, service and ambiance were all outstanding. It is very rare to leisurely work through a multi-course meal for three hours and have it feel like one. It is admittedly very pricey, but I highly recommend Blackbird to anyone looking to spend a little extra on a terrific dining experience.5/27/2013 12:00:00 AMSimply spectacularSimply spectacular--amazes the senses and engages the mind. You can try to anticipate the experience by reading the description of a dish but it always adds up to more.5/27/2013 12:00:00 AMWow!Great food, great service and great drinks! Can't say enough about this place. Would recommend dining here for sure if you want a great dining experience.5/27/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways a Great DinnerThis was the third time I have eaten at Blackbird over the last couple of years. Each time I thought the food was outstanding, and I would consider going there any time I had a special occasion or wanted to impress clients. The service was professional and unobtrusive. The only sliight negative (and it would not stop me from returning) is that the ambiance is o.k., but nothing special, with the tables being a tad too close to each other. But, if you are looking for a great meal, you will not be disappointed.5/27/2013 12:00:00 AMDo NOT order halibutOur good was excellent except my entree of halibut. It was a total miss. It was not good at all. My husband agreed and the table next to us the woman who ordered it didn't like it at all either nor did her date. It was very organic tasting so do not order it unless you like that type of flavor. Everything else was outstanding though. It was just thoroughly disappointing to have a $40 entree taste so badly.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMService was impeccable. LovedService was impeccable. Loved the fabulous table we were provided.
This place is high energy. If you find noise distracting, ask for a table by the widow or the patio.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMPhenomenalBlackbird is definitely a restaurant for special occasions. Absolutely Fantastic and inventive food.
Prices are on the high end, but food is worth it.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding menuOutstanding, innovative menu in a restaurant with crisp, modern decor.5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat for Lunch!On our way to the airport, we called ahead to see if we could bring out luggage and they said yes! Excellent service, great food and amazing drinks! I would recommend the sea of green beverage, lamb tenderloin, pea soup, and sturgeon! Was a great deal at lunch with pri fixe menu at $22. I will be going back next time in Chicago!5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMnice one!I went to Blackbird with another friend of mine. We ordered from their lunch menu, not the fixed price menu. It was a pleasant experience overall.5/20/2013 12:00:00 AMExcelent!!Fantastic restaurant, great service and incredibly inventive food, very enjoyable for modern american food lovers!!5/20/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat experience again.Blackbird offers a simple, elegant and refined food. It has been consistent over time and it's always a great experience.5/20/2013 12:00:00 AMExceptional Dining ExperienceRestraint, focus on flavor, and devotion to service. Really delicious. Can't wait to return. Easily one of the best dining experiences I've had in a long time.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMHaving dined abt everywhereHaving dined abt everywhere in chicago prior to making it to blackbird (idk why?) I can say they more than exceeded my expectations. The best food I've had this year, and i can't imagine me not going back frequently.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistently one of our favoritesConsistently one of our favorites for more than 13 years - marvelous restaurant- they keep pushing the envelope and it works.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMDelightful!Had lunch with my family; we all enjoyed our entrees. The sturgeon was cooked to perfection as were the clams and mussels in the bouillabaisse! The spring pea soup was also notable; it was light and delicately flavored. Amazing food!5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMOur server was extremely knowledgeaOur server was extremely knowledgeable about the dishes on the menu and ably answered a number of questions about the selections.5/6/2013 12:00:00 AMSuperb!We had a wonderful time! No complaints whatsoever! One of the best dining experiences we've had in a long time!5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMBEST LUNCH in town!best 3 - course menu in town
great drink menu also5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat FoodWe got the tasting menu and it was delicious. Every course we had was excellent and was the right portion. Service was hit and miss - everyone was courteous and friendly, but the pacing of the courses was off. The pacing started off great, but then towards the middle our dishes took a long time (>20 minutes) to come out between each course. Regardless, we enjoyed our experience and had a great time.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing place!Definitely one of the best! Inventive, new, real fusion of flavours, fresh and friendly athmosphere.
If you need to discover the real new American cuisine, this is the place.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMBlackbird TastingWe both enjoyed the tasting menu paired with the wine selections very much. Our server was flexible as to enabling us trying several things we found interesting on the regular menu. I will definitely return.4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMAnniversary DinnerWe went on a Monday night for our anniversary and had a great time. Good ambiance and great food. We ordered 3 appetizers, 2 entrees, and a desert and were happy with everything we had. I would definitely recommend Blackbird if you are looking for excellent food.4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMBlackbird provides a totalBlackbird provides a total experience...outstanding food prep, excellent service, welcoming staff. I brought two friends who were I new to Blackbird. They were as enthusiastic about our dining experience as I always have been. No detail is overlooked.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMTruly Special ServiceWith Open Table, I was able to leave "Special Requests" at the tail end of making my reservation. It was a birthday celebration for my wife, and while I couldn't come up with any particular requests, I let them know about the birthday, and that we were looking forward to dining with them.
It was almost as if we were treated to the Tasting Menu - gratis bonus plates! - as we were treated to flavorful snacks and small delicacies between our ordered items. And of course, a supplemental small-plate dessert (a deconstructed birthday cake...?!) with a candle waxed to the plate was given to my dear wife, who loved every minute of the experience (and she cannot recommend the Pablo's Daughter highly enough as a cocktail of choice).4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMVery thoughtful, rememberingVery thoughtful, remembering details about the event specified on opentable. The server brought out a birthday cake with a candle at the end of our meal. Relaxed yet professional service. I would go back and would recommend it!4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMEnergy!The vibe of this place is awesome and the food is incredible. Highly recommend it.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat restaurantGreat restaurant! Very creative and well-executed dishes. I would absolutely recommend this restaurant.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic!Amazing experience. We had an absolutely delicious meal, presentation was lovely, flavors were interesting & complex without being to heavy overpowering. The portions were small, but not insufficient - they were small enough that you could eat every morsel of every course without feeling stuffed. We cleaned our plates at every course, including dessert! (Goat cheese cheesecake was incredible). The service was excellent as well, and very knowledgeable, and attentive to allergies4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat all round. ServiceGreat all round. Service is good but not in your face. I love not getting the faux intro, " hi, I'm _____ and we're best friends now."
Food presentation great.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything was very good.Everything was very good. I ordered the halibut which was amazing. My friend ordered a braised beef dish which on some parts of it were a tad dry but all in all, between the service, food & ambiance all was very good.4/15/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a very pleasant mealWe had a very pleasant meal here (we had the tasting menu) and felt that one Michelin star is exactly right. Most courses were competently executed and offered pleasing combinations of flavours. Highlights for us included a delightful pea soup and a wickedly luxurious "bittersweet chocolate torte". On the negative side, the "aged" duck breast clearly hadn't been aged sufficiently for it to be served rare: it was stringy to the point of being uneatable. Overall, the tasting menu would be more balanced with one protein dish fewer. We'd definitely return for the very successful fish and vegetable-focussed dishes, however -- and for dessert!4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMStill serving some of theStill serving some of the most interesting food in Chicago, and the cocktails are to die for!4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMOur overall experience wasOur overall experience was very good especially our meals. The waiter was good but got very disattracted when a larger and more drinking type group came in and sat next to us. But I certainly would recommend it and I would go back because of the food.4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had à great evening! WeWe had à great evening!
We did the tasting menu and both loved it: delicious!
Tables very close, so no privacy. Service was excellent.
Bit pricy but well worth it!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMFlawless, as always.Blackbird is one of Chicago's oldest and most celebrated fine dining establishments not just because of its amazingly creative and well thought out food, its outstanding wine program, and impeccable service, but also because of its unrelenting desire to continue to innovate and push the envelope. Our request to add a course to the tasting menu was accommodated without fuss by our outstanding server. Each and every course brought on so much flavor, nuance, and intrigue. It goes without saying that the cocktails were fantastic and well balanced, the wine incredible, and, keeping up with Blackbird tradition, new pastry chef Dana Cree's desserts were absolutely mind blowing (Chocolate and cumin? YES).4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMWent on a weekday for lunchWent on a weekday for lunch around 12:30. The food was fantastic, the service was attentive and thoughtful, and it was not crowded at all. Loved the presentation of the prix fixe selections. We'll be back for sure!4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMWe three good friends metWe three good friends met for an early (5PM) dinner. I arrived at the restaurant 15 minutes before opening, but was made to feel comfortable at the bar with a glass of water and friendly smiles from all. Our waiter was quite attentive and helpful in choosing wine and selecting entrees. We were treated to an amuse to enjoy before our dinner was served, we enjoyed our meals enormously and, when we couldn't find room for dessert, were served sweet candy treats, just perfect with our coffee. We will all recommend this to anyone looking for a special evening out.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMFood, drinks, and dining experienceFood, drinks, and dining experience were excellent. I was able to sit next to the window which was a couple feet from the table next to us. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been as comfortable because the tables are so close that you're sure to hear your neighbor's conversation.
The menu seemed heavy on the fish side (I can't eat fish) but the short ribs were delicious as well as the duck breast. Great flavors and cooked perfectly.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AM