Blackbird
Chicago, IL 60661
Phone: (312) 715-0708
- Price:
- $$$$
- Cross Street:
- Between Desplaines Street and Jefferson Street
- Directions:
- Bus: 56 to Desplaines
- Best of Citysearch:
- Fine Dining 2006
- Hours:
- Mon-Thu 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm, Fri 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-11:30pm, Sat 5:30pm-11:30pm
Editorial Review for Blackbird – by J.P. Anderson
The Scene
Minimalist but comfortable, with bare white walls and a single banquette that spans the length of the room. Cherry-stained floors and chairs give a hint of color; a giant vase of daisies at the bar adds a playful touch. Service is polished, direct and friendlier than you might expect.
The Food
Chef Paul Kahan shows extraordinary range with his seasonal New American menu. The man is dedicated, and it shows in Blackbird's adventurous, market-fresh fare. Nearly every dish scores: creamy foie gras; peppery-sweet venison salad; tender short rib of beef with chive spaetzle. At lunch, try the Blackbird bouillabaisse, brimming with mussels, shrimp, clams and fish, all served in a subtle fennel broth. And kudos to the pastry chef for what may be Chicago's best bread pudding, a spongy, chocolate hunk topped with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with caramel sauce.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
The ExtrasThe chic upstairs room seats parties of up to 56 for dinner (90 for cocktails).
User Reviews for Blackbird
07/22/2008 Posted by nolachitown
My date and I had originally planned to dine at the wonderful Avec next door and were dressed appropriately for the scene there (very casual, nice jeans and a jacket). Unfortunately, we arrived too late and they were only seating one group before closing time. The hostess at Avec told us we'd have no problem getting a table at Blackbird's and having a nice meal there. Well - we walked in and were immediately out of sorts when we noticed that almost every guy was a spitting image of an Andy Warhol with their black Wayfarer's and black dinner jackets. It was an awkward situation . We didn't have any problem being seated, but I can tell that our "apparel" didn't please the snooty waitress assigned to our table (who btw, had a black eye and looking at her nearly put off my appetite) and when we had a few questions about the menu she would answer in a very sarcastic way. The positive: our food was great - small - but great with a beautiful presentation. When our waitress forgot our espresso order (mind you that we were 1 of 3 tables left) I asked for the manager and he immediately came over and comped our espressos and even brought dessert wines. I guess you have to bring it to their attention that the customer is always right. I hope future patrons have a better experience or that they have better trained their staff.
06/19/2008 Posted by albarlow
Came here for my b-day and was surprised that it's been rated so well. The food was ok...very small portions as expected, but high-priced for 'just ok.' The scene was nothing to write home about either. The tables were practically staked on top of each other...about 2 inches apart. Tiny space with nothing on the walls, nothing romantic about this place. Our waiter was pleasant and brought me a shawl for our outdoor dinning when the sun went down. Overall, wouldn't go back and it's not even worth saying that we've been there. Oh well.
Pros: Not a lot
Cons: Price, ambiance, portion, cocktails
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