The Blackbird Public House

I think I went here after a concert one night? Upon walking inside I noticed it was pretty empty on a Wednesday night (I think it was Wednesday) at roughly 11:30−12amish. I sat down at the bar and had a couple three cocktails before last call. I remember it being a good experience. The bartender was great. The young lady beside me was great. The cocktails were great. I cannot comment on the food as the kitchen was closed when I got there but maybe another time I will review it. This joint was A-​OK. I give 3 stars.

Went here for my Birthday and the food was too good — I ordered the sausage-​combo (definitely more on the risky side, but I enjoyed every bit of it!) that came with kimchi, fries, two sauces and two sausages; any additional sides are with cost. The pizzas are tasty and their presentation perfect — they make everything look so appetizing.
The service was great! Everyone greeted us and our server did her best to give us her attention during the lunch rush.
The atmosphere was great, with their choice of chestnut brown wood to match their brown leather seat it was a very warm place to be (especially in the middle of fall with rain here and wind there).
I will definitely go back!

I have frequented a few Donnelly Group establishments and none of them have really wowed me but I have to say this was probably the worst customer service experience I have ever had.
My boyfriend, myself and another couple dropped in to the Blackbird. It was quite busy and had what seemed like a cheery atmosphere. We found an area with a few empty tables and I gestured to the server if I would be okay to sit at this table, she nodded and then walked away. We sat down and after a little while our server came over and told us the drink specials, she was VERY miserable and didn’t make us feel welcome at all.
One of our party had gone to the washroom and on his return he asked the server what the drink specials were, she turned to him and said, with a very unfriendly attitude… «I already told you» and then walked off. So as you can imagine we were already pretty put out but we were all hungry so we decided to stay. After a little while she returned and asked for our drink order, I mentioned that we weren’t quite ready to order a drink yet but we would like to put an order in for a burger and then we will think about the drinks. «No, I’ll take your drink order first» was her response. Which I was quite shocked by but I just reiterated what I had said. She turns to the other couple on our party and rudely says «you will be getting food right?» They answer yes and then she says, again with an awful attitude, «exactly, so I will take your drink order now and then I will come back for your food order.» By this point we were done, we just said we weren’t sure and she left. We grabbed our things and left. I have been in the service industry for over ten years, this was Definitely the worse service I have ever had in this city, perhaps even any city and it has truly put me off the Donnelly Group as a whole. Take my advise, stay well clear!

The atmosphere at the Blackbird was fantastic. I loved the creative drinks. The menu looked good if you were a meat eater. I had the funghi pizza which was really tasty, but about the only meat free dish. It was definitely big enough for two people. The waitress was really polite and attentive.
However, this place was loud. Like loud in a way that makes you want some sound absorbing panels on the ceiling. I was sitting directly next to my boyfriend and we were yelling to hear each other.

Used to come here during lunch, and as well as after work with colleagues and friends as the location is conveniently located only a block away from work.
Just one bad experience with arrogant waitress who wouldn’t even answer questions properly. I take service very serious than anything. That is it for me. Walked out forever.

Ahhh !!! I love this place!
I just let the bartender know my favorite beer and he gave me something better!!!
I’m not filling up on anything because of dinner so I asked for popcorn maple bacon. … sooo good…
My partner couldn’t find what he wanted and I know he was feeling for a blt so I asked if they can make it and of course they could, Love it!
Everything was awesome from the time we came in to the end which hasn’t happened yet but I’m sure it will be great.
I will be back most definitely!

The first time we came to try the food for lunch we had excellent service and ate the best steak salad and French dip that we have ever tasted!
So good that we came back for a second time, except the excellent service was not consistent and my fiancé’s steak was over cooked. Overall it was still good and we would like to come again the next time we visit.
We loved the atmosphere as well. Some of the servers should try wearing dresses that are not see through? Haha. Not pleasant while I am eating.

This review is based solely off of the drinks and service as we didn’t end up ordering food.
We stayed for a couple hours and three back a few rounds. The servers seemed a little understaffed, but we definitely got the attention necessary later in the night as the place cleared out.
The drink selection was pretty good, from beers to specialities. At the end of the night, I was definitely impressed with our server who broke up everyone’s checks individually.

We had a retirement lunch here and it was AWFUL they charged $ 40 for a prime rib lunch and $ 34 for roast chicken — our 2 choices. There were approximately 50 people there. The lunch was supposed to cone with a green salad, pasta salad, potato salad and assorted breads — and cheese cake for dessert.
This was OVER PRICED even if we got what we were promised. The prime rib was over done to the point of dry, well done. There was NO bread and NO pasta salad and the «piece» of chess cake was the size of a quarter.
AND they tried to rise the price to $ 50 after we had agreed to the arrangements (which they did not fulfill).
Was supremely disappointed there was not one happy customer from our group.
They have a good happy hour deal for drinks but I would NEVER go back for a meal.

Ok bar but way way way too loud on 2^nd floor. You can’t talk to the person next to you without yelling into their ear. No sound dampening at all.
When the live music is playing it is twice as bad.

OK food in a nice atmosphere. I stopped in on a whim because the place looked nice. It was lunchtime so I had their brioche burger with a side salad and a (much appreciated) Grimbergen Dubel draught beer.
The salad was interesting with a lot of greens I don’t normally see, like young rape plants. It had a light citrus vinegarette. That’s the good.
The bad was the burger. A lifeless mess not even up to Burger King quality. The meat was the main problem having zero flavor (not enhanced by finding a piece of bone in the patty). The rest if the burger consisted of a brioche bun (OK but served cold) and iceberg lettuce and a slice of tasteless tomato.
My solution to the burger was to stop eating the burger and order another Grimbergen.

Third Reviews the charm. Again forced to come here again (work function). Hostess was nice but not very knowledgable. When she asked us whether we wanted to be upstairs or downstairs, we asked what the difference was and she couldn’t answer.
There was a lady playing music upstairs that night. Maybe it was a busy Thursday, but I had to ask for my same drink twice and waited 30 minutes for it. The two stars they used to have just got downgraded.
Would not come here if I had a choice.
Managers please stop private messaging me to try and get me to change my review. I am not happy there at all.

Great food, great service, great fun! There is no better place to start the weekend than happy hour at Blackbirds with little Peter behind the bar.
A different featured pizza everyday makes it easy to to eat lunch here often during the week.
Donnelly does it right again.

I have been here once before for a Pub Night at the place I used to work at. It was on a Friday, upstairs, and quite loud — very difficult to hold conversations. It was especially busy, but in terms of the food and drink, it was very good. I tried their wings, pizzas, oysters, and other bar foods. I did not expect them to also have a fine dine restaurant on the first floor. I had assumed it was also part of the bar.
The lower level is decorated quite nicely. They have a patio which is nice on a beautiful day. We sat inside on their leather chairs. I found that because the patio was wide open, flies and other bugs often flew in and swarmed our food and drink. I’m not sure how this can be fixed, but it was a little undermining to the meal.
I went on Wednesday, and they had their $ 5 special on all draft beers. As per the waitresses’ recommendation for a fruity beer, I got a raspberry one. It was quite nice, although a darker beer, it was still quite fruity and mostly raspberry tasting. Exactly what I wanted!
I tried a few of their appetizers and desserts from their main menu. The first one was a zucchini flower and shrimp salad (seasonal). There was crème fraîche, shrimp, fried zucchini flower, and potato cubes (I think). Very tasty. Warning: apparently you are not supposed to eat the stems of the zucchini flowers. They are bitter and bad tasting. The dish was balanced quite nicely.
Next, we had the cold seafood plate. It came with mussels, shrimp, and two oysters. The shrimp were quite large. Very fresh and tasty, dipped in their slightly spicy sauce. Like a mini seafood tower.
Next, we shared the charcuterie plate. It came with a wide selection of things, including salami, proscuitto, 3 types of cheeses, hazelnuts, cherries, leafy things, butter, dijon mustard, and duck fat foam. On the side, there were crunchy bread bites to accompany the meats and cheeses. I found that one of the cheeses were really good and the other two were okay. The hazelnuts were a nice touch. Proscuitto is always good. This dish is actually quite filling, even for two people. It could have been plated less «messy».
For dessert, I had the lemon curd tart. It was like a lemon meringue pie square, but the inside of the lemony part was frozen for texture. A very nice touch — I love frozen desserts. The top was covered in meringue and torched. There was a swipe of preserve. Not the best plating (mostly the preserve) but very tasty and not too filling after an already filling meal.
Service was amazing. Our dishes and cutlery were promptly replaced. We were politely asked how everything was for each dish. At the same time, we were given our privacy and not smothered. Service was pretty much perfect.
Overall, it was an amazing experience. I was very surprised that their restaurant would be of such high quality. Donnelly group is more known for their bars, right? I’ve had a great experience at their establishments that I have been to. I will definitely be back!

Unpretentious fine dining at its best. The staff are truly kind and welcoming, providing excellent service to all their guests.
The dining section of Blackbird was designed with a very vintage feel, making it seem trendy but classy at the same time. The waitresses here are gorgeous and friendly, while all their staff are very knowledgeable about their menus, beverages and of course, the restaurant itself. We saw all sorts of people dining there, from hipsters in shorts to businessmen in expensive suits! It was pleasant to see such a huge variety of people all enjoying delicious food underneath the same roof.
The highlight of the meal for me was the albacore tuna starter, which was extremely high quality and cooked to perfection. The fish tasted sashimi-​grade and the avocado mousse that came on the side perfectly complemented the dish. We liked how their menus emphasized on locally sourced food, and agreed that everything was extremely fresh and tasty. My main, the smoked duck breast, was also excellent and was so tender that it practically melted in my mouth.
Last but not least, their desserts were incredible! The chocolate gâteau was probably one of the best lava cakes that I have ever eaten and the waitress also mentioned that they are made to order from scratch! (Except for the Tahitian Vanilla Earnest ice cream scoop)
I would have to say that the food quality, plating and service were all way beyond my expectations since my first experience at Blackbird was in their bar section but now I know that Blackbird actually has an amazing dining area with an upscale selection of dishes! PS: I have heard that their food has vastly improved this year, especially compared to when they opened in Autumn 2013.

This is my new favourite after work hangout. I love the daily specials on drinks, snacks, & oysters. $ 1.50 oysters (kushi, royal myagi, & sawmill bay) from 4−6pm daily don’t hurt either. I also really love the live music that starts around 5pm each day. Its just the sort of music you can chat over comfortably.
Can’t speak to food yet, but looking forward to trying it.
One other thing I love is the wide variety of seating options. There are so many different spaces inside and each have a different feel.

As many people have already noted, it’s loud in here.
Everything else is great — the food was good (we went for dinner), the décor is incredible and the concept makes you feel like you’ve been transported to the 20’s. The barber shop inside the pub, and the upstairs area with pool table and shuffleboard makes it a great spot for a group event. Out of all the donnelly group bars, this is by far my favourite. If only it wasn’t so darn loud in the dining area — I’m not sure if it’s a design flaw or that the music is so loud that everyone talks over it — it’s hard to guess, but when you have to shout at the person across you, you know something’s not right.

From reading the other reviews of this place I thought I would have a less glowing review of my experience there, but not so! Read on…
My party and I arrived at 11:30 for an early lunch. This location has been home to many different restaurants so I was a little skeptical at first. When you walk in, the tables are all symetrically aligned, the marble (ish?) floor is polished, and there are candles on all the tables. We were greeted and seated immediately.
Our server (name escapes me) was a lovely, smiling, delight. She was attentive with refreshing our drinks but wasn’t intrusive into our conversation as we discussed business. She clearly had experience service a corporate clientele.
We ordered mains only, no appys. Two of us got the Chicken Pie, another the Steat Salad. All of these were excellent, hot, obviously hand made, and of very high quality. My pie was flaky, hot, soft, and served with lightly seasoned raw radish greens. I’ll upload a picture of the steak salad as it speaks for itself.
The drink menu was comprehensive, the location is central to the downtown core, and the food is excellently prepared and reasonably priced.
Highly recommend this place to any business travellers in the area. Like I said this location has gone through quite a few owners, and I would love this iteration to stick around.

Came by for some cider. I have to say, the drinks here are quite pricey, at $ 8 a pint on average. The Shining-​themed counter is nice and all, but I’m having trouble becoming a regular because of the price.
Turns out there is a shuffleboard up top, for some semi-​drunken fun as well.

I’m saying what everybody is thinking — «Another F*cking Donnelly» and you are right!
The structure is much nicer than the old Keg. Physically, it’s a nice property but without a soul. I came here for a «vip» media party and all they gave us was a single cracker for the 2 hours we were there. They shouldn’t have even bothered as it felt like a slap in the face.
One of the server girls was raving about last week’s vip event where they had comp oysters etc etc Ummm Why bother telling us this when you’re not even going to give us any??? A few of my nightlife promoter friends have also complained about the D Group cutting back on their promo bar tabs. Another reason why he’s rich.
Most of the servers etc are fairly nice but they are only given so much empowerment from the top. The experience we had here and several other Donnelly properties are the same. We weren’t expecting full canapes but this was fairly insulting. My friends left and had dinner down the block and I grabbed a Japadog on the way home.
I would not send my clients here nor come here again unless I was desperate; kinda like McDonalds or McDonnelly.
The kicker– this place will still do well because of the corporate market around them. Also, most people settle for crap in this town. Vancouver will still line his pockets.