Blue Bird Cafe — Restaurant in Arlington

Came in this evening with my three young adult / teenagers to find a cozy quiet place to just have dinner for my birthday together that was not crowded and to try something new.

I am not sure if the older woman waitress knew they were my daughters, but right from the start came off extremely condescending and rude. She got right in the face of my oldest child who is quiet and socially awkward after ordering chicken tenders . Since it was first time there, we did not know what came with the chicken. Waitress asked how she would like the potatoes done, my daughter simply inquired potato? I just want chicken tenders. The woman snapped back harshly. No you are getting a potato, what kind do you want. Instead of politely offering assistance or what was available she snapped again "You are getting a dinner, make up your mind... we have two more sides to go through yet and you can't decide on what type of potato."

She quietly said "I just want french fries"

She then proceeded to go around the table with sarcasm and an angry tone talking to my children as if they were less than human.

At the end of the dinner, she tossed the bill at me and said here, I assume you are paying it since no one else here looks like a responsible person. My daughters mouths dropped open and tears filled their eyes. My one daughter who has a job, paid for her own car, has a 4.0 GPA and graduated high school at 17 was offended the most.

When I went to the counter to pay to let them know we were done and needed a box. She said "No, wait here." and she went back to the table and proceeded to try to force ice cream on my daughter since it came with the meal after telling her we wanted to take the food and go.

Never will be coming here again. It was my birthday dinner, and what was supposed to be a quiet evening...

Went on a breakfast date with my wife on Veterans Day. We don't usually come up this way and we didn't realize there was a parade happening. Parking was a challenge to find because of it.

Pros: -Great waitstaff, super friendly -Supersized large portions -Housemade food - always reminiscent of grandma's cooking -Super flavorful, no need to add salt or pepper -Freeflow pour sugar on the table alongside sugar packets! -Sweet tea option available! (Important to me as a southern woman!) -Fun atmosphere, very much an old school diner -They take cash and card! -They have a super cute lunch counter with swivel stools -They have housemade cinnamon rolls that are bigger than your head -They offer a punch card and veterans get double punches!

Cons: -Parking can be a challenge -You seat yourself, but if its super busy you're left kind of looking around ready to "vulture" a table -Service is a little slow, but honestly I'm ok with it because I know they are fresh making my plate. -They don't serve dinner. -They close at 3.

Food: -The food was incredible. Very stick to your ribs. The menu has old school selections such as liver and onions, hamburger steak and omg the BEST mashed potatoes around! We had breakfast this time and I had the eggs benny and she had the biscuits and gravy. The biscuits were fluffy and gravy was perfect. The eggs benny was amazing, great hollandaise! The potatoes were fried perfect, and you can add your choice of brown gravy or sausage gravy.

Overall it is such a neat little place with excellent food. Just make sure when yiu go, you wear your best...

Updated Review

I visited this café yesterday (Monday) to pick up a DoorDash order, and my experience was shockingly different from when I dined in a few months ago. Back then, I was greeted warmly and treated well. However, it seems that if you’re not dining in, you’re not welcome.

When I walked in, not a single staff member acknowledged my presence. Three waitresses were standing just a few feet away, glanced at me briefly, and continued their conversations without so much as a greeting. Even when a kitchen staff member told them to assist me, they ignored the request. After waiting about 15 minutes, one waitress finally asked for the name on the order. She seemed confused while bagging the food and, when she handed it to me, didn’t say a single word—no eye contact, no courtesy, just complete coldness.

At that moment, I regretted even walking in. It’s incredibly unprofessional to make a customer feel unwelcome simply because they’re picking up an order instead of dining in. Businesses—especially local ones—thrive on customer support, and how you treat people matters. One bad experience can turn into negative word-of-mouth, which can hurt business in a small town.

The lack of basic customer service here is disappointing, especially considering that the staff members are experienced adults. What changed since my last visit? If I could give this place zero stars, I would. You’ve lost my business, and I hope this café takes the time to train its staff properly because no customer should feel...