The Bluebird Cocktail Room — Restaurant in Baltimore

My boyfriend and I unfortunately had a very disappointing & distasteful experience last night at Bluebird Cocktail room on 9/13/25. Our server was extremely disrespectful, dismissive and condescending with her body language and tone throughout our very short time in the restaurant. It was my first time, however my boyfriend comes often and confirmed that last night was his absolute worst experience in the bar. We arrived around 10 pm, were quickly seated & approached by our server in a reasonable amount of time. Everything started great, however when she returned, my partner asked if we could have more time to look at the menu. The server shrugged her shoulders, made a snippy comment, silently stared at us for an unnecessary amount of time and then quickly walked towards her coworkers where we could visibly see her complaining on the way to them. She then took extremely long to return to our table & had a noticeable attitude while speaking to us. I asked if everything was okay given the immediate switch in energy despite our very short time in the space and she continuously repeated "what drink can I get you" in a badgering tone which made us extremely uncomfortable. My partner and I then asked for a different server and she continuously repeated "I'm confused" in a very condescending tone, clearly trying to manipulate/ gaslight the situation. I stated very clearly we do not want to have you as our server and she continued to repeat those comments and began over talking me. I stood up to look for a server/ manager which is when she finally felt compelled to borderline sprint across the restaurant in hopes I assume to intersect my communication with staff. I made it very clear that I did not want her doing that given what just took place. I spoke with the host to express our frustrations who seemed to take things seriously initially, however we saw them both chit chatting/ laughing after the incident. We were promised a new server, which did not happen, resulting in us leaving the restaurant. I was so excited to try this place however I will not be back. We were met with undeserved hostility and as someone that previously worked in the industry, you do not treat your tables in this manner. This was a very unnecessary and senseless interaction.

I unfortunately don't have the server's name but she's a short girl about 5 '2, wears glasses and had a longer wrap on...

Walking up the dimly lit stairs and past the swing-laden porch, my friend and I weren't sure what to expect. We walk in and are greated by a large, sweeping lounge with a working fireplace, exposed brick walls, and long communal tables. For those of you that don't know-- Bluebird opened up in 2017 under Paul Benkert's crafty attention to detail. Take the ice for example-- it's crystal clear, carved out from a 300-pound block of ice every month. The bartenders pay just as much as attention to detail, crafting drinks that will always exceed your expectations and that offer such a locally unique twist.

I've always been impressed by the cocktails I've had (see below) and the wine/beer selection is decent as well. What I truly admire is the service that the bartenders will provide. If it's not too busy, there's more than happy to walk you through the menu and help craft a drink that fits you perfectly. The experience does go a bit downhill when it gets really busy, as everything has to be ordered and picked up at the bar-- there's no food or drink runners. It can be a hassle getting to the bar and placing an order when it's surrounded by other customers. Still, I prefer to come here for early happy hours and when it's not too busy.

What I Liked: Old Fashioned ($13) - It's the bar's signature drink and they do it damn well. It's pretty traditional, but the bar's homemade bitters and a dash of vanilla added at the end make it incredibly smooth and easy to drink. They also use Old Grand-Dad bourbon, an excellent choice given its similar mash-bill to Basil Hayden. Still, it has a much better complexity and is one of my favorite cheaper bourbons. Like a lot of the other cocktails, the hand-cut clear block of ice is the perfect finishing touch. 4/5

Sooth the Sultry ($16) - A warming botanical cocktail with rye whiskey, apples, and sugarcane, this cocktail is perfect for fall. It's not cheap ($3 more than an Old Fashioned) but should it be? It's extremely complex with notes of black currant, wine grape, and alpine plants. 4/5

What I...

I’ve been here several times over the past 5-7 years and each time my experience has been worse. Last night was probably the tipping point. I ordered a Boulevardier, my favorite cocktail that I order everywhere I go. The quality of this drink varies from place to place and I am fairly forgiving of bad batches; however, I was not given a Boulevardier at all. So, I told a server that I had been given the wrong drink. Based on the lack of bitterness, color, and obvious lack of Campari I guessed they mistakenly made me an Old Fashioned. The server said he was sure he put in a Boulevardier but he’d go check with bartender. The bartender comes out and swears that my drink is Boulevardier. I tell him it does not have the bitterness of a Boulevardier and I’m not getting any Campari. He assures me it’s a Boulevardier and walks away. About 30 seconds later he comes back and tells me that he did not use Campari, but a bitter amaro that tastes like Campari. So he confesses it is a “Boulevardier comp.” Then he leaves before I can get another word in. Of course, I did not get a comp for the “Boulevardier comp” they decided to give me. Then when it’s time to pay, the server hands me the pay tablet and tells me to “just sign and hit okay” as he stands right there waiting and watching. Immediately I notice that a 20% tip has been preselected. I ask if 20% is mandatory and he says “no.” I wish I was a better writer so I could truly capture the moment but it seemed very dishonest. Afterwards, my wife asked me if I saw the breakdown and I realized I had never even been shown the charges. But given the price I am certain my “Boulevardier comp” was not comped. Overall my experience was marred by these two instances and this place is far too expensive to...