Blackbird's Nest — Restaurant in Stratford

Tucked away in the charming northern section of Stratford, Connecticut, Blackbird’s Nest stands as a delightful refuge, offering a serene escape from the daily hustle and bustle, much like its avian namesake. This inviting establishment is more than just a restaurant; it serves as a peaceful haven where friends and family can gather to indulge in scrumptious food and reconnect with one another. According to local lore, during the restaurant’s construction, a mother blackbird decided to build her nest right within the walls. Instead of shooing her away, the owners embraced this endearing quirk, allowing it to symbolize the essence of their delightful eatery. Talk about a story with a twist!

After hearing great things, my partner Helen and I were eager to finally spread our wings and experience this culinary gem for ourselves. After a brisk 3.25-mile hike with our dog, we dropped him off at home and made our way to Blackbird’s Nest. The exterior had an inviting charm that drew us in, and as we entered around 3:15 PM, we were greeted by a refreshing scent of cleaning solutions. While it was a bit strong, I’d much prefer a clean establishment to one that resembles a scene from a horror film with fruit flies buzzing about!

We chose to perch at the bar, which exuded a cozy warmth, complete with picturesque views of the surrounding trees and delightful Christmas decorations that added a festive touch to the ambiance. After settling in, we ordered a couple of glasses of wine—my choice was a robust Josh cab, while Helen opted for a smooth Pinot Noir. Mike our tender at the bar was friendly and knowledgeable.

To warm our bones after our hike, we decided to start with some soup. Helen selected the ribeye chili, a spicy concoction that came with crunchy tortilla chips and generous chunks of tender meat. I couldn’t resist trying her dish, and it was indeed a deliciously hearty option. I went for the classic French onion soup, which was seasoned to perfection and served in a generous portion—a true comfort food that hit the spot.

As our appetites continued to grow, we browsed the menu once more and decided on sandwiches. Helen’s choice, the swordfish BLT, was an absolute triumph. She raved about the size of the perfectly grilled swordfish fillet, which struck the ideal balance—not too thick, yet not too thin. The crispy bacon added a delightful crunch, and she particularly loved the fresh Portuguese roll that cradled it all, paired with phenomenal fries that came out golden brown and crisp, served in a charming little fryer basket. Hats off to the fry guy—he deserves a round of applause!

I opted for the porketta sandwich, also served on a fresh Portuguese roll, which was tasty and satisfying, though perhaps not as bursting with flavor as the soups. To mix things up a bit, I chose tater tots as my side, and they did not disappoint. Each bite was perfectly seasoned and fried to golden perfection, making them a delightful accompaniment.

When it came time for dessert, we decided to share the apple pie. While I found the crust a tad doughy for my taste—I’m more of a flaky crust enthusiast—the filling was rich and flavorful, proving to be a delightful end to our meal. As for the pricing, I found it to be quite fair, especially given the quality of the food and the availability of happy hour deals that can help you save a few bucks.

In conclusion, Blackbird’s Nest is a charming eatery that I am eager to revisit—perhaps for dinner or even a brunch adventure, despite my usual reluctance toward early meals. The atmosphere is bright, airy, and clean, extending to even the restrooms, which is always a plus! So, if you ever find yourself in the area, don’t hesitate to take a flight over to Blackbird’s Nest; it’s an experience you won’t...

Went there tonight for the third time. Each time before had been pleasant but tonight was different. We were told by the lovely hostess that we could sit ANYWHERE we like at the outside bar so we did. There was a small table just next to the bar that we sat at and were greeted by an equally lovely server that took our food and drink order. The plan was to stay and enjoy the food and live music. Shortly after putting in our food order we were very abruptly and rudely approached by an older gentleman, scolding us stating that we were at a reserved table, which was NOT marked. We advised him that we had no idea that it was reserved and then he told us next time we need to check in with the hostess and not just seat ourselves. Even tho he was very aggressive in how he spoke to me and my husband we calmly advised him that we were advised to sit anywhere then he proceeded to tell us we had to move, immediately. Now I understand miscommunications between staff but there is a way that mistakes, especially ones not made by a costumer, can be handled. This gentleman was rude and degrading. We asked him to cancel our food and drink order than left and had a wonderful experience at Calarossa in Shelton. Had he treated us with a little kindness instead of of the way he chose to handle it we would have happily moved and stayed. Apparently they are doing so well there they do not have to treat the non...

I don’t normally ever leave reviews but this place needed one. I was so excited to try it after seeing such good things about it. However, this whole experience was very disappointing. The only positive thing about this place was the inside decor and the music. We came for brunch on a Sunday but it surprisingly wasn’t that busy. Service was awful though! Our waitress was not the most welcoming, she seemed very disinterested to be there. Took 10 minutes to get us water when we first got sat, took 15 minutes to take our order, and a half hour to get our food. We just got an omelet and banana pancakes that were both so dry and bland. The potatoes were disgusting. Waitress was MIA a lot of the time but when she did walk by she did not check on us, we didn’t get any refill of water the entire time. After paying our bill, the waitress disappeared for another good 15 minutes with our change in which the manager came over and asked us if we needed anything because we were left waiting for so long. Like I said before it really wasn’t that busy. It wasn’t until we said something that he found the waitress and she came over with our change. Honestly after reading all these reviews it’s very apparent majority of them are from friends/family of the staff. Highly do...