Bluebird

What an unexpectedly lovely evening.On a busy Saturday evening the staff not only didn't rush us but went out of their way to ensure a wonderful experience. My dining companion used a walker and the manager ran up before she was seated to ask if she'd like a chair with arms and then immediately traded out seating. I flaked and tossed the receipt but our waitress was wonderful, knew the menu - current and past- inside out and was both patient and efficient. Visiting from a bit restaurant city I was skeptical of what to expect from the menu but every dish was both well thought out and executed. Thanks for a lovely evening!

Bottom line: Sunday brunch at Bluebird was as near to perfect as one could expect. Delicious menu choices and wonderful service within a very bright, clean, and well decorated atmosphere. I loved it! The Deets:In meeting up with Melissa O. and Robert O. for Sunday brunch, the decision was made to head to Bluebird in the Meadowmont Village area of Chapel Hill. We were led to our reserved table upon entering after a very positive and enthusiastic greeting at the host desk. The decor reflects French and Southern type of fusion feeling with a very nice, clean, well finished as well as bright atmosphere. There is a dedicated bar area as well as an open kitchen. We were given their main menu as well as their brunch menu to peruse when we sat. We decided on sharing the Kouign-amman (Breton Morning Bun) for starters. This sweet Breton pastry was perfect...just enough sweet to make it interesting but not covered in sugar or syrupy sweet, just right and very enjoyable. We each chose our individual meal selections for brunch then decided on a later main entree choice to share from the regular menu. I chose the Omelette aux Champignons (mushroom omelet with crispy potatoes) and I really liked it. Wonderfully light as an omelet should be and the crispy potatoes appeared to have caramelized onions in them we guessed that yielded a taste that was anything but ordinary. My dining companions enjoyed their selections of Oeufs Brouillés aux Truffes (Black Truffle Scrambled Eggs) and Pain Perdu aux Fraises et Pistaches (Brioche French Toast, Strawberries, White Chocolate, Pistachio) greatly and were very happy with their choices as well. Next, we all divided up our final shared selection of the meal - Confit de Canard au Madère (Boneless Duck Confit, Rice Pilaf, Madeira Jus). No words will suffice but amazing, the flavor profile of all the components came together perfectly and we all were very satisfied with this delicious dish. It is very apparent that this entree was well thought out, as the result was so enjoyable. I am glad we got this one to share instead of a dessert. Our service throughout the meal was on point...being helpful, pleasant, and foreseeing/providing for any need but not intrusive or overly present. Perfect. In all, a really great Sunday brunch experience at Bluebird and I really do want to come back here again to experience more.

Excellent dining experienceCame here for some dinner and was not disappointed. Started off with some good crusty bread. We weren't sure what wines we wanted so let us taste a few before we made our decision. To start we started off with the salad de laitue which was light and refreshing. Also had some frites which were...frites. For the mains, we went for the steak Diane and coq au vin. Both were served hot with super tender. The sides on these dishes complemented well. Portions were generous and we ended up taking some home. Overall excellent experience and service.PSA: If you have a nut allergy, they don't have any options for dessert other than the crème brine.

Sunday brunch is amazing. I have long long time didn't eat nice French brunch. I like the atmosphere inside.

Bluebird is one of the best French restaurants in the Triangle. The delicious dishes are well balanced in flavors and textures. The clean and rustic ambiance of makes for a great date night. The service was friendly, attentive, and efficient. Our yellowfin tuna was seared perfectly. The sauce and garnishes complemented the tuna well with sweet, sour, and acidic notes. The crispy potato skins were tasty. The slow cook beef cheeks were tender and melted in your mouth. I really loved the textures of the lightly pan fried gnocchi. The only dish I had a minor complaint about was the deviled eggs with caviar as you couldn't really taste the caviar with how little was included. The French onion soup had great depth of flavor and the melted cheese was delicious.

We had a great dinner at Bluebird. I give this restaurant 4.5 stars rounded up to 5. I recommend it for a nice meal out in Chapel Hill.Being big fans of sister restaurant Hawthorne & Wood (https://www.yelp.com/biz/hawthorne-and-wood-chapel-hill), my wife and I had high expectations for Bluebird. Those expectations were met. The food, drink, and service here were excellent. Understanding the restaurants are different -- Hawthorne & Wood is casual fine dining and Bluebird is a French bistro -- if I had to pick between the two, I'd give the edge to Hawthorne & Wood simply because the food and drink there wow'd us more. That said, both are among our favorite restaurants in Chapel Hill.Bluebird is located in Meadowmont Village, just down the road from Hawthorne & Wood in East 54. My wife and I walked past Bluebird shortly after it opened in July 2022. It was during one of their Sunday brunches and the patio was bustling. It looked like the place to be. Bluebird serves brunch every Sunday, 10am-2pm. They're only open for dinner, Tuesday-Saturday, otherwise. This place has been popular from the get-go. Reservations are recommended.The restaurant is beautiful, from the mosaic tile flooring to the storefront drapes to the five-bulb fixtures. There's a fine attention to detail here, both in the interior decor/atmosphere and in the food and drink. I love the open kitchen. I like how the menu unfolds. The patio is spacious and covered. In addition to the main dining room, there's a bar and a private room that can seat up to 24 people. We were seated in the private room.Our group of four had a Saturday 6:45pm reservation. The restaurant was packed when we arrived. We stayed for three hours and it was still busy when we left, about 45 minutes after closing time (9pm).Below is a list of what we got, except for a few drink orders (I'm missing those). This should give you a good idea of what Bluebird has to offer for dinner, what the cocktails are like, and pricing.Cocktails* Uncle Henri ($11) - white rum, gin, lime, mint, tonic* Last Word ($15) - gin, green chartreuse, Luxardo liqueur, lime* En Garde ($14) - bourbon, cognac, dubonnet, Campari* Espresso Martini ($14)Les Hors d'Oeurvres* Rillettes de Saumon ($10) - smoked salmon rillettes, toast points* Pate de Foie Gras ($15) - duck liver pate, preserves, toasted brioche* Tartare de Boeuf ($14) - beef tartare, sauce gribiche, toast pointsLes Petits Plats* Salade de Betteraves ($12) - heirloom beets, goat cheese, hazelnutsLes Plats Principaux* Poisson aux Truffes Noires (market price: $30) - market fish (North Carolina flounder), leeks, celery root, black truffle* Confit de Canard ($29) - crispy duck leg confit, Brussels sprouts, apples, caraway jus* Agneau au Four ($28) - slow-roasted lamb, braised greens, piperade, polenta* Boeuf Bourguignon ($31) - red wine braised beef cheeks, pommes puree, mushrooms, persilladeLes Desserts* Creme Brulee ($7) - caramelized vanilla bean custard* Marquise de Chocolat ($7) - rich chocolate mousse, toasted walnuts, fleur de selGenerally, everything was presented beautifully and tasted delicious. High quality.The one thing that stuck out about the drinks to my wife and me was they weren't that strong. That's saying a lot coming from a lightweight like me. The cocktails were yummy, though.Our server asked for our appetizer and entree orders at the same time so the staff could properly pace the courses out. They did a good job with that.The apps were equally terrific. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the foie gras pate. It had a really smooth, appetizing texture and rich flavor. However, you can't go wrong with the salmon rillettes or beef tartare either. The rillettes were filled with umami. The tartare was melt-in-your-mouth. The only dish I wasn't crazy about was the beet salad. It was good, but not great. It seemed like it was missing something.As for the entrees, the Boeuf Bourguignon and Poisson aux Truffes Noires were my favorites, followed by the Agneau au Four and Confit de Canard, in that order. The beef bourguignon here is the best I've had anywhere, that I can remember. The flounder was fresh and meaty with a wonderful creamy sauce. The lamb was nice and tender and the polenta was served as soft, savory loafs. I really enjoyed it.Both of the desserts were very tasty. Bluebird's creme brulee was solid. The creme brulee was ordered by many. It was fun to watch a chef finish them off with a torch in the kitchen. The chocolate mousse was delectably fluffy and full of chocolate flavor.Joanie was our server. She was amazing. She was super attentive, knowledgeable, and on top of her game. I could tell she was keeping an eye on our table. She paced everything well and she was there when we needed her, all while juggling several tables. The other staff I interacted with was great too, including the hostess, bartender, and food runners. They provided a high level of service here.

Did return for dinner and wasn't disappointed. Savored the Roasted t bone pork and fish special (flounder with rice, apples and leeks), however the standout was the vegetarian option of polenta cakes with mushroom ragout and broccoli rabe. Again, wait staff was attentive and friendly.

Another amazing experience at Bluebird! Everything, and I mean everything, is done to perfection here. The service is so welcoming and the menu has a fantastic selection with such tasty flavors. A great every day place or for a special occasion, you can't go wrong here. The atmosphere is very warm and friendly every time!

Anniversary night. First time to bluebird -we were excited.Pros: seared scallops were lovely - tender and perfectly cooked. French onion soup was delicious. And for someone who does not prefer beets, the beet salad was the perfect balance of earthy, tangy and sweet - really enjoyed the combination of textures.Cons: took 1hr to receive our entrees (duck confit and scallops) - server apologized about 30mins in, and the next 30mins of wait was tough -largely because the chairs are Exceptionally uncomfortable (albeit attractive ) and our appetite dwindled as it was past 9pm.And, my first bite of lentils (where crispy duck sat atop) was overwhelmed by salt - could not find the flavor as a result. The crispy duck was fork tender and flavorful.The server Michael was kind and apologetic and offered desserts (shortbread is delectable). The manager also offered an apology and the duck entree removed from bill.We felt these blunders were managed well. Would much rather have paid twice as much for a seamless and delicious dining experience for this special evening with my love. I do not think we'll venture here again any time soon.

Great place. Good atmosphere and excellent food and service. My onion soup, trout and desert were all wonderful.