Blackbird Tavern

This place is delicious! I got the flat iron steak hubby got the caprese panini... both were fantastic! Their drink menu looked delicious too however no drinks for me! I recommend 100%

Blackbird Tavern in Temecula is the kind of place that wants to have character but ends up feeling like a well-dressed stranger--nice enough, but not someone you'd go out of your way to see again. It sits in that middle ground between gastropub and casual hangout, where the food is slightly overpriced for what it is, and the drinks are good but not exactly memorable.The ambiance is solid--warm lighting, exposed brick, the kind of aesthetic that suggests they know their way around a proper old fashioned. But then you get the menu, and it's a mixed bag. Some dishes come out great, others feel like they were made by a chef who got bored halfway through. The service? Depends on the night. Sometimes you get someone who knows their craft, other times you're left wondering if your server stepped out for a cigarette and just never came back.The live music can be a nice touch, or it can make you feel like you accidentally walked into a backyard wedding. The crowd is a blend of locals looking for a chill night out and Temecula tourists who wandered in after realizing Old Town's main drag is mostly bars that serve drinks in plastic cups.Is it the best spot in town? No. But it's not the worst either. It's the kind of place you go when you don't feel like making a decision--safe, decent, but not the kind of place that sticks with you.

Update:Blackbird reached out to me almost immediately after my review. They truly cared about the service I received and wanted to address it, so I will give this place another try in the future. Location is great as well as the ambiance and the food. Came for breakfast and sat at a bar table. We waited at least 10 minutes to be greeted and there was only one other table of patrons, so it wasn't because they were busy. My husband ordered a Bloody Mary to start. The description on the menu says bacon, his did not come that way, so he asked the bartender if he could get the bacon. Man if looks could kill she was not pleased having to walk to the kitchen. She put it on a napkin placed it on the table and walked away. When our food was delivered we had no silverware, after trying to find someone for a sold 5-10 minutes I got up myself and got it. I asked the food runner for sauce that went with the meal, she never came back with it. So much potential to improve here. When you have good food and a good location, a bad employee can crush you.

Food was so good and service was excellent. Steve truly does not skip a beat. Thank you for helping make my loved one's birthday special, Steve!

I was intrigued by the steak hash brunch dish. What's not to love about steak, potatoes, eggs and gravy? I did ask that the poached eggs be scrambled and the restaurant easily accommodated my request. I really liked the brown gravy in particular as it added a nice touch to the meal. We sat outside on the patio, which had picnic tables and thankfully some shade sails to protect against the summer sun. There were cornhole sets and it looks like a fun place to hang out when it's not so hot out.

Cute little spot with outdoor options to dine. We opted to eat inside as we went in the evening and it was cold. The service was ok, took a while for food. The Cesar dressing was pretty bland. Could use more flavor. Would be open to trying to again when I'm in the area.

My husband came across a few of Blackbird's plates on someone's Instagram reel and -instantly- a brunch date was set for our next day off together! We came with reservations made for 1pm on a Friday thinking it'd be busy, but upon arrival quickly realized we may not have even needed it. Aside from us, there were only two other couples there, which didn't bother us one bit as that usually means faster service. We ordered the bottomless mimosas, my husband ordered their recommended burrito and I ordered the huevos rancheros. My plate had just the right amount of heat (spice) and full of flavor! My husband agreed. He ate his burrito so fast I forgot to take a picture but he was content- though not blown away. Only thing I did want to mention as my husband asked me to, is that my plate was brought out first, and stayed that way for a good 5-10 minutes. He just wished we both been served at the same time- and although I did share my plate with him, he just felt as if it would've been nice not to be left without a plate to eat for so long while I was already eating. I will agree- as all guests being served together promptly is usually* the norm for most restaurants. Also, be careful where you set down your mimosa glass on the tables as there are deep crevices in certain areas and my husband learned the hard way when his mimosa glass toppled over when he set it down near one of the crevices and it consequently spilled onto the table and onto him. Overall - the waiter and greeter were pleasant & food tasted great so we would definitely return and try some of their other newer plates!

Blackbird Tavern is located in the beautiful Old Town Temecula between Riverside and San Diego counties. Because of its location, parking is hard to find. We found street parking up the road and just walked down to Blackbird Tavern.This restaurant is huge and perfect for large groups. A section of their patio has lawn games/toys like cornhole (bean bag toss) and another larger section with two bonfire pits. They also have a stage so I'm sure they have entertainers performing here. Very cool space actually. Inside they have a huge bar and indoor dining. Outside they have plenty of benches for outdoor dining. And plenty of space if you just want to stand or walk around. It has a pretty awesome vibe here with loud but enjoyable music. I'd say that most patrons that were here were around their 30s/40s - and I saw some families dining here too.The food here is pretty good. We ordered a few cocktails and appetizers. The Island Style Ahi Nachos and Spinach & Artichoke Dip were both delicious crowd-pleasers! And the servers were very attentive. He came around many times making sure we got what we needed and asked how the food was.Overall, really awesome place with to celebrate with a group, play a couple games, hang out by the fire pits, drink, eat and be merry!

Both the food and service could improve tremendously. This is the third time with give it a chance and this last time, it really defined the poor quality of the food. We drove from San Diego to Temecula to meet with our family and it is not worth the drive. We had around four different servers and the food was cold and the soda flat. Definitely not giving it another chance.

I came in on a Saturday night to dine, and the restaurant appeared quite empty, with about ten tables completely available in the front. After waiting for a while, the hostess finally greeted us. I asked for a table for two, but she informed us there would be a 20-minute wait. This surprised me, considering the emptiness of the place. She mentioned that she had just seated a large party of twenty, which I assumed meant they were busy attending to that table.I was puzzled as to why so many tables were available if they couldn't accommodate other customers. It seems the restaurant only allows 25 guests at a time. So, we decided to leave and went next door to Espadín, which was much busier. Despite being full, the hostess managed to find us a table right away.I can't help but wonder how long this restaurant will stay in business if they limit seating to just 25 people on weekends. Why have all those tables if they can't be utilized? Are they just for show?