First time trying this place this weekend. Interior is on the small side, dark, and tables fill up very fast, so make a reservation to be safe. This place is described as tapas-style, so some dishes are on the smaller size, but the more expensive dishes are full portion: the burger, chicken, pasta w/crab, etc. Seems they also change their menu very regularly, as I saw some fantastic looking things in the pictures here, none of which were on the menu. On the more expensive side price wise, and there is a full bar and bourbon selection to punch it higher. Tried a few things, some I'd skip if I came back, but also a few things I'd like to try that I didn't get to. Skippables include the Gouda Gruyères: onion soubise and the cacio e pepe, both underwhelming and more expensive than it should have been. I also tried the gem salad, chicken wings, the rigatoni with sausage and broccoli rabe, and the flan for dessert. Flavors were good, the wings were very heavy on the salt but had good flavor, and everything else was covered in tons of cheese, from the salad to the pasta, it was a lot. Service was quick, waitress friendly. People in the area seem to absolutely love this place and overhearing people talk, there's nothing bad on the menu, and the corn agnolotti was delicious (I was sad to have changed my order, this is what I was originally going to get). Interested in seeing a fall menu for this place! read more

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We had dinner here on two occasions, the establishment is nicely decorated and not too loud. We have had the NY strip, sweet potato raviolis, black Sea bass, burger, mussels, little gem salad. The NY strip wasn't the best i have had, it was just ok. The raviolis were delicious, the sauce was lite and the raviolis were delicate. The seabass was prepared well but the portion was on the small side. Overall we liked the restaurant and will be returning. read more

Blackbird Kitchen And Cocktails - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Wantagh, New York

My friends and I have been wanting to try Blackbird for a while since it's frequently mentioned as one of the best restaurants on Long Island. Given that the dishes are tapas/shareable plates, we were not sure how much we should order as a table of four. Turns out five dishes is a great amount! We all ate from each platter and found each dish to be just as delicious as the next. Also, the drinks were out of this world! I see why this place is revered so highly. My only con is I wish it had its own parking lot for patrons or a better location. However, there is street parking available. Otherwise, I love this restaurant and will be returning! read more

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I knew of this location for quite some time however I had not had a chance to try it. It was a great date night meal which my husband and I enjoyed. We had hummus dip, the pita was nice and warm and for entree we had the tuna, spanish octopus and pasta. Everything was absolutely enjoyable. The service was outstanding, our waiter was wonderful, she knew the food, made recommend answered our questions. Very attentive. We would definitely go back, quality was like NYC restaurant! read more

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Round 2 Update: Came back on a random Friday night for dinner and this time I would definitely recommend getting the reservation, even with a relatively later one we still needed to wait around a bit for our table. But the wait was well worth it. Most of the cocktail and food menu changes with the season, but there are always some mainstays (or slight variations) that you can find year round. Our ordering style remained the same, and we started with the gem salad once again, but this time partnered with their kale Caesar, which is my pick of the two, but I'm a sucker for any Caesar. We then followed it up with a seafood course of the tuna, scallops, and mussels and you'd never know that any of this was fishy, so fresh and delicious. My personal pick of the three is the scallops, but the tuna is a very close second. On to the entrees! My significant other and I split the New York strip and the sweet potato ravioli. I've never had a medium-rare steak cooked so evenly in my whole life, truly perfection. The ravioli was also a delicious fall treat, and came with a sauce that yearned for some bread for extra dipping purposes, but we had to save room for dessert. To finish off with some sweet treats we split the bread pudding, one of my SO's favorites and she wholeheartedly approved. Not overly sweet or dense, was a nice way to finish off the meal. read more

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Everything is top notch here! The food is incredible. The drinks are amazing, the staff is fantastic! It is one of our fav local spots.

Wow! What a wonderful experience. The food is spectacular, artfully crafted, each ingredient is purposeful and balances each dish. I really enjoyed everything. We had the Gouda gruyeres, the beet dish, chicken entree, and sea bass. Omg! So wonderful! We also had the two vodka cocktails and they were great as well. read more

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The food is always amazing. My favorite is the chicken wings and the little gem salad! The service is impeccable. And the drinks are out of this world. Its atmosphere is a chill vibe. Definitely worth it! read more

Heard so much about Blackbird online, finally decided to try them out for an early dinner. Street parking only, all spots taken at 5:30 so parked on a side street about 1/2 mile away. Immediately liked the intimate casual vibe, although the small dark space got noisy as the evening progressed. Service was briskly efficient on a busy Saturday evening. Blackbird has an eclectic drink menu; since I'm on a smoky mezcal kick lately I got the "Davy Crochet" which was good but a mite bitter for my tastes. The one page menu is divided into "Small Plates" (aka tapas) and "Large Plates". We shared the Little Gem salad, loved the combo of lightly dressed greens, shaved pecorino cheese and fresh sweet dates. Lamb chops were superb and tender - hope so at $27 for just two of them! (I ordered the chops based on Blackbird's Facebook post of the dish showing four chops, guess that was a double portion lol). Partner loved his house-made gnocchi filed with ricotta cheese and mushrooms. My Montauk black sea bass was nicely crisped but very salty, a skimpy piece for the price even by Manhattan standards - definitely so for Wantagh. The flourless chocolate cake with ice cream dessert was the star of the evening. A generous slice of rich chocolatey goodness with warm chocolate oozing from the middle, topped with vanilla ice cream. Ridiculously good! I would definitely return just for that cake! read more

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We've been several times , and it's always beyond amazing. This time we went to celebrate our wedding anniversary. From the service, to the bartenders, and chefs . . . Everything is an elevated experience. Thank you for a great evening. read more

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Highly highly recommend. Came here for my sister's birthday and the food was amazing. We did the chefs specials menu and every dish just kept getting better and better. Main course was a delicious ribeye cooked just how we asked. Drinks were cute and on the stronger side. Small place so definitely make a reservation. Service was good. Attentive but not overbearing. We will definitely be coming back! read more

I love this restaurant. When you first walk in, the restaurant is on the smaller side but the tables are spaced out nicely. The room is dimly lit. For starters we had the LITTLE GEM LETTUCE SALAD which I thought was fantastic. The dressing was superb. Next we had the SWEET CORN AGNOLOTTI. The sauce again was amazing and very light. We had the RISOTTO with summer vegetables, black summer truffles, parmigiano crisp. I'm not a big risotto fan, but the sauce was really great. Next we had the MONTAUK BLACK SEA BASS which was just good in my opinion. Not sure if I would get again. Finally we had ROASTED ORGANIC CHICKEN. The spice rub was really great, jerk spice, carolina gold rice, chimichuri. Fabulous. I've been back once again already. Although a little expensive, I think the food is fresh and excellent. read more

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Cute neighborhood spot. We shared a couple of cocktails and got the short rib pasta and burger as our mains. Both were pretty tasty. read more

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We dined here with our kids 12 and 14 and convinced them to do the chefs tasting menu ($95/pp) with us. So glad we did, fantastic meal, perfectly cooked, flavorful, well seasoned dishes. They were creative yet still accessible for our children to enjoy. My favorite dish was the steak served with the most delicious jus, cooked perfectly! Some 2nd place ties were the tuna tostada, and the spaghetti cacio e Pepe. Desert was hands down the shining star with the bread pudding which tasted quite a bit like my pouding chomeur, otherwise known as "poor man's pudding". The drinks were fantastic as well. I tried the Davy Crochet and the Oak tree, hubby had Rendez-Voodoo and One of the Boys. All 4 were delicious, however my favorite was the Davy Crochet . The kids tried the mocktails and really enjoyed Happy Together which was quite sweet and refreshing. Sudden Moves was also enjoyed. Would highly recommend, for a date or family outings. read more

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No parking, really tough to get into, even with an 8PM Reservation, we were seated at 8:30. drinks by 9, food by 945. You get the drift. Overall the food was excellent, wine selections were on point. But I think the slow pace of service, and timing of everything, left me saying that we don't need to run back here. read more

Came in for a date night with my wife after getting a gift card years prior for my birthday that I finally got to use. Because my wife has a fish allergy, we opted to not get the tasting menu for our first time just to see what this local place had to offer. Restaurant is on the smaller side, but with the dimly lit lighting its atmosphere is a vibe. Started with cocktails and they were very good. We did get more than one, and my second cocktail was not very good, and they were VERY accommodating and did take it back and get me another. We opted for a bunch of small plates, as they are "tapas style" - we got the chicken wings, gruyeres, and hummus, with an order of the cacao e Pepe and ravioli (my wife wanted to try). Service was very good, but -1 star because of the price. I'm not 100% sure I'd return, as I wasn't blown away by the food (especially for what we paid for it), but willing to give it another chance since I've heard that the menu changes regularly. read more

Blackbird Kitchen And Cocktails - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Wantagh, New York

Food is still good. However, tonight, I always wanted to try "the burger" with what looks like hand cut fries from russet potatoes. The burger was great. The fries.... I watched them sit on "the pass". Order of operations should be "Fries wait for nothing". Let the burger sit while the fries are finishing. I watched the fries sit in their silver cups for almost four minutes (at least) as the rest of the order was put together. I asked the server if they could be freshened up. She dismissed the request and offered to do something if I made a second request. The fries had lost all internal moisture by this point. Guessing they double fry, which is fine, if they're timed properly. The fries were the only thing left on the table and the server didn't show up again until a dessert menu was dropped off. Yes, this seems awfully trivial you say. But a) I made the request and it was not considered and b) the promise from the server to follow up was a BS one. If we're splurging on fries, from an above average kitchen, why can't they at least be ok? Rant over. And I'm hopeful this can be fixed. read more

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Consistently excellent food. Smaller menu that changes with the season but always delicious. I ordered the kale Cesar salad for an appetizer. Perfectly chopped and just the right amount of dressing. For my entree I had the TAGLIATELLE and the black truffles were shaved for me at the table. Perfect portion with excellent fresh pasta. My date had the roasted organic chicken and loved it. The cocktails are always delicious. We worked our way through a few different old fashioneds and some seasonal ones with cranberry. Perfect for a date night but I highly suggest calling for reservations bc on a Friday night, even the bar was packed. Cute dim lighting with candles in the table. I do not suggest bringing kids read more

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One word: Wow! My cousin took me here for a belated birthday dinner. We were hoping to do the Chef's tasting menu, but you need a party of four people to be able to do a Chef's tasting. This didn't stop us from ordering almost everything on the menu to have our own Chef's tasting. Where do I even begin? Let's start with our drinks. They are known for their cocktails and their different types of old fashions. I've never seen a half a drink menu dedicated to just different types of old fashions. I tried the Milk and Honey old fashion, and it was perfect. It even came with one of those large block ice cubes which, I believe, prevents the drink from being watered down. It wasn't too sweet and you could still taste the deliciousness of the Bourbon. This was a great start to the evening! Our next course consisted of a bunch of different small plates, as we wanted to try literally everything. Here's a quick breakdown: -Zucchini Crespelles, super light and airy like a zeppole only with zucchini -Crispy Organic Chicken Wings, I only had one because it was a bit too spicy for me but still super tasty -Heirloom Tomato Salad, simple yet will always be one of my favorite dishes. This one definitely didn't disappoint -Beet Salad, with watermelon, feta and a red wine vinaigrette. I usually don't care for beets, because of their earthiness but I gobbled this right up!! -Hollander Mussels, they were HUGE! The broth was soooo flavorful For our main course we went the pasta route. We ordered the spaghetti which was Cacio e Pepe style and it was out of this world. And if I didn't think it could get better, then I tried the Sweet Corn Agnolotti with chorizo. I wish I could eat this every week! We also put in a special request to try the potato salad that came with the NY Strip. They were kind enough to bring out a small plate and I couldn't believe how good this POTATO SALAD was!! I can't even believe they let us try it. We closed the meal out with their bread pudding. Could you believe I still had room for anything else? This was the perfect conclusion to our evening. The service was superb! The tables are partitioned and there aren't many tables to begin with so you will feel safe with the amount of people dining inside. Finally, something to note: their menu is seasonal, so keep a look out for menu changes. No matter what you order, I assure you it will be delicious! read more

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Wife, kids (12 and 14) and I went to Blackbird Kitchen & Cocktails this evening - beautiful decor, amazing service and fantastic food/dessert and cocktails. We did the tasting menu and it did not disappoint- delicious way to try the menu and perfect portions. read more

Blackbird Kitchen And Cocktails - Tasting Menu June 8, 2024 - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Wantagh, New York

The atmosphere is dark and cozy, with a long bar with plenty of seats. Food is innovative and plated with care. We have tried most of the dishes and have not been disappointed. read more

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Just returned. Had a great meal. Excellent food. Downside was the service. Waitstaff no issues. We had leftovers and the busser did not send me home with my food. Very disappointing. I was very specific. Check the take home bag and if that doesn't apply to you then enjoy. I am pissed at the dude w the big curly hair that deprived me of great leftovers read more

Overall everything we tried was delicious. The place is smaller than we expected so I recommend making a reservation. We had the chicken meatballs, the butternut squash risotto, the sweet corn agnolotti, and the burger. We shared everything. For drinks I just had a glass of white wine and hubby had the face to face which tasted and smelled so good. For dessert we had the bread pudding which was yum too. The table next to us was raving about the cheesecake. Dimmed lighting, good music, and our waitress was super helpful. Look forward to coming back. read more

Food is great but sadly the staff there are not! multiple times I've been there and they are just not friendly at all. Its always busy in there so I guess they don't feel like they have to be nice and provide actual friendly service. read more

Great cocktail list. I had a mezcal with bitters and Chile it was excellent. My friend had one with Prosecco and really enjoyed as well. The food was just ok.... Gruyère cheese sticks didn't taste like anything to me. The mussels were just ok. The waitress was like you have to get pasta it's the best.... Well it's not. We had the short rib pasta. Tasted like my mom's stew we ate as kids. The pasta was Al dente and cold. We said one and done. I will say for a Wednesday evening the restaurant was packed so maybe we just missed something. Also reservations are needed even on a Wednesday read more

Blackbird Kitchen And Cocktails - Cocktails - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Wantagh, New York

Been here a dozen times, food is overall good and drinks are a step up from any bar or pub so if you are looking for good drinks and food definitely worth it and i recommend, with disclosure. The place is just too small. Our last visit was my last. They sat us at 630 with a previous made reservation with only 1/5 of the tables filled, place was empty. They put us directly next to the bar and ice machine, with an empty restaurant. The server was not friendly, and then actually forced us to order (at a Tapas style restaurant) all our food at once because "it gets busy, thats what the kitchen wants" - not joking, this is the response i got. I was done at that point and should have left given her lack of enthusiasm but we moved forward in our blitz of a meal and then when we asked for a drink they have had on the menu for years it got better. Drink wasnt on menu currently (they make whatever you ask, except when you have this server apparently). She offered visible distaste for our request... My biggest issue is we were sat, fed, pissed off, completely disappointed and out the door in 41 minutes. Thats not an exaggeration i discussed this with the hostess on the way out. Moral: if you can tolerate being a sardine and being rushed out while being told how to order your meal, you will get good drinks and food (just stick to the menu or you are playing Roullete with your server ‍. Good food for the most part, good drinks, but ambiance and closet feeling too much for me. read more

The food small tapas style. Never had a bad meal here. Bar tenders are top notch. Best old fashions around. Servers and whole staff very attentive Cons: small, hard to get into and on the pricey side of reasonable read more

GREAT food GREAT ambiance GREAT drinks GREAT servers My only problem is that every single time we dine here, we are pushed out so they can turnover. Every time! We usually sit at the bar and order a bunch of different things to share while sampling a bunch of different drinks. Every single time, about 90 minutes into being there, they push closing out the bill. It's clear that the staff is instructed to do this so I can't say the service is bad. But when spending $150 per person on 4 drinks and sharing a bunch of food including a $75 pasta, you shouldn't be rushed. I find this so bizarre & it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I know several other people that have the same experience. I just kept hoping it would change. For such a great place they should strongly consider lightening up! read more

Went to Blackbird last night for our choice of Valentines Weekend for dinner, and it was a fun time, there were some hits and misses so I'll break it down overall. Made a reservation weeks ago on OpenTable, this restaurant is pretty intimate, you walk in and see a huge bar, and tables setup with plastic barricades for Covid safety, which I much appreciated, and would be looked at as a good choice for a date night. So rezzies are a must, otherwise you're sitting at the bar. Our server was friendly, she may have been on the newer side when asking for recommendations she was very candid about what the food was, the size, how much to get, asking how hungry you were etc. didn't have much help on drink selection tho in pointing in the right direction, didn't matter tho. We went in on the drinks, we both had 3 each, all different types. At the end of the day they were just okay. 1) Across The Sea- 6/10 2) Little Fool- 4/10 3) Something Galaxy (forgot the name) - 9/10 The food also was alright, nothing too crazy to write home about. Chicken Meatballs were savory, sauce wasn't too flavorful, decent portion size tho so a nice app to share. Kale Cesar was very good, zesty, fresh, citrus'y, and good croutons to go with it. The Tuna is overrated, 25 bucks for 4 pieces of fish is not worth it, but the sauce that comes with it is great, got some of that for dipping with the fries for the burger we split. The burger= beefy and juicy, great meat to bread ratio and a solid choice, happy we went that way. The part that annoyed me at the end, that I didn't see until after we left was the small print on the bill that added an extra 4% on Credit Cards, which wasn't announced or told to guests prior to dining, which would have been much appreciated and I would have paid cash. I understand 1-2 percent, but 4 is a little much. Overall 3 apps, 1 main, and 6 drinks out the door was about 190 after tip, I expected to drop around 200 for the dinner anyway, but that's my thoughts on that. I do appreciate what the chef is doing though, fancy fair, Ironchef table vibes, upscale with craftsmanship. But other places on the island excel just slightly more. read more

Drinks were overly sweet and wings were not bad , Also they sat us in a separate section that was open and private then someone told the hostess we couldn't sit their so they sat us right next to a couple while there were many open seats in a more private area. We could hear the couple eat and full conversation while the place wasn't busy at all . read more

Blackbird Kitchen And Cocktails - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Wantagh, New York

First time and we were blown away. Staff were pleasant and friendly and the food was delicious and plated beautifully. It was cozy and intimate, a perfect setting for us as we were celebrating our anniversary. Below are the dishes we ordered and let's say, we cant wait to return!! read more

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My husband and I decided to have a date night and made reservations to Blackbird on OpenTable. It was a Friday night and it wasn't that busy. They put up plexiglass dividers between tables for the safety and health of patrons. We ordered the hummus and wings from the small plates menu. They were both good. I would say the wings were better than the hummus. I've had better hummus at other restaurants. For the big plates, we both got the sea bass. It came with a delicious sauce and a corn salsa. For dessert, we ordered the flourless chocolate came with house-made vanilla ice cream. It was rich, decadent, and delicious. The staff was super nice. Our waitress was Deidre and she was very attentive and sweet. Not sure if we would come here again though because of the prices. read more

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The food was excellent. I watched my car get towed from across the street and I just let it happen. I just could not put my fork down.

One of my favorite restaurants on Long Island. They run seasonal menus, everything is always fresh and delicious. The menus are small but you can tell this is because they focus on quality over quantity. Great craft cocktails as well. Make a reservation though, since they are small and get busy. read more

Always something new on the menu, attentive servers Had the key lime pie last visit, delicious! read more

We were hungry and driving by and saw this little storefront. After quickly looking at instagram and yelp photos we decided to stop by. It was a weekend evening and the place was crowded but we were seated at the bar right away. The restaurant seemed fresh, nicely set up, ready for Christmas. It's not a large space but there was enough room for intimate conversations. The menu was fun. I have been looking for a new tapas style restaurant and found it. It was hard to narrow down to a few choices because everything seemed appealing. I like the fact that the food is locally and responsibly sourced. The menu is small but thoughtful. We started with the gruyere dish. It was tasty, and gooey and the onion sauce went well with it. So good! We loved it. We also had the mussels in the chili broth. Omg the heat and the spice were great. Just enough heat. I wanted more bread to sop up all the sauce. We also had the scallops and caviar dish - he really enjoyed it and kept almost moaning with each bite. The gnocchi was also Very good but I wish there was a little more sauce. It was a nice combination of flavors. Service was pretty quick. Our server/bartender was very helpful and didn't mind our multiple questions. It seemed that quite a few regulars were there because the staff would welcome them with hugs. Clearly, people keep coming back. And I know we will come back again and again. read more

Blackbird Kitchen And Cocktails - Gnocchi - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Wantagh, New York

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Ambience was pleasant, service was superb and the food was fresh and delicious! Best cucumber salad I've ever had- really tasted like it came from someone's garden! read more

Food was amazing. What you would expect from a Manhattan bistro. Service was attentive and was always available. Went on a Tuesday night and all the tables were taken. This is a sign of consistency. Small place with just the right level of chatter. Quiet enough so you can speak to your partner but loud enough that you are not distracted by the conversation at the next table. Blackbird blew away our expectations and landed on our restaurant rotation. read more

Blackbird is the type of neighborhood restaurant you want to have; great food, great service, and great space. The wait staff were all knowledgeable of the entire menu and knew where things were sourced. With a group order there was hummus, Octopus, NY strip, and lobster roll. There was not anything that did not come out excellent and all timed together given the entire place was full. Not much else to add if you are looking for a local spot with great food. Thanks Blackbird! read more

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I would recommend the Casio e pepe pasta and the kale salad. Sweet date spot. Nice size bar . Parking was a little difficult.