Ria's Blue Bird

02/08/09

Good food, great location, HORRID SERVICE!

by frmddrksd

Good food - nice selection on the menu, typically food delivery, good location, quality and taste of the food is pretty good. Great place to take guests or a date that is off the beaten path.

However, HORRID SERVICE! We frequented rias quite a bit - until this past winter. It was FREEZING outside and though I understand the wait, the gestapo staff rudely shouting at guests to wait outside was the final straw. It was simply disrespectful and insulting. For gods sake, we are customers that pay your salary and tips! This is not a one time occurrence. It has happened to use several times.

If we must wait outside then at least put out some heaters to keep folks warm it was like 15 degrees outside and the wait was 30-45 minutes. Another idea is give folks buzzers so they can sit in their car until you call them.

We like your food, it is a quaint spot and I am glad you are doing well as the long lines show but your staff really needs some training on customer service, manners along with a strong dose of attitude adjustment, I am willing to try it again but if the attitude is still there we will be taking rias off our list and heading back to highland bakery!

• Pros: Food, location, mixed crowd
• Cons: SERVICE, WAIT, SERVICE

11/28/08

FANTASTIC food, service, and location!

by grambolina

Even if they management, decor, or music isn't to your taste; the food is to die for. I regularly get bags of their coffee for myself and highly recommend the turkey melt. Being a privately owned restaraunt, the owners get to make the rules, but as long as you're not a snob with an attitude you'll enjoy it. That means because it is a smaller place you must wait outside. Not a big deal because the meal is worth it! The charming wait staff doesn't hurt either. After your meal, you should try a stroll around the historic Oakland cemetery just across the street.

• Pros: Decor, menu, prices, COFFEE
• Cons: small building with a strict fire code forces you to wait ouside for your table, crowded in the mornings

11/24/08

Best Breakfast Spot!

by pickyeater30

Oh my Goodness me and my boyfriend love this restaurant. When we first got there it was a wait, but that was fine because it was an early saturaday morning. We first noticed that it was really small inside and thought that we had to wait a long time. They finally called us to seat us and took us outside to eat in like a covered tent. It was cold outside and we thought we would be uncomfortable. When we got in it was nice and cozy. They sat us down at tables that looked like it came from a backyard in the 1940's. Our server was very nice. We both ordered our meals and it came out promptly. The food was wonderfull. The only problem we had was that our server did not come over enough to give us a refill on our coffee. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

• Pros: Great Food
• Cons: n/a

10/21/08

Incredible food, delightful atmosphere!

by LaidbackFoodie

Ria's is one of the few places that turns food I THOUGHT I didn't like on its head, and makes it wonderful! Which speaks volumes for the food I actually do like!

It's the biscuits & gravy -- all vegetarian, yet light and tasty! -- that sold me. But I never really like pancakes before I tried Ria's light, fluffy, but not too thick, pancakes -- which by the way, were rated as among the best in the world by the New York Times!

Then there's the tempeh -- which I also never liked -- until I tried the Bluebird's marinated, seasoned and savory version. Ditto poached eggs and eggs benedict. Now I always get the "special" whenever I go; it's always something fresh and creative, like the banana bread french toast last weekend!

The atmosphere is casually beautiful, like an overgrown flower garden. Definitely check out the patio, with the calming fountain and grotto-like feel. One weekend I was dining back there and noticed Ria and the staff fluttering about nervously -- turns out a gentleman was asking his girlfriend to marry him right there in front of the fountain! Wow, what better recommendation?!

The service is what I call European -- perfectly fine, but not overly solicitous, as Americans tend to be used to (think Chili's).

In sum, definitely worth the wait!

08/26/08

Good food, "eh" service

by Likwidtee

I recommend the carmalized bananna pancakes to help you nurse a hangover on a Sunday morning. It is an always an interesting "5 point's" crowd at that time.... And the view of the National cemetary complete's the interesting experience. The food is good, the coffe is NICE and strong, but don't expect the fastest service. Overall... a good place to have bunch.

04/27/08

Tasty Vittles

by ivy1000

Located across from historic Oakland Cemetery, Ria's Bluebird restaurant is a jewel! Not much to look at from the outside, it is what's waiting for you on the inside that counts!

Arriving on a Sunday at 12 noon, one can expect a wait of 20-30 minutes. The decor is simple with brightly colored murals on the walls and a collection of old local street signs hanging among the bamboo ?garden? as decoration. Dress code is extremely casual. Outside seating is a must during the warm summer months, although the patio floor accumulates large puddles during rain even though it is covered.

The table service was acceptable, only a 7 minute wait for the initial greetings by the waiter and once the order was placed, only a 12 minute wait for the food. The menu, which is posted online, has a wide range of choices, including vegetarian. The prices are reasonable, with the average being about $10 per person, drinks included.

The food is well seasoned making every dish a delight! The ?tofu scramble,? a deep bowl of seasoned black beans with 1-inch cubed spicy tofu, large broccoli florets, thick slices of tomato, rings of red onion and a dollop of pesto, was delicious! For a hearty tasting sandwich, try the House Roasted Beef, thick slices of beef piled high on a onion kaiser roll. Served with your choice of a side, their soup-of-the-day makes a fine addition to this tasty sandwich!

No matter what you order, you will not be disappointed.

So gather your family and friends and head downtown for a brunch at Ria's Bluebird Cafe. It is well worth the wait!

• Pros: Well seasoned breakfast/brunch
• Cons: Limited parking/Street parking. 30+ Wait time. Puddled patio. Long initial greet by table server.

04/12/08

LOVE Ria's...

by RobinH

Original menu & staff...for years now...!

I almost dread the success of this place with the yuppies and kids beginning to take over.

Long live original, freaky, quirky places such as this!

• Pros: Food, delicious & original...excellent vegitarian choices!
• Cons: children in my space...WTF?

01/02/08

Good food....HORRID SERVICE

by reviewer1964

What a shame! We have been enjoying Ria's great food for months now while overlooking the rude, incompetent service. Today, however, the straw broke the camel's back. One of her mignons (tall freak in dire need of Miss Manner's and a razor) barked at us not to wait inside the store while we were waiting for a table. Today it was cold....and while we understand having to wait outside if that is the fire code, (I am assuming that is the reason---since none was given), we could not tolerate his barking his commands at us across the crowded restaurant. He should have come over and talked to us in person. To add insult to injury, he had the audacity to tell us we could buy some coffee to keep us warm. What a moron!!! Sorry, Ria...but he lost you some regulars!!

• Pros: good food
• Cons: HORRIBLE SERVICE

10/12/07

Great spot for breakfast

by douglasvilledave

Went for breakfast on a Friday morning. The place was busy but not packed. We were greeted immediately at the door and seated. The menu is a little different than you find in most breakfast places, but had some very inventive and unusual breakfast items. The brisket breakfast on the menu reminded me that I had seen the Bluebird featured on "The Hungry Detective" on Food Network. I had to try it. It was OUTSTANDING. My wife, not as adventurous an eater as I, had the pancakes with caramelized bananas. I think I'll order that next time. The food was wonderful, the service was prompt and attentive, the waiter's blue mohawk hair cut was interesting, and the prices were reasonable. I will be back!

• Pros: Food, service
• Cons: not very big, not much parking.

09/16/07

Coolest lunch in town

by christinaatl

I highly recomend Ria's for a wonderful ly different taste! I had the tempeh rueban and it was great! The atmosphere and staff are fun and friendly. I'm going back for breakfast tomorrow!

• Pros: creative yet classic food choices