Bite Of The Day: Brisket & Burger At Bluebird Food & Spirits

While stuffing our faces with soup dumplings, ramen and more at Bashi Channel’s recent opening on Cortelyou, we had a chance to chat with one of the new restaurant’s owners, Jim Mamary, and got inspired to go check out Jim’s relatively new Bluebird Food & Spirits in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens.

Jim, who also co-owns Ox Cart Tavern, debuted Bluebird at 504 Flatbush Avenue, by Lefferts Avenue, in September, and, while we’d heard good things about it from neighbors — especially those living in the northern edges of our coverage area who can easily walk to the spot — we hadn’t yet tried the eatery that also landed praise from fellow blogger Tim Thomas at the Q at Parkside.

So, on a recent week night, when the humidity and rumblings of thunder and T-shirt clad masses seemed an ode to the unofficial beginning of summer, we walked along the edges of Prospect Park to the restaurant.

Deceptively small on the outside, Bluebird greets you with a huge lounge area once you step inside, with a pool and foosball table and seating areas that leads to the actual restaurant and bar. There’s also a good-sized outdoor eating space, where we happily sipped on a Genesee Cream Ale ($4) and Mezcal Mule ($8) while waiting for our food.

The menu is an eclectic one, ranging from Americana dishes, such as burgers, hot dogs, brisket sandwiches, and “fancy grilled cheese,” to Asian fusion meals, including shrimp and pork dumplings and a banhi mi salad.

The folks next to us told us they routinely come for the burgers and brisket, so we jumped on board the burger & brisket bandwagon. Both were good, with the cheeseburger ($11) being accompanied by potato salad and pickles and the brisket ($12) coming with coleslaw and pickles.

I would happily order the brisket again, with the sandwich being tender and incredibly flavorful, though we decided that, for $11, the cheeseburger was on the small side. Still, everything was tasty and fresh, and we can definitely imagine returning to grab a drink and meal outside during the summer months.

Plus, the restaurant is offering an after party every Friday throughout the summer for Dreamland Roller Disco goers — which means happy hour prices all night for anyone wearing a wrist band from neighbor Lola Star’s skating party at Prospect Park’s Lakeside.

Have you been to Bluebird? What did you think?

Bluebird Food & Spirits is located at 504 Flatbush Avenue, by the Prospect Park B/Q station (take the Flatbush exit, not the Lincoln Road exit). It is open Monday through Friday from 5-11pm and Saturday and Sunday from 12pm-11pm. For more information, visit its Facebook page or call 718-484-9494.