Came here for lunch with my family and love the interior. Food is great. I enjoyed the seafood platter and the potato cubes read more

See all

What an impressive place. It's nice to see that the Nielson tower, a piece of history has been transformed to a nice dining restaurant. My relatives here in the Philippines treated my husband & I to a sumptuous Sunday lunch here. For starters we a bottle of cab sav with the prawn scotch eggs. I had the Thai Chicken Curry noodle soup. My husband had the Blackbird burger. For dessert we truly enjoyed their sundaes, burnt butter and banofee. Such an enjoyable Sunday lunch at this place. read more

Blackbird - Modern European Near Me - Makati, NCR

See all

Beautiful ambiance, exceptional service and great food!!! I throughly enjoyed this first time experience and look forward to many more!

Amazing dining experience! We were seated outdoors and fans were turned on so it was very pleasant. Drinks and food were beyond amazing. One of the top 2 meals my group had while in Manila. read more

See all

Review is long overdue. Dined in this place 2x already and both times were pleasant. Location is at the heart of Makati, offers both indoor and outdoor dining experience. I loved that it is so airy, all natural light flowing through glass doors and windows like you're in a French villa. The outdoor dining is not distinguishable from indoors as it is breezy and not at all uncomfortable. Food is flavorful and delectable. Price is as expected when you're dining here. Service is gracious. read more

We had numerous appetizers, which is one of the reasons why I ordered a small dish. I usually order a small dish because I save room for dessert. I have to admit that every time I go to this restaurant, I look forward to having my Burnt Butter Sundae dessert, which I usually split with someone. Unfortunately, I have no idea as to what appetizers my cousin ordered. I just know that I enjoyed most of the appetizers that were served. I chose to have the Twice-Baked Gruyere and Spinach Souffle. My husband ordered the Tiger Prawns with kombu butter, sautéed spinach, and nori rice. I enjoyed my dish, but I should have ordered the same dish as my husband. It wasn't as big as I thought it would be. The others savored their steaks. read more

See all

Often, during my travels in the United States or overseas, I've been asked what is the best restaurant in the city that I am in? I think I have found one for Manila in the Philippines. Blackbird if not the best, is amongst the best restaurants in Manila. Blackbird is an Asian fusion and modern European restaurant. Its menu is diverse with and enticing list of dishes. Problem here is which ones do you choose? We visited for lunch and started with the beet salad, then the quail scotch eggs, followed by the lamb kofta balls. The main dish was Kerala fish curry. How was the food? The beet salad had nice color, and a very fresh taste. The scotch eggs were made with shrimp, something unique, and arrived at the table with an enticing presentation on betel leaves, with coconut chili sambal. They were delicious. The lamb kofta was moist superb flavor, a good charred taste and appearance, and melted in your mouth. The Kerala fish curry was made with a meaty white fish, in a silky yellow coconut curry. This dish came with papadum, green chutney, mango chutney, and basmati rice. Another popular hit on their menu. So is the food alone enough to make a restaurant five stars? I would say no. During review, we have to count the ambience, the service, the table settings, and the background music. In all these departments blackbird deserves five stars. They provided fresh plates and cutlery for every dish that arrived at our table, a rare table service, but a gesture that elevates the dining encounter to another level. The music was an eclectic mix of jazz and European. The whole experience at Blackbird was exhilarating and a culinary treat to the taste buds and all the human gastronomic senses. read more

See all

Amazing! This property is charming and full of history. Whether u sit at the bar, the patio or the main dining room, its all good. The place is exceptionally clean and welcoming. The staff is very attentive and polite. Now the food, yummy! I recommend the starters, try them all. Im not a huge fan of the entrees but the small plates are where its at! A must end to this experience is the affogato! Every time Im in Makati, its a must visit. read more

See all

Fantastic spot. The lamb shank was one of the best meals I have had in Manila. Highly recommend stopping by even if you are just grabbing drinks or ice cream at the bar/lounge area. read more

The service is dreadful but the restaurant is beautiful and the food was very good We had the short ribs (ok), the squash blossoms (ok), the duck bao (excellent) and the fish curry (fantastic) I had to wave my arms as if I was actually trying to guide the airplane in before anyone would come over and wait on us. This continued the entire meal. I got a real workout. It was terrible. Shame on them. Our first night in Manila staying at the peninsula hotel. we flew in from Bohol read more

Blackbird - Fish curry - Modern European Near Me - Makati, NCR

See all

Gorgeous restaurant in a restored building in the heart of Makati CBD. I've always seen this place on social media and have been curious as to why it is so popular. As you enter, you'll see the bar on your right and a seating area on the left. The vibe is airy and sophisticated yet warm and inviting. Once you enter the dining area, you'll see their iconic table with a huge flower arrangement that showcases and complements the high ceilings and exposed beams. Love the natural light filtering through the restaurant when we had lunch at Blackbird. I've heard mixed reviews about their food and honestly, I agree that their food is gorgeous and photogenic but a bit overpriced and taste is so so. Dessert was mixed reviews too -- their sticky toffee pudding seems to be reheated in the microwave as it was a bit dry and lackluster. The baked alaska was wonderful though and I enjoyed that over the sticky toffee. Service was great and they were very personable. Overall, I'm just glad that I've finally tried Blackbird just so that I can tick it off my list. read more

Blackbird - Tuna - Modern European Near Me - Makati, NCR

See all

We had a great time dining here. Reservations was smooth and organized, the host was amazing. Serving staff was friendly, attentive and gave tips about the food. The restaurant is beautiful in a minimalist way. Definitely a nice go to for special occasions or definitely for that nice, fancy date night :) will definitely visit again. Good portions are great for sharing. Drinks are flavorful- not strong. If bartender can find the middle point it'll be all Perfect! read more

See all

I didn't realize that on a Thursday my party of three didn't have a reservation. Only thing available was outdoors in 90 degree heat. No thanks. But fine, we bad. But when I tried to sit in the reception area while waiting for the other two, they told me I couldn't. I've had coffee there once before and it was fine. But never again. The snoot level was at eleven. read more

This is one of the more luxurious restaurants I've seen and been to in Makati City are of Manila Metro. It sits in a park like area off the busy Makati Boulevard. It's inside a small building, not sure of the history but looks cool. I recommend making reservations, as this place gets busy vey quick. We made reservations and had to change them to a later time by an hour and only had outdoor seating available. TIP, it gets very warm in Manila, if you're not used to the heat, indoors would be for you. Even well into the night, it was still warm and balmy outdoors. As for the food. I ordered the salmon dish and a burrata plate. I was in a party of 3 and my two friend also ordered a burrata plate to share and two mains each. The burrata side came out first, which appeared nice, small amount and finished it quite quickly. I am glad I had one to my own, to share with more than two is not enough. My salmon came out and the portions were small. I was very glad I had the burrata plate prior to my main dish, as I was very hungry. I feel the portions are small and not filling. Granted the value was very good considering we had appetisers, main dish and wine/alcohol drinks. It wasn't expensive for us Americans, not sure how the prices would compare to local economy, so I can't say if this place is cheap or expensive. What I can tell you, for USA dollar, this place was extremely cheap. The ambiance was great, clean, nice, pleasant experience. There is a small parking lot nearby and a larger one down the block. Both lots appeared to be paid parking. Overall, it's a good experience, good food, but not in quantity. read more

Blackbird - Menu - Modern European Near Me - Makati, NCR

Excellent dinner , three 3 generations all satisfied. Great service, chilled wine didn't stop coming, loved all the appetizers and every entree was beautifully presented. read more

See all

Great atmosphere both inside and outside dining area. Such a good variety of offerings on their menu. Service is exactly what I am accustomed to, coming from Las Vegas, NV. It was so good that I went back a second time. The only hiccup was the service experience the second night. I think they forgot about us when we were seated outside. I did speak with an assistant manager to bring it to his attention, which he rectified. Will definitely go there again. read more

See all

food - 100/10 service - 100/10 ambiance 100/10 classy and perfect for every day and night.. the food taste and quality are always great. Satisfying. The staff was incredibly welcoming and helpful. I would definitely come back! the food was delicious and I really enjoyed the atmosphere. i was so admire and so happy, the ambiance was so great. read more

Blackbird - best birthday celebration ever.. memorable moments - Modern European Near Me - Makati, NCR

Great and quick service. Love the ambiance. Food portions and quality very good . Must make reservations! read more

See all

Place is beautiful! You can do either indoor or outdoor dining, just make sure you call ahead and reserve a spot because they get booked a lot during weekends. Ordered lots of food here and the best would probably be the tuna poké. You should try the mushroom cappuccino soup and the pumpkin soup; they're both cooked and warmed perfectly. As for the main, I ordered their special for the day which is the sirloin steak. It was just okay for me though, seasoned good but not perfect. Overall, I had a really good experience here. read more

Blackbird - Modern European Near Me - Makati, NCR

What a lovely dinner and evening we had at Blackbird. Definitely the best restaurant in Manila by far, in terms of both quality of the food, the service, and the location; you can comfortably eat outside surrounded by beautiful frangipanis. Everything we tried was delicious; the mushroom, pecorino and truffle arancini and the homemade board with red pesto make for a great appetizer to share, and would recommend getting the comté, cheddar and leek soufflé, served with a delicious pear and mustard salad. read more

Amazing food here. Make reservations beforehand. A great selection of food and the portions are just right. Great place for a date or family celebration. Plan ahead because it can be very traffic and difficult to get here. read more

Opened the year with a dinner in Blackbird. It is commonly categorized a date night spot with its romantic and elegant setting. The aviation theme is derived from Nielson Tower as it used to be the Manila International Air Terminal during the early days. They serve a top-notch menu combining asian and european food. Service is also apt that you actually get what you pay for. We went for pizza, pasta, steak, desserts and it exceeded my expectations. read more

See all

Just an awful experience and certainly not worth the money. Some of the worst service I have ever experienced. Let's start with the good: The cocktails are well done. Also, the mushroom soup and prawn scotch egg were quite good. The entrees, however, were just awful. I ordered the prawns. You only get three. They were fresh but overcooked and not seasoned well. The only thing the entree was served with was dry, flavorless roti bread. I'm not sure who thought dry roti bread with shrimp would be a winning combination? For desert, we got the tipsy pineapple cake. It was so sweet and caked with sugar. You could feel the grit of the sugar granuals on your teeth and I felt like I was on the verge of getting diabetes. It was not pleasant at all. The service was the worst part of the experience. Our server was not attentive at all. He didn't check on us at any point to ask us whether we liked our food. He didn't seem to care. The food came out way too fast and it was clear that he just wanted us to eat and leave. I will never go here again and I certainly don't recommend it. read more

I enjoyed this place! Did a bit of online research to see what restaurants were worth going to and found this gem. From beginning to end every bite was delicious. From the smoked mackerel spread and pork skins, deconstructed lasagna, dry rubbed wagyu, and the very yummy warm butter rolls with sugar Crystal's paired with a pineapple ice cream. My goodness! Haven't had a meal that satisfying and memorable in a very long time. We found out the chef is originally from Scotland and his menu seems to be flavors from everything he's enjoyed put into one harmonious experience. This restaurant is on a bit of the higher end as far as Manila goes, but it really is moderate if you compare to U.S. pricing for that type of dining. Came out to about $90 with 3-4 alcoholic beverages. Frikkin yummmerz! read more

See all

The bloody Mary's were really good. The breakfast on a bun was amazing, the sausage was really well seasoned without making the sandwich too greasy or salty like most breakfast sandwiches. my crab omelette was just okay. read more

See all

The place has been designed really well and makes much use of sunlight in the day while being able to offer an intimate ambience with its lighting in the twilight. This review is only for the lunch menu however. I loved the date based dessert with ice cream the most. I liked the sausages with poached egg (exquisite sundried tomatoes) and do take their advice to add crispy bacon, the nasi goreng was great not too rich and offering a refreshing iteration. The lamb rendang and salmon cake were good too. Their selection of coolers were also a delight. read more

See all

Some people call it "the best thing in the world". Let's cut to the chase though: I didn't find it terrible although there was nothing remarkable about it either. The servers hovered around us while we chose our food which made us feel a little uncomfortable. I get that they're just trying to be attentive and all. By maybe I just don't like being stared at when I'm reading something? I got the Australian tenderloin, medium rare. It's really just a slab of meat and some veggies. No I didn't eat the veggies lol. If you want to stray from the usual meat you eat, you can try their deli stuff: venison, ostrich, lamb. I wanted to try the ostrich meat but it was way beyond my budget at the time. All in all, I think you're merely buying the ambience. If you're eating outside at least. Maybe I'd appreciate it more if I'm inside eating something I haven't tried before. Maybe ostrich meat, to get back that pesky ostrich that chased me during our field trip back in grade school. Oh crap that's too evil. read more

See all

The restaurant for Ambassadors and diplomats. Delicious food and great wine in a cosy atmosphere. But be ready to pay the price.

Went to an evening corporate function. Relaxing, albeit not stunning, ambience and décor. The food - which includes several standard offerings - is OK, nothing too innovative or memorable. Service is friendly and professional. Would I go there for a private meal? Probably not. read more

Blackbird - Modern European Near Me - Makati, NCR

See all

Having dined at two of their sister restaurants, people's palace (one of the Thai restaurants in makati) and sala (American bar and grill style restaurant), we knew that we won't be disappointed in food, the ambiance is great and is in one of the historic buildings of makati , an old air traffic control tower turned in to library and now a restaurant. If weather permits choose patio seating, that's one of the best options. Most of the clients are entertaining business guests but some are also enjoying romantic dates, this place would skew more towards business entertainment. I would recommend drinks from the bar, plenty of mock-tails and juice options along with alcoholic drinks. I chose mint lassi, nicely made flavorful drink. enjoy bar scene before moving on to dining area. They do serve selected dishes from every Asian cuisine, Filipino, Thai , Indian and Vietnamese Pho. You can feel at home no matter which Asian country you may call home. The service is great and food quality is good. Will certainly choose this spot for business dining. read more

See all

Great food, service, atmosphere - diamond in the rough. Highly recommend. Make reservations.

I'd say the best contemporary cuisine (western food) I've had in manila in a long time. Each and every dish was done spot on. Ambiance is great with a cozy outdoor seating, and service was way beyond amazing. The wait staff was very helpful in guiding us through their menu, and attentive to our special needs (we were with our mom who needed to eat immediately and she was quickly offered soup without us asking for a rush service, warm water for her medicine, a seat bolster for her back). Also, I was surprised they served Portuguese Verde vinho, a rare find in the city. Is it worth the price? Yes! I'll definitely suggest saving up for a dinner here. read more

Let's start with the good things. Ambience. Let's move on to the bad things. I'm kidding. I've heard mixed reviews about Blackbird. Some say it's the most amazing thing ever - that they serve venison (Oh my!). It's good for the people who can't eat beef. On the other hand, there are those who have been underwhelmed by the food and overwhelmed by the price tag. Like me. One popular food blogger recommended Blackbird's burger as a must try. Really? No. It didn't taste like anything special. The beef itself wasn't particularly tasty. The bread wasn't particular crispy. The cheese didn't really stand out. I also read about how Blackbird's desserts are the best! So I asked about their dessert selection. The waiter informed me that their specialty was Baked Alaska which was basically ice cream and cake with brown meringue. I was not impressed at all. Good to impress a date. Bring cash or make sure you have a lot of credit. $$$ read more

A lot of people don't know, but this beautiful house almost inside Ayala Triangle Gardens used to be a public library before becoming a fancy restaurant called Blackbird. And only a few people know the place used to be an air traffic control tower before being a library. Actually it was a long long time ago, when this region used to be one of the runways of the old airport. If you take a look carefully, you'll see it's still written "Manila Airport" at the main tower :) Since I love places that are full of history - and stories! - Blackbird became an instant must-try. I also got curious because of the name. It makes me sing the Beatles song (one of my favorite ever) every time I walk around. So there's history and there's music. And there's an elegant ambience. Wow. I NEEDED to try the food. That's the disappointing part. It's not that the food isn't good. It is. But it's not as amazing as the place induces you to think. I've tried the Spiced Grilled Chicken and it was tasty. It's served with yellow dahl, brinjal, basmati and mango chutney. Indian food is the inspiration. Good, but not extraordinary. The same about the Blackbird Burger. My husband ordered it and it was pretty average. Considering my experience, I suggest going there to have a wine and chill out - the setlist they play is just amazing, with lots of Brazilian Bossa Nova songs! Having a seat outside is pleasant too, if you prefer a more relaxed vibe. read more

I've only been to Blackbird about four or five times since it opened. I would like to say that it was always stellar, but I thought it was ok. The place itself is very nice. The interiors are wide, well-lit, and well ventilated. Tables are well spaced apart, so it's a good place to go for formal lunches or dinners. The food while good, did not strike me as particularly memorable. Don't get me wrong, the quality is there, but given that there is so much delicious AND innovative food around Makati, Blackbird falls a little short. For the prices that they charge, I was expecting a little more. On the other hand, I do like the ambience of both the indoor and outdoor seating areas. The outdoor area is especially nice at night, because it is wide and open, and it feels like a nice little retreat in the busier part of Makati. Only hoping that the food catches up to the atmosphere. read more

I came here expecting good things but ended up spending a lot of money for mediocre food. There was one dish that stood out though which was an appetizer - scallops I think. Anyway I had the hamburger as my main dish which wasn't terrible but nothing great at all. You'd expect a fancy place like this to at least have a decent burger but it wasn't. I tried about four other dishes from the other people at my table and they were quite forgettable. I would give this place two stars but the ambience and decor is nice and some people might care about that more than the food. The location is great too. I had lunch in the indoor area but I might come back for a drink in outside area which looked really inviting. On my way out I noticed that they had a well-stocked bar. read more

This is an elegant little spot in Makati where the old airport used to be. They pay tribute to that fact with much of their decor. We came here to meet a friend and have drinks. They have quite a few cute looking cocktails, and even better, if you don't feel like alcohol, they have a lot of non-alcoholic options. If you don't like what you see, you can talk to your server about what you'd like in a drink, and they'll prepare a cocktail just for you! My only problem with the place is how cold they keep the temperature. There is no reason I should be shivering even tho I am already wearing a shawl that covers my shoulders and arms! read more

I've been here thrice. One on a friend's event, second for lunch and third-dinner with friends. I must say, they do great for events, simple and elegant, the interiors are well done. I was supposed to give this a five star rating, but throughout the times I've been here, I found the food to deteriorate bit by bit. I don't know if it's with the ingredients or with the chef, it wasn't the same wow factor I had when I had their food. I still particularly love the burnt butter ice cream, it's good with their coffee (which is also amazing). I'm just having a little problem with their meat, especially the wagyu which I've been eating ever since, it's not as amazing as it used to be. Maybe steak is just really hard to perfect. Oh, you must also definitely try their scotch eggs, I tried eating it with and without the mint leaves but I personally like it without the leaves. I would honestly say, check out the menu and visit. It's a great great place to bring friends especially if they're visiting from out of town. The place itself is a point of discussion, and the aura and location will give you a stellar evening. Have some wine, cheese and bread platter. Their menu is exciting as always. It's price is competitive compared to the hotel restaurants around the area. read more

A must when in Manila. The food was elegant and delicious. The staff was friendly and accommodating. I was asking questions about the building and that turned into a full tour of the tower and grounds. A real piece of history you can enjoy. I am a lamb lover and the menu did not disappoint. The pumpkin mascarpone pasta was perfectly cooked and a real treat for the taste buds. The desert cocktail menu was the perfect ending to an amazing meal. read more

Don't be deceived by fancy restaurants - not all fancy places have superb food. It pays a lot to read reviews. Read online from normal people. Don't fall for that trap where in you go to a restaurant because your favourite celebrity loves it there. You might not know this but some reviews are paid. They will leave a good note about the restaurant because maybe they're friends with the owner. So yes, reviews sometimes can be fake. Just be careful. Now for Blackbird - I actually read a lot of good reviews online. A lot were saying that they had a great time here with the food and ambiance. The reviews even convinced my dad to try it with the family. My verdict: big disappointed. Not only did I experience bad service (waiters gave us 3 wrong dishes), the waiters kept spilling on our table. Out of all the things we tried here the only dish I liked was the appetizer which was the Prawn Scotch Eggs, Betel Leaves, Coconut Chili Sambal. That says a lot to doubt this restaurant right! read more

See all