The scratch food, exceptional service and extensive offerings of beer, wine and spirits are better than they’ve ever been at The Blackbird Tavern + Kitchen.
For the past three years, residents and visitors alike have had the privilege to dine and imbibe at The Blackbird on the restored first floor of the historic Broadview Dairy building, adjacent to the Spokane River, in Downtown Spokane. Opened by owners Patrick McPherson and Denise Hanson in the summer of 2015, this 4 Star Certified Green Restaurant has been attracting friends, family and travelers to gather for the fresh, locally minded food and fun.
In 2018, The Blackbird has reinvented their atmosphere and cuisine to offer Spokane a truly traditional taste of the South.
The new menu offers traditional southern smokehouse barbecue (including brisket, pork, jackfruit, hot links, spare ribs, chicken and more), and wood-fired smokers start smoking at midnight each. Serving up traditional Southern barbeque with a few twists, The Blackbird has the freshest wood-fired fare in Spokane. Their newly crafted cocktails are prepared to pair with the smoky plates, adding to their already comprehensive spread of beers (33 on tap), kombucha on tap, wines (four on tap) and spirits. Guests will enjoy the wood-fired Southern cuisine and libations in this casual, fun restaurant.
The new restaurant concept has been a learning curve for both the Blackbird staff and their customers. “Spokane isn’t accustomed to barbecue like other parts of the country. Many people are also used to sauce-slathered meats at barbecue restaurants around here,” says Patrick. “Putting sauce on your meats allows you to hide inferior products such as poorly smoked, dry or meats from the previous day.” At The Blackbird, meats are made daily, and when they run out, they’re out. Patrick believes strongly that a barbecue joint should only make what they believe they can sell that day.
The menu is smokin’ at The Blackbird, from their specialty sandwiches and tacos (choose from brisket, hot links, pulled jackfruit, pulled pork and chicken) to the brisket chili, filthy fries (pulled pork, smoked cheddar, cheese sauce and roasted garlic), smoked and fried wings and corn dogs (house-battered chorizo sausage, smoked paprika ketchup and honey).
Patrick, who is a certified cicerone and publican, is in charge of the cellar as well as writing the beer menus at The Blackbird. Beers are cellared on site as well as an off-site temperature-controlled cellar.
“Our knowledgeable staff and our beer selection certainly sets The Blackbird apart. We require all of our servers and bartenders to be Cicerone ®Certified Beer Servers,” says Patrick.
The Blackbird is also proud of their cocktail program. “We make a bunch of in-house infusions, which allows us to make our own unique cocktails such as our mezcal old fashioned,” says Patrick. They also serve many classic cocktails that pair well with barbecue such as their mint julep.
“We're most proud of the fact that we try to not cut corners, whether it's with food or beer. Integrity is paramount to everything we do.”
What are you waiting for? Head to The Blackbird Tavern + Kitchen for the best food—and drinks—in town.
The Blackbird Tavern + Kitchen
Downtown Spokane, Washington
905 N. Washington St.
509.381.2473