We ate lunch here, while watching Jessie on the Disney Channel on their television. We were seated immediately and waited upon quickly, although the waitress was very busy. It took some time for the food to show up, not slow, but not quick either. I ordered a french dip sandwich with no anything (normally it comes with cheese, onions and mushrooms). It was tasty but the roll was really soft and they heated the meat in the aujus, it turned some of the roll to a gooey mess that I skipped eating. The fries were good. My husband had a steak (overcooked) with baked potato which he felt was okay. The display case of desserts was a negative for wanting any that day. They have beer on tap. Crowd is extremely casual and they are quite friendly with children. Not a bad place to stop and eat.
(3)
Peter D.
Went there for breakfast and it was awesome the omelette was good and huge. The blue berry pancakes were pretty good but tasted amazing with the blue berry jam. Staff was nice and friendly. I definitely will be coming back for breakfast.
(5)
M B.
well the beet greens were to die for, the salad with local blueberry vinegarette was wonderful, Fish Chowder the way I like it NOT THICKENED!! Skip the breakfast vegie omelette, vegies were not cooked and eggs dry. OH but the side of baked beans was great. For a desert try that Rhurbarb Pie. Oh LaLa.
(3)
Paige N.
Had the buffet, it was wonderful. The bread was delicious - juicy roasted chicken with dressing and brown gravy. Almost felt like Thanksgiving! Made room for the coconut cream pie for desert....delish!
(4)
Paul M.
Been in Maine for 10 days and this is worse food had so far unless you are starving and have not eaten in couple of days do not stop here, tasteless unseasoned terrible..
(1)
Less H.
The bluebird... Standard DownEast Maine fair done adequately. Like it's counterpart Helen's don't go in expecting grandiose butt kissing service, but your food will be served with a smile. Stick with the seafood and you'll be happy, get too adventurous and you'll be disappointed.
(2)
Ines R.
This was the worst dining experience my family and I have ever had. To say the food was bad is really an understatement. All of the food tasted exactly the same, like it was all fried in the same old oil that hadn't been changed in weeks. I had the fish sandwich, which was a piece of breaded fish on a stale hamburger bun. My husband had the same thing only his was "deluxe" meaning it had a slice of cheese and a wilted piece of iceberg lettuce. Our son had the clams - the only thing that made them less rubbery was the sand and the salt. We tried hard to salvage our terrible meals by ordering dessert but that was awful too. The blueberry muffin (which was huge) was, sadly, tasteless. And the coffee tasted like coffee-flavored water. In a word, BAD. In three words, SKIP THIS PLACE. And to top it all off, my poor husband suffered a severe case of food-poisoning from the whole ordeal. And it was overpriced!!
(1)
carol a.
I'm embarassed to say that we travel up to Machias (5 hours) every year just to get their fabulous blueberry cream pie. It's only available for a few weeks a year around the blueberry harvest time because they use fresh blueberries. This pie is what I envision heaven to be like! The service is always great and you won't find fresher seafood anywhere. In additon, their batter for the fried seafood is very light. The Bluebird has true maine downhome cooking and we will keep going back year after year!
(5)
Adam B.
On the surface, this restaurant seems like a good deal for breakfast. Sadly though, I have noticed that the couple of times I have visited over the past three years the following: - The waitresses are polite, but not that friendly. - The eggs are nothing to really write home about. - One time a table I sat down at was somewhat unclean. The waffles here are worth it though. The price is fair too. Overall, it is a decent option.
(3)
Jennifer W.
Nothing to write home about (this would be a 3 elsewhere ) but one of only 2 restaurants in town so I'll give it that. It's located in the center of town and serves breakfast until 10 and offers lunch that differs every day. Off season, it's a must. On season, Helen's may be better. Your choices in Machias are limited
(4)
Hilary G.
We came here for breakfast after staying at the Blue Bird Motel and I am happy I got to experience Maine blueberries. I ordered the french toast with blueberries and freshly made cream - WOW. For $4.99, it's an amazing deal. It was delicious and the blueberries were so plentiful that I did not need syrup and the blueberries were not too sweet either. I don't think I have ever had a better french toast concoction. My parents had the Marifax breakfast (beans and toast and eggs) and the corned beef hash with eggs and enjoyed both. The corned beef hash was especially good and tasted fresh.
(4)
Jacob S.
I would have to say this is the worst food in down east Maine! Everything is cooked wrong and tastes horrible!
(1)
Joe C.
I'm not reviewing the restaurant, but instead I'm reviewing their signature salad dressing. It's called Norumbega Blueberry Vinaigrette and it can be found on store shelfs throughout Maine. The smaller general stores tend to have it. My folks always stock up and bring back several bottles when they visit Maine. Mail order is available too. Everyone I know who tries the blueberry vinaigrette falls in love with it.
(4)
Jim B.
The Blue Bird is Machias's "other" restaurant. Along with Helen's, it's one of those family-style restaurants tend to be ubiquitous in rural Maine, and where the locals congregate, as well as others just passing through. After dinner at Helen's on Friday night, we decided to mix it up and walked the two blocks from our hotel for breakfast. In fact, being that we can never walk anywhere to eat/drink/shop where we live, this was a pleasant diversion. I kept it simple; I went with the tall stack of blueberry pancakes. When in blueberry country, go for the blueberries, I say. I ordered a side of bacon, too. Miss Mary had one of her breakfast staples (when eating out and when she can get them), biscuits and gravy. This is a Southern breakfast mainstay, and you can't get them everywhere north of the Mason-Dixon. My pancakes were just, okay, which was disappointing. A bit heavier and overly dry, than my preferred, light and fluffy. The blueberries didn't add much on the flavor side, either. The maple syrup, locally-produced, helped to offset the dryness. The bacon was crisp, just the way I like it. My wife's biscuits and gravy were "really good," she said. I tried a forkful and I'd agree. The gravy had the solid consistency you want, and the biscuits had a flaky quality that all good biscuits must have, especially topped with gravy. The pork (?) sausage added a nice flavor and the gravy was perfectly seasoned. I'm guessing the Blue Bird uses New England brand coffee, fairly common in many Maine restaurants; nothing special or particularly robust, but our waitress made sure our mugs stayed topped off, so no complaints. Because we were full after breakfast, we steered clear of the 10,000 calorie display case with its pies and other decadent offerings, definitely off-limits to anyone conscious of staying within their calorie limits. The desserts sure looked great from a distance. The Blue Bird is what it is; a classic Maine family-style restaurant. Nothing fancy, but they're solid in what they put out for food and the prices are reasonable.
(3)
Robert G.
Have had many meals at the Bluebird over the years, with the most recent being breakfast earlier this summer. Also five of us stopped in Tuesday afternoon, Sept 9, for desert. The mud flat pie, both chocolate and lemon, were "so, so" as was the strawberry rhubarb pie. The coconut cream pie was better, but a little dry (not creamy enough). This rating represents an average for our most recent visits.
(2)
David H.
Great breakfast and dinner house. Sunday brunch to die for..Always quality food, and good service. Now that Helen's across street was destroyed by fire, Blue bird will be extra busy,
(4)
Don K.
We stopped for breakfast on our way back home and it was quite good. Had eggs with corned beef hash and the anadama bread. They make their own bread. The rest of the family seemed to like what they ordered too. If you're in the area and in need of a meal I'd recommend this place.
(4)
Mark P.
Had a great lunch of blueberry muffin (of course!) and chef salad. It was very good. Pleasant vibe and good service too.
(4)
Anastasia R.
The Blue Bird Ranch in Machias, ME is one of only 2 American fare restaurants in this town of 2500, so even if it is bad, the local population keeps coming back here out of a sheer need for variety. Machias does have fantastic locally caught seafood so this is the route I went. My father, mother, the gf and I sat down and were greeted quickly by our waitress. She was wonderful. Dad and I got some steamed clams to split which were fine but a little gritty. The gf got some pretty sub par Chicken Alfredo, Mom got a fried haddock burger which looked fine, and Dad (the person who lives in Machias) didn't order dinner, which should have been a tip. I ordered the fisherman's platter of shrimp and scallops sauteed in garlic butter with sweet potato fries. It came out fried, and the waitress was very nice about correcting my order. However when the dish came, the seafood was not so much sauteed as boiled in butter, with lots of thyme, and served in a bowl of butter and oil like cereal. I think this can only be attributed to a complete misinterpretation of the word "sautee," and a stunningly bizarre alternative to using a dictionary. My experience was not an isolated one. Interestingly the next morning my grandmother told me she's boycotting the Ranch and everything it stands for.
(2)
Gerald D.
We were very happy with a mid week dinner here. The last time we were here we found Helens (accross the street) to have lost it's luster, so this time we tried the Blue Bird. We both chose off the specials menu and found very good value and flavor. The fried fish special was haddock and was properly cooked and spiced, the smothered pot roast was very good, much better than expected. Our server was extra special, friendly and knowledgable. You normally don't expect much as Machias is very far removed from anyplace else. I will come back to see if they can keep up the great work.
(4)
L P.
We've been to the Blue Bird Ranch twice, once for lunch and once for breakfast. In both cases, the food exceeded expectations, and the service was solid. For the lunch, there were five of us, and everyone was very pleased with their choices. The vegetable wrap was exceptional! We will not hesitate to go back!
(5)
Katie J.
Love the BLT's. Very busy local place. Tons of seating and great homemade cookies.
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert Parking : Private Lot Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Sheri Fresonke H.
We ate lunch here, while watching Jessie on the Disney Channel on their television. We were seated immediately and waited upon quickly, although the waitress was very busy. It took some time for the food to show up, not slow, but not quick either. I ordered a french dip sandwich with no anything (normally it comes with cheese, onions and mushrooms). It was tasty but the roll was really soft and they heated the meat in the aujus, it turned some of the roll to a gooey mess that I skipped eating. The fries were good. My husband had a steak (overcooked) with baked potato which he felt was okay. The display case of desserts was a negative for wanting any that day. They have beer on tap. Crowd is extremely casual and they are quite friendly with children. Not a bad place to stop and eat.
(3)Peter D.
Went there for breakfast and it was awesome the omelette was good and huge. The blue berry pancakes were pretty good but tasted amazing with the blue berry jam. Staff was nice and friendly. I definitely will be coming back for breakfast.
(5)M B.
well the beet greens were to die for, the salad with local blueberry vinegarette was wonderful, Fish Chowder the way I like it NOT THICKENED!! Skip the breakfast vegie omelette, vegies were not cooked and eggs dry. OH but the side of baked beans was great. For a desert try that Rhurbarb Pie. Oh LaLa.
(3)Paige N.
Had the buffet, it was wonderful. The bread was delicious - juicy roasted chicken with dressing and brown gravy. Almost felt like Thanksgiving! Made room for the coconut cream pie for desert....delish!
(4)Paul M.
Been in Maine for 10 days and this is worse food had so far unless you are starving and have not eaten in couple of days do not stop here, tasteless unseasoned terrible..
(1)Less H.
The bluebird... Standard DownEast Maine fair done adequately. Like it's counterpart Helen's don't go in expecting grandiose butt kissing service, but your food will be served with a smile. Stick with the seafood and you'll be happy, get too adventurous and you'll be disappointed.
(2)Ines R.
This was the worst dining experience my family and I have ever had. To say the food was bad is really an understatement. All of the food tasted exactly the same, like it was all fried in the same old oil that hadn't been changed in weeks. I had the fish sandwich, which was a piece of breaded fish on a stale hamburger bun. My husband had the same thing only his was "deluxe" meaning it had a slice of cheese and a wilted piece of iceberg lettuce. Our son had the clams - the only thing that made them less rubbery was the sand and the salt. We tried hard to salvage our terrible meals by ordering dessert but that was awful too. The blueberry muffin (which was huge) was, sadly, tasteless. And the coffee tasted like coffee-flavored water. In a word, BAD. In three words, SKIP THIS PLACE. And to top it all off, my poor husband suffered a severe case of food-poisoning from the whole ordeal. And it was overpriced!!
(1)carol a.
I'm embarassed to say that we travel up to Machias (5 hours) every year just to get their fabulous blueberry cream pie. It's only available for a few weeks a year around the blueberry harvest time because they use fresh blueberries. This pie is what I envision heaven to be like! The service is always great and you won't find fresher seafood anywhere. In additon, their batter for the fried seafood is very light. The Bluebird has true maine downhome cooking and we will keep going back year after year!
(5)Adam B.
On the surface, this restaurant seems like a good deal for breakfast. Sadly though, I have noticed that the couple of times I have visited over the past three years the following: - The waitresses are polite, but not that friendly. - The eggs are nothing to really write home about. - One time a table I sat down at was somewhat unclean. The waffles here are worth it though. The price is fair too. Overall, it is a decent option.
(3)Jennifer W.
Nothing to write home about (this would be a 3 elsewhere ) but one of only 2 restaurants in town so I'll give it that. It's located in the center of town and serves breakfast until 10 and offers lunch that differs every day. Off season, it's a must. On season, Helen's may be better. Your choices in Machias are limited
(4)Hilary G.
We came here for breakfast after staying at the Blue Bird Motel and I am happy I got to experience Maine blueberries. I ordered the french toast with blueberries and freshly made cream - WOW. For $4.99, it's an amazing deal. It was delicious and the blueberries were so plentiful that I did not need syrup and the blueberries were not too sweet either. I don't think I have ever had a better french toast concoction. My parents had the Marifax breakfast (beans and toast and eggs) and the corned beef hash with eggs and enjoyed both. The corned beef hash was especially good and tasted fresh.
(4)Jacob S.
I would have to say this is the worst food in down east Maine! Everything is cooked wrong and tastes horrible!
(1)Joe C.
I'm not reviewing the restaurant, but instead I'm reviewing their signature salad dressing. It's called Norumbega Blueberry Vinaigrette and it can be found on store shelfs throughout Maine. The smaller general stores tend to have it. My folks always stock up and bring back several bottles when they visit Maine. Mail order is available too. Everyone I know who tries the blueberry vinaigrette falls in love with it.
(4)Jim B.
The Blue Bird is Machias's "other" restaurant. Along with Helen's, it's one of those family-style restaurants tend to be ubiquitous in rural Maine, and where the locals congregate, as well as others just passing through. After dinner at Helen's on Friday night, we decided to mix it up and walked the two blocks from our hotel for breakfast. In fact, being that we can never walk anywhere to eat/drink/shop where we live, this was a pleasant diversion. I kept it simple; I went with the tall stack of blueberry pancakes. When in blueberry country, go for the blueberries, I say. I ordered a side of bacon, too. Miss Mary had one of her breakfast staples (when eating out and when she can get them), biscuits and gravy. This is a Southern breakfast mainstay, and you can't get them everywhere north of the Mason-Dixon. My pancakes were just, okay, which was disappointing. A bit heavier and overly dry, than my preferred, light and fluffy. The blueberries didn't add much on the flavor side, either. The maple syrup, locally-produced, helped to offset the dryness. The bacon was crisp, just the way I like it. My wife's biscuits and gravy were "really good," she said. I tried a forkful and I'd agree. The gravy had the solid consistency you want, and the biscuits had a flaky quality that all good biscuits must have, especially topped with gravy. The pork (?) sausage added a nice flavor and the gravy was perfectly seasoned. I'm guessing the Blue Bird uses New England brand coffee, fairly common in many Maine restaurants; nothing special or particularly robust, but our waitress made sure our mugs stayed topped off, so no complaints. Because we were full after breakfast, we steered clear of the 10,000 calorie display case with its pies and other decadent offerings, definitely off-limits to anyone conscious of staying within their calorie limits. The desserts sure looked great from a distance. The Blue Bird is what it is; a classic Maine family-style restaurant. Nothing fancy, but they're solid in what they put out for food and the prices are reasonable.
(3)Robert G.
Have had many meals at the Bluebird over the years, with the most recent being breakfast earlier this summer. Also five of us stopped in Tuesday afternoon, Sept 9, for desert. The mud flat pie, both chocolate and lemon, were "so, so" as was the strawberry rhubarb pie. The coconut cream pie was better, but a little dry (not creamy enough). This rating represents an average for our most recent visits.
(2)David H.
Great breakfast and dinner house. Sunday brunch to die for..Always quality food, and good service. Now that Helen's across street was destroyed by fire, Blue bird will be extra busy,
(4)Don K.
We stopped for breakfast on our way back home and it was quite good. Had eggs with corned beef hash and the anadama bread. They make their own bread. The rest of the family seemed to like what they ordered too. If you're in the area and in need of a meal I'd recommend this place.
(4)Mark P.
Had a great lunch of blueberry muffin (of course!) and chef salad. It was very good. Pleasant vibe and good service too.
(4)Anastasia R.
The Blue Bird Ranch in Machias, ME is one of only 2 American fare restaurants in this town of 2500, so even if it is bad, the local population keeps coming back here out of a sheer need for variety. Machias does have fantastic locally caught seafood so this is the route I went. My father, mother, the gf and I sat down and were greeted quickly by our waitress. She was wonderful. Dad and I got some steamed clams to split which were fine but a little gritty. The gf got some pretty sub par Chicken Alfredo, Mom got a fried haddock burger which looked fine, and Dad (the person who lives in Machias) didn't order dinner, which should have been a tip. I ordered the fisherman's platter of shrimp and scallops sauteed in garlic butter with sweet potato fries. It came out fried, and the waitress was very nice about correcting my order. However when the dish came, the seafood was not so much sauteed as boiled in butter, with lots of thyme, and served in a bowl of butter and oil like cereal. I think this can only be attributed to a complete misinterpretation of the word "sautee," and a stunningly bizarre alternative to using a dictionary. My experience was not an isolated one. Interestingly the next morning my grandmother told me she's boycotting the Ranch and everything it stands for.
(2)Gerald D.
We were very happy with a mid week dinner here. The last time we were here we found Helens (accross the street) to have lost it's luster, so this time we tried the Blue Bird. We both chose off the specials menu and found very good value and flavor. The fried fish special was haddock and was properly cooked and spiced, the smothered pot roast was very good, much better than expected. Our server was extra special, friendly and knowledgable. You normally don't expect much as Machias is very far removed from anyplace else. I will come back to see if they can keep up the great work.
(4)L P.
We've been to the Blue Bird Ranch twice, once for lunch and once for breakfast. In both cases, the food exceeded expectations, and the service was solid. For the lunch, there were five of us, and everyone was very pleased with their choices. The vegetable wrap was exceptional! We will not hesitate to go back!
(5)Katie J.
Love the BLT's. Very busy local place. Tons of seating and great homemade cookies.
(4)