I have been interested in BLACKBARN for while, and when we walk by during peak hours, it was always looked full and busy. A good sign of good food. So, when my family was here during the late summer of 2022, I decided to take them there for lunch. We had successful lunch/brunch at spots like Hotel Chantelle and Dowling’s at The Carlyle, we were hoping for another hit with the family. We went during the weekday, and we were one of the first customers to arrive after they just opened for the day. The inside was big, spacious, and had a nice large bar, fully stocked.

But then, you walk through their wide hallway, and there is even more space in the back! I really like the look in the back room, it has the “barn” feel to it with the wooden beams and such.

They also had semi-private rooms back there, and a wine/liquor room. Great for parties or meetings of different sizes.

We were seated at the front part of the dining room, nice and bright with the natural light coming in from large windows. We decided to get some drinks, and one in particular caught my eye: Porch Tea ($17), made with Rocky’s Liqueur, Vodka Jasmine Tea, Lemon, Rosé, topped with Tonic, served over Homemade Seasonal Fruit Sorbet. It sounded so good, a couple others ordered the same thing. It was the biggest hit! This sure is a perfect drink on a hot day, but I can have it all-year round… Super refreshing, sweet, and very flavorful!

For food, we got Seared Branzino Filet ($28) with braised endive, charred bell peppers. The portion was much smaller than expected, but very tasty with crispy skin and flaky fish. The other one of us ordered Chili Dusted Swordfish Tacos ($24) with corn tortilla, chili, tomato, mango, avocado, and cilantro. It came with a side that is similar to Elote Corn. It was healthy, fresh, and very satisfying dish.

Two of us went with Chicken Milanese Sandwich ($21), with fresh tomato, mozzarella, pesto mayo, arugula, cheese brioche, and chipotle chips. It was a nice big size, with soft brioche bread, and very flavorful pesto mayo. Very filling yet too irresistible not to finish the whole thing! Very fresh veggies, and mozzarella was pretty darn good too. The chips were super crisp and addictive!

I went with one of my (many) loves, burger… The BLACKBARN Burger ($29) with BBQ sauce, pork belly, aged cheddar, jalapeño, and parmesan fries. The fries were soooo good, soft and potato-y, with ample amount of parmesan flavor.

The burger was a substantial portion, with a thick slab of pork belly on top of the burger patty. It was very meaty to say the least, packed with flavor, and the BBQ sauce went great with it. Really tasty and filling.

After the tasty meal, we decided to have a dessert to share. We each ordered a Cappuccino ($6), and chose Rum Butterscotch Bread Pudding ($12), made with toffee sauce, and homemade vanilla ice cream. I tell you, it was THE best! My mother and my niece absolutely LOVED it. It is not a large dessert, as most bread puddings are not made to be large. Each bite was delightful and heavenly. Came out nice and hot, with the cold ice cream on a top, it was the winner of them all. We all had a great lunch at BLACKBARN for sure!

The bathroom is located in the hallway between the front dining area and the back room. The signage is not as clear if you are not paying close attention…

With a restaurant as big as this, I am glad they don’t have just one or two bathrooms for the whole place. It was bright, clean, and well maintained.

Since we had such nice experience at BLACKBARN, we decided to try it again for brunch. We started off with the cocktails, and since it is now winter, they didn’t have the summer cocktails anymore. I went with Northern Lights ($18), made with Mulled Wine, Amaro, Elderflower, Blueberry & Black Currant Tea Infused Vodka. My husband went with Burning Rose ($16) which was recommended by the server. Northern Light was very much like fall/winter, great flavor on a chilly day to have by the fire. Burning Rose was very nice too, flavorful and strong.

For food, we decided to get Loaded Tater Tots ($13) made with bacon, sour cream, and cheddar to go with our mains. It was so good! Crunchy and crispy exterior, with a good amount of toppings. It was addicting!

For main, I went with Waffle Croque Madame ($26), made with rosemary-parmesan waffle, ham, tarantaise cheese, and fried egg. With it being made with waffles, it had a nice height to it, and the egg was cooked with gooey yolk which drizzled over when it was cut in half. Drool worthy right there. It had ample amount of ham in between, and the cheese was really good too.

My hubby ordered Wagyu Steak Sandwich ($26) with aged cheddar, caramelized onions, chimichurri, on charred potato roll. It came with a generous amount of steak, cooked just right so it’s tender and juicy. The chimichurri was great, packed with flavor. Each bite was satisfying. It was served with a side of fries, and they were really good too. Very filling dish!

The last time we dined at BLACKBARN, my hubby didn’t get to try their Bread Pudding. I raved about it so much, he just had to have it. So, we ordered Cappuccino and Rum Butterscotch Bread Pudding ($12) for dessert. It was as good as I remembered, and he loved it as well. The toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream, match made in heaven. Such a great dessert!

We had a really nice dining experiences at BLACKBARN, we are big fan! My family wants to go back there when they come back for a visit already. The quality of the food and drinks are high, and most of the menu items comes with a generous portion. We will be sure to return again for more tasty food!

BLACKBARN Restaurant – 19 E 26th St, New York, NY 10010