Birdie’s Café

April 16, 2014
A sign on the door says Birdie’s closed up shop on April 12. Not a hoax — I have posted a photo of the sign.

This is a really cool place! I’ve only been here for like five minutes and already I can tell I’ll be returning quite often to study for final exams.
Its actually the optimal place to get studying done. It is really what I was looking for, and I’m kind of glad I found a place like this in Milwaukee. I was getting sick of alterra (or colectivo or whatever) because the one by my house blasts annoying music and serves extremely expensive coffee, and I can’t stomach the thought of going to their competitor Starbucks (ick gross).
I have a few complaints/​suggestions, however:
1) They close at 5PM. Thats pretty early considering how late their competitors stay open. But hey, what are yah gonna do?
2) They REALLY should consider putting a door up between the dining room and the dishwashing area. The smell of sewage and strong dishwashing chemicals made it nearly impossible to sit and relax.
Fix the smell issue, and you can guarantee a happy customer and a 5 star review! :D

I’m sad to report that Birdie’s is closing up shop April 12, 2014.

The food here is good enough. I’ll go here if others suggest it, but it’s never topping my list. The food is good, but the place echoes a lot. If you eat inside and want a conversation to be private, you have to keep your voice down. There is an echo to the place or your voice travels easily. The food is good, but nothing I am running back for.

The first thing everyone says about this place is CUTE. Its cutesy and homey. It also has great menu choices and smiling service. Always plenty of seating and a variety of places where you can drape yourself. Haven’t yet had difficulty finding parking. I appreciate that they’ve done things for the area like a sock drive. I also always see my neighbors here on weekends when I visit. It is truly a neighborhood café.

*Skips in holding skirt.*
OMG!
My fists are shaking right under my chin & my elbows are scrunched into my rib cage! My eyebrows are high & my feet are close together as I bend my knees & bob up & down!
Squeee!
This place is mad adorable.
It’s like a Volkswagen busload full of gals from your favorite girl next door website crashed into an Etsy store & it all burst forth from the internet & settled together in our analog realm as a neighborhood café.
I can’t wait to stop in a bunch more to form a better opinion of the food. I’ll definitely update after I’ve had a number of breakfasts, lunches, & brunches under my belt.
Today, I searched the area closest to my work & found Birdie’s for lunch. I went with the signature Birdie’s Wrap & some Anodyne coffee. It was delightful.
So far, the architecture & interior design of the place are the biggest stand-​out — and the employees. All are incredibly pleasant & adorable & welcoming.
Is it wrong to describe a place as feminine? Maybe only if one is using it as a negative description. I’m down with femininity. This place has the touch of a lady all over it. Ladystink. I like it. It relaxes me & makes me ready to relinquish control.
It’s so comfortable & quaint & cozy & lovely & sweet. I went in winter, but I bet it is fantastic to enjoy the patio in warm weather.
The wrap & coffee were great. Straight forward & fresh. The service was friendly. Some of the ladies working are the very same you see on the website — they didn’t just use stock photos. Those are real life Milwaukee shop gals! Or café gals. I’m not sure which they prefer.
You should definitely try Birdie’s. They sell lots of handmade arts & crafts. I wish there were a few more places like this in Milwaukee.
*Skips back to work between the shadows of the Harley & Miller campuses, pig tails bouncing.*

Growing up in Milwaukee, I thought I was already aware most of what the city had to offer. That was until I came across Birdie’s. This auntie-​to-​be was introduced to this local hideaway via Unilocal while on the hunt for the perfect baby shower venue for my beautiful sister. We would both be in town for the Thanksgiving Day weekend, and I wanted to ensure it was an absolutely classy and memorable affair.
I got the feeling that she wanted something with the essence of a warm tea room or cozy café. This was quite the challenge because I was conducting my search while residing in Dallas. Not being able to see the spaces up front certainly wasn’t ideal, not to mention most of the spaces entailed outrageous costs. So naturally, when a delightful woman picked up the phone, answered each and every one of my persistent questions and gave me affordable rates to rent out the entire café, I was thrilled. Not only was it a steal, it was GORGEOUS inside. This place just oozes with character inside and out. It’s basically a renovated country-​style home turned local Milwaukee café. With a working fireplace, breakfast nooks, sofas and teeny dining areas throughout, it was cozy enough to feel as if you had been welcomed into your very own neighbor’s house. Everything was so sunny, bright and lovely. The food (wraps, salads and pastries) were made in-​house and were light, healthy, refreshing and delicious. The coffee and tea were available in a wide variety of flavors and styles as well.
Overall, I couldn’t have asked for a better venue. The photos of this place speak for themselves. Birdie’s style and vibe is about an unique and homey as it comes. Do yourself a favor and grab a quick brunch or order a hot drink and enjoy some quiet reading time here.

I had the pleasure of having my baby shower here on Saturday and I was amazed at the beauty and quirkiness of the space and the hospitality of the staff. My mom, aunt, and sister rented the entire space for the part and it was über adorable with all of the little nooks and comfy seating. I was seated at a table right at the top of the stairs and was able to see everyone downstairs and upstairs with ease.
The little spilling through the front windows, coupled with the bright colors and festive artwork was totally my style, so I was really surprised that my sister was able to find a place like this in Milwaukee that fit me to such a tee, especially since both of us live thousands of miles away now (thanks for helping us out, Unilocal!).
Food-​wise, we had tuna and chicken salad sandwiches, wraps, fresh fruit and veggies, and chips. There was also great punch, Earl Grey tea, and water for people to choose from. Everything was tasty and light and just enough. PERFECT!
If I lived in Milwaukee, Birdie’s is where you would find me working daily. It’s just too cute. Seriously consider this café if you are looking to host a baby or bridal shower or meeting of some sort. You won’t be disappointed!

My sister wanted soup for late Saturday lunch and Birdie’s was the perfect answer. I realized that I had been within blocks of the building on multiple occasions, but not a place you would just stumble upon. Definitely a hidden gem.
Good soup and coffee. Really good pumpkin ginger pie. Lots of different rooms with nooks and crannies and slightly quirky decorations. Kind of like having lunch at someone’s favorite aunt’s house (in all the best ways).

I lived by Birdie’s for over 4 years and never stopped in. I moved and a year later I’m right back in the same area again, Birdie’s is right down the block to be exact. One Saturday me and boyfriend decided to stop in for breakfast. We were the 1^st one’s there and I was a little surprised the slight wait we had before we got our food. The egg scramble isn’t bad and the Italian chery soda is pretty refreshing. I would stop back again for breakfast

Solid breakfast, good coffee, friendly service and a cute little place. This place would be easy to miss so make sure you tell your friends!

Birdie’s has the charm of a café you’d see on the eastside, but in the Martin Drive neighbourhood. As a resident of Washington Heights, it is a short trip down the road. The interior has plenty of seating and feels cozy and almost home-​like. I’ve only ever gotten coffee and mango smoothies here, but they have both been wonderful!

So my lunch buddy wanted soup, and our usual places (Taco Bell, Culver’s, etc) weren’t sounding appealing. Enter Birdie’s.
Without any thought for the fact that I was on a 30-​minute lunch break, she took off to Birdie’s which was only about 5 – 7 minutes away. That said, when we arrived at near-​noon, the line was almost to the door (which isn’t saying that much, if you know the interior) — about 5 people in front of us.
It took about 20 – 25 minutes, or my entire lunch, for the subs and soup to come out, and I ended up being about 15 minutes, in total, over my allotted time.
I really liked the art inside Birdie’s. It was adorable really, very… I guess «farm house» might fit well? A little of this, a little of that… very warm and cozy! Yes, that’s it.
This might be a place to go if you have an hour lunch, or are unemployed, self-​employed, a student, or retired, but not the place to go for a 30 minute lunch. Don’t do it, you won’t make it!
That said, I’d like to return when I have more time, be it the weekend or after work, because it seems like a great place to relax and converse.

Love love love this place. So much character in the interior and the food is amazing.
We had the avocado salad and the hummus wrap.
Friendly and energetic staff that lives right in the neighborhood.
Bakery counter looks phenomenal and there are the biggest cinnamon rolls!

Last few visits have been slipping… dessert case not as full as it used to be and food not as special. Had bad breakfast pizza one day, another time a friend had big piece of hair in her soup. Sandwhiches have been greasy so I stick w/​salads or wraps now. They are always nice and accomodiating though so I still enjoy this adorable place.

I’m not totally sure how I feel about Birdie’s quite yet.
Based on other reviews, I decided to stop by for breakfast and some coffee.
The patio is super cute, it instantly feels like you’re not in Milwaukee, like you’re on vacation in the country.
Stepping inside, you’re bombarded with delicious looking pies, handwritten menus, and the delicious aroma of Stone Creek coffee.
My brunch buddy and I found a table after ordering at the counter, and instantly our conversation went from «I’m in love with all things breakfast» to «what’s that on the wall?» Some of the decoration choices are… questionable, but maybe I just have different taste.
Our coffee was a little, underbrewed? I’m a fan of Stone Creek, for sure. But it seemed like it was a little watered down.
The flowers in the vase at our table would have been a really nice touch, if they hadn’t been dead and wilted. Maybe I’m being nit-​picky? But the plants outside were also root-​bound and obviously thirsty.
I orded the bleu salad, it was exactly what the menu said; mesclun, chicken, bleu cheese and vinaigrette. Nothing special. Brunch buddy ordered the chicken salad, with the croissant on the side. When it arrived the salad was on the croissant. Not a big deal, but noted.
Also, I’m not a fan of businesses that play the radio for music. I think radio ads are abrasive and irritating… Nothing I want to hear during breakfast.
This place is cute, I think the location is great, but the menu could use some more depth.
Maybe I’ll have to come back and try the pie?

Who loves pie? I do I do! For our wedding, we decided to do pie instead of cake. After much disappointing pie sampling from some of the «pie» places that get more hype, we landed at Birdie’s Café. An unspoken gem. They don’t need the hype, they are that good, and it’s always busy… at least on Saturdays when we appeared almost weekly for a period of time before the big day. They have coffee, tea, sweets, and eats and I sadly only had a few beverages there, but based on my experience, I know it’s all good.
We tasted lemon, mixed berry, and caramel apple pies, fresh out the oven. Died.
They serve their pie with fresh whipped whipping cream. None of that stuff in the red can. We were about 3 bites in and we were sold. Sign us up for wedding pie.
Sarah, the owner, was a breeze to work with and even worked with the venue to make sure it was all just right. They made us many many pies for our big day (and two small surprise cakes for die-​hard cake fans), some flavors we selected, others they surprised us with, and brought them along with whipping cream to our venue. They were absolutely delicious. A whole pie was served to each table and I saw many people wandering to other tables to taste what they had. Maybe my favorite pie moment was at the end of the night, there was pie or two leftover and we caught a guest diving full hand to face frontal into a whole pie. Classic.
Birdie’s Café, and it’s owner Sarah, were some of the highlights of wedding planning for us. Working with them was an absolutely wonderful experience and I would highly and loudly recommend them to anyone. Not to mention the pie-​the wedding guests are still raving.

IMAGINE EATING IN A CHURCH THRIFT STORE.
That’s what Birdie’s Café is like with mismatched décor and touches of religious ephemera. The ordering steps are quite awkward because you order and pay first. This leaves the person not paying with cash in a weird spot staring at the TIP line on their receipt.
They give you a number and then you go hide from them in this enormous building. When they drop off your food they say «Tag your it!» and then after your meal you go try to find them. (kidding, sort of).
ORDERED: Breakfast pizza, parfait and Alterra coffee
TASTED: The breakfast pizza is served as a large slice and it was amazing. I ordered spinach and chorizo for my toppings. The yogurt parfait was average with woody winter strawberries and a few tablespoons of granola. The Alterra coffee was tasty. My dining partner ordered a crescent roll sandwich and really enjoyed it.
TIP: Don’t be afraid of the chorizo as it’s pretty mild.

I picked my friend up from MillerCoors last week and we headed over to Birdie’s Café for lunch. It had been some time since i had been here (I forget what it used to be called) and was happy to remember it again.
I ordered the grilled buffalo chicken wrap, and got a cup of the hot n sour mushroom soup. Stand back, that soup was sooo good. It had beautiful little mushrooms in it, and had tremendous flavor. The wrap was good, I’m not sure how you can make a bad buffalo chicken wrap. I think next time I’ll try something different for the main course. However, my friend had the cream of broccoli soup, and he said it was good. I can see me coming here for some soup and coffee. a lot.
The staff is so nice. genuinely nice.
It is fun finding a table to sit at in the many rooms, nooks, and crannies of this house. It gets a bit loud in some of the rooms, specially when there is a table of 8 highly energetic women planning a kitchen tour fundraiser in the same room you are in. OMG they were crazy excited and loud! But more power to them. They actually apologized to us when they left. See… not only is the staff nice, so are the customers!
I can’t wait to go back…

I went to Birdie’s on a Thursday for lunch. This place is very charming. It is also a very personal place.
I ordered a cheese sub. My complaint? My companion ordered a BBQ chicken sandwich (the sauce is reddish orange). My sub bread and sub cheese were contaminated with this sauce — which clearly said to me that the sandwich maker first make and cut the meat sandwich then used the dirty knife to cut the vegetarian sandwich. I do not think this is good practice (at the very least, it could have sullied the flavors of the sandwich, and at the worst would lead to potential cross contamination). For this reason, I cannot give more than 3 stars.