To kickoff the 2022-2023 school year, Verbatim is reviewing a restaurant that serves what people believe is the most important meal of the day: breakfast. Early Bird, which opened its Omaha Blackstone location in 2018, serves breakfast and lunch 7 days a week. 

Prior to my trip to Early Bird on September 10th, I have been to Early Bird on many occasions, ordering different menu items each time. Whether I am in the mood for sweet, savory, or something in between, their menu, which has over 60 options, has an item that appeals to everyone’s palette. 

On past occasions, I had always dined-in at Early Bird’s Omaha Blackstone Location. The restaurant is always occupied, so it’s wise to save your spot in line as early as possible. While Early Bird does not take reservations, you can join the line on Yelp or in person once you get to the restaurant. Once you sit down at your table, the servers are always very attentive and friendly. The food comes out around 15 minutes after ordering, and the presentation of the food is never less than superb.

My last trip to Early Bird, which was on September 10th—the trip I intended to do a Verbatim food review for—I ordered take out. Since I placed my order on a Saturday morning, I had to order take out before 9:00AM, as they do not allow take out orders past 9:00AM on weekends. After placing my order, my food was ready in 20 minutes for pickup. My order included  blueberry pancakes with sausage links and scrambled eggs, cinnamon rolls, the OG French Toast (plain French toast), and Avocado’s Number (thick honey wheat toast topped with avocado slices, hardboiled eggs, and greens).

I had ordered the Avocado’s Number before this occasion and both times it has been a meal I can count on. The ingredients have always been fresh and the serving size is large enough for 2. For eaters who prefer something light or on the healthy side, I would definitely recommend this dish. 

Unfortunately, the sausage links and eggs did not make it in the takeout bag with the blueberry pancakes, so I was just given 2 blueberry pancakes. The pancakes were large and delicious, so again, you could split this dish with someone else. The pancakes did not come with butter, syrup, or any other condiments, so if you would like those, it is important that you ask for them on the side. Finally, the OG French Toast did not come with butter or syrup either—so it was fairly plain. When you order any sort o of sweet dish in person the meal comes with syrup and butter, so this is not something you need to ask for while dining in. I love the butter at Early Bird, as it is their specialty whipped butter. Regardless of the lack of condiments, eggs, and sausage, I believe that the food we did receive was worth a trip to Early Bird.

In addition to Early Bird in Blackstone, there is a Hurry Bird location right next door. Hurry Bird is the fast, to-go version of Early Bird, where you can take staple breakfast items on the run. Hurry Bird and Early Bird are owned by the same person, so their food and prices are similar. While I have never ordered food from Hurry Bird, their menu—which includes everything from sandwiches, to coffee drinks, and an assortment of toasts—still offers a wide variety of breakfast and lunch options that I believe I would enjoy. So, if you’re in a hurry, check out Hurry Bird in Blackstone!

I plan to go to Early Bird again in the future, and would like to try menu items from Hurry Bird as well. Since I have had such positive experiences in person, I may save my next trip to Early Bird for in-person occasions only rather than takeout. In person, the price of the brunch outing seems more reasonable—considering the portion sizes are large, presentation is lovely, and service is attentive. I rate my experience at Early Bird a 8/10.