Reviewed by: Callie Morrison
From farm to table, Blueprint on 3rd will soon be your new best mid-week dinner spot
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If you’re looking for a new-to-you casual yet classy place to grab a fantastic mid-week dinner this year—including Monday nights—you’ve got to check out Blueprint on 3rd. We went behind the scenes to learn all about this 5.5-year-old restaurant’s “great food and good service” and we think you’ll love what we found. Keep reading for all the details.
Know before you go: Blueprint on 3rd
- What: A polished-casual American brasserie paying homage to regional cuisines
- Location: 3000 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233
- Bar Hours: Monday-Thursday 4:30-9PM | Friday-Saturday 5-10PM | Closed Sunday
- No reservations for the bar
- Restaurant Hours: Monday-Thursday 5-9PM | Friday-Saturday 5-10PM | Closed Sunday
- Private Party Room
- Follow Blueprint on 3rd: Instagram | Facebook | Website
1. The long-term staff is sure to learn your name
Owner Dean Robb is a big believer in the people who work at Blueprint on 3rd. In fact, 70% of them have been with the restaurant for over three years, and seven or so have been there since day one, back in the summer of 2018. In the restaurant industry, particularly since Covid, that’s a long time.
Most of the time, when you come to Blueprint on 3rd, he’s the first person who will greet you at the door and the last person who will say goodbye.
“I want to create the feeling that it’s almost like Cheers, where everybody knows your name. We know our regulars, and they’re great about bringing guests with them.”
Dean Robb, Owner
2. The menu at Blueprint on 3rd changes daily
While a couple of items have been on the menu since the early days, one thing that distinguishes Blueprint on 3rd is the original and delicious offerings, ranging from $16-48, that the kitchen creates each day.
Chef James “Huck” Huckaby came back to Birmingham from adventures in Costa Rica, Hawaii and Alaska shortly before Blueprint on 3rd opened and plays a key role in making sure there’s always something to delight diners.
Each day, the restaurant serves a combination of ingredients that show up from local farmers, what the chef is in the mood for and what their customers love.
“A lot of things happen by mistake. Here’s a perfect example—the beef stroganoff we have came out by accident. It was around Christmastime, four years ago, and we had a private party with a carving station. One of my cooks overcooked seven beef tenderloins, so I made beef stroganoff, and it was a hit. Now it’s on the menu, and I sold 83 of them last week.”
Chef James “Huck” Huckaby, Executive Chef
3. The food at Blueprint on 3rd is always fresh
Robb told us that they research the highest-quality products on the market at the best price.
“We buy those things and put them in our walk-in cooler and make a menu out of them. I’m here in the morning checking the orders in, and if it’s not perfect, I’m sending it back.”
Dean Robb, Owner
Huck elaborated:
“We try to limit what we’re getting from big producers. We have a couple of farms we use like Ireland Farms and a guy named Tripp Boyd up in Cullman. I don’t even know what I’m getting half the time—they just bring me what they’re growing. That’s what I put on my menu.”
Chef James “Huck” Huckaby, Executive Chef
4. Blueprint on 3rd is a great mid-week spot for dinner
Ian MacLennan is Blueprint on 3rd’s Head Server and Assistant Manager. With the restaurant since day one, he loves seeing the younger crowd gather at the unusual curved bar, modeled after a famous one Robb discovered in Chicago, which makes it easy for guests to interact.
“We have a great bar staff—they really socialize with our guests and spend more time with them than we can on the floor. Shareable appetizers, like crab dip, Brussels sprouts or ‘Squid Funyons’ aka fried calamari are popular choices, along with our burgers.”
Ian MacLennan, Head Server + Assistant Manager
5. There’s a great patio for outdoor dining + a private party room you can rent
Brandon Robb, General Manager, also known as “B. Robb” showed us the Private Party Room, which is an extension of the regular restaurant. When they close it off with a soundproof “Nanowall,” it’s a different space entirely that can comfortably fit 22 people.
Make plans now to head to Blueprint on 3rd for dinner. No reservations needed at the bar, or you can book a table today. Follow them on social: Instagram | Facebook | Website
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