I have to admit I was skeptical when Bluebird opened, thinking the brand was reaching too far in trying to incorporate ice cream, beer, coffee, tea, and board games. Now, three locations and a legitimate microbrewing addition later, it’s clear Bluebird is the real deal. The ice cream is made in-house from scratch, meaning they don’t merely add inclusions to a plain ice-cream base. A thick peanut-butter ice cream pairs delightfully with the lighter, fruitier marionberry; a chocolate-chunk blends in Theo Chocolate’s intensely flavored goodness without overdoing it on richness; and the surprising vegan flavors horchata and coconut mint chip are much lighter in texture than the milk-based ice creams and more refreshing. The beer here isn’t bad (there’s a chocolate stout and a coffee porter), but it’s even better with a dollop of ice cream offsetting the bitterness. Same goes for the affogato, a scoop of ice cream floating in heady espresso. I also appreciate that Bluebird is rarely crowded. Even at the Capitol Hill location on a Saturday night, you probably won’t have to claw your way to the counter, and you’ll definitely have a place to sit.