Pre fixe menu only, 5 courses that are intended to change weekly. We managed to score a res on what I believe was the second night they were open. So this review is all caveat SUPER early state. First, there's a wee (and beautiful) cocktail bar attached, and the cocktail list is fabulous. Seriously Inventive. Half of the drinks are seasonal, half are somewhat more traditional. We had 2 from each, and all were really good. The Ralphie Boy, with smoked egg white, is amazing. The "I'm really into Amaro" one is like an extra intense, slightly smoky coffee Manhattan. The food? Delicious. Seriously. Also beautifully presented. The lobster, heart of palm, chanterelle, and truffle course was fabulous. We also had the wine pairing, and the pinot rose which matched the oyster and tomato course was one of the best pairings I've had in a long time. All the desserts were also really good, and none were too sweet. It was a wonderful meal, and the service was knowledgeable and friendly, while still being restrained. For perhaps their second night, I was thoroughly impressed. Lovely. read more

Great cocktails and service at the bar room which is a very intimate, fun area. Interested to go back for dinner.

So many flavors, attention to details, fresh ingredients - love their Pescatarian menu. I have red meat intolerance and the restaurant is always super helpful in explaining the menu options. Friendly & attentive servers. Their non-alcoholic cocktails are so good, too. read more

I've been here 3 times now, and this is one of my new favorite places to dine in San Francisco. They have a very delicious tasting menu, which I think is very reasonably priced for SF. The bread program alone is reason enough to come here, unless you are cutting carbs, and if so, you should probably rethink your life. For me, the portion sizes are perfect, and I was full enough where I wanted to walk home afterwards. Plus, I love that they give you a little snack bite for the next morning. read more

While weighing my celebratory-dining options, I first thought of some of the most obvious Michelin-star restaurants in the city to celebrate my birthday. Nightbird was on that list as my "to become the next Michelin-star go-to spot" solely based on online reviews- would it be comparable to meeting the wizard of Oz or would it be false hope behind a curtain due to overly supportive friends/ family? Everyone knows everything on the internet is true, right?! Ironically, here on the internet, I am saying it's all true. This place is just that good! My decision to eat here was finalized after speaking to Chef Kim. Her willingness to accommodate what should be outrageous food restrictions for her patrons is unmatched by other restaurants. After JUST finishing my meal and leaving Nightbird, I have so much more reason to appreciate Chef Kim. Between the detail in every dish (plating, color, taste, originality, portion), flow of the meal (order each plate was served and pace), and customization, she is one of my new favorite chefs. Look out for her on the food scene ;). read more

I've been anticipating this restaurant opening for quite a while. I came across Kim Alter's food when she was wearing the apron at Plum in Oakland and I'm happy to see her climb the ranks. The courses at Nighbird are evolved from everything I love from Kim's past dishes. An assortment of tomatoes has each one prepared to deliver a separate flavor and texture note to accentuate the differences. The corn course provided the same orchestration. Service was impeccable. Presentation was superb. The dining room could use a little more wall decoration for my tastes. read more

Went last night to celebrate a milestone birthday, rhymes with schmixty, and Nightbird really pulled out all the stops to make it an evening to remember. If I could give the team 6 stars I would. From the moment we got to the Linden Room about 20 min. before our reservation, we were swept away with fantastic rye old fashioneds. Even when its crowded, the Linden Room is still a great place to have a pre or post dinner cocktail. Once we entered Nightbird and were seated, the magical evening began. Staff had all signed a birthday card that was waiting on the table. Nice touch! The menu for the evening was as follows: The signature dish - Poached quail egg in hollandaise with crispy leeks - Sublime! Tomato "Burrata" Lovage - This dish was outstanding! Elegant, packed with tomato flavor. It really shows Chef Alter's talents. A transcendent dish. Chilled consomme a wonderful follow up to the previous dish Binchotan Lobster, HOP, Corn - once again, a super elegant dish, packed with lobster and corn flavors, both working very well together in the dish. I wanted seconds! Duck, Gooseberry, Squash - 3 slices of perfectly cooked duck breast, a duck rillete, squash and a gooseberry. Everything worked really well in this dish. The rillete was especially tasty! Foie Gras Bonbon - a rich single bite of torchon of foie gras rolled in nuts. Nice fun interlude to the meal. Flannery Beef with Turnip and Potato - the beef was rolled in leek ash, which added a wonderful flavor to the outside of the beef. The beef was melt in your mouth tender, no knife needed. Nectarine sorbet/Lemon Verbena Ice - refreshing and tasty Strawberry Olive Oil Cake, Balsamic and Basil - Big strawberry flavors with the elegant olive oil cake. There was also a thin pieces of white chocolate and quenelle of balsamic and basil ice cream. The flavors melded really well and were a wonderful end to our dinner. While we brought a bottle of wine we'd been saving for the occasion, Ron Boyd who is in charge of the wine program, recommended some wines to enjoy before we opened up our cabernet sauvignon. We had an awesome chardonnay from Burgundy as well as an incredible pinot noir from Mendocino County. They really paired up well with the 1st half of the tasting menu. On previous visits, I've been wowed, but this meal, exceeded those. It was on another level. Kudos to everyone at Nightbird for a wonderful evening! read more

This might be one of the finest restaurants in SF. Don't go to eat, go to enjoy the art that is presented as food. Don't arrive hungry- the dishes are tiny. Don't come if you burnt your tongue recently or have a cold and can't taste anything. When you eat here it is like taking your palate to the Met, it will come away more cultured. The drinks are also fantastic - lots of creative things like tiny cucumber and mini flowers. read more

Everything about this place was well-planned and executed. From the wood carving in the door, to the gold rims on the cocktail glasses. We arrived with a bottle of 2006 Vueve Clicquot La Grande Dame and soon after we took a journey through an exquisite tasting menu. The quail egg amuse-bouche was perfectly made, the scallops had a lovely sear and the finish with the anchovies and brown butter sauce was such a delight! There were so many elegant touches throughout the night that made dinner an excellent experience. Some might call it over-priced, but that just means they don't know a damn thing about food. Bring someone you love, turn off your phone and soak in the atmosphere. This is the essence of SF dining. read more

Nightbird - Dessert! - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Highly recommended. The food is innovative and delicious. Additionally, the staff is attentive and pleasant. Overall, it was an amazing dining experience. We did the tasting menu with wine pairings and were impressed with every course. If you are a foodie, you need to add this to your list. It is a true 5-star rating in my opinion. read more

Chef Kim is serving the very best in fresh, in season creative dishes. A wonderfully satisfying experience and culinary delight. We can't wait to go back. read more

Our meal at Nightbird. All in all, it was a great meal. The highlight for me was the hard-boiled quail egg with fried leeks amuse and the green apple sorbet palette cleanser. What I hated was the sunflower seed risotto. Props for making something interesting and different but it tasted like that bullshit trend when people put shit on the roof and let the warmth of the sun and their gratitude do the cooking. The smoked pasta with white truffle shavings was also groan inducingly good. But can we talk about the bread?! Brioche buns wrapped in burlap, piping hot. I got 2nds and 3rds. So so good. There is a very cute but small bar in back. Go early and get drinks there! read more

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Absolutely delicious and the service is amazing!! Everything was delectable to all five senses. I could not recommend Nightbird enough. It is a bit pricey but we certainly felt that it was worth it. We plan to go back for future special occasions! read more

Our fifth visit. Better than ever. The tasting menu has been refined, with small treats (tempura hen of woods, foIe, tomato soup) interspersed between a progression from salad, seafood, poultry to red meat. Except for the signature amuse, every dish was new vs prior visits and everything was excellent. Service was attentive and spot on. Cocktails are original and tasty. Wine list is accessible and balanced. Everyone at Nightbird cares, and it shows. read more

Amazing. Kim Alter and team have outdone themselves on an almost pop-up themed menu, in a tastfully decorated venue with an amazing bar. Menu changes daily. We enjoyed the lobster and chanterelle 2nd course. The Rabbit 3rd course was perfectly cooked. We paired with a stupendous Sancerre. Go! read more

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When I am going out to a special dinner one-on-one, like an old friend I haven't seen in a while or an overseas visitor, I take them to Nightbird. Not only they could experience Hayes Valley if they come early before dinner, we get to have a really amazing dinner experience and conversation at this restaurant. The portions starts small, and builds to the main course. The bread is amazing. We are always full and happy. The friends always come back bringing other friends. I can't wait to be back and try new things on the seasonal menu! read more

My first 5 star in SF. Not cheap but worth every penny. food, service, atmosphere get 5 stars each. If you go, go big and get the wine paring. read more

Kim Alter's new restaurant is a home run. Her tweezerfood is refined, and continues to have so many ingredients that are meticulously composed on the plate that absolutely go together. This is a rare talent - many chefs put garnishes for texture or color, but she knows how each ingredient works to create the overall composition. To fully enjoy this restaurant, unless she offers menu a la carte, you must treat this dining experience as an adventure and also, other than food allergies, be prepared to eat whatever. Rabbit? Yum. Corn fungus? Yumx10. read more

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Went here to celebrate my mom's birthday and had one of the best meals of my life. The chef came out and hung out with us for a while which was such a treat. Each bite was well planned, thought out and delicious. Even the plates and glassware were perfect. I can't wait to go here again! read more

This was a wonderful experience. We were in need of a nice dinner in the spirit of seeing experimental and avant-garde musician Laurie Anderson at SFJazz and Nightbird was perfect for the occasion. Started in the tiny bar area with well-made cocktails - Vieux Carre cocktails to be exact which were perfect. Next we entered the small restaurant that was quiet enough to have nice conversation but the tables were spaced enough that all conversations could be private...NICE! Now the food - each course was delicious but our favorites of the evening were: Quail Egg and Leek Hollandaise, Hokkaido Scallop with Turnip, the Squab with Fried Brussel Spout leaves and the sorbet. There is a wine pairing menu as well but since we did not want to have full glasses of wine with each course, we asked if there were half pours and yes...they accommodated. All the choices provided complimented the food very nicely. The very sweet touch was when the owner and chef came to our table to make sure everything was satisfactory. Her care was evident and one can feel her wish to be sure her diners went away with a wonderful memory...and we did. We will be back. read more

I went and had the food...........it was great. I don't really yelp, but recognize when hard work comes together with passion=NIGHTBIRD.

I had dinner at Nightbird last night and was very disappointed. Every course (except dessert) was salty which completely ruined each dish and left much to be desired. I decided to get the wine pairing with the tasting menu because, thinking with a nice restaurant like Nightbird, the meal then becomes an experience of flavors. That was not the case at all. The wine was good, but did nothing to complement the food. And definitely not worth $200. You can find better meals, better food, better wine at other places for the fraction of the cost. read more

Took my wife to Nightbird for her Birthday dinner. Amazing meal, great service, friendly staff and a perfect evening. Arrived to welcoming people. Was seated quickly. Waitstaff knowledgeable. One of the best meals we have had in SF in months. read more

One word for this restaurant: outstanding. We loved their dishes, especially fois gras, charcoil mushroom and the fish. The coconut based dessert was amazing as well. I think it's an excellent choice if you are pescatarian or a "cheating" vegan! read more

This is my new favorite restaurant in San Francisco. I went for my birthday last night and have to say I was excited about the dinner but by the end I was amazed at how above and beyond my expectations were met. From the moment we sat down Jerry, our server, was patient, attentive, incredibly knowledgeable, funny... he made us feel like friends he'd invited into his home. He said the food would start off amazing and improve from there and he wasn't wrong... each dish was more delicious than the next and I don't think there was one bad one (which is pretty unusual in fine dining as usually one looks amazing but tastes a bit duff.) I can't say one bad thing about Nightbird or our amazing server, Jerry. Oh and if you don't have a chance to dine with them, check out there super cool, secret bar on the side...best drinks in town. read more

I had the pleasure of enjoying every mouthwatering second of Chef Kim's meal on a recent trip to San Francisco. Every moment from beginning to end was thought out, flavorful, and surprising. We had a cocktail at the Linden room prior to our meal and it hit the spot. What stood out most to me was the curated experience of Nightbird. From the moment you check in for your your reservation, to your pre drink cocktails, and the meal. The environment is very inviting and because the check in station is in the middle of the restaurant you are welcomed in. An overall great experience and I can't wait to eat here again. read more

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This place is amazing! Plan on being spoiled with a 10 course meal that includes lobster, quail, steak, sorbet, and chocolate cake. Come hungry and plan on a few hours. read more

All great, plus lovely, above-and-beyond attention to service details. Highly recommend. One example from my oyster-loving wife's birthday dinner: the same afternoon, I called to inquire if the (sister property, back-room) Linden Room bar would serve oysters along with a pre-dinner cocktail. The answer was no, the bar is drinks only and the restaurant didn't have oysters on the menu. We went for cocktails anyway. After the (delicious) drinks, the bartender led us to our table at Nightbird, where my wife was greeted with a birthday card signed by the entire staff. We were then served four beautiful, off-the-menu, complimentary oysters as a special gesture. They listened, and they cared, and it was tops. read more

I really wanted to like Nightbird but unfortunately, I have to say this place is overrated and over-priced. The service was phenomenal I'll give them that. However, the food was so underwhelming and forgettable. I went with a group of 4 and everyone felt slightly disappointed and still hungry after we left. The portions were tiny, which I don't mind if the dishes were more interesting. The most memorable dishes were the quail egg (wonderful) and the lobster (large chunks). I was excited about the lamb but it was quite flavorless. I was, however, impressed with the cocktails. So I would say this: if you're still dying to try this place, nibble a little before you come, or be prepared to eat more after you leave. And also expect to spend closer to $200 pp. I would, sadly, not recommend this restaurant to any of my foodie friends. read more

just a quick review. food and service were just ok. what grates is that what you get is way overpriced. no value here. $125+65+20=$210 per person (we each had a glass of champs), after a supplementary tip it was around $600 for two people. if you're into "speed eating" you'll love this place because they really, really want to flip those tables. if you're in the mood to splurge there are better options. imho. read more

Amazing! One of our top SF restaurants going forward. Extremely tasty, classy, perfectly prepared menu! We have eaten at very fancy restaurants and this is one of the top five percent restaurants. read more

I'm not an avid review writer either and in a city where the cost of living is high and therefore prices for everything are pretty high.....this place was a gem! I fancy myself quite a foodie and try my best in my home kitchen which makes me throughly appreciate the care and concern that has gone into every course by Chef Alter. In fact, I am attempting to replicate Chef's quail egg course at home in four weeks. I'm sure I won't do it justice! The food was fantastic and what a great value in the heart of the city! We enjoyed the little thoughtful takeaways at the end of our meal and really appreciate that Chef Alter herself came out to chat with us. She was humble, appreciative, kind and obviously talented. If we lived there and not on the east coast - she would see me often - as a "regular". read more

Delicious burger at a good price, great COVID time food. very fast to make, 5 minutes. Good service too. Recommend a stop

I took my girlfriend here for her birthday and was hoping that picking a restaurant neither of us have been to wouldn't be a mistake. I lucked out as it couldn't be much better. The service was impeccable, the tasting menu was great, and the cocktails were great. The cocktails were almost too great as I had way too many. They made sure to make the night special which was much appreciated as that level of service is hard to come by. I'll definitely be returning. read more

Good Points: 1. Food was sublime 2. Good service 3. Interesting wine selections Bad Points: 1.We were asked if we wanted the wine pairing for 80.00 which we could split, no problem but the 30.00 added cost to split the wine pairing should have been mentioned especially when the dinner bill was shy of 500.00 for 2 people. 80.00 wine pairing if split it's 110.00 2. Reservation was at 8 and we were told to go to the bar because our table wasn't ready-add on to the 500.00 dinner bill 3. Noisy 4. Food was good but 500.00 is excessively expensive for what it was 5. Can't say if it was something I ate last night but not feeling super well today. Ate very little in anticipation for a fabulous meal................ read more

All around deliciousness and amazing experience. Top notch service and great ambiance. Loved it!

The food was really good (especially dessert) - and the service was polite and professional, but I thought the bill at $400 for two was over the top (only a glass or two of wine each). It felt like $250ish would have been more appropriate (but more power to 'em if they can keep the place full at the high end). It felt a little bit like they had taken a coffee shop, turned off the lights, and put candles on some second-hand tables (maybe they were nice tables, but again it was dark). The dishes were good, but with a starting price of $125 each, I expect a little more than tomato salad as one of the five courses, as an example. Good luck though, and let me know when you come back to Earth. read more

Disregarding the price for a moment (WAY TOO MUCH), I would say the food generally falls short of impressive. The flavors and textures for majority of the 5 plates all seemed to blend together in a underwhelming foodie experience. The quail egg starter was by far the best dish and everything else seemed to just taste alright. Portions were small so the two free bread plates (2nd most delicious item) helped out to leave us comfortably full by the end of the night. The presentation, service, actual menu and ambiance were all lovely though. Coming back to the cost, it's just outrageously overpriced. $25 per plate and nothing really was worth it. I highly recommend you look elsewhere for a fine dining experience until they adjust their pricing or menu. read more

Great food. Great service. Good ambience. Food was fabulous. Delivered beautifully and timed perfectly. Cute, small bar inside as well. After a very mediocre meal at Gary Danko earlier in the week, this was an unexpected surprise. Update: just ate here a second time. Fabulous. You don't leave hungry. read more

Husband and I went here for our 5th anniversary. They had a little anniversary card for us and offered us a free glass of champagne. The meal was very good and I had a cocktail that sounded so peculiar, something with celery in it, that I had to try it - and it was delicious and refreshing. The steak melts in your mouth and we left feeling the appropriate amount of fullness. All in all, a great meal for a special occasion. read more