I've been wanting to try this place in... FOREVER and we finally managed to get a reservation. The atmosphere inside was super cute and romantic and the service (I believe her name was Imani) was absolutely adorable! The plates were quite interesting and some of them quite rare but like the way caviar was served or the dessert. - the bread was nothing special unfortunately and felt quite underwhelming - the pasta didn't have a lot of flavor and I think the way it was served didn't compliment much the ingredient. We also didn't get the menu at the table to help us follow what we were about to have. I think it's worth trying it but I think the pride point is quite high for what it is. read more

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So here's a fancy place with haute cuisine...but one that loves to stay whimsical and creative. The tasting menu was pretty stellar and the staff and service was stellar. It's a hard line for staff to not be stuffy but not be too casual. Here they nailed it. You don't have to dress to the tilt here but it is a nice place. The dishes and courses were all pretty great although I would say the last two dishes (squab and then tenderloin) were both kinda same note: they were both kinda sous vide and had that kinda gummy texture. Everything to that in the tasting was out of this world. Soft quail egg. Oyster and uni. Caviar tart. All amazing. And we got a little piece of cake and a little house made hand lavender sanitizer to take home...which was actually really a nice surprise (and the cake was lovey with some tea at home). Need a fancy whimsical fun meal...this is a good choice. read more

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I went in October 2023. Incredibly delicious a tasting menu that reminded me a lot of Saison; Nightbird is definitely cooking at the level of a 2 Michelin Star. The menu was extremely cohesive, really appreciated how they highlighted every part of the ingredients. One standout for me was the particular attention on the bread courses and pairings, something that is tragically missing from most restaurants. Come hungry. read more

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We went to Nightbird for a Friday fancy meal and we very much enjoyed the entire experience. They asked in advance about food allergies and accommodated a nut allergy. The service by Imani and team was quite professional and smooth. There is a small but satisfying wine list and fun cocktail list. The sommelier was knowledgeable and helpful. We enjoyed the seasonal and inventive food. Just a few luscious bites each but more substantial multiple entrees plus two amazing homemade bread (sourdough and Parker house rolls). Ah the bread! Every dish was local, organic and in-season. So inventive! So lovingly presented. We loved the raw scallop dish, the squab two ways, and the beignet caviar. We enjoyed each plate and the surprise of tiny in between bites between nearly every dish. There were five dishes and yes three desserts! I was very full by the end! I also want to mention the unique Japanese plates were gorgeous and the calm dining room a la Japan calming. There is a nice small bar in the back. The wait staff wore masks. Thumbs up! read more

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The food and service at Nightbird were excellent. Scanning some of the reviews on yelp some of the critical reviews; they are dropping comparisons between Nightbird and two and three Michelin stars establishments. I think these kinds of comparisons highlight the really great work being done Nightbird. Their kitchen has put together an excellent tasting menu. Prior to my visit, I had high expectations, and was pleasantly surprised when my expectations were met and in some cases exceeded. I was also totally digging the 80's playlist. Very cool vibe. Food standouts for me was a brown butter quail egg starter that was like magic in my mouth. And a bread and butter course consisting of some kind of freshly baked rye with butter. Perfectly baked fresh bread is my weakness. Loved it, and all my courses. Well done Nightbird. read more

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The menu at Nightbird is one of the best I have had. Understanding the tasting menu frequently changes, their current "End of the World " menu is fantastic. The journey you take throughout the meal is linked through similar flavors and themes. And the wine pairing are matched perfectly. Their staff and service is friendly and excellent. The restaurant's atmosphere and interior is clean and pleasant. I would go back in a heartbeat and I will! read more

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This is "Gerald Ish...". I dined on Thursday, Nov. 2nd at 8pm. First and foremost Chef Kim Alter has an altruistic heart. I admire her gifting time and her kitchen to nourish frontline workers during the pandemic. Remember when you were a child at a classmate's birthday party and at the beverage table you became a mixologist combining five sodas into a single cup and drinking it.....fast forward to adulthood and I'm sitting at a tasting menu restaurant and each three bite course (meaning usually each course on a tasting menu are consumed in three bites other than single bite amuse bouche or canapes) on the plate there's like ten different flavor/ingredient elements, a couple just for texture, and each bite tastes different on the palate. Am I supposed to stir everything to death like a risotto?!?!?! Let's keep this review in context. Many restaurants I've been to thought I was a Michelin Inspector. Funny I spotted one while I was dining. Hence this tangent caveat. I'm not and don't have a educated culinary background. The best course I've ever had was Pujol, Mexico City and was their "Mole Madre" which consisted of fifteen plus ingredients and took more than three years in the making to be plate ready.....stark contrast to this review.....keep things in context. I'm a restaurant lover and just empowering the new "foodies" with years of dining experience. Well Chef's menu isn't anything like the aforementioned which is refreshing. It doesn't take service three minutes to explain a course. Hehehe. Like Saison or Keiko a'Nobhill (husband/wife Japanese kaiseki with French influences, closed), minimalist. Not comparing Nightbird to Saison but just in terms of plating, simplicity, few components and clean profiles on the palate. It's like haute bistro. That food is rustica. Thanks again Kim. XOXOXO..... PS Yelp likes to mix up my pics. Hehehe. read more

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Holy cow! Every dish is a work of art. On top of a dish that's a work of art. I love when people are great at their jobs and everyone here is amazing. I am so lucky I could experience this restaurant! read more

Nightbird - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Nightbird delivers an outstanding dining experience and I'm shocked that they don't have a Michelin star nor do they appear in the SF top 100 list. In a city full of tasting menus and 33 Michelin-starred restaurants, this meal was impressive. The evening starts with an aperitif and an attentive server asking about food allergies and whether you have time constraints. I really appreciate this since they are close to the Symphony and the theaters. Next comes the food: (1). Quail egg, crispy leeks and brown butter hollandaise (5/5) - this is one of the best amuse I've had. (2). Tomato, Burrata and Lavage (4.5/5) - I'm a big fan of Burrata but I've never had the foamed version until tonight. I'm now a bigger fan and this really went well with the tomatoes. The Lavage was meh. (3). Chilled consommé (4/5) - I like this but this may be too early in the menu. (4). First bread service (3/5) - sourdough and house cultured butter. This was mediocre. Better versions are available at Octavia or Aster. (5). Hokkaido Scallop with Turnip and mushrooms (5/5) - this feels very east meets west and I really, really enjoyed this. (6). Hen of the Woods Mushroom Tempura (4/5) - this was good but I had a better version of this at True Laurel. (7). Squab with Quince and Brussels Sprouts (5/5) - this was quite good. This dish is competitive with the squab at Benu or Saison. (8). Second bread service was dinner roll with miso butter (4/5) - much better bread service but not the best dinner roll in the city (that belongs to Lazy Bear). (9). Foie Gras Bonbon (5/5) - mind blown. Love this. (10). Beef and textures of squash (4/5) - beef was perfectly prepared and various preparations of squash were very playful. (11). Dessert package (5/5) include small bites, sorbet and hibiscus granita and strawberry olive oil cake with balsamic. This was excellent. Kudos to the pastry chef. (12). I ordered all three of their mock tails and they were great. The spiced mule is my favorite (5/5). The meal ended with mignardises and a small cake and the menu to take home. The experience is first class. This is a hidden gem. The restaurant is nice but a little on the dark side. With tax and tip (16% gratuity included), this meal was about $205. Phenomenal value for the dining experience. Highly, highly recommended!!! read more

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Affirmatively terrible at a $500 pp price point with beverage pairing. No courses were memorable and many were below average. The beverage pairing didn't start until after the first three bites, so you had to pay extra on top of a beverage pairing if you wanted a drink with the small bite opening. I have dined at every top restaurant in the city, most multiple times, and this fell below every single time. In fact, it was more disappointing than every meal I've had in SF over the past couple of years even at the $100 price point. And coming in the same week as I had one of the best meals of an adult lifetime of fine dining at Saison, this was truly a joke. Literally, go anywhere else. McDonald's is a better value at their price point than this farce of a "fine dining" establishment. read more

The service was polite and attentive. The food however was not good at all. I tried to stick with it, but ended up needing to leave after the 4th course because I vomited in the restroom. We discretely informed our server, paid, and left. Some of the ingredients in the nettle pasta really disagreed with me. The other courses were very sub-par as well. Super disappointing experience. read more

This is the best vegetarian tasting menu I've had in San Francisco, and I've had several. Creative and genuinely yummy from start to finish. Excellent service to go with it. Also a solid wine list based on a glance; more importantly for me, a solid set of non-alcoholic cocktails. I had the spicy faux gin and tonic which was excellent. My presumption, based on this experience, is that they don't have a Michelin star or two because they don't give a rat's ass about that accolade. Rather they focus on the food and the customer. Go! read more

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Extraordinary dining experience. Came here with my partner to celebrate her birthday and everything from the process of arranging to arrive early at the last minute to the little box of almond cake they sent us home with and its wax owl seal (pictured) that included the menu to reflect upon was exquisitely done. This is contemporary food art through and through. Some of my favorite parts: * The myriad snack size "reflections" which came after most courses and which included ingredients from the prior dish. These ranged from a mushroom scallop dumpling (post scallop, mushroom, truffle dish) to a small glass of cold tomato water after the flavor-bursting summer cherry tomato themed dish. So creative and fun. * Comparing the standard tasting menu with the pescatarian menu. I am pescatarian and my partner is not, though I have a "curiosity clause" in my diet which grants me an opportunity to try (generally one) bite of anything new that I feel genuine curiosity about. We enjoyed comparing and contrasting the places where the two diverged. * The wine pairings. We'd always try the wine and food separately. Several times, I didn't appreciate the wine much on its own but then paired with food it suddenly stood out as excellent. They were also super nice about allowing us just one wine pairing to share without any surcharge (which I've seen reported elsewhere) and even poured two separate glasses of wine when the pescetarian menu diverged from the standard menu (and hence needed a different pairing as judged by the sommelier), which was also fun to compare. * Deserts. Three different deserts came (+ one to take home) and also "reflected" back to earlier parts of the meal in fun and creative ways. I'm generally not a desert person, being generally avoidant of sugar, but wow these were good. There was a raspberry desert which had a touch of salt added that caused the whole thing to perfectly match the Sangiovese wine paired with it. * The dishware itself was exceptionally unique and fun to look at and interact with. Mostly from local potters, these were each beautiful pieces of art on their own. Mine matched my partners in essence but each had their own unique flourishes, clearly the work of hands and not machines. The only miss of the whole experience I would say was once where the pescatarian menu didn't quite appropriately substitute. The hamachi (tuna) sub for the Flannery beef filet, while very skillfully crafted and delicious did not at all go with the red pepper "salsa" which matched the beef (and wine) extremely well. This could have been more well thought out, but perhaps with a regularly changing menu not every last accommodation for diet needs can be perfect. We took in total somewhere around 3 hours, about an hour longer than the 2 hour expectation clearly communicated ahead, because we really took our time with small bites, comparisons, wine pairing etc. Through this process we never felt rushed or even time-checked by staff and were honestly surprised as we left, as when you exit a long wonderful absorbing movie from a theater and suddenly see how late it is. Costs were: $185 / tasting menu, $130 / wine pairing, $15-18 / cocktail I don't often write reviews but I had a great feeling about the experience we'd have at Nightbird prior to booking (after looking over a 20+ restaurants) with a mild reservation because of 4 vs 5 Yelp stars stars I had seen elsewhere. Let me just say that if you are in this boat, go here! This is a fun full creative food art journey you won't forget. read more

Nightbird - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

When you walk-in from the unassuming exterior, you are greeted with a warm and earthy interior, which lends itself to a very inviting atmosphere. The food and service is impeccable -- and truly extraordinaire dining experience. Thank you, Chef Kim. read more

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Delightful dinner! The menu was thoughtful, whimsical, and balanced. While the environment, decor, and service all meant business, it didn't try too hard. It was sophisticated but wasn't fussy and uncomfortable like certain fine dining spots in the city. The servers were all so nice and had a great sense of humor which I'm always here for. I left feeling full but not grossly full and everything felt like a treat. Every vessel that the food was served on was gorgeous with edible flowers meticulously tweezer'd on top, and every dish sparked a new topic of fun conversation. What more can you ask for? read more

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THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Your establishment is an inspiration in the goodness of humanity. I appreciate you feeding my person and his colleagues at Davies ER during their overnight shift. They were touched and overwhelmed with gratitude. As was I, Erick read more

Nightbird - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place has a lot of hype and so I have been wanting to try it ever since moving to Hayes Valley. They've been closed so many times for Covid-related issues so when they finally reopened recently I snapped up a reservation. I'll preface the review by saying I'm not a typical "foodie" but I do enjoy a fine meal and don't mind paying for it. Service was excellent, as they're known for. Our server and the chef were very accommodating to a gluten and egg free diet and my girlfriend was happy with their inventive substitutions. Only slightly strange thing was even though I put the restrictions on the reservation, and told the person who seated us, the server came over and had no clue and we had to explain everything again. Drinks from Linden Room were decent, if not a bit muted in flavor. The only one that was memorable was the Rodriguez, so definitely get that one if you like mezcal and they still have it. Heck even if you don't like mezcal give it a shot as it has a very interesting taste. Wine pairings did complement the food well. The food was all solid, but nothing spectacular. At this price point I expect to be wowed, especially if most courses are just a bite or two. The standouts were some crispy sunchokes on the squab dish, and the final course's beef steak (I forget which kind it was). Overall, the whole experience was enjoyable but on this particular day, with this particular tasting menu, the food wasn't outstanding for me personally. I'd consider coming back in a year or so when they've had a chance to get back in their groove and up the creativity. read more

A true find! Hard to believe my first time! All very special. Great, quiet intimate space. Creative menu. Touches of humor. Enough to eat but not at all bloated or excessive. Totally wonderful attentive service. High marks!! read more

An evening at Nightbird not only feeds your empty belly but takes you on a journey with Kim. Over the years I have eaten at Nightbird several times, before and after the COVID closure. The food is always wonderful- carefully and lovingly prepared & tastes amazing. The front of house staff are warm, friendly and professional. The room beautiful and quiet enough to talk with your date. The components of your meal change with the season, the times, and what Kim wants to say with her food so telling you what is great doesn't really work. The cocktails are unique and tasty, the bread is amazing and the butter too! Check out Nightbird on Instagram for photos of the food. read more

Nightbird - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place is definitely for special occasions due to the cost but the experience is worth it. We came here for our friend's 40th birthday and had a wonderful experience. They have a good selection of wines, spirits, and a few cocktails. But the main attraction is the multiple course tasting menu. Each course is small portions but by the end you are fully satisfied. Highly recommend this place!!! read more

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Everything was excellent! Food were perfectly executed and service was splendid! Special occasion or not is worth the experience. read more

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I would describe my experience at Nightbird as mixed. There were several highlights: 1. The oil-poached prawns with squash were incredible. Almost the texture of raw scallop (which I love), the lightly herb-infused poaching oil elevated the prawns so much. And the squash represented in various ways pulled the dish together. 2. "Reflections" were a cool concept: Taking some ingredients from the previous dish, and using them or other parts of them to create something new. The corn fritters with baby corn was a great reflection following the corn pasta. 3. The use of cooked strawberries was something I hadn't had before. They had a very different flavor when cooked down, and were used in a couple dishes to great effect. 4. The service was perfectly executed for this level of restaurant. 5. The fresh bread was unexpected and very good. 6. The dishware was very unique and pretty, and always at a temperature that best supported the dish. There were a couple areas I think Nightbird could have done better: 1. The execution on cooking both non-seafood meats was poor. Most especially, the A5 Wagyu shortrib was dried out and lightly burned. I have cooked shortrib myself many times, and I am no chef, and it's usually far better than Nightbird's and I don't even use A5 wagyu. It was probably from the end of the cut and fried too much, in too little fat, to finish it. The squab was also too tough. It took several heavy back-and-forth motions with the provided meat knife to even pierce it, and then once in pieces, it was not tender or particularly seasoned. The accompanying squab terrine was fine, but as a terrine, it could have been transcendent. 2. The wine pairings ($130/pp) were not very adventurous. For the early courses, I felt they were exactly the typical pairings. The sommelier himself explained his approach is to mirror the flavors of the dish, which did seem to be the case. I did appreciate the Bugey rose and the Croatian red. Overall I am glad I visited read more

a friend recommendation. despite all the negative things I've heard from others, i decided to see for myself. food wise, very mid and with some courses disappointing . fine dining style but very apparent as to why they aren't in the guide. burnt leeks with an boiled egg and hollandaise. literally and oyster with a tasteless gel and powder. Come on. decent ,but slow, service and tasty sourdough though. read more

Went there last night for my husband's bday, as well as a cerebration for being empty nesters (yes, just sent the only kid to college last weekend... ) We had a fantastic evening. Probably one of the best tasting menus in the town. All dishes were presented beautifully and they all tasted great. I particularly love the mini-dish between the main dishes. The service was spot on. I also love the environment, just the right size and a balance between casual and formal. read more

Finally was able to find some pictures taken from the delicious meal we had pre covid. read more

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Took 3 hours for 6 courses fix price menu without drink pairing, which is wayy too long, just like having 13-15 courses of fix price menu at PerSe, French Laundry or Saison. Each course in the fix price menu is not that special, very small portion. The list of items in the fix price menu is more than 6 but all others are just side dishes such as rolls, soup, bonbon candy, very small onion, very thin, small portion of mushroom. None of the course impressed us, all of them are very mediocre, I don't think I need to pay $125 plus 16% gratuity (which is outrageous) to have this kind of meal that almost every modern American cuisine restaurant can make and have to sit for 3 hours! The cut of the duck and beef are very thin and again, we couldn't sense any special technique they use to prepare these dishes. Every single dish is a one-bite dish. Seriously. The halibut was cut extremely small in square-shaped. Any Chinese restaurant can make a better whole halibut dish with a much cheaper price! Two courses are dessert. One is coconut ice cream, which looks like a cheese ball, another one is chocolate almond passionfruit which I think is the best dish among all. The time between each course was extremely slow, we were waiting.. and waiting.. and felt so bored!!! From the beginning til the end, the service was soooo slow! We were seated 15 minutes late from our reservation. Since this is our first time here, the server did not even explain that the only option they have is the fix price menu. We were confused, since the server just took drink order, then left, made us wondering what should we order? Anything here? The server did not even gave us the fix-price menu! Very amateur! The restaurant is very small, there is a small bar at the bar which I think is quite unique. It's funny that the restaurant menu has a slogan: "New beginnings ....". For us, coming here is the "New endings" !!! Nightbird... what a Nightmare!!! read more

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Going to an ultimate highend foodie experience like Nightbird is a very rare treat in my family. I am sure that many people in the Bay Area can afford $225 per person for dinner (one drink, set course menu plus tip NO extras) but I cannot. I saved this true luxurious food experience for my birthday last night. The service, ambiance, platings and attention to detail are impeccable. The dining rm is small the Linden Bar even smaller. When u sit down u receive sort of a thumbnail sketch of the many courses to come, plus a drink list and full wine menu. We opted for one drink each as we are not big drinkers. However had a wine pairing been offered I would have tried it. We were served an impeccably perfect poached quail egg w Hollandaise over fried leeks. Then came the shrimp and Heirloom tomato salad again impeccable and one of my favorites of the night. Added to that was homemade rustic sourdough bread with salted butter, truly divine. I believe there was a palate cleaner then of shitake mushroom w fermented oat crisp. Then came the tomato consomme w another crisp and fried shrimp heads. I tried the fried shrimp but I felt like I was eating a fried cockroach--NOPE. Next came the rolled chicken w corn shaving in a delectable crispy skin, followed w fermented yeast bread and more butter. Ooops before that was the black garlic tortelloni w ricotta and black truffle sauce, a true masterpiece! Then another amuse bouche of fried chickpea flour w corn bites. Finally a largish piece of Flannery beef w squash and bone marrow sauce. Everything was followed by multiple dessert bites; peach wax infused honey sorbet, mint sorbet w chocolate ganache and strawberries, then an orange sort of runny panecotta in a small tart, lollipop, chocolate truffle and vanilla caramel. All topped up with a mini carrot cake muffin wrapped to go and a memento menu of the evening. We were full beyond belief even after skipping the steak and bringing it home. They are all small bites but really add up. read more

Nightbird - Memento menu - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Excellent dinner! Loved the progression of the tasting menu; it was full of surprises and new flavors I would have never thought of working well together. Highly recommend with the wine pairing if you're willing to splurge a bit. The service was also excellent - very attentive and answered all of our questions. Highly recommend for a special night out! read more

Definitely our favorite meal of 2019. Each dish was the best version of itself and even with ten dishes, almost every single one was memorable. For $145, it feels like the four small bite dishes should have been a little more substantial, but each one had such intensive flavor in it's single bite or two, that they still provided a substantial experience even in very insubstantial portions. The flavors are denser than other fine dining restaurants and there's a stronger focus on brown butter and salt, though all the flavors still feel highly refined. The two breads were delicious, though we definitely would have left hungry without them. The menu changes biweekly, so we'll definitely returning. read more

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At $125pp, there is a certain expectation, fell short for me: *matsutake course was my least favorite, one of my favorite fungi, but the dish was unbalanced, too creamy and overly complicated *tender squab, crisp skin was the best part, beets overpowered and the raw chioggas were just confusing and superfluous *bavette is a very poor cut of meat, served at her more casual eatery in Oakland at double the portion and half the price, chewy, lots of connective tissue Yes you read right, 5 official courses, 4 savories and 3 were not up to par. Kudos: *warm service, friendly, allowed us to charge our dying phone and made strides to correct an issue with one of the courses *ethereal dining room, the wall effects are so soothing *fresh cockscomb and Aesop hand soap in the loo *good wine pairings, four generous pours, none for dessert, $65pp *poached quail egg, leeks brown butter, so rich and stunning to start the meal, sadly everything else did not live up to this first bite. *spot prawn, executed well, my favorite savory of the night *sweets are great, in particular the date cake, crumble reminded me of danish butter cookies, yes from the tin at Walgreens, in the best possible way 16% service is automatically added to the bill. Still a lot of room to grow, cannot use the style employed previously and double the prices. The formula doesn't work for me. read more

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Great restaurant. It seems like it's probably on the brink of Michelin but who knows what they really are looking for anyway. 2-Min quail egg. So rich and buttery and great one bite. Kampachi: I don't eat fish so they made mine with cucumbers instead. Super fresh dish. Loved the tomato dashi Tortellini: yum. Truffles. Yum. Mushrooms yum. Charred onion sauce. Yum. Yes this dish was amazing. Duck: the crispy skin on the duck breast was great. Everything cooked great and paired well with the Squash on the plate. The confit however was dry and not very flavorful. Disappointing because I love confit. The foie mousse was super tasty though! Beef course: beautiful like the other course. But not very tender. And when I cut into the piece of meat it started bleeding. So it looked like it was cooked properly but maybe just didn't rest long enough. Dessert: I don't know why people can't just do a great chocolate soufflé anymore. And have to try funky desserts. But ironically I did really like the corn ice cream with popcorn Loved the first bread course. The second was super sourdough. Just not for me. Beautiful open chill restaurant. Can get in and out in 1.5 hours if you want. Or I'm sure you could stretch it out. Great for pre-show meals I would guess. Connected to Linden Room Reservations on open table. Requires a credit card. read more

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4.5 STARS After reading about Kim Alter's (Plum, Coi, Danko, Manresa) first solo restaurant last year, I've been stalking the restaurant like a crazy stage 10 creeper. For the past few months, I would walk to Hayes Valley during my lunch break to peep at the progress. Delay after delay, they were finally going to open on August 17th and once reservations opened, I snatched them. And, then I get a call that our reservations had to be rescheduled because of a permitting delay. Because...San Francisco! The hostess was very apologetic and they offered diners whose reservations had to be rescheduled a discount (10%) which was a nice gesture. My friend and I had reservations at 6 pm on Saturday but arrived early to grab a drink at the Linden Room (Nightbird's bar at the back). The bar is very tiny (fits 6 people) but is very cozy. They share the same well-curated cocktail menu as the restaurant. All cocktails are $13, expertly crafted, and very potent. I had the The Hoo's Hoo: Gin, gran classico, alessio bianco vermouth, sloe gin ($13): http://bit.ly/2coFitz and got a good buzz off half a glass. Upon being seated for our dinner reservations, the manager brought us a complimentary glass of M. Bonnamy Crémant de Loire Brut as another apology for the reservation reschedule: http://bit.ly/2cbWBNj. You have a choice to peruse the Five-Course Tasting Menu ($125) or keep everything a surprise. We choose the latter and received a copy of the menu at the end of dinner: http://bit.ly/2bPeNNm. You also receive 4 complimentary courses so it's really a total of 9 courses. Wine and cocktail pairings available. 16% auto-gratuity is added to your bill. ~ * ~ T A S T I N G M E N U ~ * ~ **Quail Egg Nest, fried leeks, brown butter beurre blanc: http://bit.ly/2bOCMb2 **House Baked Bread, house cultured butter, sea salt: http://bit.ly/2bPeUsj Course 1 - Local Tomato, oyster cornichon, dashi, crispy sea lettuce: http://bit.ly/2bz7Tv2 Course 2 - Variations of Corn, grilled baby corn, corn kernels, corn pudding, popped corn: http://bit.ly/2cbYg5g Course 3 - Lobster, summer truffle, chanterelle, heart of palm (2 ways): http://bit.ly/2bPpLkk Course 4 - Rabbit Roulade, bacon, summer squash, peach, vadouvan curry: http://bit.ly/2cbYnxR **Strawberry, peach, mandarin orange granita: http://bit.ly/2bz8b4R Course 5 - Manjari, salty pluots, buttermilk, cocoa nib, brown sugar tuile: http://bit.ly/2bTe4YN **Fernet & Chocolate It's It: http://bit.ly/2bxXAs6 Highlights: Quail Egg Nest, Variations of Corn, Lobster, Manjari dessert, and Fernet It's It Great opener with the nice soft-boiled quail egg with liquid gold and the contrast of crispy fried leeks. The variations of corn was perfect for a corn lover like myself as the different preparations added various layers of flavor and texture. Lobster + truffle...how can you go wrong with this duo of luxurious indulgence? I only eat chocolate when it's in my face and I wanted to faceplant into another plate of the manjari. The salty pluots and bitterness of the cocoa nib worked beautifully with the subtly sweet chocolate and crunchy tuile. The Fernet It's It made this SF native and Fernet lover a happy girl. The Fernet is understated so don't worry about that harsh medicinal flavor. Lowlights: Local Tomato and Rabbit Roulade The tomato course was refreshing but the red tomato pieces were a bit underripe. The Rabbit Roulade was very salty and tasted like ham. ~ * ~ S E R V I C E ~ * ~ The staff was fantastic. Although it was only night 3, everyone was on their A-game and well-versed with the menu. All the courses were properly paced and there were no lags between courses. Start to finish, dinner took 2.5 hours. Although 2 courses didn't quite suit our palette, I really appreciate the staff being receptive to our feedback and they went above AND beyond to make things right. As an apology, they brought us a cocktail in one of the Chef Alter's favorite glasses: http://bit.ly/2cc2NES. Our main server (Anthony?) knew how much we loved the Fernet & Chocolate It's It and brought us another round. When Chef Alter came out of the kitchen to chat with customers, my friend told her how much she enjoyed the hearts of palm course. And, she brought out two stalks for her to bring home. Totally unnecessary but we were very appreciative of her kind gesture. The way the staff handled everything was a class act. ~ * ~ A M B I A N C E / D E C O R ~ * ~ Minimalist - wooden furnishings, plushy leather and velvet chairs and dim lighting. Loved the hard-carved owl entrance door. There's seating for about 34-36 and most tables were nicely spaced out and acoustics was good with 80s music playing in the background. Great for a romantic dinner. ~ * ~ P A R K I N G ~ * ~ Difficult street parking after 6 pm. Nearest garage is up the block at the Performing Arts Garage. 4.5 STARS rounded up for Chef Alter and her wonderful staff for creating such an enjoyable dining experience. read more

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In a word, OUTSTANDING. We have eaten at top restaurants all over the world and Nightbird is easily in the top five. We we warmly greeted and shown to a table as soon as we walked in the door. Over the course of the next 2.5 hours we interacted with all the wait staff who were personable, knowledgable, and appropriately attentive. The food, OH THE FOOD! Besides being art on a plate, the flavors were unbelievable. Each course was small, but by the time we hit about course seven, I was completely full. At the end of the meal, the chef brought out our final parting gift and she was so appreciative of our compliments about the whole experience. There have been a scant handful of negative reviews about Nightbird and quite frankly, they have no resemblance to the magical time we had. This restaurant is totally deserving of Michelin star status. Don't hesitate - make your reservation now! read more

We were so lucky to be able to spend another delightful evening at Nightbird. This is so much more than an amazing meal. It's a very special experience. The chef is a gifted artist who shares her talent and vision with her guests dish by extraordinary dish. Everything is perfection. The dishes are visually stunning and the flavors are sophisticated. It's such a treat to experience her art. read more

Both the food and the service at Nightbird was simply outstanding. We enjoyed another amazing experience with a long list of items from the prix fixe menu. As before, the chef was also excellent in making substitutions for our gluten-free eater. read more

I'm sad to say that this one was disappointing. I gave 4 stars because I don't like to give bad reviews and I do think that they tried their best I just think that the dishes are dated and boring. Anyone can take a small bite and serve it in a big plate, it doesn't make the food tasty. The feeling was that the chef didn't change the dishes in years cause it had no sophistication, it was simple and dull. The shrimp dish was horrible and when I returned it I was excepting to hear some concern in the waiter's voice I was expecting him to care cause you're don't return food in this type of restaurant with $800 bill. I will recommend them to work a bit harder read more

Haven't been here since BC but was lovely last time I was there - all the staff were accommodating It's a lovely small space with an interesting menu including signature cocktails Best for somewhat special night out but in true SF style you don't need to go super fancy Since this is a small space best to (1) make a res & (2) go for just 2 or 3 others tops read more

How can this restaurant has no Michelin star?!! The food was incredible, service was superb, ambiance was casual yet classy. Their quail egg was some of the most delicious eggs we have had. And the duck was so juicy and tender that almost melted in my mouth. Will absolutely come back again. read more

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Chef Kim Alter's restaurant--fantastic! 5-course tasting menu at $125pp, menu changes seasonally. Overall flavor and service beats out a number of Michelin-starred restaurants in the city, including Atelier Crenn, Quince, and SPQR (I know these are very different restaurants, but all highly overrated in my opinion, so worth a call out). Hubby made reservations 2 months in advance--what a great surprise! We saw the chef in action, running the kitchen and making sure the dishes came out on point. She also brought out bread for many of the guests which was a nice touch (and gave my hubby star-fright :) ). Food was tasty and well-composed. Service was attentive and friendly. Decor was clean and rustically simple; carved owl door attracted a lot of attention of various passerbys who took pictures in front of the door (we were seated in the bay window at front so we had a little giggle over how much people loved that door). Temperature was a bit chilly but once we asked them to turn the air down they quickly normalized the temperature. Indian Summer seasonal menu: Amuse bouche: soft poached quail egg covered in bernaise sauce atop fried leeks--so yummy, great first bite of the meal. Bread service: brioche cube, fried on all sides to give a nice crisp outside, served with homemade butter. They'll offer you more and more bread, so take them up on it! Overall portions are on the smaller side (I took some of the main course home, but I'm a relatively smaller eater), so you don't have to worry too much about filling up on bread--feel free to take them up on their offers of more bread. Course 1: heirloom tomato salad, flash fried seaweed, with dashi broth--fresh and flavorful. Course 2: corn multiple ways--pretty small, but tasty. Course 3: lobster with truffle, chanterelle mushrooms, and hearts of palm--perfectly cooked lobster and best preparation of hearts of palm. This was my fave course (aside from the amuse bouche). Course 4: (main course) bacon-wrapped rabbit, summer squash, peaches--tender rabbit, a spin on porkchops with applesauce. Palette cleanser: basil granite and basil seeds, melon gelato, melon bits--good but could have used more fruitiness and slightly less basil. Course 5: (dessert) chocolate ice cream, toasted cocoa nibs, coffee(?) touille, pluots (cross between a plum and apple)--good, but I would have preferred a higher ice cream ratio. Homemade marshmallow with chocolate drizzle--ok, but could have used a little toast. Overall great meal, and will be back soon, if we can get a decent reservation! read more

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Absolutely incredible One of the finest dining experiences I've ever had. Give them the Michelin star now. read more