This place is a marvel that will undoubtedly become "big" and "too cool to be cool" in no time. We were taken out by a partner and the entire experience was just amazing. Our waiter was more of a curator who walked us through the entire menu one plate at a time. My favorite dishes were the qual egg and the steak, but deserts were also spectacular. Frankly every dish was a journey to that sweet "foodie high". It's a treat. Oh, and the chef brought out a little muffin which I forgot about and then discovered in my bag the next day. It was like Christmas on a random day in September! read more

Nightbird - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My last review was taken saying they don't serve burgers , so I took a photo this time. For such an expensive restaurant I was hoping I would find something tasty here but no, the burger was not good at all, and the cheesy fries were terrible! read more

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

So, came in for a pre birthday dinner. We were seated immediately and there was a sweet little birthday card signed by all the staff at the restaurant on the table. What a lovely touch! I was suuuuper excited to dine at Nightbird, having heard so many great things. I love the presentation of the menu, even the font is whimsical and the little owl is the cutest. The waitress kindly brought us the cocktail and drink menu and we each picked something from it. She looped back around during our meal and asked if we wanted anything else to drink. She was greatly attentive! Dinner buddy opted in for another drink. Our meal started off with a poached quail egg with hollandaise. It was pretty good and I especially enjoyed the fried onions. It added a nice contrasting texture. The second course was a beet truffle salad. The beets were fresh and delicious. We were then brought a little loaf of sourdough rye bread to share. This wasn't my favorite but I ate it anyways. The next course made me a little sad to eat. We ate Sonic the Hedgehog =/ But, he was tasty and the agnolotti was made really well and perfectly toothy. The next round of bread showed up- sesame nori was my one of my favorite items of the evening. The cod was good, the beef was a bit chewy and I felt there could have been more on the plate (every plate, that is). The heart of palm was omg so good. I wish there were two or three more! On to dessert, there was a tangerine, mandarinquat which I enjoyed (anything citrus steals my heart) and a dark chocolate with pears and hazelnut ice cream. I think the pears took away from the dessert and didn't like it. Our waitress then brought us a chocolate truffle each (which I was all chocolate'd out by then so I ate half) and a salted caramel which wasn't very firm, almost paste-like. Lastly, she brought a small rectangular chunk of ganache (this was my favorite dessert of the evening) with a lit candle. So thoughtful! The ambiance is extremely plain (did they just move in today?), the waitstaff is great and attentive, but the portions are pretty tiny and sadly I just don't think the food was above average, nor filling. Presentation was really lovely though. I can't say the dinner wasn't good, because it was. Yes, it's a tasting menu and portions are small. But either add more food on each plate or increase the number of tastings you get. We both were still pretty hungry when we left and disappointedly went to find a second dinner. Three stars? Seems harsh, I know. I actually feel it's quite generous. Everyone and their dog likes this place. Not to say I didn't like it, I just don't think the food is memorable, sets them apart, or worth the price. Definitely not worth the price. Two tasting menus and 3 drinks later we blew through about $396.00 (gratuity was included). Should I have flown to Seattle and back for dinner at Altura instead? read more

Can't believe this place only has 91 reviews! I have been wanting to come here since it opened and finally came for belated Valentines Day. $125/per person and they only have their tasting menu available. The restaurant is soooooo cute. The menu is so unique, the coasters, the decor, everything. The restaurant is pretty small with this huge kind of ugly bar table in the middle. I have no idea why they set it up there but its really unsightly. Has to be the only thing I don't like about the place. Its set up like a card table with a table cloth over it like one of those temporary bars you see at Exploratorium at night. Not sure why they want to distrub the otherwise perfect ambiance with it, maybe because they don't have a full bar because their bar is across the hall? All the food served here is incredible. Super rich and flavorful. Amazing presentation. The bread and butter is one of the standout and our waitress said its everyones favorite. I loved the quail egg starter and they even give you little breakfast cakes to take home for the next morning. Super Gary Danko of them haha. I ate them in bed the next day and they were delicious. Completely stuffed by the end of the meal. Tried to go to Linden Room ever but it was packed wall to wall (but the service was still super attentive) so we just went to Redwood Room for a drink after instead. Pro Tip: If you are celebrating an occasion, make sure to mention it so you can get a good table. We tried to switch our table because ours was right next to the weird temporary bar and facing the view of the dishwasher but the other open table was reserved for a couple celebrating their anniversary. read more

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This review is for the current take-out menu only (nightburger@lunch.) Of course I ordered the Nightburger which comes with 138 sauce, I am not sure what is in 138 sauce but the burger was delicious and juicy (a 3 napkin experience), the waffle fries and misfit sauce were excellent, and how could I pass on Candy cap ice cream? The burger is made to order so if you show up a few minutes before your reservation time you will have to wait. Everything was delicious and if you are looking for a change from your usual lunch routine I highly recommend ordering from here!!! read more

Saturday night dinner with some friends: we enjoyed our dinner and the service was fantastic, but was not blown away by the tasting menu. Not memorable. In fact, a couple of the courses were a bit too salty - especially the lamb. The cocktails were too sweet. The ambiance is also somewhat lackluster - the decor of the dining room is sparse / feels almost unfinished. We probably will not return, but it was a fine one-time dining experience. read more

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Truly an incredible meal! Eating here is an experience, not just a dinner. I went here for my birthday and it was spectacular. The chef prepares a very thoughtful and delicious tasting menu. She is SO talented. Plates, service and decor are so nicely done. I would highly recommend to anyone who is looking for a great dinner. YUM! read more

Came for my birthday dinner last night with my mother, we had the chef's 'Christmas Story' pre-fixe menu and it was spectacular. The quail egg has been on the menu forever and we can see why, it was mouthwatering! The caviar was incredible, and the taste of the ocean was so perfectly balanced I was blown away. My mother, who does not eat steak tartare, finished hers before me because it was so delicate and perfect. I could not recommend Nightbird enough -- the wine pairings were perfection and the service impeccable. To top it all off, we left with a Christmas to-go box from chef with hot cocoa mix, peppermint, and a square of delectable chocolate goodness. If you have a special event or day to celebrate get into Nightbird for a gastronomic experience! read more

Fun, dressy casual spot in Hayes Valley - we had a great time here for my date's birthday. Came on a Saturday with a prime time reservation. Venue / service: I was quite surprised how few seats there were inside; I wouldn't call it sparse, but comfortably empty that you could have an intimate conversation. The interior is rather dark inside (especially at night) that added to the intimate atmosphere without requiring you to need a flashlight to read menus. While I don't remember his name, our server was fantastic in providing recommendations and his humor when conversing with guests! They will ask you if you have any events to go to (i.e. if you need to eat quickly before a show at SF Ballet / SFO / Opera), but otherwise our meal lasted around 2 hrs. Food: Nightbird offers a "five course and five bite" menu for $145 per person. Overall, I'd describe the meal as clean tasting yet complex. There usually are a good amount of ingredients involved in each course and yet the flavors all worked well together. I somehow found that I loved the little bites (esp. the liver bonbon) in between more so than the "main dishes", as I found that the smaller bites packed a whole lot more impact in terms of flavor. Can I also say that their bread selection (esp. their Parker-house roll) is to die for? -- Quail egg, leek, hollandaise -- Nantucket scallop, carrot, vadouvan -- **Carrot - loved the spices used to highlight the sweet carrot flavor. -- **Tortellini, truffle, trumpet mushroom - not the biggest fan of truffle, but they only added enough to highlight the trumpet mushroom flavor, which ended up being the star (which is hard since truffle can be overpowering)! -- Truffle / trumpet mushroom broth with truffle crisp -- Duck, sunchoke, turnip -- **Duck liver bonbon with seeds - this was our absolute favorite! We are not super fans of liver, but the texture was perfect - creamy and then crunchy with the seeds coating. -- Flannery beef, brassicas -- **Passionfruit and coconut sorbet -- Almond, chocolate bites - many bites; my favorite was the lollipop At $145 per person (excluding tax and drinks), I did feel that it was a bit on the expensive side of meals in SF. This is probably because, as I mentioned before, I found the bites to be somewhat more compelling than the larger dishes. Don't get me wrong - Nightbird's quality is great and vibe was perfect for our celebration; just felt a bit on the pricey side. All-in-all, a great semi-casual-semi-dressy spot to have an intimate date night! I'd come back here again just to indulge in their bites and be wowed by their service, but perhaps not as often as I would like given the price. read more

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Great quail egg, cold snail & asparagus, caviar with smoked egg tart, and beef dishes. Very salty black chicken with lax skin, and a couple other surprisingly salty items. A lot of repeat ingredients, like green strawberry, shrimp and asparagus, that we didn't happen to enjoy despite the beautiful presentation. The food and drink were again novel and interesting but just not to our taste. read more

I made a reservation on January 20th for my girlfriend and I for Valentine's Day, which required a credit card with a 7 day cancellation notice. The restaurant calls me on February 9th to confirm my reservation. After I say, yes, we still want to go, they tell me that they cannot accommodate my girlfriend's dietary restrictions, which I made a note of on January 20th. This completely leaves us in the lurch just shy of 6 days before Valentine's Day, which doesn't even abide by their own cancellation policy. I would've spent at least $1000 on this meal for us and they treat us with such lack of respect, given that we will now not be able to get any reservation at any other nice restaurant for Valentine's Day because they told us so last minute when I planned this well in advance, not to mention they were not apologetic, nor did they try to make up for it in any manner whatsoever. We will not be going there in the future. Just aware that they might be inconsiderate to you. read more

I have never in my life walked into a restaurant and asked only " do you have any dietary needs or allergies" before random food started showing up. By the Yelp listing I mistakenly thought the whole menu was vegetarian. I couldn't have been more wrong--Nightbird serves vegetarians the same tasting menu minus the meat. Literally. So.... There's no menu, no discussion of food options, no statement that we were going to experience a tasting menu. Just ordered a bottle of wine and the first of "x" courses was delivered. No idea how many courses were coming or the rhyme or rhythm. Being a vegetarian it just seemed like one vegetable after another. Do you guys know any actual vegetarians? We do eat protein like seitan, soy, and tempeh for a start. These items can be prepared in gourmet manner that makes it feel ok to pay $100 for a meal. The $750 price tag for a two bottles of wine, two meat and one vegetarian diner truly blew my mind even in SF. The best part of the meal was the first bread course which had some kind of tasty cheese and a salted top. Honestly I could have had the bread and the wine and been done with it. I wouldn't have felt so bad for the fact that I still needed to eat by the time I got home. read more

It's a cute, quant restaurant with friendly service, awesome drinks and ok food. For the price of the tasting i felt the offerings were rather on the small side. The dishes that stood out were the quail and the scallop crude style. I have to say, I hate scallops so for me to actually commend this dish is a true tip of my hat to the chef. All the other dishes were just ok- they wee all lacking in something magical. Where a dish shows textures, flavors, combinations that are surprising to the palate. Those dishes that make you crave more and that leave a lasting positive impression. Unfortunately, this rendezvous was unmemorable- definitely will not be on a second date. read more

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I am conflicted about Nightbird. What they do right, they do really right. But I think for me it was more a case of style versus substance. I genuinely prefer substance. The vegetarian menu left me wanting more. More flavor. More creativity. Just more. It seemed like a paler version of the non-vegetarian menu versus a thing that stands on its own. I suspected that from reading the website, but hoped that maybe I was missing something in the translation. I ended up just wishing I had just ignore my dietary restrictions and gone for the lobster and beef. Considering the portion sizes, it might not have been too much for my system. Still, they do have some hits. An actual vegetarian tasting menu being one of them. That was nice to see, as were the little bites in between each course. They were a lovely way to keep the flow of the meal going and it was cool they "continued" the previous course.I was underwhelmed with the parsnips as part of dessert, but really liked the chocolate truffles (both the planned final course and the extra bites they provided as a birthday treat. Ghe presentation of the food was uniformly gorgeous. the service was good. The ambience is understated and fairly relaxed (people seem to linger). Other little touches, like the handwritten menus they slipped us at the end were nice. I also got a birthday card to mark my special occasion. All the little touches add up to a nice dining experience. I guess I just wanted a more exciting veggie experience. If I go again, I will definitely cheat on my diet and have the regular menu. I just don't think I should have to. read more

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Nightbird delivered to both CPMC Hospitals and San Francisco General Hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic response. Their food was a welcome respite from this intense time, and definitely a sign of community and selflessness. Thank you, Nightbird! Your food was absolutely DELICIOUS and filling of both the body & heart!!! read more

Nightbird - Cute individual packaging sent to hospitals! =) So tasty AND safe! - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great spot for Valentines Day! It's a low-key, fine-dining place in the heart of Hayes Valley. We only knew about it because we walked by it one day! It sounded like the chef also had a great track record and reputation. For dinner, we had 5-6 courses with wine pairings :) Flat out, their bread was amazing. It was a delicious Hawaiian roll. The scallops, squab, oyster & caviar, beef tenderloin were all amazing. The dessert had a cute name -- the birds and the bees. It was a nice assortment of flavors and ice cream on top of meringue. The chef came out briefly towards the end to provide a few take-home desserts. It was great to see her. read more

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It's honestly shocking Nightbird doesn't have a Michelin star or some other fancy European accolade. The food is incredible, the ambiance is incredible, and the service is incredible. It's icing on the cake that we were able to support a female chef/owner as well. My fiancé and I haven't dined inside since before the pandemic and there's nowhere else I would have rather gone to break the seal after years of caution. I felt safe and cared for the whole time which made the experience all the better. I don't have much more to say than it's worth every penny and you should book yesterday. (And also the bread is unbelievable, I can't believe another review spoke negatively about it--best bread I've ever had.) read more

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It seems as if Nightbird is cutting corners or going through staffing difficulties. My family and I decided on Nightbird after reading some stellar Yelp reviews. When we stepped through the door on a Friday night, we were not greeted. In fact, we had to flag someone down by walking across the restaurant to the kitchen area (somewhat embarrassing to do). The tables were only 50% occupied at 8PM. Our waiter was nice enough and made sure we put in our drink selections. The drinks came out on time; I had a cocktail and our family shared a bottle of champagne. Unfortunately, service and quality of food is not up to par. Throughout the night, our waiter did not consistently check our glasses to refill the champagne, and we noticed that he was talking to other staff members instead of checking the tables. The restaurant was not understaffed, as there were empty tables and idling waiters chatting with each other. I presume this is because the 16% gratuity is non-negotiable and the staff doesn't have to try as hard. Between our courses, timing from clearance to our next dish ranged from a mind-boggling 25 minutes to 12 minutes at best! The industry standard is 7 minutes between dishes! This is a massive failure. With sous vide and proper afternoon prep, I expected better. This was horrendous and we were left hungry and upset (no food, no wine). The food itself was overly salted. I was most disappointed by the "hearts of palm" dish which had "caviar" casually thrown on top (1/3 of it was tobiko, by the way). When we were cutting into the vegetable, all of the caviar fell into the overly salted sauce and we could not scoop up the caviar to consume it. The lamb course was equally disappointing; the texture was tough and our table was shaking as we were trying to cut into it with our utensils. We were also shaking our heads at this point. The number of dishes we had last night was fewer than what others have posted on here (2 complimentary courses instead of 4), and are of lower monetary value (no foie gras, scallops, or lobster with our dinner), yet the dinner menu still cost $125 with a non-negotiable 16% gratuity. As we were leaving, nobody escorted us to the door or said good-bye. Unless Nightbird improves its service and food to at least industry standards, it will most likely be out of business soon. I certainly won't be coming back. PS - This is a truly 1 star review but I gave an extra star for their ambiance, decor (clearly this is where their money went instead of good staffing) and one dish: tomato, cucumber, and black sesame course. read more

Nightbird - The hearts of palm dish in question. The fish roe fell off the log into the salty sauce as soon as you touched it. - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Food: every bite was amazing and beautiful perfection. Restaurant: nice vibe, decor, 70s/80s soundtrack. Service: we asked to speak with a manager to give them the opportunity to resolve the situation and avoid this 2-star review. But similar to the entirely "odd" (our group couldn't come up with another word), our request was ignored and a manager never came to our table. We're not sure if a manager existed. The communication was non-existent. Just a few examples of the worst service: 30 minutes to get drinks, and we had to remind and ask a few times...never offered another round when our glasses were empty. Server assumed one person in our group was doing the wine pairing and just started pouring it. No confirmation. She went with it to avoid further complication, but the wine pairings never came at the same time as the food. The menu doesn't state wine pairing is an option - only the veg menu - which wasn't given to us until after the 6th request. We had to ask about cost. The theme of the month is "color" - but that wasn't explained to us until the last course. No story telling, no talking us through the journey. And they knew it was our first time there. We had read the incredible articles, reviews and researched the website. Our group of four was very excited for this special expensive night out. Super disappointing. It's too bad because the chef is doing incredible work. read more

Simply the best in the bay, possibly in all of Northern California! This has been my second visit to NightBirdSF and I only wish I lived closer so i could enjoy it more often. I can't rave enough about this restaurant and it's a matter of time until they receive a Michelin star. The food and ambiance speaks for itself. Each item on the menu is DELICIOUS and I leave here full and happy each time. I came here the first time for a date night in 2020 and the second time in 2022 for a birthday with guests and each time I was blown away-as were my guests. The Chef is Amazing and her creative flair shows in each dish. Also, it's so nice and refreshing to see an amazing and successful female chef-you go girl. The night before we went to 'Lazy Bear' a two star Michelin star restaurant in SF and Nightbird was sooooo much better, not to mention more affordable & Filling. No matter your walk of life, Nightbird is worth EVERY dollar. We had a wonderful meal and experience, and I can't wait to be back here again! And my guests were so thrilled with their experience and also want to bring their friends and family ! Thank you NightBird for yet another wonderful dining experience! read more

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A true fine dining experience every minute of the visit. The night began with a visit to the Linden Room, which is internally connected to Nightbird in an intimate, dimly-lit room in the back, serving craft cocktails. I recommend seizing this opportunity to loosen the nerves on your date. The restaurant looks amazing. Fine, expensive minimalistic decor that makes you want to decorate your own dining room like this, if you had the money. The menu is tri-folded with a stamped wax seal that reminded me of the fine dining experiences of Hannibal Lecter. I made it, and I'm not going to get eaten either. Life is good. The entire meal flowed well. 2 servers serving our table of 4 at a time. The amouse bouche was a delicate quail egg. Equally delicious as it is beautiful. The foie gras is cooked perfectly. The U8 sea scallop is literally perfection. The braised beef falls apart with the slightly touch of your fork. I deliberately started a new paragraph to talk about the wine. THE wine. The most expensive bottle they have...the 2002 Freemark Abbey Sycamore Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. Before I tell you the ludicrous price, trust me this is better than any Plumpjack, Quintessa, Nickel & Nickel, Opus One, O'Shaughnessy, or any other big bad bold cabs I've had in recent years. Highly sought after, if I had a chance, I would buy 2 cases. You can still find collections for about $150/bottle online, but this restaurant, the Nightbird has it for only $199. See, crazy right? If I weren't already completely hammered from a day of tasting in Napa, I would have ordered another bottle. Thank you Nightbird for the memorable experience, delicious food, and wonderful service. Pricey at $300+ pp but like Rhoades Jr says, "Worth it!" read more

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The service was excellent, and all the dishes were presented beautifully, although I'm not sure if the taste matched the presentation of each dish. Out of the 5 courses served that evening, the standout was the Maine lobster for me, while my partner enjoyed the beef. read more

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Fantastic experience -- the food, the ambiance, the service was all top notch. They take you on an incredible journey through all of the courses. Every bite is perfection! read more

I am writing the beginning of this review from one of the restrooms at nightbird. My choices of restrooms included one with a picture of an owl and another with a picture of an owl with three leaves. I did not know which one to choose, so I chose the owl without the leaves. This, curiously, is a metaphor for my experience thus far at nightbird. Across the board, I'd say, they just don't quite have it together. Each day apparently brings a new tasting menu at $125 a pop. Ours today included a quail egg amuse bouche, a shrimp and scallop thing, some squab, a beef dish, some grape sorbet, and a final dessert that was in fact quite tasty but hard to describe. In terms of service, everything was just a bit off. Emerging from the very tight bar area we had to wait a bit for our table, which the hostess admittedly sweetened a bit with some complimentary rosé bubbly. Upon arriving at our table we find napkins just a tad too small to fit comfortably on one's lap. In general I found it to be an uneven experience that just wasn't worth the price. read more

I had a great dinner at Nightbird and am glad that I was finally able to give this place a try as I love Hayes Valley and have been so happy to see this neighborhood evolve. The food is very delicious and they do a very nice, balanced tasting menu that is not outrageous but is definitely a bit of a splurge. The quality of the food delivers. The service is strong, but the whole experience takes itself just a bit too seriously for my taste. Fine dining can be fine and can still be warm, engaging, and welcoming. Nightbird feels a little too "produced" from the service and ambiance side of things. A little too staged with a team that feels a little more like actors in a stage play and less of a warm group of people excited to have you at their table. The chef is fantastic and she does an amazing job, including popping in on the tables and checking in which is a nice touch and she is truly sincere. I hear rumor they might be expanding to add a bar experience to the overall layout which will, I think truly add to the mix and I think allow Nightbird a bit more room to spread its wings. I do recommend, that's for sure, but I wish they would relax a bit and have a bit more fun with it rather than appearing to be trying so hard to get Michelin's attention rather than bringing a smile to the face of whomever might find themselves looking for a great meal in a great neighborhood in a great city. read more

This place is amazing. We had many drink, and were appropriately tipsy. It is a good time for everyone involved, vegetarians, non-seafood people, and normals. I would recommend it highly. If you're lucky you'll get a little special amaro from Brooklyn at the end, and indulge. Nightbird can take any of SF's fancy places in a heartbeat. read more

I was very happy after my dinner at Nightbird. It was one of my birthday dinners and I found it to be a nice touch that they greeted me a happy birthday and gave me a card signed by all the staff. We started off the night with a cocktail. I had the Fleur de lis and my partner had the Islay vit. Mine was just a bit too sweet, but enjoyable. After cocktails we then proceeded with the 5 course dinner with wine pairings. The meal started with a 2-min boiled quail egg served over some crispy leeks, followed by a pannacotta with English peas. Then we had a pasta dish that incorporated various fresh veggies (tasted like spring), followed by a spring chicken roulade. The final savory course was an aged ribeye with morels and gruff, followed by a strawberry shortcake dessert. The dessert was awesome, with various textures and temperatures! The wine pairing a were also good. I only wish they had more descriptions of why they paired the wines with the food. The portions of the food was just right for a 5 course meal and the wine pours were healthy. It was also nice that they sometimes refilled our wineglasses if we fished it before finishing the paired dishes. I left satisfied and happy. read more

Nightbird - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Absolutely delicious!! The portion is just perfect. Also the service is spectacular!! Everyone here is so professional and friendly. I would come back to enjoy Nightbird's food anytime. read more

Nightbird has a fabulous tasting menu with creative dishes and high quality ingredients. I highly recommend coming here for a date or special occasion. The staff was great and accommodating. read more

Came here on a Thursday night. At 6pm the restaurant was almost empty. Service was warm and efficient. The bread was amazingly good that we got a second serving. Absolutely loved the soup with its many interesting textures mixed in (nuts and such). And truffles! What a treat! Scallops were cooked perfectly; my companion had squid ink risotto instead due to shell fish allergy (very nice for them to accommodate) and it was delicious. The sweetbread were seriously the best I've had; I usually tolerate them but actually enjoyed them here. Main course of chicken was good but didn't blow me away. Both dessert courses were both elegant and in point. Having just had dinner at Lord Stanley, this tasting was much better executed and warrants the higher price. read more

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Very nice dinner out on Saturday night. Our server Jerry was very friendly and made the dinner fun. Each course was nicely presented and flavorful. Drinks before at their bar were very nice as well. Each of the 4 drinks came in a different shaped glass (including a Caktus one for my tequila drink!), which was cool. read more

Such a wonderful experience! Delicious food. Beautiful presentation. Classy ambiance. Exceptional staff.

My God this was overpriced for a new years prix fixe menu. The waiter reached across me to clear the table and had very smelly armpits. I would have been better off staying in and ordering some pizza. Go to Acqurello and save hundreds of dollars and have an incredible meal and world-class service. read more

Spectacular. I don't feel this way about many new restaurants. In fact, I think most new restaurants always have some sort of flaw -- dishes aren't creative enough, they don't execute well, the service is clunky, etc. Nightbird somehow already seems to have conquered all those typical new restaurant blues. The SO and I made reservations pretty early since I was stoked to hear that this place was opening. Reservations are still pretty easy to snag on Opentable, so snag them while this place is still a hidden gem :O When we showed up for our reservation, they took us to the Linden Room, a cozy little bar just adjacent to the restaurant for cocktails. The Linden Room's sound system could use some improving, but otherwise, the vibe and the drink selection was delicious. After hanging out there for a bit, they seated us. Not sure why they took so long especially given that we went close to opening/it's not like they were clearing out a seat for us, but having us go to the Linden Room was a smart way to upscale and bide them some time in a way that didn't feel agonizing. So the thing that struck me the most throughout the meal was how quick it was! There were technically five official courses and a couple of amuse bouches sprinkled in, but I think we were out of the restaurant in an hour ish. The pacing was pretty fast, though not unmanageable for each dish, until they hit the main protein, which seemed to take them a little longer than expected. The dishes we had were: -amuse bouche: quail egg with caviar, gold flake, and fried leeks? I think.... and their interpretation of a Hawaiian roll -corn soup with truffle and lobster -foie gras cream with shaved fennel with monkey bread -Abalone with potato -Rib eye -Amuse bouche of ice cream with crushed frozen berries -A spectacular walnut gelato dessert I don't see the point in going into a deep dive of each dish because it sounds like chef is being pretty ambitious with changing the menu frequently. But my overall take was that it was awesome. It's truly really hard to execute each dish perfectly, and each dish was very much that. The dessert was truly a wonderful combination of distinct flavors that really jived well, the abalone was tender and delicious, as was the rib eye. The corn soup was a great opener to the meal -- bright and refreshing, and the foie gras cream complemented the monkey bread extremely well. Each dish was so thoughtfully composed and some were really quite creativity-inspiring--that's something you don't see very often these days. It's amazing to see Nightbird not only crush the cuisine dishes, but also the dessert and the boulangerie aspects of a restaurant. Service was casual and enjoyable throughout the meal -- our waiter was friendly and pleasant to chat with and not awkward at all (a problem I've noticed a lot recently at other new restaurant openings). Overall, I was throughly impressed with what I experienced at Nightbird. The price is $125 which is a bit higher than some other similar restaurants, but not at all unreasonable given the quality of the food and the experience. Nightbird is a real gem, and I'm excited to come back again to try out a new tasting menu! read more

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Tasting "owl" night long. You leave happily Altered... Wine pairings, of course! read more

Nightbird - Best plates I've eaten on! - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

I have been a fan of Chef Alter's cooking during her Plum and Haven days, Now she has a place of her own, In coordination with the Hayes Valley renaissance of restaurant concepts. There aren't that many tasting menu only places in the area so it's a welcome addition to the neighborhood. The late summer menu celebrates the produce and ingredients in top form. Tomatoes, lobster, corn, rabbit, strawberries and pluots represented on the opening menu. So tasty all around. Service is not too formal but not too relaxed either. They have plenty of wine and cocktails to go around and the pairing is solid. Yet another great choice for the an area full of great eating read more

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They had me at 'This is you FIRST bread course'! Whhatt?? Yes please. I enjoyed the theater menu, which starts early if you need to get to a show at the nearby theaters. The staff asks when your show begins and they serve food and drinks in a timely manner to make sure you make that show. The atmosphere is quiet and intimate, the staff is attentive, and the food is yummy! My top picks: - bread! I loved the sourdough bread and cannot stop thinking about it. Two bread courses were served, but it is a seasonal menu so things may change - great atmosphere for a date or to catch up with friends - waking distance to local theaters - great staff that understands you may have time restraints My cons: - since it is a testing menu/multiple courses, it is on the more expensive side. But should treat yo self! read more

The theme of the menu was spring simple, and perhaps it was just a bit too simple for the level of cuisine they're going for. Everything was certainly good, but it mostly did not wow me in terms of creativity. The exception to that being a tasty mushroom charcoal dumpling and a very good duck confit thing. read more

The bestie made reservations a few weeks ahead of time for my birthday dinner, and I was super excited to dine here within the first two months of their opening. The only time slot remaining for a party of 3 on a Friday night was 5:30pm, so we dutifully showed up for our early dinner, albeit 15 minutes late due to the horrible lack of parking in Hayes Valley. Our table was ready when we arrived, and our meal consisted of: -Amuse Bouche (2 Minute Quail Egg w/Fried Shallots, Brown Butter Sauce, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=1I7jqDLMR7UdfQq3wDDo_g&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg): Delicious, and one of our favorite bites from the meal. The quail egg was cooked perfectly and well really well with the other ingredients. -House Baked Bread (w/House Cultured Butter, Sea Salt,https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=hYPECGhcIZRaMbFZcnnYPw&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg): Yum, so delicious! We all loved the sides/crust of the bread, and they'll give you as many as you want, all served warm, of course! -Tomato, Oyster, Seaweed ((https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=S_0mZHMige-5scAyOMxPLw&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg): Everything was very fresh, but it was just a weird combination for me to have tomato and oyster together. If given a choice, I wouldn't get this again. -Variations of Corn (Grilled Baby Corn, Corn Kernels, Corn Pudding, Popped Sorghum,Charred Corn Silk, Huitlacoche, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=I1DZcznbHc_Mk1EZEikdvA&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg): Very interesting textures, and this was definitely a unique dish. However, I would have appreciated a larger portion of just corn pudding and kernels- less can be more! -Lobster, Hearts of Palm, Chanterelles, Burgundy Truffle (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Ntxev5QQl6gxKa4i7wQKTw&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg): Delicious, and our favorite dish from this meal. The lobster was cooked perfectly, and I loved the flavors from the hearts of palm and chanterelles. I could have eaten 5 plates of just this dish. -Rabbit, Peach, Summer Squash, Vadouvan (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=2aj7neGHyAM5lr1AMtcRBg&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg): This was the most substantive dish of the meal. The rabbit was cooked very well, and I'm not a big fan of rabbit. I was surprised they would offer this as their protein given that not a lot of people eat rabbit, and I would have preferred a more traditional chicken or beef. However, the ingredients in this dish worked very well together, and I was surprised at the depth of flavor the vadouvan imparted, so kudos on the flavor profiles. -Palate Cleanser: Melon Sorbet (Basil Granita, Compressed Basil,https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=aEdb_chcCCc-z5Z3foByOg&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg): Solid palate cleanser, but the melon sorbet could have used a touch more sweetness. -Manjari, Salted Pluots, Cocoa Nib (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Bvcnf09QX-568hKAH2SNWw&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg): Eh, I didn't like this, and it was a sad way to end the meal. I wish the dessert had more substance to it, and was a cake of sorts. -Homemade Marshmallow w/Chocolate Drizzle (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=g3YtrH-Oxr4EaKMWDLABPg&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg): Boring, and not tasty. I'm sad I missed out on the Fernet It's It's, which sounded much better. Overall, the dining experience was just ok. There were some standout dishes, but also some flops. The portion size definitely needs to be re-evaluated- all 3 of us girls left barely full (1 left straight up hungry), which is something that has never happened to us after having a prix fixe meal. I wasn't even hungry when I arrived, had 3 pieces of bread, and was still barely full. Service here is pretty good, but our drinks did take a while to arrive. Based on this last experience, I doubt I would return, but everyone should experience their lobster dish once! read more

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Walked by this restaurant many times on the way to my gym class so bookmarked it on Yelp to try. Called in last minute and was able to swing by easily for 2 seats around 6. Service was impeccable. The cocktails we got were delicious, refreshing grape and egg white cocktail and a bourbon raspberry drink. We were given the choice to see the tasting menu or be surprised at the end which I enjoyed. We chose the surprise of course. The first meal was unforgettable and a delicious start: quail egg over fried leeks and brown butter hollandaise. The bread that came second was also delicious with a home made salted butter. The next couple of dishes were forgettable. The squab was barely digestible but given the very small portions and hefty price tag, I wasn't going to let it go to waste. The wagyu beef and Brussel sprouts dish was my favorite and the dish that helped redeem the previous disappointments. The meal was finished off with two kinds of dessert which was odd. I was still hungry for more savory dishes. The date cake at the end was a perfect dessert - not too sweet but satisfied the sweet tooth. At $360, I was hoping to love this meal but I wouldn't come back. I did enjoy the service though! read more

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