Nightbird - San Francisco (CA)

5 /5 John Rushforth: We have visited Nightbird 13 times in the past two years; the last time being December 31st 2025. Hands-down, it is our very favorite restaurant in San Francisco for dinner (we love Foreign Cinema for lunch / brunch). The tasting menu is out-of-this-world, Chef Kim does an incredible job of crafting delicious dishes in a way that some Michelin starred restaurants cannot. Theres a couple of staple dishes that always appear on the menus, despite the seasonal rotations, theres clearly a reason for that - they are expertly constructed and very tasty. Being attached to the Linden Room Bar allows you to select from a wide-range of beverages from the with a cocktail menu as you settle into the night. Both venues have their own distinct vibe, the restaurant is the perfect place if you like a low-to-medium level of noise from other diners and background music, this allows you to have very civilized conversations over dinner without raising your voice to be heard. The servers are on-point and so kind and friendly. We always receive the warmest of welcomes (Thank you Jordan, Mark and William. They will also suggest wines as you move through the menu to complement each dish. Do go and try Nightbird, its a real gem in Hayes Valley and so easy to get to from Muni and Bart. Its also super-handy if youre seeing a show at the Orpheum, which is a stones throw away.

5 /5 May Bresler Herzog: We got to experience nightbirds "day of the dead" inspired menu - a homage to deceased chefs, and it was a very pleasant experience overall. Most dishes were quite tasty, and they made great adjustments for our vegetarian friends. While I found some parts of the meal harder to get over (like half a squab head, which wasnt very appetizing, or the combo of squab in a dounut with chocolate and sprinkles) I appreciate them trying to push the envelope and be more adventurous with the food they serve.

4 /5 Brad Hover: We tried the vegetarian tasting menu at Nightbird and had a mixed experience. The dishes were beautifully presented, creative, and flavorful, but not especially filling, and a few courses felt hit-or-miss. After about 10 courses, we were still a bit hungry. The restaurant itself has a lovely, quiet ambiance, but the service didn’t feel as warm or engaging as we’ve experienced at other fine dining spots in San Francisco, such as Lazy Bear. Instead of feeling like a full “dining experience,” it came across more as simply being served one dish after another. Overall, Nightbird has elegance and creativity, but we left wishing for a little more substance, both in the food and in the experience.

4 /5 Carl Wong: Our dinner reservation back in Nov was for the Linden Room, which is the bar area. The main dining room was fully booked. Its so loud and crowded, trying to enjoy the wonderful dish is impossible. The waiter tried to explain every dish, but we couldnt hear a thing. The meal itself is amazing. Would return for a proper experience.