Nightbird

"Located just behind a beautiful wooden door with a carved owl and in a prime Hayes Valley location, Nightbird invites you into its nest with a small and sleek dining room. If you arrive early, don’t miss a delicious craft cocktail at their adjacent bar, Linden Room, as it’s the perfect lead-up to Chef/owner Kim Alter’s multicourse tasting menu.Though the menu changes often to follow the changing seasons, Alter’s presentations are consistently artful. For example, a composition of roasted duck breast and tender confit might be arranged with summer squash and a bright compote of gooseberries, plus a chaser of spiced duck broth. House-made breads like a crusty farro loaf or fluffy Parker House rolls arrive at separate points of the meal to gild the lily." - Michelin Inspector

The Best Things Eater’s San Francisco Editor Ate in February 2025 | Eater SF

"A multi-course dinner from chef Kim Alter moves between an excellent lobster course and a decadent short rib for larger plates, with complex, delicately made bites in between. The most surprising item was a mochi taco intended as a callback to an earlier scallop dish: chopped scallops tucked inside a chewy-soft mochi exterior, balanced with shiso leaf for crunch. Dianne de Guzman writes that she wasn’t sure how the soft textures would play out but that it “worked spectacularly,” and that after “two quick bites and it was gone,” she kept thinking about it days later—an endorsement for scallop fans to drop in while it’s still on the menu." - Paolo Bicchieri

Where to Find the Best Food and Drink Around Hayes Valley

"Kim Alter’s first solo project is an elegant boutique restaurant that delivers the type of whimsical culinary experience that’s become so popular in San Francisco these days, with a $195 tasting menu featuring layered flavors and surprising combinations intended to celebrate California’s cultures and landscapes. Notably, Nightbird’s private room Nightjar is an incubator space for pop-ups, including Alter’s own side projects like her prime rib-focused PrimeBird, and it’s worth looking into for the latest dinner offerings." - Dianne de Guzman, Eater Staff

These Eater 38 Restaurants in San Francisco Are Still Open for Takeout and Delivery

"Kim Alter’s Hayes Valley tasting menu spot is now offering a to-go options at a range of price points: There’s a $60 three-course meal kit, which is probably the closest you’ll get to the Nightbird tasting menu experience (albeit with “some assembly required,” Alter notes). For $50, there’s also a simpler farmers market bag, meant to feed two people, that comes with a braised short rib entree, cocktails, and an assortment of vegetables that you have to prep and cook yourself. At lunchtime, on the other hand, the restaurant morphs into a to-go burger joint. All options are available for pre-order via Tock." - Luke Tsai

Coffee Isn’t an Afterthought at These Michelin-Starred San Francisco Fine Dining Restaurants - Eater SF

"Nightbird in Hayes Valley uses Grand Coffee, specifically the Axolá Women’s Cooperative coffee. This choice aligns with the restaurant’s woman-led values. Kim Alter, the chef, appreciates the storytelling aspect of the coffee, which is shared with guests by a server passionate about coffee. Guests can enjoy the coffee after dinner, often hearing about the growing conditions and the women farmers in Guatemala." - Paolo Bicchieri