Nighthawks Diner and Bar

Food is sometimes good, sometimes horrific. Last week we had brunch potatoes come out not warm or hot but cool! Service couldn’t be found. I have had orders go missing. Pancakes here are overrated. Eggs Benedict was really good. I feel conflicted about this place — I want it to get better so it lasts beyond initial hype.

Great place, upscale and classy. Like the staff as they are helpful. Tried the chicken liver which I personally didn’t like because it was more pasty, but my friends did. Nighthawks Hashbrown was good but a bit oily. Good place to try out their limited beer menu.

Been here several times now and always really enjoyed it. Burgers, fries, and shake all super good, but the standout moment for me was the outstanding service from our waiter. He went above and beyond his job to help my little daughter feel better after tripping and falling on the floor. (This was as we were leaving, after we left our tip, which he hadn’t seen – just a genuinely friendly and compassionate gesture.)
Prices may be a bit higher than other spots that serve similar fare, but I think the food is worth it and we will absolutely be back for those most important two reasons: great service, and one of the best burgers I’ve had in the area.

WOW the food at Nighthawks is completely worth the hype. I met 5 friends for brunch on a Sunday — we were told it opened at 11:00am but I’m glad we got there at 10:30 because they were already serving a few tables — so go early! It was crowded but we wait long — only 20mins.
I ordered their breakfast sandwich with bacon. My goodness it was delicious. It was classic food but NOT typical — we were all raving about how uniquely good it was! I will order the sandwich again and I would highly recommend the bacon and I’m not usually a bacon fan!
My friend got the basic brunch and added on sausage. So good and perfect portion sizes! Many brunch places are pricey but small portions. But this place was HEARTY and TASTY.
I can’t wait to go back for their happy hour + hotdog!

My third time here… and I know as I frequent the MSP area for work I’ll be back again! Tonight’s dinner was just fun, with the maple bacon chicken and «eggo» — great flavor on everything, and the chicken was perfect! And the frito pie — sorry mom, but the chili here was better than yours! Yikes, I just said that! This was a great dish, warm and hearty, and with tonight being cold outside it hit the spot. It was nice and busy the whole time I was there. If only I would have had room for the hash browns!
Thanks for another great meal!

As if it could get any better. It does. I tried the tuna melt and upgraded to the fries with vinegar mayo. I really should have eaten half of it but couldn’t help myself. The tuna was very fresh and wasn’t loaded with the usual gooey mayo, just a nice lemon-​caper dressing. It was on top of a thick slice of griddled homemade bread and topped with cheese before bring broiled and finished with some tossed greens. The fries were oh-​my-​God good. The vinegar mayo was a tangy/​creamy perfect companion. My bf had the special meatloaf and loved it. I was able to steal a taste of the meatloaf and a green bean. He snarfed the mashed potatoes before I could get a taste. The meatloaf was a thick slab of yum. The green beans, which are lovingly sautéed to order, were perfectly cooked and seasoned.
If you get a chance to sit at the counter, it’s a must! Watching it all come together makes the experience even better. I love this place.

LOVE NIGHTHAWKS! What a fun place, I love the atmosphere & the food, dang can’t get much better. Had a Friday night date with the hubby here. Our server was amazing, so friendly, attentive & helpful. Wish I caught his name. I love the open kitchen. We sat at a little table in between the bar and the dinner/​kitchen bar. Love they have street side seating. Loved the beer selection.
Can’t wait to go back!
Oh and the blue cheese fries, to die for!

Holy hot dogs, this place has a great happy hour! I’m ashamed that it’s all I’ve had so far, but its true.
First off, there’s the classic $ 10 beer and hot dog. One, great tap selection to choose from. Two, magical dogs. AND I DON’T EVEN LIKE HOT DOGS. That’s how good they are. And big.
But, aside from this classic, they have delightful fries (a necessity for me) and a seriously good $ 5 chicken bacon sandwich with bacon so I thick I don’t even know if its bacon. I love their take on modernizing diner classics.
All that to say, get there.

After months of friends telling me to check this place out, I finally went. We stopped in for dinner at 8:00pm on a Thursday. I’d say it was busy but not a crazy-​wait listing night. We were seated in the second room where the grill/​kitchen is. I promptly asked for a comfier booth rather than a little table under a spotlight-​like light. Waitress said no, so we watched the two empty booths go unused all night and my faux-fur-please-don’t-go-on-the-floor clutch went on the floor :(
Ok, I’m done being pretentious. We ordered two beers. A blonde and a sour. Delicious, but to be expected. Then we ran through the menu. I had a few choices: the burger but do I dare dabble with dairy and spend the rest of my night in the bathroom??? but it looks damn good, the fried chicken because I should have been born in the South, or a hot dog and leaning towards the veggie dog because I’m trying to be healthy sometimes? hehe. The food arrived hella fast after ordering. It’s like they knew we were starving.
So my dinner date ordered the burger. I drooled while he devoured it. It looked delicious and gooey and a perfectly messy burger. He opted for a heaping amount of fries as is side (get the fries – so good.) I opted for the Kingfield spiced chicken (2pcs) was ridiculously crispy and I appreciate a good crisp. It came with some rice. I didn’t care for the rice at all. It was not fully cooked nor did it add anything to the dish. To be honest though, I can’t run from Revival when I have fried chicken. Revival still wins for the best fried chicken I’ve had in Minneapolis – I’m sorry.
Overall, the food was good. I would go back but would definitely try something else. I hear brunch is good – so maybe I’ll step my brunch game up in the Kingfield neighborhood.

Nighthawks reminds me that casual dining can be great dining with a little creativity and effort. Other restaurants should take a lesson from them as I am tired of mediocrity in casual diner/​bar food.
At first, I was disappointed to be seated at the counter but I soon found that to be a benefit. The stools were comfortable, the counter was the right height, and I got a first row seat to the cooks in action. If you are interested in restaurants and cooking, I highly recommend sitting at the counter. I was mesmerized.
We had two different foot long hot dogs, the Nighthawks hash browns, and the cauliflower. The hot dogs had great flavor combinations. Both were unexpectedly delicious. The hash browns were also good, although not quite as unique or flavorful. I had expected the cauliflower to be a bit more crispy but it was still wonderful.
The service was very warm and friendly. They have a way of making patrons comfortable. As I left, I was thinking that I need to come back — for the food but also for the warmth of service.

Chefs table at Nighthawks Birdie.
13 courses take you on a journey where seasonal produce takes center stage.
Up to a half dozen talented artists work together to create inspired dishes from pastry to seafood.
Everything from the food to win and music is all selected to create an experience.
The best part is that unlike many tasting menus, you don’t leave hungry!

They had me at footlong hotdog.
I came on a weekday to meet a friend. Good thing I was there 15 minutes before 5:30pm, because that’s when the place started to fill up. I recommend coming early to get a parking spot on the street, table, and to take advantage of happy hour!
I really like this diner. I’ve seen some «remodeled» diners, and new ones, lately that still looked like shit holes, a pig with lipstick, a beat face. Not Nighthawks, they did it right. It’s got the diner feel, but it’s clean, cool, and modern.
Great beer list. They can’t serve full on hard liquors in the neighborhood, but they’ve got some specialty drinks with beer involved.
I ate a lot on this visit.
Homemade potato chips with onion dip, $ 3. I have a serious addiction to this combo in general. Theirs were good. Do it.
I tried the Nighthawks footlong, with beer on HH. I don’t think much about a hotdog, but the meat on this link was so damn flavorful. It stood its ground against the bold flavors of dill mayo, horseradish havarti, peppers, mustard, and crunchy shoestrings. I still tasted that pork. Yum.
Chicken bacon ranch sandwich. This is no McD’s sandwich. Might have been my favorite chicken sandwich ever.
Double cheeseburger. Gooey cheese melting down all around. Grease glistening off the bun. Juicy meat. Screams America. We opted for coleslaw with the burger, it had good seasoning, but it was watery.
French fries with blue cheese, onions, and balsamic, this was a disappointment. Way too salty and sweet. Pass on these.
To make sure I ate until I was on the verge of puking I ordered the chocolate hazelnut cream pie, my friend had the apple pie with cheddar crust and five spice. Apple pie sucked, no flavor and mushy apples. That cream pie though, next time I may as well ask for the whole damn pie.
Service was phenomenal! I forgot the girls name, but she needs a raise and promotion.
Prices were a tad high I thought. $ 12 for a footlong hotdog. At HH, you can get it for $ 10 with a beer, that’s the way to go. I’m making this place a regular stop. I cannot wait to try more of the menu.

Bacon Kimchi Scallion Pancakes sound like something I hallucinated in a fever dream. But it’s real. And it’s at Nighthawks. And it’s amazing.
My friend and I went to check this place out on a Thursday evening around 7:30 and it was pretty packed. We got lucky with timing and ended up getting a great seat in the back area. There was a great, buzzing energy and pretty solid people-​watching that I think Edward Hopper would approve of.
Our waiter was friendly and very helpful in getting us familiar with the menu. We started out by sharing the Caesar Steak Tartare which was a beautiful concept, albeit slightly too salty for my taste. Then I enjoyed the decadent, delicious bacon kimchi scallion pancakes while my friend devoured her cheeseburger. We left feeling happy and satiated (and had plenty of leftovers to bring home to our husbands). Looks like we’ll have to come back another time to try some of the other equally creative and delicious-​sounding dishes.

Nighthawks is the most recognizable and famous Edward Hopper painting. Like all of his paintings, the images are clean, almost otherworldly, and they evoke an emotion of nostalgia. The funny thing is how this familiar feeling, while recognizable, is distinctly Hopper’s more than our own memory.
Having a meal at Nighthawks is nostalgic. All day pancakes, Blue Plate specials, big bite apps, and foot long dogs; syrup, gravy, mayo, and butter bind all the pieces together into something uniquely mid-​century American. And yet, between the cakes, plates, and steaks lies an additional kind of comfort taste. Memories like fried chicken and waffles, corn and chorizo, kimchi and scallions, and pickled herring and cucumber are embedded in the menu. The menu is both conversation and comfort food.
Nighthawks is doing tasty things, and it’s bringing the large portioned All-​American Diner into the present with bold flavors and a contemplation on what «All-​American» means today.

One of my favorite brunch spots so far in the Twin Cities!
Arrived around 10:45AM for Sunday brunch and got seated right away, just before it started getting busy! Note: they don’t take reservations, so get here before 11AM if you are not a fan of waiting.
Bacon Kimchi Scallion Pancakes
Short Stack: $ 6
These were my favorite of the meal! Pancakes have never really been a big thing for me since they are usually just sweet. These are sweet and savory — sounds like a strange combination, but really works together especially with syrup and butter! Reminiscent of Korean scallion pancakes. Also generous portions of bacon and kimchi, and the pancakes itself were fluffy and well made. I was pretty full after this already.
Cold Smoked Salmon $ 12
Scallion cream cheese, scrambled egg mousse on toasted English muffin topped with roe — perfect bite when you bit into the roe, and you get some of the liquid.
Seoul Dog $ 12
Kimchi, pulled pork, foot long hot dog, etc. with fried egg on top. This thing was massive — and it was something different but on the salty side for me. Kimchi, hot dog, pulled pork together probably bound to be a bit salty.

I’m a really big fan of this place because it has been on point each and every time I have gone here for a bite to eat. For me, their take on classic diner staples is FAB-​U-​LOUS. I think I could go here every day and never get sick of it. The happy hour deals are legit. so legit that last time I went there, I ordered EVERYTHING on the happy hour menu with my friend. And yes, we finished each and every item we ordered. The service is great and I would suggest you choose to sit at the counter so you can watch the salad artist do her thang. It’s like watching an artist craft a work of art before your eyes. One of the main reasons I really like going here though is the habanero hot sauce. Cry Baby Craig’s or something like that? That shiz is to die for. I’ve looked for it every where and can’t find it. I pour that stuff all over the food I order. Honestly, I almost took a bottle home until I realized it was wrong. If you go there, ASK FOR IT. IT IS SO GOOD.
There hasn’t been anything I haven’t liked yet, so here’s a breakdown of some of my top picks:
Chopped Liver-​has anchovy butter and crudité on grilled rye. TRY THIS. I don’t care if you think liver is «gross». THIS STUFF IS AMAZING. Savory; Creamy. Flavorful. Delicious. Not liver tasting at all.
Fried chicken leg (kingfield spice and maple bacon syrup) — crispy but harder on the outside, juicy on the inside. ADD CRY BABY CRAIGS TO THIS.
French fries: standard but still good, the portions are huge
Nighthawks hotdog: a foot of deliciousness with a mountain of toppings including dill mayo, shoe string potatoes, pickled peppers, cheese, and spicy mustard. SO GOOD. SHARE THIS WITH SOMEONE.
Bacon ranch chicken sandwich: only available during happy hour but
. Chicken is crispy on the outside with a light batter, juicy on the inside, and there’s thick cut bacon on top.
There’s plenty of parking behind the building and on the street. Get there early for happy hour because they fill up fast!

Nighthawks, I am quite a fan of your establishment. You serve classy, yet straightforward food with various blue plate specials, and ALL of the savory pancakes you can ask for.
I want to give you a high five for that delicious caesar steak tartare number. I stole of few bites of my boyfriend’s egg’s bennie, and I wanted to order another for myself. I accidentally ordered the wrong pancakes (Annie D. I was trying to get that delectable combo you had!), and the Cranberry Orange Ginger were just a-​okay. I’ve also tried your feel good chicken noodle soup, which is a great & hearty meal. All in all, food has been really great, however prices do feel a little steep to me, to make this a place I frequent often.
Also, it’s great that you’re only a brief walk from my house, so I can walk off those pancakes on my way home. I do hope to be back soon for happy hour, for that beer and hotdog combo.

Incredible. So good. Kimchi, bacon, and scallion pancakes. Don’t think twice. Do it. They are life altering good.
Also: The raw vegetable salad. It’s a work of art. Gorgeous. Super fresh. Delicious.
Service was good. Guys working behind the counter were super friendly. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Ok NIghthawks, I was willing to forgive the lack of pancakes and mediocre service on opening week. Trip #2 was ok, but not stellar.
Show up a little after 10am with breakfast on our minds. I said breakfast, not brunch. Damn you all, users of the word brunch. No wait, not a single person seated at the bar but most of the booths/​tables were full. Grab a seat at the bar. Within about 10 – 15 minutes, most of the seats at the bar were taken and there was a short wait.
Put in our order. Then we wait. Wait some more. And then I think we… uhh…yep we waited. Then the dude sitting next to us who arrived a good 20 minutes after we were seated gets his food. We wait some more. Bartender explains that «once one person’s food comes out that is seated at the bar, everyone else will be soon after.» Huh? How about… the food comes out in the order that it was ordered no matter where you are seated? Novel concept.
Well our food came. I ordered the pancakes because I had to try them. $ 10 for 3. Can’t mix & match flavors, ok. But they are kinda small for $ 10 even if they are specialty pancakes. A couple little pieces of bacon and kimchi doesn’t add up. They were quite good, but… yeah. She got the breakfast sandwich. Good stuff. Nothing too special.
So I still want to come back because there are a couple more things on the menu I want to try and I like the space… but the jury is still out.

It seems like errbody and their moms have eaten at Nighthawks, so I made it a point to climb aboard the hype train a few days prior to leaving ‘Sota. My judgement? Like Jurassic World (especially that end dinosaur mega-​death fight scene, zOMG), it was worth Every. Single. Penny. My take:
I. FOOD & DRINK
They have blue plate specials, sandwiches, soups, salads, hot dogs, pancakes, and fried goodies. They also have a decent list of unique beers, signature cocktails, wines, and non-​alcoholic beverages. I started with their Caesar Steak Tartare, ended with a French Dip, and washed everything down with a Pineapple Shandy.
*Caesar Steak Tartare: Fantastic. The perfectly-​made, tooth-​some, straight-​up seductive pieces of freshly diced meat made me say to myself, «oh-​hey. Oh hey, hey! Ugh.» (That’s code for «this is hella bomb.») Not to forget, the gluttonous egg yolk added to the already bumpin’ flavor party. The mini salad, with romaine, Parmesan, and Caesar dressing were cool, too.
My only critique? There’s no need for the garlicky bread-​crumbs. ($ 13)
*French Dip: This is one of the best sandwiches I’ve had in the Twin Cities. No joke! The bread is perfectly toasted. The gruyère sings. The shallot jam eloquently compliments the savory-​ness of the sandwich. Also, how is beef fat mayo not a more popular thing? It’s ridiculously tasty! Oh, and that dip gave me dirty food porn thoughts. xxxYesxxx
So how good was it? I would absolutely butcher a chicken with a butter knife — in the dark — if it meant having the last French Dip on earth. ($ 16.50)
**Pineapple Shandy: There are a bunch of fancy names in this description, and I don’t know what many of them are. What I do know, though, is that this drink is delicious and well-​suited for a post-​work pick-​me-​up. Get this. ($ 8)
II. SERVICE
I sat at the bar (because that’s what you do when it’s crazy busy, folks) and was ignored for most of the time. I don’t mind all too much, because I understand their busy. My only problem is that when I finally waved the bartender down, he stood in front of me and said, «yeah?» He could’ve at least said, «what would you like?» Aside from that, though, my server was wonderful.
III. ATMOSPHERE/​DÉCOR
Bustlin’. Every single table was taken, so unless you make reservations, you should consider sitting at the bar. Waiting is no fun.
IV. PRICES
I understand that they have to make money and take into account the expensive neighborhood, but I think the prices fall a couple dollars above what I would expect for the type of food. Don’t get me wrong, it’s excellent and worth going out-​of-​the-​way for, but pricey. This place is more for an occasion or nice date with your boo.
V. OVERALL
I would absolutely return to Nighthawks and indulge in other parts of their menu. And even though their service isn’t the nicest, it’s worth the food and damage to your wallet.
See you soon, Miss French Dip! We’re like connected now. Call me.