Nighthawk: Breakfast Bar

It's one of the best brunch spots I've ever been to. The breakfast beverage menu is legit with rums and cereal milks paired together. I had the Cocoa Old Fashioned that came with these fun little coco puffs on top of the big ice rock- so fun!

We started with the benedict fries, which were so decadent. Imagine ham, peppers, swiss cheese, hollandaise sauce and a sunny side-up egg on top!

I had the big bird and short stack, which was just a fancy chicken and pancakes. I loved how the pancakes were made out of sweet potato and the butter had hints of cookie dough in it. The decor and music were amazing too!

Breakfast for any meal is one of my favorites. We went to Nighthawk in the middle of the day; the doors were open for a nice seaside breeze, it wasn't at all crowded, and the music was really good, so it was a very chill lunch experience.

As far as the food and drinks, everything was just TOO sweet. I got the Bigbird & Shortstack: the savoriness of the chicken could not balance out the tart-sweetness of the potato pancakes, the sweetness of the cookie dough butter, and the sweet syrup. Similarly, my partner's Drunken French Toast was also cloying sugary with too many layers of sweet on top of more sweet. And I know it seems ridiculous to say the candied bacon was too candied, but it was! The tapatio was dulled under way too much brown sugar. And while the cocktails were delicious (and strong!), combined with our meal, we thought we were going to walk away with diabetes. The flavors of the food were good, but need far more balance and less sugar.

I don't think I'd choose to try Nighthawk again, but if I ever went with some friends, I'd definitely order a different combo of food to balance out the sweet and savory.

If you are looking for a decadent breakfast then look no further. We're talking stick to your ribs buttermilk biscuits + gravy or if you're like me and prefer lunch for breakfast who says you can't add tater tots and scrambled eggs to your burger? It certainly isn't stopping anyone here.

Portions are generous so if you've got a big appetite you'll certainly find a friend in Nighthawk.

We loved how all the front windows opened up, letting in that nice westside breeze. Urban beach vibes all the way.

We had a birthday brunch at Nighthawk. It's not that far from the Marina Beach. Great open concept . Outdoor to indoor. We had a nice table. We were able to interact with each other as well as people watch. We like to order multiple dishes when we dine out so we don't miss anything that they are known for, as well as because we are just super greedy lol! On that note though, the food was just ok. No dish or drink overwhelmed or excited any of us. I gave it a 4 star because of the company and because this place plays the best music ever! We partied and sang every song they played.

Is there such a thing as too decadent of a breakfast? Okay, maybe.

BUT the Shrimp N "Grits" is something I wouldn't skip out on here. I always love trying shrimp and grits when it's offered on the menu and this one was a little different since it had polenta as the base instead of grits. It was slightly put off by the chunky texture at first but I quickly forgot about it after tasting the cajun gravy. It was amazing. The whole plate was covered in the thick, creamy gravy and there was a generous amount of spices which complimented the plump shrimp and juicy sausages. If you're looking for a hearty meal, this is it.

As for the Everything Hash, they made the scrambled eggs so well I was shook. It was fluffy and provided a good contrast in texture with the brussels sprouts. It was originally supposed to be a sunny-side up egg but I requested it to be made differently and they were very kind about it. The dish itself had a good amount of salt so every bite was savory and packed with flavor. It's loaded with a lot of ingredients including the aforementioned brussels sprouts and scrambled eggs along with potatoes, tofu, onions, Swiss cheese, and dill breadcrumbs: an amalgam of flavors that blend very well together in one bite.

Since it's a bar, I wanted to try out at least one drink. I ordered the Vietnamese Iced Coffee since it was a familiar drink to me. However, this one had house-spiced rum, condensed coconut milk, organic cold brew and coconut shavings all topped with whipped cream. Man, this stuff was powerful. I thought it'd be a hint of alcohol but it was more like a hint of coffee. If you want a wake-me-up, then here you go.

I love that they let us choose our seats because I enjoy natural light a lot. I decided to sit near the entrance but the inside is also nice and spacious with eclectic decorations and bar seating.

Breakfast spot that was surely packed when we went! Food was good and I wanted to cross this spot off my list since it was specifically titled a "Breakfast Bar" and I wanted to see what that was all about! To be honest I was thinking a different vibe... this was a bar that serves breakfast dishes so glad I came and experienced!

Parking wasn't bad, it was pouring rain the morning my friend and I met. There was a spot right outside across the street at a meter. I'd say your best bet is either metered parking or down a side street.

The atmosphere inside was decent and the food was pretty basic and maybe one or two interesting dish titles. My friend ordered Benedict fries and I ordered the Nighthawk breakfast sandwich. Both were good and pretty basic flavoring to what you see pictured.

The prices weren't bad either ($18 avg). Enjoy if you stop by!

My bestie and I came for brunch a few weeks back on a Sunday. We made a reservation via Yelp.
When we arrived, it was busy which was a good sign. At first glance, the food looked great. We were excited to order.

We started with the candied bacon & tots. The flavor was good, but the bacon was too chewy. The fat was not rendered enough, so the bacon was not crispy. To drink, I had the tropical mimosa, which was BOMB. My best friend had coffee and a Champagne or sparkling wine.

My entree was the big bird & shortstack. The chicken was bland, & not crispy at all like your typical fried chicken. The sweet potato pancakes were super dense. Flavor was ok. Definitely more on the savory side. My friend ordered the shrimp
N grits. There were barely any shrimp, there was way too much gravy, & could've used more grits. Overall, it could've been better. We had high hopes.

I wish I had better things to say, but after the experience we received, I am not inclined to come back.

Nighthawk Breakfast Bar hosted a pop-up dinner experience with a popular chef. My friends and I (4 of us total) bought tickets to the event as a birthday celebration. A dinner menu curated by a popular cook in beautiful Venice Beach...what could be a better birthday gift?

Unfortunately, the general operations and staff at Nighthawk made this an uncomfortable experience. Despite requiring us to select a reservation time (7:15pm) when purchasing tickets for the event, we waited over an hour before we were seated (close to 8:30pm). We checked on our table 3 times and each time the hostess directed us to wait outside until we were called. They were not able to send us a text when our table was ready, and they also had no waiting area for customers.

There were several 2-person and 4-person parties that had a 7:45pm reservation that were seated before us. By this time, the chef who curated the menu and their family intervened to help communicate with Nighthawk staff to get us our table. As compensation for the lengthy wait time, we were offered additional plates. When we asked our server, she was (understandably) surprised and had asked the event staff to speak with us...but not without gossiping about our table to several of her coworkers. Needless to say, all the staring eyes made my friends and me extremely uncomfortable and we were VERY ready to leave.

Ultimately, while the food was delicious and the opportunity to meet this popular chef is invaluable, it does not outweigh the treatment we received and the experience we had.

I will not be back.

My GF brought me here for a birthday breakfast before getting my day Started. I walked in and the atmosphere was chill with music playing overhead. As we were seated the first thing you notice is the cleanliness of this place. The tables are all mess up, they look wet but seems that something was sprayed on them that messed up the varnish and making it look dirty and slightly sticky. The wallpaper was dirty with food splatter and the foot of the table had major buildup. At this point I wanted to leave but would've felt horrible since my girl was excited to bring me here due to all the reviews.

Well let's go on to the food. For me nothing really seems to my liking but the fried chicken and sweet potato pancakes so that what I got and my girl got the biscuits and gravy. When the food came out my plate looked great but as I took the first bite the chicken had no flavor/seasoning just plain bland and the sweet potato pancakes were fluffy but I didn't care for the taste. The biscuits and gravy was ok. I'll say definitely skip this place unless you want a strong drinks, good tunes or craving breakfast late at night.

Chicken & sweet potatoes pancakes : 2.5/5
Biscuits & Gravy: 3/5
Cocoa puff alcohol drink: 3.5/5

Cleanliness of the restaurant: needs improvement
Service: ok

Will not return.

Great food; awesome brunch or late night spot in Venice.

We went for a pre-Black Friday shopping brunch and had:
--Shrimp and Grits with Cajun Gravy. Hands down best S&G I've ever had. The grits were actually polenta, but it didn't matter. The Cajun Gravy was AMAZING! I need to learn how to make it and slather everything with it!
--Late Night Croissant. Fried chicken, bacon, two cheeses, sauce, so good.
--Side of Candied Bacon. Sweet, salty, spicy; it has everything.

We will be back soon!