Nightjar

Night jar is a wonderful local restaurant. The food is always delicious and the cocktails are great. It's usually crowded ( a very good sign of a quality restaurant ). I don't recommend it if you're in a hurry, but the food is always fresh and well prepared. The burgers are so good as are the fries. On a recent night we also enjoyed the creole shrimp and grits. The staff is friendly and helpful. The atmosphere casual and lively with conversation. Bar and table seating available. A note about the burgers. My brother in law is very choosy about the meat he consumes and he loves the locally sourced Berea college organic beef. We bring him here when he visits from out of state. He's a big fan of the Oklahoma burger!

Finally got to enjoy Nightjar in Berea tonight.The food and drinks were fantastic. It's a small place, so plan ahead. We sat at the bar, which was fine for 3 of us. The bartenders were friendly and talkative.Our appetizer, Smoked Deviled Eggs came out quick and were delicious.Our main dish, Smashburgers and fries were very good, but the wait time was about 30 minutes.The Chuck Will's Widow cocktail was very good.

I am a cheeseburger lover for life. Pattie melts are my favorite. Well this place gave me the best Pattie melt ever!!! It is perfectly cooked and seasoned, the onions are amazing and so soft. The bread is fresh baked and grilled perfect. It is a little high but so worth it. I have gone twice so far and both times excellence. The person who waited on me was so friendly and talked while I waited.

Operating out of a space which holds a bagel shop (which looks like a great bagel shop; that review is hopefully coming someday), the evening iteration of this place is more classic American food. They did offer a few vegetarian items, which convinced me to give them a try. Their version of a veggie burger is chickpea-based, but features artichokes and was quite freshly fried. It was good without the mustard I asked for on the side, but better with. They had a number of fixings that maybe I should have ordered more of. The fries were ample and delicious.Their online menu showed many other things, such as the option to substitute sides (not evident in person). I was a bit dismayed that I couldn't get a salad; I know I'm in the minority here, but of all the things that are easy to make vegetarian... I did splurge on a chocolate cherry cake, which I might not have gotten if I'd realized how the main meal would turn out. It was covered with cold preserved cherries, not my favorite way of doing them, but was suitably rich.If not perfectly aligned with my tastes, it was unique stuff presented in good faith, and definitely on the indulgent side. And as I consider what life might hold for me after I eventually leave the area, this seems like a very Kentucky place.

The food at Nightjar is amazing, unique and well prepared. The same goes for drinks. When I have been there, the number of staff was limited. Orders are placed at the counter and you have to figure out where to get your own napkins, etc. No receipts were offered or apparently available. Tables were extremely close. Good luck squeezing between them unless you are tiny. Because of the crowding, it was very noisy. If you are in a party mood, dine in. Otherwise, get food to go!

On a chilly Friday evening, Fat Man Reviews took a solo mission to visit Nightjar in Berea, KY. Nightjar, located inside Native Bagel, serves Pennsylvania Dutch-German inspired food, bird inspired craft cocktails, beer and wine.I sampled a cocktail called the Night Hawk. It was made with Old Forester bourbon, honey, rosemary, and lemon. The drink is served in a chilled rocks glass overtop a square ice cube. You can smell the honey right away with a hint of the rosemary, but the drink is not very sweet. The lemon is very forward and the bourbon is hidden until the end, coupled with the honey it adds a slight bite to the drink. I started with the Sauerkraut Fritters. This is prepared with mild sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, speckwurst sausage with honey mustard on the side. The fritters were fried to a perfect golden brown, and they were delicate. The sauerkraut was soft but still crunchy with light flavor. The cheese gave the inside an ooey gooey creaminess and helped bind the fritter. The surprise star was the sausage. It gives each bite a salty, fatty pork flavor. The mustard is stone ground and has a good tang to it, but I did not catch much honey in its flavor. The special burger of the day was a Bacon Blue Burger. This burger was made with two 6oz patties, bacon jam, blue cheese on a Martin's potato roll and served with hand cut fries. The fries were fried and seasoned well. The bacon jam was slightly sweet and there was plenty on the burger. The bacon reminded me of bacon bits and the onions were finely chopped too. The blue cheese was melted and added a nice saltiness, creaminess and sharpness to the burger. The bun was soft, fresh and the burger to bun ratio was great. The burgers had a very hard sear on them, and they were almost burnt. The burger was not bad at all but if they were a little juicer it would have been even better. Nightjar sources their ingredients locally, and their beef specifically from Berea College farm. They also have a small menu and have limited seating. A wait is possible. The service was pretty good as well. The Fat Man says that Nightjar is Fat Man Approved with 2 chins.

We finally visited Nightjar this evening for a delicious burger. We were greeted by Katie the owner who said that a few years ago she wanted to open a place in Berea that sells great burgers and she has accomplished it very well!Nightjar shares its space with Native Bagel which is open in the mornings. Nightjar is proud to use local and Animal Welfare Approved Berea College Farm beef for our burgers. Served on a Martin's potato roll. We both had the Oklahoma Cheeseburger. This was a 6 ounce double patty smash burger with caramelized fried onions and topped with American cheese which included a generous portion of their hand cut French fries. The burger could have use a little more seasoning for my personal taste (maybe some seasoned salt) but it was a very delicious meal!Their hours are Wednesday - Saturday from 5:00pm - 9:00pm and is a very popular place with the locals. If you don't want a burger, there are other items available on their menu. Definitely a great place to visit while in Berea!

Cocktails are so refreshing !!! I got the Cardinal and it was a valentines special. We got burgers (they are smashed style) and they are good quality meat! The fries are some of the best ever!!! They are hand cut & remind me of Five guys fries My husband tried the smoked bratwurst and it was one of the best brats we have tried!!! Perfect smoked flavor! Lastly the tiramisu was soooo good! They said it goes quick and I can see why! Such a cozy and cute spot!

The best burger in Berea. Employees are always friendly, and the food is consistently great.

Lively spot on a Saturday night with a big concert on nearby Berea College campus. Friendly, warm atmosphere with a definite buzz. Great cheese burgers and fries. And the Cowboy Kicker craft cocktail rates in my top 10. Refreshing, flavorful, a total pleasure. I will be back next spring and this is the first place I'll come for dinner.