While we were making the move from Texas to North Carolina we stopped in Tuscaloosa for the night…read more I wanted to try a restaurant downtown since it was our first time in this town and the Avenue pub came highly rated. Parking is manageable, but you'll need to find parking either in front or to the side of the restaurant. When you walk in it has the feel of a polished, upscale pub. We were seated and immediately ordered the bacon burger (which comes with a 1/2 a pound of ground beef with provolone and bacon). I also would recommend adding grilled onions to the burger and upgrading the fries to pub fries (seasoned fries topped with shaven Parmesan, mozzarella, and chopped bacon). The peppercorn ranch that is especially good and tied everything together. If you are looking for a craft burger spot in the heart of Tuscaloosa, I can't say enough good things about this place and it's absolutely worth checking out.

Me and wife came here for lunch after seeing reviews…read more I'll start with staff. They were very friendly and we were seated right away. For food I ordered the chicken club and wife got the fish and chips. The club was good not amazing. Both the sandwich and fries were a little too salt heavy. The fish and chips were ok. Not the best but not bad. Again fries little to salt heavy. I'd go back if someone really wanted to eat there but wouldn't choose this place.

Went here for lunch while passing through town. The restaurant is clean, the staff is friendly and…read morethe space had an inviting atmosphere. The food was very fresh and delicious. My husband and I each got the Pick Two with sandwiches and soup and salad. Everything was delicious. Portion sizes were perfect for lunch. The staff was helpful and knowledgeable with a dairy allergy. I would definitely eat here again.

First time at this spot, and my initial impression was positive. I would say, I love, love, love…read morethat they use Big Green Egg's inside the restaurant on the line. If you've never had meat (or VEGGIES!) cooked on a BGE, it will change your life. This fact alone will bring me back to try other things. Before I get into the meal, my only real complaint was that they only had a soda machine and tea. I had brought my mother along, and she already had lunch and wanted just to sit and chat. As it was a very cold day she was gonna order a coffee and they don't offer anything hot! It's definitely an opportunity to expand here even if it was just so simple as putting a Keurig machine in the back. I had the Buffalo Chicken Wrap. It is served with grilled chicken in a grilled wrap and cheddar cheese. If there was a buffalo sauce, I didn't taste any. I was a little disappointed in the wrap. The flavor didn't really stand out as being cooked on the Big Green Egg. The cheese wasn't really melted, which can be a common problem with shredded cheddar cheese, but it also didn't really have the buffalo flavor that I was looking for in a buffalo chicken wrap (maybe it was a Toledo Ohio wrap I don't know just not spicy. ) It served with a side of ranch which I juiced up with some Cholula and that helped. I i'm not knocking the quality of the food because it was good. It just didn't live up to the expectations I had in my head based on the menu description. It also came with a side, which I chose the broccoli salad. This was nicely done with bacon, I believe some quinoa and the broccoli was chopped up nicely so you didn't have huge chunks. Also, it wasn't overly sauced so that would make it runny. Overall I give the property four out five stars. Also, the flavor of the whole meal was fine. Good size portion and good value for your money.

Amazing food and people! Great time my new favorite place in T-Town! Best Gumbo you will ever…read morehave! Grouper was incredible!

Yumm! This place was delicious!!! Get the grouper sandwich and the buffalo dip!!! This is a…read moregreat stop for lunch in Tuscaloosa!!! Wonderful service also!!!

Service was great, made their presence known. Price a little steep but it has cool vibes. Nice for…read morea night out.

Service was great. Beef is more like roast meat and not steak. Chips and salsa were good too!read more

I had been meaning to try this bar for some time. Ran out of the house while some work was…read morehappening at home and I needed a great afternoon stop to kill some time. Made the decision to turn in and try Sanctuary; how fortuitous! First, this isn't just a music venue! It's a classic bar with real cocktails (mocktails, as well), but also a great reincarnation of an old church. And they serve awesome food!! Second, the drinks and food are top notch! Try a Paper Plane! It's my new favorite way to drink bourbon, TBH. You will absolutely feel distinguished while you do. I overheard many professionals around me, too, so it's definitely a place to run elbows with University types. Finally, I love music. This place has different musicians all the time. But my favorite is Dr. Warren Ertle's Corpse Revivers, an old fashioned Jazz band! They play two shows a night, almost every Tuesday! I say "almost" because, well, ...just check the Sanctuary's facebook page before you invite friends to a show. (Ask me how I know!) Overall, it's a great time, try the tacos!!

After another big Alabama Crimson Tide baseball win--bringing out the brooms and finishing the…read moresweep on Sunday--my wife and I met up with some friends at The Sanctuary on 25th to celebrate. We've eaten here before and have been wanting to make it back, but between their popularity and our schedules, it's felt like trying to line up a dentist appointment during tax season. Tonight, though, everything finally clicked. We got there early and were greeted by two cheerful hostesses who promptly sat us in the corner... felt a little like we were back in kindergarten for talking too much, but we made it work. Oh--and if you're into live music during dinner, this place delivers. There's something about enjoying a good meal with live music in the background that just elevates the whole experience. It's also the kind of setting where local artists get their start, and you never know--you might be listening to someone on their way up. Once our waiter came over, we held off ordering while waiting on our "fashionably late" friends--who, for the record, treat arrival times more like loose suggestions. Eventually, the crew assembled and it was game on. I kept it simple to start: water, no lemon. Let's not contaminate perfectly good H2O--I want it 100 proof. For appetizers, we ordered the Fried Cauliflower and Fried Okra to share. And by "share," I mean I ordered them and then immediately abandoned that concept. Only child tendencies die hard. Both dishes were excellent. The fried okra, paired with their Creole ranch, absolutely stole the show--seriously, that sauce deserves its own fan club. The cauliflower was also very good, and the homemade remoulade held its own... just not quite on the Creole ranch level. Our friends ordered the Street Corn Dip, and while I didn't personally get any (again... sharing isn't my spiritual gift), I can confirm it was outstanding based on the fact that the dish came back cleaner than a whistle. One of the coolest parts of this place is the atmosphere. The building still carries that old church feel--you can almost picture folks sitting in pews listening to a sermon. These days, though, the only preaching happening is coming from the kitchen, and there's a "sinful" bar running along one wall that probably wouldn't have made the original blueprints. For the main course, my wife went with the Lobster Mac and Cheese, and I ordered the Chili Lime Shrimp. The mac and cheese was a solid choice--rich and flavorful--but just a touch on the dry side. A little more cream would take it to the next level... perfect, but not Jesus-walking-on-water perfect. The shrimp, on the other hand, was good but didn't quite live up to expectations. It started strong but didn't finish the game, and I ended up handing off the last few bites like a reliever coming out of the bullpen. All in all, The Sanctuary on 25th is a great addition to the Tuscaloosa food scene. Between the unique setting, strong appetizers, live music, and overall experience, it's definitely worth a visit. Just be prepared--it stays busy, and if you plan on sharing food, make sure you're sitting with better people than I am.

Best place I've ate at in a long time. Appetizers were delicious. The sandwich I ordered was huge…read moreand amazing. Nothing is more than $15 or so. Service was also top notch. Can't wait to go back.

Me and wife decided on this place for lunch after reading reviews…read more It was pretty busy but you seat yourself. They have both indoor and covered outdoor seating. We sat ourselves and was attended to relatively fast. The menu was a good lunch menu. Several sandwiches salads and burgers. Plus a few other items. We chose to get a pretzel to start and wife got the cbr salad which is a chopped salad with bacon cheese croutons and chicken. She got it fried. I opted for the da brees sandwich which is slow roasted roast beef. I also got my fries the Messi way which has cheese and bacon. Fire. I only wish there was some kind of au jus with the sandwich. I know others come with it but for some reason not this one. Would have made it even better. We were both very pleased with our orders as well as the pretzel. Best pretzel I've had in a long time. This was easily the best lunch we had during our trip here. Highly recommend.

After seeing a bad health score at a nearby restaurant and another being closed for a private event…read moreon date night, we decided on Depalma's. Before we even got within 2 blocks we could smell a garlicky bread scent which thrilled us as we were carrying a pretty intense appetite at this point . When we got in, the place had an authentic Italian feel to it, but Americanized for sure. It had a charm that ensured me the food was gonna be valid -- and that it was. We sat down after about a 15 minute wait in a packed house. Our server was fantastic from start to finish and was very knowledgeable about whatever we inquired about. 10/10. We first had wine -- forgot what we had, sorry maybe it really did its job. I had a red wine and fiancé had a white. Both wines were very good. Fiancé ordered the Baked Feta antipasti. She enjoyed it. It came with garlic bread that was as crisp as it was tender. 8/10. Then we got our Caesar salad. A different twist indeed as the dressing was more vinaigrette than the dressing we're accustomed to. Still very good and it grew on us each bite 9/10. Our dinner came out about 15-20 minutes later (we were distracted by the company that the wines brought us) but it was very well worth it. I had a feeling that it was gonna be good just by how long it took. Fiancé had the pizza with pep, spinach and feta topping with cheese. We don't consume pork much, especially her, so if she enjoyed it, it had to have been really good. It was as fresh and crisp as ever. I had the build your own pasta with angel hair, Alfredo, Asiago, herb baked chicken, and salmon. Top 5 best tasting pasta dishes I've ever had -- and I've been to Italy. We attempted to get the white chocolate bread pudding but it unfortunately had sold out . Regardless, we'll have another opportunity at it because we will be back at this fantastic establishment. 5/5!

Today we were invited to a late lunch at DePalma's with some friends after the Alabama-Kentucky…read morebasketball game. For us Bama fans, the afternoon turned out far better than what the football team put on the field a few days earlier. The basketball team showed up ready to play and made up for that New Year's Day disappointment. But let's be honest--we were really here for Italian food, and DePalma's was happy to oblige. It had been over a year since we last stepped inside this establishment, not because of any past experiences, but simply because this place stays busy. On a typical weekend, folks are packed in here like cordwood, and the sidewalk outside looks like someone kicked over an ant farm. That said, there's a reason for the crowd--DePalma's consistently delivers good Italian eats. The old building still carries plenty of character, with wine bottles lining the walls and the nostalgic bar where an old pharmacy once served Coke and a smile. These days, instead of sodas and prescriptions, they're rolling dough and making pasta behind that same bar, and I'd say that's a pretty solid upgrade. We started with the stuffed mushrooms, which were outstanding. When we finished, the plate was so clean you could've put it back in the cabinet--only a few grains of salt remained as evidence they were ever there. For my meal, I ordered the pine nut-crusted salmon along with a Caesar salad. It was my first time having their salmon, and it definitely won't be my last. The dish was excellent--well-prepared, flavorful, and proof that stepping outside your usual order at DePalma's can pay off. I've eaten here many times over the years and can honestly say I've never had a bad experience. Great food, great service, and great company--even the Kentucky fans who made the trip down to watch their beloved Cats get smacked around on the hardwood. All in all, DePalma's remains a Tuscaloosa staple for a reason. Crowded? Usually. Worth it? Absolutely.

We were in town for the Southern Regional Tennis tournament at Bama and came here for lunch because…read morewe always love to try Mediterranean restaurants in new cities. We were able to park easily and make our way into the restaurant with ease. There is ample outside and inside seating, however, know that the TVs are going to be on full blast, especially during football games! We ordered a chicken shawarma gyro with a side of roasted vegetablesThe Gyro (beef-lamb) with Mediterranean fries. My husband enjoyed The Gyro and would get it again. My chicken shawarma was just meh because it lacked any real seasoning/spice. The ingredients are quality but the flavor was not there for me. I enjoyed the roasted veggies which were interestingly well seasoned. Service was friendly and prompt. The ambience is college town vibes (7 tvs each blaringly loud). Decor was nice with plenty of windows with natural light, wood tables and comfortable chairs (no arms on any of them) and bar stools. 1 star deduction for lack of flavor in sandwich 1 star deduction for WAY too loud TVs (excessive) exacerbated by Kitchen sounds

A really great taste I was hesitant to try after the bad reviews but it was deliciousread more

I must preface this by saying that I love spicy food, but have never been a huge fan of Nashville…read moreHot Chicken. A lot of times it seems it is made to be hot for hot sake, not necessary for great taste. With that out of the way, we came in for an early Sunday lunch. The staff was friendly but clearly still learning the ropes on the new place. I'm sure they will get better with time. Had the mild 5-piece tenders. The tenders were cooked well, juicy and had the right amount of heat and flavor. The beans were really good, but thought the slaw was a little too sour for my liking. Overall I thought the tenders and sides were a little small for the price. There is a bar which is unusual for a chicken place like this so that may appeal to some customers. It's an order at the counter place with a handful of high top tables. My biggest pet peeve about restaurants is when the floor is slippery from mopping with greasy water. Unfortunately that was the case here. It's a unique restaurant for downtown so I'm sure I'll try it again.

This place is a must do when you are in Tuscaloosa! The moistest fried chicken I have ever eaten…read more The spice level was great and the sides tasted homemade. I recommend the deviled eggs and the cornbread! The service was fast and very friendly.

One of the best restaurants in Tuscaloosa. The food and staff are excellent. Although our last…read morevisit had a new server - give her time to get more experience and she will be fine. We will continue to support one of our favorite places to dine!

Best Restaurant in Tuscaloosa for fine dining! Food and service are both top notch Only issue is…read moremany weekends the place is booked