My first time in Birmingham and this spot in Downtown is a gem. The energy is great, especially if you snag a seat at the bar. * Service (The Star): Shoutout to Bianca at the bar. She's an amazing bartender--super friendly, helpful with recommendations and kept the space spotless. She turned a 4-star meal into a 5-star experience. * Fish Quality: The sushi and fish quality were impressively fresh. * The Rolls & Ramen: Both rolls recommended by the Bianca were well above average and the ramen exceeded my expectations. * The Rice (Shari): A bit of a letdown. The rice was too mushy/wet and the portion of rice per piece was way too large. * Pork Bao: Not worth the mention (or a photo). Skip this one. Verdict: 5/5 stars. Mostly thanks to Bianca's top-tier hospitality. Solid Japanese spot in the heart of Downtown. read more

See all

Delish! We did the mumu, ribs and green beans. Loved the food, service was okay. Would go back! read more

Bamboo on 2nd - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

My wife and I were able to get away during Christmas time as we were in town for the holidays. She saw Bamboo on yelp and wanted to stop by and have dinner here. It was pretty pack but was able to grab a couple of seats at the bar and was immediately attended to. I really loved the atmosphere of this place as it's in an old building and i always love the exposed brick in these restaurants. We ordered a couple of sushi rolls with me ordering the cyclone and my wife ordering a salmon roll and they were very delicious. I love to explore new restaurants and this was definitely a winner read more

See all

Great place to eat on a Friday evening! First time trying something other than sushi and it did not disappoint. This bowl was MASSIVE! Had to get a go box. The Brussels tossed in the eel sauce was very good! The grilled pork with cooked perfectly too! read more

See all

The Food was fantastic. I highly recommend the Mamos, and the Geisha Roll. The staff was terrific, just a cool place to grab a bite. read more

Best food and service you will ever receive!!!! This is my go to restaurant for sushi or ramen! If you are thinking about going just go!! It will not disappoint you! read more

The experience was the best!! They opened at 5pm for dinner time and everything that came out was fresh and delicious we were waited on by a server who never missed a beat. We will be coming back the food was wonderful and the service was 10/10 and the prices were amazing for what we got. read more

Bamboo on 2nd - Godzilla Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

See all

Decided to treat myself with dinner and drinks and made the choice to visit Bamboo on 2nd since it had been awhile. To be honest, I didn't enjoy my experience. Upon arrival nobody was at the hostess stand. After a small wait I was told for a party of one the only option was drink or sushi bar. I was seated at the bar despite noticing several open table seats. I had a bartender who barely greeted me and asked my drink order several minutes after I sat. He finally took my order after being very chatty with another couple when I had maybe 5 words spoken to me. I enjoyed my Japanese Hornet drink. For food I decided on the Red Mountain sushi roll and ramen bowl with chicken. The good thing was the sushi was great as usual. The ramen however was not... it had a nice presentation but lacked flavor. I took most of it home to doctor up for a leftover lunch. I guess I haven't missed much and will likely not return. read more

See all

Great place! They opened at 5, we arrived at 5:10 and the restaurant was almost completely full. Service was good, a little spotty due to the amount of customers but that was to be expected. After ordering my drink it took around 15-20 minutes for it to be brought to me. It was worth the wait though. I really enjoyed the Touch of Grey cocktail. It was very unique and paired well with the ambiance and meal. Not to mention, it was strong! The sushi took about the same amount of time to be brought out. We ordered the New Moon, Kaiju, and Tuna Nigiri. Everything was very fresh and had very distinct flavor profiles. The smoky flavor of the Kaiju was a nice touch, and the New Moon had a great kick of spice. This was the first Nigiri I had tried, and I really enjoyed it! It wasn't fishy and was a good bite of some fresh fish. We will definitely be visiting again! read more

Bamboo on 2nd - New Moon (left), Tuna Nigiri (middle), Kaiju (right) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Great service and nice ambiance. Everything was very good, but nothing blew me away completely. The fish is fresh and the flavors are good. read more

Bamboo on 2nd - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

See all

Headed in without a reservation and they had a space for 3 at the Sushi Bar. It was so cute and a cross between casual and potentially a good spot for a date or group. They had limited options for rolls was my only complaint. While we didn't try them the Green Beans looked amazing! Our server Brantley was sweet and was a bit weeded but worked his best to do what we needed and support our small party. The pricing was reasonable and the drinks too! The bar was on the slow side so that's why it's not 5 stars but it was a great place to celebrate a meet record. read more

See all

Had a chance to visit Bamboo on 2nd this week. First time to return in a year and I was not disappointed! We had a large party and the night was delightful. Our server did an excellent job with great service. I had the Vulcan roll and Miso soup both delicious! Whenever I am back in Birmingham Bamboo will definitely be on the list of options! read more

Bamboo on 2nd - Miso soup - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

See all

Amazing Momos and sushi! Sat at the bar and was served immediately. Cocktail was perfect and Food was delicious! Such a great experience read more

See all

Food and service were both amazing! My dad is concerned about his diet and ate a seaweed salad. Mom ate edamame and sushi; while I had 2 chicken skewers. It was the perfect amount of food. We loved it, would recommend it and would return. I only kicked off one star because it was very loud. We could not have a conversation without yelling at one another. read more

Bamboo on 2nd - Chicken Skewers - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Came here for a date night with my boyfriend and it has the perfect ambiance. Dim lighting lots of seating. It was quite busy when we got there but thankfully we got two seats right at the window which was perfect to people watch. Next time, I want to sit at the chef's table and watch them roll the sushi. It seems like it'd be an awesome experience. We started off with calamari and the sauce it came with was spicy but yummy! I got the cyclone roll which was huge and definitely the favorite of the two we ordered. read more

Bamboo on 2nd - Calamari - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

I go to Bamboo on 2nd every time there is a play at Terrific New Theatre, TNT. There vegan sushi roll is delicious and the service always excellent, read more

Sushi was phenomenal, great service, and the interior was a nice vibe. 10/10 will definitely be back to try more of the menu! read more

Bamboo on 2nd - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

The brussels sprouts-- that is all you need to get at this restaurant! You get a large bowl of rice, meat, and perfectly crispy brussels sprouts. It is listed as an appetizer, but I would order it as my own meal. As for the other food options, I'm not blown away by the sushi here. Since it is located downtown, it is on the pricier end, but still affordable for sushi. The plating and presentation is always beautiful. This restaurant does get super busy-- sometimes a line forms soon after it opens. You can always grab a seat at the bar, and when your whole party arrives, the host will seat you. They have a full bar and specialty drink menu, but I have not found something that I love yet. read more

Points for being open on Monday!! Had dinner on a rainy Monday for the first time right after opening. Pro tip- wear rain boots because it can get pretty wet around there. We were able to get sat right away but about an hour in and the restaurant looked pretty full. We started with appetizers which were pretty hefty portions. Especially the tempura fried green beans. They were definitely the star of my show. I just wished for more flavorful sauce since they were lacking salt. We also tried the lumpia, calamari, and Momo's. I think the momo's were pretty noteworthy as well. We decided on just one roll each since we were pretty full. We got the cyclone and the new moon. The fish was definitely fresh which was nice but I think we'd try something else next time for our sushi. However, service was great! From the host to the waitress we felt welcomed and well taken care of. read more

See all

Soooo good. We arrived around 7 PM on a Tuesday and were seated at the bar fairly quickly. The seating is all very close, so be prepared. But it is totally fine and worth it! They were very busy, and our server had his hands full. But we still felt well taken care of. Everyone was very nice. The drinks were delish. We started with a spicy Caesar salad and the fried green beans. Both were amazing!! I loved the uniqueness of the salad. Also felt very fresh. The green beans have the perfect mix of feeling healthy but also like a guilty pleasure. The sauce with it was wonderful too. For rolls, we got Wham Bham and New Moon. Both again tasted so fresh. Well balanced. Absolute perfection. I'd reorder everything we got and would return in a heart beat. Prices were decent. Parking downtown can be tough, but you'll eventually find a spot if you look hard enough! read more

See all

Bamboo is one of my favorite places in town for sushi, and I have been coming for years. Located on 2nd Avenue, bamboo is part of the hip downtown food scene. Bamboo has kind and efficient service. Do note that your entire party must be present before you're able to be seated. There is the option to wait by the bar while you wait. I started off with a cocktail which was delicious. Appetizer must orders include the fried green beans and the momos (phone did not eat first for this review). Sushi is delicious, I opted for a more simple spicy tuna roll tonight which I loved. Sometimes their specialty rolls are too crazy for my personal taste, but my friends tend to love them. Wishing they would bring back to go orders! Regardless, Love this spot for more elevated sushi moment in downtown bham. read more

See all

I've been here a few times before. Never regretted anything I've ordered! I went tonight with a party of seven. They do not except reservations. Our party could not be set until the majority of us arrived. I believe we were sat when six of the seven were present. Our server was Jordan and he was wonderful! I had the Ramen bowl and Wham B'ham Roll. I would definitely order both again. The Limpia is very good. Heads up! Bamboo does communal seating so while there were seven people in my party, there was seating for an additional four people at the same table. Shoulder to shoulder situation. This wasn't a problem for our party, but something you may want to know before you go. read more

See all

This one gave me mixed feelings. Was the food good? Yes! Absolutely delicious in my opinion. Ambiance? 9/10. The service? It depends on who you were talking to. So we had Bianca and a Trainee whose name I forgot, but they were great. Bianca in particular overly great! But the owner was rude to the point of I can't tell if he was just rude or having a bad day. (Took a gander at other reviews, he's just horrible apparently.) My friend had an issue with the salad being too spicy for her and when he came to ask about it she explains she didn't realize it would be spicy. He cops an attitude about it, like it's the end of the world to just tell people the salad dressing is spicy. All in all, this would've been a 9/10 experience had he just never come by to begin with. But because we did experience this I doubt I'll be back. Kudos to the chef as well. read more

Bamboo on 2nd had amazing ambiance, and they were able to squeeze in our party of five on a busy Saturday night. The vibes inside were trendy and perfect for a fun night out. For appetizers we got the momos, pork bao buns, and lumpia and they were flavorful and perfect to share. The sashimi was also excellent. Sadly though, the rice was absolutely horrible. For us, it took the meal from a 5/5 to a 2/5 just because of the rice's poor quality. The fresh, tasty fish on the sushi was overpowered by the dry, grainy, overly bland, stale rice. Unless there are changes to the rice, I can't recommend eating sushi at Bamboo. Stick to the appetizers and sashimi instead. read more

Bamboo on 2nd - Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

This is one of those places you come when you wanted to be treated like a second rate citizen and made to feel like it is some big favor they are doing you for the privilege of spending your hard earned money there. The food was pretty delicious years ago but the menu is stale and the food quality has just slipped month after month. Front of house experience is usually quite interesting. Putting your name and party size in with an older gentlemen with longer hair can go one of two ways, he can give you some semblance of a normal encounter or he can look down at you in disgust through his reading glasses and treat you like you just kicked his dog. It's really the flip of the coin on which version of him you get. All that said, they're open on Monday...if you can deal with their non-RSVP taking ways. read more

Best sushi spot downtown Birmingham. The salad is one of my favorite items. Also this is one of the only spots open on Mondays read more

Bamboo on 2nd - Dumplings and salad - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Bamboo is my favorite sushi spot in Birmingham! I am not a big seafood or sushi person, but I crave the Magic City Roll! In the winter I go for their Thai Noodle Bowl and the Tempura Green Beans are a must every time! Ask for some eel sauce on the side- trust me. The vibe is great for date night or a girls night out and the service is always great. You can also sit at the sushi counter for a fun experience! read more

Bamboo on 2nd - Magic City Roll sub soy paper - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Truly some of the best sushi I've ever had! The Wham Bham roll was my absolute favorite - shrimp tempura, avo, cuc, topped with seared salmon that was buttery/flaky/tender. All the things! I also got crunchy cali - very fresh - I like to get a not so bold roll to eat kind of like a side dish to my main rolls. The Godzilla roll was my least favorite. If you like spicy - and I mean really spicy - this one's for you. Our waitress suggested we get the spicy Godzilla aioli on the side and I'm so glad she did. My husband got the Maa bowl and loved the shrimp momos (dumplings) in it. He said it was very filling and one of the best ramen bowls ever. We got the tuna poke bowl to share as an app. This took us back to Hawaii. So fresh and light and perfect to split. So glad we got this. We sat at the bar and felt very very close to our neighbors. Wish we would've opted for a table but even then they're still very close together. Our waitress/bartenders were very kind and knowledgeable about the menu. We will 100% be back! read more

See all

I love this place! I go so often. The service is great, it's usually really crowded and a little wait, but it's worth it! There is always some entertaining movie on at the bar. I love sitting at the sushi bar to watch the chefs make everything. I believe they have the best sushi in Birmingham. read more

See all

Absolutely loved it! Fresh, flavorful sushi with beautiful presentation and super friendly service. Every bite was delicious and can't wait to come back! read more

Always great service and sushi from here! I have been multiple times since I have been here in Bham, and it's great place to go for celebrations and nice outings. The sushi is expensive but you get what you pay for! The space is also nice, but you are pretty close to other groups so it can get crowded. read more

The food was phenomenal!!! Hot fresh!!! & quickly served!! We sat at the bar and Geoff, the bartender was amazing!!! The Japanese hornet...10/10!!! The calamari came with a sweet/heat kind of sauce that was spicy, yet pleasant. Wonderful vegan/vegetarian options were available. I had the Vegetarian Thukpa!!! Amazing!!! The atmosphere was very wonderful, warm aesthetics!!! I highly recommend it!!!! read more

Love this place! Beware, when they warn you about spice, they mean it. Sushi is great and watching the chefs prepare it is so cool. Definitely recommend trying to sit at the chefs table if you can. The inside is very cool, hipster. Seating encourages talking to the tables next to you a bit, fun place. No reservations! Get there early to get your name on the list and walk to a bar nearby to wait! read more

Bamboo on 2nd - Momos - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Bamboo on 2nd offers great food in a cozy, romantic setting. The short ribs are a must-try--tender and fall-off-the-bone. The sushi was very fresh, and our waiter was insightful. The only downside is the seating; it's close to other tables, so we could hear everything from the party next to us. read more

Bamboo on 2nd - Hamachi Roll and New Moon roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Dammmm it Man !!!!! Everything we had was delicious and perfectly seasoned. I really don't know what more I can say. Other than Naomi was the freaking bomb dot come. So cute, friendly and timely. We were in town for a concert and was running short on time to fuel up properly before the event. It's crazy how fast our food arrived. I would have loved to stay and hang out and chill. Ohhhhh!!!!!! And another thing.... When I saw Tina on the wall, I knew I was home. I was sold after I washed my hands. That's the only way to see Tina is to go wash your hands. Lol. You filthy Animal !! Lol Ohhh and thank you for having the spicy stiff. But I didn't need it. Yum. read more

See all

I really enjoyed the time here. Several of us got Ramen bowls and they were huge. I had Sushi. They were nicely spicy. My wife had the dumplings... also spicy. So much that she was not pleased with them. She will admit that they were well prepared. Uniquely good spot for Asian food. Worth trying. read more

I had wanted to go there forever and finally went with some girlfriends. We had several appetizers, and all were great, but the ribs were PHENOMENAL. Sushi is one of my favorite foods-- I've eaten it all over Birmingham and Bamboo's is among the best. Very fresh and delicious. I also tried the noodle soup, and although it was good, the sushi was definitely the stunner. The restaurant has nice ambiance and great bar service. The ONLY negative thing I could come up with to say about it is that it's small, so not great for groups, but of course that contributes to the trendy vibe. Can't wait to visit again. read more

Such a great date night! The sushi was amazing. We tried three different rolls that were all very different. The cyclone roll was my favorite- deep fried and lots of sauce. We also got the PBR appetizer, which was small bites of pork over crispy Brussels. Nothing we ate disappointed! It was so fun getting to watch the sushi making process, as we were seated us at a bar-like table top where we could watch the sushi chefs assemble various rolls. I'm excited to come back for another nice dinner! read more

Bamboo on 2nd - (Left) Kankitsu (Middle) Cyclone (Right) Fire - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

See all

I've tried a lot of sushi, ramen, and pork belly. However, this restaurant is my new #1 for sushi, ramen, and pork belly. I'm from Maryland, which is in reasonable distance to a lot of Asian restaurants (DC, Virginia as well), so I did not expect to find the best Asian food in Alabama. TRY THIS PLACE!! Favorites: Ramen with Pork Belly, Kankitsu Roll, Pork Belly Skewers. read more

Bamboo on 2nd - Kankitsu Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

See all

The food is amazing and reasonably priced. It is a definite weekly stop. The service and Ambiance are top tier.