I'm playing catch up on reviews…read more I've been to a lot of places the last few months, checked in so I can review it, but I'm on the road so often that it's hard to get the reviews written. I have a long back log I need to catch up on and I still have reviews from my cross country trip to Oregon that I still need to write, and that was back in December! I'm trying... A few months ago, I found myself out on Lott Road, and decided to scratch a long overdue itch by visiting Highway 217 Cafe and Grill. I've heard pretty great things about this local gem. Now, anyone who knows me, knows I have a wicked soft spot for local owned business. In fact, I tend to gravitate toward local businesses over corporate owned chains. I stepped inside the dimly lit building where elderly couples and workers on their lunch breaks congregated with a warm and sincere welcome from the young ladies working there. This is what I love most about local business, is that honest interaction and sense of pride and community these kinds of places have. It just makes you feel like they want to earn your business, and care about your experience there. I was told I could sit wherever I chose and they brought the menu, and while there was a lot to choose from, I wanted to keep it simple, and went with a bacon cheeseburger, medium rare. I guess I tend to default back to my "Rik's Burger Review" days when I get the chance, and since it's where my review experience really began, it always feels nice to go back to the basics. I ordered onion rings instead of fries as I was in the mood for them, and I like them a little bit more. They brought the burger and it had the fries with it, and the girl realized immediately that the kitchen had made an error. She told me I could keep the fries and she would have my onion rings out shortly. A few minutes later, this side of fantastic onion rings showed up, and they were nothing short of amazing! The onion rings were appropriately crispy, and the breading had quite a zing, which was pleasant tasting. The onion inside was firm, hot and not soggy in the slightest. The burger was perfectly cooked as requested, the meat was seasoned well, it was juicy and succulent, the bacon was very crispy but not burned, and the cheese was bubbly melted to the burger. This was nothing short of a perfect meal! Also, they took the onion rings off my check because they were late getting them to me. I left full, happy and swore I would go back again. It's a bit out of the way from where I live. But if I'm out that way, I'll definitely be back.

Awesome place to stop by. Been there several times. Very friendly and few waitress know some basic…read moreasl to be able to communicate with us(deaf). Very patience and polite!

One of the most consistent restaurants in Historic Downtown Mobile! Their menu is fantastic & their…read morefood hits the spot every time. Go see the Blind Mule crew!

My son and I were seated immediately when we came in on a weekday during dinner time at the…read moresparsely filled restaurant. I had a cup of the lukewarm, average Gulf seafood gumbo for an appetizer. We also shared undercoated, under-fried pickles. My jacka$$ wrap was good. My son's medium Texas squealer came out well done. We both enjoyed our local craft beers, chosen from the National and local craft and domestic beers menu. Bar and low-top seating with a sports bar theme. Good service. Competitive pricing. 3.5% credit card fee. A local we spoke with said they have a better brunch and a new cook in the evening. We wouldn't come back for dinner.

The service is always great considering how busy it gets especially around noon. Food is…read moredecent,portions good.

You ever walk into a place and immediately think, "Yep... this is either going to be amazing or I'm…read moreabout to make a terrible decision"? Welcome to Judy's Place. Because this spot is not pretending to be anything. This is full-on, unapologetic dive. And I mean that in the best possible way. You walk in and it's like the '70s, '80s, and a little bit of someone's '90s basement bar all got together and said, "Let's not change a thing." Old banquet-style tables, a bar top that feels like it's hosted a thousand stories, and walls that have clearly seen some things. I loved it immediately. Now let's talk food. The folks next to me were deep into the chicken and dumplings and talking about it like it was a life event. You know that kind of table chatter where you start reconsidering your order mid-bite? Yeah, that. I went shrimp po' boy... and no regrets. Shrimp fried just right. Crispy, flavorful, doing exactly what it's supposed to do. Solid sandwich. The fries... eh, they showed up a little tired. Not terrible, just kind of there. A little cold, a little soggy, like they'd already had a long day. But here's the twist. You don't come to Judy's for perfection. You come for personality. For the feeling that you just discovered a place that doesn't care about trends, doesn't need a remodel, and definitely isn't chasing Instagram. It just is what it is... and somehow that works. Fold this into your expectations. If you need polished, keep driving. If you want real, pull up a chair. It's fun. It's different. It's got character for days. Four stars. And honestly, half the star is just for staying exactly the same all these years.

Stopped by here on our way to NOLA from Gulf Shores and were absolutely impressed by the service,…read morebeer selection and the food. Erin our server was great and even gave us a quick tour of the brewery. We were pleasantly surprised by the full menu since we were expecting bar food (nothing wrong with bar food). Food was great.

Very nice, laid-back pub that checks all the boxes... cozy atmosphere with warm, ambient lighting,…read moreplenty of seating, friendly service, and carefully crafted menu items. I caught the Fish and Chips on a Friday, actual cod cooked perfectly; the fries were standard frozen crinkle cut. Hub's personal sized pizza got praise; the crust is legit. And the meatballs as a shareable were delish. The beer menu is somewhat limited but does include a variety of styles (thankfully not all over-hopped). The only negatives, that aren't really "negatives" but noted: the music was a bit loud, not a deal breaker but borderline not pleasant during early lunch. And considering their marinara is SO tasty, and is utilized for the pizzas as well as the meatballs, it's a mystery that there are no pasta dishes nor chicken parm. I'm eager to go back for their brunch!

The service and food is amazing!! The ambiance is great too, however, they need more servers to…read moretake care of guest

Looks to be a great restaurant from the reviews. We went on a Friday evening, and there were only…read moretwo tables available. The place was busy and people seemed to be enjoying themselves. We sat down and observed that many of the people in the restaurant seemed to be local and know one another. We waited for 20 minutes. Still no server. We waited another 10 minutes and someone finally came over to get our drink order. 15 more minutes passed...still no drinks. At this point, we opted to leave. I would imagine that the food is very good and that the people are nice...but we will never know and never return.

The Dumbwaiter is a must-stop every time I'm in Mobile. The food is consistently amazing, the…read moreambiance is great, and the whole experience always feels special without being over the top. And the bread pudding... absolutely incredible. Easily one of the best desserts in town and something I look forward to every visit. If you're in Mobile and looking for a great meal, The Dumbwaiter should definitely be on your list.

I was looking for a well rated restaurant near our hotel in Mobile that we haven't been to before…read more Dumbwaiter looked like it had great food choices but not so fancy as "fine dining." I'm a sucker for a roasted Brussels sprouts appetizer (which we ordered). The chunks of bacon in it were delightful. My dish was light with 3 perfectly seared scallops and a spinach salad with fruit and a vinaigrette dressing. My husband had a 14 0z. ribeye with roasted asparagus and subbed the potatoes for vegetables. It was all very good. The decor is very hip - a wood meets metal type interior design. Only downside - 1. Steak was a bit gristly for a prime cut. 2. The metal chairs are a bit unforgiving for people with big hips. Only The steak was a bit gristly

Great Philly cheesesteak and onion rings. Friendly staff. No frills restaurant but delicious food.read more

What a great place! The owner was super friendly and the food was delicious. I had the gyro and it…read morewas great. Filled with lots of meat and toppings and the fries were hot and delicious. I wanted some extra tzatziki sauce and they were happy to oblige. Not much to look at on the outside but the food is spot on.

The place was quite chaotic. We went in for some ice cream treats. I was very disappointed, the…read morestrawberry cheesecake and other desserts don't have any actual fruit in them. We only got their desserts and they were tasty. Would've loved to have more actual fruit and natural flavors and colors. The cheesecake and the strawberry cheesecake was very odd and kind of gritty. I threw the most of it away. My daughter did enjoy her brownie concrete.

Wife and I were out shopping and when done decided to use my newly installed Freddy's app on my…read morephone tp order carry out. I ordered one double cheese burger, one grilled chicken sandwich, and a large fry. We picked up our order within then minutes of my hitting "Pay." After taking it home, we had our dinner, and I can say that I found very little to be excited about either. However, I plan to give this restaurant a second chance, especially to try an eat in experience and to try their much touted frozen custard. I'll revise this review after I get an opportunity for that second visit.