I came to town to review the Birmingham Museum of Art's new exhibition, so I was especially pleased…read moreto walk in and see the work of one of the featured artists on the restaurant's walls. We stopped in for lunch and were met with excellent customer service and an open, airy, and well-lit atmosphere. The menu isn't overcrowded, which I appreciated, and our waitress knew it well enough to confidently walk us through it. We started with the okra chaat, fish dip, and shrimp toast. The okra chaat was spicy, crunchy, and good, though I thought the okra was sliced too thin. The fish dip was flavorful perfection. The shrimp toast had great flavor, but deep-frying it felt unnecessary; it left the dish greasy and heavy, with far more bread than topping. For my entrée, the chef was kind enough to serve the red snapper over the field pea and rice salad. The snapper was very good, but that field pea and rice salad was something to text home about--literally. (I texted my husband after two bites.) Bright, nice acidity, great snap to the peas, and just perfect for the season. And the cocktails? Bartender's kiss. I took a sip and immediately told my friend to taste. I enjoyed this restaurant immensely. Thoughtful service, a beautiful space, memorable food, and enough standouts that already got me looking forward to coming back.

Have been here for lunch 3 times now and it is amazing!! The drinks and particularly the Gin and…read moreTonics are the best anywhere! The fish is so good. We had tuna tare tare appetizer with house made Caraway seed crackers. My wife had the tuna steak and I had the double tuna fish sandwich with swordfish bacon and the best fried anywhere! The wait staff is always incredible and make great suggestions l

Had dinner here last night and WOW! I can't believe I've never been before. The stuffed grouper and…read morefried green tomatoes were absolutely incredible. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and delicious, and the food came out surprisingly fast! The staff was so kind and welcoming, which made the whole experience even better. You can really tell they care about the quality of their food. I will definitely be back! If you're looking for a solid seafood spot, this is absolutely one to add to your list!

My fifth trip to this restaurant so that tells you it's an authentic and delicious restaurant…read more Today is Labor Day and our amazing server " labored" beyond expectations!! Adam deserves a raise. As always the food was delicious, served the right temperature. My favorite is the shrimp and oyster platter. The fried green tomatoes are the best ever. Also the jambalaya and hush puppies!! Go... you won't be disappointed.

April 2 Tuesday Played senior golf at cross creek so had to…read morestop at half shell oyster. oyster special sampler $26 & old fashioned were fantastic Such a clean nice restaurant Need to take your honey for some great seafood

We were in town for a pickle ball tournament and decided to visit the Gulfport location as we loved…read morethe Biloxi location. We had the redfish Orleans and the Redfish Royale and both were fantastic. Don't sleep on the crème brûlée sweet potatoes. They are AWESOME!!! We started with the crab and shrimp au gratin served warm with baguettes and it was really good as well. We have been to three different locations now and all of them prepare the food the same and all taste excellent!

Automatic Seafood was such a great experience from start to finish! The ambiance was beautiful, the…read morefood was amazing, and the service was truly 10/10. We came in for a birthday dinner, and our server was absolutely amazing; so sweet, attentive, and genuinely made the experience feel special. He even surprised the birthday girl with a complimentary birthday margarita with a candle in it to blow out, which was such a thoughtful touch! I started with the grilled oysters, and WOW they were amazing! They come with five oysters, but you can add more for an additional charge. Definitely worth trying if you're an oyster lover. For my drink, I ordered the mango margarita, and it was SO delicious! Sweet, refreshing, and the perfect pairing with dinner. For my entrée, I ordered the ribeye steak, which comes with roasted potatoes and mushrooms. Let me just say... this meal was EVERYTHING! The steak was incredibly flavorful, and the cream sauce that came over the steak, potatoes, and vegetables was SO delicious. I would absolutely come back and recommend it to anyone looking for a great dinner spot!

We visited this restaurant for a belated Mother's Day brunch and our food was fantastic…read more I had the swordfish schnitzel and it was one of my favorite entrees of the year. The swordfish was fried perfectly and not greasy at all. The cheese grits and cabbage paired nicely with the swordfish and it was a perfect portion size. Everyone else's food was very good as well and we enjoyed our crab appetizer and beignets. I wish that I remembered our servers name because he was fantastic. He was attentive and friendly and everything came out at the perfect time. We are looking forward to visiting again soon and trying more menu items.

We love this place - it is the best seafood place in Bham - the steamed crab claws are amazing !…read moreThe oysters are freshly flown in . I have not tried any other location in years - bc this place is always such a treat . I have tried some of the newer $$$$ seafood restaurants( bc my son wanted to go ) but I have always left disappointed. The fish market gets your food out hot & they do have great service , (this is why they're still in business.) I've been eating here at least 30 years - I like the casual ambiance & the oysters are to die for . In my humble opinion, this is the only place to get reliably great seafood ( & it has reasonable prices)

We must eaten there on a bad night all around because our review doesn't reflect what everyone else…read moreseemed to experience! We were seated promptly handed menus and about 30 seconds later approached by the waitress for drink orders. We asked for a drink menu as there was nothing to advertise what drinks they were serving. She returned with 1 drink menu for all 3 of us and stood there waiting until we decided. We asked for some time so she left and returned about 2 mins later. We ordered drinks and she returned 2 mins later to take our food order. We ordered appetizers, salad and main courses. The drinks came quickly, the salads came right after and then about 3 mins later, the appetizers came out. 3 mins after that, the main courses arrived so we had plates stacked everywhere on the table and quickly tried to finish our salads and appetizers before the main dish got cold. The waitress never returned to the table until she brought the bill. The plates were all cleared by someone else. We saw her leave a bill at the table next to us and wait until they checked it over and figured out a payment method, so when she arrived at our table we just handed her a credit card. The food was average but the overall experience was terrible. I realize she was probably new and this may have been her first night but some training would go a long way! For $180 dinner, we expected a lot more.

I've been meaning to try The Seafood Spot since last year and kept forgetting. I did myself a…read moregreat disservice. I tried it today and it was amazing! I had 1/2 lbs. of shrimp that came with potatoes, sausage, boiled eggs, and corn. The star of the show, however, was the sauce! At one point, I actually grabbed a spoon and just ate the sauce. Delicious food and the staff were super, super courteous and friendly!

Food was really good. Shrimp was kind of chewy but it still had amazing flavor. The staff was…read morereally nice.

First timer and the food was so good (fresh and hot). I had catfish with smashed red potatoes. The…read moreowners and staff are super nice and keep a spotless restaurant. After dinner the owners brought us samples of the banana pudding and bread pudding which were both amazing! Will definitely return to try more on the menu.

I've been to the Wharf on several occasions for lunch and dinner. I like the way you order at the…read morefront counter and select your own seating and they just bring you your food. The servers have always been super sweet and check on us throughout the visit provided additional condiments and refills as needed. They do have some really good selections of fish at a fair price. The bacon wrapped shrimp keeps me coming back. They do have a bar but I haven't had anything from it yet maybe in future I will try and see how the cocktails are. I also enjoy that they have various seasonal offerings and daily specials. The dinner area is open with a fishing theme. It's very casual so there is no need to dress up but the food is still excellent.

$7.50 snow crab clusters?? Count my big back in, only happens on certain days of the week!…read more You really can't complain about the deal they got, the snow crab cluster deal busssin... everything was pretty good, the crawfish, snow crab clusters, the sauce, seasoning, if you craving for a seafood boil this spot is it, sometimes it can be a lil bit salty but it's better than being plain Jane, not a bad price for seafood boil, got me coming back for more with that deal! Service was great, very attentive, fun people, overall really good experience!

Deon took fabulous care of us on during a long drive home with hungry bellies. The Crab Shack was…read morecool inside from the humid heat outdoor, and the architecture was a nice nod to past times. Corey's gumbo had real heart and soul in it. A piece of bread and a cold drink was all that was needed. Hubby's shrimp and grits was no slouch either. We came away very satisfied, and we felt we got a bargain for our food. Downtown Gadsden had lots of cute shops. Wish we had time to check them out. A great lunchtime break!

The Essential was such an unexpected find during our trip through Alabama. We weren't expecting to…read morestumble across such an elegant restaurant serving truly elevated food, but it ended up being one of our favorite meals. I ordered the seafood pasta, and you could immediately tell the pasta was homemade. It was fresh, perfectly cooked, and the seafood was beautifully prepared. My daughter had the spaghetti, and my husband ordered the Waldorf salad, which was just as thoughtfully put together. Our waitress also recommended the hummus and house pickles, and I'm so glad we listened. Both were fresh, unique, and the perfect way to start the meal. From the food to the service, everything felt polished without being pretentious. It was one of those meals where every dish was executed with care and attention to detail. Overall, The Essential was such a pleasant surprise and proof that you can find five star dining experiences in the most unexpected places. If you're anywhere near Birmingham, this place is absolutely worth the stop.

I was in town for a concert and came across this restaurant on TikTok, so my daughter and I decided…read moreto give it a try. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the hostess and seated inside. The interior has a nostalgic, warm vibe and would be a great setting for a date night. Our server was awesome! He was friendly, attentive, and recommended some great food and drink options. I also really enjoyed the open-kitchen concept, as I always like being able to see the food being prepared. My only concern was with a couple of things I noticed in the kitchen. Since the kitchen is completely open and visible to guests, I think extra attention should be given to sanitation and overall presentation. I noticed one of the cooks drinking while preparing food, and another wiped his nose with his arm while working. Although he didn't use his hand, it still left me feeling a little uneasy. When guests can see directly into the kitchen, those small details really matter. Aside from that, we enjoyed our experience, and I do think this is a place worth trying at least once. The atmosphere, service, and recommendations from our server were definitely highlights of our visit.

Food, service, ambiance was amazing. I will return. I had the tomahawk pork chop. Definitely …read more... A diamond

Phenomenal dining experience!!…read more Service was top notch from the hostess and host, our waiter and all of the runners. Attentive without being obnoxious, in depth explanations of items on the menu with great recommendations! We started with a half dozen raw oysters and the pork belly. Oysters were very fresh and the seasoned crackers were a nice touch. The pork belly was quite possibly the best we've ever had and we're slight snobs about it. The fennel and orange mixture was a unique blend that really complemented the smokiness of the pork belly, Our steaks were melt in your mouth good. Cooked perfectly! I wished I could've just taken a massive bowl of the macaroni and cheese home. The char on the broccolini balanced the richness of the macaroni. They were sadly out of the crème brûlée, so instead I had the vanilla and peach gelato, while my husband had the chocolate l'orange cake. The vanilla gelato had the perfect rich vanilla taste. The peach didn't taste much like peach, but the flavor was still good. The cake was light and fluffy with a great balance of chocolate and orange. The candied orange peel on top was a nice touch! The atmosphere is pretty busy so it was louder than I was expecting. However, the ability to see the wine cellar, fridge of aging meat, and a window to stop in to look at the kitchen was a lot of fun. Highly recommend!