Central dishes up excellent food in Montgomery! We arrived for an early dinner on a Saturday night and the wait staff appeared to be awaiting our arrival. From the moment we sat down, the service was spectacular! Bethany took great care of us. We started with the goat cheese and honey tart, as well as the lamb meatballs. The tart was a unique take on a cheese tart, and one that I hadn't had before. The tzatziki sauce for the lamb meatballs was very smooth with a slight hint of sweetness that really complemented the lamb well. The short rib basically fell apart with my fork. Tender, well-seasoned, and sitting on a bed of sweet potatoes is definitely the way to serve beef. Add in a side of brussels sprouts and Central really made this a solid meal. The truffle parmesan fries with the steak were very tasty. Seasoning on fries goes a long way in my book! Dessert did not disappoint. I went with the popular chocolate cake with fudge pecan icing and an anglaise sauce. I also tasted the cinnamon bun bread pudding, which was very nicely done. It definitely had all the right cinnamonny tones and while it was moist, it was not soggy or gooey. It was a light bread pudding that was very welcomed at the end of this meal. The well-appointed wood montage dining room created a cozy atmosphere on a chilly Alabama night. This is a great option for dinner in downtown Montgomery. read more

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First time trying Central, and we loved almost everything we had. The oysters were amazing, and the peach panzanella salad was to die for. Sadly my steak came out over cooked, however the server had my cut into the steak before she left and immediately had it fixed with no fuss. The other great part about our meal was how wonderful our Server Laura was. I cannot wait to visit again. read more

Central - Wood Fired Oysters on Half Shell - Bars Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

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Great food and service. The ambience of the restaurant was in line with this and I look forward to visiting again soon!

Ensure you make a reservation, but we were able to squeeze in at the bar. Been here a handful of times and the food and drinks were wonderful. Not a place for typical bar food. More upscale cocktails and food. read more

Damn. I mean, wow. This place is really good. Located right next door to the Bryan Stevenson Legacy Museum, Central is a top rate restaurant in one of the most up and coming cities in the country. The space is super cool - an old converted warehouse with great bones. The staff are all amazingly friendly and cordial (it is the south). The beer and wine menu is well tailored to the menu. And, finally, the menu - it's really interesting. A mix of regionalized dishes and local ingredients. I had a delicious take on the Cesar salad that featured Brussels sprouts. I also had a really delicious scallop risotto dish with orange accents. Oh, and a side of fries. Everything was great and meticulously plated. I love this place. I wish it were in Portland. Alas, I need to come back to Montgomery to bring my wife and our little one to the Legacy memorial and museum. read more

Central is located in downtown Montgomery and near the Montgomery Biscuits stadium. It is a fine dining experience and is on the pricier side. It's a nice place to go for a business dinner or to celebrate birthdays/anniversaries. There is valet parking available for this restaurant as well. The restaurant inside has a rustic upscale look to it and the kitchen is open for you to see what they are making throughout your dinner. I came with a large group and our server did a wonderful job catering to our needs. She was quick and efficient and the meals came out in a timely manner. We ordered Seafood Hush Puppies, Eggs in Purgatory, 1895 Pork and Beans, Butcher's Steak with a side of corn bread and Brussel Sprouts. I did not get to try the Seafood Hush Puppies but they looked delicious and were fried perfectly. Eggs in Purgatory came in a really hot cast iron skillet with a side of grilled ciabatta. The eggs were cooked with smoked pork shoulder and mixed in with a diablo pomodoro sauce. I spread this mixture over my ciabatta and it was very flavorful and hot! The 1895 Pork and Beans and Butcher's Steak were really good as well and the presentation of the meal was superb! I would definitely recommend ordering the Brussel Sprouts. I usually don't like to eat them because they taste bitter to me but this one had some tang to it which I loved. As for dessert, it was difficult to make a decision because all of them looked so good! I ended up ordering the Fruit Loops Creme Brulee based on the server's recommendation. The Creme Brulee and fruit loops cookie was served on mini butcher's block. It was perfectly sweet and enough to share with my hubby! read more

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Pop in dinner during a quick business trip. Sat at the bar and enjoyed a craft Sazarac cocktail and the hot honey chicken. Great atmosphere and lively restaurant. read more

Central - Cocktail menu - Bars Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

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Get ambiance friendly staff but the food doesn't meet the prices. Had the gulf shrimp yellow curry, the dish doesn't meet the description on the menu and was extremely busy with unnecessary garnishes, such as pears and zucchini. The dish felt like it was trying to hard to be fine dining but fell extremely short. Dish lacked flavor, especially for a dish that is described as "spicy." One positive on the dish is they don't skimp on shrimp, but that's probably because it wasn't fresh and you could taste it. read more

Central - Bars Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

Came for a day trip to visit the Legacy Museum. This restaurant sits next door We were walking and the chef was outside so we asked him about the restaurant and He said it was Alabama's #1 fine dining restaurant. We decided to give it a try. The athmosphere was inviting the decor was nice and the host and waitress were super friendly. Food Great presentation. Fish tacos were bland and Frenchf fries were well seasoned but greasy, the black bean and avacado dish was cold , which was "okay" but the beans bet very firm. Very disappointed with the food. read more

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We truly had a 5-star experience at Central for our anniversary. Rosie was our waitress and was so great! The attention to detail that you will find at this establishment is top notch. The salmon and the lamb were both amazing and I really appreciated Rosie's suggestions for what to order on the menu. We enjoyed our time and will be back again! read more

Nicest restaurant in town. If you can't go here, hit up Revello. Both are pricey but well worth it. Get the lamb shanks!

I would give HIGHER rating if possible!!!! A true gem in Montgomery!! Amazing food, service, and ambiance. It's tricky to find a place to celebrate in a town you've never been but they exceeded our expectations. read more

So glad i found this place while traveling. Overheard someone talking about it in my hotel lobby...and I was dying for a real restaurant experience and a solid steak...so off I went...FIRST tip...downtown parking neters are FREE after 6 - at least right now...BUTyou may need to drive arpund the block a few times. ALSO, its in "The Alley", not literally, but that is what this quaint little space of shops and eats is called. Its Covid dont forget so it is limited seating and fills up early. I was flying solo so was immediately ushered to the bar to dine...nice bar but not what i was looking for...to "dine"... but i was also hungry. It appears the limited "table seated" experience is reserved for parties of mire than just me...THAT was disappointing! It smells fabulous inside...all that wood fired, planked whatever filled this foodies soul. Whike still a bit miffed to sit for my long awaited chance to dine...the "other" solo patrons were also at the bar..and super talkative and friendly...i ordered a Basil Hayden on a rock...and the steak...wanted a rib-eye but they only offered a NYStrip (12 oz.)...it was prepared well but not as tender as i would have expected for a $40.00 entree. The white asparagus though was the bomb, a pure 10 accompanied by a pureed mashed and gravy to die for...The highlight was my bartender/ server..."she" was exceptional! I have to look up my receipt to add her name to this review...My cell was dead, she offered to plug it in and charge it while i ate...and was super available to offer service for my every need. So overall, not a 5 because i felt hustled to the bar...not a table...and the steak was good not great. read more

This place came highly recommended and I can see why. Upon entering, I was asked if I had a reservation - for a Tuesday evening it was packed. Luckily it was just me and there was plenty of space at the bar. The atmosphere is similar to a gastropub that you'd find in a major city like D.C., but Central obviously doesn't lose it's Southern roots through the rustic finishing touches of wood and even in the staff's uniforms. I sincerely wish I had had room for more food in my body. The scallops were cooked perfectly; very tender, seared the right amount. I nearly held the plate to my face to lick it clean. I indulged in the sweet potato cheesecake, which was equally and unfairly delicious. The homemade marshmallow fluff that it was topped with was sweet enough to give it that extra, "you'll need to walk 10 miles to burn off these calories," without overwhelming the pallet. It paired well with my cabernet. read more

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Overall a lukewarm experience at Central. Despite having a reservation, we were sat at a regular table in the middle of the restaurant. This would have been fine, except the table wobbled significantly (like 4 inches in all directions!), which distracted from the mood and ambiance. The food was hit and miss. My wife ordered a chicken dish, but the sauce tasted like black licorice which she did not like. I ordered a prime ribeye, which unfortunately arrived totally rare despite me ordering medium rare. The staff made another one for me, which was cooked perfectly and was delicious. I will say hats off to the pastry chef! My wife ordered the mile high pie and I ordered the donut with ice cream and both were phenomenal! The desserts were definitely the best part of the meal. Ultimately, the experience was not on par for a meal that cost over $200. If it weren't for the wonderful dessert and pleasant wait staff this would have easily been a 1 or 2 star review. read more

Went here for a class graduation lunch with a group of 45 people (prearranged). We each had to pay $40 per plate for a served lunch (salad, rolls, drinks, entree - skirt steak and a piece of cake). The service was ok. Not wonderful and not terrible, just ok. The most disappointing thing was the quality/taste/value/quantity of the food. The salad was teeny tiny and the entree was equally as small. The skirt steak was super tough/chewy and over cooked. The cake was also super dry! The meal was worth maybe $20 and even that is a stretch. read more

We went to this restaurant to celebrate our 14 year wedding anniversary. What a TERRIBLE experience! They RUINED our anniversary dinner. POOR Management! The food was sub-par!!! NOT worth the money!!!! Go somewhere else in Montgomery, Alabama, NOT Central Restaurant. The owner Jerry Kyser NEVER called back after leaving 2 messages!!! What a way to run a business! You should care about someone's experience especially when they are spending their money..... read more

I was traveling through town for work and used my handy Yelp app to find a lit spot for dinner. We landed on a classic fine dining restaurant in the heart of downtown Montgomery located only a few blocks from the baseball field. Parking was an issue. We circled the block looking for a spot but ended up using the valet. Once inside, it took them a few minutes to find us a table (we called 20 minutes ahead for a reservation) and all was good once we were seated. Our server was polite and genuine with her recommendations and we ended up with a fantastic meal. We started our selections with the pimento cheese and crackers. I also went for my basic, the old fashioned. Next, I ordered the heirloom tomato salad. Sadly no heirloom tomatoes, and mostly just cherry tomatoes. This could definitely be improved. For the main dish, I ordered the 8oz filet with asparagus and sweet potato fries. All 3 were excellent. My steak was perfectly cooked. Thats especially hard to do with a full house. For dessert, I chose the chocolate mouse cake. It was pretty good but the steak was definitely the star of the meal. If you're in the area and want a great place to stop in and have a nice meal, give them a try! read more

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Love this place. Doesn't matter what you order, the food, drinks and service is always top notch!

Amazing restaurant! Valerie was our server, she was so sweet and very knowledgeable about the menu. The whole crew was very attentive and very nice as well. Everything we ate was really good too and cocktails are amazing! I had the Esteria cocktail & my friend had the Botanist both very good. Loved the country fried oyster sliders too! read more

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This restaurant has a great vibe and awesome service. Very nice with cloth napkins and comfy booths. For apps, we got the charcuterie plate and the pimiento cheese. The charcuterie plate was divine (except for one variety of gamey meat we did not care for) and more than enough for two people. The pimiento cheese was good, but not outstanding. Together, the two apps were enough for 3-5 people easily. Now: my steak was cooked to perfection. Delicious, and I have no complaints. I took away one start because I am a classic steak and potatoes gal, and a Texan. Therefore I require a baked potato with my steak. None was available--not on the menu. Honestly, I would not eat steak there again, regardless of how good it is, based on lack of appropriate potato offerings. Additionally, I did not find the side options particularly appealing. The steak fries were very good, but that is not what I prefer with my steak. Same with the salads --I do not care for vinaigrette, and both salad offerings came with vinaigrette. read more

service, wait time was satisfactory, food quality was good and the ambiance was satisfactory

First time here last night, absolutely fantastic! I seriously loved everything I ate and drank - shout out to Josh for being beyond amazing! So knowledgeable and fun and helpful when he helped my group and I decide! Whole place was worth the price, absolutely. It's my first time in Alabama and I will definitely make the trip back here. The presentation and whole atmosphere was lovely. Thanks again to Josh!! read more

Private party dinner I can see why this restaurant is the top rated place in Montgomery. For this private function we were given the choice of beef or seafood. I choose beef, which turned out to be a delicious short rib dinner. The seafood turned out to be a baked oyster dinner which was reported to be very good also. Service for our 40 person dinner was excellent. On one of my trips to the second floor private room, the elevator opened on the kitchen side. The kitchen was absolutely humming with activity. All in all I was very impressed with this establishment read more

Excellent, creative, delicious, beautifully presented food in an lovely space that's comfortable and unpretentious. We liked the wait staff...personable and professional folks who seemed proud of the restaurant's offerings. If you're visiting Montgomery, don't miss Central!!!! read more

Great ambiance, only ok food, and wayyy overpriced. Stopped in for dinner on a Saturday night on a weekend in Montgomery and won't return. Food: we tried the chicken and the short rib. Chicken was dry, and the short rib was the fattiest short rib I've ever encountered. Could barely eat it! The vegetables and gnocchi on both were good - the saving grace. We were still hungry after our main courses so opted to try two desserts: the peppermint Oreo cheesecake and the chocolate mousse cake. The cake part of the latter was dry but overall the desserts were better than the entrees. Ambiance: very swanky, great for a fancy dinner or a date. Service: friendly, not particularly fast but not super slow. We were able to make a reservation about 2 hours before we stopped by. It was very busy but there were a couple free tables. Value: poor. If I'm going to pay $45 for an entree plus a dessert, it better be great. This didn't make the cut. read more

Central - Chocolate Mousse Cake - Bars Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

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If there were more stars, y'all... Okay, so a little background: I travel for work, they pay for my dinner. I am privileged to enjoy many wonderful meals in many places. I don't really have the words to express what I want to say about this restaurant. My dining experience was nothing less than spiritual. The least best good thing we had was the French onion soup, and we were literally scraping the cheese off the side of the bowl, y'all. I am not exaggerating when I say that when our entrees arrived and we started eating, we fell silent and the Holy Spirit descended upon our table. Our dinner was divine, in every sense of the word. The menu is apparently seasonal, but it was very obvious that consideration was given to available produce, etc. We had the salad, pork chops, short ribs, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, fries, grits, hashbrowns, and the apple cheesecake, so I can only speak on those. I honestly was moved to tears over the grits. Everything was prepared perfectly, and the seasoning and accompaniments were nothing less than perfect. Even our lovely waitress (Brette) was awesome. She did not miss a beat. There were zero mistakes, no shortcomings. This was hands down the best meal of my WHOLE LIFE. This may sound excessive.. I promise it is not. read more

We had dinner here tonight. Location: Conveniently around the corner from the Montgomery Performing Arts Center. Lots of parking in the surrounding area. Ambiance: Cozy and welcoming. Restaurant is clean and well decorated. Food: I had the beef short rib and my husband had the lamb shank. Both were delectable. My husband's lamb shank literally fell off the bone because it was so tender. My beef short rib was incredibly tender as well. We devoured both dishes and they were the perfect sizes! We shared the apple creme brulee - save room for this! This dessert is incredible and well worth it. Crunchy, delicious slices of apples over a chilled custard with tender bits of apple inside. We also had cocktails and they were terrific. Service: 5* just for this! We had a wonderful server who was friendly and had excellent recommendations for the menu. She just popped in when needed to refill glasses and such, perfect and not at all intrusive. Food came out quick too! read more

My wife and I went there to celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary. I made a reservations online and specified it was my anniversary. When we got there the entire staff knew why we were there. The hostess, waitress, food server, and what looked like one of the managers all came by to wish my wife and I a happy anniversary. Very nice customer service. Now for the good stuff. The food was AWESOME !!!!! We started with the fet sow fries. Fried pork belly with a sweet dipping sauce. Delicious. My wife had the special two huge prawns with a tomato basil sauce on a bed of rossetto type rice. That was good too but the best thing was the 16 oz. ribeye steak with roasted potatoes. Cooked perfectly and one of if not the best ribeye I ever had. Highly recommend. A little pricey but well worth it . read more

Central - Prawns with tomato rossetto - Bars Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

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Came for dessert, had the sweet potato cheesecake - which I loved. But beyond that, they definitely have the best service in the city. read more

Central - Sweet Potato Cheesecake - Bars Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

This was a fabulous dining experience. Friendly, knowledgeable staff. Charcuterie plate to die for. Lovely cocktail and the scallops-- mm!

Wonderful food and service! Also thank you to the kitchen staff for the free dessert. The 8oz steak and apps were delicious. read more

Central - Brussel sprouts and spicy pimento cheese dip - Bars Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

What a great experience. We celebrated our 44 anniversary there tonight. The bean filled ravioli with vindaloo flavor was spectacular! The short ribs were to very, very good. The service from Marcus was to die for! A very lovely evening. Best dining experience I've had in Alabama. Hands down. Well done chef!! read more

Fantastic food, one of the best filets you can get. Good beer selection and great atmosphere.

My husband I visit this place for our first official night out as husband and wife. The hostess was extremely friendly she seated us immediately. Our waitress was a young college student very interpersonal she made us feel at home. My food came out exactly as I request no overcooked or undercooked steak everything was simply wonderful. I love that you can see the kitchen from parts of the dining area. The atmosphere is elegant and but welcoming, it's a little hard for me to put in words but everything comes together as if you are at home. read more

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Great atmosphere, very interesting and delicious menu, and Taylor at the bar was wonderful, warm, welcoming.

I walked in with my partner as a tourist without reservations. We were seated after a few minutes. The food was amazing! The wine was great. We both enjoyed the food, ambiance and service. Yum! read more

Patronized Central for my Mom's milestone birthday. We reserved a private party room, and everything was amazing! Especially the top-notch service from Steven and Shaq! A memorable occasion, and everyone had a great time! read more

Pretty solid place in Montgomery. I give this place a 3.5 stars mainly because of the price, the saltiness of my dish. It's my first time in Montgomery, and wanted to do an early Valentine's day dinner. Central was known to be one of the best downtown (which is where we were staying). We ordered the Old Montgomery and The Mulberry as our cocktails. Both excellent and strong. I liked that the Mulberry has sugar on the rim, yet the drink itself wasn't overly sweet. For the appetizer, we ordered the shrimp and grits. Another great fish. I thought it was way too small for 18 bucks, but I liked their twist of grits. I got the Bricken chicken and S/O got the filet. The chicken was just SO SALTY. The gnocchi was an interesting add in, and gave the dish more flavor, but I was soooo turned off by the chicken. It's not that hard to mess up chicken... S/O thought his steak was good, flavorful, and cooked to his liking. No complaints there! Being from Dallas, Central would be rated an above average restaurant, but nothing superb. Probably won't be back because the prices are not worth it. Good place for Montgomery, but they could do better. Pics attached read more

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With the appetizers and easier menu items, this place does well. They have a wonderful drinks menu, great service and a wonderful dining environment. We usually pop in for a light snack -- such as the excellent aged pimento cheddar cheese and flatbread -- and a few drinks. (I like to think I'm a good cook, and I tend to cook most of my meals each and every day.) It was via Google that I first reviewed Central: https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/108203086744639874815/place/ChIJ8TzUEm-BjogRxenw3V1bZJI/@32.380181,-86.3127507,17z/data=!4m4!1m3!8m2!1e1!2s108203086744639874815?hl=en?utm_source%3DGoogleMaps-en Unfortunately, we decided to give the entrees a go. The dish I ordered, the "bricken chicken" plate (which is not on the current online menu despite it being currently available), was ridiculously rife with small bones that I found after cutting up the meat and taking bites. The sides had far too much bacon in the collard greens, and the mashed potatoes that were supposed to be part of the main plate were of such nearly non-existence that I forgot it was part of the dish until I later uncovered them, wondered what it was, and realized that it was then far too late to ask the server about them as it appeared I had consumed them. There was more to my complaint, but I think that is enough for now. For a meal with entrees above the median price point for a relatively fine dining experience (i.e., $32.00), I expected something better than the series of disappointments this restaurant -- which earlier this year had a curious change in its kitchen backline even as it raised its prices at the same time -- delivered to our table. read more