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City Cafe

4.3 (181 reviews)
InexpensiveAmerican, Southern
Open • 4:00 am - 3:30 pm

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CITY CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for groups
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - City Cafe

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Fried catfish fingers
El D.

While visiting Tuscaloosa for my graduation, we were looking for southern cuisine and stumbled across this gem. Out of our entire trip in Alabama, this ended up being our favorite restaurant based on our experience with their lunch meat and three options. We were here on a Friday and selected from an array of choices for this day. We went with chicken strips, hamburger steak with onions and gravy, fried catfish fingers, fried okra, candied yams, turnip greens, mac & cheese, stuffed eggs, and peach cobbler. Although I would like to rank each option, I find it difficult to do so as each was very tasty and unique. The hamburger steak was very savory accompanied by turnip greens with their earthy flavor, a side of corn bread, concluded with peach cobbler, and washed down with sweet, iced tea. It was three of us and we were tasting all our endless selections such as fried catfish with mac & cheese, fried okra, and candied yams. The list goes on. Next time I am visiting my alma mater, I will return to City Cafe specifically on either Tuesday or Thursday lunch to try out their fried green tomatoes. I am a novice at best when it comes to southern food, but you must trust me in this. City Cafe is the best meat and three in the whole region.

Hamburger Steak W/ Onions & Gravy, fried green tomatoes, field peas, fried okra, and cornbread
Jason E.

Food was amazing as always. Called in an order. It was ready fast, fresh and hot. Service is always top notch.

Fried Chicken Liver
Belle R.

Any time we are in the Tuscaloosa area, City Cafe is a must. With good homestyle cooking and incredibly reasonable prices, you'll leave feeling full and your wallet won't be hurting. This trip we arrived an hour before closing and I think that hurt our overall service experience. It took a bit to be seated, which was to be expected. Seating is first come first serve and you stand in line and wait for a table to open up. Once seated, our server took our order and we pretty much did not see her again. Another server took care of drink refills while another actually brought our food. The food itself was good and I have no complaints, I just would not order the mac and cheese again. Our toddler was a big fan of the cornbread! Overall, we had a good experience and I'm sure we'll be back the next time we come to town.

Fried Chicken
Lenny D.

As classic as in gets. Came to town for a football game and came here and it did not disappoint. Basic menu but everything was great. The fried chicken was amazing. I tried my buddies catfish and it was really good too. Very friendly staff who explained all the food options. The ambiance is an old southern cafe

Lorri L.

This is a city staple. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Go early or order takeout. You won't be disappointed.

For anyone visiting from out of state, like I did coming from Chicago, City Cafe is a perfect taste of Alabama's comfort food. The prices are more than reasonable, especially given the portion sizes with all the staples of classic, homestyle cooking. Its a nostalgic, no frills experience that feels "stuck in time" in the best way possible.

Lydia O.

We decided to stop here for a quick lunch. I was pleasantly surprised by how good the food was. It was a bit of a wait for a table but it wasn't too bad, and ended up being worth it. Great portions sizes and prices.

Sausage & Egg sandwich
Isaac D.

If you want the classic diner experience head on down to city cafe. No frills just solid breakfast/lunch. I ordered the 3 eggs plus meat (bacon) and the sausage egg sandwich with tomato Total cost $10.62. I left stuffed and planning my lunch visit. I went at 4am so they weren't busy but there were a few of us gathered outside waiting for the door to open-that says a lot. You can call ahead for pick up, order to go or eat in. Just a good classic all American diner. They do not accept Apple Pay at this time.

Caramel cake

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17 days ago

Food was great, waitresses were friendly and had a great attitude and have great prices! Thank you to City Cafe

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3 months ago

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6 months ago

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1 month ago

Yummy meat and three. So good and consistent every time. I called in and picked up and food was ready when I arrived.

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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10 months ago

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2 years ago

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8 months ago

County cooking, meat and three, great price! Breakfast and lunch only Downtown Northport, Alabama

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3 years ago

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10 months ago

Staff is exceptionally nice. Food is good and reasonable. Nice quaint friendly atmosphere.

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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4 years ago

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1 year ago

phenomenal old spot, classic olde southern cooking; amazingly tasty food; wonderful people

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

This is best place for vegetables and hot lunch in Tuscaloosa and Northport highly recommend

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3 years ago

I love this place! Crowded, rustic, delicious food. What else is there? Like the sign says, "it ain't food if it ain't fried!"

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

You want good southern grandma cooking ? Go here for breakfast or lunch. They aren't open for supper or weekends!

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

Great food at a reasonable price. They always have that down home friendly service that welcomes you.

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2 years ago

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4 years ago

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8 years ago

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3 years ago

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6 years ago

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3 years ago

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8 years ago

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3 years ago

Best fried chicken I have ever eaten! Sometimes the line is long, but it is always worth it! The chicken and dumplings is also amazing!

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The Brown Bag Restaurant - Beans.

The Brown Bag Restaurant

4.7(67 reviews)
4.7 mi
•$

Great food Great People. I ordered 1/2 Chicken with greens and beans. Perfectly cooked and…read moreseasoned. It's a little off the beaten path, but well worth it.

A jewel in the rough to say the least…read more C and I were on the way to Tuscaloosa and hungry for some vittles. Pull out the trusty Yelp app and find this place just off the highway sitting there with a five-star beacon attached! Pretty impressive with the 4.8 average. Pull up and we were not sure we should go in. No cars out front and totally dead inside. As we were debating three cars arrived. Glad we didn't leave. We walk into the sweetest lady greeting us at the door. It's obviously a family-run business as I am pretty sure that her sons were the servers and the cooks. They are all so nice. C had the catfish sandwich with fried green tomatoes as a side. I had the combo of catfish and pork spare ribs with cream corn and baked beans. We loved every bite! Catfish was great! Ribs were good and the fried green tomatoes, beans, and corn were some fantastic sides! Very nice conversation while checking out with them behind the counter. Super nice people with big hearts. You can tell love is in every bite. Loved the food! Loved the service! Needs a good cleaning though. That's my only gripe and the only reason it's not 5 stars for me. It's exceptionally dirty, almost impressive in the way it's gotten smoke buildup inside. There was a high chair there that would give me anxiety to place a child into. I will now leave well enough alone, I said my piece on that. Good news! It will not stop me from eating here as soon as possible again. We will just call it, "building is seasoned well" '26 - 120

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The Brown Bag Restaurant - Seating area

Seating area

The Brown Bag Restaurant - Fried Green Tomato

Fried Green Tomato

The Brown Bag Restaurant - Roll Tide!!

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Roll Tide!!

The Blue Plate - Northport

The Blue Plate - Northport

4.1(113 reviews)
1.6 mi
•$

We stopped after I read about this place on Yelp. We were passing through heading to New Orleans…read more Best place ever for country southern cooking! Perfect staff despite being covered up with church folks on a Sunday at lunchtime. We had chicken n' dumplings, the best other than my mommas, country fried steak, fried pork chop. We had the greens and Mac n cheese as sides. Everything is above outstanding! Huge portions and the most reasonable prices ever. Cornbread is included and delicious. We will make a trip back even if it's out of the way for this special gem of a place where it's nice to feel like you're a part of the south. Truly magnificent spot. Don't be afraid of the large crowds as they are used to it and move everyone along quickly to be seated.

After church today, we decided to hit up The Blue Plate--a good ol' Northport meat-and-three…read moreclassic. Apparently, half the town had the same idea because the parking lot looked like a Bama tailgate minus the tents and the yelling. We walked in and found ourselves about twenty deep in line--but hey, that's how you know it's good. Thankfully, since it was just the two of us, we scored a table in about ten minutes. Others... well, they might still be waiting as I write this. It's been a while since our last visit, and I noticed the menu's slimmed down a bit--but honestly, the food's leveled up. I went with the blackened catfish, turnip greens, and creamed corn, and let me tell you, that creamed corn was off the chain. Hot, buttery, and so good it could make you forget your own name. Everything came out fresh, seasoned just right, and hit the spot like a dart in a bullseye. Now, let's talk about that complimentary cornbread. Fluffy, golden, and just sweet enough--it's the kind of side that could run for mayor and win. I'm proud of myself for showing a little restraint today and not asking for seconds. (Believe me, it took Olympic-level willpower.) Our waitress was hustling like a Bama walk-on trying to earn a scholarship--fast, friendly, and somehow always smiling. Service: A+. Prices? A little higher than I remember, but that seems to be the new normal for a meat-and-three these days. Only downside--we got seated right by the door. Every time it opened, we got a blast of fresh air and a few curious stares. Folks walking in got a front-row seat to us eating like it was the "Welcome to Blue Plate" exhibit. But when you roll in at peak hour, you take what you can get. All in all, great food, friendly folks, and a true taste of Northport hospitality--just next time, I might wear sunglasses so I don't feel like part of the lunchtime attraction.

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The Blue Plate - Northport - Diner

Diner

The Blue Plate - Northport - Fried chicken breast, mashed potatoes w/ gravy

Fried chicken breast, mashed potatoes w/ gravy

The Blue Plate - Northport - Didn't like the texture of the chicken

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Didn't like the texture of the chicken

Southern Ale House - Bacon cheese fries

Southern Ale House

4.1(191 reviews)
2.5 mi
•$$

This was a home run from start to finish. Though it was a bit of a hike from South Tuscaloosa, it…read morewas absolutely worth the drive. The wait for our party of 5 wasn't too long and we were seated in a big booth near the bar. Very nice decor, classy but comfortable. All of the servers and staff were super friendly and offered a nice selection of local brews and tasty margaritas. Several of us had the redfish special which was just outstanding! All in all, and outstanding experience. Definitely a repeater for us when next we're in town.

Well after seeing reviews me and wife decided on this for lunch…read more I'll say all the staff were great. Very friendly. But the food?????? Wife wanted a salad and potato skins so went with the wedge which came chopped so more of a chopped salad than a wedge and it was fine. Nothing spectacular. Who potato skins were reminiscent of some frozen ones you heat in the oven. Didn't seem fresh at all. The bacon wasn't that great really and the cheeses was cheese. All in all edible but not enjoyable. I went with the bacon wrapped meatloaf with mashed potatoes with gravy and a side of Mac and cheese. I'll start with the Mac. It was horrible. Sorry don't mean to be a downer but wasn't good at all. The mashed and gravy a big nope. The potatoes weren't all that good. It was like eating a plat of spackle. And the gravy was horrendous. Made bad potato's worse. The meatloaf was ok. Kind of like cafeteria meatloaf. I did eat it but wasn't thrilled. Again not a fan of that bacon so ditched that after one bite. Personally I would not go back and wife agreed. Maybe we got the wrong items but nothing was good.

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Southern Ale House - Queen Bee is delicious

Queen Bee is delicious

Southern Ale House - Pimento burger sliders on Hawaiian rolls

Pimento burger sliders on Hawaiian rolls

Southern Ale House - Pimento burger sliders on Hawaiian rolls

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Pimento burger sliders on Hawaiian rolls

King's Kitchen

King's Kitchen

4.6(45 reviews)
3.5 mi

My new favorite place to eat when I don't feel lI definitely recommend this place to eat everything…read moreI have tried I have loved. It's home cooking to go.

I've been hearing folks talk about King's Kitchen in Tuscaloosa for a while now, and after seeing a…read morefew social media posts, I figured it was time to see what all the fuss was about for myself. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted with a warm welcome from the lady behind the counter. She walked me through the menu, answered my questions, and before long my order was in. I went with the chicken and dressing, green beans, and fried okra. Now let me warn you... this place isn't fancy. If you're expecting white tablecloths and fine china, you're in the wrong place. After a short wait, they called my name and brought my meal to the table nestled inside a good ol' Styrofoam container. I popped the lid, and a cloud of steam rolled out that let me know this food hadn't been sitting around. The fried okra was good. Personally, I like mine just a little crispier, but it still hit the spot. The green beans and that chicken and dressing? Whew... they were absolutely fire. That's the kind of comfort food that makes you slow down and enjoy every bite. Now I understand why people keep talking about King's Kitchen. Great home-style cooking, friendly folks, and a relaxed atmosphere are hard to beat. If you're looking for a solid meat-and-three in Tuscaloosa, this one deserves a visit. I'll definitely be back to work my way through the rest of the menu.

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King's Kitchen - Ask about our Event space for events

Ask about our Event space for events

King's Kitchen - Caramel cake...delicious!!

Caramel cake...delicious!!

King's Kitchen - Fried pork chops, sweet potatoes, cabbage, black eyed peas & cornbread.

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Fried pork chops, sweet potatoes, cabbage, black eyed peas & cornbread.

Urban Cookhouse - El Cubano Sandwich with broccoli salad

Urban Cookhouse

4.5(137 reviews)
3.3 mi
•$$

We stopped in during move in and I am so glad we did. The food is amazing!! I love sweet potato…read morefries and theirs are top notch with brown sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top. We are in Tuscaloosa a lot visiting our sons. We will be back again for sure!!

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.

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Urban Cookhouse
Urban Cookhouse - Wood Fired Shrimp Kabob

Wood Fired Shrimp Kabob

Urban Cookhouse - White BBQ Sandwich with broccoli salad

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White BBQ Sandwich with broccoli salad

River - Sausage trio (with gator sausage, yum!!)

River

4.3(328 reviews)
1.1 mi
•$$

Went with the family and had an amazing dinner. The kids loved it. Will definitely be one of my…read morego-to spots in Tuscaloosa.

Second trip to River Restaurant starts off on a bad note. We arrived at 10:35 a.m. and the inside…read moredining room was only about half full with several empty tables, and the outdoor seating area, which we specifically requested, also had open tables. Still, we were told there would be a 15-20 minute wait. We waited about 35 minutes before seating. Make it make sense. That said, the restaurant sits right along the Black Warrior River, which offers a really pleasant view, especially from the patio. On a cool spring day like today, it's hard to beat outdoor seating here. Tuscaloosa is buzzing with football fans for the annual A-Day spring game, which adds to the energy around town. My better half ordered the shrimp and grits, and I went with the steak fajita bowl, minus the sunny-side-up egg. Even at my age, I can't do the runny yolk situation, I always ask for my eggs over hard. With that change, I'll say the fajita bowl jumped up to one of my top breakfast/brunch go-to dishes in town. Yes, I know it's technically brunch, but it was before 11 a.m., so I'm calling it breakfast. The shrimp and grits were solid, though the tails were still on the shrimp, which meant a bit of extra peeling at the table, my wife wasn't a fan of that part, but she still finished the dish and enjoyed it overall. Only minor gripe on the food side: ice seems to be a rare commodity here, I'd love a few more cubes in the water. But overall, the food was very good, the patio seating is absolutely the way to go, and the river view is fantastic.

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River
River - Mussels

Mussels

River - H2O

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H2O

City Cafe - tradamerican - Updated October 2026

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