This place definitely deserves its 5 stars Our server Lyle was very polite and took her time to find out the specials and review the menu with us. When we asked about drinks she brought over the bartender Josh, who was just as awesome! He made us a few bartender special beverages and you could taste the passion this man has for the job! Bravo to the staff, if we lived locally this would be a spot we would frequently regular at! The inside of the restaurant felt very grounded and well put together, and the patio looked just as cozy! We were recommended the Caesar salad from a server we ran into outside the restaurant which is what brought us into the restaurant. They make an in house dressing which had great flavor notes! The croutons were nice and airy, and the lettuce was perfectly crispy, a great Caesar salad. We ordered the cowboy burger and the steak sandwhich as our entrees with a side of Brussel sprouts and green beans. The burger was fantastic! Great balance of ingredients and a good size burger, very filling. The steak on my sandwich was so tender but it was a bit salty for my taste. My brussel sprouts also felt a little undercooked, but I still believe this restaurant deserves five stars because of the service they provide and the menu they curated read more

Ya! Ya! Professional administration day... Enjoyed this noisy spot with our CEO, director, HR director, along WITH other administration staff.. Our server was good she was quite busy.. Fried green tomatoes was ordered for the appetizer... (which i couldn't get to try, allergies')... everyone seemed to have enjoyed them... Everything was great until two of our staff tasted their pineapples that were ontop of their glazed chicken. The fruit didn't taste right so they had to reorder.. read more

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The food was good. We had the schnitzel (probably the side of a small child...no joke!), salad with salmon, grits, crème brûlée, old bay fries, fried green tomatoes... all of it was delish. I was particularly fond of the old bay fries! The outside looks a little rundown with the ripped up canopy and the bathrooms were subpar but otherwise I would recommend! Service was attentive and friendly. read more

Aye what can I say other than it was a delicious experience. I really enjoyed my cowboy burger and they have a good selection of Pinot Noir to select from. What a good spot. The servers were friendly and very knowledgeable about the wine they had on hand. I noticed how busy this place stayed with patrons constantly rolling in. My sister gave the blackberry tres leches a try and just one bite of it had us ordering a second one. I'll be back for sure to give the lamb and steak tacos a try. read more

Cork & Cleaver - Raspberry tres leches - Gastropubs Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

Upscale yet casual, comfortable, and welcoming. The staff were phenomenal and seemed to truly be glad to help customers with menu suggestions. I had the steak tacos with a side of sweet potato fries and both were fresh, hot, and delicious. I ordered a white chocolate bread pudding to go and it was sinful. Yum! I will definitely visit again the next time I'm in Montgomery. read more

Cork & Cleaver - Steak tacos & sweet potato fries - Gastropubs Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

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Wouldn't recommend. Seating was really close together, i was back to back with the table next to us.. Food was bland. The art around the restaurant was RA Miller creepy paintings. read more

Wow!!! What a great find!! It's a family-owned smaller restaurant with great atmosphere, incredible food, and warm and friendly staff!! The steak tacos were wonderful and their shrimp and grits are award-winners for good reason! Their crème-brûlée is a family recipe and I was really glad I had saved space for dessert!! read more

Cork & Cleaver - Crème brûlée - Gastropubs Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

My experience was great! Sat at the bar solo, tender was attentive, food came out fresh, and happy hour prices were VERY reasonable! read more

Cork & Cleaver - Old Fashioned - Gastropubs Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

Terrible ! Wife wanted to go there for Mothers Day, something different. It was terrible. Quality - non existent. She was given a brunch menu and when she ordered what she wanted they told her sorry. NO. Then she ordered the soup, NOPE OUT TOO. She settled on a salad and I ordered the burger and fries, NOPE OUT OF REGULAR FRIES. Ordered a beer and it was terrible, they say can had. Even sitting for awhile (years) maybe? Had gone bad and they didn't care. Fries they did send out were Cajun and limp. I mean old and laying around. 3 people offered to replace, recook or whatever. But after 45 min you just want to move on. We just took the bill and left; $53 for that shit they served us. Never offered to comp anything. We Never touched fries. Total disaster. Service was just as bad as the food. read more

Located in Zelda Place, Cork & Cleaver is an excellent choice for brunch. While they do have indoor seating, the outdoor patio is a comfortable little area to enjoy a meal when the Alabama heat isn't overwhelming. Our server was a nice young man who brought us our drinks promptly, gave us some time to go over the menu, and then came back to take our order. I thought it odd though when he asked my wife, who ordered Eggs Benedict, how well done she wanted her eggs. It's a poached egg. It's supposed to be runny. Anyway, my mother ordered the French Toast, and I ordered the Shrimp & Grits. I love that they put Conecuh Sausage in the Shrimp & Grits (keeping it Alabama style). They used Gouda cheese to mix with the grits and it wasn't overwhelming. Very tasty dish. My wife and mother both enjoyed their meals. Definitely recommend. read more

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Terrible experience. Ordered online through website and paid and was given a pick up time. Arrived and no order made or received. Finally I showed my phone and they found on line order. Then said I hadn't paid even though I showed on credit card. Manager was rude. Said I hadn't paid even to pay again. Very upset I left without food. Felt abused and upset. A few minutes later manager called and said order went through and laughed. I said it wasn't funny and to credit account. Lots of excuses and no credit. Side line during all this crazy I saw all good prepared and looked lousy and not homemade. read more

What a pleasant find! We were in Montgomery to go to the Whitewater paddling park and we somehow got the name of this place. It is about 4 miles from the park. It is a small place and a tad bit run down but the food was excellent. We got there in time to order off the lunch menu. I'm glad we did because the portion sizes for the table next to us were huge! I had the melon salad with a side of blackened shrimp. The shrimp were cooked and seasoned perfectly. I've never had a salad like that and I never thought that watermelon, mustard, pecans, and bacon would work together but it did! My husband had the steak tacos and the meat was tender and tasty. If we ever find ourselves in Montgomery again, I'd like to go back for dinner. read more

Cork & Cleaver - Steak tacos - Gastropubs Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

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Josh the "intoxicologist" was the absolute best. Never have I had a restaurant experience like this. The mocktails... insane. The butterfinger shot... don't even get me started!!!!!!!! The food was fantastic as well but we all know who the real star of the show is. Thanks Josh for making what was planned as a chill dinner into an unforgettable experience. I will tell anyone who is willing to listen about this dining extravaganza. #joshrocks #androlls read more

Cork & Cleaver - Gastropubs Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

Try to support local when traveling. It appears to be a neighborhood spot. Yelp lead us here. Never good when first impressions are loud and dirty. Appeared to be under staffed. Server was either overwhelmed or inattentive. Chicken dish was over cooked and over seasoned. Wedge salad was good but charging for a small cup of extra dressing on a $12.50 salad. Steak sandwich requested medium rare served well done. Awfully tough to be a ribeye. Would have been better had the bun been toasted. Overall a miss for $66. Wished we'd gone to Cava next door. read more

Great food, great service, and great people. I jokingly call Cork & Cleaver my McDonald's because I probably eat here more than anywhere else in Montgomery -- and that consistency is exactly why. The food is always good, always reliable, and the drinks are excellent. The servers deserve a warm shout-out, and the bartenders make some of the best drinks in the city. My group does happy hour all across Montgomery, and this was one of the first places we visited -- and one we keep coming back to. The bar itself is small, which is really my only drawback, but there's plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. The menu accommodates a wide range of tastes, so it works whether you're with a big group or just grabbing a solid meal. I highly recommend the portabella mushroom. And although I'm not usually a bread pudding person, theirs is the best in Montgomery. read more

The waiter was good but the dish that I ordered was not so good. I ordered the pasta with shrimp and calamari, supposedly cooked in a white wine sauce. The dish tasted like pasta out of a can with store bought marinara sauce poured over it. The dish didn't have any shrimp in it and the sauce was definitely not a wine sauce. I alerted the waiter and he brought about 5 sauteed shrimp for me to add to the dish that was already cold at that time. If they are going to charge the prices they should work on their recipes. read more

Cork and Cleaver is featuring Christmas cocktails crafted by their bartenders. They are all good! Also enjoyed a cheese board. My dinner was chicken bruschetta. Great place to enjoy with friends! read more

Cork & Cleaver - Blackened Salmon - Gastropubs Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

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Visiting for work and I was just trying to find a vegetable to eat. Everything near the hotel was fast food and I just didn't have it in me to do Taco Bell. I don't eat meat so it's harder to find something decent but this did the trick. I just did sides but the sprouts were great, Mac n cheese was great and the green beans were excellent. The bartender (Josh) was so friendly and knowledgeable. This was a pleasant surprise for a good, quick, vegetarian dinner. I'm not against Taco Bell or chipotle but sometimes you just need a green veggie. I recommend. read more

Great service. Excellent meal. Cute as can be spot. We left Cork and Cleaver and pleasantly stuffed. We were just passing through town. So glad we stopped! read more

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This place was a huge surprise! I ordered the catfish over collard greens and Gouda grits with okra chips. My daughter ordered the chicken bruschetta with potatoes. We shared an order of fried green tomatoes with crawfish cream sauce. This was the best-tasting and the best-presented meal I've had in years! The service (our waitress was Taylor) was outstanding, and the food was served quickly. I cannot praise this place enough! read more

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I took my work team here for a conference dinner, and we had a wonderful time! The food was delicious, generously portioned, and there is a happy hour during which appetizers are half off (call to find exact hours). The shrimp and grits had a spicy cajun cream sauce and generous chunks of conecuh sausage. My colleague got the filet, and she rated it "absolutely delicious!" The cheese plate had delicious cheese varieties (a garlic goat spread, a smoky blue, and some sort of sharp cheese with some casein crystals), but was a tiny bit skimpy on the accoutrements, so we were taking BIG OL bites of cheese with just tiny bits of crackers and honey, etc. I love cheese, so no huge complaints, but it could have been a bit more balanced. read more

Cork & Cleaver - Filet with Asparagus - Gastropubs Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

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We've never been there but the young lady greeted us like we were old friends. She was very knowledgeable about the food and cocktails. She explained how each item was prepared and how we could change them to our liking. The food was really good. Especially the steak tacos appetizer. I enjoyed my Gimlet and my husband's old fashioned was exactly how he liked them. The restaurant is quite small but the food and waiting staff make up for the cramped quarters. read more

Came here when I was visiting my friend in Montgomery from Los Angeles. I got the salmon entree, and we shared some tuna nachos and fried green tomatoes with crawfish remoulade. Loved the fried green tomatoes! Ahi tuna nachos were okay, and I found the vegetables with the salmon a little too oily for me. read more

Cork & Cleaver - Blackened Salmon - Gastropubs Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

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I had high hopes when I saw a couple of reviews that said this was a vegetarian friendly restaurant, but ended up being pretty disappointed when I realized the vegetarian options were extremely limited (a portobello grilled cheese, some sides, and salads) The service was great when we walked in. Wish I remembered the waitresses name, she was so friendly and helpful with ordering drinks. However, our server switched sometime between ordering drinks and ordering food, and the new guy told us the other server "had to go". He was much less helpful, didn't seem like he actually wanted to wait on us, and smelled like an ashtray. We ordered a cheese board to start, and while it wasn't terrible, it was "meh" at best and just kind of disappointing for almost $20. The cheeses were all one note -Smokey. I was excited about the one that looked like a whipped goat cheese, but when I took a bite it literally tasted like cheez whiz (you know, from a can) and this bright red crunch "bacon bits" that aren't even really bacon. My husband and I both ordered salads. I got the citrus berry salad and he got the avocado kale salad. He also added a cup of the lamb vegetable soup. Like the cheese board, the salads were not bad. The ingredients were all fresh, but they just weren't $12 salads. My husband really liked the soup, though. He's vegetarian along with me 85-90% of the time, and even when he does eat meat he usually does not like lamb. But he said the flavor wasn't overpowering and the texture was really tender and more like a roast. I really wanted to like this place more than I did. I love supporting small businesses, and all the local art on the walls was a nice touch ... but this just wasn't worth it for me. read more

Cork & Cleaver - Citrus berry salad (front), avocado kale salad (back) - Gastropubs Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

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Steak was rare (ordered med rare), it was unable to be cut and nothing was done to correct it. Lobster Mac and cheese had 2 tiny pieces of lobster. Wanted to love this place but the only thing that stood out was the service (our waitress was very attentive). read more

Cork & Cleaver - Dinner serving of lobster Mac and cheese - Gastropubs Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

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It was okay, but probably wouldn't stop again on our way through. It was nice to have a sit-down lunch spot that allows dogs on the patio, but the food--while better than fast food--was just okay. We tried the fried green tomato BLT, Old Bay fries, crispy Brussels sprouts, and the portabella grilled cheese. The staff was friendly and service was quick, which we appreciated. Overall, decent for a quick stop, but not memorable enough to go out of our way for again. read more

Stopped in for a quick bite on our drive to Mississippi. I ordered a salad with chicken and had tap water. My husband ordered a burger with bacon and a local beer. Both meals were fine, nothing exceptional and mindblowing. The service was fine, although the kitchen staff was joking around in the back and were a little loud, to which the servers started asking them to quiet down around guests. Was awkward for a second but no big deal. read more

My husband and I ended up sitting outside because it was nice and we had our two dogs, as we were traveling. The staff were very friendly to us and brought out water for the dogs. The food was on point and we will return if we're ever back in town. read more

I went with a group here a few times when I was in town traveling for business. Staff was great. Loved their lunch options. Especially their lobster shrimp pasta, wedge salad, and sweet potato fries which are dusted with a cinnamon sugar like mixture. Delish read more

Service was great and fast, very clean inside. Food was well seasoned and good. The downfall of both dishes were the potatoes! they weren't fresh at all and we were not the only ones to complain of them being cold. They didn't re-fire nor remove them from our ticket. The steak is smaller than what is pictured on most breakfast dishes. read more

Let me just say that the Old Bay Fries are SO GOOD, you will want two orders! They have a great outdoor seating especially when they have music! The bar is very small but quaint. The inside decor is okay but nothing spectacular! The staff is nice and takes care of you! read more

Screwed up the order badly despite confirming it like 15x on the phone in the most frustrating, circuitous conversation ever. Like, how?

In a city as small as Montgomery it can be difficult to find good, high quality restaurants, but they do it really well here! Cork & Clever is one of those good ones with a selection of fresh plates and a lot of vegetables to accompany them. As I do often, I started with a dessert appetizer with the white chocolate bread pudding. And holy cow!! This is one of the best desserts I've had in a really long time. It was a large portion size, and the flavor and texture were on point. You HAVE to try this if you come here. Moving on to the salmon dish, the presentation was a little strange as it was on this giant plate and only covered about 30% of it with the rest just blank. lol But no big deal in the long run! The salmon was great and tender, the veggies were cooked well and flavorful, and just an overall great dish. This will be one of my go to places on my trips to Montgomery from now on! read more

Cork & Cleaver - Blackened Salmon - Gastropubs Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

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Stopped for lunch -awesome selection Ordered their fried green tomato sandwich and sweet potato fries -delicious!! Wait staff is very friendly knowledgeable and made you feel very welcomed-will stop again!!! read more

The food is amazing. The servicing is caring. The drinks are really, really well made. The ambiance is casual, not high-end. The best place we went to in Montgomery. read more

Had an amazing lunch here with family while we were visiting. The chicken Alfredo and bread pudding were soo delicious too! The place is nice and quiet as well. Our waitress was very polite. read more

It's a cute place located within a little strip mall. We got seated on this cold, wet, sunless afternoon, and I ordered hot tea. Lots of Twining choices! Yea! The space is decorated with local art which was fun. A big screen TV was wall-mounted in the adjacent room. Thankfully, it was muted. A sports bar this is not. The food? Well, I ordered Shrimp tacos with a Brussels Sprouts side. We waited about 20 minutes while I sipped my tea and my companion imbibed a delicious pint of local Porter. My food came to me only lukewarm. The cheese sprinkled on the vegetable was still cold. The few, small gulf shrimp on the two soft tacos were pretty uninteresting, even with the mayo remoulade. We ate because we were hungry, but I wouldn't return. read more

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This place is definitely worth stopping into. I stopped by during happy hour (3pm - 6pm M - F, 1/2 off appetizers and discounted drinks). The place pretty mom and pop-ish so it feels much like a locals kind of place (at least to me). It took a while to be greeted at our table (it was not busy) but when we were able to get our orders in the experience improved. The drinks were mixed well so they were flavorful and not strong tasting. The smoked Armadillo Egg was was not my favorite BUT still not bad. It's a good choice if you are into the charcuterie style smoked meats. The shrimp and grits were a little oily (probably from the sausage) but really tasty. Conecuh is top notch and a great addition to any dish so I would consider ordering it again. Overall it was a good experience and I would come back again to try some of their other entrees! read more

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Stopped into this place for lunch last week and found myself pleasantly surprised. It's got real mom and pop vibes but with a creative and well executed menu that's loaded with things that make you want to order more than you can eat. I ordered a pork belly/biscuit appetizer and the lunch portion of the fettuccine Alfredo and ended up with a to-go box by the time I was done. The pork belly was cooked to perfection and almost melted like butter. So good. The biscuits were clearly homemade and had cheddar and maybe some peppers baked in for a little kick. Nothing too spicy but just enough to add a bit of flavor. 10/10 would order it again. Fantastic dish. The pasta was equally impressive. Noodles perfectly done and the sauce was rich and creamy and clung to the pasta really well. The chicken was seared and sliced thin and really tender. Even though it was the lunch portion the serving was still pretty big. Loved it. Inside the place there's a full bar and maybe a few tables, (I didn't take much of a look around as I sat on the patio.) The patio has several tables and a few with umbrellas for some shade. Not a big sprawling place, but enough room to bring some friends. Everyone I encountered was nice and knew the menu and the service was prompt and efficient. My drink was never empty. Last but not least, they have the good ice. If you know you know. If I'm back in this area I'd definitely return. Good prices, good people, great food and the good ice. What else could you ask for? read more

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Very odd experience. Came off the highway for dinner. Get to the restaurant and it's mostly empty (3/4 of tables not occupied and 2 people at the bar). We are asked to wait then told if we did not have a reservation we could eat outside only. Maybe 60 people were on their way, but this is definitely not a place you expect to have to have reservations for, so I would call ahead before pulling off the highway. read more