We made it to Wooden City for dinner on Thursday night. We made reservations for our party through…read morethe link on the restaurant's website (Resy), and the process was straightforward and easy to modify when our party size and time changed at the last minute. Wooden City is located off Morris Avenue in a shared row of older buildings. There's a private parking lot behind the building, and you can have your parking ticket validated at the restaurant. The location and vibe on Morris Avenue are really neat and uniquely Birmingham. It's a great addition to the city's dining scene. Our party of four started with drinks and shared three appetizers: the Bread and Butter, Heirloom Tomatoes, and Steak Tartare. My favorite was the Bread and Butter. It's house-made focaccia served with a sun-dried tomato spread and an oil dipping sauce. The bread was amazing. For my entrée, I ordered the Peel-and-Eat Shrimp from the appetizer menu. It was fabulous--a generous portion of large shrimp that were perfectly seasoned and grilled. For dessert, we shared the Chocolate Mousse and Blueberry/Blackberry Crisp. The crisp was my favorite. It was served hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream--an excellent way to finish the meal. While Wooden City doesn't have a large menu, everything we tried was very well done. I definitely recommend giving it a try, but don't be in a hurry. The service was a little slow during our visit.

This place was recommended by a local Birminghammian and it was a good recommendation. Three of us…read morewere working somewhere nearby and we took an Uber here and it was kinda packed. We snagged some seats at the bar and had some drinks and shortly after that, our table was ready. And they were able to keep everything on one check, which was nice. No need to settle the tab and start a new one at the table. And the old fashioned I had was delicious. For food, we started with the Hungarian Hot Stuffed Peppers. These were pretty good and the heat gradually snuck up on you as you ate them. I don't know if it was because the heat was more intense as you worked your way towards the stem or just a gradual burn. Either way, these were good and worth the heartburn later. The thick focaccia helped with the burn a little. Speaking of heartburn, the pepperoni pizza may have contributed a bit to that too, but again, totally worth it. The cup-and-char pepperoni was charred nicely as were the edges and bottom! I love a nice bottom! These were easy to share between two of us. Service was amazing from the bartender to the waiter to the uber driver (who didn't really count, but nice job, man). We felt welcomed and I can see why the place was crowded on a Tuesday evening.

Such a cozy and retro space! Not too bright but just the right amount of neon and nostalgia from…read moredecor to seating areas. Service was quick, friendly, and helpful when picking flavor choices. I dined in and enjoyed the vanilla doughnut more than the fritter, mainly because if the fritter was warmed up it would have been amazing! Cold cinnamon, glaze, bread, and apples aren't as appealing to me, but maybe I missed an option to warm it up. That wouldn't stop me from visiting again!

This donut shop was a surprise stop after our walking tour of the Rotary Trail. A very cute donut…read moreshop with retro diner vibes and friendly staff. We ordered a maple sea salt and apple cider donut along with some little mini sidekicks to split among our group. The maple sea salt was my favorite of the bunch. Glad we were able to grab some yummy treats while visiting downtown Birmingham!

Great service. Great food. Great drinks. The bar is where I always sit. It's faster (in my opinion)…read more Kendall was the bartender on duty during my recent Wednesday evening visit. She's amazing!! I really enjoyed the crab claws app- $23. They are served chilled & steamed. This was the perfect little snack. I also had a nice glass of sparkling wine. It paired well with the crab claw appetizer. I always have a great experience whenever I come here. Current is definitely worth checking out if you are in Birmingham, Al

My friend, Julia, and I tried current the other night! We walked in and immediately loved the vibes…read moreand upscale, quirky, modern feel of it all. High ceilings and exposed brick are a few of the ways to my heart. If you've seen a post about this place, you've probably seen a picture of the crackly round, artistic dish and wondered what it was. There are dumplings on the underside of it and you break each one off of the crackly part to enjoy. We did enjoy these but I would've loved a soy sauce to dip them in. They came with chili crunch, peanuts, and green onions but I wanted an actual sauce. They were very standard tasting dumplings and there was nothing extraordinary about them unfortunately. As always, we'd looked at the menu beforehand and decided what we wanted. It does state on their website that their menus can change due to freshness and availability. But we'd both decided on an app and entree we wanted only to get there and have none of them on the menu. I do appreciate a rotating menu to accommodate local items, but I would also love for those to be updated on a regular basis. So after rerouting, we decided on the chicken skewers as another app with the dumplings. These were chargrilled, flavorful, and had a nice crust on them. I got shrimp fried rice and Julia got spicy beef noodles. It was fine but I wish the shrimp wouldn't have been cut up. It felt like they chopped them up in order to not put as many in the dish. At $25 for this, I'd like whole shrimp please. There were a few pieces of raw spinach with pepper on the top. I would've loved a sauce of some kind. I would've preferred shrimp hibachi with fried rice from a Japanese place that included vegetables and sauces. This was not *bad* there was just SO much room for improvement. We both agreed that nothing was awful, but for these prices and the hype, we expected more. Our waitress was super friendly. Bonus points because they had match boxes at the host stand! There was a paid parking lot diagonal from the restaurant, so we had to walk through an intersection to get there. There are some spots up front if you can snag one. Overall, we enjoyed our time here but won't be sprinting back.

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.

Came here to watch the SEC Championship. Wait time was minimal and we received our food in good…read moretime. Our waitress was good and was knowledgeable about the menu. The Steve burger is so good! Casual spot to watch the game. Great for groups or solo.

This was my first time coming here so I came out for the Alabama and sat at the bar. It wasn't to…read morecrowded so service was spot on for me, LOL. I ordered the Birmingham hot honey chicken and a loaded bake potato which was really good. The venue is realy big as they have concerts there and a lot of TV's for your enjoyment and I believe I some pool tables in separate room. I was only there for a short time but next time im in town I'll stop by again for a full experience

Harvest was one of the best dining experiences I had in Birmingham. One thing worth mentioning…read moreright away is that it's located inside the historic Redmont Hotel. That wasn't immediately obvious from many of the reviews I read beforehand, so don't let the hotel location deter you--this is a destination restaurant in its own right. I ordered the braised short rib (without the grits), and it was outstanding. The meat was incredibly tender, packed with flavor, and cooked to perfection. It easily ranks among the better short rib dishes I've had. The service was equally impressive. Everyone was friendly, attentive, and struck the perfect balance of being available without hovering. The dining room has an upscale yet comfortable atmosphere that makes it just as suitable for a business dinner as it is for a date night or special occasion. If you're visiting downtown Birmingham--or staying at the Redmont--don't overlook Harvest just because it's inside a hotel. It's proof that hotel restaurants can absolutely compete with the city's standalone dining scene. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in Birmingham.

This place was honestly a surprise. My husband and I were in the area looking to get dinner but the…read moreoriginal restaurant we wanted to go to was booked. We ended up here. I will say this is one of the best steaks I have had up to date so far. Cooked just the way I liked it.

The crowd spoke and the crowd was right. Yo Mama's serves up some tasty morsels at a reasonable…read moreprice in downtown Birmingham. I couldn't make my mind up so I got half hot chicken and hot regular. The regular was like Kentucky fried chicken on steroids. The crispy outer coating was really quite good and the food came out piping hot. For an affordable price you can right at Yo Mama's! Would love to come back and try some of the other dishes here. French fries were also tasty.

Everything went well during my lunchtime visit to Yo'Mama's restaurant. The Hot wings and French…read morefries was delicious. The waitress was cordial to make sure I enjoyed my "first" visit. The ambiance of the restaurant was calm and pleasant. There are several dining tables to choose and enjoy the scenery.

Large selection of burgers / dogs, appetizers. Large group filled three tables and service was able…read moreto accommodate. If the food and large beer tap offerings is not enough, an arcade is attached.

This is such a fun spot to meet up with friends after work! The vibe was great, and the food did…read morenot disappoint. I had the jerk wings, and the meat was tender, flavorful, and delicious. The fries were also so good! The tacos were definitely a highlight the smoky flavor of the pork was incredible. Honestly, it was some of the best pork I've tasted! The staff was top in the Birmingham city on a Tuesday night. Great food, good vibes, and the perfect place to unwind with friends. I'll definitely be back!

We arrived 1:45pm on a Thursday and it was empty except for another party. We easily found street…read moreparking outside the restaurant. I ordered the Banana Puddin' cold brew that was really good. They also serve pour over! Vanilla-Cinnamon French Toast came with 2 small bread slices - I liked that the portion was small and manageable. We also ordered the Quinoa & Black Bean Burger and the BE Hive Quinoa Bowl. They are great options for vegan / plant-based / vegetarian members in your party. The Biscuit Board comes with 4 mini biscuits and 4 different spreads, which was nice to share with the group. We all liked that the restaurant was quiet and bright and airy.

Came in for brunch on a Sunday. Got there just before 11 and there was a bit of a wait, but it…read moremoved pretty fast. Service was friendly and quick, even though it was busy. Portions were generous and prices were decent. They were also great about accommodating gluten-free. I ordered the Farm Breakfast with bacon and gluten-free bread, it was filling and really tasty.

Both the pork chops and the filet are amazing. We loved the atmosphere and the people were…read moreextremely friendly. We will definitely be back!

Staying in Homewood. Looked around for a low carb option. The Refinery hit the spot. Tuna,…read moresquash medley, and a side salad for the person looking for low carbs. I had a delicious pork chop with black eyed pea, corn, okra, and tomato succotash. A glass of red wine and a bottle of beer. Small dining area with a warm welcoming feel. There are tables outside when the weather cooperates. It was a little warm outside for us. The service was good! Our only issues were rounding the block a few times for find parking and 18% gratuity being included with the bill.