Finally found a legit Chinese restaurant. Food is delicious. Salt and pepper shrimp is fire! Chicken lettuce wraps have flavor beyond any I've ever had and the Mongolian beef will not disappoint. Can't wait to try more dishes. Restaurant is impeccable. read more

I am extremely picky about Chinese food. I LOVE IT. But will not eat it just anywhere. Black Pearl is the one place left in this city that I have tried and loved. I am crazy about their soups, their excellent egg rolls, and every entree I've tried. My top pick is the Beef w/ Mushrooms. Perfection. Highly recommended to anyone who knows what they want and refuses to settle for anything but authentic. read more

When we heard Birmingham had dim sum, we found out it was Black Pearl that had it! We happened to be in the area on a Sunday and walked around the complex which had a lot of closed businesses.. Black Pearl was no exception. They are closed on Sundays. So we picked up a menu that was set outside, looked at all of the pictures displayed on their windows and decided we would try and come back on a Saturday. We came back on a Saturday around 11:45am, and we were the only ones there. As you can imagine, I started to panic a little bit. I don't like to visit a restaurant establishment and be the only ones there, it usually isn't a good sign.. but we sat down, looked over the menu, decided to try out a few dim sum items. When we ordered, the server told us that they do not serve dim sum at this location, but only at the Homewood location. Reason being that this particular location is not as busy. I have to admit I did not yelp this place before coming, so I'm not sure if someone else had mentioned their absence of dim sum. Needless to say, we were disappointed.. and a bit confused because their menu had a dim sum menu with pictures and everything! We decided to go for some other traditional Chinese food instead. We decided on Salt and Pepper Fish and Stir Fried Bok Choy. Added on some Wonton soup as a starter. The wonton soup was Americanized, with thick wonton skin and a tiny little bit of pork inside of each wonton. The broth had okay flavor. And because this is Americanized wonton soup, they were accompanied with fried wonton strips. I guess, who can complain about the addition of fried wonton strips? They were stale, though.... I prefer traditional wonton soup to the Americanized version, so this was just okay for me. The Salt and Pepper Fish and Stir Fried Bok Choy were both very satisfying, though. Had great, authentic flavor and the portions were generous. I like having this option here.. and especially appreciate their availability of authentic Chinese food. Next time we visit Black Pearl, it will have to be the Homewood location simply because of their dim sum menu. Oh, and when we left we saw there there was one other patron dining in. I believe this location may be a great lunch option for those that work in the area. read more

2 stars because of the inconsistency. First time I came everything was great. Went back the second time, my food I ordered was extremely over salted to the point where I couldn't eat it. Tonight was the worst. My husband and I asked to be seated at the booth but the waitress said no it's for large groups only, the entire restaurant was empty at that point. 15 mins later a group of 3 was seated at the booth. I guess 3 is considered large. Then, they told me that they took away the original menu and now only about half of the dishes are offered. The egg rolls my husband ordered was completely cold on the inside. It had meat in it so I can see that being a potential health hazard. They gave us new egg rolls but our appetite was lost at that point. read more

A GREAT experience from the time I placed the order until two days later when we finished up the leftovers. First time there...now our new favorite Chinese spot! read more

I am pleasantly surprised with our take out meal. The Singapore Rice Noodles are excellent! Filled with beef, chicken, and shrimp and just the right amount of curry spice. The salt and pepper Chinese pork remained crispy and was well seasoned. Great portion sizes - my husband and I are stuffed and we have enough for lunch leftovers. Eat here - save money AND get excellent food! Much better than the big name chain at The Summit. Definitely adding Black Pearl to our take out rotation. I can't wait to try their other Asian fare. My one hope is that they add Filipino Cuisine so that they can be even more of a pan Asian restaurant. read more

Awful. Waited over an hour to be served and left. Were told they cook for take out first. Will never go back.

Good General Tso Chicken! Good heat and I liked the peppers! The broccoli was cooked perfectly and wasn't mushy! The side of rice was extremely small! Okay for one person, maybe two. read more

Dim Sum cart. Pricey but good authentic oriental.

We have yet to find something to complain about the food is the best!!!! I love the citrus and the traditional menu!!! My husband loves the fish!!! If you want to try good food in Birmingham go here!!! It won't disappoint!!!! read more

Eating Time - Black Pearl for dinner!!!! awesome as always!!! The Penang curry and the green beans were yummy!!! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Planned to have a dine-in experience but they are only doing take out. Food was good although not hot once we got home. Very large servings. read more

Great service and great food Staff was very helpful organizing our large carryout order read more

Found this spot after a late night at the movies in the Summit. I ordered the Sesame Chicken and Mongolian Beef which are pretty standard Chinese dishes. The beef was to tough, the egg drop soup was lukewarm and the server never came back to the table. Nevertheless I won't be returning and I definitely would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. read more

Our Favorite chinese restaurant! great food!! The employees are very nice and the portions are enough for 2 meals.

For lunch I ask for the Chinese traditional menu and tried some authentic Chinese food. For some reason you have to ask for it, they don't give it to you otherwise. We tried the jalapeño tripe & shrimp with lobster sauce. Both dishes were tasty. I enjoyed the tripe but will get real beef, chicken or seafood next trip. Both dishes we're hearty and plentiful The shrimp w/lobster sauce was very good. There was a little confusion and some timing issues but overall a very nice experience. read more

Everything was pretty dang good, only complaint was my GF dont like the sweet and sour sauce. (Did taste a little strange)

Small lil restaurant that's big on portions and flavors! I was not expecting to be hit with such delicious food here. It is unfortunate that I went to their second location first and didn't have a good experience. However, after a tough day training in the gym, I was in the mood for Chinese, so my gym partner and I decided to hit up this location since it's close by our gym. Upon first entering, you'd think they only did take out, but to your right leads to a petite dining area. I actually kinda like how small it is. The lighting is also nice and bright and gives off a very warm atmosphere as opposed to their other location. Service was attentive and food arrived hot and quick. We had an order of the Kung Pao three delight, salt & pepper shrimp, and the tofu with crispy bean blend. The Kung Pao had just the right amount of spice and wasn't too oily or saucy, which suited me perfectly. The shrimp was crispy and not overly salty. The tofu was delicious! Probably the best dish of the night. Highly recommend this place whenever you're in the mood for some comforting Chinese food. read more

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This is a great restaurant. One friend told me this place. I'm glad I followed his suggestions. The essence was the secret menu. If you asked at the front desk for special menu, they would hand you a list with about 20 dishes. I ordered belt fish and pork rib with salted soybean. I must say, as a Chinese who lived in Birmingham for 5 years, these were the best dishes I had tasted. After asking why the dishes were so authentic, the owner said the special menu was created under strong demands of Chinese students from Samford University, including a different Cantonese soup everyday. Compare to it's peers such as Red Pearl or Mr. Chen's, the environment is much better with higher hygienic rating. Furthermore, the food is plentiful. I will definitely come back to this place regularly in the future. read more

Not bad at all. Stay within the first page of the menu and get an authentic dish. You will not be disappointed. Outside of that the rest of the menu is going to be your typical asain American food. The servers are very nice and stay on top of everything. read more

I experienced this restaurant for the first time the other evening and the conclusion was it is ok, but not great. I ordered vegetable spring rolls and they were the typical frozen fried egg rolls. The vegetables on the inside were mushy and no flavor and crispy on the outside. My party ordered daily specials which were fried meats with veggies and rice. I ordered red curry with shrimp. This was well prepared with fresh vegetables. The only thing that I did not like, this restaurant will not allow you to choose the spice level. This dish was just a little too spicy for me. However, it did have good flavor. I would say this is a good restaurant for Thai dishes if you like your food spicy. The portions are very substantial and the price is average. read more

I was craving some Chinese food with excellent service and that's exactly what my husband and I received here. Ordered the salt and pepper shrimp with shell on and it's amazing. Came with rice / fried rice and soup &egg roll. Service was great. read more

Eating Time - Egg drop soup & Egg roll - Asian Fusion Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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Good food. The teriyaki chicken appetizer was not that great but Singapore rice noodles- chicken, vegetable fried rice and other items were good. Little too much chicken in the Singapore rice noodles. read more

This has the best traditional Chinese menu in town. You have to try and order from the traditional menu to really appreciate this place. The black bean steak is one of our favorites. The shrimp and egg dish is amazing too. The service here is always bad. They are either very rude or extremely forgetful. But the food makes us keep coming back for more. The price is very reasonable for the amount and quality too. read more

Terrible service. Never ordering from here again. Food was totally unprepared and left off half our delivery order. Customer service was terrible and owner said"I owe you nothing." Horrible experience and service read more

Food is always VERY GOOD & HOT!! Service is fast and curteous! I recommend the Sweet and Sour chicken

Worst meal I've had in awhile. Bland, no flavor whatsoever. This is coming from someone who doesn't overly season food. Not even a speck of pepper on it. First and last order form this place unfortunately. read more

Restaurant is great. Good food in a nice clean atmosphere. However, they DO NOT deliver. I asked for a delivery option and was told "we don't deliver but you can call [3rd party company] and they will bring it to you." If you order food through them directly just know you have to get it yourself. It is well worth it though. Yelp: Please call the business and update the listing to not include delivery. read more

Since moving to Birmingham, I have eaten here regularly. I can honestly say, I have not found better peppered steak in Birmingham. My wife (and I) are also quite fond of the Sesame Chicken... Above all, I have to say - The Cool Lettuce Wraps are where it's at... These things are consistently excellent. If there is one con I can list for Black Pearl, its that anytime we eat here, I am forced to order these due to my wife and my addiction to them now. The Crab Won Tons are great - had them tonight for the first time... They are what inspired me to write this review... For $6, got 6 overstuffed large won tons - very nice... Cup of sweet and sour to dip them in... I hope this place sticks around... Please, for the love of all that is good and fluffy in the Universe... If you want Asian food and are going in the 280 area, go here or Surin 280... Waaaayyyy better than PF's... Any day of the week - any dish on the menu. read more

I stopped in here for a work lunch. I was craving Chinese and wanted to try a place I'd never been to before. It was after 1pm, so it wasn't very crowded and I was seated immediately. Their menu is huge and they have a lot of interesting choices (Thai, milk tea, etc). I ordered the chicken lo mein. I always order this at any new Chinese restaurant that I visit as it's my favorite dish. The entree came with an egg roll and a cup of soup. I ordered the hot and sour (which is another thing I always order when eating Chinese). It was good, but I think they added a bit too much pepper. The first bite nearly made me choke. The egg roll wasn't good at all. It wasn't very hot and tasted stale. The chicken lo mein was okay. My biggest issue with it was that I kept tasting lemongrass. I've never actually tasted that in my lo mein. If it's actually in there, it's well-hidden by the other spices. This had an overabundance of it. It was a large portion though - but did not come with rice like many of the other dishes. At many Chinese restaurants you get rice with lo mein, so that was a bit odd to me. My server was okay - he didn't check on me often, but I eat slowly so it wasn't a big deal to me. The price was reasonable (a little over $9 for the entree and water). I'm honestly not sure if I would go back unless I was going to try something else. There are other places in the area that do chicken lo mein much better to me. However, if you work in the area or you're craving Chinese and pass by, check it out. read more

Ate at the Black Pearl today, really on a whim. I have to say the food was fantastic, and the service was absolutely first rate. I love, and I do mean love, food that is spicy and flavorful--the food here is all that and then some. I'm not one for favorite restaurants or anything like that, but this is my exception. I'll eat here regularly. The prices are great and the portions are fantastic. You've got to give this place a try if you're looking for flavor. One word, yummy! read more

Tasy food and friendly staff. Hot and sour soup is really good. I also recommend the chicken with vegetables

I'm almost hesitant to write a review because I don't want this place to blow up. This is a great place for for "American" Chinese food, and won't leave you feeling gross, like a typical Wok N Roll. I've ordered several different things off the menu, all of them have been good. Really can't go wrong here. read more

Hands down, best ethnic Chinese in Bham. We've always been partial to the traditional eggplant dish. My husband and I usually make a few meals of the dish, we just cool some extra rice for leftovers. Mom ordered in and added the traditional eggplant garlic and spicy chicken dishes. WOW. Bham, if you want spicy chicken--this is the place to go. Little scrumptious spicy, fried chicken pieces. This wasn't a good thing to be introduced to while I'm on Weight Watchers. But you know what, at least I enjoyed it!!!!! I highly recommend visiting Black Pearl for their traditional Chinese cuisine. Now that I've tried a few more items, I realize I need to try the others. read more

The reopening of the new Black Pearl was today. What was a good place for Asian food has been turned into a fast food, foam box, uninspired Chinese take out place with high prices, and a very limited menu. I chatted with the people at the counter on the way out, and they said they new store cocept is designed for take-out and to-go. Eggrolls were burnt, dumplings were mushy, food selection was sub-par. The uniquie dishes we used to rave about Black Pearl as having are no more. Prices are too high for this level of grease soaked, foam packaged sub-par food. read more

I eat here lots and find it to be best Asian restaurant in town. Very authentic and delicious Chinese menu. Love the eggplant and pork dish as well as salt and pepper shrimp which I have become addicted to. Vegetable fried rice is excellent. Friendly service and very clean. Love this place!! read more

I found myself at the Black Pearl and had reviews of other previous visitors. The guang dong braised beef sounded so delicious I couldn't resist. The hot and sour soup was amazing and the egg roll way above average. The aroma of this dish was contagious but as I started eating it I didn't realize how hot and spicy it was. I truly missed the chili pepper on the menu. It was so delicious but I just couldn't eat it. I think the owner came by and saw me sweating and asked how I like it. I said very much but I can't eat it. She was so nice and gracious and made me something very similar which was as well so Delicious. Being from NY and growing up eating All Kinds of Chinese food this is up there with the best! A neighborhood Gem. I only wish I lived nearby! read more

Delicious and fresh authentic Chinese food! Have been here several times and each time has been a great experience. Food is always hot and fresh! Excellent service read more

I don't usually write reviews, but when I do I tell it like it is. This place is terrible. If you want good Chinese food, go elsewhere. I felt sick after eating here and will not be going back. read more

I love some of Black Pearl's food. Their traditional Chinese menu is one of my favorite places to find new dishes to try. After exploring much of their multiple menus, Some of my favorite staples are the crispy chicken, salt and pepper shrimp, beef with black bean sauce, and the steamed buns. The flavors and textures are always bold and some not for the faint of heart. There are some dishes I've tried that have been big misses but the majority have been pretty good. My biggest problem is the service here. There has never been a time when I've eaten there when the service wasn't horrible - very slow, dirty dishes, wrong orders, very rude, etc. And there have been a few times when I've called in to-go orders where they had run out of a dish and simply replaced it with another dish without telling me to simply surprise me when I got home (I know this because I usually call back and they tell me they intentionally switched without informing me). The prices are pretty good for the quantity and general quality of food. This is a place to try at least once (you'll probably find yourself craving some dishes and coming back for more though!). I would just highly advise to order your food to-go and check your order before you leave for the best experience. read more

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They keep the same tongs they use to make salad next to bleach. There are a separate pair of tongs kept near the salad tongs. The non-salad tongs are used to remove trash and FEMININE HYGIENE products from all the trashcans (instead of removing trashcan liner and replacing with a new liner). They have mixed them up before and used the trash tongs to make salads and other food. If you care for your health, I wouldn't suggest eating here. read more