Sarah L.

Love this place! Great if you just want drinks with chips/salsa, or if you're feeling fancy and want a little date night with a good entree! I tried a new spring cocktail and it was very tasty! It was a little sweet, but not too sweet! I love all the garnish and glassware. I sat outside with some girlfriends of mine in the garden and it was a perfect little get together tonight. No matter how busy, service is always excellent!

Campbelle W.

El Royale is definitely a favorite of my husband and I's. We've probably been here upwards of 10 times. Our go-to's are the ribeye fajitas, sour cream enchiladas, corn elote & (of course) the house margaritas. The restaurant and bar are gorgeous and give off a very New Orleans vibe. However, I knocked off a star for the prices and the notoriously slower service. Overall, we really enjoy El Royale and think it brings a great new atmosphere to Bham! Definitely a great spot to try out, but make sure to get a reservation!

Ashley H.

This place is easily one of my favorite spots to unwind especially during the week with a great cocktail and appetizer..The Fajita Nachos are my favorite. I always prefer sitting at the bar the energy is great, and the service never disappoints. Even when it's busy, Courtney behind the bar is incredibly attentive and makes the experience feel personal. She keeps things moving while still checking in, and her drinks are consistently on point. I highly recommend this place for a group, solo date, or a date night. The aesthetic is unmatched.

Rachel J.

This restaurant has absolutely beautiful decor. From the moment you walk in, the vibrant colors and thoughtful design create a warm, inviting atmosphere that really sets the tone for the experience. I felt like I was at a resort restaurant. It's a great place to enjoy a meal visually and would be perfect for photos, a casual night out, or date night. While the ambiance truly stands out, the food itself was just average. We sat at the bar and Gage was our waiter. The dishes were fine and nicely presented, but nothing particularly memorable or standout in terms of flavor. I had the flaming Royale to drink ($17) and the fish tacos ($22) to eat. The grouper was seasoned well. Overall, it's a lovely spot for the atmosphere.

Lindsay S.

We came here for a lunch during the week and first of all, I guess it's just me, but I can't believe no one else has mentioned how odd the location and entrance to this restaurant is. We parked on the street and as I was following my coworker in (who already knew where she was going), I remarked, "There's no way I could've found where to go." It was just odd. You walk through the parking lot (valet only), then turn left into this patio, then look left for the door. It's like it's completely hidden from the street and I never saw any sign outside. If you know where you're going, it's fine. Once again, I was thankful I rode with someone else. As the other reviewers noted, it's a unique, jungle vibe, but kinda upscale. Service was friendly. We ordered the Dip Trio for an appetizer and it was really good. The standard chips and salsa were excellent too. Because we were there at lunch during the week, the noise was not bad at all. I ordered the Grouper and not only was it beautiful, it was also delicious. I ate every bite, it was so good. Also, it seemed to be a smaller portion compared to what everyone else at my table got and definitely healthier. I took pictures of their plates and I'm sure one was Barry's Plate and I think the other was Jolene's Plate, but I'm not certain. I didn't get a picture of my 4th coworker's plate, but 2 of the 3 got boxes to take home what they didn't finish, so apparently they really liked it. I would definitely be willing to come back, especially since I know where to go now!

Angela M.

What a Fabulous hidden gem we discovered for date night! The ambiance is amazing & the food lives up to its atmosphere. The steak fajitas & fish tacos were both delicious. The dessert chimichanga was very good but Oh, those churros!!!! I still crave them! We will definitely be returning.

Jay T.

Finally tried El Royale last night and we were disappointed. We had a reservation for 7:30 but weren't seated until after 7:45. The space was festooned for Christmas, which obscured the decor quite a bit, but the whole place was a weird mashup of English Pub, French bistro, and garden tea room. It doesn't have an ounce of Mexican restaurant as far as ambiance goes, but everyone seemed to be having a good time. We started off with the worst house margarita I've ever had. It was pure bad tequila with ne'er an ounce of lime in it. It sat on the table untouched, and our waitress asked if it was okay. I told her I wasn't a fan and ordered a coke (no fountains here, I got a can), but she took the drink back to the bar to have it remade. She confessed to trying a dropper of it and knew it needed lime. The second cocktail was no better. The chips and salsa were wonderful. We were offered two styles, red and green, and I loved both. We took our waitress' recommendation of the ribeye fajitas and the enchiladas suizas for our entrees. The enchiladas were very dry. The shredded chicken inside was moist, but the whole point of enchiladas suizas is the delicious sauce, but there was more melted cheese on the enchiladas than there was sauce. Very disappointing. The fajitas fared better. The order came with three small, weirdly translucent flour (?) tortillas. Maybe the weird texture and shape was meant to make sure you knew these were made in-house, but they looked awful. Thankfully, filled to the brim, you couldn't taste them at all. The steak was very tender and delicious, and it was a good portion. The peppers and onions were lightly grilled but very over-seasoned. All in, El Royale is a vibe. If you're looking for a boisterous, noisy crowd where folks appear to be having a great time, then it's fine. But the food doesn't live up to the hype.

Bri B.

Absolutely a 10/10. I think I have found my favorite New Mexican spot in Birmingham. First off - our server Christina was so pleasant. She shared with us her favorite dishes and the most popular dishes. Front hosts were friendly and greeted us pleasantly as soon as we got in. On to the food and drink - We don't drink so we opted for the two mocktails on the menu. The cucumber one was very refreshing which is up my alley. My bestie got the little dove and added pineapple juice which gave her the fruity taste she wanted. All of the appetizers were simply delicious. Best elote I have ever had!!!! The entrees were hot, flavorful and at a great price. I had never had grouper and I enjoyed it. My bestie had the most meat-filled birria and the best "motor oil" consommé I loved the decor in the restaurant, I felt like I was in an upscale jungle with all the green - little different than what I'm used to for Mexican restaurants. Upbeat and friendly was the overall vibe. They had it decorated for Christmas which was cute! Will be back every chance I get.

Madison E.

Had to see what all the buzz was about! The moment you step inside, the lush greenery and stunning interior design transport you to an entirely different world--beautiful enough on its own to make you want to come back again and again. The chips were notably thin and extra salty and served with salsa and salsa verde. We added on queso ($12) and thought it was a great touch. We each had margs. I started with prickly pear and thought it was fine but just tasted like normal lime. Then got a peach and it was delicious. These are on the smaller side but delicious nonetheless. ($15) I got the enchiladas suizas - chicken, Monterey Jack, cheddar, Tomatillo sauce, onion and cilantro. The tomatillo sauce was bright and tangy and made the whole dish. ($24) My friend, Julia, got the chimichanga ($20) and said it was delightful. Our server was very kind, helpful and made great suggestions. Parking is valet with the option to tip. There is some street parking but was full when I got there. It is on the pricier side, in my opinion, and was equivalent to other, more economical, restaurants with similar style dishes. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our night here and will be back! It felt like a mini trip somewhere. The atmosphere and ambiance (and margs) alone are worth the trip! The post cards with your receipt are an adorable touch!

Destiny F.

We made reservations and had to wait a little while for a table. Our serve was nice and very attentive to our glasses nearing empty. The food was very flavorful. The churros were amazing too. Loved the greeting cards that are given to you at the end to mail to someone by the restaurant

Katrina G.

This restaurant offers complimentary valet, street parking is available. Our server was Bradley, he was great and provided excellent service. I ordered the Paloma which was very good. For my entree I ordered the ribeye fajitas which were good. The inside of the restaurant is well decorated and aesthetically pleasing. I would recommend this restaurant.

Virginia H.

Very quaint and atmospheric restaurant? Yes. Pricy for what you get? Yes. Great food? Hmmm, not bad, but doesn't pop for me as really good either. Great service? Hmmm, could be better, on the slow side and they were not at all busy when we went on a weekday for lunch. We got crispy fish tacos and chile relleno. They were not bad, but I had better for cheaper. The best for me was actually the free salsa, ha. Which brings me to an interesting point, they seemed reluctant to provide refills on the salsas? At least our server was. It took awhile for our food to come out, so we ate all the salsas and then waited around. When the server did come by, she did not offer a refill. So I asked. She paused and said: "Your food is coming out soon. Do you still want more?" Well, yes, yes, I do. I asked, didn't I? Honestly, a good server would have just been proactive and brought out more automatically once they were empty. One more negative - the check says "If you use a credit card, we charge a 3% surcharge", so sounds like you have options, right? Pay cash or 3% more if you use a credit card. Except....wait, they don't take cash! So.....what are my options other than credit card? Bitcoins?

Catherine B.

My expectations were definitely met for El Royale! I booked a dinner here for my boyfriend and I'd anniversary, and it was so amazing! We were a little worried about parking, but totally lucked out with a spot right in front. If you pull in, there's a valet, but it really shouldn't be too hard to find parking on the street if that's your plan. We were immediately greeted by the hostess and manager and brought to our table. The inside is so cool and a great vibe! We both liked how sitting at the table felt more upscale, but could see ourselves also coming more casual and sitting at the bar for apps & drinks. This is definitely a 2-in-1 restaurant & cocktail bar. The manager then brought over two glasses of prosecco for our anniversary - so kind and thoughtful!! Everything we proceeded to order was great -- the Spicy Margarita, the Side Hustle cocktail, queso appetizer, Birria Tacos, Crispy Fish Tacos, and Churros for dessert! The portions are large - I took my second taco home. The churros were a HUGE hit; they are so warm and the dipping sauces are so good. Our server was very kind and checked in on us frequently. The prices were very reasonable as well, especially for the experience/ambience you pay for. There is something for all different prices ranges (steak meals, single tacos, etc), which I always really appreciate. One thing to note -- almost everything we ate had a good amount of spice in it. We really liked that, but could definitely see how someone who doesn't love spicy food wouldn't love some of the dishes. Overall, we LOVED El Royale and will most certainly be back, either for dinner or drinks!!