Wife and I were downtown looking for place to eat after an appointment. Wife was interested in some vegetables. Went by Fife's it was about 12:15, we were expecting a wait. Only one person in line, restaurant was basically empty. Looked at menu and noticed meat and 2 was over$14.00. We decided maybe it was not the place for us, so we quietly left and went to Alpha Charlie's out by the airport which turned out to be a great experience. I've been to File's in years past and did not remember the place to be so dark and drab. Feel like this places days are numbered. Sure miss the Social Grill for the ones of you that are old enough to remember that place. read more

This was a short walk from my Airbnb and being from California. I'm not used to single digit prices on a breakfast menu. This is my idea of a perfect diner. Solid food made fresh. A bunch of regulars chatting at a table. I wanted to try the biscuits, but there weren't any. The sausage was my favorite part. read more

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This place has been here for so long but I have never been here before so I was excited to come here. It has an old school rustic look to it. We came in and looked around. Menus are there for making choices. I chose the breakfast plate with link sausage and grits eggs and toast. The hostess took our orders and all we had to do was eat wait on our food which cane fast. We both had enough food for another meal. This place is famous for giving you a lot of food in your meal. I do recommend this place. read more

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Went for early lunch at breakfast hours. Their breakfast menu is simple and includes all the must have breakfast items - choice of protein, eggs, pancakes, etc. The place is definitely NOT fancy, but the breakfast food is solid and reasonably priced. Servers are nice too! read more

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Not your ordinary restaurant. Definitely a good place for southern comfort food. The pancakes are huge. We had the smoked sausage, it was good, but not conecuh. Staff were friendly and attentive. Food was served in styrofoam "Togo" boxes. No plates here. You can tell it has been a long term local spot. All original, from when the place was established. Well maintained and clean. We were the odd ones out, but that didn't seem to matter. Coffee reminded my of staff I got at an active army installation, not great, but really hot. If you know, you know. If you are looking for a classic downtown place to get breakfast, this is a must try. read more

On the way somewhere else and this spot was recommended. Im glad I stopped in. It's an old school spot with a warm welcome. Everything was hot and fresh. read more

Fife's Restaurant - Fried chicken, Mac and cheese and cabbage - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

My favorite place. I started eating at Fifes in 1973 when i was in high school. Meals were $1.25 back then. My favorite was the Trout Almandine with tartar sauce. All of their veggies were great. read more

Birmingham staple. The owner and staff are amazing. It literally feels like you are walking into their home kitchen and getting a great home-cooked meal. Love this place. read more

This is a hidden gem!! I'm torn about sharing how remarkable this place is to visit. It is truly a classic. I must tell you to bring cash. Those people actually deserve their tips. It is a true meat & 2 or 3 whatever plus dessert. They have the "soul" food. It is a classic old school. read more

40 minutes to get my food, but it was very good once I was served. I was just minutes from walking out. There appear to still be in a COVID protocol as everything is served in styrofoam with plastic utensils. So, like I said it took 40 minutes to get my two perfectly scrambled eggs, four pieces of thick cut bacon, crispy pile of hash browns, and two fluffy, tender biscuits. The would return if in the area, and hopefully the wait time is better and. One of the other amazing things was that the total bill was only $8.05 for moor food that I can eat and that was after tax and it includes my ice tea. read more

Fife's Restaurant - The kitchen area - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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Bery happy to have learned about Fife's, older interior, cafeteria style, meat n vegetables. The Staff members were very friendly and helpful on our first visit there. It was late in the afternoon when we went, so they were out of somethings but that didn't really limit our choices. We choose country fried steak n gravy, rice and greens, and 2 smothered pork chop and vegetable. The meats were super tender and then vegetables season properly. And for dessert, we all 3 got banana pudding. The servings are really big and take out boxes available. I reheated the pork chop the next day for lunch. If you're downtown and looking for a meat and veggies, this is the place! read more

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Always a good time when I come here it's my family and get to eat. They've changed a few things around like gotten rid of real plates and forks, now they use styrofoam which is good for them to save on dishes but it's gotta be expensive, takes up room and crowds the tables quickly. I really love the smoked sausage and it's what I always get. This is an old school mom & pop place so don't go expecting fancy stuff. It's good food, good people and good prices. read more

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Prior to retiring, I travel the United States a lot. I was away from home and was not a bar kind of guy. I would ask the folks I was working with to tell me about the local places to eat. Not the Tourist Traps. On occasion I would find one of those places that created memories. Enter in Fife's Restaurant. I have lived in Birmingham, AL for 35 years, lived down town for four years. Yet I had never eaten at Fife's. Today I changed that. A five minute ride from my garage to the restaurant. Prior to going I checked out the specials. I was craving "Country Fried Steak". An item I have not had in literally years. The Food: I got Country Fried Steak, Mashed Potato's with Gravy, Green Beans and Apple cobbler. Everything was very good, home made and plenty of it. It was a memory of another institution located in Winston Salem, NC called Bell Brothers. Sometimes you just need Country Comfort Foods. The Atmosphere: I read all the review and the actual restaurant seems to get bad marks for the inside. I must disagree. The inside is exactly the way I expected it. Clean, neat, old and had lots of memories for lots of people. If you want white table clothes, you are in the wrong place. The Staff: As nice as they can be. They saw my eyes open up when they put my food in the Styrofoam container. I got lots of smile because it was clear I was excited about their food. Conclusion: Not your place for every day or night. A great place to have comfort food, plenty of it, good quality and kind people. Eat and Drink well and stay healthy. read more

Y'all, this is some the best food and cooking Bham in my opinion and they give large portions. So you got left overs. Every vegetable they make is great. Try the chicken and dumplings for sure. read more

Best breakfast in Birmingham. Get there before the biscuits sell out. Lunch is great also

Food is delicious. Just about anything you would want on steam table. Servers very friendly

Place is old school as you can get. Delicious food, great and fast service. The fish is amazing. Candied yams are to die for, all the veggies are seasoned like they should be, the macaroni and cheese is just like your grandmother would make and service is just top notch. Prices are affordable and worth every penny. Can't wait to go back! read more

We ate here a couple weeks ago and I have to say it was fantastic! Just simple country meat & 3 but prices and service were excellent!

I just loved this place! The beef sausage and pancakes was out of this world! I'm from the east coast so having grits with eggs, and homemade biscuits was wonderful! The coffee was endless cups! A great little place to sit down, relax and enjoy good southern breakfast food! read more

Fife's Restaurant - Eggs with their homemade bacon and grits. Also had to try their pancakes with beef sausage. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

No frills! Great food! Great service! Great prices! I'll be coming back every time I'm in town! read more

Total dive cafe with good food. Everything is served in syrafoam containers! Lol Great service and very cheap! read more

Food was better than expected. Service was slow but friendly. I would try this place again, but I would probably call ahead and pickup my order to go. read more

The most delicious food and wonderful atmosphere a jewel of a place. It is not fancy and I have been there more than three times. I can not wait to go there tomorrow see you there bye read more

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They have the slowest service ever..I went at 12:15 had to be back at work by 1:15...there were 10 people ahead of me...I ended up leaving at 12:45...it takes 30 mins to take 10 people order? read more

Awesome breakfast. Smoked sausage links were our favorite.Came from Montgomery to eat in this historic resturant.

Grabbed lunch at Fife's after it was recommended to us by an employee from a local business. We were not disappointed. The food was delicious and the portions were great. We were just passing through town, but if we ever come back to Birmingham, Fife's will be a must stop! read more

Fife's Restaurant - Mac n cheese, collard greens, cornbread, pork chop and fried chicken - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

The quality of the food is like it came right out of your home kitchen. A true family business. The service was so friendly and hospitable. Only a small little gripe was the wait to get the food but then again they were very busy when we went and the ambiance made it a pleasing wait. 10/10 will come again! read more

Fife's is the best " Meat and Three" in Birmingham!!! The food is Always great and the service is too!!! I never get tired of eating there. I even brought a friend from California here and they got two plates, so they could try everything! They loved it!!! Besides great food and service, it is a cool old place to eat, it looks the same as it did in 1959. Oh by the way if you love music and history; Fife's is where Dan Rather interviewed The Blind Boys Of Alabama ... I hope Fife's never changes a thing!!! read more

Why 4 stars? Because this was a solid breakfast with some nostalgia added in. --- --- --- Fife's is the perfect example of a place I would never even think about if it weren't for Yelp. It could not possibly more nondescript from the outside. It actually doesn't look like a restaurant, and barely looks like it's even open at all. If I saw a photo of the outside of Fife's and you asked me if it was a currently functioning business or a place that shut down in 1987, I wouldn't be sure. Once inside, it was quickly apparent that this was as old school as old school diners come. A bunch of creaky, wooden booths lined the dining room and we were asked to find our own table, but not before the host let us know to expect a longer wait for food. She was correct - it definitely felt a little longer than a normal experience. Once we had our food, I felt like things were standard-to-solid. I ordered an omelet and hash browns, and both were enjoyable. Our server checked on us several times and was very friendly. To complete the old school diner experience, we took our bill to the register and paid up there. Whenever I'm at a restaurant, I usually do the 20% math and then round up to the nearest dollar - i.e. if the bill is 44.38, I tip 9.62 to make it an even 54.00. But here at Fife's, I was told that I could not do that, because they add in the tip before tax, so my system of rounding it to the dollar wouldn't work. Sure enough, I just asked her to make it a $5 tip, and she handed me a 5 dollar bill. I assume that helps for tax purposes, but I'm not sure if it's actually legal. Good thing for Fife's - no one from the IRS would believe that this is a functioning business when they drive by. read more

Fife's Restaurant - Ham omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Decided to grab breakfast after working overnight. It wasn't far and opened soon so went to try it out. Phone was ringing off the hook at 615am on a Saturday morning. There were folks inside waiting for food as well. Those are signs a place is good. The food did not disappoint. Exactly what I'd expect from a local diner. Friendly staff and fresh made food for a good price. Definitely recommend. read more

I love Fife's. Nothing fancy. Just good food and nice people. I usually just have breakfast and coffee. 2 eggs over medium, bacon, hash browns (extra crispy) and toast. Booth 7. But when I went by this morning they were closed. Plumbing problem. No definite date for reopening. I hope it's soon. But now (April 2022) they're closed. read more

Ok I love to find great spots when I travel. This was suggested to me so we went and checked it out. No frills, but the food, atmosphere and staff were amazing!! And the prices can't be beat. If you are in Birmingham and are looking for an authentic breakfast experience, check this place out. read more

If you want hearty soul food, this is the place! So many choices of meats & veggies. Served cafeteria style. I had fried chicken, collard greens, rice, corn bread. I'm so full I'll need a nap! Home style cooking. Highly recommend read more

Down and dirty (no actual dirt!), Fife's is a git 'er done sort of breakfast place with a short list of what they do and don't do. I opted for two pancakes with bacon plus coffee. What ordered was a stretch. Those two pancakes were big. Like 8 or 10 inches across. Each! And there were 6 pieces of bacon on the separate plate. I managed to eat half of the two pancakes and two pieces of bacon. I did drink four cups of really good coffee though! And for $10 including tip? That's a deal! Yes, free wifi! read more

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Yes, this place seems unchanged since the 1950s...if the 1950s means serving everything in a styrofoam box and providing the absolute lowest quality plastic utensils. My knife couldn't cut a pancake, let alone a sausage. This is a basic greasy spoon, filling and cheap. Not bad there. But I can't help but feeling this place would be so much better if they put a little effort into making it feel like something other than a jailhouse cafeteria. read more

This restaurant offers great breakfast and southern food and hospitality! Whenever me and my family are In Birmingham this place is a must! The service is friendly and they cater to you when you dine in. One of the Best Soul food/Southern restaurant in Birmingham! read more

Fife's Restaurant - Banana Pudding - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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The food was very tasteful. My daughter ordered the fried pork chop and it was very tender. One of the best experiences we've had at restaurant. The staff was very attentive and helpful. They were kind natured and did their best to make our experience in Birmingham and at their restaurant alike the best it could be. Would definitely visit again if I'm in town. Everything we ate was well seasoned and the servings were more than enough. We loved the restaurant! read more

Ok so I decided to try fifes again but this time I came for the hot bar for lunch. The food once again was amazing. I had baked chicken, greens and dressing (sorry I forgot to take a picture....that's how HUNGRY I was) lol. The only disclaimer I have is that the cashier at fifes was very UNPROFESSIONAL!!!! She was cursing like a sailor saying the N word several times while talking to another worker and even asked the a couple who were leaving if they left a tip!!!! Really??? Who does that!!! I honestly wanted to get up and leave....I hate doing negative reviews but I hope the owner sees this and takes action. FOOD= A+ CASHIER=FFFFFFFF Saturday 06/18/16 12:54pm (Sitting in fifes parking lot as we speak) read more

Fife's is a great spot. If you want some country food. Their fried chicken is good though to be quite honest I prefer my own fried chicken and southern food to any that is sold in Birmingham. However, Fife's is a good spot to get a southern food fix. Their Mac and cheese is good and they have good collards. You won't be disappointed eating here and their breakfasts are great. Don't sleep on the hash browns. All in all it's an enjoyable spot if you don't feel like cooking it yourself. read more

The app wanted pictures but the food didn't last long enough. Great people and amazing home cooked food. We love finding mom and pops with community built into them and this was all of that with great food - not too greasy, well cooked. Absolutely recommend! read more