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Helen

4.5 (329 reviews)
PriceySouthern, Bars
Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM
Updated 2 months ago

Helen Photos

HELEN ATMOSPHERE

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Intimate
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Classy

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Ember roasted cone cabbage, Carolina gold middlins, and whole gulf b-liner a la plancha
Faye Y.

Food first, thoughts after... Wow. A standing ovation. My love and I have found our goto restaurant for any celebration, date night, or if we just want a delicious and special dinner. Helen was loved by both of us. Our server was very knowledgable and very welcoming. The atmosphere was casual but intimate. The food was phenomenal. The attention to detail in every dish is what sold us. Big bonus was the portion sizes were perfect. Typically we're ordering 2 apps and 2 entrees but for Helen, we got 1 app and split the entree. We will definitely be back.

Steak and pinto beans
Maggie M.

My neighbor and I enjoyed a very nice steak dinner, it was cooked to perfection-and very tasty. Followed by Love Bird dessert- one of the best pastries I've ever had. Tate, our waiter- was so kind, bubbly, overall great energy.

Cinnamon Roll
Megan R.

4.5 stars! The angel biscuits & butter are to die for! I loved the family style sides, which allowed my table to try everything! I was skeptical about the Lima beans but they were so good! The pork chop was super flavorful! The cinnamon roll was perfection! I love the ambiance & service was great (if not slightly slow, but I was with a huge group & it's the holidays so def could be that)! Will be back!

Middlins, Yukon Potatoes
Benjamin J.

Service was great. Old fashioned (not on menu) was good. Got the porterhouse, fat left on the slab, which I thought was unusual, but good meat otherwise. "Middlins"? Terrible. Soaked in something citrus/acidic. Biscuits, good. Potatoes, ok.

Biscuits with sugar cane butter
Anita B.

WOW!!!! Best meal we had in BHAM! The sweet corn ribs were soooooooo delicious! We could not stop eating them - perfectly seasoned summer produce! The rib eye steak was beyond juicy and tender, cooked to perfection with salt, pepper, and beef tallow. We enjoyed the warm biscuits with sugar cane butter! The peanut butter pie dessert tasted like a decadent Reese's candy with chocolate, peanuts, and whipped cream! Service was fantastic and lovely ambience!

Ribeye
Lizzy G.

We had a delightful anniversary dinner at Helen. Valet was smooth, we were sat quickly, and enjoyed the ambiance. Our server was kind and described the dishes in detail. We absolutely loved every bite of the steak. The sides were delicious too. We didn't know if it would be worth the hype, but it definitely was!

Chip C.

We came here for Valentine's dinner / date night. We had never been, and let me say - we have definitely been missing out. I would definitely recommend making a reservation as they stay really busy. Our waiter was great, both with knowledge of the menu and specials and with his recommendations. The food itself was great. We got two appetizers - the angel biscuits and the st. louis pork ribs. The pork ribs were alright, but needed some more saucce and were the 'worst' things we had that night - not bad, but something had to get that award. The angel biscuits, esp with that butter they used, were delicious, and that's coming from someone who is NOT a biscuit lover. For dinner, we got a side of brussel sprouts and a side of the yukon gold potatoes, and we split the 22oz ribeye. Both the brussels and the potatoes were amazing - my wife loved the brussels the most, while I was favoring the potatoes. The ribeye had a great flavor. Needless to say, we had plenty of food to take home and eat again for another meal. I look forward to coming back soon.

David K.

What's going on Yelpies !!! You know that moment when you asked your friend or significant other what do you want for dinner and you both look at each other and say .... Helen's ... Yeah that what you should say instead of the normal answer. The food here is one of a kind. Really .... I'm at a minimum 25 years in the food and beverage industry (I know TMI) Chef can cook some superb dishes.. From short rib ,Iberico pork , to Certified Angus Beef. You're going to eat good and taste real food with class and comfort because the people and vibe will make you feel at home. Oh and the selection of wine is amazing. Keep it going and good luck on your new up and coming seafood location next store

Filet
Darlene C.

We had a 5:30 dinner upstairs. It was not crowded but filling up by time we finished our meal. We did have a reservation. We started with warm angels. Goodness, they were so good. I highly recommend. Both had the filet! It was so delicious and cooked perfectly! The atmosphere was nice. We did valet parking.

Jessica S.

Helen was the perfect spot for a long-overdue dinner with one of my dearest friends. The atmosphere strikes a beautiful balance--elevated but welcoming, with a kind of understated Southern elegance. We shared the ribeye, cooked beautifully and full of flavor, along with the bone marrow, which added a rich, decadent note to the meal. The cabbage surprised me in the best way--tender, charred just right, and deeply flavorful. The homemade cracker jacks were perfect. And the little gem salad with homemade buttermilk dressing? Simple, fresh, and one of those dishes that reminds you how good the basics can be when done well. For dessert, we split the gluten-free hazelnut dessert and the lemon bar. Both were excellent--the hazelnut dessert was perfectly balanced with contrasting textures and not too sweet, and the lemon bar had the perfectly bright, citrusy finish to end the meal. Service was attentive without being overbearing, and the pacing let us really enjoy catching up. Helen is a gem--thoughtful food, beautifully executed, and a space that makes a meal feel like a moment.

The kitchen area!
Gynelle M.

Helen's is a great place to dine. It's a staple whenever my husband and I visit Alabama. The winter menu includes their white barbecue sauce short rib, which is so good, you'll almost eat it with your eyes closed. The service is pleasant, and the ambiance offers a cozy living room setting. It's a must, when in town. If you're looking for a great place to dine -- make a reservation. You may not make it in if you don't plan ahead. Happy Helen Tasting!

Rod G.

It's been a while since we ate at Helen so we decided to take a good friend there for lunch in hopes that it would still be a good experience. I'm happy to report that it was excellent! First, there's convenient parking in the spacious and clean parking deck across the street and it was only $3 when we exited. We entered and were warmly greeted by the hostess who quickly led us to our reserved table. It might seem like a small thing, but she politely waited until we were seated before placing the menus in front of us and then she asked if we had been there before and she also pointed out the location of the restrooms. They were apparently a little busier than normal so it took a little while for our server to appear. However, he apologized for the short wait before describing the restaurant concept to our friend who was there for the first time.   Helen is described as a contemporary Southern grill with a refreshed take on classic dining. Prime meats and seafood are cooked in an open kitchen, served alongside vegetables and non-traditional sides on a menu driven by seasonality and product from local purveyors. For starters we ordered the warm angel biscuits that come with a whipped cane sugar butter that were simply wonderful... The butter alone is worth the trip downtown! These biscuits are a must if you ever come here! We also had the smoked potato chips with blue cheese dip, another deliciously clever choice. For entrees we had the double cheeseburger (not your average burger), two orders of the smoked chicken thighs with a jalapeño white bbq sauce, and the brussel sprouts and Yukon gold potatoes to share. Everything thing was excellent and thoughtfully conceived. There are several other great entrees/sides and a couple of dessert items on the menu, but not so many choices that you feel overwhelmed. The restaurant is located in a charming and inviting two story building with a somewhat rustic but thoughtfully decorated interior. I give the Helen an A+ for checking all of the boxes that make for a great dining experience. We will definitely be back!

Tiffany Y.

Food and service were amazing! Came here for a special occasion and really enjoyed my time in this atmosphere. Def recommend coming for either special occasion, date night, or girls night

Corn ribs

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Ask the Community - Helen

What is the dress code at Helen? Is it casual?

However you want to dress is fine. It's a very casual restaurant, except the food is ridiculously amazing.

Are there any outdoor seating options?

None that I noticed last time.

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The Fennec - 3:10 to Yuma available in The Foxhole Lounge

The Fennec

(117 reviews)

$$

Cool place for college games. You get a good variety of fans cheering for there teams. Huge screens…read moreto watch the games. They have a great SEC drink menu (recommended by our server) and the food was great with big portions.

2:30pm on a Saturday and it was not busy at all. Walked in and it looked nice, nothing super fancy…read morebut nice. I sat down and maybe the wobbly table should have been my first red flag. The chairs sucked to add to it. I find the bathroom, whoever thought it was such a good idea to put a faucet that high was special because you have to turn the water low enough or push the faucet to the side to prevent from it splashing all over you. My in-laws got there a few mins before us and got everyone waters which that was good. The waitress, it took her forever to come back by to ask for drinks or starters. Granted we were waiting for a few other people but my husband wanted a soda and we were going to go ahead and get an appetizer. I decide to stick with my water because I just felt like I would get a drink if I asked for something different. Which I was right. My husband had to wave the waitress down for his soda. She accidentally brought him diet. She never brought back his drink. I had to get up and ask the hostess about our his drink and that we were wanting to order an appetizer. The hostess apologized and said they were really busy. I know I had to fix my face because I looked around, saw our table, and two other tables, about 6 people at the bar that the bartender handled, and looked back at the hostess like, "wtf?" The rest of our group shows up. Waitress comes back. Still no drink for my husband and gets our appetizer orders along with the remaining drink orders. When the appetizers comes out, it was a guy who brought it to us and we asked him about the soda and he apologizes and gets it for us...finally. Nothing special about the appetizer just chips and dip. We finish it and once again...the waiting game. The rest of our group still had yet to get their drinks. She comes back after another long wait, drink less, and gets our orders. My father in-law mentions the drinks, she apologies, and gets them. The wait it took for our food to come was ridiculous. I hate to imagine how long we would have had to wait if it was actually busy. Maybe it might have been worth my wild if the food was phenomenal but the moment it was sat in front...I knew it was not gonna be good. I got the Alfredo with shrimp. It looked like some soup. The sauce to noodle ratio was not good. The sauce was so runny that I had to lean it and eat the noodle like Naruto eating ramen. 5 measly pieces of shrimp. The sauce was also very gritty. How something that is so runny also be gritty, I don't know but I've had lean cuisine frozen alfredo dinners better than this $29 plate. 3 of us ordered Alfredo, only one got a piece of bread but I'm not asking for bread because I don't want to wait 30 mins to get it. My son looked at me and legit said, "we should have just gone to Olive Garden" knowing good and well I don't care for Olive Garden but also knowing it would have been better than whatever this plate in front of me was called. When walking to my car, I looked at everyone and said, "I'm sorry but this place sucked. I've been curious about it and now that I've experienced it...there is nothing here that would bring me back." So I suggest spend your money elsewhere because there is nothing that makes this place standout enough to have the audacity to have nonexistent service and charge $29 for soupy Alfredo

Bygones Cocktail Bar

Bygones Cocktail Bar

(35 reviews)

I finally got to check out Bygones! My friend and I went for a late night bite and a cocktail, and…read morewe sat at the bar. The service was quick and the hospitality was unmatched. They have a food truck that I've heard wonderful things about and I ordered the chicken Caesar salad. It was almost like a chopped Caesar salad and it was just the right amount for a small girl dinner. If you like Parmesan cheese, this is a must order as they do not skimp on that! What was really nice however was that you couldn't tell the food was from a food truck. It was great quality and you are able to order from inside the bar and they deliver it to you. That was a great service. I can't quite remember which cocktail I got, but it was very delicious and at one point the server had even given me a new chilled glass so my drink would remain cold as I sipped on it. This is definitely a great date night spot or just a place to grab a drink with friends, definitely a little more upscale as we were there in the evening, so the lights were dim. I won't drop my rating as it's spring time in the South but I remember being cold immediately as I walked in- but that's typical for a lot of places.

Yall! Get down here!!! The absolute best SEXY bar ever. Sophisticated. Dark wood…read morecabinets....exposed brick walls ...black and brass fixtures...great music. But the real jam! The mixologist! These guys aren't bartenders! They have science in the back! I'm talking Suvied fruits and centrifuges! It's fabulous. So much so, my plane was delayed and I was thrilled to find out while I was still there! Drake and Dustin....Dustin and Drake they are Pros!

Paramount - Downtown Birmingham

Paramount - Downtown Birmingham

(477 reviews)

$$

I wanted to love this place SO BAD!! There's an attached arcade!!…read moreAnd the staff was SO NICE and friendly and helpful and I loved the industrial, creative decor. But we'd spent the day at McWane Center and we were starving so we were there to EAT! The food looked gorgeous but it tasted very meh. The onion rings had too much breading on them, which I didn't think was possible, but here we are. The part of the breading next to the onion was mushy so that threw off the texture of the whole thing too. The burger was very much like a Whataburger. Even the lettuce smelled the same. I got The Standard and the bun of the burger was a little mushy (similar to Whataburger) and there was not much meat. For an $11 burger, I'm expecting more than a Whataburger. My middle kid likes everything on her burger and isn't picky at all and the loaded kid burger looked impressive but it was about the same as mine. Not awful, but not very good either. Very close to the same amount of meat. She's the queen of the Clean Plate Club and she only ate half. The fries were good but a somewhat too salty, the dip that came with the onion rings was excellent and we ended up using it for the fries. We had 2 adults and 3 kids and our meal was $63 before tip for 5 waters, 2 adult burgers, 2 kid burgers, a kid grilled cheese, and a basket of fries and onion rings (I thought I was ordering a "side" of fries, not realizing I actually ordered a basket and it was a lot of fries and onion rings). We don't mind spending money on good food, but the prices here don't align with what you get. No one was more disappointed than me, I've been wanting to eat here for FOREVER!!!

We sat at the bar. Nice selection of beers. We had the three hander and my wife had a gourmet hot…read moredog called West Virginia. The food was perfectly prepared and surprised us how good. The bar was very busy but the bartender was very attentive. Great service. The ambiance was perfect for a corner bar downtown.

Tucana Tiki Bar - Tiki light

Tucana Tiki Bar

(46 reviews)

Tucana Tiki is a great experience from start to finish when you walk in it's like traveling to an…read moreisland oasis. They have multiple seating options; the first floor has booths that can accommodate smaller and large groups. The bar area is very inviting and fun to be able to watch your drinks being made and upstairs offers a more private area. When not seated at the bar they do have someone to come around to make sure you have what you need. The servers are very nice and tend to remember you, which is a great feeling. The menu rotates seasonally, which makes it easier to try new things. My favorite menu item so far has been the cheeseball that was on the menu around Christmas time. It had a great flavor served with crackers the only thing is when we came back after the first of the year it wasn't on the menu anymore. On my most recent visit I had the queso which also had great flavor, served with blue corn tortilla chips. When it comes to the drinks I like how on the menu they let you know how strong it is using toucans. Many of the drinks feature rum, but they do still offer some gin and tequila options. Everything I've had has been good and something I would try again. I would like to note that many of the drinks are fruity and can be somewhat sweet. At Christmas time they even had holiday themed drinkware which I felt was a nice touch. If you are not a drinker, they also have options for mocktails. Which has been great for me the last couple of months. I didn't care for the Phony Negroni, but I think Negroni itself might be an acquired taste

We have been watching to visit Tucana for a while now and finally got the chance tonight! We were…read morenot disappointed!! The service, staff, and ambiance were perfect for an early drink before dinner. The drinks are inventive and delicious! Drinks devoured: Breakfast in Pago, Melon Marauder, Bee So For Real, and Demerara Dry Float

Helen - southern - Updated May 2026

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