The short rib is quite possibly the best thing I've ever tasted. Potatoes were yummy as a side dish. Service was spectacular and staff very friendly. My new favorite date night restaurant! read more

I'm not sure how anyone could label this place as intimate or romantic as is in the description. When I made my reservation, I marked that it was for an anniversary. My husband and I went here for our 18th wedding anniversary. When we went in, the downstairs seemed fairly quiet, but we were led upstairs where the noise level was through the roof! We walked past the bar to a tight "room," more like a hallway, where everyone was sitting very close together & were seated at the table right in the middle, surrounded by the noise. It sounded & felt like a bar. Throughout the evening, we had to lean across the table and speak very loudly just to hear each other. Our server was nice, but we could hardly hear him when he spoke. Their famous biscuit/rolls were great. I do not like à la cart places, and this is one of them. We got a salad to share, which was tasty. I got the half roasted chicken, and my husband got an 8 ounce fillet. We got the sautéed mushrooms as our shared side. The steak was great. The mushrooms were ok. Chicken was pretty good. We ordered the Rocky Road bread pudding for dessert. It was pretty good, but nothing special. We could not finish our meal, so our waiter was supposed to put it in to-go boxes for us. He never brought it back out! Overall, the food was pretty good, but do not come here on a date or romantic evening if you plan on talking to the person you brought with you. read more

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Dropped in early on a Thursday night. Got a great seat at the bar. My husband and I shared Honey biscuits, Iberico pork, a twice baked sweet potato and Brussels sprouts. Everything was exceptional, incredibly flavorful and perfectly cooked. Service was excellent as well! A must when in Birmingham!! read more

Great service, upscale comfort classics. Noted on reservation we were dining with two gluten free guest and were present with separate menus once seated. Knowledgeable staff that walked us through the prep and made for an easy enjoyable evening! read more

Helen - Gluten-free menu of the Day - Southern Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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This place was hyped up, so I was excited. Overall, it was just so-so. The celery blue cheese slaw and biscuits were good, though nothing very remarkable. The mushrooms did not seem fresh. The ambiance was confusing -- art that ranged from abstract to kitschy jokes about pork backfat and the Talking Heads playing as background music. Don't get me wrong, I love the Talking Heads, but it seemed like this place was having an ambiance identity crisis. read more

The angel biscuits keep us coming back. The short rib falls off the bone! & if you catch the banana pudding don't skip it! read more

Helen - Potatoes, chicken, & short rib - Southern Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

We went here for my birthday. I was super excited as this was my first time and I had heard great things. From beginning to end, I was not disappointed. Our server Marcus was very accommodating and truly went above and beyond to make the evening super amazing. We got the warm angel biscuits and sweet corn ribs for appetizers. The angel biscuits are a must and just divine! The corn was really good to. For entrée we got a combination of steaks, fish and impossible meatballs. Everything was delicious but what surprised me the most was the meatballs. They were so good!!! To end the evening we got the apple tart and butterscotch pot de creme. From appetizers to desserts, I was delighted by the flavors. Highly recommended. read more

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Second time visiting this spot. This time for a customer dinner. Had dinner upstairs and was very pleased with the service, cocktails and entrees. Customers loved it and came in under budget which is always good for a business meeting. Gotta try Helen. Farm to Table and cool atmosphere. read more

Omg talk about great service and food the best time ever we will be back!!! Ayesha enjoyed her birthday read more

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Fantastic bold flavors. The carrots were smoky yet sweet, had never had carrots that became a topic of conversation like these dService was absolutely top-notch. read more

Helen - carrots were the show stopper for me - Southern Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Have you ever had a meal so good that you try to relive it mentally every single day until you can have it again? Same. We went to Helen this past Friday for an overdue date night and I forgot to take pictures for the proof, but the experience and the food were phenomenal! Our waiter (John) was so incredibly knowledgeable of the food - down to what the animal diet consisted of - and helped us curate our fantastic meal. We started with the biscuits and thoroughly enjoyed those. Our entrees we opted to split so that we could try several things together. We paired the group with the okra and then round two we paired the indeco pork with the sweet corn ribs. Everything was so flavorful, unique, and delicious. We are so thankful our waiter encouraged us to branch out and try new things! read more

We have been hearing the buzz about Helen for months (even from chefs in Nashville) and have been dying to try it. We were able to get a reservation and have been looking forward to it since the moment we booked it! First, we had the warm angel biscuits with cane syrup butter and my husband had the quail. DIVINE. It is interstellar that they cook and serve the quail with persimmon and long leaf pine needles, since that is their natural habitat. Mains: Me: Crispy Brussels Sprouts and Yukon Gold Potatoes with creme fraiche. Unreal! The Brussels Sprouts are the best I have ever eaten in my life! My husband: 45 days aged New York Strip and Roasted Mushrooms. He was beyond thrilled with his meal. We finished with desserts from Bandit Patisserie, which Helen serves. I had the Apple Cheddar slab pie and my husband had the Chocolate and Peanut Butter tart. Outstanding. The meal was delicious, the decor was superb, and the service rivals that of bigger name restaurants. All in all a fantastic meal, and well worth the wait. As a note, we did have to book a month ahead of time due to half capacity regulations for COVID-19. read more

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From start to finish every item was amazing.. the best comfort food in Birmingham!!! The biscuits are to die for & the chicken taste like it was drenched in bbq sauce without a drip in sight!! The potatoes have a sweet u undertone.... Dessert was a slice of Heaven!!! The House Punch was a sweet refreshing adult drink that was very enjoyable too!! read more

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We loved Helen. We shared a few apps, some sides, and dessert. Everything was delicious, but some standouts: the tomato pie is amazing, the beef tartar, the apple cheddar slab pie was fantastic. We had okra with grits and I still dream about a giant bowl of that in front of a fire on a cool night. The space is beautiful, the staff was kind. All around really excited they're here. read more

Helen - the RBG in the tall glass: obsessed with that tiny clothespin - Southern Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Loved the menu selection, enjoyed attentive servers, and felt comfortable seated at the bar Ambiance allowed for conversation without yelling. read more

So happy to finally visit Helen for a Birthday dinner with some girl friends! Overall, it exceeded my expectations! First, the service was phenomenal throughout the evening. The atmosphere was wonderful and it's much bigger than it seems, since they have 2 floors. This allowed for parties to be very far apart from each other for COVID precautions. In addition to a bar overlooking the kitchen on the first floor, there's also a long bar and small wine cellar on the 2nd floor. Helen reminded me very much of Ford Fry's King and Duke in Atlanta, in the way that you're encouraged to order multiple different menu items for the different categories and share them family-style. We ordered 2 items from the Beginnings group, 4 items from the Vegetable section and 1 item from the Meat section, and is was the perfect amount for 4 girls. Since I usually lean towards a vodka cocktail and there wasn't one on the menu (slightly surprising), I opted for the Working for the Man cocktail with Campesino rum was a great mix of tropical flavors, without being overly sweet and tasting like a tiki drink. They had an extensive wine list and even offer Magnum wine bottles, which would be great for a group. Every menu item that was ordered was great! Each one included very unique ingredients, that put a culinary spin on common menu items. The item that I was most looking forward to trying was the Heirloom Tomato Pie, and unfortunately, for $18, it should have been warm. Other than that, I would order every single thing again, next visit! Finally, they had an efficient, contactless billing system. Our waiter provided each of us with our bill that contained a QR code that we scanned. It took us to the Toast Pay at your Table website that had a suggested (but editable) tip pre-calculated (so no math needed). We scanned our cards and immediately paid! Hoping that more Birmingham restaurants implement this system as well. Will be back to Helen soon! read more

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This was by far one of the best restaurants and bars I have tried in a while, and I travel a lot for work. Alanna was my bartender and was so helpful in helping me pick out my dinner. Their menu is a bit complex, but in a really great and creative way. I loved everything I tried, and they even do half portions if you're eating alone. The craft cocktails are very creative and you can trust the bartender to make what you might like and surprise you. Everything I had was great - I would definitely go again, and I highly recommend it for the solo traveler to enjoy the upstairs bar. The ambience is beautiful, and it was just a really comfortable and enjoyable dining experience. (extra five stars to Karen!!) read more

Food: The food was delicious. They do not have consistant menu items so it never gets boring. The menu is posted on line every day so you can verify there are items you would choose. The servings definitely allow for sharing. Service: on one of my visits with out-of-town guests I was not feeling well. There was no soup on the menu that day and the chef prepared some tasty soup for me. That was going over and beyond. When my visiters return some day I guarantee Helens will be on their list to revisit. Location: Helens is conveniently located within a short walking distance to the Alabama Theater and the Lyric Theater. read more

Everyone knows Helen is THE spot for an amazing dinner, but it's totally underrated as the perfect lunch spot! The burger is to die for, although I could honestly go just for the blue cheese and celery slaw by itself. Sitting at the bar is a treat-- quick and efficient service. May or may not have had an aperol spritz (or two) to wash it down with. Not a bad way to spend a lunch hour! read more

Helen - Southern Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Elevated southern food. I loved every item we ordered for our table. There are several steps to climb if you are seated in the upstairs dining room. The lighting is soft and the decor is casual but elegant. The pheasant print wallpaper was beautiful. The entrees are large and the sides can be shared as well. There were three in our party and we shared each part of our meal. We had the angel biscuits with ham as our starter. Lamb, filet, and short ribs as our entrees. Sides were celery and blue cheese slaw (must get), pinto beans, turnips, and sweet potato. We dressed very casually. We were headed to a fun comedy show afterward and didn't have time to change clothes. Most men had on collared shirts and jackets. Ladies were waring nice dress clothes. I would love to go back and try more items. My steak was a perfect medium rare, the short rib is huge-and fork tender. The lamb was cooked perfectly and very flavorful. One of the best meals I have had out in quite some time. The cost of this meal was $260. We did not have any alcohol or dessert. It was worth every penny. The staff were friendly but not overly attentive. Just the right amount of attention. Great job all around. read more

Helen - Beef filet, sweet potato, celery and blue cheese slaw, pinto beans, short rib. - Southern Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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Best food in Birmingham!! Service was top notch and omg the filet was mouth watering!!!!

A Birmingham must. We enjoyed their lunch service which was beyond pleasant. Our waiter was incredibly friendly and completed our experience. The food was delicious from start to finish with perfect portions. We were a party of 4 and everyone loved their dishes. The vibes inside were very inviting and we had a great experience. I am glad we made reservations as the restaurant seemed busy the entire time we were there. read more

Exquisite meal! I was mostly impressed with the sides and cocktails but everything was impeccable! Waiter was knowledgeable and had great suggestions for pairing wine etc. Highly recommend! read more

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I do not recommend this place. The food was very bland. The warm angel biscuits with the whipped cane butter was the best thing there. The cocktail was good. I was highly disappointed. The one star rating is a result of the biscuits and the cocktail. Otherwise, zero it would have been. If you have health issues with strenuous dietary restrictions, this is the place to go. read more

Always love eating at Helen. Purposely didn't have an appetizer so we had room for dessert. Had the 16oz NY strip medium-rare and it was cooked to perfection, even had a little bark on one of the edges, and sprinkled with light sea salt. Really great flavor as always. I've never had a salad at Helen, but this was simple and delicious. Love the two onion rings and piece of bacon on it. The yukon smashed potato's were a little overcooked, probably won't order them again. Didn't get a pic of dessert but the flourless chocolate cake was scrumptious. The drinks are always on point. read more

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The Helen experience was incredible! The food was wonderful and the service (Fiyard, our server) was impeccable all the way out to curb with the valet gentlemen. The ambiance felt as though we were at a family gathering from the time we walked in to the time valet handed me the keys. If you enjoy an elegant evening out with terrific food in a family setting, I highly recommend Helen. read more

The food at Helen is always wonderful. You must start with the Angel biscuits. Recently, three of us shared GULF REDFISH A LA PLANCHA, THIN CUT VILLARI BROTHERS FARM PORK, 8oz BEAR CREEK FARM COULOTTE, YUKON GOLD POTATOES, SWEET CORN RIBS & SHISHITO PEPPERS. Nothing disappointed. And I must say the redfish was outstanding! The ambiance is modern and casual and very attractive. It can get a bit noisy when the restaurant is busy. read more

Wonder experience. Short rib was amazing and the Angel biscuits were perfect. Very large portions so make sure you're hungry.

Ate dinner during an over-night stay in Birmingham. Helen's was delicious, from the drinks to dinner. Definitely has a modern vibe in the middle of downtown. We arrived a bit early and were seated at the small bar while we waited for our table - cool/creative drinks and we watched the open kitchen, and crew, as they prepared dinners! I ordered light, starting with a fabulous Wedge Salad - only the lettuce was shredded and tossed in a delicious ranch dressing, topped with a strip of meaty bacon and two large onion rings - an interesting presentation and so good! My next , and last, dish was the corn ribs with Shishito peppers. It was all so good. My husband ordered a perfectly grilled $60 filet (some steaks on the menu were as high as $110) with a side of smashed potatoes. We shared his steak. Waiter was professional and attentive without interrupting our dinner. Highly recommend! read more

From the staff to the delicious food, Helen was nothing short of an amazing experience.

We ate at Helen last week. Our server was attentive and did a fine job, but overall we did not receive the calibre of customer service expected or commensurate with the type of restaurant Helen aspires to be. There was an inordinate wait between the starters and our main course. I love the pace of a European meal, but this felt like the kitchen was out of sync with the front of the house. The waiting was exacerbated by the temperature in the restaurant. It had been a very hot day in BHM, with a heat index over 100℉. We were seated upstairs, and the air conditioning was broken, so we basically sweated through the entire meal. Nothing was said to us about it until we brought it up (in obvious discomfort). TBH our concern was sort of shrugged off ("sorry about that"). I'm sorry, but when you are charging the sort of prices they do at Helen, you go out of your way to apologize on the front end, you rent portable a/c units (or at least some fans to get some air moving), etc. If you don't do that and your customers are suffering, then maybe offer to knock something off the bill. Do something... Overall, a very large swing and a miss. The food, while good and well presented, did not blow any of us away. It was a solid B. Overall, the experience did not meet our expectations. As Carmy Berzatto observed, "It's not about the food. It's about the people." read more

Helen is possibly the best restaurant in a loaded food town. Everything I've ever had here is exceptional, and often times a dish will truly blow me away. Would recommend this over anywhere in Bham for a single night. read more

Went here for dinner while on an out of town trip. Had a reservation and they had our table upon arrival. We had heard really good things about Helen, and even though we believed the hype, we were pleasantly surprised! The dirty martini was really savory and perfectly balanced with a little garlic flavor added. Loved that. The angel biscuits were heavenly, their sweet butter was also delicious. For our entree we ordered the filet mignon and the bone in pork chop. Both were excellent in preparation, temperature and flavor. Can't explain how we managed to eat every bite, (the portions are large), it was so good we couldn't stop eating. We also enjoyed the sides, and they also are large portions, they say sides for two. We liked watching the kitchen staff do their thing. If you don't want to see that, ask for a table closer to the front of the entrance. Personally, I like seeing people who are gifted in their craft create something they are proud to serve. The entire staff seem happy to be there and are very good at their jobs. Our server Matthew, was wonderful!! read more

Are you kidding??? Book your reservation NOW !!!! Ask for Jo while you're at it. Simply the best waitress I've had in a while. Feels like family. Her recommendations are fantastic. You have to get the Angel biscuits if you want the best experience. The steak medium rare was perfection, melts in your mouth. I like red blends the best and Jo recommended the Syrah and it was fantastic. Topped of the night with an espresso martini. I am already looking forward to my next visit. read more

Helen - Angel Biscuits - Southern Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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Best Espresso Martini in town and pairs perfectly with their delicious angle biscuits!! read more

Literally the most amazing food in Birmingham! A must visit for all and for sure a return visit many times over for me!!! The staff are the most professional and well trained that I have experienced in awhile! Service was perfect and Knowledgeable!!! While the setting from front to back was an easy elegance. read more

Food was great! Service very friendly and prompt, server knew the menu well. Very quaint old Birmingham vibe. Will be back on next trip to Birmingham. Loved it read more

Really fun place to try! Loved the mulled wine and the chicken had great flavor. Service was great as was the atmosphere. read more

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Food is really good, although personally I am not a huge fan of shareable entrees. Had an issue with a drink once, but overall great experience. Love the building as well. read more

Helen is absolutely outstanding. Everything was incredible - we split the short rib. Ordered the peas in pepper sauce with cornbread, and the sweet corn ribs were unbelievable. Eat them like actual ribs! The warm angel biscuits are great but if you go here, order the tomato pie. You won't regret it! read more

Helen - Tomato Pie. - Southern Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama