For those unfamiliar, the salmon croquette made its way into Southern cooking during the…read moreDepression, when poverty and pellagra were common. The latter, a horrible disease brought on by lack of protein, ran rampant among African Americans whose diets lacked it. In the 1920s, canned salmon could be had for pennies. Add an egg and you'd have enough protein to stave off the disease for a week. The inventive cooks in the Black community found ways to make it delicious, by adding chopped onion and binding it with the salmon liquor from the can and breadcrumbs. Like so many Southern dishes that arose from need, the salmon croquette has kept the spot it earned on the soul food roster. The salmon patty was a reputed favorite of author William Faulkner who was said to enjoy them quite a lot with liquor. (Or with quite a lot of liquor, I'm unsure which.) An excellent salmon patty can be had at Greg's Breakfast Bar. According to the sign on the front door, it's the best in Alabama, and I'll not dispute it. It's what I ordered on this most recent visit and although I've not personally sampled its rivals, it would be hard to imagine a better one. When I was a kid, my own mother--who grew up during the Depression--made them every Tuesday. (Greg's may be better. Sorry, Mom.) There's no liquor served at Greg's, so I had to eat my salmon croquette with coffee. For $10 at Greg's, you too can sample the best salmon croquette in Alabama. Other local faves like Conecuh sausage line the GBB menu. Eggs and grits accompany the breakfast plates, which make up the left half of the menu. Breakfast sandwiches occupy the other half. Greg's is open early (5:30 a.m. if memory serves), and stays open until lunchtime. When my travels take me through Montgomery--as they did last week on a drive from Pensacola to Atlanta--Greg's is a quick detour off of 65 or 85. I timed my drive accordingly. The interior is classic diner, vinyl and stainless . SEC memorabilia and signed player photos decorate the place. Everybody seems to know Greg. The crowd is local. Parking limited. Makes no difference. Park on the street.

Let me tell you something, the way the people waited patiently at the bar I KNEW this place was…read moregonna be EVERYTHING!! I had some Alabama sausage that I can't pronounce that was AMAZING!! Food good, atmosphere authentic and customer service A*

Friendly fast service with several options to choose from on the menu. Fried chicken is the most…read morepopular. Delicious corn muffins and amazing mile high lemon meringue pie.

When we went there in 2021, it was fairly good. The older waitresses oozed the old south charm. And…read morethe food? It was like a good Southern family home cooking place. Now, I don't know what has happened since then, but something did. To begin with, the place always looked "used". It had been there a long time and that's expected but this time the chairs looked badly worn and the carpet was in need of help. But it looked clean over all. The workers were friendly but very busy. They had a teenage boy who seated us who was in need of some grooming. But he was polite, so we let it slide. The waitress was very casual and nice as well. But it looked like this one poor lady was handling the entire side of the place by herself. I can overlook all of the above if the food is good but... To begin with, I ordered the same meal I ate in 2021 and yes, I remembered it! As a turkey lover, I recalled it as a Thanksgiving kind of meal that I enjoyed which was why I ordered it again. It was billed on the menu as: Sliced turkey, stuffing, three sides and cranberry sauce. I could eat Thanksgiving 365! And that first time was like reliving Thanksgiving at Moms. Not this time. Aside from being out of broccoli (which limited the green sides down to green beans and/or collard greens- which I do not like) there was an issue with things not being as presented in the menu. The "stuffing" or "dressing" was a small heap of mushy something. It was thin, watery and bland. Horrible! The "sliced turkey" was fractured white meat of turkey, fractured so much that it seemed to meld into the mushy dressing. The two were undiscernable. And it, too, was bland. There was something they called turkey gravy but it was definitely a canned or otherwise prepackaged gravy: bright yellow in color and gloppy in texture. The mashed potatoes were fine, a little salty but fine, though I am not sure if they were homemade or from mix or what. The "green beans" were not what I had before. Before I had what, at worst, had been frozen green beans, though well-seasoned and cooked through. This time I was given Italian beans from a can that had no flavor to them. And then there was the mac n cheese. The test of a good Mom and Pop place is the M&C and this batch failed. Over cooked elbow macaroni in a non-saucy glob of light orange gunk that tasted like flour and not cheesy at all. If that sounds bad, worse was the pie. They used to serve cake and some damn good cake, too! But we were told today they serve pies. I ordered the lemon meringue. I make lemon meringue pie so I know fully well what one should taste and look like and this was NOT it! The fill looked like leftover banana pudding with the bananas extracted. It wasn't set and the meringue slid off of it. The meringue itself had a wateriness that I couldn't quite figure out but it was lightly toasted on top. The corn muffins were good, though they could have gone without being dunked in butter. Over all, I cannot give this place the report I would have liked to have given a landmark in Montgomery. Its sad, too.

My family and I had a wonderful breakfast at Chappy's this morning! Our waiter was very attentive…read moreand incredibly fast which was great because we were in town for my cousin-in-law's Air Force graduation! The breakfast was delicious--my Mom and I both got breakfast bowls and my Dad got eggs, toast, and hashbrowns. The ambiance was great as well, they even had a small fishtank near where we were seated! As a certified animal lover, I felt this was a very fun touch. We will definitely be returning, perhaps for lunch to try some of their amazing sandwiches!

I have been a loyal customer of Chappy's Deli for decades. I first fell in love with this…read morerestaurant as a teenager and continued supporting it throughout my college years and beyond. Because of that history, it is disappointing to say that my most recent experience left me seriously questioning whether I will continue to patronize this establishment. When placing a large catering order and spending a substantial amount of money, I expected to be treated as a valued customer. Instead, the attitude from management made me feel more like a nuisance than someone supporting their business. Customer service should reflect appreciation for patrons, especially those making significant purchases and returning year after year. The food may still be good, but great food alone does not make for a great customer experience. Respect, professionalism, and gratitude toward customers matter just as much. Long-time customers should never leave feeling as though their business is an inconvenience. It is unfortunate because I have many fond memories associated with Chappy's Deli, but experiences like this make it difficult to justify continuing to spend my hard-earned money where it does not seem to be appreciated.

I'm a court reporter who travels a lot to cover depositions. Recently, I had to go to Columbus, GA…read morefrom Nashville and wanted to avoid both Atlanta (traffic nightmare) and Hwy 280 (hateful red lights) so I went through Montgomery, AL. And holy crap, am I glad I went through at lunch time and chose this place to eat!!! The cafe is easy to get to and has plenty of parking- the interior is not flashy or modern, but it is comfortable and homey. And honestly, after eating the food, I wouldn't care if they were in a tent, as long as they brought me this amazing food!! Their menu changes weekly- there are a few meats and vegetables that you can get everyday, and then there's a different selection for each day- which makes me wish I lived closer so I could eat here every freaking day. You can find the current menu on their Facebook page! If you go here though, and do NOT get the fried chicken, then you are seriously doing yourself a disservice. It. Is. Delicious. And as a lifelong southerner, I've eaten a butt load of fried chicken. This is some of the best I've ever had. The mashed potatoes, Lima beans, creamed corn and fried green tomatoes were all awesome as well- seasoned perfectly, were homemade and fresh. Seriously, after my first couple of bites, I had to just close my eyes and do my happy food dance. And the CORNBREAD!!! In true southern fashion, it is NOT sweet, thank god, and is cooked in a muffin form, which usually means that the cornbread is dry. I almost didn't taste it- I wish I hadn't, because this cornbread haunts me. It was light, delicate, savory and (I hate this word) moist. It was the perfect cornbread. They have also perfected sweet tea- I wish I could have gotten a gallon to take home. The women who were working the days I went (twice in six days!) were super sweet, quick and efficient, attentive without hovering- they're really awesome. They all work together and it seems like a well oiled machine. The prices are ridiculous for as much food as you get- a meat and three plus tea for $13.00?? I'd pay way more- but I appreciate not having to go over my allotted per diem for lunch! If you're in Montgomery between the hours of 11-2pm, and you're hungry- do yourself a favor and go to Gail's, tell the girls you're hungry, and eat what they bring you- because it's going to be delicious and your tummy will be very happy.

People are friendly, food is good fish great …read more.. Xxxxxxxxxxccxxxxxxxx c c c. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Dxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The service was really nice, everybody welcomed us and was very polite. The place was clean and…read morethey had already started decorating for Christmas. The food for me could've been better, the only thing I'd say I enjoyed was the fried chicken, I would rate the fried chicken a 6/10 and so everything else was below that.

Food is good. Along the same quality of Martins, Martha's or Sommers for meat and two/three plates…read more A little pricey Service was ok for a cafeteria setting. Not a great selection on the buffet but adequate. Probably not worth the drive to downtown but it was a nice change from east Montgomery.

I booked a private graduation dinner at Central in the Cellar room. I contacted the restaurant only…read morea couple of days in advance and they were able to put together a great event for me. Everyone loved the gorgeous space and food. I especially loved the private bathrooms and seating areas. The staff was very kind. They printed and set up name cards for me before arrival. Communication prior was great. Everything went well and we had a great time. With the added bartender and outside dessert fee, the total was roughly $105/person for 18 people. This included the pimento cheese board, wedge salad, entree, and small dessert. It is a tiny bit pricey for the size of the entrees, but was worth it for the private space, service, and quality.

Central is a nicer restaurant in downtown Montgomery. I came here with colleagues. It is a nicer…read moreplace, but it's fairly chatty and loud inside. The service was great and the food came out without too much of a wait given the size of our group. Our waiter was also very thorough and helpful. I got the Cauliflower Steak and an espresso martini. The martini was excellent, but the cauliflower steak was just fine. I am vegetarian and they didn't have a ton of veggie options, but it's also not exactly what they are trying to cater to.

This place is wild in so many ways. I would have never pictured a place like this existing in…read moresouthern Alabama, yet here it is, thriving and expanding. Allow me to explain. It defies all logic of concept. It's not a restaurant, but it is. It's not a grocery store, but is.... It's not a liquor store, but... It's such an interesting evolution of business man. You could never just start something like this. It's just been percolating for a good while and just evolving along the way. They now are in the whole building they lease as the concept has grown. I love to see a family business evolve and grow! It's call Derk's Filet and Vine. I was thinking steakhouse when I heard we were going here. It is a butcher shop (slash) wine and beer store (slash) grocery store (slash) caterer (slash) that happens to also sell a wildly popular Meat and Three Caferteria Style lunch that lines up people sometimes in the hundreds. Insanity. My reasons for being here are even more insane to be honest. Nonetheless, I am so glad to have had the opportunity to see this place while I am still alive. The folks working here are fantastic! Super helpful and friendly. I dig some AL hospitality! I had never been to Montgomery before. My lunch was too freaking notch!! Yum. Yum! I'll be back. It's in the stars. Written well before you or I were around or awake to realize. Can't wait to eat some fried chicken next time!! '26 - 33

First time here and is reminiscent of a bygone era. Can tell there's lots of regulars that come…read morehere, and the staff was friendly and helpful. Word to the wise - don't come after 1 and expect a full selection of food. At that point, you'll have to pick from whatever is left, but it will be affordable and tasty.

My wife and I were passing through Montgomery, when we decided we were hungry. My wife did two…read moredifferent AI restaurant searches and Martha's Place came up on both searches, as highly recommended and one of the best-known country cooking / soul food spots in Montgomery. Martha's Place it is... Upon arrival, Martha's place looked very upscale. Very nice building and many Mercedes and Cadillacs were parked out front. We started to wonder if we'd wandered into some rich neighborhood where the prices would be sky high! We walked in and a young lady greeted us and told us that lunch was $14 including a drink. GREAT! Everyone in the restaurant was amiable and helpful. (Staff and customers). We went to the buffet and loaded our plates with beautifully fried chicken and meatloaf for our proteins. For our sides we had collards, mashed potatoes, black eyed peas a couple of pieces of cornbread and some banana pudding for dessert. Then, the first weird thing happened. As we took our seats, the waiter that helped us get seated, told us that they only had one fork and one knife. We assumed he meant he would go back to the kitchen (or the dishwasher, or wherever) and get us another set. Meanwhile, the food looked SO GOOD, we immediately began sharing the fork and taking turns. MAN! THIS FOOD WAS GREAT! After a couple of minutes, we noticed the second weird thing... we were the only two white folks in the entire, crowded restaurant. And there were LOTS OF PEOPLE. They also do a huge to go business, so, the buffet station stays pretty busy with people coming and going. But, during the entire time we were there, there was not a single non-black customer in the house, except us. Not an employee. Not a customer. Not even a to go customer, just passing through - NOBODY. After about 5 or 6 minutes of taking turns with the fork, we decided our server must've forgotten about us. So, my wife went and asked and was informed they still didn't have any forks. (No. We were not being singled out, as my wife heard them tell another customer the same thing.) My wife asked if they had some plastic utensils, used for to go orders. They were able to oblige. Back to the food... The fried chicken was as good as any I've ever had and much better than any I've had in recent memory. The vegetables were also seasoned and prepared as good as any I've ever had - in a restaurant OR at home. The cornbread didn't have real corn in it, (like I prefer) but it was still some KILLER CORNBREAD. And the nanner puddin' was off the charts. I REALLY WANT some more of that nanner puddin'!! The staff were friendly and helpful and I have no idea why we were the only white folks in attendance. Maybe it was just a weird coincidence. But, I'll tell you this. The nice people at this restaurant KNOW HOW TO COOK. And I highly recommend this restaurant to ANYBODY -- No matter what color you are! My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience and we look forward to dining there again, the next time we pass through Montgomery. Go here. You won't get a better country meal - anywhere. P.S. You might want to bring a fork.

Amazing food and great service! Second time eating here and I will be stopping anytime I come…read morethrough Montgomery.