I really enjoyed Ragtime Cafe. It's a cozy nook! Very popular on Friday nights-the servers seem to know the regulars by name. Good family spot, but get there early if you plan on bringing a group larger than 2-3. The long island iced tea is hands down the best in town! this might actually be the first time I've had one in about a year, but please believe, I'll be back looking for another round. Even though my drink was so amazingly good, my meal was not that outstanding(which is why I withheld a star). I ordered the steak burger...wrong menu item! Its never good to settle for something else that you'd rather have. Nonetheless, I had back up with my husbands yummy cajun pasta(kinda salty after while though), and the showstopper.....buffalo chicken fingers on the appetizer menu. Next time, I'll be good with a bowl of those and a side of fries- true american dish! Priced just right and a casual night out. you're welcome & enjoy! don't worry, be HAPPY! read more

Called at 8:15 to place a pick-up order; they said they "were closed" and they "close according to the crowd" (yet I heard a lot of background chatter going on over the phone)! Their website says they close at 9:30 (and Yelp says 10:00). I wish I could run my business like that! read more

I've lived near Ragtime for nearly two years and have frequented the place too many times to count. That said, I've got a lot of great things to say... First, they have really good drink specials, and on FRIDAY that have ALL DRINK SPECIALS at once! You can get a nice bottle of white wine served to you on ice, for less than the $10 special at the grocery store. Second, day or night, the outside eating area has great ambiance, especially if on a date. I'd recommend waiting at the bar until an outside table becomes available if you're trying to impress a special someone. In addition, Thursday nights have live music, and it's usually very good music at that. Now to the star attraction, the food... Daytime Menu: When I first started coming my favorite items where the Buffalo Wings and Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. The wings are especially large and juicy, and come with some of the best ranch in town. You can wash it down with a $7 pitcher of Mich Ultra. Always ask about the soup of the day. If it sounds like your kind of thing, I can almost guarantee its amazing regardless of which one they have that day. Chicken Tortilla...mhmmm... Their Italian dishes are extremely flavorful, and my personal favorite is the Chicken Alfredo. It's got bacon, feta, artichokes, red peppers and huge pieces of grilled chicken almost always perfectly cooked . I will warn that this can be a bit heavy, and if you prefer a lighter(perhaps more traditional Italian dish) it could be too much. If you're like me however, and find Italian dishes at most restaurants on the bland side, or if you don't even like Italian food, it may be one of the best dishes on the menu. Their salads are also really good, mainly because it seems all their dressings are made in house. They do come with a lot more toppings than usual, so you may want to take off some if you like a simpler salad. Garden and Caesar highly recommended! Nighttime Menu: They also have a special menu for nighttime which turns this place into a 4-star fine gourmet cuisine experience. Okay...maybe not fine dining(it's still pretty relaxed), but the food taste and quality is certainly exceptional. Personal favorites include the 12oz Ribeye w/White Wine Cream Sauce. The sauce comes in a cup for you to dip the steak to your heart's content. The steak is excellent without the sauce, but if you're a saucy person then be prepared for the ultimate flavor experience. The Crusted Tilapia w/Cream Sauce is also excellent, and a great value. Most fish dishes can be order with Red Fish, Grouper, and a few other fish varieties as well. If their's any valid concern, than it's that these dishes are a little pricey $20-30. But as a cook myself, you're getting every bit of what you're paying for and more. You wouldn't get a better dish for $60-80 in a big city. Finally, if by some epic feat you saved room, end with the Banana Pudding. Then come back next week, and try something else! PS - Outside area is dog friendly! read more

The worst service I have ever experienced. Good quality is average but service is horrible. Bartenders interested in somebody at bar and is ignoring all customer except him. read more

I have been here twice so far and both times I have had a great experience. I have had their countryish specials with meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and peas. The meatloaf was great, very flavorful hot and tasty. the vegetables were well seasoned and still preserved the raw vegetable taste. The next time I had the cajun shrimp pasta in cream sauce which was also done very well. So far they have been spot on with everything. The staff are quick and friendly. The specials usually hover around $9 to $12. Good job guys. read more

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Good and LOUD The food here is actually pretty good. The service is average but slow. The real negative at this place is it's so very loud when the place is crowded. We went on a Friday night...place was packed (it is a small place)....and could not remotely carry on a conversion across a 4-top table. If you're not interested in having a conversation, this place might be OK for you.....but nothing special. read more

Love, love, love Ragtime! Lived right by there while our house was being built and are there quite a bit and always had a great experience. The staff always knew my name and knew what I loved. The food and service is excellent! Just moved into our new house so not as close anymore and really miss not being able to eat there all the time. But the food is worth taking the 30 minute drive to pick up or eat there. read more

Ragtime Cafe is awesome! We eat there almost every week. I don't know of another casual service restaurant like this. The variety on the menu is unmatched and everything is delicious! You can order anything from a salad, wings, queso dip, pizza, burgers, bacon cheddar grilled chicken sandwich (hold the bun - add avocado - my favorite), pasta, to fresh Gulf of Mexico seafood and it is all great! The waitstaff is friendly and attentive. The bar service is equal to the food. Go ahead and be assured your experience and food will be well worth the very reasonable prices! read more

Slow service today!!! Food was average & the location doesn't look clean anymore. I usually enjoy this place but my food came out lukewarm & the server wasn't available to assist us because she was waiting on customers outside. Poor management decisions. read more

I have been coming to Ragtime Cafe since the late 90s, and the food has always been amazing with friendly staff. I had such a great experience today that I had to leave a review! I've lived out of state for several years, but anytime I visit family in Birmingham, Ragtime Cafe is a guaranteed stop on each trip because of the delicious food. Due to some scheduling issues, I wasn't able to eat at Ragtime Cafe during "dinner time" this week when they typically serve their dinner menu. I had to come during lunch time and hope that I would be able to get the delicious filet and twice baked potato that I love! Despite the fact that they normally don't serve dinner options at lunch time, after I explained my situation to our server, Brihanna, she was able to work with the kitchen and we were able to be served off of the dinner menu during lunch time. Now that is what I call top notch service! I was so blown away and very, very happy! Thank you so much for an amazing experience. I will always be coming back to Ragtime Cafe! read more

This last minute dinner destination was courtesy of my aunt not being able to decide what she was really craving. I had noticed this place multiple times on my way to work and it was almost always packed. I decided on the blue cheese burger while my aunt chose the chicken alfredo. My burger: cooked to a perfect medium rare but not anything spectacular. On the other hand my aunt's pasta was absolutely perfect. It was honestly the best I've ever had. I would definitely still recommend this place and give props for the wide range of choices, atmosphere, and service. read more

Ragtime Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Hoover, Alabama

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The blackened Tilapia fish tacos were good and hot. Definitely add the sauce to them that comes on the side, fantastic. Sweet Tea was good. Do not order the Ragtime queso it is disgusting. I asked for some salsa instead and it was like they poured it out of a can. I think it is the worst salsa I have ever tasted in my life. Key Lime pie was homemade, but it was lacking something making it really good. It was decent though. Service was decent, at first she seemed unhappy, but then she warmed up. Drinks were kept full. Not a lot of into on menu items, but maybe different on a different day. I always make sure to be as polite as possible at restaurants, because I know it is hard work and people are sometimes too picky when they walk in and sit at a table. Service got better the longer we were there. read more

Ragtime ALWAYS hits the spot! We eat here at leastttt once a week. We typically get it to-go. The service is always good. More so, the food is ALWAYS good. It's such a hidden gem that I almost want to keep it a secret, but I won't be that greedy. We love Ragtime and are so thankful we live so close. Keep up the good work, guys! read more

We arrived later in the evening but well before closing time. The hostess seemed annoyed that we were there. But the bartender was our server and he was pleasant. Just ordered a cheese burger and fries. Meal was average, but the beer was cold. read more

Terribly loud ! Not music, but extremely loud conversation from other diners. Could not talk to each other as the acoustics are horrible! Ruined my lunch. Try some place else for lunch if you indeed enjoy conversation. Food is okay - staff understanding and courteous. read more

This is one of those gems that will become your go-to. The place that when you go to other cities, you will look for places like it. The food is constantly good, and the wings are literally some of the best I've had in Birmingham. It's a little loud, and it can get really busy, but service is good, and it's busy bc it's good. read more

Passing thru Birmingham for the night wife and I went to eat here at Ragtime. Wife got a a cup of seafood gumbo and I got a cup of the red bean and rice. The seafood gumbo was very good and tasted a lot of crab. The red beans were very good and had pieces of andouille sausage. The wife got tenderloin and oyster salad and I got the mushrooms, grilled onions, and Swiss cheese steak burger. Both dishes were very delicious. Would definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

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Really good food. The ribeye sandwich and the muffuletta is amazing. Haven't had drinks there...oh and the po-boys are A1

Ragtime is just what you want from a local restaurant/bar. It stays under the radar, but it is never empty. While you never hear much praise for it, the food, service and drinks are always solid. The main menu, at first glance, looks like any other bar menu (burgers, wings and sandwiches) but there are a few gems that really stand out. Their chicken Alfredo is unlike any other I've tried. Penne instead of fettuccini, huge price of grilled chicken, artichoke hearts, and feta cheese really make this dish stand out! It is one of my comfort food staples. Their chicken fingers are massive with a really tasty batter. They also have a daily special sheet that adds a whole new menu worth of choices, some a bit more upscale than you would expect. Add to it drink specials like half off wine bottle Wednesday and you have the perfect after work dinner spot! read more

The seafood tasted odd, but it wasn't until afterward when I vomited and then passed out that there may have been a real problem with the food I had ordered. Rather than talk to me about it when I called after being released from the hospital, the hostess instantly got angry and said they never serve bad food and that any time anyone says they do serve bad food it is a lie. I had only called to see if I could figure out if I had some allergy from an ingredient or if something had happened outside, but she refused to discuss. I always cater to small local business and try to really support them. It was made clear to me today that they just hide it when things go wrong - she was so quick to be defensive and angry that it made me think that Ragtime must really have problems to hide. I had no idea. read more

It's an old secret spot that isn't a secret anymore. Seafood is always awesome at an unreal price for what you get. Drinks and apps is the ticket! read more

This place has a cool neighborhood feel to it. The food is very basic but good and there are a lot of options. They seem to always be busy and I see why. I would definitely go back. read more

Vy was the best server I have ever had at ragtime friendly nice and put me on a new drink please ask for her she is the best and the grouper is the best also so please ask for her she will take care of you I promise 5stars . read more

Love! Love! Love! Love! Me some Ragtime Cafe. The best place to eat lunch and dinner. Every visit is the same good food. It just doesn't take a lot words to sum how up how I feel about the place. LOVE IT!!!!!! read more

This is the first time I have ever written a negative review on yelp, being in the service industry I know how annoying people can be with wanting everything perfect when they come to eat. But I just encountered the RUDEST customer service here at ragtime. Stood at the hostess stand first in line & (for about 10 min) their hostess did not greet nor attempt to sit us, yet not only greeted but got the people behind us names & then when a table was ready sat them & just then we only got a "how are you" nothing more... no excuses to this. It was obvious (because of how small) that we were in the line before anyone. I was excited to try this cafe because the menu looked very diverse but I don't tolerate bad customer service and I will never be back here. read more

Looks like you're typical strip mall restaurant from the outside. We were traveling and looked up restaurants. Found good reviews on Yelp so, we stopped in. I got the shrimp and avacado salad and an order of pretzels. Delicious! Friendly atmosphere. Folks were lined up waiting for seats. If I get a chance, I will make it a destination. read more

This is my favorite place to eat. I work close by and eat here for lunch just about everyday. My husband I will also stop in for some adult beverages on the weekends. The food is fantastic! I've never had a complaint about anything. The owner is very friendly and professional. Almost everyone that works there is awesome! If you haven't been there you should definitely try it. read more

I grew up here in Alabama and worked at River Oaks Bike Shop circa 1984-1987. Every year we would use them to cater a big Christmas party at the shop for customers and friends. My friend Greg had a band and played there at the time. I have come here a few times since returning to Bham after living away for 30 years. Service was slow and when our burgers came? Served on stale-cold brioche buns. I took the top part off after a few bites and told the server to go back and try to eat one. When he came back for the tab, I asked him if he did and he said he did not. I told him that's ok I will post on Yelp. The cook/owner came out and said his toaster was broken. There is a bed bath and beyond, Walmart less than a mile from them. He started offering gift cards, but I didn't want one. I wanted a good burger and it was not that. I guess I will explain the fries too. They are frozen crinkles with what seems to be the Milos shake seasoning on them, which back in the eighties was ground breaking but now? A restaurant should be serving fresh cut fries. $54.00 for 2 stale buns, frozen fries and 3 beers. I'm not a chain guy, but I had to stop at stupid O'Charley's in Anniston Alabama and they had this hands down. read more

Nice surprise dining at Ragtime Cafe tonight! Love the patio dining with fans keeping it cool. Super friendly clientele and servers. Food was exactly what you would expect and beyond. After all, it is a strip mall! Excellent job on the grilled grouper. Truly could not ask for better value and the service extended to our dog; unparalleled!! We will return with puppy in tow. read more

Speechless. As a world traveler and a foodie, I am blown away that this goldmine is in Alabama. I would have paid $100 for the entrée I got (blackened grouper with shrimp and crab topping). It cost FAR less than that... I'm here on biz, and there's way more people here than I have seen at any of the local bars. The Long Island tea is unbelievably delicious and potent too. In a major city this would be a reservation only hotspot.... in Alabama, it's like an oasis that turns out to be a water park. read more

I had the opportunity to have lunch with my wife today, she and her co-worker suggested I grab take out from Ragtime. Never a bad choice.. so I agreed. I called in the order waited 15 minutes or so and went to pick it up. Apparently take-out at Ragtime is BIG business. I called at 11:00 on the dot/ opening time and I was one of several patrons waiting for a pick up orders upon my arrival. The in house operation was pretty hopping as well around 11.15 this afternoon the patio was rapidly approaching capacity and the dining area was a few parties away from standing room only. The young woman behind the bar never stopped moving the entire time I was there. She handled a constantly ringing phone, take-out patrons, diners eating at the bar as well as I imagine one could manage that number of people at one time. It was impressive to watch. I glanced around a small bar area and noticed roughly 12-14 taps with offerings of Guinness, Abita, Cahaba Brewing and various other plus a full bar with daily specials. The bar has always enjoyed a steady group of regulars and it's easy to see why with the caliber of service I witnessed today. On to the food. My wife had the Ragtime Wedge minus onion and an order of regular wings with bleu cheese. The wedge ranked up there with the best wedge salads she's had with blue cheese crumbles and bacon. I managed to steal one wing when she wasn't looking. The wings were steaming hot, crispy, aptly sauced large buffalo wings. She ordered regular which is medium / a little mild for my taste but with very good flavor... top 10 wings in Birmingham caliber with in house made chunky bleu cheese dressing. My wife's co-worker had the Mediterranean salad- this was our first meeting so I didn't ask for a bite.. I kind of wanted to though... it looked great... lots of chopped chicken, olives, onions, feta, penne pasta and a house vinaigrette. She said it was wonderful. At the recommendation of the ever moving bartender who took my order over the phone I opted for the Pimento Cheese Burger. Do you remember when you could order a burger cooked the way you want? Yea that's still happening at Ragtime. I happily ordered the burger medium and expected well done. What I received was far beyond my expectations. The burger was cooked perfectly the thick hand pattied burger was blanketed in thick crisp bacon and topped with griddled golden delicious pimento cheese. This was the best burger I've had in quite some time. I may dream about that burger tonight. It was that good. I haven't dined at Ragtime in some time. I usually grabbing something from there on occasion. I'm now rating this establishment as a take-out place as I've utilized it. There is no comparison. All of the food was freshly prepared. All of the orders were correct. I ordered extra bleu cheese for my wife's wings and guess what it was in there. There is a reason the parking lots is always packed and they generate so much take-out business. I hereby rescind my prior review for a review commensurate with the quality and service I received. I defy you to find a better take-out operation in town offering this level of quality and diversity in its menu, while providing friendly, efficient and prompt service. read more

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Patio on the outside and great music playing. Seared crab cakes were very good and fell apart on the plate to dip in the sauce. They had a crab stuffed tilapia in Chardonnay cream sauce...it was heaven. I am not usually fan of cream sauce but this was excellent. read more

Stopped in for the first time in a few years, since I moved out of state. Looking for a nice dinner, trying to avoid chains, and I remembered how much we liked Ragtime. This was on a Monday night and while I was surprised at how light the crowd was, I wrote it off to being both a Monday evening and President's Day. The decor had not changed in the time I was away, other than fabric panels replacing the smoke eaters in the dining room ceiling. Back in the day this was THE PLACE but with the light crowd, the dated decor, and bathrooms in need of an update, it's not the place I remember. So, there were high point and low points. Highs: My steak was outstanding. I'd put it up against the best steakhouse in town, it was that good. Also our fried grouper and oyster basket appetizer was very good and it appeared the others at my table that ordered the twice baked potato really enjoyed that. Others in our party ordered crab cakes. I was suspicious of them due to the low price. I believe it was $16 for two crab cakes with two sides and a salad. I live in Maryland and that price point encouraged me to believe they were "crab" cakes. I tried them and they were not to my taste, lots of filling, red pepper, and very fine crab, not lump. The others at my table, however, really enjoyed them and there was certainly nothing wrong with them, just not my cup of tea. Unfortunately, the lows were a mix of poor service and personal preferences. The personal preference issue was something I noticed the moment I walked in, the 55 gallon iced tea and water glasses. This used to be a really nice cafe but nothing screams country meat and three like massive plastic water/tea cups emblazoned with a Coca-Cola logo partially obscured by the thousands of wash cycles these cups have endured. It's just not the dining experience I'm looking for. We almost left before we were seated but the host handed us the menu and the evenings specials. There is a distinct disconnect between the two. The regular menu looks, and reads, like a diner. Burgers, pizza, etc. The specials were heavily centered around grouper and offered some outstanding sounding choices. Kind of a weird dichotomy. We ordered a few beers, some nice craft options were available, and a basket of crab claws. Back when we lived in the area, we stopped by at least every couple of weeks for a basket of these claws and a couple of beers. We tell people about them to this day as they are the absolute best we've ever had, anywhere. So of course, this evening, they were out of them. Maybe they didn't get their shipment due to President's day, I don't know, no explanation was offered, but I was very disappointed. We proceeded with ordering, three entrees, and within a reasonable amount of conversation, our food was delivered. My steak was a rib eye with portobello mushrooms. Fries were not one of the listed sides but the waitress graciously offered to substitute them upon request. The steak was delivered with a huge pile of crinkle cut frozen fries. I would have preferred fresh cut or at least steak fries. It was also served with a bowl of an au jus type sauce that tasted of mushroom soup. The steak was cooked to the perfect temperature and the seasoning was outstanding with a touch of wood smoke to the flavor. A few minutes into our meal the waitress brought another bowl over and set it in front of me saying "the cook said this was suppose to come with your dinner." It was a bowl of sauteed mushrooms that was left off of my plate. I suppose the intention was for them to be served on top of the steak and it was forgotten. I dumped them over the remaining meat and they were quite flavorful. It was about that time, about half way through our meal, that a member of our party remembered that we were suppose to have salads with our dinner. I called the waitress over and asked about the salads, she, of course, got an "oh crap" look and said she would get them right away. I said please don't, we were half way through our meals already and would she please just put them in individual go-boxes and we'd take them home. I know it's been a while since I visited Ragtime, but as I recall, back in the day, there were two owners, maybe they were brothers, and one of them was there pretty much all the time. Service back then was outstanding, the energy level of the place was always high, and the place was always packed. I don't know if they still own it or not, I know neither of them were around, and the place has really suffered. Sorry for the long review but I would love to see this place return to its former glory. The folks I took to dinner this particular evening live in the area, had never been there, and while they enjoyed the food, the other letdowns won't really encourage them to come back. It probably was less than the three star review I've given it this particular evening but I just can't bring myself to go lower. read more

Great lunch spot. Had the ribeye sandwich with the chicken gumbo. Ribeye was cooked perfect and tasted amazing. Will be back for sure.

We enjoyed our meal at this place, though it was something of a mixed bag. We were passing through en route to a concert, and having fond memories of eating here when visiting Birmingham in the 90s, I convinced my wife to give it a try. It was a Saturday night, and the place was busy, but we were seated promptly. The server was very friendly, though he did not approach until after we had waited at the table for 15 minutes. Drinks were served, and we then waited another 10 minutes to order. The server was very charming, but he didn't write anything down, and it ended up that he didn't bring us the food that we ordered. Thankfully, much of what we had was good, particularly the appetizers. The ragtime shrimp was very good (a southeastern BBQ shrimp variant), the fried mozzarella sticks (which we didn't order) were, hands-down, the best that I have tasted. They were massive, the cheese was flavorful, and the consistency was perfect (crispy outside, ooey-gooey inside).and the wings (which we did order) were also very good. They had a good flavor, fried with no batter/breading in what I have come to think of as the "Buffalo Tradition" with a sauce that seemed to be mostly butter and hotsauce. I ordered a basic cheeseburger, but was brought a different sort of burger (one with pimento cheese and bacon) and it was about average for a bar and grill burger, other than it was cold when it arrived to the table. The onion rings were lightly battered (almost a tempura-style). Unfortunately, they were served limp, greasy, and cold. My wife enjoyed her fish tacos, but said they were no better than fish tacos any place else. At the end, the check matched neither what we ordered nor what we received, but appeared close enough. This may have been a case of a poor-performing server dampening the experience, but I was disappointed. I may give the place another chance if I pass through again, for the shrimp, the cheese sticks, and the wings. read more

Staying at a hotel next door for the night and decided to get dinner her because it was right next door and so glad we did! Delicious food, great service, loved the "homey" feel to it. Highly recommended read more

The food and service at Ragtime Cafe have been consistent. We enjoy our visit there every time.

Terrible food, terrible service. Pizza was edible and nothing more, shrimp tasted like someone microwaved it - no flavor and awful texture. Drinks were a mess - one tasted like Vick's cough syrup on the rocks, the other did a good impression of rubbing alcohol with a twist of lime. Didn't know it was even possible to mess up a gin and tonic. We sat on the "outdoor patio", which turned out to be the strip of concrete between the entrance to the restaurant and the parking lot where all the smokers go to light up. Seriously, cars were pulling up and parking 10" away from our table. Haha good one guys... Guess we can't blame you for trying to use every available inch of space! I was baffled by the good reviews that brought us here - maybe it's the fact that it's something of a local watering hole "where everybody knows your name" that accounts for the enthusiastic applauding of the underwhelming fare. Incidentally, we are not glad we came. read more

I had a work trip outside of Birmingham and there were very few places to go for dinner that don't include chains and fast food. They had the usual local Mexican and Chinese but I wanted something more local! Lol! I prayed I could find something else... so I looked up Yelp and found a Cajun cafe. It turned out to be much better than I was expecting!!! I might go again tomorrow and order the muffuletta for lunch! I ordered the steamed shrimp app and it came with fantastic clarified butter and cocktail sauce. The shrimp were very big, juicy and well seasoned! For an entree I had the blackened fish tacos and they were lovely....enjoyed all the toppings that were included: spicy pico de gallo, guacamole and a Cajun remoulade. I tried the fish by itself and it was good! My friend ordered the wings and they were ok. My mind wasn't blown, but it hit the spot. They had homemade cheesecakes, but I passed...now I regret it! I should've ordered them!!! Next time I won't make the same mistake! read more

Great food, this place would be more popular if not for all the 60 year old white guys who take up space at the bar and on the patio & all argue with each other about sports, politics & religion. read more