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    Saw's Soul Kitchen

    4.4 (1.1k reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

    Order Saw's Soul Kitchen Takeout or Delivery

    Saw's Soul Kitchen Photos

    SAW'S SOUL KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - Saw's Soul Kitchen

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    Amanda D.

    Delicious pulled pork sandwich topped with cole slaw and pickles! Fried pickles with a yummy white sauce. No ac but food was quick and we were able to get in and out. The gentleman bussing tables was very nice.

    CATFISH N' GREENS: greens over mcewen & sons cheese grits topped w/ fried catfish, red sauce and onion rings
    Bradley C.

    Introduced some out of town friends to this little treasure a few months ago. Now we have to meet up there for a meal with each new visit. Everyone in the group agreed the Fried Green Tomatoes were the best they ever tasted. Honestly I have to say every menu item I've tried over the years has been delicious. A little mix up occurred with our order. However the professional staff was as quick to remedy the issue with a smile. Plenty of indoor or outdoor seating options available. Cozy little atmosphere to compliment the dining experience.

    Smoked chicken plate with greens and grits.
    Jay T.

    One of the absolute worst meals I've ever had. 1) they had ONE beer on tap and zero cans. What even happened? I ordered a soda. 2) the "smoked" chicken had zero flavor and was BONE DRY! They smothered it with white sauce in an attempt to make it edible but no- it was still awful. (And I hate white sauce) 3) the grits tasted like water. Seriously- they didn't taste of corn or cheese or butter or ANYTHING except... well, water. They were a jellied mess of yellow with zero flavor. Did they even add salt? I've always loved Saw's, but this was absolutely one of the worst meals I've ever had. It's hard to believe how bad it could get. What happened?!?!

    BBQ Fries  BBQ Pork Sandwich (Pulled Pork Sandwich)
    Adreanna W.

    Great customer very welcoming! Different style decor ! Food was freshly cooked! Cole Slaw Vinegar Based 5/10 Baked Beans 6/10 Pulled Pork Sandwich 9/10 Lemonade 9/10

    Tiffany E.

    You know those old BBQ joints that have been around so long that they don't even have a/c? That's here. But man oh man, their food is AMAZING! Literally every single thing we've ever had here has been amazing. When we tell people we were In Birmingham, they immediately ask if we went to Saw's. From their tasty pulled chicken sandwiches, fried corn on the cob, pulled pork to their fries- be ready to eat. You're not going to leave hungry from here! If you're looking for old fashioned AL BBQ, you've found it here!

    Pork and Greens
    Stephanie C.

    Incredible meal! Pork and greens were fantastic!! There were so many other things on the menu I wanted to try, but since I'm traveling thru I can only hope to have another opportunity to visit again!

    Pork and Greens

    I had the pork and greens. It was amazing. I had my greens on the side because I'm picky about how they are seasoned. These were perfect.

    Combo plate with sausage and chicken
    Nikita G.

    Wow, the food at Saw's is incredible. Still dreaming about the banana pudding (demolished in just a few bites). We ordered a few plates and a fried chicken sandwich - everything was delicious. Tons of seating, very low key, chill.

    I had to pull a screenshot from Google Maps just to show how much of a dive this place truly is!
    Matt M.

    You know a place is special when you still crave a dish 10 years later. Ten years?! Crazy. SAW's. Man, what can I say about this place that hasn't already been said? All I know is that when I think back to my short time living in Alabama, SAW's Soul Kitchen is one of my top memories. I wanted to taste the best the South had to offer, and my research led me to SAW's. And, wow, am I glad I went! Sadly, I only went once. I planned on going more, but I also planned to live in Alabama more than 3 years. I will return, one day! But that singular visit was literally life-changing. I have heard people say things like that about food. Really!? Aren't you being a little overly dramatic? But, here I sit, dreaming of a dish I experienced a decade ago. Recently, I read a review for this joint in West Virginia called Von Blaze where the reviewer mentioned a dish called "greens and grits" with cheese polenta, greens, sausage, and a runny egg. You know those movie scenes where the character has a flashback and the camera almost zooms into their brain as they remember a pivotal moment in their life? Well, that is what happened to me as I read the Von Blaze review. I was instantly transported back 10 years ago to this little dive (seriously, DIVE in every way!) when I ordered the craziest thing I saw on the menu: Pork N' Greens. (And the heavens were parted, and a chorus of angels rang out for all to hear: Hallelujah) A plate of cheese grits covered in greens that must have been stewing for days covered in the best pulled pork you've ever tasted covered in onion rings covered in red sauce. It just doesn't end! It sounds crazy. It looks crazy. But dear lawd, you will have a religious experience with your first bite. By the time you're done, you may just run laps around the room like an old school Pentecostal. (Don't do that. This place is SMALL!) If you took the entire South and put it on a plate, it would be this dish of pork n' greens. SAW's Soul Kitchen as been listed as Paula Deen's Best Barbecue Places in America, Men's Journal's Best Barbecue Spots in America, Eat This Not That's best spot for fried chicken in Alabama and Buzzfeed's best wing spot in Alabama. This is one of the places I consider a privilege to have visited in my life. One day I will return to this little, unassuming shack that ushers people to the gates of delicious living every single day.

    Smoked Chicken Thighs
    Shelby S.

    Saw's Soul Kitchen is a must-try if you're in Birmingham -- every bite was packed with flavor and Southern soul. We started with the smoked chicken thighs as an appetizer, and they were incredible -- perfectly crispy, juicy, and covered in a mix of red and white BBQ sauce that added just the right tang and kick. My husband ordered the combo plate with smoked sausage and pulled pork, plus fries and mac & cheese on the side. Everything was cooked low and slow, full of smoky flavor, and the mac was creamy comfort food at its best. I had the pork & greens, and WOW -- cheesy grits loaded with tender pulled pork, perfectly seasoned greens, and topped off with crispy onion rings? Unreal. It's the kind of dish that hits every craving at once. We left full and happy -- can't wait to come back for round two!

    This was someone's idea of being clean after I pointed out food and napkins all over the floor. This is what was left after they swept.
    Kiwi D.

    Probably one of the dirtiest places I've been in a long time. Tables that were dirty when I arrived we're still dirty when I left. The floors were full of used napkins and food. No one was interested in busing any of the tables or keeping the place clean. The barbecue sauce bottles were sticky, as well as the ketchup bottles and the salt and pepper shakers. I even pointed it out to the staff and no one really cared. The staff was more interested in talking to each other than cleaning the place. No one gave a $&@? Chickens and greens were great.

    Banana Pudding

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    1 month ago

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    1 month ago

    This a wonderful place has music and just a good vibe for people to enjoy and have great food

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    3 months ago

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    2 months ago

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    12 days ago

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    15 days ago

    Sides, chicken, and sausages were good. Our first experience here. Pulled pork could be worked on better so that it is not dry.

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    6 months ago

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    20 days ago

    Phenomenal smoked chicken thighs!!! Superb service, even on Sat at noon. Okra and fried green tomatoes are also great

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    8 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Great food, good service, old Great chicken, service fast and efficient, location is good sort of dated but is rustic.

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    8 months ago

    Super nice staff members and the food was fantastic- large portions, we should have shared!

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    10 months ago

    The pork and greens is life changing. Best bbq in Birmingham! The fried pickles are a great starter as well

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    10 months ago

    Great food in dive bar atmosphere. Fried catfish, smoked chicken and collard greens. Fantastic!

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    Page 1 of 29

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    Automatic Seafood and Oysters

    Automatic Seafood and Oysters

    4.3
    (651 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$$

    We had an excellent experience here with our son and his family…read more The waiter suggested the fish and chips for the kids (6 and 9). We were completely surprised at the size of the fish they were served. These were large portions. Our grandson downed his in a heroic effort to avoid leaving some child in China hungry, the granddaughter provided our small dog with several days worth of delicious fish. I tried their dish and can say that it would have made me happy. My wife and I had the scollops and spare ribs, which seems like an odd combination, but was actually quite creative and flavorful. There was a nice serving of spareribs, nicely seasoned, surrounded by scollops that were perfectly seared (something I can never do at home, but always appreciate when dining out. Great atmosphere that's not formal but manages to also not be informal. The place has a nice rustic/modern decor. Our service was superb, something that adds to the experience when you have two small people with you. Definitely a top tier meal. I would go back.

    The food was superlative. Best meal I have had in Alabama, and I have been lucky enough to sample…read moresome high end spots in both Birmingham and Huntsville. Raw bar, grouper, roasted oysters and cocktails...A+ snapper was a bit salty, the scallops and peaches were a B. Would go back just for wine and superlative dip and homemade crackers. Jeff, our server, was smooth attentive and thoughtful. Meal was well paced. Wine list was perfect. Just a great overall dining experience. Expect 125pp w/drinks and you will be stuffed...

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Bacon cheeseburger
    Bacon cheeseburger
    Cod sandwich/burger

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    Cod sandwich/burger
    Magnolia Point

    Magnolia Point

    3.8
    (102 reviews)
    1.8 mi

    Lunch after Church today. Very nicely decorated, big windows, lots of light. Lots of charm, can…read moretell building has been there a long time. According to Goggle search building originally built in 1930. Waiter was nice and friendly, could have been a little more attentive. Seems to be common thread in reviews that multiple staff pass tables frequently without acknowledgment of your presence. Twice individual whom by dress I believe to have been the chef waked through dinning room without acknowledgment to any table. I had finished glass of tea, and water and had to wait for refill. Was waiting for server to pass by, but never saw him, he finally walked by and ask if I wanted refill. Nice that they do leave bottle of water on table. Seemed to be adequate staffing, place was only maybe 10% full. Felt wait staff could have been a little more connected with dinners due to smaller number of table occupied. Food was a little slow coming out, but worth the wait. Feel like everything must be cooked to order. I had the catfish tacos, wife had the shrimp poboy. Both were fresh, hot and delicious. Finished with piece of key lime pie. We really liked this place even with the slower customer service. We'll be going back. Brunch menu served till 3:00 on Sunday, not sure about other days. A very nice casual dinning experience. Would recommend it to my friends and family. Hopefully they will get the message of the concern with customer connection and address it with wait staff.

    Only a couple nights in town but so glad we stopped here! We trudged all over the south and this…read morewas a great way to end our trip. My family stopped here before heading to Birmingham airport and it was such a vibe! We ate outdoors and there was a live band playing! The food was really good. Almost everyone except me got the gumbo which had a dark reaux. I got a burger which was good. Free/easy parking. Super clean inside. Safe quiet area. Service was impeccable! We found out our waiter was from the same small area in Alabama as our family! Definitely recommend!

    Photos
    Inside dining
    Inside dining
    Gumbo
    Gumbo
    Cosmopolitan.

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    Cosmopolitan.
    The Essential

    The Essential

    4.4
    (512 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    The Essential was such an unexpected find during our trip through Alabama. We weren't expecting to…read morestumble across such an elegant restaurant serving truly elevated food, but it ended up being one of our favorite meals. I ordered the seafood pasta, and you could immediately tell the pasta was homemade. It was fresh, perfectly cooked, and the seafood was beautifully prepared. My daughter had the spaghetti, and my husband ordered the Waldorf salad, which was just as thoughtfully put together. Our waitress also recommended the hummus and house pickles, and I'm so glad we listened. Both were fresh, unique, and the perfect way to start the meal. From the food to the service, everything felt polished without being pretentious. It was one of those meals where every dish was executed with care and attention to detail. Overall, The Essential was such a pleasant surprise and proof that you can find five star dining experiences in the most unexpected places. If you're anywhere near Birmingham, this place is absolutely worth the stop.

    Really cool place with a quaint atmosphere and great service. My wife and I split the chicken…read moresandwich, grits and a hash brown. All were really good. We got the sauce on the side for the sandwich just in case, but it was really good. Definitely a place I want to revisit. Saw the smash looking burger and pancakes at tables and they both looked amazing!!

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    The Essential
    Pavlova
    Pavlova
    Sourdough bread with French butter.

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    Sourdough bread with French butter.
    The Fish Market Restaurant

    The Fish Market Restaurant

    3.6
    (520 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    We love this place - it is the best seafood place in Bham - the steamed crab claws are amazing !…read moreThe oysters are freshly flown in . I have not tried any other location in years - bc this place is always such a treat . I have tried some of the newer $$$$ seafood restaurants( bc my son wanted to go ) but I have always left disappointed. The fish market gets your food out hot & they do have great service , (this is why they're still in business.) I've been eating here at least 30 years - I like the casual ambiance & the oysters are to die for . In my humble opinion, this is the only place to get reliably great seafood ( & it has reasonable prices)

    We must eaten there on a bad night all around because our review doesn't reflect what everyone else…read moreseemed to experience! We were seated promptly handed menus and about 30 seconds later approached by the waitress for drink orders. We asked for a drink menu as there was nothing to advertise what drinks they were serving. She returned with 1 drink menu for all 3 of us and stood there waiting until we decided. We asked for some time so she left and returned about 2 mins later. We ordered drinks and she returned 2 mins later to take our food order. We ordered appetizers, salad and main courses. The drinks came quickly, the salads came right after and then about 3 mins later, the appetizers came out. 3 mins after that, the main courses arrived so we had plates stacked everywhere on the table and quickly tried to finish our salads and appetizers before the main dish got cold. The waitress never returned to the table until she brought the bill. The plates were all cleared by someone else. We saw her leave a bill at the table next to us and wait until they checked it over and figured out a payment method, so when she arrived at our table we just handed her a credit card. The food was average but the overall experience was terrible. I realize she was probably new and this may have been her first night but some training would go a long way! For $180 dinner, we expected a lot more.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    The Fish Market Restaurant
    The Fish Market Restaurant

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    Bayonet

    Bayonet

    4.7
    (86 reviews)
    1.9 mi

    My husband told me that we had a reservation at Bayonet. I was immediately excited because I had…read moreheard great things about this restaurant and it would be our first time going. Neither of us are fans of raw oysters, so I was really interested in what we would order. MC waited on us and did a phenomenal job of recommendations of items that were not raw. I wanted to try the Tea'D Up drink. It was beautifully blended and absolutely delicious. For my meal, I ordered the scallop tostada. It was so fresh and flavorful. My husband ordered the Reuben made with swordfish. I had a bite of it and it was also very good. We actually saved room for dessert and tried the fried peach pie. I would describe it as a really good peach cobbler empanada. It was served with a small scoop of sour cream vanilla sorbet. Hearing the sour cream part scared me just a tad, but it paired perfectly with the peach pie. I'd go back to Bayonet today!

    I had a great dinner here and can't wait to try more of their menu when I return. Foodies (like…read moremyself) will enjoy this place, from the vibes to the details in decor, food, and service. And I express my thanks to my servers and bartenders, who were not only attentive in service, but also offered recommendations which led me to a great dining experience. In short, I had the following: -dry-aged Shima Ahi crudo ( flew in from Japan) -a Mordella sandwich, and -peach fried pie. My wine pairing for my dishes was a California Albariño, which was a great surprise. I'm now searching for this winemaker to add bottles to my cellar. Every dish I tried was my favorite in its own way. Each meal was well-balanced and highlighted the flavors of every ingredient. The mortadella sandwiches featured a playful twist with Cobia fish, and the house-made focaccia bread, where the mortadella and Cobia spread are nestled, was truly what focaccia dreams are made of. Plus the garlic aioli for the fries is money !!! And the peach fried hand pie was the perfect end to a great meal. The aromatics of caramelized glaze comes across like it might be super sweet. But when you bit into the flaky buttermilk pastry crust it gave it a warm, humble feeling with the perfectly diced peaches pie filling adding the right touch of sweetness. And as a special treat, this hand pie is paired with a sour cream-lemon sorbet which I didn't know I needed in my life that was refreshing. The peach fried pie is a seasonal dessert, so enjoy it while you can. Overall, the ambiance and music were spot on making it a vibe that you definitely want to come for dinner or just enjoy cocktails which looked really yummy( but that's for another time ). The unique decor, with a mix of midcentury meets fisherman lighting and a crowned octopus handles tap beer, was a lovely detail when you get to sit back and enjoy. Even the plateware where food sits on is crafted by a local Bham female artisan at Civil Stoneware, is a nice touch ( which I was obsessed with ). I hope your experience is as great as mine. Happy dining y'all!

    Photos
    Dining Room
    Dining Room
    Mushroom skewers
    Mushroom skewers
    This fruity red blend, served cold, pairs well with fish.

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    This fruity red blend, served cold, pairs well with fish.
    Hot and Hot Fish Club

    Hot and Hot Fish Club

    4.0
    (393 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$$

    My first time at Hot & Hot was recently and it did not disappoint. Me and a friend had a 5:55 pm…read morereservation on a Friday night. Yes, we had "linner" reservations! Lol. I'm not hip so I'm just hearing this term. Anyways, we arrived a few minutes early but the nice hostess immediately seated us and this set the tone for how the rest of the evening would go. Our server, Kendra did a fantastic job. Such great hospitality from opening act to closing act. They like to take your order all at the same time just to help with the flow of how the food comes out. For apps we had the crispy pork belly & heirloom tomato salad. Both dishes were amazing, colorful and so balanced. Not to mention, filling but not in a too full way. (Commercial break)I did have a dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives - delicious! Back to the food. For my entree I had the oven roasted grouper and my friend had their steak dish. Yet again, both of us thoroughly enjoyed our selections! I really don't think we could have gone wrong with any of their menu options. Everything was so fresh & the presentation really made the food that much more enjoyable! To end our meal, my friend selected the blueberry cake for us to share for dessert. Whew!!!! The plan was to only taste a bite or two and get the rest to go. We couldn't stop eating this delectable cake! We tried but it was one of the lightest, most beautiful cakes I've ever had. Pro tip - don't skip dessert!!!! I can't forget the ambiance. It's spacious, comfortable and decorated nicely. There's also outside patio dining and bar seating available. This was a great experience and I can't wait to return soon!

    Hot and Hot Fish Club continues to be one of Birmingham's signature dining experiences. We started…read moreby sharing the tomato salad, which was just okay this visit. While fresh, it didn't have the same standout flavor we've enjoyed in the past. The entrées, however, were excellent. I ordered the duck breast, and it was cooked perfectly--tender, flavorful, and easily the highlight of the meal. My friend had the whole snapper and said it was equally delicious. Service and atmosphere were as polished as always, making for an enjoyable evening. While the starter fell a bit short this time, the outstanding entrées more than made up for it. We also shared the blueberry cake. Our service was spot on. We sat at the chef's counter. Made reservations online. I recommend the cookbook. Have had it for more than 20 years.

    Photos
    Hot and Hot Fish Club
    Pork belly
    Pork belly
    Ricotta gnudi

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    Ricotta gnudi

    Saw's Soul Kitchen - bbq - Updated August 2026

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