Went here for lunch while passing through town. The restaurant is clean, the staff is friendly and…read morethe space had an inviting atmosphere. The food was very fresh and delicious. My husband and I each got the Pick Two with sandwiches and soup and salad. Everything was delicious. Portion sizes were perfect for lunch. The staff was helpful and knowledgeable with a dairy allergy. I would definitely eat here again.

First time at this spot, and my initial impression was positive. I would say, I love, love, love…read morethat they use Big Green Egg's inside the restaurant on the line. If you've never had meat (or VEGGIES!) cooked on a BGE, it will change your life. This fact alone will bring me back to try other things. Before I get into the meal, my only real complaint was that they only had a soda machine and tea. I had brought my mother along, and she already had lunch and wanted just to sit and chat. As it was a very cold day she was gonna order a coffee and they don't offer anything hot! It's definitely an opportunity to expand here even if it was just so simple as putting a Keurig machine in the back. I had the Buffalo Chicken Wrap. It is served with grilled chicken in a grilled wrap and cheddar cheese. If there was a buffalo sauce, I didn't taste any. I was a little disappointed in the wrap. The flavor didn't really stand out as being cooked on the Big Green Egg. The cheese wasn't really melted, which can be a common problem with shredded cheddar cheese, but it also didn't really have the buffalo flavor that I was looking for in a buffalo chicken wrap (maybe it was a Toledo Ohio wrap I don't know just not spicy. ) It served with a side of ranch which I juiced up with some Cholula and that helped. I i'm not knocking the quality of the food because it was good. It just didn't live up to the expectations I had in my head based on the menu description. It also came with a side, which I chose the broccoli salad. This was nicely done with bacon, I believe some quinoa and the broccoli was chopped up nicely so you didn't have huge chunks. Also, it wasn't overly sauced so that would make it runny. Overall I give the property four out five stars. Also, the flavor of the whole meal was fine. Good size portion and good value for your money.

Date night done right! Every dish is packed with flavor, cooked to perfection, and perfect dim and…read moreelegant ambiance. We adore the mussels appetizer and always have fantastic fish dishes every visit. A must-go for date night, a special occasion, or just a reason to dress up!

Second trip to River Restaurant starts off on a bad note. We arrived at 10:35 a.m. and the inside…read moredining room was only about half full with several empty tables, and the outdoor seating area, which we specifically requested, also had open tables. Still, we were told there would be a 15-20 minute wait. We waited about 35 minutes before seating. Make it make sense. That said, the restaurant sits right along the Black Warrior River, which offers a really pleasant view, especially from the patio. On a cool spring day like today, it's hard to beat outdoor seating here. Tuscaloosa is buzzing with football fans for the annual A-Day spring game, which adds to the energy around town. My better half ordered the shrimp and grits, and I went with the steak fajita bowl, minus the sunny-side-up egg. Even at my age, I can't do the runny yolk situation, I always ask for my eggs over hard. With that change, I'll say the fajita bowl jumped up to one of my top breakfast/brunch go-to dishes in town. Yes, I know it's technically brunch, but it was before 11 a.m., so I'm calling it breakfast. The shrimp and grits were solid, though the tails were still on the shrimp, which meant a bit of extra peeling at the table, my wife wasn't a fan of that part, but she still finished the dish and enjoyed it overall. Only minor gripe on the food side: ice seems to be a rare commodity here, I'd love a few more cubes in the water. But overall, the food was very good, the patio seating is absolutely the way to go, and the river view is fantastic.

This was a home run from start to finish. Though it was a bit of a hike from South Tuscaloosa, it…read morewas absolutely worth the drive. The wait for our party of 5 wasn't too long and we were seated in a big booth near the bar. Very nice decor, classy but comfortable. All of the servers and staff were super friendly and offered a nice selection of local brews and tasty margaritas. Several of us had the redfish special which was just outstanding! All in all, and outstanding experience. Definitely a repeater for us when next we're in town.

Well after seeing reviews me and wife decided on this for lunch…read more I'll say all the staff were great. Very friendly. But the food?????? Wife wanted a salad and potato skins so went with the wedge which came chopped so more of a chopped salad than a wedge and it was fine. Nothing spectacular. Who potato skins were reminiscent of some frozen ones you heat in the oven. Didn't seem fresh at all. The bacon wasn't that great really and the cheeses was cheese. All in all edible but not enjoyable. I went with the bacon wrapped meatloaf with mashed potatoes with gravy and a side of Mac and cheese. I'll start with the Mac. It was horrible. Sorry don't mean to be a downer but wasn't good at all. The mashed and gravy a big nope. The potatoes weren't all that good. It was like eating a plat of spackle. And the gravy was horrendous. Made bad potato's worse. The meatloaf was ok. Kind of like cafeteria meatloaf. I did eat it but wasn't thrilled. Again not a fan of that bacon so ditched that after one bite. Personally I would not go back and wife agreed. Maybe we got the wrong items but nothing was good.

Nice and clean and the best food I've bought in years go get some soon…read more She's the Queen of soul food

Outstanding Catfish! Hush puppies to die for. My Collard Greens were over the moon with flavor…read more Potato salad rounded out the Large and two sides. We are stuffed! Great Service with a smile. You need to eat here....

While we were making the move from Texas to North Carolina we stopped in Tuscaloosa for the night…read more I wanted to try a restaurant downtown since it was our first time in this town and the Avenue pub came highly rated. Parking is manageable, but you'll need to find parking either in front or to the side of the restaurant. When you walk in it has the feel of a polished, upscale pub. We were seated and immediately ordered the bacon burger (which comes with a 1/2 a pound of ground beef with provolone and bacon). I also would recommend adding grilled onions to the burger and upgrading the fries to pub fries (seasoned fries topped with shaven Parmesan, mozzarella, and chopped bacon). The peppercorn ranch that is especially good and tied everything together. If you are looking for a craft burger spot in the heart of Tuscaloosa, I can't say enough good things about this place and it's absolutely worth checking out.

Me and wife came here for lunch after seeing reviews…read more I'll start with staff. They were very friendly and we were seated right away. For food I ordered the chicken club and wife got the fish and chips. The club was good not amazing. Both the sandwich and fries were a little too salt heavy. The fish and chips were ok. Not the best but not bad. Again fries little to salt heavy. I'd go back if someone really wanted to eat there but wouldn't choose this place.

Stopped there with a friend for lunch on a recent trip to Gordo…read more First time for him, I've enjoyed the place several times. My friend and I both got the Country Fried Steak with the white gravy. Large serving, not over cooked the way a lot of places prepare it. Beef was tender with a light breading, making every bite a perfect combination of meat and breading. All side each of us had were favorable. I think the creamed corn will be one of my new "Go To" at Blue Plate. My friend order an appetizer of onion rings. They were definitely not from Sysco, they were very crisp with the perfect amount of breading. My only issue at Blue Plate is they only serve corn bread, and I'm not a big fan of corn bread, but this time I tasted theirs, and it was like potato chips, I keep going back for more. It was buttery and soft with the perfect amount of crust. My friend wanted to know when we're going back to Gordo. Said he could eat here every day.

After church today, we decided to hit up The Blue Plate--a good ol' Northport meat-and-three…read moreclassic. Apparently, half the town had the same idea because the parking lot looked like a Bama tailgate minus the tents and the yelling. We walked in and found ourselves about twenty deep in line--but hey, that's how you know it's good. Thankfully, since it was just the two of us, we scored a table in about ten minutes. Others... well, they might still be waiting as I write this. It's been a while since our last visit, and I noticed the menu's slimmed down a bit--but honestly, the food's leveled up. I went with the blackened catfish, turnip greens, and creamed corn, and let me tell you, that creamed corn was off the chain. Hot, buttery, and so good it could make you forget your own name. Everything came out fresh, seasoned just right, and hit the spot like a dart in a bullseye. Now, let's talk about that complimentary cornbread. Fluffy, golden, and just sweet enough--it's the kind of side that could run for mayor and win. I'm proud of myself for showing a little restraint today and not asking for seconds. (Believe me, it took Olympic-level willpower.) Our waitress was hustling like a Bama walk-on trying to earn a scholarship--fast, friendly, and somehow always smiling. Service: A+. Prices? A little higher than I remember, but that seems to be the new normal for a meat-and-three these days. Only downside--we got seated right by the door. Every time it opened, we got a blast of fresh air and a few curious stares. Folks walking in got a front-row seat to us eating like it was the "Welcome to Blue Plate" exhibit. But when you roll in at peak hour, you take what you can get. All in all, great food, friendly folks, and a true taste of Northport hospitality--just next time, I might wear sunglasses so I don't feel like part of the lunchtime attraction.

The Brown Bag Restaurant in Northport has been a staple for good eats for as long as I can…read moreremember. I can't tell you how many times people have recommended it for lunch, yet I never managed to stop in and experience it for myself until today. My work schedule and the Bag's hours always seemed to clash, and since it's a bit off the beaten path, it stayed in the "out of sight, out of mind" category. Now, as I'm approaching full retirement, I finally had the time to swing by and see what all the fuss was about. Upon arrival, the first sign you're in the right place is the parking lot. It's packed, about like a blue tick on a hound dog. Stepping inside, don't expect anything fancy. The interior is old school with faded paint and a no frills setup. Your food is served in Styrofoam containers with plastic utensils. But that's part of the charm. Who needs fine china when you're filling your gizzard with good soul food? The place was full and I managed to grab one of the last open tables under the roof. I then waited for the waitress who was running laps across the dining area, taking orders, refilling drinks, checking out customers, and handling everything in between. If you come anywhere near lunch hour, don't expect Jimmy John's Freaky Fast service. You're here to slow down and enjoy the experience. When I ordered, I went with a catfish fillet, turnip greens, field peas, fried green tomatoes, a side of cornbread, and tartar sauce for the fish. The fried green tomatoes did not make it out with the order, but the waitress was very apologetic and adjusted my bill to a meat and two instead of a meat and three, which I appreciated. Now to the important part, the food. The catfish was hot, crispy, and perfectly cooked, not greasy at all, just honest, well done Southern cooking. The turnip greens and field peas were flavorful and comforting, exactly what you hope for in a place like this. The tartar sauce had a slightly sweet twist that I was not expecting, different from the traditional version, but surprisingly excellent. I will need a few more visits before I can fully put that into words, but it worked. Overall, now I understand the buzz. The Brown Bag delivers exactly what it promises, simple, hearty, well prepared soul food served without pretense. I will definitely be back, and now that retirement is on the horizon, I have got all the time in the world to wait on a good meal, unlike you working folks still rushing through lunch.

I tried the burger, fantastic. The ribs, sooo good. They were cooked perfectly and just the right…read moreamount of sauce. The crispy crinkle fries were great, the okra was also crispy and cooked well, and the greens with cornbread were also really good. Delicious. The catfish was crispy and so good I didn't even use hot sauce or tartar; it was tasty by itself, seasoned good. The side salad was fresh, lettuce was crispy and probably the best salad I've ever got anywhere togo. They have meat and three options, dinner plates, large plates, sandwiches and bulk orders for get togethers/parties. I only spent $24 and had one of the best meals from a restaurant in months. (I came for catfish but had to try the ribs when I smelled the bbq smoke. And then I figured I might as well try the burger too.) It was all well worth it and great portions for the prices. The smell of the bbq hits you as soon as you park and you can immediately sense the hard work and time that has been put into this place. It reminds me of places I would go to as a kid and places I've been longing to find again. They've been in business over 30 years and the hospitality and food shows exactly why. No fancy frills or crazy marketing needed. Just good food and good people working hard to continue their legacy. The employees and owner were so kind even while busy with multiple orders. It's a warm nostalgic feeling being here. I will absolutely be back to try the smoked chicken, fried green tomatoes, and desserts. I can't stop thinking about this place, it's on my top 5 Tuscaloosa restaurant list now. 100/10.

Erin is the best.! Great customer service! My order was correct and food was amazing! Will…read moreabsolutely be back to see her. Thank you

I went here last night, as we were stopping in town from our road trip to Tennessee. Our server was…read morevery nice and checked in on us multiple times. The restaurant was nice and cozy with great decor for Easter. They also had a sign out for Good Friday with options for Catholics which is great! I had a fruity waffle and let me tell you I ate that whole thing right up. My grandma got fish and chips and she loved it, there French are amazingly seasoned. My mom had gotten something carrot cake and she loved it too.

Very good and affordable breakfast. I wish I worked close enough to get lunch! Luckily they open…read morevery early so breakfast is available. Lots of to-go orders, just call ahead and they'll have it waiting on you.

First time visiting and this is old school southern breakfast and lunch cafe with counter. Staff is…read morefriendly and certainly a locals favorite. Friend took me there (bama alum) and great find. Food is as expected for southern food. Menu has daily mix of the choice of "meat" and "vegetables" with a special on the board. Food was hot and served timely. Friend had hamburger fried steak w mash potatoes and greens. He left nothing on the plate I had the lemon pepper chicken - daily special and fried okra, Lima beans and coleslaw. It was delicious Ambiance hasn't changed in decades. Don't expect more than that and appreciate the nostalgia

The original remains the best. Nestled in an African American rural neighborhood south of town, the…read morevery journey along an old 2-land highway is a throwback to a different South. The building is classic roadhouse style--totally unpretentious with its sign and adverts plaster on the walls. The interior is the same, open seating and seats at the bar. The menu has broadened over the years, rather than just ribs, white bread and pudding, you can get a pork sandwich and chicken with a limited number of sides (the Mac and cheese is superior). The franchised Dreamlands are so different with a plethora of choices, more to the liking of the suburban south. If you like that, go for it. For my money, you can't beat the original. The ribs are charred perfectly and the service is old time South, friendly and helpful. You immediately feel at ease with everything and everyone around you. Take out is available--actually this place is just minutes off the highway. But a whole another world at the same time.

A little disappointed. Always heard this was the best BBQ in AL, but while we were seated fairly…read morequickly, our food didn't come for 45 minutes. Server didn't tell us they'd run out of ribs and they were cooking more, we just sat there waiting. Once the ribs arrived, they tasted okay but were tough. I felt we were forgotten even though the servers were walking through the tight dining room often. Sorry to say after all the great things we'd heard, this won't be a repeater for me.