I honestly wasn't sure what to expect when we got here. This place has been on my list since it…read moreopened, but I just never made it out. I'm glad I did!!! It makes me think of going to eat at your grandmas house, but elevated. The dishes all had a southern undertone, but were prepared in a new and exciting way. We started with the angel biscuits, as they were highly recommended. That brown butter that came with them was ‍ Then we shared a summer salad which was light and had apples, walnuts and a vinaigrette dressing. My friend got the New York strip and I got the Ibérico Presa, which is part of the pork shoulder , and we shared the collard greens and potatoes as a side. All of the meat we found out is raised in Franklin TN and is fresh. For dessert we shared the Alabama lane cake, which I was bossed with after reading To Kill a Mockingbird and have tried to make myself! The restaurant itself is small and cozy and they use real old southern style glass dishes. Our waiter, Micah was nice and attentive without being pretentious. He handled all of our questions about the menu seamlessly Hope to return soon!

Stopped by Helen for a quick pre-dinner drink with a friend and discovered there's a whole upstairs…read morebar I never knew existed -- after multiple visits, always seated on the first level! Nice little surprise. We started with the Hunch Punch (rum-based and tropical, exactly what I wanted) and A Little Bit of Whimsy, which was so refreshing I could've had three. Service was a little slow after the first round -- our bartender got a bit busy and didn't check back in as quickly as I'd have liked -- but nothing that ruined the vibe. It's been way too long since my last visit here. This trip reminded me why I need to come back and actually try dinner next time. Great drinks, great atmosphere, just needs a bit more attentiveness at the bar.

Food, service, ambiance was amazing. I will return. I had the tomahawk pork chop. Definitely …read more... A diamond

Phenomenal dining experience!!…read more Service was top notch from the hostess and host, our waiter and all of the runners. Attentive without being obnoxious, in depth explanations of items on the menu with great recommendations! We started with a half dozen raw oysters and the pork belly. Oysters were very fresh and the seasoned crackers were a nice touch. The pork belly was quite possibly the best we've ever had and we're slight snobs about it. The fennel and orange mixture was a unique blend that really complemented the smokiness of the pork belly, Our steaks were melt in your mouth good. Cooked perfectly! I wished I could've just taken a massive bowl of the macaroni and cheese home. The char on the broccolini balanced the richness of the macaroni. They were sadly out of the crème brûlée, so instead I had the vanilla and peach gelato, while my husband had the chocolate l'orange cake. The vanilla gelato had the perfect rich vanilla taste. The peach didn't taste much like peach, but the flavor was still good. The cake was light and fluffy with a great balance of chocolate and orange. The candied orange peel on top was a nice touch! The atmosphere is pretty busy so it was louder than I was expecting. However, the ability to see the wine cellar, fridge of aging meat, and a window to stop in to look at the kitchen was a lot of fun. Highly recommend!

The food was delicious overall. I found tge shrimp cocktail awkward in how they served it but…read moreoverall great food. Zeudd (Zee) was an excellent server. The atmosphere was good. I didn't know this resteraunt was an extension of the hotel so it got crowded around the bar. Other than that, a good experience.

Sooooooo...I had the chicken and waffles and the food was amazing. However, actually getting…read moresomeone to serve you is a challenge so don't even bother.

I went to this place once before and was lukewarm about it, so I decided to give it another try…read more Kind of wish I hadn't. My friend and I stopped in for some light bites early in the evening before going to a bar that doesn't serve food. The ambiance is nice. I did find it odd that the hostess seemed surprised we were "just walking in" since there was almost no one there. It took a pretty good while for our server to greet us, but we weren't in a hurry. We ordered mojitos and they were terrible. The lime and mint weren't muddled, rather just garnishes, so the drinks had no flavor. Unfortunately, that was the theme with the food too. We ordered blistered shishitos, empanadas, and ceviche. The empanadas came out first and the picadillo inside tasted like manwich sloppy joes with sugar added. It didn't have any Cuban flavors at all-- no cumin, alcaparrado, cilantro-- just sweet tomato paste. Next came the ceviche, which was unlike any ceviche I've ever had. It seemed to be maybe poached in coconut milk or something? It didn't have any discernible citrus flavor (or really, any flavor at all). It was just a pile of bland shrimp with nothing else in it-- no chiles, onion, tomato, or seasonings. Honestly, the plantain chips served with the ceviche were the best thing we had. Finally, we had the blistered shishitos. They weren't really 'blistered' much, so they were overly firm. They also could've used some sea salt or any kind of seasoning. They had a smoky flavor, but a fake one, like they were blasted with a butane torch rather than cooked over a flame. They tasted like someone had put out a cigarette on them. Very disappointing meal for over $100. Definitely will not be back.

Horrible meal. Fish was way over cooked, fries were cold. The service was OK but the poor server…read morewas working as hard as she could but had to many tables. I went here last 2022. I gave it a five. Very expensive, and poor quality. I would drink at the bar because the drinks were great. Eat well, Drink well and Stay healthy.

An all-around great meal! We tried the Charred Spanish Octopus for an appetizer. The char taste…read morewith the romesco and squid ink sauces was a delightfully complex flavor. For entree, I ordered the Blackened Wild Louisiana Redfish, and I would definitely get it again! The blackened seasoning was perfection, and I thought that the fried okra were well done too. We also tried a dessert that I can't remember the name of - it was chocolatey, creamy, and delicious! I really liked the atmosphere - a good combo of formal while being unstuffy. We brought some family that was in town, and we were definitely pleased with the experience!

Food first, thoughts after... My husband and I went here…read morerecently for date night. Everyone was friendly from the greeter to our server. We were seated at a 2 person table with a window view. Tight corner but still very intimate. The overall restaurant vibes were bright and fresh. We got 3 apps and 2 entrees. The octopus dish was delicious. Brussel sprouts was covered in a rich sweet sauce. We're a savory couple so not too interested. The pork belly was cooked well and topped over grits with an egg on top. Wow! My husband got the duck confit and I got the streak frites. Overall the sauces on both were way too salty so it was hard for us to eat and finish. Reasonably priced as we got 4 drinks, 3 apps, and 2 entrees totaling a little over $200. Overall I still have a great time with my love but unfortunately I don't think we will come back.

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.

I was in town for a concert and came across this restaurant on TikTok, so my daughter and I decided…read moreto give it a try. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the hostess and seated inside. The interior has a nostalgic, warm vibe and would be a great setting for a date night. Our server was awesome! He was friendly, attentive, and recommended some great food and drink options. I also really enjoyed the open-kitchen concept, as I always like being able to see the food being prepared. My only concern was with a couple of things I noticed in the kitchen. Since the kitchen is completely open and visible to guests, I think extra attention should be given to sanitation and overall presentation. I noticed one of the cooks drinking while preparing food, and another wiped his nose with his arm while working. Although he didn't use his hand, it still left me feeling a little uneasy. When guests can see directly into the kitchen, those small details really matter. Aside from that, we enjoyed our experience, and I do think this is a place worth trying at least once. The atmosphere, service, and recommendations from our server were definitely highlights of our visit.

Little Betty Steak Bar is easily one of the best restaurants in Birmingham. We've been multiple…read moretimes now, and they genuinely deliver every single time. Amazing food, amazing vibes, and amazing service from start to finish. And don't let the name fool you if you're like me and don't eat steak. There is SO much to love here. The burrata and Caesar are fantastic starters, the lobster rigatoni is incredible, and the chicken Milanese is insanely good. You genuinely cannot go wrong with the menu. Our waitress, Anna, was fantastic. She was attentive, friendly, and made an already great experience even better! This most recent visit was another home run. They had a trial dessert on the menu, a lemon tiramisu, and it was hands down the best dessert I've had in a LONG time. Seriously incredible, and I really hope they make it a permanent menu item because I would come back specifically for that. Little Betty is one of those places that just consistently gets it right. We've been several times and have yet to have a bad experience. Birmingham is lucky to have a restaurant this good. Absolutely recommend!

Service is horrible.... Go to Armour House https://www.armour-house.com/…read more My food was VERY delayed. Had a $500 tab running and entree was 30 min after everything else was cleared. Manager offered a free app. When I told him that seemed light, he kicked me out. Not kidding.... Go somewhere else. It's a nice place, but with management like this it's destined to fail.

September 12th husband and I celebrated our 15th Anniversary with Cafe Depont. Samantha and our…read moreserver were amazing. The atmosphere and food as always simply excellent.

Infinite amount of stars for the food but negative one star for how slow they are. So very hard to…read morerate this place. So here is the downfall. It might have been the slowest dinner I ever had in my life. I had a 7:00 PM reservation and I arrived early and sat down at 6:50. After being greeted and ordering wine I placed an order of the pork belly appetizer at 7:05. The pork belly appetizer came out at 8:00, 55 minutes after ordering. I placed the entree order at 7:30 and it came out at 8:30. There were only 3 other tables in the restaurant. Two three tops and a two top so not even large tables. Why on earth is it taking an hour to get out an order. I have my credit card at 8:50 and got it back at 9:15. 25 minutes to charge a card? I mean I guess you can get busy but the 4 tables here had 3 people helping with them. At no point when the server came by my table did I ever say I needed another minute. So, a 2.5+ hour dinner as a single diner was ridiculous, especially considering they were not busy. The food here was truly incredible, some of the best I've had anywhere I've traveled. I absolutely loved it. You can tell they source fresh, local ingredients daily, and that commitment clearly shines through in the quality of every dish. I started with the pork belly appetizer, which was outstanding. The cut had the perfect balance of meat and fat, expertly cooked with the fat beautifully rendered. The flavors were exceptional as well, finished with a maple glaze and paired with a sweet potato cornbread that was completely unique and memorable. For my main course, I ordered the smoked ribeye, and it was flawless. The quality was top-tier, with gorgeous marbling that truly reflected a prime cut. The smoke flavor was perfectly balanced--present but never overpowering. It had a beautiful crust, was expertly seasoned, and cooked to an ideal temperature. It honestly could not have been better. They also offered a few amuse-bouches that were equally impressive. A single bite of cherry tomato with lamb bacon was one of the best bites I've ever had. To finish, I was served a watermelon and muscadine sorbet with a St-Germain finish, an incredibly thoughtful and skillful dessert. There is an immense amount of talent in this kitchen. You will never be disappointed by the food here. My experience seemed to be overshadowed by the slow service and near the end I was so ready to just leave. However I might consider returning just for the food.

A little bit loud inside, but I sat outside. You order at the counter. Our food arrived quickly. I…read morehad the Puebla bowl. The flavor was wonderful. A lot of fresh ingredients and there was more food than I could eat. The staff was friendly and efficient. I don't live here so I won't return, but I would be a regular if I lived here.

I heard alot of great things about Salud…read more Salud reminds me of the taqueria's in Mexico, with the Jarrito sodas, pineapple and mandarin Try them with a tequila shot! Also the guacamole, the cheese dip and the tacos. They do have a full bar and can do frozen drinks. I loved that you can add your own toppings to your tacos. The tacos come with just meat. You can add onions, limes, cilantro and pickled onions and pickled jalapeños as well as sauce. They had a Verde sauce as well as regular salsa, and a Salsa Borachja sauce with onion, garlic and Mexican beer. It was spicy and delicious. They have plenty of counter seating, a few tables inside and several tables outside. This is a tapas bar more than a testaurant.

Automatic Seafood was such a great experience from start to finish! The ambiance was beautiful, the…read morefood was amazing, and the service was truly 10/10. We came in for a birthday dinner, and our server was absolutely amazing; so sweet, attentive, and genuinely made the experience feel special. He even surprised the birthday girl with a complimentary birthday margarita with a candle in it to blow out, which was such a thoughtful touch! I started with the grilled oysters, and WOW they were amazing! They come with five oysters, but you can add more for an additional charge. Definitely worth trying if you're an oyster lover. For my drink, I ordered the mango margarita, and it was SO delicious! Sweet, refreshing, and the perfect pairing with dinner. For my entrée, I ordered the ribeye steak, which comes with roasted potatoes and mushrooms. Let me just say... this meal was EVERYTHING! The steak was incredibly flavorful, and the cream sauce that came over the steak, potatoes, and vegetables was SO delicious. I would absolutely come back and recommend it to anyone looking for a great dinner spot!

We visited this restaurant for a belated Mother's Day brunch and our food was fantastic…read more I had the swordfish schnitzel and it was one of my favorite entrees of the year. The swordfish was fried perfectly and not greasy at all. The cheese grits and cabbage paired nicely with the swordfish and it was a perfect portion size. Everyone else's food was very good as well and we enjoyed our crab appetizer and beignets. I wish that I remembered our servers name because he was fantastic. He was attentive and friendly and everything came out at the perfect time. We are looking forward to visiting again soon and trying more menu items.