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A family member has been involved in hosting a major charitable event at The Club in Birmingham--an evening that draws over 600 guests and generates more than $100,000 in revenue for the venue. For years, it's been a positive partnership. Unfortunately, this year was a complete departure from that standard of excellence. General Manager Brian Green and Private Events Coordinator Taylor Blackburn displayed behavior that was unprofessional, rude, and downright condescending, even causing a scene in front of guests and vendors. Multiple attendees were stunned to see representatives of a private club behave so disrespectfully toward a charitable organization that brings substantial business and visibility to the property. The event's success has always relied on collaboration and mutual respect--two things sorely missing under the current management. Taylor Blackburn, in particular, came across as inexperienced and more concerned with appeasing her superior than serving the client. It's deeply disappointing to see a venue of The Club's reputation allow this kind of conduct to define its leadership. If you're considering hosting an event here, think twice. There are far better venues in Birmingham that still understand what professionalism looks like.
I absolutely love The Club! I am so grateful to have a best friend who has been a member for decades and to have enjoyed many special occasion meals here, as well as hosting my stepdaughter's baby shower in one of their beautiful event rooms! The meals we had were always delicious and, in the past, we always enjoyed peeking in on the caged bird in the room adjacent to the main dining room. Atop Red Mountain, the view from the terrace is absolutely breathtaking and panoramic, especially if the weather cooperates! And, who can fail to mention the lighted "disco floor" a la "Saturday Night Fever!" It epitomizes "cool" and is such a fun nod back to the 70s/80s! This is copied and pasted from a "Garden and Gun" article: "Birmingham provided a crucial piece of inspiration for Saturday Night Fever, the hit 1977 film that helped make disco a worldwide craze. The illuminated dance floor where John Travolta's character, Tony Manero, struts, thrusts, and finger-points is directly modeled on one in The Club, a private supper club perched high on Red Mountain overlooking downtown. When we were preparing Saturday Night Fever, the production designer, Charles Bailey, and I scouted nearly every disco in the New York City area," says John Badham, Saturday Night Fever's director. "And no matter how fancy or weird they were, they all had one thing in common: The floors were worn-out hardwood or even dirty concrete." That's when he remembered The Club in Birmingham, with its circular plexiglass dance floor illuminated from beneath with red, green, blue, and yellow bulbs. According to Cassie McCay, the venue's member relations manager, the dance floor has been a "definite staple for The Club" since it opened in 1951." --Interesting, I thought Birmingham patterned the dance floor *after* Saturday Night Fever - interesting that is not the case and it's actually vice versa! The Club team did a fabulous job with Erica's baby shower! It was fantastic! Flawless and absolutely breathtaking! Each dish was phenomenal, and the staff were exceptionally professional! Thanks, The Club! Sadly, my best friend moved away from Birmingham, and unless my stepdaughter becomes a member, I likely won't have an opportunity to enjoy your beautiful venue and delicious food.
I have been a member of The Club for a while, and since then, we have celebrated many happy times. My son's wedding, the 4th of July, New Years Eve, birthdays, as well as college and family reunions. It's a great place if you are looking for an event space. The view of Birmingham in every room is incredible. It takes my breath away every time. It's nice just sitting on the patio enjoying a drink or an appetizer.
Ambiance is unmatched. An evening with the best view in town, man on a saxophone, excellent service, and good food. Can't wait to come back.
I feel like this is a great place to go for someone of means, but at the same time I didn't view the food as any type of world class that one would expect in an exclusive club. They don't allow people outside to pay for something, this club is invite only for membership. That being said there are some really beautiful views here and the service also seems pretty good! They have multiple indoor and outdoor bar areas and they have a stage in their events area where some really famous artists have played over the years! I'd say this is a pretty cool place. If you ever find yourself getting invited out here for some drinks or an event, I would accept the invitation for sure! The cocktails and the views are the best selling points in my opinion!
CHECK YOUR CHICKEN BEFORE EATING IT. Was here for an event tonight and our entire table had chicken served to us that looked like this. Completely unacceptable, especially at a place like this.
We were invited to come here before the quarantine hit. We came for their mardi gras night, which had a live band playing. We got there early to grab a table. We had a great time hanging out with friends and enjoying the food. The staff were all very courteous and prompt. We are not members, but I can see the appeal. There is an amazing view of the city. I could definitely enjoy sitting out there on a non-hot, non-rainy night. They have a few different restaurants inside. You can reserve areas for parties. They have valet parking, or you can park your car yourself. It seems to be a great place - I can definitely see why so many people love this place.
Over the past few months, I have been to The Club twice. One time was for a March of Dimes event and the other time (earlier this week) was for a NAACP event. Both times, the events were decorated nicely and the service from the staff was good. At the March of Dimes event, food was brought in so earlier this week was the first time I was able to try the food from this venue. I must say. I was not overly impressed by the food and neither were the other people at my table. It looked okay, but it was about a 5 or 6 on a scale from 1-10. I will say the dessert was decent, which was the only thing I finished. Another thing I noticed during my most recent visit was the top parking area for those who self-park had multiple lights, but only a few were on. It made the area quite dark and made me kind of uncomfortable. Fortunately, we were able to find more well-lit parking without much trouble. Overall, this is a nice space. I'm sure I'll be back soon for some other event.
I've been a member for 2 years now and overall it's been okay. But there's an employee, Liz (I think she's a food and bev supervisor?) who is consistently rude and inappropriate to myself and my friends. She's slipped her phone number to a few male friends I've brought up there. I also don't even think she knows what her job is.
Went here while attending my very first Yelp Elite event! I was astonished with the overall atmosphere of The Grill restaurant! It is literally huge! The view of the entire city of Birmingham is breathtaking. The event was pretty cool and I am glad I got to meet new people, the tour was absolutely amazing. The servers were very nice and prompt with attending to our needs and the service. Overall, the next time I go back I can't wait to try out some seafood. I will be following up when I return to have the full dining experience! Stay tuned!
I'm going to update my review here and give them another star for a couple of reasons. The first is that they are making renovations to update the restaurants and I think that will make it much nicer. The second is that with the new renovations, they updated the menu at The Grill so that your sandwich now comes with a side and you don't have to pay extra for it like you did before so kudos to The Club for changing that. However, I think they need to add more sandwiches to the new menu. The third reason is that we came here for new year's eve and the fourth of July and had a blast! The Club really knows how to do large events right. I think the membership is worth it for those two events alone. The fourth is for Steven who works at The Grill. That guy is super! He is so attentive and really takes care of you. His service is top notch.
Went for bingo and it was so much fun! Great atmosphere and friendly staff. Food was delicious with beautiful presentation. Really enjoyed my time there!
I just love coming to The Club. I've only been here twice for events, but have enjoyed it very much both times I came. The first time I came I was able to enjoy the outdoor patio and was given the tour of almost every room inside. This last week I went to an event here called A Night Under the Big Top. It was super fun, and I can't think of a better place for them to have hosted it. You have your choice whether you want to park your car yourself or valet. The event I attended was held in the big ballroom and we are also able to go to the VIP section. They also have a full restaurant and bar for non-event attendees. It was a little chilly and rainy to be outside on the patio this time, but I will definitely be back here for events in the future.
I had lunch yesterday. The service and the view were outstanding. The food... well... needs some work. The arancini appetizer special was good though. I had the corn and green tomato soup (not pictured). I thought it would look and taste differently. It was a broth base, and I assumed it was going to be more or a bisque or puréed vegetable base. It did not look appetizing at all. The tortilla strips served on the side should be left off the plate because they aren't good and add no value to the dish. I was craving a steak and the kitchen graciously not only gave my options (flank vs. petite filet) but agreed to make it. However, I wish they had said "no" and said they couldn't do it. It was extremely underwhelming. I had to send it back because the first dish was gray and overcooked for medium rare. The set-up on the plate was fine (succotash and gnocchi), but I hated that there was little color contrast with the yellow pea shoots as a garnish. It definitely took away from the overall presentation of the dish. There were other issues with the temps of the food st my table as well. It appears that there's fundamental difficulty in cooking at either end of the spectrums but they do a great job at medium. Overall, great service, great view...food- completely underwhelming and glad I didn't have to pay for it. read more
1 year ago
A family member has been involved in hosting a major charitable event at The Club in Birmingham--an evening that draws over 600 guests and generates more than $100,000 in revenue for the venue. For years, it's been a positive partnership. Unfortunately, this year was a complete departure from that standard of excellence. General Manager Brian Green and Private Events Coordinator Taylor Blackburn displayed behavior that was unprofessional, rude, and downright condescending, even causing a scene in front of guests and vendors. Multiple attendees were stunned to see representatives of a private club behave so disrespectfully toward a charitable organization that brings substantial business and visibility to the property. The event's success has always relied on collaboration and mutual respect--two things sorely missing under the current management. Taylor Blackburn, in particular, came across as inexperienced and more concerned with appeasing her superior than serving the client. It's deeply disappointing to see a venue of The Club's reputation allow this kind of conduct to define its leadership. If you're considering hosting an event here, think twice. There are far better venues in Birmingham that still understand what professionalism looks like. read more
2 months ago
I absolutely love The Club! I am so grateful to have a best friend who has been a member for decades and to have enjoyed many special occasion meals here, as well as hosting my stepdaughter's baby shower in one of their beautiful event rooms! The meals we had were always delicious and, in the past, we always enjoyed peeking in on the caged bird in the room adjacent to the main dining room. Atop Red Mountain, the view from the terrace is absolutely breathtaking and panoramic, especially if the weather cooperates! And, who can fail to mention the lighted "disco floor" a la "Saturday Night Fever!" It epitomizes "cool" and is such a fun nod back to the 70s/80s! This is copied and pasted from a "Garden and Gun" article: "Birmingham provided a crucial piece of inspiration for Saturday Night Fever, the hit 1977 film that helped make disco a worldwide craze. The illuminated dance floor where John Travolta's character, Tony Manero, struts, thrusts, and finger-points is directly modeled on one in The Club, a private supper club perched high on Red Mountain overlooking downtown. When we were preparing Saturday Night Fever, the production designer, Charles Bailey, and I scouted nearly every disco in the New York City area," says John Badham, Saturday Night Fever's director. "And no matter how fancy or weird they were, they all had one thing in common: The floors were worn-out hardwood or even dirty concrete." That's when he remembered The Club in Birmingham, with its circular plexiglass dance floor illuminated from beneath with red, green, blue, and yellow bulbs. According to Cassie McCay, the venue's member relations manager, the dance floor has been a "definite staple for The Club" since it opened in 1951." --Interesting, I thought Birmingham patterned the dance floor *after* Saturday Night Fever - interesting that is not the case and it's actually vice versa! The Club team did a fabulous job with Erica's baby shower! It was fantastic! Flawless and absolutely breathtaking! Each dish was phenomenal, and the staff were exceptionally professional! Thanks, The Club! Sadly, my best friend moved away from Birmingham, and unless my stepdaughter becomes a member, I likely won't have an opportunity to enjoy your beautiful venue and delicious food. read more
I have been a member of The Club for a while, and since then, we have celebrated many happy times. My son's wedding, the 4th of July, New Years Eve, birthdays, as well as college and family reunions. It's a great place if you are looking for an event space. The view of Birmingham in every room is incredible. It takes my breath away every time. It's nice just sitting on the patio enjoying a drink or an appetizer. read more
2 years ago
Ambiance is unmatched. An evening with the best view in town, man on a saxophone, excellent service, and good food. Can't wait to come back. read more
I feel like this is a great place to go for someone of means, but at the same time I didn't view the food as any type of world class that one would expect in an exclusive club. They don't allow people outside to pay for something, this club is invite only for membership. That being said there are some really beautiful views here and the service also seems pretty good! They have multiple indoor and outdoor bar areas and they have a stage in their events area where some really famous artists have played over the years! I'd say this is a pretty cool place. If you ever find yourself getting invited out here for some drinks or an event, I would accept the invitation for sure! The cocktails and the views are the best selling points in my opinion! read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
CHECK YOUR CHICKEN BEFORE EATING IT. Was here for an event tonight and our entire table had chicken served to us that looked like this. Completely unacceptable, especially at a place like this. read more
We were invited to come here before the quarantine hit. We came for their mardi gras night, which had a live band playing. We got there early to grab a table. We had a great time hanging out with friends and enjoying the food. The staff were all very courteous and prompt. We are not members, but I can see the appeal. There is an amazing view of the city. I could definitely enjoy sitting out there on a non-hot, non-rainy night. They have a few different restaurants inside. You can reserve areas for parties. They have valet parking, or you can park your car yourself. It seems to be a great place - I can definitely see why so many people love this place. read more
Over the past few months, I have been to The Club twice. One time was for a March of Dimes event and the other time (earlier this week) was for a NAACP event. Both times, the events were decorated nicely and the service from the staff was good. At the March of Dimes event, food was brought in so earlier this week was the first time I was able to try the food from this venue. I must say. I was not overly impressed by the food and neither were the other people at my table. It looked okay, but it was about a 5 or 6 on a scale from 1-10. I will say the dessert was decent, which was the only thing I finished. Another thing I noticed during my most recent visit was the top parking area for those who self-park had multiple lights, but only a few were on. It made the area quite dark and made me kind of uncomfortable. Fortunately, we were able to find more well-lit parking without much trouble. Overall, this is a nice space. I'm sure I'll be back soon for some other event. read more
3 years ago
I've been a member for 2 years now and overall it's been okay. But there's an employee, Liz (I think she's a food and bev supervisor?) who is consistently rude and inappropriate to myself and my friends. She's slipped her phone number to a few male friends I've brought up there. I also don't even think she knows what her job is. read more
Went here while attending my very first Yelp Elite event! I was astonished with the overall atmosphere of The Grill restaurant! It is literally huge! The view of the entire city of Birmingham is breathtaking. The event was pretty cool and I am glad I got to meet new people, the tour was absolutely amazing. The servers were very nice and prompt with attending to our needs and the service. Overall, the next time I go back I can't wait to try out some seafood. I will be following up when I return to have the full dining experience! Stay tuned! read more
3 years ago
I'm going to update my review here and give them another star for a couple of reasons. The first is that they are making renovations to update the restaurants and I think that will make it much nicer. The second is that with the new renovations, they updated the menu at The Grill so that your sandwich now comes with a side and you don't have to pay extra for it like you did before so kudos to The Club for changing that. However, I think they need to add more sandwiches to the new menu. The third reason is that we came here for new year's eve and the fourth of July and had a blast! The Club really knows how to do large events right. I think the membership is worth it for those two events alone. The fourth is for Steven who works at The Grill. That guy is super! He is so attentive and really takes care of you. His service is top notch. read more
I just love coming to The Club. I've only been here twice for events, but have enjoyed it very much both times I came. The first time I came I was able to enjoy the outdoor patio and was given the tour of almost every room inside. This last week I went to an event here called A Night Under the Big Top. It was super fun, and I can't think of a better place for them to have hosted it. You have your choice whether you want to park your car yourself or valet. The event I attended was held in the big ballroom and we are also able to go to the VIP section. They also have a full restaurant and bar for non-event attendees. It was a little chilly and rainy to be outside on the patio this time, but I will definitely be back here for events in the future. read more
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The Club I.
Thank you for this wonderful review Lucy! Please come back and see us…
The Club is an incredible place. Three restaurants and one heck of a back patio. 2 or more dance floors. One like the one showcased in the movie Saturday Night Fever . The food and drink pricing is on par with any restaurant in Birmingham. They have a happy hour on the back deck with the awesome view of the city. The only drawback is you have to be a member or their guest. I've been here for numerous wedding events and social affairs. The food has always been good. I never realized that the membership was affordable. Take a look at it. read more
4 years ago
4 years ago
We were celebrating a birthday at The Club. It has been many years between visits atop RED Mountain. Beautiful sun set, clear skies over downtown Birmingham. A bird bath in the center of the veranda with a perfect jazz sax playing. Cool drinks and blinding sun this afternoon (a perfect opportunity for some smart companies to offer CHEAP SUNGLASSES) Shipt, Landed, TWG, Protective Life or DG. Plenty of people of all ages grandkids ,grandparents Strollers to wheelchair. The beverages were a plenty cold, flavorful and refreshing. The Okra Appetizer was plentiful served hot and tasty with the dipping sauce. The 5 of us order A shrimp topped tossed salad, filet, Short ribs pasta and burger. We received our meals just the sun has fallen from sight . The food was a little slow this evening get out of the kitchen, if I remember correctly it is a long distance to get meals from kitchen through the hall ways to massive dining area. Bottom line the birthday celebration was great with the music, sunset and good friends. The food was good and satisfying (could have been serve sooner and would have been hot not almost warm) Service was good, lots of young staff everywhere, more like a resort with staff there for the summer break . We will return sooner than later with my DG sunglasses to very much enjoy a great view , drinks and apps with friends. I did notice some folks picking up to go orders. Dollar General SUNGLASSES read more
8 years ago
This place has the BEST views of downtown Birmingham. This was my 5th time coming here. Previously I had both of my high school proms here & 2 weddings. I highly recommend having an event here! read more
They got one thing that is just their one unique thing... the breathtaking overlook! That's the only reason why I go there for business meetings. The food, mediocre-good. The bar, very poor. They have some pricy distillates, but ask for a Negroni or a Sazerac, and they won't have any clue of what you are talking about. Service, unbelievably, but it is barely ok. Very young unprofessional wait stuff, that is very kind and polite, but with no clue of how to carry themselves around a table. The facility is awesome, and again, the view is shocking beautiful. Great for business meetings and for any time you have guest new to B'ham read more
What an amazing night here at The Club! First time experience for my husband and I as we went with our friends who have a membership. This was such a nice evening. Beautiful weather in the beginning where we began outside one the patio with cocktails. Dinner was just about finished when lightning began and so we were moved inside. This was really cool because the grill restaurant was full and so we were moved into another room where the dance floor from Saturday night live was inspired by. I truly love history of places and this place definitely has so much character and history. The food was good. We all had burgers which were cooked to perfection and had a side of sweet potato fries. Served fresh and hot. Really good. You definitely are getting the best view in Birmingham being here. Can't beat the ambience. Watching the sunset was truly amazing. Will definitely be considering a membership for The Club. This is a great place where you can relax and enjoy conversation with one another. Service is good but if in a hurry, you may want to consider another place for dinner. We didn't mind at all waiting due to great company and a great view. read more
I have waited until we have have done all 3 restaurants in here and a couple of special events like the New Year's Eve party.. I must say the grill is my favorite of all 3, it is low key and casual, and a great place to bring folks for lunch. The food here is good, but not sure that the price it wows you. The staff for the most part are pretty good... the only real issue I have had was the bar in between the signature and the ballroom... this one seems less likely to fulfill special request that the others do... for that reason we do not use this bar.... the New Year's Eve party so far has been our best event to date, the band was really good in the ballroom, and the heavy apps were pretty good and the desert table was really good. But as far as drinks instead of getting the standard drinks we chose to get draft beer and mixed drinks from the grill. The view: this is the most expensive restaurant in the place, I had the ribeye when I went and for the price just did not wow me... service was ok but slower and there were only 3 tables when we went. The signature: I can say the service in here was the best we had at this place. We came here for a seafood extravaganza, since my wife and I love king crab and snow crab we figured this would be a great experience. Well some were a bit cold and dried out and not what would have expected from such a prestigious place as the club.. There are many things that need updating in this place to bring it up to today's standard and hopefully they work on them. We do love coming up here with guests from out of town as the view of the city is spectacular.... now they just need the food to be spectacular as the view, and it needs to be brought into the 21st century.... on thing I have found here that I really do not like is the cans of pineapple juice they use for their drinks. it really does taste like it is from the 60's.. it has that grandmas house taste that is really not good. read more
I have been to The Club numerous times over my years in Birmingham. But not a member until recently. The view from here is phenomenal. You won't find a better view of our great city. The service and staff are also top notch friendly and accommodating. Those two things start this off as a top notch experience. They also do a ton of events for members. With a weekly calendar that features about 3-5 events per week. Some (not many) are also complimentary. There are three different restaurants to go to. The Grill does lunch and dinner and has the most casual vibe. This is where most people with kids are going. The Signature is the one in the middle of being formal and also does lunch and dinner. They also have the glowing dance floor that inspired the movie Saturday Night Fever. Tuesday nights is kids night here. I haven't been, but it seems great if you want to entertain your kids. But probably not if you are looking for a peaceful dinner. The View is the most upscale and only open for dinner. You have to have a reservation to get in there. I love that there are different levels to cater to what you want. The food is sometimes hit or miss. Most of the times it is very good to great. Other things are just pretty good. I have definitely never had a bad experience and I have had some phenomenal things. So the food is probably a 4.5 for me. But with the great staff, amazing staff, and tons of events for members, this easily gets rounded up to 5 stars in my book. read more
4 years ago
The Club is one of the premier events venues in all of Birmingham. If you're a sucker for a view (which I am), this is the place to be as you can overlook all of Birmingham. If you can plan ahead, be sure to come here on a night with good weather for great views. I have done everything from a family dinner to a fraternity party to a wedding reception up here and all have been fantastic. Keep in mind that it is a members only spot so if you're not a member, the only way to go is for some type of event. Apparently they've got some great membership deals. If I wasn't about to move, I would join right now. read more
I love this place! The view is amazing! I was able to get membership to the club and it's been wonderful! The staff are friendly and the food is good! I have yet to eat at the other restaurants, but have just been to Bar 51 for cocktails and apps. The Club has a mixed age group. I was worried it would be all older people, but there are people my age and it seems like a good mix. It's a good place to meet for drinks, chill outside and enjoy the view of Bham! read more
I've been the member of The Club since the Summer of 2017 and I've loved every second of it. They have great events, both free and paid, and really make you feel like you're a part of the family. Their membership is filled with an eclectic mix of the best of Birmingham and I've had great conversations with many of them. To top it all off, The Club is a great place to come together with friends and family and enjoy the great views that Birmingham has to offer along with quality drinks and food. The staff is lovely and works harder than I could ever imagine to make The Club a great experience. If you're thinking about becoming a member, don't hesitate. It's a great value and a great asset! read more
Our annual company met no was there. Day views are nice but I bet the night views are fantastic!! Staff is really kind and attentive. Love the patio. They really did a great job making so many fun spots tucked around the patio. Gas fire pits, a viewer to observe the city, lots of seating- completely loved OT! read more
The Club is an institution in Birmingham. I've attended multiple events at the country club comfortably nestled on a mountaintop near Vulcan in Homewood. You can't beat the view of the Magic City from the grand ball room. Though the building is somewhat dated, it holds a tradition with Birminghamians. The food can vary depending on the event; I've had amazing meals from The Club and others which were satisfying but nothing special. At Alabama Ballet's 2016 Pointe Ball, beef tenderloin with spicy paella and prawns was served, which was delicious. At chamber of commerce luncheons a combination of chicken or pork with veggies and a carb is the standard, but is usually flavorless. Overall, the facility needs some updates to bring it to the current century, but there's something special about it. read more
8 years ago
Customer service? Yes, please! Sophistication? Also a yes! What can I say about this wonderful place? I have seen the criticism that the food is overpriced, but I think you have to consider that you are paying for food (which I think is quite tasty) WITH fabulous atmosphere, AND excellent service, not to mention a fabulous view and an amazing venue for events. Happy hour in Bar 51 is my new fave, and the new menus have proven, so far, to be excellent. I have yet to try the new Signature room menu or The new View menu, but I can only imagine that they are as good or better as they were before, which was wonderful! The staff here have always been excellent with communicating in a timely manner and being very accommodating with requests. I have nothing to complain about!!! read more
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More info about The Club
1 Robert S Smith Dr
Birmingham, AL 35209
Directions
(205) 323-5821
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http://www.theclubinc.org
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