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The Refinery

4.3 (138 reviews)
Closed • 4:00 pm - 10:00 PM

The Refinery Photos

THE REFINERY ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Romantic
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - The Refinery

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Caprese salad
Maggie M.

Easy free parking. Arrived and was uncertain what drink I wanted so Alyse whipped me up a wonderful drink that tasted like Smarties candy! She was so nice and cheerful.

Rachel J.

Came here to meet a friend and catch up and on Saturdays they have $6 shots. the bartender will mix up whatever your preferences are bared off what you tell them. I had a tequila shot with citrus added for some tart. I also had a French 75 and it definitely hit the spot. Got the spinach dip for an appetizer and I have to say it didn't taste like spinach dip but queso. The pita chips were good which we were told were made in house. I could eat those by themselves. I'll This place is on the small side inside but they do have seating outside for when the weather is nice. Right in the midst of Lakeview there are several eateries and bars in the area to meet all your needs.

Olivia B.

This is such a great bar. I usually come mid-week for snacks and drinks. They have a great food menu. I've tried everything from the salad to the burgers. No complaints. Their cocktails are really good as well. They have amazing bartenders that aren't only friendly but great at their craft and willing to make any drink to your liking. Always a great crowd and a cool environment to meet new people.

Blush Theory
Kristy H.

The drinks were great! I always have a good time when I visit. I had the pickles and they were sweet.

Angela B.

My friends and I stop here regularly for a quick bite and some drinks. We absolutely love it. The spot is a bit small, so you have to get there early for lunch: we went around 11:15 and found good parking across the street. I have gotten a variety of items during my visit. For lunch, I love their wings and I also love their waffle fries. They are both always cooked perfectly. I love that their menu is small and not overwhelming.

The Vegetarian
Dj D.

I've had lunch and a late night drink at Refinery recently. They have a very flavorful vegetarian bowl on the lunch menu. There's only 1 vegetarian option on the late night menu - fries. I asked for fries with cheese and they accommodated me. They were good. Our bartender, Andy, was awesome. My drink was mixed and smoked to perfection. The decor is very classy, and the vibe is great for girls night and date night.

Claudia C.

We were on the road and stopped in here passing through Birmingham. Cute little bar on a strip of restaurants and bars, plenty of seating. We sat at the bar, we did not know on Mondays it's a limited menu but we liked the concept of different chiefs having their own menu every Monday. We really enjoyed our meal if we ever pass back through Birmingham I will definitely be back!

Davida B.

Second visit! It was nice. Good drink. I didn't eat but the food I saw looked worth trying!

The cheeseburger and fries
Jay T.

Wow! This little spot is a hidden gem in Lakeview. While the exterior is unassuming, inside you are greeted with a posh, exquisitely decorated interior. You could easily be in a sophisticated NYC bar. The bartender waiting on us was so personable and really went out of her way to make sure we were taken care of. Drinks were delicious! I ordered a smoked old Fashioned that was so smooth and smoky. The mozzarella sticks appetizer came out super quick and was deliciously crispy on the outside and gooey in the middle. We split the burger and the chicken piccata. The burger was utterly delicious. A thick patty with the perfect char but a juicy interior. The piccata wasn't a traditional preparation, but it was oh so good. A thick, crispy crumb coating encased a juicy, tender breast. The buttery piccata sauce was bright with capers. The broccolini was maybe the best I've ever had. I'm pretty sure it was deep fried to get a crisp-tender stalk and a crown that started a little crispy but melted as you ate it. A wonderful spot for an intimate date night! It's small, so not a place for a large party, but that's also part of its charm. We absolutely loved it!

Red Mountain Mist
Brooke M.

Such friendly staff in a super cute but modern small space. I loved the decor, vibe and options for drinks! Even for going on a Sunday afternoon we were greeted by the friendly staff, enjoyed our drinks and our time there! Id be excited to come back in the evening for dinner and cocktails

Mozzarella sticks
Ashley H.

Yesterday I was invited to a tasting of the new and improved menu at The Refinery. They are now under new management and have totally renovated their space. We were able to sample a few cocktails including the Aperol spritz as well as the Wealth Espresso Martini that has a pistachio infused tequila. They also had a great wine selection. For the entree options we tried the mozzarella sticks, the heirloom tomato salad, the smash burger, the twice fried wings, the filet, and my ultimate favorite the lobster toast. Every item was seasoned and cooked to perfection. I cannot wait until they officially open. I have no doubt they will do well under new management. Make sure you check them out when they reopen.

Croissant Club and side house salad
Chris D.

This is a neatly designed space with a nice music selection, the service was pretty good, Jasmine took care of us and made sure we got everything we needed. The tostadas were awesome. Loved how the flavors and textures came together. Would definitely get those again. The croissant club was good but nothing special, the house salad picked up everything the sandwich was lacking. Overall great experience and customer service.

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1 month ago

This cute little place was a gem. Great drinks, great service and the French dip sandwich was incredible. Highly recommend.

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2 months ago

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11 months ago

Great spot to grab a drink and have lunch. The menu changes, but everything I've had is excellent. And they make a great gimlet!

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The Refinery is the best. Great food, great service, great drinks with great friends. A local staple.

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1 year ago

Amazing! Food. Service. Ambiance. Great place for a date night, lunch, meeting friends or coworkers for drinks.

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Ask the Community - The Refinery

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I wanted to love this place SO BAD!! There's an attached arcade!!…read moreAnd the staff was SO NICE and friendly and helpful and I loved the industrial, creative decor. But we'd spent the day at McWane Center and we were starving so we were there to EAT! The food looked gorgeous but it tasted very meh. The onion rings had too much breading on them, which I didn't think was possible, but here we are. The part of the breading next to the onion was mushy so that threw off the texture of the whole thing too. The burger was very much like a Whataburger. Even the lettuce smelled the same. I got The Standard and the bun of the burger was a little mushy (similar to Whataburger) and there was not much meat. For an $11 burger, I'm expecting more than a Whataburger. My middle kid likes everything on her burger and isn't picky at all and the loaded kid burger looked impressive but it was about the same as mine. Not awful, but not very good either. Very close to the same amount of meat. She's the queen of the Clean Plate Club and she only ate half. The fries were good but a somewhat too salty, the dip that came with the onion rings was excellent and we ended up using it for the fries. We had 2 adults and 3 kids and our meal was $63 before tip for 5 waters, 2 adult burgers, 2 kid burgers, a kid grilled cheese, and a basket of fries and onion rings (I thought I was ordering a "side" of fries, not realizing I actually ordered a basket and it was a lot of fries and onion rings). We don't mind spending money on good food, but the prices here don't align with what you get. No one was more disappointed than me, I've been wanting to eat here for FOREVER!!!

We sat at the bar. Nice selection of beers. We had the three hander and my wife had a gourmet hot…read moredog called West Virginia. The food was perfectly prepared and surprised us how good. The bar was very busy but the bartender was very attentive. Great service. The ambiance was perfect for a corner bar downtown.

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I hadn't been in this area for lunch in a while and had not heard of this place. It had taken over…read moreanother restaurant we had been to in the past. Met my wife here for lunch and it was a nice surprise. The inside is a little small, so if they are busy, you may have to sit outside. The inside is decorated... festive? And they have TVs on to catch a game if you're so inclined. I got the philly sandwich for my lunch. It was tasty, though I wish they had some slightly better hot sauce to put on it. I'd definitely come back though and try something else on the menu next time.

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The Refinery - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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