Great prices and great vibes. We went before a show at Workplay and it's was chill and a great…read moreatmosphere. Service was quick and easy.

I really didn't know what to expect, going to a place called the Garage. But it really is a garage,…read morelocated on a side street or alley. This is such a unique place. The sandwiches looked great. My grilled cheese sandwich was perfect!! 2 types of cheese with enough butter to make the cheese ooey and gooey. We didn't really understand how/where to order or how/where to sit, but following the directions of the folks in front of us helped. The menu consisted of sandwiches, soup and chips. There were a selection of different types of beer, wines and liquor. Cool ambiance; hanging out in the garage eating a sandwich while having a drink. The seats were a little uncomfortable, church pews, but you're in a garage. I would go back for the grilled cheese sandwich, for sure. The people with me thought their meat sandwiches were delicious!

Great service. Great food. Great drinks. The bar is where I always sit. It's faster (in my opinion)…read more Kendall was the bartender on duty during my recent Wednesday evening visit. She's amazing!! I really enjoyed the crab claws app- $23. They are served chilled & steamed. This was the perfect little snack. I also had a nice glass of sparkling wine. It paired well with the crab claw appetizer. I always have a great experience whenever I come here. Current is definitely worth checking out if you are in Birmingham, Al

My friend, Julia, and I tried current the other night! We walked in and immediately loved the vibes…read moreand upscale, quirky, modern feel of it all. High ceilings and exposed brick are a few of the ways to my heart. If you've seen a post about this place, you've probably seen a picture of the crackly round, artistic dish and wondered what it was. There are dumplings on the underside of it and you break each one off of the crackly part to enjoy. We did enjoy these but I would've loved a soy sauce to dip them in. They came with chili crunch, peanuts, and green onions but I wanted an actual sauce. They were very standard tasting dumplings and there was nothing extraordinary about them unfortunately. As always, we'd looked at the menu beforehand and decided what we wanted. It does state on their website that their menus can change due to freshness and availability. But we'd both decided on an app and entree we wanted only to get there and have none of them on the menu. I do appreciate a rotating menu to accommodate local items, but I would also love for those to be updated on a regular basis. So after rerouting, we decided on the chicken skewers as another app with the dumplings. These were chargrilled, flavorful, and had a nice crust on them. I got shrimp fried rice and Julia got spicy beef noodles. It was fine but I wish the shrimp wouldn't have been cut up. It felt like they chopped them up in order to not put as many in the dish. At $25 for this, I'd like whole shrimp please. There were a few pieces of raw spinach with pepper on the top. I would've loved a sauce of some kind. I would've preferred shrimp hibachi with fried rice from a Japanese place that included vegetables and sauces. This was not *bad* there was just SO much room for improvement. We both agreed that nothing was awful, but for these prices and the hype, we expected more. Our waitress was super friendly. Bonus points because they had match boxes at the host stand! There was a paid parking lot diagonal from the restaurant, so we had to walk through an intersection to get there. There are some spots up front if you can snag one. Overall, we enjoyed our time here but won't be sprinting back.

This review is specifically for the catered/box lunches we recently enjoyed from Tasty Town…read more Each lunch was boxed separately and included the silverware packet. That's a huge plus; the number of times I've seen referees having to pass on the side because they didn't have utensils! The entree was a chicken pita. It did have a few fresh onions, but I enjoyed them since I didn't have to be the one dragon breathing around the field all day. We did have a choice of roasted potatoes or basmati rice. The potatoes went much quicker than the rice; I had the potatoes and they were fantastic. There was also a tray of chocolate chip cookies provided. I don't think they were frash made; they looked similar to other restaurants generic chocolate chip cookies. They were a nice addition to the lunch, though. They also provided sweet and unsweet tea in gallon jugs.

Recently had Tasty Town as a catered lunch for a sporting event…read more Our lunch was a chicken pita (wrapped like taco of sorts) and I got roasted potatoes as my side. They also brought a large side box of chocolate chip cookies that were individually wrapped. Everyone loved the wraps, though the fresh onions were a little rough on some of us. Others took heed and removed a couple so their afternoon running up and down the field wasn't filled with regret. The potatoes were a hit; wish I could get them again.

It's nothing like some ramen on a cool Fall night. If you're wanting authentic ramen look no…read morefurther than Shu Shop. This place is a hidden gem open late at night. The vibe is intimate and low key. The hostess is always so nice and the waiters are always so nice and helpful with the menu. We got the crab claws and if you've never had them it's a must! So good! I got the spicy miso ramen. It's definitely has a kick so if you don't like moderate spice I would not recommend. I love this place!

Shu Shop is definitely a vibe. It's open late, so it's a perfect stop after a late night at the…read moreAlabama Theatre across the street. We had the short rib with rice, and it was falling apart with such an amazing flavor. We also had the fried pork cutlet and yuzu slaw. The cutlet was tasty, but the yuzu slaw was not my favorite. I'd like to go back and try to ramen when it's cooler outside--it looked really delicious!

I stopped by Trattoria ZaZa for brunch on Sunday after church, and overall, I had a really…read moreenjoyable experience. There was a bit of a wait before my order was taken, but honestly, it worked out in my favor because it gave me plenty of time to look over the menu. There were so many tempting options that it was honestly hard to decide! I ultimately chose three items and enjoyed a few bites of each. Ham & Fontina Scone: This was my first time trying a scone, and I was pleasantly surprised. The texture reminded me of a dry biscuit, but the ham added a delicious savory flavor that I really enjoyed. Frittata Plate: The frittata was SO good! It wasn't too dry, and all of the flavors worked really well together. It was served with polenta, which reminded me of really fine grits, along with fruit. After trying it, I realized that one entrée would definitely be enough for me to enjoy on its own. Breakfast 'ZA: This was essentially a breakfast pizza topped with a fried egg, and the egg was such a nice touch. The 'ZA itself was really good, although I think adding something similar to a gravy or sauce would make it a little less dry. Even without it, though, the fried egg really took it to another level. Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso: I decided to try the Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso, which was the barista's pick. This was my first time having a shaken espresso, and I'm so glad I gave it a try! It was refreshing and perfect for a hot day. The inside of Trattoria ZaZa is nice, although it is somewhat small, so I opted to sit outside. It was a very warm day, but the awning provided plenty of shade and made the outdoor seating comfortable. I also appreciated that, even though the restaurant doesn't have traditional table service, someone periodically checked on me to make sure I didn't need anything else. Overall, I had a great brunch experience at Trattoria ZaZa. There were plenty of menu options, the food was flavorful, and I really enjoyed trying a few things that were new to me. I'd definitely be open to coming back and trying more of the menu!

We came for dinner before a show down the street at the Lyric. First time here. She had the baked…read moremacaroni and cheese with vegetables added and absolutely loved it. I had the daily special, which was a broken lasagna. Also very, very good. Mixed greens on the side rounded out our table. The pizza looked very good and reminded us of pizza in a shop we love in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. It's walk up service, no ordering from your table, which was fine. The menu has a nice variety. The store is a downtown casual vibe. We probably should've opted for outdoor seating, because the evening was so nice.

Cute place. Good fast casual addition to Mountain Brook village. Had the bao buns. They did the job.read more

I absolutely love this friendly fast-casual eatery! We wanted a quick and healthy dinner when in…read morethe area recently. I peeked in and thought it looked so pretty. And of course they had me at poke bowls. It's one of my top 5 things to eat, honestly. But I ordered a Buddha bowl because it's almost the same thing and I felt a little lazy to DIY (not to mention, the Buddha bowl looked tantalizing!) They have other veg options, but I set my sights on that bowl as soon as the friendly counter guy suggested it. It's overloaded with goodness--avocado, deliciously marinated tofu, edamame (yes, it's a protein-rich bowl), tomatoes, shredded carrots, diced cucumbers, greens and more. You're literally devouring the rainbow here, friends. For drinks, they have a modest but decent selection of beer, wine (a decent bubbly in a can!) and sake in addition to soft drinks. The place is so beautiful (and spotlessly clean) with plants dangling from the ceiling and beautiful murals throughout. If I lived in the neighborhood, I'd be here all the time.

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 love The Essential for brunch. The food is good and a great variety to choose from as well. I…read moreprefer to go in the warmer months to be able to sit on the patio area and enjoy the outdoors and seeing the traffic passing by, but the inside is also nice and give somewhat of a European feel. They have a good wine and cocktail selection but I also find that I enjoy their hot teas. I would like to try them for dinner in the future. On my last visit there was a hair in my meal but they did comp the entree which I did appreciate since the hair was not the color nor texture of mine. Throughout the situation they were very gracious about it. Service was very good they checked on us consistently throughout the visit.

My son and I were looking for a place we had never been... That had great food and we found "The…read moreBattery!" I got the pork chop and it was absolutely amazing... Crispy yet still juicy! The brussels sprouts were by far the start of the show... you should not leave there without trying them. It's an open air restaurant that is a little loud... But super casual and great food! Definitely recommend

I come to the Battery for lunch quite often, normally as a client with my coworkers. We are always…read moretaken care of there. They change the menu up from time to time which is nice because I like to try everything on the menu. Cannot go wrong with Mama's chicken, unless you have something to do that afternoon. My current go to's are the fish sandwich (red fish), or a caesar with blackened chicken.

We walked into a packed restaurant with a long line of people (large groups) waiting to order. The…read morebartender informed our party of 3 that we could sit at the bar and order. The staff were very friendly. They were accommodating to a dairy allergy. The food was fresh and delicious. The restaurant was clean and inviting. I highly recommend this restaurant!

After the way they treated our law enforcement officers, I will never eat here again and I will be…read morepassing the word around. It's a shaming to treat people like that who puts their life on the line to protect people like this. Whoever the owner is needs to address this and apologize to the officers, should even offer them a discount. The employees should be fired!!

I am ashamed to say I had not been to Bamboo on 2nd in quite some time. I live a 15-minute walk…read morefrom it. I took my family there for by adult son's 40th birthday. That is so hard to say, 40th???? Well, I am getting old. I was more than impressed by our dinner. From the drinks to the Appetizers to the sushi. Outstanding. The service was also on point. The first thing I said to my family when we got there was, "I love the vibe of this place. So, if you have not been to Bamboo for quite some time, give it a try. I will be going back soon I assure you. Eat well, Drink well and stay healthy.

My first time in Birmingham and this spot in Downtown is a gem. The energy is great, especially if…read moreyou snag a seat at the bar. * Service (The Star): Shoutout to Bianca at the bar. She's an amazing bartender--super friendly, helpful with recommendations and kept the space spotless. She turned a 4-star meal into a 5-star experience. * Fish Quality: The sushi and fish quality were impressively fresh. * The Rolls & Ramen: Both rolls recommended by the Bianca were well above average and the ramen exceeded my expectations. * The Rice (Shari): A bit of a letdown. The rice was too mushy/wet and the portion of rice per piece was way too large. * Pork Bao: Not worth the mention (or a photo). Skip this one. Verdict: 5/5 stars. Mostly thanks to Bianca's top-tier hospitality. Solid Japanese spot in the heart of Downtown.