The food AND drinks were absolutely 10/10! Every bite was packed with bold, incredible flavors…read moreinspired by the traditions of Spain, Portugal, Uruguay, and Argentina. The tapas-style dishes make it so fun to try a little bit of everything. Which I definitely did. I also loved the open-layout atmosphere, with both indoor and outdoor dining options. It's no surprise this spot earned a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand designation! Amir was our server and was amazing....thank you I'll definitely be going back again and again!

First time dining at Ovenbird for a private dinner, and overall it was a great experience. We went…read morefamily style and started with a glass of Picpoul de Pinet -- dry with just a touch of sweetness, perfect way to kick things off. For starters, the beef fat candle was a fun and unexpected highlight: it comes out lit, and you wait for the flame to die down before stirring everything together. For mains we shared the hanger steak and the seafood fideos, both excellent, and finished with a trio of desserts -- meringue, tres leches, and the seven-layer chocolate cake. Every single dish was phenomenal, easily some of the best food I've had recently. The only knock is the service. Once we placed our order, it was surprisingly difficult to flag our waiter down for anything else. Given how good the food was, I'd absolutely go back, but hoping for a bit more attentiveness next time.

Met some friends for a quick dinner one Tuesday night. Perfect opportunity to try their Tacos and…read moreTequila Tuesday Special. Mix and match your choice of three tacos. Always can't decide on just one option so this was absolutely perfect. We shared an appetizer prior which balanced the meal. We decided to have another round of drinks while enjoying the relaxing atmosphere of the restaurant space. Service was attentive, friendly and expeditious from the moment we entered until our departure.

One of my fav spots in town and have enjoyed it for years. Such a staple to Bham. Sad that they are…read morenow closed but will cherish the memories, and will attempt to recreate certain dishes.

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.

Service was incredible. Everything was fast and fresh. Food seems better than I remember. It's nice…read moreto find a place that serves brussel sprouts without bacon. You honestly don't need bacon to make everything palatable. Hummus was really good. The za'atar vinaigrette was a unique touch. I am taking more of the vinaigrette to go with my leftovers. It's a quiet, cloudy Saturday afternoon but I heard some other folks commenting on how busy they were for New Year's. Best experience I've had here. I'll be back.

PATIO, PATIO, PATIO! Who doesn't love a patio?!?! Not to mention, a perfect patio. Shaded, dog…read morefriendly (everyone go ogle at my cutie schnauzer), and an ideal spot for drinking wine. We went on a Tuesday evening and bottles of wine were $10 off. They also have trivia on Tuesdays!!! We ordered the brussels sprouts and meatballs to start, along with a delicious New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Shoutout to my kiwi cousins. The brussels sprouts had a distinct pickle flavor to them, and a deliciously spicy aioli situation on top. Great starters. The meatballs were simple, yet scrumptious. Ideally moist, good red sauce, great flavor. I am in no way Italian so my options on red sauce are moot. Seemed good to me, though. We ended off with the pepperoni pizza, which had the CUPPED ronis. If they're not cupping, I'm not calling. Great pizza, crust not too thin or thick, good flavor. Service is a bit slower on the patio than the rest of the restaurant, I'm guessing. We're harder to see. That being said, if you're on the patio (how many times can I say patio?), you're there to be leisurely. Service went at the exact pace I wanted it to. There is also seating indoors, and on a covered porch, for those patio averse.

Incredible!! Delicious, well presented Sunday brunch. Definitely a stop every time traveling…read morethrough Birmingham!!!

Home-run French in downtown Birmingham. I came here with a couple of my friends for a summer…read moreevening dinner out on the patio. We thoroughly toured the list of French wines, imbibed on a couple of their yummy cocktails (my friend loves the "Last Word"). Service was, of course, fantastic. The location is one of the most quaint and vibey in town (Morris Ave) and the food is certainly up to snuff. We split the famous potato appetizer and I had the half chicken for entree. Both outstanding.

A nice quiet spot to have a great meal with farm fresh ingredients, homemade breads and tasty…read moresandwiches. I went with the brisket panini and side salad. Both were so good and generous portions that left me full. Wife got the turkey and Swiss and raved about the sourdough bread and how fresh it tasted. This was during lunch so we didn't get drinks but their cocktails sounds great (peach Old Fashioned and espresso martini to name a few) so I'd like to come back for dinner sometime and try some of those. Perfect spot for a relaxing lunch downtown.

Great service and delicious food. It's always busy during lunch but came for a late lunch on the…read moreweekend and it was very chill. Great atmosphere and 10/10 hospitality from everyone working there. Would definitely recommend.

This place was recommended by a local Birminghammian and it was a good recommendation. Three of us…read morewere working somewhere nearby and we took an Uber here and it was kinda packed. We snagged some seats at the bar and had some drinks and shortly after that, our table was ready. And they were able to keep everything on one check, which was nice. No need to settle the tab and start a new one at the table. And the old fashioned I had was delicious. For food, we started with the Hungarian Hot Stuffed Peppers. These were pretty good and the heat gradually snuck up on you as you ate them. I don't know if it was because the heat was more intense as you worked your way towards the stem or just a gradual burn. Either way, these were good and worth the heartburn later. The thick focaccia helped with the burn a little. Speaking of heartburn, the pepperoni pizza may have contributed a bit to that too, but again, totally worth it. The cup-and-char pepperoni was charred nicely as were the edges and bottom! I love a nice bottom! These were easy to share between two of us. Service was amazing from the bartender to the waiter to the uber driver (who didn't really count, but nice job, man). We felt welcomed and I can see why the place was crowded on a Tuesday evening.

First, know that there is parking behind the building. We didn't know and apparently for the number…read moreof cars trying to squeeze into nonexistent spaces, many others didn't either. We walked up the street with a half dozen other diners. Wooden City is definitely not in the best part of BHM. Walking to the restaurant was a little sketchy, no need for a detailed description. Although we had reservations, the hostess looked at us like we had three eyes. She found a small table for us in the far back of the restaurant. No problem, at least we were seated. Our server greeted us quickly and went over the menu. We ordered drinks, blistered Hungarian peppers and a sausage and mushroom pizza. We told him that we were going to a concert and were on a little bit of a tight schedule. By the time our server checked on our food, the second time, we went from a little bit tight to full "gotta get out of here" mode. I guess the delay in getting our food was to give the kitchen time to burn our pizza. Over half of the thick, chewy crust was inedible. The bottom of the pie didn't fare much better. The peppers, on the other hand, were amazing. (not so much so at 2 am but that's just me!) They are a do not miss. We were at least able to settle our bill quickly and made it to the concert with time to spare. Overall, would we go back? Only if in the area - those peppers were amazing. Still, I definitely would not make a special trip.

East West is seriously one of my favorite spots in Birmingham! I literally come here at least once…read morea month, and it's always a go-to whenever I have friends or family visiting from out of town. If you're not from Bham, this is definitely a place I recommend adding to your list! It's perfect for a date night, girls' night, or really any occasion. The prices are reasonable, the drinks are good, and the food never disappoints. I always get the East West Wings, and they are PHENOMENAL! One of my absolute staples every time I come is the duck nachos, they're SO good and definitely a must try. I also love getting the spicy garlic noodles with shrimp. The flavors are always on point!

Came here for a Thursday night dinner! Most everywhere else in Birmingham had an hour+ wait for…read moredinner, but EastWest had no wait! I'd never been here before, but had been excited to try it out! The atmosphere is similar to the other restaurants on 2nd Ave, and I love the mural in the back. I love a short menu, the menu here is the perfect length. Just one side of a sheet of paper. We tried the cauliflower to start, the flavor was amazing but the fry could have been a little bit crispier. My friend ordered the salmon plate for dinner, which I had a bit of and was INCREDIBLE. I'd definitely order that next time. I had the Mongolian beef bowl, which hit the spot, but did leave a little bit to be desired. I wasn't particularly wowed by the flavor or sear on the beef itself. Service was ok. I'll definitely come back here. The price and ambiance are right for a weeknight winter dinner out. Parking can be a little bit tricky around here. Most street parking was full and we ended up parking in a paid lot behind Neon Moon.

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.

Great menu! We had the hangar steak and it was excellent…read more We had grandkids who were well taken care of with small pizzas and Shirley Temples. Drinks were well made and well served. We shared a bottle of wine from a nice sized offering. Pleasant staff and a relaxed ambiance made the night a great celebration for two birthdays being celebrated.

Bettola is perfect if you are in the mood for Italian food. The food and service were wonderful! I…read morehave gotten various pasta dishes before, but the salad I got this time was delicious. The other members of our party got pizzas, and everyone loved theirs. It is very family-friendly and in a great area in Pepper place.