If you know downtown Tuscaloosa, you know getting into Urban Bar & Kitchen usually requires…read morepatience--and a willingness to stand around waiting for the doors to open. But spring break week flipped the script in the best way possible. Tonight, my wife and I met up with some good friends for a pre-retirement dinner, and with the college crowd scattered to the beaches, downtown felt like it belonged to us "seasoned locals" again. No lines, no crowds--just a quick call ahead and we were seated within minutes. That alone felt like a win. We started things off with the fried green tomatoes--a true Southern delicacy and, let's be honest, acid reflux's favorite dance partner. Worth it? Absolutely. These were hot, crispy, and full of flavor. The kind of dish that would make Grandma nod in approval. No shortcuts, just done right. For the entrée, I went with the UBK Pasta--blackened chicken, sausage, and shrimp tossed with corkscrew pasta probably crafted in a cast iron skillet. It came out hot and packed with flavor, carrying just the right amount of spice to keep things interesting without overwhelming the dish. Exactly how I like it. My wife stuck with a proven winner: the shrimp & grits. She's had it before, and once again, it delivered. Consistency matters, and this dish continues to hit the mark every time. Now, not everything was quite as smooth. Our waitress wasn't exactly channeling that warm Southern hospitality you hope for. Let's just say she wasn't "Miss Dolly" serving smiles with a side of charm. The service leaned a bit on the impatient side--subtle (and not-so-subtle) hints that our time at the table was up, including clearing drinks before we were even finished. At one point I joked about going to the restroom but worried I might come back to find my chair gone. Still, when the food is this good, it carries the experience. Urban Bar & Kitchen continues to deliver where it matters most--on the plate. The atmosphere was relaxed thanks to spring break timing, the food was as strong as ever, and the company made it even better. As for the service... maybe she was just ready for her own spring break reunion. Happens to the best of us. Final takeaway: Go for the food--it's consistently excellent. And if you can catch a quieter night like this one, even better.

Whole wing dinner, sweet potato fries, cheese grits, I had coleslaw. Fried crab claws for an…read moreappetizer. Absolutely awesome, best wings in town, crispy, juicy, seasoned and cooked perfectly. Such an awesome meal, not cheap but worth every penny. Service was great, place is really nice and super clean and organized.

First time at this spot, and my initial impression was positive. I would say, I love, love, love…read morethat they use Big Green Egg's inside the restaurant on the line. If you've never had meat (or VEGGIES!) cooked on a BGE, it will change your life. This fact alone will bring me back to try other things. Before I get into the meal, my only real complaint was that they only had a soda machine and tea. I had brought my mother along, and she already had lunch and wanted just to sit and chat. As it was a very cold day she was gonna order a coffee and they don't offer anything hot! It's definitely an opportunity to expand here even if it was just so simple as putting a Keurig machine in the back. I had the Buffalo Chicken Wrap. It is served with grilled chicken in a grilled wrap and cheddar cheese. If there was a buffalo sauce, I didn't taste any. I was a little disappointed in the wrap. The flavor didn't really stand out as being cooked on the Big Green Egg. The cheese wasn't really melted, which can be a common problem with shredded cheddar cheese, but it also didn't really have the buffalo flavor that I was looking for in a buffalo chicken wrap (maybe it was a Toledo Ohio wrap I don't know just not spicy. ) It served with a side of ranch which I juiced up with some Cholula and that helped. I i'm not knocking the quality of the food because it was good. It just didn't live up to the expectations I had in my head based on the menu description. It also came with a side, which I chose the broccoli salad. This was nicely done with bacon, I believe some quinoa and the broccoli was chopped up nicely so you didn't have huge chunks. Also, it wasn't overly sauced so that would make it runny. Overall I give the property four out five stars. Also, the flavor of the whole meal was fine. Good size portion and good value for your money.

Urban cookhouse is part of our dining rotation when we visit Tuscaloosa…read more Food choices and efficiency of getting into a restaurant without the very... long waits during weekends makes it a great option. Salads are always fresh with options to add grilled steak or chicken Gluten-free choices are available It is a casual dining experience but always clean

Service was great, made their presence known. Price a little steep but it has cool vibes. Nice for…read morea night out.

The atmosphere and staff at Central Mesa are excellent. We had no problem getting a table, and the…read moreservice was fast. It was Tuesday, so I thought I would try their taco special. They had one vegetarian option. I will say these are the smallest tacos you have ever seen. The flavor was fine, but nothing outstanding. The chips and salsa were above average. This is a great place to hang out with friends, very comfortable. I am not sure I would go out of my way for the tacos.

Food was gas, waiter was great lots of refills and check ups, this place is pretty awesome besides…read morethe bathroom

Baumhower's is a Tuscaloosa stable, this location is very scenic and decorative. TV's all around…read moreand the environment is always great. It can get rowdy on gameday as any place but during the week it is very calm and relaxed. The food is just as good as they say especially if you catch them right as they open when everything is truly right off the kitchen! The service was great and I sat down quickly. As for the food my appetizers were hot, fresh, and delicious! My main course wrap was also great and tasted well cooked and was followed up with great lemonade. If yo are visiting Tuscaloosa for the first time, you gotta stop by here! I'm always here a few times a month!

A super cool ambiance- one of the best in Tuscaloosa! It's warm, vibey, and small enough to feel…read moreexclusive. We come for Sunday brunch on occasion as we love to hear the saxophone player in the background. I got the brunch tacos, but modified due to food allergies, which they accommodated wonderfully. Be aware the menu is limited (hence the name), but overall a very cool spot for downtown Tuscaloosa.

This review is from travelers stopping in Tuscaloosa on our road trip across Louisiana,…read moreMississippi, Alabama, Georgia landing in South Carolina. Five (5) Bar was certainly a blessing to find. Highly recommend you try this restaurant. Outside seating is pleasant & allows dogs, though we left our pup at hotel. Food is top notch. It's highly recommended for people who hate making decisions. There's only 5 staple appetizers & 5 dinner choices. They have a special everyday so you actually have 6 choices but keep that a secret. It's a great surprise. We had the Saturday special was grilled Snapper with rice/or substitute & spinach/ or substitute & salad. Salad is excellent greens green apple pecans cranberries goat cheese & wonderful complementary dressing. Service was excellent. JC was our server we really enjoyed him.

Went on a Wednesday around 9:00 am. Place wasn't too crowded and got right in and set down…read more Waitress overall was really good. Would have liked for her to have asked if I needed more drink when it was obvious I was about out. Other than that she was very attentive. The Steak and Scramble Bowl was really good. The hollandaise sauce was really good. The Bissell breakfast had all the favorites. We ordered biscuits but they came back and said they were out so, we switched to wheat toast also never offered syrup for the pancake's. Love the option to get turkey sausage. The atmosphere and layout is really nice. They do have some patio seating. Also bathrooms were super clean. Again food came out hot and had a great taste. Definitely will be back.

It was a packed house this weekend at Metro! Waited about 20 minutes for a table and was promptly…read moregreeted for a drink order. Service was great and efficient. Love the game day vibe, casual atmosphere. I always order the same thing because I love it so much! Fried chicken, dark meat, comes with mashed with brown gravy and green beans. I found the chicken to be a lad dry, as usually it tastes fresh and juicy from the fryer. Everything else was delicious.

Great spot, yummy food and friendly service. Our go to every time we visit Tuscaloosaread more

The chili‑sauce wings were the best part of the meal -- not a ton of meat on them, but the sauce…read morewas so good it didn't matter. I'd happily come back just for those. The mozzarella rounds, though... those things came out looking like fried hockey pucks. The breading was thick, greasy, and way too dense, and the marinara was heavy and bland, which didn't help their case at all. I'll return for the wings, but the mozzarella rounds can stay in the penalty box.

Good drinks and service! Hung out there before graduation and enjoyed our time. Interesting…read morecocktail menu with good choices.

The breakfast buffet was absolutely delicious. The bacon was the best ever and the warm syrup made…read morethe waffle taste even better! The fresh fruit really hit the spot and everything was fabulous. Highly recommend the breakfast buffet and you won't need to eat for the rest of the day.