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    Chez Fonfon

    4.6 (523 reviews)
    PriceyFrench, Bars
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:30 pm

    Chez Fonfon Photos

    CHEZ FONFON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Classy
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Chez Fonfon

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    Ali L.

    Tucked in on a side street is the best little French bistro in Birmingham, Alabama called Chez FonFon. This place oozes yummy... from the excellent service staff to the .. well food! I had to look up what the name meant and it loosely translates to at the home of (chez) and FonFon is an affectionate nickname.. which also means sure sure. The owners include a James Beard winning chef and his lovely wife and since 2000 they have been creating incredibly good food and fun. We were treated well and fed even better. A must stop for this foodie for sure!

    Short rib
    Kathryn S.

    Another delicious dinner @ Chez Fon fon. We started with steak tartare , asparagus and baguette! Not a bite left! Entrees ordered short rib. Steak frites swordfish special and of course the hamburger. The best fries in town! Sorbet and coconut cake to end the night! Fabulous service as always!

    Burger
    Sarah M.

    Amazing food! The burger patty was cooked perfectly medium rare, like I asked. Best burger I've had! The service was great, our waitress was amazing and attentive. The ambience was upscale, vibes were good, and it was beautiful for the christmas time:)

    Trout amandine, haricots verts & brown butter Fried potatoes and green beans.
    Iseo Y.

    I was there with friends for late lunch and I ordered Trout amandine, haricots verts & brown butter with Potatoes and green beans, it's good but I wish it's not heavy on coating it's too grainy. Service is good and our waiter is very attentive, ambiance is okay but way too loud when it gets too much people as tables are too close to each other. Parking can be hectic but that's the way it is.

    Faye Y.

    What a divine experience! I'm not an expert in French cuisine but I absolutely adored this restaurant. The ingredients were so fresh! Our waiter was knowledgable and the patio with the lights created such a calm atmosphere. Definitely a must try experience.

    Part of the menu

    The food and service was amazing. Would I go back or recommend this place? Absolutely.

    Chef special with tuna. The flavors complimented each other so well. Sweet and salty
    Jana G.

    The atmosphere was great and the service was exceptional! Great suggestions for food and made sure to explain the chef specials for the day!

    Jenna L.

    Visited Chez Fon Fon for the first time after seeing the raving reviews, and my family found this restaurant to be quite underwhelming. Pretty small space, but has a cozy and homey vibe to it. Not sure if it's a Southern thing, but every dish was overwhelmingly salty, including the side salad that came with the hanger steak. The hanger steak and veal were very tender though. The avocado shrimp salad was flavorful, but very salty and could've used more avocado. The vegetables that accompanied the veal were very oily. The bearnaise sauce was extremely salty as well, to the point where it was left completely untouched. The hamburger was pretty good, and the fries were great -- very crispy. We ordered the Pinot noir and it was alright. The basque cheesecake was also very disappointing, it simply tasted like a flavorless pound cake. We had mixed feelings about the service -- we weren't greeted by the lady standing at the front of the door, but were warmly greeted by a different employee who sat us. Our waiter was interesting, didn't check on us after the food was brought out but swung by when we were finished eating. Overall, this place was pretty disappointing and underwhelming because it felt like it didn't live up to the hype, but maybe we'll just have to give it another try!

    JJ G.

    Outstanding! Great experience. Had a great meal and a great time the menu and the food is superb. The staff is wonderful better than some of their competitors and those other higher end places. One of the best restaurants in Birmingham. I will definitely be on the return to this place. The bar staff is amazing. The hosts are very welcoming and great and even assist at bar seating and other options. The Food's a little bit more higher and so that comes with price. They do upsell drinks, but it's worth the experience. My only feedback is the fries were horrible and nasty. Other than that everything was excellent.

    Trout Amandine
    Camille U.

    Warm and friendly service. Flavorful and delicious dishes. The outdoor patio is like a getaway in the heart of the city. The rich, decadent desserts are worth the calories.

    Pot au cream

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    26 days ago

    The food was outstanding! The wait staff were always available and very friendly. We ate outside on the patio and it was very quaint.

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    7 months ago

    Everything! So delicious' so yummy! Excellent service, outstanding food, great location! Staff is so friendly and suberb

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    2 years ago

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    9 months ago

    Classic and fantastic! Sat at the bar, and was treated so well. Service was perfect, next time I'm in town a revisit is top of the list.

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    Page 1 of 14

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    4.5(133 reviews)
    0.4 mi
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    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.

    I can't justify returning to Freddy's after three consistently bad experiences. The pricing is…read moreoutrageous! A bottle of wine that costs around $19 at Target runs $60-70 here. Sure, some call it "the experience," but that falls flat when the service is completely lacking. One rainy night, my friends and I walked from farther away in pouring rain, shook off our coats and umbrellas outside, and stepped in dripping, only to be met with stares and zero help. We felt judged from the moment we entered. (WARNING: make sure you dress like you have money or whatever, not that we were in slacks or anything). The waiter that evening was also so snobby, inattentive, and provided terrible customer service. Ambiance is meh. So dark and crowded, no privacy. The food is equally disappointing: wildly overpriced with no real flavor balance. Dishes come out either bland and plain or excessively salty. Not once across three visits did anything impress me, and I've never left having enjoyed myself. So, I'm really not sure what the hype is about this place. Birmingham people always hype up the wrong places Save your money. there are far better options in Birmingham for the price.

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    High tops downtowns w shuffle board table

    Freddy's - Hummus with za'atar vinaigrette and chives, served with warm fresh pita and crackers

    Hummus with za'atar vinaigrette and chives, served with warm fresh pita and crackers

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    Reve - Lobster Roll

    Reve

    3.8(31 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$$$

    I tried Rev for the first time and really enjoyed both the food and the overall experience. I had…read morethe Attelier (sp?)--the six-course meal. While some courses stood out more than others, one in particular--the deconstructed French onion soup--was plate-licking, out-of-this-world good. The service was excellent. Each course was explained clearly, and the pacing was spot-on. In my opinion, this is the most unique dining experience in Birmingham and definitely worth a visit.

    I think this may be the most overrated restaurant I've ever visited. For veterans of fine dining,…read moreit is the epitome of "mid." My husband and I went for our anniversary back in October. We were there on a weeknight and were one of two tables. If you're big on ambiance, Reve falls a little flat due to its location in the Pizitz, but I wasn't particularly bothered by it. We had the 6-course menu with a cocktail pairing. The food was mostly good, but none of it was great. The dishes looked beautiful, and the flavor combinations were creative, but not always complementary. Of the 6 courses, only 2 were memorable, and it was because they were disappointing. The fish course was not worth finishing, and I wasn't looking for more of any of the other courses. The best thing was the milk bread, but it did not pair well with the condiment it was served with. The cocktails were better than the food. The service was also mid. Our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu, but the pacing of the meal was off. We had long waits between some courses-- not exorbitantly, but we chose the 6-course because we DIDNT want a 3+ hour meal on a weeknight. We also preordered a soufflé when we first arrived, since they take some time to prepare. Despite that, our server waited until we were finished eating to order it. It took FOREVER to get, and wouldn't you know, it was overcooked. All in all, it was an above average meal, but for the price it did not rise to the level of other fine dining experiences. IMO, the Michelin hype is resulting in high expectations for Reve, but the execution isn't quite there.

    Photos
    Reve
    Reve - This was a palate cleanser between the main entree and dessert. So good!

    This was a palate cleanser between the main entree and dessert. So good!

    Reve

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    Hot and Hot Fish Club - Southern bouillabaisse

    Hot and Hot Fish Club

    4.0(390 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$$

    We started with bread service and enjoyed but we have definitely had softer, more decadent bread…read morewith better or more unique butter. ($10) I got cauliflower soup as my app and thought that it was perfectly creamy but I would've loved a crouton or some kind of topping that added crunch or bread. Crispy French onions would've also been a nice touch. I could immediately smell the truffle oil so loved that. ($15) Julia got the pork belly and absolutely raved about it so I had to have a bite. I tried it and immediately started nodding my head up and down. It was absolutely divine. We both agreed that $18 for this dish was a great value. I got the ricotta gnudi for my entree and enjoyed but would've loved a protein and acid component. They were well seasoned and I appreciated the layers of flavors, just needed something else to it. ($38) Julia got the southern bouillabaisse and thoroughly enjoyed. This was like a seafood stew. The fish jowl threw me off but she said she loved every bite. ($40) We sat at the bar, even though we had a reservation - which isn't the end of the world but I feel obligated to talk to my neighbor so I would've preferred a table to ourselves. It was casual yet upscale still. Definitely not the white table cloths I'd envisioned. They have seasonal menus and we'd love to visit again in the summer to try some of their items then. But honestly, we aren't dying to return in the near future.

    Birmingham, Alabama: What a great first night spent in…read moreBirmingham, Al. First off, this town is a foodie haven.. James Beard award winning chefs, Michelin guide listed restaurants and areas around downtown that are solid and gaining notice! Hot and Hot Fish Club is no exception. We were able to get reservations at the chefs table and what a fun experience. While watching these pros work we got to speak to the masters and get recommendations on what to try and all if it was .. well great! This place has been serving great food since 1994 and we're located in the artsy Pepper Place district. We started with bread service and grilled pork belly appetizer. For our meals we had the Southern Bouillabaisse and the Wood-fired New York Strip. Both dishes we full of tasty pairings and everything delicious. Finished the evening with a French pressed coffee and a strawberry Cobbler. Truly a must go!

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    Hot and Hot Fish Club
    Hot and Hot Fish Club - Pork belly

    Pork belly

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    Ricotta gnudi

    Chez Fonfon - french - Updated June 2026

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