In town for a conference and the restaurant was a block from my hotel…read more Inside is very casual. Kinda bar-like with a nice restaurant vibe! We sat at the bar since it was packed. Service at the bar was good considering every seat at the bar was taken. We ordered our food and it was out within 15-20 minutes. I ordered the Nashville hot chicken, but subbed the sides for the whole fried okra and Gouda grits. When I say those grits and okra hit.....somebody in that kitchen knows what they're doing! The chicken breasts were juicy and flavorful. The spice level was typical for Nashville hot chicken, which I sometimes I can't take. But I loved the flavor so much I couldn't stop eating it. I will eat here again when I return to the city!

I found The Southern Kitchen & Bar completely through Yelp and the Yelp reviews, and I am glad I…read moredid. When I came in, the place was crowded, which is usually a very good sign. It had a good energy right away. I had been looking at a few things on the menu and was really going back and forth. I was interested in the hot chicken, the Brussels sprouts, and also the ribeye Philly cheesesteak. They told me both were really good, and I ended up going with the ribeye Philly cheesesteak. Great choice. I also got a side salad with the chipotle ranch dressing and that was very good too. Picture below. For dessert, I was planning on getting the key lime pie, because that is usually my move, but Hayden my server talked me into trying the blueberry cobbler cheesecake instead. I am glad he did. It was very good. Picture below. Between the crowded room, the good service, and the food, this was a very strong experience all the way around. I am giving The Southern Kitchen & Bar 5 stars.

My first time at Gabriella's was recently. This place gets really busy..... fast! When I arrived,…read more there were about 2 ppl already present and ordering at the hot bar. It's kind of hard to tell what all the food options are, so I had to ask what some stuff was. I managed to get a meat and 2 instead of a meat and 5! There were quite a few veggie options that looked amazingly delicious! I do not recommend coming here hungry or hangry. Ok, sooo I love meat loaf so naturally that's what I got. I also got collards and cornbread dressing & yes they had cranberry sauce. Everything was good tasting. The meatloaf was a little sweet to my taste so I probably wouldn't order it again. The veggies were not over seasoned or overcooked. I will definitely comeback here bc there is still just so much I wanna try. The staff is nice and took care of the crowd. I even witnessed them give a person in need food, as they were about to dig in the restaurant's garbage can outside for scraps. Made me count my blessings.. all of them! There is street parking only. I didn't have any issues parking on a Sunday afternoon. The inside of this restaurant is not big but I was comfortable dining in.

Good southern food on a Sunday afternoon while visiting. Couldn't tell from the Yelp pictures but…read moreit's a really small restaurant with food displayed buffet style behind the clear partition that they serve you in a container. Only about 3 people at a time can hold inside before it's starts getting crowded. It stay pretty busy. Options are 1 meat with two sides or 2 meats with three sides combination. A la cart is available as well. They have ice tea or lemonade drinks in a cup that they also serve you. Lemonade was good. There's a very small counter to pay after you order. Fry chicken is tasty with perfect crisp. Collard greens were seasoned well and perfect texture. Yams (my favorite) was perfect - flavorful, not too sweet and firm but not hard. Both of us thought the Black eyed peas looked really good but taste bland. I would have preferred it without the Okra. I didn't see that when I ordered. One in our group commented the meat loaf was good. The dressing was really good too - well seasoned and tasty. After paying there's a dining area for self seating. It serves the purpose to sit and eat but definitely could use sprucing up along with the restrooms. Please seriously consider! It would make the experience much more pleasant to enjoy their delicious food. I took off two stars for that reason and yes it's that unpleasant as the tables/chairs are also too clustered together. The chairs don't fit around the table properly. Overall good southern food at a reasonable price and recommended. Skip dining in if you don't have too. Just my two cents.

This place was honestly a surprise. My husband and I were in the area looking to get dinner but the…read moreoriginal restaurant we wanted to go to was booked. We ended up here. I will say this is one of the best steaks I have had up to date so far. Cooked just the way I liked it.

Food was delicious and great gluten free options. The Manhattan was the perfect end to the work…read moreday. Service was excellent.

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!

I was curious about this place since I had read so much about it and seen it on lists of places to…read moreeat at. Make sure to reserve a table a day before; they book really quickly. We ate at the bar which I ended up loving. It is such a cool vibe there - classy and not too dark, so you can see easily. We got the Warm Angel Biscuits because it seemed popular and well liked, the Carolina Gold Middlins, and Bear Creek Farm Flat Iron Steak. They were all SO good. Definitely get the Biscuits. I can see why people love them so much - the biscuits were warm and had a soft texture, but what I thought shined was the butter. It was unbelievably smooth, sweet (but not too sweet), and just... had such a good flavor to it. I'd get it again. The Middlins was sooo decadent too. Full of flavor and different textures. I'd get this one again. The steak was really good, except, it was actually lukewarm when they served it to us. I was super surprised for a restaurant like this. They were nice and attempted to heat it up again but.... it didn't really make it much warmer. So that kind of spoiled it. But if it was hot, it would have been AMAZING. So that was my experience!

I have had this bookmarked forever. Not sure how or why I did, but I sure am glad that I did!!…read more It's an old school hole in the wall kind of place. These are my favorite kind of places in the world. From the moment I walked up and saw the big piles of wood outside I knew I was probably going to like this place. We had an amazing meal here. Every single bite was good. I ate myself damn near sick! I cannot wait to come back!! The day we were there the bartender was waiting on the whole place himself with just someone helping him run food and clear tables. We only had an hour before we had to be at an appointment, so when we sat down at the bar I got concerned that we would not have time to eat here. He was busy. He seemed behind. Thank goodness I was wrong. Once he finally got to us we were decided on our meals. He took our order on his little handheld register thing, grabbed our tasty beverages, and poof, off he went. C had the pulled chicken sandwich with deviled eggs and I had pulled pork, smoked chicken thighs, beans, and a giant pile of pork rinds. Holy shit it was good!!! I didn't pay attention to the fact that my thighs had AL white sauce on them until well after I had ordered. Had I know that, I would not have ordered them. I despise all things that have anything to do with mayonnaise. But.... Had I known, I would have never known. I fucking loved it! I could have eaten 10 of them. There were hands down the best smoked chicken that I have ever had. The pork was bad ass too! I dare say perfect. Beans were great, and the pork rinds side was massive and still warm from the fryer with a killer seasoning on them. There are not enough adjectives to describe this food. I am in love. I cannot wait to get some more of those damn chicken thighs!! '26 - 68

Incredible meal! Pork and greens were fantastic!! There were so many other things on the menu I…read morewanted to try, but since I'm traveling thru I can only hope to have another opportunity to visit again!

The menu had a good variety of options including fish, hamburgers, chicken, and more, though I…read moredidn't notice any salad options available. Parking is primarily street parking in the area, but there is also a public parking deck nearby. I'm unsure what the current cost is for the deck, but it's worth knowing if you're visiting during a busier time. I ordered the fish tacos with black beans and chose the cheese grits as my second side. Everything tasted fresh and had lots of flavor. The real star of the meal, though, was the sweet potato cake. It was incredibly moist and delicious. Honestly, I could've eaten four of them without shame or hesitation. My colleagues ordered burgers and fries. They both really enjoyed their burgers, but neither cared much for the fries. They had also requested a couple additional items after the food arrived, but those items never made it to the table. The decor is bright and fun, though it didn't quite seem to match the style of food being served. Just my personal observation. They also have a robot that helps deliver the food alongside the servers, which felt a little unexpected for the casual atmosphere and southern comfort food vibe. They were fairly busy since it was lunchtime on a Friday, but the wait really wasn't bad at all. Would I go back? Yes. Was it my absolute favorite? No. But there were definitely things I enjoyed, especially that sweet potato cake that nearly made me consider ordering dessert first next time.

I specifically chose Yo' Mama's because I'd heard great things about the food and also wanted to…read moresupport a Black-owned business -- and I'm so glad I did because the food absolutely did not disappoint. We ordered the hot chicken sandwich with a side of coleslaw, and both were packed with flavor. The slaw was light, crisp, and not overloaded with mayo, with just a slight peppery kick that made it incredibly tasty. The hot chicken sandwich itself wasn't overwhelmingly spicy, but it was finger-licking good -- juicy, well-seasoned, and satisfying down to the last crumb. We truly enjoyed every bite. The ambience with its bright green, purple and white colors added to the experience. The restaurant was lively and full of people, which is always a good sign. I also caught glimpses of other patrons' dishes, and everything coming out of the kitchen looked just as delicious as what we ordered. Service was friendly and welcoming, which made the visit even better. Staff members seemed genuinely happy to be there and kept things moving smoothly. The location is right in the heart of downtown Bhama, so parking is metered street parking, but the prices were reasonable and worth it for the quality and uniqueness of the food. Overall, this spot delivered on food, atmosphere, and service. Big thumbs up from me -- I'll definitely be back!

This morning, Sunday, February 15, 2026; My wife and I went to "The Essentials" for Sunday, Brunch…read more I have not eaten at "The Essentials" for a few years now. We don't like going out on holidays like Valentines Day so we usually do something the day after. Food: I got the Steak & Eggs. They were great. I did think the "Potato Cake" on the plate was a bit dry but I did eat it all. I was surprised that no Toast was provided for this item. Just an after thought. My wife go the Banana Bread French Toast. She also loved it. Service: This is where "The Essentials" understands what their clients want. Our server was outstanding. I looked around and felt the entire staff really knew how to work with their guests. Refreshing. Ambiance: At first, I thought the restaurant was a bit noisy. Yet my wife and my conversation was not strained. The Ambiance was upscale casual. Value: I thought the prices were a bit high yet the real story was, once I was finished, my mind was asking when the next time I would return. Cost a meal is in direct portion to how much you enjoyed it. I enjoyed my meal very much. Eat well, Drink well and stay healthy.

This is a great spot in Birmingham. The menu was not clear, but the staff worked with us to figure…read moreout what they could make without seed oils and gluten-free options. I ended up with a bunless burger. The Caesar salad with chicken was my first choice, but both the dressing and the chicken had seed oils - not good. Still, the vibe was great, and we made the best of what was available. Thanks to the chef for working with us.

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.

Wife and I were downtown looking for place to eat after an appointment. Wife was interested in…read moresome vegetables. Went by Fife's it was about 12:15, we were expecting a wait. Only one person in line, restaurant was basically empty. Looked at menu and noticed meat and 2 was over$14.00. We decided maybe it was not the place for us, so we quietly left and went to Alpha Charlie's out by the airport which turned out to be a great experience. I've been to File's in years past and did not remember the place to be so dark and drab. Feel like this places days are numbered. Sure miss the Social Grill for the ones of you that are old enough to remember that place.

This was a short walk from my Airbnb and being from California. I'm not used to single digit prices…read moreon a breakfast menu. This is my idea of a perfect diner. Solid food made fresh. A bunch of regulars chatting at a table. I wanted to try the biscuits, but there weren't any. The sausage was my favorite part.

My absolute favorite meat and three (or two) Birmingham restaurant. With each visit the food is…read moreconstantly being cooked and rotated out to refill the cafeteria style options of the day. Each plate is always served fresh and hot. It has also quickly become my Dad's favorite as well. Conveniently located on the edge of downtown but away from the hustle and bustle of Med Center. The tables are constantly being cleaned and there is always a place to sit even during peak hours. The food options will make your taste buds sing "Hallelujah" it's SO good. Even writing this post is making me want some of their perfectly prepared fried chicken. They also offer a separate Brunch menu on Saturday.

My folks and I made a run down to Birmingham to catch the tail end of the French Moderns exhibit at…read morethe BMA. Ted's was our pick for lunch! We arrived fairly early, shortly after opening, but the place was already bustling and the hot bar was full of yummy-looking and smelling food. It has a pleasant, sort of old-timey feel, which makes sense given it's been open since the 70s. This is a "Greek and three," fairly common in Bham, so they offer country cooking favorites like fried chicken in addition to Greek foods like souvlaki. You order as you move through the line in front of the hot bar. The food is protected from guests by glass so it doesn't feel as icky as a buffet does (to me, at least). The folks working the hot bar were pleasant and working diligently. There was one waitress who was suuuuper bossy and a little short with me (she really didn't want me to stand still and look at a paper menu, apparently), but she eventually warmed to us after my dad chatted her up while she was getting our drinks. I ordered fried chicken with yams and fried okra. My mom also got fried chicken, hers with mashed potatoes and cabbage. My dad tried the baked Greek chicken with green beans and macaroni and cheese. I snagged a roll and a sweet tea to drink. The tea was refreshing and not overly sweet. The food was overwhelmingly quite solid. My fried chicken breast wasn't ready when I ordered it so I had to wait a while for it to be prepared, but on the bright side it arrived piping hot and super crispy. It was great fried chicken, clearly brined and flavorful throughout, not just on the crunchy batter. The yams were nicely spiced and not overly soft. The fried okra was a delight as well, crispy and plentiful. The roll was average, but nbd. My parents were also quite happy with their meals. My mom RAVED about the cabbage and ate all her mashed potatoes and gravy. The macaroni and cheese was outstanding (I wish I'd gotten three sides and it been my third). The Greek chicken was succulent and light. The only so-so item was the green beans, and even those were decent. Definitely worth a visit if you're in Birmingham! One of the better meat and twos/threes I've had in a while.