Date night done right! Every dish is packed with flavor, cooked to perfection, and perfect dim and…read moreelegant ambiance. We adore the mussels appetizer and always have fantastic fish dishes every visit. A must-go for date night, a special occasion, or just a reason to dress up!

Second trip to River Restaurant starts off on a bad note. We arrived at 10:35 a.m. and the inside…read moredining room was only about half full with several empty tables, and the outdoor seating area, which we specifically requested, also had open tables. Still, we were told there would be a 15-20 minute wait. We waited about 35 minutes before seating. Make it make sense. That said, the restaurant sits right along the Black Warrior River, which offers a really pleasant view, especially from the patio. On a cool spring day like today, it's hard to beat outdoor seating here. Tuscaloosa is buzzing with football fans for the annual A-Day spring game, which adds to the energy around town. My better half ordered the shrimp and grits, and I went with the steak fajita bowl, minus the sunny-side-up egg. Even at my age, I can't do the runny yolk situation, I always ask for my eggs over hard. With that change, I'll say the fajita bowl jumped up to one of my top breakfast/brunch go-to dishes in town. Yes, I know it's technically brunch, but it was before 11 a.m., so I'm calling it breakfast. The shrimp and grits were solid, though the tails were still on the shrimp, which meant a bit of extra peeling at the table, my wife wasn't a fan of that part, but she still finished the dish and enjoyed it overall. Only minor gripe on the food side: ice seems to be a rare commodity here, I'd love a few more cubes in the water. But overall, the food was very good, the patio seating is absolutely the way to go, and the river view is fantastic.

This was a home run from start to finish. Though it was a bit of a hike from South Tuscaloosa, it…read morewas absolutely worth the drive. The wait for our party of 5 wasn't too long and we were seated in a big booth near the bar. Very nice decor, classy but comfortable. All of the servers and staff were super friendly and offered a nice selection of local brews and tasty margaritas. Several of us had the redfish special which was just outstanding! All in all, and outstanding experience. Definitely a repeater for us when next we're in town.

Well after seeing reviews me and wife decided on this for lunch…read more I'll say all the staff were great. Very friendly. But the food?????? Wife wanted a salad and potato skins so went with the wedge which came chopped so more of a chopped salad than a wedge and it was fine. Nothing spectacular. Who potato skins were reminiscent of some frozen ones you heat in the oven. Didn't seem fresh at all. The bacon wasn't that great really and the cheeses was cheese. All in all edible but not enjoyable. I went with the bacon wrapped meatloaf with mashed potatoes with gravy and a side of Mac and cheese. I'll start with the Mac. It was horrible. Sorry don't mean to be a downer but wasn't good at all. The mashed and gravy a big nope. The potatoes weren't all that good. It was like eating a plat of spackle. And the gravy was horrendous. Made bad potato's worse. The meatloaf was ok. Kind of like cafeteria meatloaf. I did eat it but wasn't thrilled. Again not a fan of that bacon so ditched that after one bite. Personally I would not go back and wife agreed. Maybe we got the wrong items but nothing was good.

Nice and clean and the best food I've bought in years go get some soon…read more She's the Queen of soul food

We had a great meal! The food is just like my grandma used to make. The service was amazing! We…read morewill definitely be back!

I want to write a MAJOR shoutout to Ty Tomlinson!! We hosted a party for 70 people over graduation…read moreweekend at Avenue Pub and Ty's attention to detail was unbelievable. He went up and beyond to make sure that every aspect of our party was fantastic. He helped me problem solve and he came up with great solutions, he made sure that the upstairs venue was impeccably cleaned for our event (even sent pictures) to calm my mind that all was going well, he made sure the food was unbelievable and that our bar/ bartenders were spot on!! Ty quite honestly made planning and hosting an event at Avenue Pub stress free! I am from out of state and I knew all was being taken care of just perfectly! I can honestly say that I have never had that attention to detail and follow up from anywhere I have ever hosted an event. Ty was in constant contact assuring me all was being attended to so our graduation party would be the best!! I would highly recommend planning your next party at the upstairs venue at Avenue Pub and you'd be so lucky to have Ty Tomlinson to work with you. Also, a huge shoutout to our bartenders that attended to us that night. They were kind, serviced the bar wonderfully, and made our party fantastic!

If you're looking for great food, a fun atmosphere, and a place full of character, The Avenue Pub…read moreis a must-visit! The food was absolutely amazing -- fresh, flavorful, and worth every bite. From the moment you walk in, the rustic vibe and welcoming atmosphere make you feel right at home. Great service, great people, and even better food. Get the Salty Dog and Blackberry Smash! Definitely a spot we'll be coming back to. Roll Tide, Alabama!

Stopped there with a friend for lunch on a recent trip to Gordo…read more First time for him, I've enjoyed the place several times. My friend and I both got the Country Fried Steak with the white gravy. Large serving, not over cooked the way a lot of places prepare it. Beef was tender with a light breading, making every bite a perfect combination of meat and breading. All side each of us had were favorable. I think the creamed corn will be one of my new "Go To" at Blue Plate. My friend order an appetizer of onion rings. They were definitely not from Sysco, they were very crisp with the perfect amount of breading. My only issue at Blue Plate is they only serve corn bread, and I'm not a big fan of corn bread, but this time I tasted theirs, and it was like potato chips, I keep going back for more. It was buttery and soft with the perfect amount of crust. My friend wanted to know when we're going back to Gordo. Said he could eat here every day.

After church today, we decided to hit up The Blue Plate--a good ol' Northport meat-and-three…read moreclassic. Apparently, half the town had the same idea because the parking lot looked like a Bama tailgate minus the tents and the yelling. We walked in and found ourselves about twenty deep in line--but hey, that's how you know it's good. Thankfully, since it was just the two of us, we scored a table in about ten minutes. Others... well, they might still be waiting as I write this. It's been a while since our last visit, and I noticed the menu's slimmed down a bit--but honestly, the food's leveled up. I went with the blackened catfish, turnip greens, and creamed corn, and let me tell you, that creamed corn was off the chain. Hot, buttery, and so good it could make you forget your own name. Everything came out fresh, seasoned just right, and hit the spot like a dart in a bullseye. Now, let's talk about that complimentary cornbread. Fluffy, golden, and just sweet enough--it's the kind of side that could run for mayor and win. I'm proud of myself for showing a little restraint today and not asking for seconds. (Believe me, it took Olympic-level willpower.) Our waitress was hustling like a Bama walk-on trying to earn a scholarship--fast, friendly, and somehow always smiling. Service: A+. Prices? A little higher than I remember, but that seems to be the new normal for a meat-and-three these days. Only downside--we got seated right by the door. Every time it opened, we got a blast of fresh air and a few curious stares. Folks walking in got a front-row seat to us eating like it was the "Welcome to Blue Plate" exhibit. But when you roll in at peak hour, you take what you can get. All in all, great food, friendly folks, and a true taste of Northport hospitality--just next time, I might wear sunglasses so I don't feel like part of the lunchtime attraction.

Great food Great People. I ordered 1/2 Chicken with greens and beans. Perfectly cooked and…read moreseasoned. It's a little off the beaten path, but well worth it.

The Brown Bag Restaurant in Northport has been a staple for good eats for as long as I can…read moreremember. I can't tell you how many times people have recommended it for lunch, yet I never managed to stop in and experience it for myself until today. My work schedule and the Bag's hours always seemed to clash, and since it's a bit off the beaten path, it stayed in the "out of sight, out of mind" category. Now, as I'm approaching full retirement, I finally had the time to swing by and see what all the fuss was about. Upon arrival, the first sign you're in the right place is the parking lot. It's packed, about like a blue tick on a hound dog. Stepping inside, don't expect anything fancy. The interior is old school with faded paint and a no frills setup. Your food is served in Styrofoam containers with plastic utensils. But that's part of the charm. Who needs fine china when you're filling your gizzard with good soul food? The place was full and I managed to grab one of the last open tables under the roof. I then waited for the waitress who was running laps across the dining area, taking orders, refilling drinks, checking out customers, and handling everything in between. If you come anywhere near lunch hour, don't expect Jimmy John's Freaky Fast service. You're here to slow down and enjoy the experience. When I ordered, I went with a catfish fillet, turnip greens, field peas, fried green tomatoes, a side of cornbread, and tartar sauce for the fish. The fried green tomatoes did not make it out with the order, but the waitress was very apologetic and adjusted my bill to a meat and two instead of a meat and three, which I appreciated. Now to the important part, the food. The catfish was hot, crispy, and perfectly cooked, not greasy at all, just honest, well done Southern cooking. The turnip greens and field peas were flavorful and comforting, exactly what you hope for in a place like this. The tartar sauce had a slightly sweet twist that I was not expecting, different from the traditional version, but surprisingly excellent. I will need a few more visits before I can fully put that into words, but it worked. Overall, now I understand the buzz. The Brown Bag delivers exactly what it promises, simple, hearty, well prepared soul food served without pretense. I will definitely be back, and now that retirement is on the horizon, I have got all the time in the world to wait on a good meal, unlike you working folks still rushing through lunch.

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.

Very good and affordable breakfast. I wish I worked close enough to get lunch! Luckily they open…read morevery early so breakfast is available. Lots of to-go orders, just call ahead and they'll have it waiting on you.

First time visiting and this is old school southern breakfast and lunch cafe with counter. Staff is…read morefriendly and certainly a locals favorite. Friend took me there (bama alum) and great find. Food is as expected for southern food. Menu has daily mix of the choice of "meat" and "vegetables" with a special on the board. Food was hot and served timely. Friend had hamburger fried steak w mash potatoes and greens. He left nothing on the plate I had the lemon pepper chicken - daily special and fried okra, Lima beans and coleslaw. It was delicious Ambiance hasn't changed in decades. Don't expect more than that and appreciate the nostalgia