It's so hard to put how good this place is (and its food) into words. It's fresh, not "horrible"…read morefor you, and makes you feel comfortable. This place makes me want to go to Italy even more. And its "dark" presence makes me happy, the music is calming--giving a ballroom vibe, and the table I sat at gave a very fascinating view of the entire place. Our server (Paul) was one of the nicest people I've met--or so I think by the amount of time I talked to him. I absolutely recommend this place for any dates, important birthdays, and events!!

The best Italian in Birmingham can be combined with authentic Italian gelato a block away in town…read moreat Old Bridge Geleteria, to make a very classy, mysterious Italian evening for a surprise engagement, anniversary or birthday!! Super romantic atmosphere! Wear a little glitz so you shine for your man in the dim romantic light! Heavy curtains, cozy booths, expensive artwork with special indirect lighting, and exquisite 5 star service and food combine to make a memorable evening. When your salad fork comes properly chilled and you are served immediately with complimentary bruschetta, one realizes Amore is no regular restaurant! I had slightly spicy Italian sausage and mushroom pesto pasta and hubby had Shrimp Alfredo. Both were excellent. They included generous serving of green salad which had nice additions to the lettuce with house made vinegarette. The bread was fabulous also, offered with olive oil and spices. The location of Amore is a lovely two story strip center, so it is a bit of a hidden jewel. We had barely saved room for a special dessert next door! We drove the short distance to Cedar Lane leading to the precious little Italian village ( Villagio Colafrancesco) hidden in the woods to the right of the shopping center with Amore. Park behind the strip center. Check hours as usually only open on Thurs, Fri and Saturday but this is the way to end a most romantic evening! Tiny lights and a gorgeous restored farmhouse complete the village with its Italian coffee shop and the best gelato outside of Italy. They even have some nondairy sorbet. Tell your lady to bring a large shawl in case it's chilly inside ( no low cut or super short dresses allowed as this is run by a Catholic group that has a large farm not far away)! They also offer organic milk and cheese and meat to order from their gift shop. Don't miss their Sistine Chapel style painted rest room too! Overall, our friends were so delighted with a true Italian experience!

We ate here last night. Food was really good as always. I had the short rib pasta and the beef…read morecarpaccio. Delicious. Service was just ok this time. Our server, he, was just bland. No energy but was attentive. A very upscale design in the restaurant.

TRE LUNAAAAAA!! This place has been living rent free in my…read morehead since I left. One of my friends chose this restaurant for our girls night out & it was an absolutely perfect choice. We all agreed beforehand that we wanted to try a new place that felt pretty relaxed and had outdoor seating. This place gave everything, plus some! We didn't have to wait long for a table, and our waiter was very attentive & knowledgeable about the menu. He answered all of our questions & helped me decide what to order. The outdoor seating is spacious & it was nice to hear the live music coming from a neighboring business. My friends got the Goofy Foot drink & said that it was good but definitely on the stronger side w/the tequila. I opted for a glass of Riesling, it was delicious & paired perfectly with my meal. We didn't get any appetizers. I ordered the fish of the day: Red Snapper w/a Sweet Pea, Tomato & Saffron Risotto 20/10 I always judge food on whether it's "first bite" good & every piece on my plate passed the test. One of my friends chose the Smoked Salmon Pizza, which I was a bit skeptical about at first, but I tried a slice & it was so good. Definitely an out of the ordinary pizza combo that made me rethink all the ways smoked salmon can be used. Another friend ordered the Grilled Ribeye w/Brussel Sprouts & Mashed Potatoes, she loved it! The espresso martinis were also delicious. I wanted a cannoli for dessert but they were sold out, unfortunately. Overall, I'll definitely be returning b/c the food, pricing & atmosphere are all worth the drive. Can't wait to try the lunch menu next!

An all-around great meal! We tried the Charred Spanish Octopus for an appetizer. The char taste…read morewith the romesco and squid ink sauces was a delightfully complex flavor. For entree, I ordered the Blackened Wild Louisiana Redfish, and I would definitely get it again! The blackened seasoning was perfection, and I thought that the fried okra were well done too. We also tried a dessert that I can't remember the name of - it was chocolatey, creamy, and delicious! I really liked the atmosphere - a good combo of formal while being unstuffy. We brought some family that was in town, and we were definitely pleased with the experience!

Food first, thoughts after... My husband and I went here…read morerecently for date night. Everyone was friendly from the greeter to our server. We were seated at a 2 person table with a window view. Tight corner but still very intimate. The overall restaurant vibes were bright and fresh. We got 3 apps and 2 entrees. The octopus dish was delicious. Brussel sprouts was covered in a rich sweet sauce. We're a savory couple so not too interested. The pork belly was cooked well and topped over grits with an egg on top. Wow! My husband got the duck confit and I got the streak frites. Overall the sauces on both were way too salty so it was hard for us to eat and finish. Reasonably priced as we got 4 drinks, 3 apps, and 2 entrees totaling a little over $200. Overall I still have a great time with my love but unfortunately I don't think we will come back.

When I told my friend I was headed to Birmingham for 24 hours, he suggested we try Bottega. Right…read moreoff the interstate, we went for a late lunch, and the cafe was still lively. We were worried about our attire at first because we had on travel clothes, but despite the fancy shell, it also has a down-to-earth vibe. We got a table inside, and our table neighbor shared he visits often when in town for work and shared his favorites. Everything was delicious, and I'm looking forward to returning when in the area. There's valet parking, and we found free street parking. Many of their items are seasonal, and I didn't take a photo of the menu. Some foods are described without the name. Love: service (kind, helpful); chicken scallopine (great flavor & good portion); fried calamari (crispy, hot, fresh); salmon with salad (unexpected but a refreshing take); spice cake w/brown butter cream cheese icing (yes, the icing was incredible!) Like: focaccia (fresh, prefer warm bread)

Yes, please, and thank you, again! Ambience - not uptight,…read moreclassy laid-back Drinks - Napoleon Appetizer - well thought out Food - delicioso

Who doesn't love a good bowl of pasta? Bettola does it right. I always applaud restaurants that…read morehave perfect length menus. I do not need millions of options, this is the correct amount. If you know me, you know that if there's burrata on the menu, I'm ordering it. Bettola's is one of the most unique I've ever had. It's almost soupy, and it's scrumptious. The wine list is good, and they serve good cocktails. My friends all raved about the espresso martini. This is a great place for date night or to dine with friends and family. They have an option for everybody. Service is great, no frills. I find parking to be very easy in this area. Like Hot and Hot, you do have to walk through a different hallway to get to a bathroom, a little strange but fine. I love the option of outdoor seating, but the inside is a fantastic atmosphere, too. I've yet to try any of the pizzas, but will have to come back at some point, of course :).

We had concert tickets downtown so we thought we would make a night of it. Reservations for 5pm and…read morewe're seated immediately. It was a beautiful evening so we chose the patio. Music was light and atmosphere was inviting. Staff was polite and attentive. We tried, the suggested, Mentone AL tomato salad to start. Served with thick, ripe red and yellow tomatoes along with some dressing and corn. It was light and savory. Had us wanting more. Excellent choice. For dinner we chose the pepperoni and filetto pizzas. They serve a classic Neapolitan style wood fired pizza. Pizza was a good personal size. Crisp crust with nice leopard spotting. Chewy inside with good gluten development. Middle was a little soggy, but typical for Neapolitan style. Toppings were fresh and flavorful. Chocolate Budino was light and fluffy with a hint of salt. The roasted hazelnuts gave it a nice crunch. The house made whipped creme was firm and smooth. Excellent meal! No complaints. Highly recommend.

The good- Pet Friendly, unrushed and a few really cool stores near by…read more The bad- service. I won't name her. Had to wave her down to order, wave her down to pay, they charge 4% for credit card, so went to pay her in cash. She didn't say what the total was. Honestly- when a restaurant doesn't pay attention to bad wait staff- it affects their business. Food was decent.

Stopped by for dessert but also ordered a slice of cheese pizza. Our server was attentive and…read morefriendly and we were seated quickly with our waters. The cheese pizza was amazing. I only ate half but I did take the other half with me. Our dessert of choice was the brownie sundae which was always our favorite. I'm not sure why we hadn't been here in awhile, but now I know that I'll be back, sooner rather than later. Vibes are casual, good for date nights or family outings. Heated outdoor seating is available.

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.

First of all the outdoor patio seating with a blanket for the chillier moments was def an attention…read moreto detail I appreciated. This is a great date night spot although some of the dishes failed to hit the mark. The spring vegetables you can skip. A cold dish that was rather bland. Instead we liked the mushroom conserva which was very flavorful though the portion size was small for mushroom and an egg. The hangar steak was delicious with a perfect medium rare but somehow it wasn't too memorable. I would say the same for the fish which was also great but not memorable. The tres leches was good but could skip and opt for dessert elsewhere. Service was impeccable and the food was good. However I was expecting more from a bib gourmand restaurant.

LOVE this new restaurant! Hubby and I went last night for the first time, and will return soon and…read moreoften to enjoy the French, Creole, and inspired offerings and lovely casually elegant setting. A New Orleans-born, New Orleans culinary school graduate with 20 years experience in Birmingham as executive chef for private clubs, Chef/owner Daniel Mitchell has created a French Quarter experience in an unlikely neighborhood strip shopping center in Hoover AL. Service was outstanding from the moment we were greeted at the door, it continued throughout the meal, and culminated in a personal visit by the chef before we left! We each started with a house-smoked Smokey Manhattan cocktail, which was luscious with hints of orange and cherry. Next we shared a bowl of their Chicken and Andouille Gumbo - a perfect meaty, rouge-based, exceptionally balanced true Creole stew. Next we shared the Crabmeat Prentiss - a yummy New Orleans classic crab and cheese-based dip, served with authentic New Orleans crusty French bread. At this point we were beginning to get full, so opted for more of the "small plates". We each ordered the Sensation Salad, with romaine, tomatoes, parmesan, and vinaigrette which perfectly prepared our taste buds for our final dishes. I couldn't resist their special NOLA BBQ Shrimp, and hubby ordered the Shrimp & Grits. We loved both so much that we couldn't decide which preparation was best - although the creamy grits were a treat! Sadly, we had no room for dessert, but I'm eager to try their Bananas Foster, Crème Brulee, and Bread Pudding. Next time! Throughout the meal I was impressed by Chef Mitchell's masterful balancing of flavors, spices, and never-overwhelming heat - culinary artistry, true to genuine New Orleans cuisine.

Our visit to Toujours was a good experience! We had an anniversary lunch date and were excited to…read moretry something new. Upon arrival I wasn't sure what to expect from the outside. Once we entered my perception changes... very quaint, clean and nice. The service from beginning to end was awesome! She was very helpful with suggestion and went as far asking the chef to cook a meal from the dinner menu. The owner was very nice as well and visited our table. We decided to start with crab dip... OMG! It was so good! We had the barbecue shrimp and side of grits and mini burger for entrees and they didn't disappoint! They definitely are doing the food right. I will be returning for dinner to try more. Good choice for us!