Went here for lunch while passing through town. The restaurant is clean, the staff is friendly and…read morethe space had an inviting atmosphere. The food was very fresh and delicious. My husband and I each got the Pick Two with sandwiches and soup and salad. Everything was delicious. Portion sizes were perfect for lunch. The staff was helpful and knowledgeable with a dairy allergy. I would definitely eat here again.

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.

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

Outstanding Catfish! Hush puppies to die for. My Collard Greens were over the moon with flavor…read more Potato salad rounded out the Large and two sides. We are stuffed! Great Service with a smile. You need to eat here....

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.

We stopped after I read about this place on Yelp. We were passing through heading to New Orleans…read more Best place ever for country southern cooking! Perfect staff despite being covered up with church folks on a Sunday at lunchtime. We had chicken n' dumplings, the best other than my mommas, country fried steak, fried pork chop. We had the greens and Mac n cheese as sides. Everything is above outstanding! Huge portions and the most reasonable prices ever. Cornbread is included and delicious. We will make a trip back even if it's out of the way for this special gem of a place where it's nice to feel like you're a part of the south. Truly magnificent spot. Don't be afraid of the large crowds as they are used to it and move everyone along quickly to be seated.

Amazing Service, Quality Food, Great Prices! I love their food and it's a real staple in Northport!…read moreIf you're from the area and haven't tried it what are you waiting on!

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.

Great food and excellent service from a charming young man Old time diner feel with a cool view of…read morethe busy kitchen.

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

While visiting Tuscaloosa for my graduation, we were looking for southern cuisine and stumbled…read moreacross this gem. Out of our entire trip in Alabama, this ended up being our favorite restaurant based on our experience with their lunch meat and three options. We were here on a Friday and selected from an array of choices for this day. We went with chicken strips, hamburger steak with onions and gravy, fried catfish fingers, fried okra, candied yams, turnip greens, mac & cheese, stuffed eggs, and peach cobbler. Although I would like to rank each option, I find it difficult to do so as each was very tasty and unique. The hamburger steak was very savory accompanied by turnip greens with their earthy flavor, a side of corn bread, concluded with peach cobbler, and washed down with sweet, iced tea. It was three of us and we were tasting all our endless selections such as fried catfish with mac & cheese, fried okra, and candied yams. The list goes on. Next time I am visiting my alma mater, I will return to City Cafe specifically on either Tuesday or Thursday lunch to try out their fried green tomatoes. I am a novice at best when it comes to southern food, but you must trust me in this. City Cafe is the best meat and three in the whole region.

The original remains the best. Nestled in an African American rural neighborhood south of town, the…read morevery journey along an old 2-land highway is a throwback to a different South. The building is classic roadhouse style--totally unpretentious with its sign and adverts plaster on the walls. The interior is the same, open seating and seats at the bar. The menu has broadened over the years, rather than just ribs, white bread and pudding, you can get a pork sandwich and chicken with a limited number of sides (the Mac and cheese is superior). The franchised Dreamlands are so different with a plethora of choices, more to the liking of the suburban south. If you like that, go for it. For my money, you can't beat the original. The ribs are charred perfectly and the service is old time South, friendly and helpful. You immediately feel at ease with everything and everyone around you. Take out is available--actually this place is just minutes off the highway. But a whole another world at the same time.

A little disappointed. Always heard this was the best BBQ in AL, but while we were seated fairly…read morequickly, our food didn't come for 45 minutes. Server didn't tell us they'd run out of ribs and they were cooking more, we just sat there waiting. Once the ribs arrived, they tasted okay but were tough. I felt we were forgotten even though the servers were walking through the tight dining room often. Sorry to say after all the great things we'd heard, this won't be a repeater for me.