There aren't too many places in the world that can be called "genuinely impressive", but Bayonet…read moresimply cannot be placed into any other category. It was opened by a husband and wife couple, Chef Rob McDaniel and his wife Emily in 2025. As a James Beard Award nominated chef, there was good reason to expect a great meal even before the dinner. The presentation, creativity and focus on seasonality are standout features of Bayonet. Very bold dishes like the chive and caviar egg sandwich prove that the chef does not hesitate to go extreme. The Strawberry Wahoo was no less impressive, both in presentation and the genuinely unique combination. Staff are highly professional, bartenders Bradley and Miles are top notch pros of the industry. All of that is before acknowledging the beautiful interior in which Bayonet is situated. Thus, ending two words, just book!

Sat at the bar and started with two cocktails--a refreshing gin and tonic with pineapple and yuzu…read moreand a warming bourbon with fig and spiced honey. Both were delicious and well balanced. Everyone serving at the bar was friendly, attentive, and helpful with menu suggestions. We had a few rounds of perfectly chilled oysters, smoked mussels with mustard, hamachi, tuna, Ora king salmon -- all of which I wanted every last drop of, I could've licked the plates! We had to try the egg sandos everyone raved about, but honestly I could've passed. Yes, it was good but not good enough for me to justify the price. We took home a coconut pie because we were too full and I was so happy we did. It was insanely delicious -- the sweet custard and the crumble of the crust was just a party in my mouth. I will absolutely come back if I'm in the area again.

Outstanding food, great menu great service and the owner is incredible…read more Great atmosphere and they accommodate large groups with notice. I support local businesses that are giving it their best. I had lunch there today with a great friend, the seafood salad was excellent. Rick

Been here about 5 times as they allow our large group of about 20 to have a long table together. We…read moreare a dance club that meets monthly, often just for socializing. The food is pretty decent , a four and a half mostly but everything else has gone down in my opinion. The place was so very loud this time that we could barely hear friends sitting right across from you. Besides the noise, the service was pretty bad. Took drink orders right away but we had been there almost 30 minutes and had to beg to get orders taken. Then at the end, waitress disappeared. We finally had to pay up at the bar. Really 20 people should have had a dedicated waiter or at least one not so busy! Last thing was I thought the whole restaurant needs a deep cleaning, from floors, menus, rest rooms to tables. Just not pristine. And required 20% tip for groups was not earned! Highlight was shrimp and grits for $13.99 was delish and hubby enjoyed Shrimp Alfredo. Waiter charged hubby $4,99 for a beer when menu clearly had price at $3,99! Only a dollar but just not great service.

Food is not good this is the second chance visit as the first time was right after they opened,…read moreservice was great.

April 2 Tuesday Played senior golf at cross creek so had to…read morestop at half shell oyster. oyster special sampler $26 & old fashioned were fantastic Such a clean nice restaurant Need to take your honey for some great seafood

When paying with cash they don't accept change. They round the total up or down…read more My pick up order total was $18.70 and I had $20.70 but they don't accept change. The 5 oysters were great but the transaction was a turn off.

There must have been changes in the kitchen since our last visit. This time, we were disappointed…read more One of us had seared scallops with snap peas. The dark sauce was perhaps balsamaic based; it hid the delicate taste of the scallops. One was a bit underdone. The snap peas were soggy and very stringly. Our second dish was shrimp with fried rice. There were 6 shrimp with almost 2 cups of rice. The egg-over-light on top was not needed. I wish that the shrimp were simply done with a smaller amount of good crispy rice without the added bits. We both wish that the seafood had not been so masked by other things. Good fresh fish done simply would have been our preference. Our waiter, Rick, was pleasant and helpful. The room was noisier than we remember.

We must eaten there on a bad night all around because our review doesn't reflect what everyone else…read moreseemed to experience! We were seated promptly handed menus and about 30 seconds later approached by the waitress for drink orders. We asked for a drink menu as there was nothing to advertise what drinks they were serving. She returned with 1 drink menu for all 3 of us and stood there waiting until we decided. We asked for some time so she left and returned about 2 mins later. We ordered drinks and she returned 2 mins later to take our food order. We ordered appetizers, salad and main courses. The drinks came quickly, the salads came right after and then about 3 mins later, the appetizers came out. 3 mins after that, the main courses arrived so we had plates stacked everywhere on the table and quickly tried to finish our salads and appetizers before the main dish got cold. The waitress never returned to the table until she brought the bill. The plates were all cleared by someone else. We saw her leave a bill at the table next to us and wait until they checked it over and figured out a payment method, so when she arrived at our table we just handed her a credit card. The food was average but the overall experience was terrible. I realize she was probably new and this may have been her first night but some training would go a long way! For $180 dinner, we expected a lot more.

We came here for a date night before a concert. Parking was a little hectic, so we parked nearby…read moreand walked over. The place was crowded, but we were seated quickly. The waitress checked on us frequently. Their menu is huge and has something for everyone. They didn't have my first request, but I got the pesto pasta with shrimp as my second choice and it was very good. I liked the oysters, but the ones we tried were very spinach forward, and if you aren't a fan of that, you may not like these. Next time we'll try the other oyster types they have. I'm surprised I had never made it out here before. I will definitely come back - but not with the kids. They have some great lunch specials as well.

I've been meaning to try The Seafood Spot since last year and kept forgetting. I did myself a…read moregreat disservice. I tried it today and it was amazing! I had 1/2 lbs. of shrimp that came with potatoes, sausage, boiled eggs, and corn. The star of the show, however, was the sauce! At one point, I actually grabbed a spoon and just ate the sauce. Delicious food and the staff were super, super courteous and friendly!

First timer and the food was so good (fresh and hot). I had catfish with smashed red potatoes. The…read moreowners and staff are super nice and keep a spotless restaurant. After dinner the owners brought us samples of the banana pudding and bread pudding which were both amazing! Will definitely return to try more on the menu.

I've been to the Wharf on several occasions for lunch and dinner. I like the way you order at the…read morefront counter and select your own seating and they just bring you your food. The servers have always been super sweet and check on us throughout the visit provided additional condiments and refills as needed. They do have some really good selections of fish at a fair price. The bacon wrapped shrimp keeps me coming back. They do have a bar but I haven't had anything from it yet maybe in future I will try and see how the cocktails are. I also enjoy that they have various seasonal offerings and daily specials. The dinner area is open with a fishing theme. It's very casual so there is no need to dress up but the food is still excellent.

My wife and I were looking for a nice lunch experience and saw C&J's while on our way to a…read moredifferent restaurant. So glad we changed our plans. Our server, Deon, was great from the start. I wish they had some regional IPAs on tap but that was the only negative. I ordered two helpings of snow crab clusters, which were on special, some potatoes, sausage, corn on the cob, and had a do-it-yourself seafood boil. I put my gloves on and went to work. My wife ordered the popcorn shrimp and sides and loved them. We both had leftovers and heated up they tasted great which doesn't always happen with this kind of food. Going back for the Dungeness crab.

Crab legs were great. Oysters were also. Will go back again. Price is right there with others.read more

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.

Food...excellent Service...impeccable…read more Ambiance...perfect #1 in my book I would definitely be back when in Birmingham

We've dined at Armour House several times and always enjoy it, but this visit finally prompted me…read moreto leave a review with a bit of feedback. First, the food: truly no notes. It's spectacular every time. The rotating menu keeps things fresh and interesting, and every dish we've had has been thoughtfully prepared and consistently excellent. The kitchen is clearly doing something special and it's a big reason we keep coming back. This visit, however, the service was unusually slow. Our dinner lasted about two hours (7:30-9:30) on a night that didn't seem particularly busy. There was a noticeable lull in the dining room with quite a few open tables, yet it still took nearly 40 minutes between finishing our appetizers and receiving our main courses. The pacing just felt off compared to past visits. Valet (which I understand isn't directly run by the restaurant) was also a bit slow -- about a 15 minute wait to get our car at the end of the night. All that said, Armour House is still a really special spot with incredible food and we'll absolutely be back. Sharing this feedback because we've had such great experiences here before and hope this was just an off night.