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    Waysider Restaurant

    3.7 (130 reviews)
    Open 5:30 am - 1:30 pm

    Waysider Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    WAYSIDER RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Loud
    Dogs allowed
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Waysider Restaurant

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    Two Eggs With Meat: Scrambled with Bacon & Cheese grits  (this is how it was served, prior to eating)
    Danielle J.

    This was a bucket list place for YEARS for me, sadly a bit heart breaking in my first and only experience. I can see glimmers of its charm....and how it could be seen as quaint at some point, matching the various articles about it on the walls, all the things that had this on my list so long. This place is run down. Walking up from the back parking lot, the roof looks like it is about to fall in. It is a tiny house made into a restaurant (a long time ago) that has very little room for eating space - unbelievably small - with tables and seating so tight, you are eating right on top of the table next to you, with little room for the wait staff to even squeeze in to wait on you. Watched a grown man have to get a lady eating her meal at another table, to get up so that he could get to his seat, where his knees were then practically pushing into her seat. The bathrooms are worse than most gas stations, old, rusty parts, barely working plumbing, with broken & rotted wood doors, and there are tables right to the door of the bathrooms which is extremely unfortunate and uncomfortable for certain diners, whom when people trying to get to the bathroom, have to practically crawl over. Followed by a drop step, noted on the door, that a patron sitting against also warned about. There is even a table against the pay area where you have to lean around someone trying to eat. Seems they should go ahead and sacrifice a few tables as it isn't functional, cute, or enjoyable. One highlight - For an Alabama Football fan, this is quite the shrine (It IS in Tuscaloosa after all)! Almost every inch of the walls are covered with Daniel Moore prints of iconic football moments and other football memorabilia. The staff is the down-home friendly you expect, and the service was attentive. However, the food took WAY too long for what it is. Almost an hour for 2 orders of eggs with bacon/sausage breakfast once ordered. Thankfully our server kept our drinks filled. The food tasted fresh and quality, but was just slapped on a plate & was not much food at all. Though it looked sloppy on the plate (not served in a bowl or cup?!), the cheese grits were some of the best I've ever had. The biscuits were also supposed to be the star here. Southern Drop biscuits! We were given them hot, but they were extremely tiny and came out after we had eaten, and can't say they were the best ever, but not terrible. It looked like we should have received biscuits with both of our meals, but just got the one small order, barely the equivalent of 2 drop, though "cut" like 4, with one biscuit the size of a quarter.

    The Bear's Table

    Best biscuits in the world. Prepare for a wait or get there early. Ambiance is grandma's house if she's a huge Alabama fan. I could just eat the biscuits, but I'm a bacon and eggs guy. When I was in college, there weren't many choices for breakfast. That's not the reason this place is so popular though. It's because it's the best around. City Cafe is also great if it's a weekday.

    Nancy C.

    This is certainly an Alabama football themed restaurant. Finding the parking lot for a newbie wasn't a tad difficult. You need to park in the back. Service was ok. The women were very nice and friendly. We both ordered breakfast. Food was ok. Disappointing that there are no pics of any other sport. No baseball, gymnastics, etc.

    Concern
    Bill M.

    All the food was priced à la carte, i had a simple sausage and cheese mushroom omelette, i believe they deep fried the sausage and mushrooms. Something was off. The parking was to be expected. Seating was tight but expected. Food needed serious help. I ordered a very simple meal but you would think it was the toshmahall. $19.00. Menu is horrendous at best. Gritts are a forced item. Then say hash browns are an up charge but at fill price. Price wasnt an issue if food quality was there . I wont be taking my clients there after my experience. Service was fine by the way. Its still a old school Tuscaloosa experience. Maybe the iwner will listen and bring the best possible food and put some specials together so the locals may can afford it. Good luck

    Fantastic collection of Crimson Tide football memorabilia covers the walls.
    Doug B.

    Visiting from Georgia and the Waysider was highly recommended by the locals. It's located in an old house that has been converted into a very popular eatery. It's busy on weekends and the dining room seating is crowded to the point of being challenging to walk between the tables. Lots of University of Alabama pictures decorate the walls. The wait staff are charming and helpful. The menu has typical southern comfort breakfast food offerings. The food is freshly prepared, served hot and tastes good.

    Breakfast menu
    Kelsey C.

    I haven't been here in years and it's always nice to see when a place hasn't changed. This is a walk in and seat yourself restaurant and I was glad to see an open table upon entering. The service is prompt and the lunch menu changes daily hence the handwritten menu on a note card that gets passed between table. They always include sweet tea or coffee in the cost of your meal which is, what I assume, a go to for people at a meat and three. Our food came out quick, accurate, and hot which is always a plus for me. You never feel rushed here and any Alabama football fan will enjoy all of the memorabilia on the walls.

    Waysider

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    7 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    6 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Small and sort of cramped but worth the trip. Breakfast always good. Love the pancakes.

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    2 years ago

    Great atmosphere, great food and great service. We would definitely go back again. Even saw where a legendary coach sat

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    1 year ago

    long wait, bland food, weird biscuits, really nice waiter. i did think the place was about to cave in.

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Nicest people... live their biscuits and country ham. On game weekend expect to come early or wait... but it's worth it

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    3 years ago

    Traditional breakfast place, good food, and lots of nostalgia--a shrine to Alabama Crimson Tide football.

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    3 years ago

    such good food, great service, and a very homey feel, 5 stars overalk, would give 6 if possible

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Waysider Restaurant

    Review Highlights - Waysider Restaurant

    I stop in Tuscaloosa especially to come here for a great southern breakfast of country ham and eggs.

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    Urban Bar & Kitchen - Appetizer meal: Crab Claws, Bacon and Pimento Cheese Bombs, & Fried Green Tomatoes

    Urban Bar & Kitchen

    4.5(281 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    Excellent experience, plan on walking, parking is terrible! The food was good,must try.Be prepared…read moreto walk and wait for a table.

    If you know downtown Tuscaloosa, you know getting into Urban Bar & Kitchen usually requires…read morepatience--and a willingness to stand around waiting for the doors to open. But spring break week flipped the script in the best way possible. Tonight, my wife and I met up with some good friends for a pre-retirement dinner, and with the college crowd scattered to the beaches, downtown felt like it belonged to us "seasoned locals" again. No lines, no crowds--just a quick call ahead and we were seated within minutes. That alone felt like a win. We started things off with the fried green tomatoes--a true Southern delicacy and, let's be honest, acid reflux's favorite dance partner. Worth it? Absolutely. These were hot, crispy, and full of flavor. The kind of dish that would make Grandma nod in approval. No shortcuts, just done right. For the entrée, I went with the UBK Pasta--blackened chicken, sausage, and shrimp tossed with corkscrew pasta probably crafted in a cast iron skillet. It came out hot and packed with flavor, carrying just the right amount of spice to keep things interesting without overwhelming the dish. Exactly how I like it. My wife stuck with a proven winner: the shrimp & grits. She's had it before, and once again, it delivered. Consistency matters, and this dish continues to hit the mark every time. Now, not everything was quite as smooth. Our waitress wasn't exactly channeling that warm Southern hospitality you hope for. Let's just say she wasn't "Miss Dolly" serving smiles with a side of charm. The service leaned a bit on the impatient side--subtle (and not-so-subtle) hints that our time at the table was up, including clearing drinks before we were even finished. At one point I joked about going to the restroom but worried I might come back to find my chair gone. Still, when the food is this good, it carries the experience. Urban Bar & Kitchen continues to deliver where it matters most--on the plate. The atmosphere was relaxed thanks to spring break timing, the food was as strong as ever, and the company made it even better. As for the service... maybe she was just ready for her own spring break reunion. Happens to the best of us. Final takeaway: Go for the food--it's consistently excellent. And if you can catch a quieter night like this one, even better.

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    Urban Bar & Kitchen
    Urban Bar & Kitchen - Black bean sandwich

    Black bean sandwich

    Urban Bar & Kitchen - Grouper Sandwich with sweet potatoes fries

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    Grouper Sandwich with sweet potatoes fries

    Urban Cookhouse - El Cubano Sandwich with broccoli salad

    Urban Cookhouse

    4.5(137 reviews)
    3.2 mi
    $$

    We stopped in during move in and I am so glad we did. The food is amazing!! I love sweet potato…read morefries and theirs are top notch with brown sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top. We are in Tuscaloosa a lot visiting our sons. We will be back again for sure!!

    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.

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    Urban Cookhouse
    Urban Cookhouse - Wood Fired Shrimp Kabob

    Wood Fired Shrimp Kabob

    Urban Cookhouse - White BBQ Sandwich with broccoli salad

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    White BBQ Sandwich with broccoli salad

    Baumhower's Victory Grille

    Baumhower's Victory Grille

    3.5(191 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$

    We came here for lunch after moving my nephew in at UA. The service and friendly and prompt. Our…read morefood was good and definitely hit the spot. I had the large traditional wings / curly fries and my mom had the artesian salad. This location is huge but I'm sure it's because it's the most popular location. Hey,Coach takes place here during football season. This is clearly the environment to be in on game day or to watch sports in general. I was disappointed that they were out of a few draft beers. Also, the beer selection isn't great. I hadn't been to this location in many years but the overall, this was a good experience & good service. Our server was really attentive and did a good job! The bathrooms were kind of not the best but not horrible.

    Baumhower's is a Tuscaloosa stable, this location is very scenic and decorative. TV's all around…read moreand the environment is always great. It can get rowdy on gameday as any place but during the week it is very calm and relaxed. The food is just as good as they say especially if you catch them right as they open when everything is truly right off the kitchen! The service was great and I sat down quickly. As for the food my appetizers were hot, fresh, and delicious! My main course wrap was also great and tasted well cooked and was followed up with great lemonade. If yo are visiting Tuscaloosa for the first time, you gotta stop by here! I'm always here a few times a month!

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    Baumhower's Victory Grille
    Baumhower's Victory Grille
    Baumhower's Victory Grille

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    Waysider Restaurant - southern - Updated September 2026

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