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Started By
Message
Best Restaurants in Birmingham
Posted on 10/25/22 at 8:40 am
Posted on 10/25/22 at 8:40 am
Spending the weekend there in a few weeks, and want to grab dinner somewhere nice on Saturday. I know Highlands Bar and Grill wins all the awards, but doesn't look like they have reservations available. Automatic Seafood looked really good. Any other suggestions?
9
Posted on 10/25/22 at 8:46 am to lionward2014
Breakfast: Big Bad Breakfast, Over Easy, Ranch House (Hole in the wall type breakfast)
Lunch: El Barrio, Saw's (Avondale), Post Office Pies, The Garage (Cash Only)
Dinner: Chez Fon Fon, Bottega, Bettola (Personal favorite), Highland's, Helen, Automatic.
Brunch: Five
Breweries in order of beer: Trim Tab, Good People, Avondale, Cahaba.
It really depends on what you're looking for, we've been lucky in Bham recently, it's turned into a great food city.
Lunch: El Barrio, Saw's (Avondale), Post Office Pies, The Garage (Cash Only)
Dinner: Chez Fon Fon, Bottega, Bettola (Personal favorite), Highland's, Helen, Automatic.
Brunch: Five
Breweries in order of beer: Trim Tab, Good People, Avondale, Cahaba.
It really depends on what you're looking for, we've been lucky in Bham recently, it's turned into a great food city.
Posted on 10/25/22 at 8:59 am to lionward2014
Has Highlands even reopened? I thought it hasn’t. And Bottega (formerly a great place on the restaurant side) isn’t set up like it used to be. As far as high end places go, I guess the best might include Automatic, Gianmarco’s and maybe Helen. Hot and Hot Fish Club is another.
Posted on 10/25/22 at 9:10 am to SloaneRanger
quote:
Has Highlands even reopened?
It may not be. The website doesn't say closed, but on Resy it looked to be closed. Was a little confused about that.
Posted on 10/25/22 at 9:21 am to lionward2014
quote:
grab dinner somewhere nice on Saturday
Blue Print on Third
Foodbar
Gianmarco's
Ocean's
Automatic Seafood
In no particular order.
Lot's of good hole-in-the-wall places around town. Where are you staying? That'd help narrow it down.
Posted on 10/25/22 at 9:34 am to lionward2014
This is my general list for people and includes some fancier places and more casual depending on your mood.
Dinner:
Bottega
El Barrio
Chez FonFon
Automatic Seafood
East/West
Helen
Gianmarco's
Bettola
Slim's Pizzeria
Blueprint on 3rd
Dyron's
Lunch:
El Barrio (also has brunch on saturdays)
Saw's (any location)
Rougaroux
The Garage
Johnny's
Rojo
Brick & Tin
The Essential (good for dinner too)
Trattoria
The Battery
Gilchrist
Davenports Pizza
Breakfast/Brunch:
Salem's Diner
Original Pancake House
Trattoria
The Essential
Ted's
Over Easy
Hero Donuts
Edgar's Bakery
If you have one meal to do, I'd suggest El Barrio. It is the best bang for your buck spot in town. Food is really good and you also don't have to break the bank, it is in the heart of downtown will a couple bars you can go to before or after. Make sure to get the chorizo queso. They have a carne asada steak on the menu currently that is phenomenal. We love Bottega, Gianmarcos, and Automatic as well for a little nicer dinners, and go to those often.
Highlands is currently still closed. No idea when they will finally re-open.
Couple of posts with pics i've done lately for two of the newer spots:
Helen
Slim's Pizzeria
Dinner:
Bottega
El Barrio
Chez FonFon
Automatic Seafood
East/West
Helen
Gianmarco's
Bettola
Slim's Pizzeria
Blueprint on 3rd
Dyron's
Lunch:
El Barrio (also has brunch on saturdays)
Saw's (any location)
Rougaroux
The Garage
Johnny's
Rojo
Brick & Tin
The Essential (good for dinner too)
Trattoria
The Battery
Gilchrist
Davenports Pizza
Breakfast/Brunch:
Salem's Diner
Original Pancake House
Trattoria
The Essential
Ted's
Over Easy
Hero Donuts
Edgar's Bakery
If you have one meal to do, I'd suggest El Barrio. It is the best bang for your buck spot in town. Food is really good and you also don't have to break the bank, it is in the heart of downtown will a couple bars you can go to before or after. Make sure to get the chorizo queso. They have a carne asada steak on the menu currently that is phenomenal. We love Bottega, Gianmarcos, and Automatic as well for a little nicer dinners, and go to those often.
Highlands is currently still closed. No idea when they will finally re-open.
Couple of posts with pics i've done lately for two of the newer spots:
Helen
Slim's Pizzeria
This post was edited on 10/25/22 at 10:00 am
Posted on 10/25/22 at 9:35 am to BhamBlazeDog
quote:
Big Bad Breakfast
Don't waste your time here.
Posted on 10/25/22 at 11:08 am to GoCrazyAuburn
quote:
Don't waste your time here.
Agreed. I like Dimitri's or Salem's way better.
Posted on 10/25/22 at 11:17 am to Aubie Spr96
I'd also stay away from Edgar's and Hero donuts. Way better options out there
Posted on 10/25/22 at 11:29 am to LSUmomma
Breakfast....Big Bad Breakfast
Lunch........Tony's for hot dogs
Dinner.......Gianmarcos
Lunch........Tony's for hot dogs
Dinner.......Gianmarcos
This post was edited on 10/26/22 at 2:21 pm
Posted on 10/25/22 at 12:17 pm to LSUmomma
Where are you getting a better donut in Birmingham than Hero?
Posted on 10/25/22 at 12:18 pm to Aubie Spr96
quote:
I like Dimitri's
Man, I haven't been to Dimitri's in forever after they had their big fall out a couple of years ago. Glad to hear it is doing better. Need to hit them back up. Used to love stopping by then heading to the Red Lion.
Posted on 10/25/22 at 12:19 pm to Aubie Spr96
quote:
Where are you staying? That'd help narrow it down.
Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Resort. I realize it's a little outside of town, but am fine driving in.
Posted on 10/25/22 at 12:26 pm to lionward2014
You aren't far from the Hoover area at all. There are some good spots out that way too, but i'll have to leave that to others. I don't venture out that way much.
Gianmarco's would definitely be a good bet for a dinner, it isn't too terribly far from where you will be, compared to some others. Worth getting a reservation there.
Some of my favorite dishes there
Gianmarco's would definitely be a good bet for a dinner, it isn't too terribly far from where you will be, compared to some others. Worth getting a reservation there.
Some of my favorite dishes there
This post was edited on 10/25/22 at 12:30 pm
Posted on 10/25/22 at 12:27 pm to GoCrazyAuburn
quote:
Red Lion
One of the most underrated bars in Bham, I'll be there Friday evening.Posted on 10/25/22 at 12:32 pm to BhamBlazeDog
I'm old enough to remember when it closed at 9 pm every night, even had a profile on the Wii for a year or so. Haven't been in forever, but their invite only Christmas parties were amazing. I hope they still do them every year. At one point I was in line to get a portrait on the wall, but the artist passed away before we could get it done. 
This post was edited on 10/25/22 at 12:33 pm
Posted on 10/25/22 at 12:42 pm to GoCrazyAuburn
Good stuff. 
Posted on 10/25/22 at 12:55 pm to GoCrazyAuburn
quote:
Where are you getting a better donut in Birmingham than Hero?
Heavenly Donuts. Not even close.
ETA -- and ever since I got a "to go" chicken salad from Edgar's that was 100% rotten, I don't go there, either.
This post was edited on 10/25/22 at 12:58 pm
Posted on 10/25/22 at 1:00 pm to LSUmomma
quote:
Heavenly Donuts. Not even close.
Well that is just silly. Heavenly is wonderful as well, but this is just being hyperbolic. There is nothing at Heavenly that would convince me to drive out to them rather than go to Hero.
Posted on 10/25/22 at 1:04 pm to GoCrazyAuburn
quote:
. There is nothing at Heavenly that would convince me to drive out to them rather than go to Hero
You can certainly go anywhere you want.
Hero donuts are heavy, greasy, and over hyped, in my opinion. They are big on the trendy flavors and toppings and such, but their actual donuts aren't any better to me than anywhere else, so when I really want a donut, it's worth my time to go get one that's lighter and better quality at Heavenly Donuts.
Also, I tried a burger once at Hero to see if having food options made it worthwhile. Suffice to say, it was not.
This post was edited on 10/25/22 at 1:07 pm
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