Question: Recommend Places To Eat In Birmingham?

[alabama mike1]

Mrs. Bama and I are heading to B'ham in late July for our church denominations national meeting. I am familiar with the area due to being raised in Florence and making many trips to B'ham for athletic events in high school. We already plan on going to The Fish Market, near UAB. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[BamaMoon]

Saws barbeque...and you are already on a good path by going to the Fish Market!

 

[bama579]

For lunch...Johnny's in Homewood. Meat and three at a very high level.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

At the upper end, I'd suggest Bottega (Italian), Automatic Seafood (seafood, obviously), and Blueprint on 3rd (American fusion). I would say Highlands, but it's almost impossible to get a table, even for locals.

Helen (high end southern comfort food), and El Barrio (nice Mexican) on 2nd Avenue North are also very good.

All except El Barrio are hard to get a table, so if you want to go that direction, call now.

At a significantly lower price point, Slice Pizza in Lakeview is excellent -- not exactly traditional, but excellent.

Bogue's, a couple of blocks from the Lakeview area is a great meat-and-three. The sweet rolls will rot your teeth, but you'll buy your dentures with a smile at the memory.

 

[81usaf92]

Just don’t go to Around the Clock Wings unless you want to be yelled at by the owner.

 

[BamaMoon]

If you like Cheesesteaks...go to Salem's in Homewood!

I've had 'em from Philly, but this one is better!

 

[alabama mike1]

Any other places anyone would recommend?

 

[81usaf92]

Any other places anyone would recommend?

Most of the best eating places imo are in Hoover. But if you are going to be downtown there is this place by the Alabama Theater that has loads of different restaurants in it that I found good. Can’t remember the name of the place off hand.

Also if you are going by the downtown fish market there is a strip of good restaurants near by on 7th that are pretty good

 

[bama579]

Giuseppi's near UAB is a solid, no-frills, Italian foodery.

Agree with El Barrio.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

At the upper end, I'd suggest Bottega (Italian), Automatic Seafood (seafood, obviously), and Blueprint on 3rd (American fusion). I would say Highlands, but it's almost impossible to get a table, even for locals.

Helen (high end southern comfort food), and El Barrio (nice Mexican) on 2nd Avenue North are also very good.

All except El Barrio are hard to get a table, so if you want to go that direction, call now.

At a significantly lower price point, Slice Pizza in Lakeview is excellent -- not exactly traditional, but excellent.

Bogue's, a couple of blocks from the Lakeview area is a great meat-and-three. The sweet rolls will rot your teeth, but you'll buy your dentures with a smile at the memory.

The chef / owner of Automatic Seafood and Oysters, Adam Evans, just won the James Beard award for the Southern Region. If you want in there, best call now. It wasn't easy to get a table anyway, and with the award, it'll get harder.

I can't say Automatic is inexpensive, but given what it delivers, its prices are below competitors.

Most of the best eating places imo are in Hoover. But if you are going to be downtown there is this place by the Alabama Theater that has loads of different restaurants in it that I found good. Can’t remember the name of the place off hand.

Also if you are going by the downtown fish market there is a strip of good restaurants near by on 7th that are pretty good

Interesting....I much prefer the downtown and southside restaurants. But as my grandfather would have said, "That's what makes horse racin'."

The food court you're talking about is the Pizitz Food Hall. It's in a really cool building from the early 1900s that used to house the long-closed Pizitz Department Store. It does offer a lot of variety. Same type of setup as a mall food court, but materially higher quality local options. I'm not even sure they allow chain franchises.

It's also near the 2nd Avenue North district. Between 20th and about 23rd Street on 2nd Avenue North there are several good local restaurants. One of those is El Barrio, which a couple of posters have mentioned, and there are others as well.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

Not Birmingham, but I remember a really good seafood place in Hueytown that was all you can eat. This was about 30 years ago. I am not suggesting it, just trying to remember the name.

 

[alabama mike1]

Thank you all for your help, we are leaving Friday afternoon after we get off work heading south.

 

[alabama mike1]

Update, we ate at the following places while in Birmingham:

The Fish Market (twice)
Southern ??? uptown
The Mexican place uptown
Mugshots uptown
Lloyd's going southeast out 280
Twin Peaks- never heard of it but we were at the mall in Hoover.