Highland's Bar and Grill Review

Fantastic dining experience. The menu was exciting, quite difficult to narrow down my choices! Service was second to none, our server knew the menu inside and out and was very accommodating. I finally chose the fried seafood starter (red snapper, shrimp, oysters) which put me on cloud nine, and the swordfish steak for my main. The swordfish was equally perfect haha.
The only issue my wife and I had was the background noise (talking/etc) was a dull roar. Not really a peaceful setting- but it was a saturday night dinner. Would've liked something quieter but won't dock a star for that.

Little did I know when I arrived in Birmingham how much that city features amazing restaurants, and during my stay none of my visits epitomized this more than my visit to Highlands, which was not only the best meal I had in the city, but one of the best meals I've ever had.



Reservations are definitely a good idea if you're looking for a table, though I after calling ahead to confirm, I was able to easily score a seat at the bar. I was dressed a little less formally, too, so it serves as an easy way to score some great food even if you didn't pack your jacket.



Before the meal began I was given some complimentary fresh, sourdough, wheat, and corn breads, that latter of which was a little heavy on salt, but otherwise were great - you can't beat fresh bread.



Speaking of fresh breads, my meal consisted of lamb sweetbreads, perfectly fried and wonderful tender with a hint of gaminess that worked well with the meatiness of chantrelle mushrooms, the earthiness of shaved truffles, and the sweetness of cooked apples. Served over a bed of creamy grits, it was Southern cooking, but a world of difference from the fried green tomatoes and fried chicken that many consider when they think of traditional Southern cuisine.



I'm not traditionally a restaurant dessert kind of guy, but there was a woman eating a delicious-looking peanut butter chocolate pie that I wanted inside me... until I saw the sweet potato pie on the menu. It's served as a little tart, and with a scoop of bourbon ice cream, it was another excellent slice of traditional Southern cooking with a gourmet flair.



It was almost pointless detailing my meal, as the rotating menu ensures it will probably not been seen again for a while, but it goes to show how advanced Birmingham can be with regards to its restaurants. I loved eating in Birmingham, especially in Five Points, and it's largely in part thanks to the wonderful meal I had at Highlands.

As outstanding as advertised! Frank Stitt makes culinary magic not only with his creations but his excellent staff, inclusive of the pastry chef. The blueberry/peach cobbler was out of this world. Nice atmosphere, relaxed yet upscale without being pretentious. Just an outstanding place for a nice dinner out.

Frank Stitt has been a Southern master for decades, and Highlands Bar & Grill is the flagship of his empire. French technique combines with the freshest Southern ingredients for an elegant menu that proves everything in the Deep South More

Absolutely the best restaurant I have ever experienced. Absolutely deserving of it's James Beard award for the best restaurant in America 2018.

New foods for me! Great flavors and presentation! Great service.

We booked a month out to get a 6:15 reservation for a Saturday night. Overall a solid meal but not the wow I was expecting. The service was good ... water glasses never went dry but my iced tea was not refilled as you would expect. The waiter was both knowledgeable and professional. Our party of three tried a variety of appetizers, main courses and desserts. The appetizers we good but not great. I sampled the fried mixed seafood fry as an appetizer. The seafood was fresh but the batter was a little heavy and unevenly cooked. It appeared to be a spin on tempura batter but came off too thick.

to bad its closed. i heard good things about this place.

Posh and very lovely. Our service here was outstanding. The food spectacular. I tried the stone ground baked grits and it was off the charts delicious. My venison dinner was perfection.

Make sure you come on Tuesday and head to the bar and ask for Stacey or Matthew. Great guys and will make you feel special no matter how busy! Great food, beautiful place, just let them pick what you want to eat and they won't stear you wrong.

We booked 31 days in advance for a 630pm Saturday evening dinner and still was sat in the loud bar. The bread was burnt and hard and the food was subpar. The price is way too much for the food you get. Perry's Steakhouse is 10 times better than Highlands, the service, the atmosphere, and most importantly the food is way better at Perry's oh and cheaper. Sorry highlands you lost my vote!!

We went there tonight for the first time with extremely high expectations. We admittedly went with a starter not mentioned or recommended by or waiter the Bayou La Batre Shrimp. It was almost inedible. I have had better shrimp from Captain D s! The texture was like an overripe banana and the flavor was even worse. I ordered the Trigger fish (recommended by our server) and it was tough, dry and had a strong fish taste. On a scale from 1 to 10 it was a zero. It wasn t a very large piece of fish and I left over half of it. My wife had the black grouper and it was fresh and had a very good taste. The grouper is why it gets two stars. It was the best part of our meal by far but was nothing you couldn t get at any other seafood restaurant. Not worth the trouble to get a reservation, not worth the drive and if I lived close by I would probably opt for the Chick-Fil-A right around the corner.

It's reliably excellent. Crab claws are mandatory for me. The triggerfish was out of this world.

A perennial frontrunner for best restaurant in town. Usually beats out hot and hot if you prefer a more traditional menu. The oysters are pricey, but worth it. Go here for special occasions when you're willing to pay handsomely for five star food.

Do not go to this restaurant... Really bad service and over priced no wonder its not busy rude employees

Food is always fresh and delicious. Service is always impeccable.

Wonderful dining experience! Strawberry Sampler was amazing...

I away enjoy dinning here, a full five fork restaurant, thank you Chef Frank.

Very good food. And very nice, And respectable people that waited on me, And my family.

Great food and impeccable service. Be sure to try Dolester Miles' coconut cake if available.

Stopped at the bar for a night cap. Had a desert, cappuccino and Madeira wine. Excellent experience, will need to have a complete dinner next time in town.

Great place, great staff, wonderful food! Highly recommend Highlands Bar & Grill!

Highlands serves consistently delicious dishes, mostly locally sourced, Southern with French flair, and what Chef Frank Stitt serves is famously restrained. He does not serve dinners covered in heavy sauces, nor does he serve geometrically precious fare spread in a pattern across a plate. Highlands has set the national standard for modern Southern cuisine. Diners can choose from wines carefully chosen from around the world, though mostly from California and France. As a plus, diners sit in a dignified setting, and experienced waiters help without being obsequious or condescending. Be sure to make reservations well in advance, though walk-ins can usually find a stool at the bar or at Chez Fon Fon, Stitt's more casual bistro next door. Fon Fon does not take reservations.

Amazing deals on Mondays and Tuesday and during happy hour! You can't go wrong with their brochette and pretty much any bottle of wine that they offer. The roasted cauliflower is also delicious.

Highlands is the definition of excellence. Everything is top notch from the moment you walk in to the moment you leave. Easily the best dining experience I ve had in Birmingham, and it s always consistent. Highly recommended.

Anybody that was born and bred in Alabama has their favorite crawfish spot and that still hasn't changed for me. But, OMG, the crawfish pie was incredible. This James Beard award winner for chef and pastry chef pulls out all the stops on this pie. It's like the best crawfish I've ever had and the best chicken pot pie had a baby.

Every single thing at this restaurant is delicious, but the staff makes you feel like you own the place. Its excellent to stop by for drinks, or to stay for dinner. Its a bit pricy, but its worth it if you can afford to splurge on a fantastic night.

"You can choose to sit in a nice sitting area or in a regular dining room."
"I mean, amazing service, the food is very good, but extremely

We enjoyed a wonderful anniversary dinner at Highlands. Great dining experience. Empicable service. Intimate atmosphere. And the food was delicious.

It's the best for a reason. If you are looking for a special place to eat, this is it!

Amazing service even in the bar. Food is outstanding.

One of the nicest restaurants in Birmingham, AL is Highlands Bar & Grill. We had to make reservations a month in advance to get a table. Even though our reservation was around 08:15 PM, our table was ready a bit earlier than 08:00 PM and got to enjoy our experience from beginning to end. It is quite an experience starting with service and different food options. I was a bit disappointed that the sweetbreads were not part of the menu this time, but the overall experience was more than decent. It is certainly one of the many great restaurants to consider when visiting Birmingham

Excellent, worth every penny and will definitely be back.

We prioritized dinner at Highlands Bar and Grill for our well traveled friends from North Carolina. They were well pleased! Our waiter was both professional, personable and knew both the menu and wine choices. Our wine was superb! The snapper was smokey and cooked to perfection! Having eaten in other James Beard Award winning restaurants our friends thoroughly enjoyed their experience!

The absolutely WORST $100 "meal" I've EVER eaten in my LIFE!

OMGG. SUPERIOR ON ALL LEVELS. From our waiter to our food. Absolutely EXCEPTIONAL. Crab claws TO DIE FOR. My rabbit was delicious. The coconut cake... by Ms.Dolester Miles who won a James Beard for pastry... an EXPERIENCE. If you want to woo someone in Birmingham, this is the place to do it. For vegetarians there Mushroom dish... NO WORDS.

My husband and I highly recommend this charming restaurant. Loved the unique menu, and our waiter, Mark was very professional, and gave great service! My husband had the prime ribeye with potatoes and greens, while I ordered the duck and vegetable soup and salad with beets, served in a baked Parmesan bowl. The bundt cake for dessert was an obvious choice. Everything was delicious

Managed a 6pm reservation on a Friday night. Valet parking was easy. Our table was ready on arrival, and service was excellent. The food was outstanding - we had veal with sweetbreads and Red Snapper as mains with two different apps (the grits, in particular, were excellent). At this price point, anything but perfect shouldn't be tolerated...luckily...we couldn't find a single issue aside from it being in Birmingham while we're from Huntsville :-)

Excellent service, food was alright, small portions. I felt the place is overhyped.

My top place for tasty French food. do not leave if it's busy, it is worth it. the bill was decent for the quality.

French techniques and local ingredients add up to Southern sophistication at this Birmingham fine dining spot where the menus change daily. Classic cocktails and more than 300 international wines are complemented by a white-tablecloth setting fit for special occasions.

Excellent meal, service and atmosphere! This was probably one of the very best meals we have enjoyed. Highly recommend!

Fantastic restaurant with an always interesting menu.

What can I say but Wow!!! Always a treat dining at Bottega. Service is so good. Staff there dote on each customer like family. Food is out of this world. Have never had a bad meal here. Trend still holds for our last visit, our 22nd wedding anniversary. Host, Marc and guide de cuisine, Chris really made it a wonderful evening. Can't wait to return!!!

Excellent food and wonderful service! Well worth the money.

Highlands Bar and Grill is a true legend and doesn't disappoint. James Beard Award winning chef, Frank Stitt, revolutionized the food culture in Birmingham, and indeed, the whole country. Highlands consistently delivers an outstanding dining experience from the menu to the service. Do not miss this spot if you are anywhere near Birmingham!

We had an extraordinary time in this spot. We liked the first-rate atmosphere and the meals. The staff members were super friendly. I m happy we finally decided to visit this place.

Never disappointed in atmosphere, service and especially the food.

The entire experience was terrific, all of us enjoyed each course, the drinks, and the extemporary service.

The food was excellent and the plentiful and varied salad bar options impressed me. I got the steak skewer plate. It was perfectly cooked, a little heavy on the pineapple-flavored marinade, but I think I was just surprised as I had not noted that it was a pineapple marinade before ordering. I loved the cheese roll-like bread offered at the salad bar.This experience was AMAZING! It was our first time coming and I was a little apprehensive because I've had some bad experiences at high-end steakhouses before...I'm looking at you Maestros. But everyone who works here...

Very nice place, we get place to eat at the bar, it is always full. The food is very rich and tasty. The attention is very good, people are very friendly and attentive.

We dined here after recommendations from everyone In The Know. This is old school - five star - white linens - historic building fabulous. Amazing menu, delicious is an understatement. Drinks were excellent too, and service is incomparable. Just go! Drink an Orange Thing, and then dwell on when you'll get to return.....

It's always perfect, Frank and Pardist are first class in the best restaurant in America, and the food is spectacular in any season I had the hog jowls, my son in law had the deer, and our ladies had the red snapper, it was all fantastic.
Been there too many times, but even if you're a regular you never get tired of great southern food

Wonderful daily menus, exceptional service. Best: grits and also apple fritters.

AMAZING food and service! Wonderful for our anniversary!

This place is superb! Started with a spring vegetable soup, main course was New York strip with potatoes au gratin, and ended with the strawberry sampler. Have never had a better complete meal in my life. What a wonderful evening with my husband!

We stopped in Birmingham on our way down to Florida and had dinner here on a Friday evening. It was a wonderful experience. The restaurant is very nice and we felt very comfortable while we ate. All of the food that we had was excellent and was beautifully composed from start to finish. The only complaint that we had was our server was not very attentive

Great place and all foods were amazing except Prime new York strip.... Grits and stuffed quail were excellent. Loved the gripper. Coconut cake was also amazing. Very disappointed at Prime new York strip (medium), which was hard to chew and swallow.. Should not order the steak next time... Even though it was the most expensive on the menu, it wasn't good at all. Should have ordered scallops! I really wanted another piece of coconut cake!!!

Worth every accolade. Incredibly delicious food, and fantastic service. Definitely a nice restaurant good for a special treat, and the prices reflect that. But it is worth every penny.

Easy to see why they were voted the best. All 6 at our table got something different, and all 6 loved their dish. Also- our waiter (Marco) was the awesome!

What a special place, never disappoints, always the best meal I've ever had. Thank you Highlands, our 35th anniversary meal was great.

Best dining in the South East, we cannot wait until you all re-open! Been dreaming of that Guadalupe special (and the entire menu lets be honest). Thankfully Dol s coconut cake is available for pickup at Bottega and we will be ordering one soon! I cannot say enough wonderful things about this restaurant.

I would love to leave a review about the food, but it wasn't an option. Upon arriving with 3 work colleagues to a half empty restaurant with servers looking bored with nothing to do right after opening, we were told they have a 3 hour wait. It was very obvious given the up and down glances the host was giving my party that our clean and pressed polo shirts and jeans were considered not acceptable. What a shame Highlands, as money was not a consideration tonight and we very well could have been a fantastic group to have as customers.

My wife and I visit at least twice a year for special occasions. The single best restaurant experience in birmingham bar none.

THE Food is fabulous. Their famous tacos I'm not asking too many questions about them... all you need to know is dip them and put them in your face! Amazing!!!! The nachos are good! And trust me they don't skimp on the toppings. The wait staff is friendly hopeful and kind. Most importantly they are FAST!"....

We thoroughly enjoyed our weekend in birmingham at the Redmont. Charming historic hotel with an excellent restaurant (we had breakfast only), rooftop bar and comfortable rooms. Recommend getting a corner room, which is large and well appointed with desk, chaise and bed. Exercise room is small but well maintained. I would definitely return.