The Hot & Hot Fish Club Review

Fantastic new space!!! Urban feel but still intimate. Food as always divine.

Don't let the name fool you. It's grreat classy place.

Hot and hot fish club is a very special place to our family it's where we always go when we want the best that Birmingham.

Outstanding hotel. Great location. Spotless clean. Welcoming staff. The entire team was great. Really go out of their way to make your stay comfortable. Restaurant and cafe are also good. It's all I could ask for in a hotel for a business trip.

Very high end rrstaurant with attentive waiters. The food is amazing from appetizer all the way to dessert. Would highly recommend!! If you don't want to use valet I would suggest having an early dinner so that you can park on the street. Business casual attire is appropriate. While there it was pretty crowded and it took a while for us to receive our food but definitely worth the wait

Great food. Great service. Noisy. Forget conversation.

Ate at the 'chef's table' which is a bar that overlooks the kitchen and prep stations. Truly mesmerizing to watch the kitchen staff work and increases the joy of receiving such beautiful food.

This place is where the old upside down plaza bar use to be. Food is top notch as is the service. I give them 5 stars!

Best restaurant in the entire state! Love the new place!

The best menu is during spring and summer! The tomato salad is the best.

Most creative and most delicious food in Birmingham. The gumbo was the best I ever, ever tasted and the service was spectacular.

This place was beyond any experience I've ever had words can't describe how good this place is!

A unique experience. We sat at the Chef's Counter. The portions are not huge (thankfully) but the flavors are explosive!

Definitely a staple restaurant the food is amazing and the staff is always so kind!

Delicious food. Great service. Too noisy to carry on a conversation with more than one other person.

Great service and food. We had the fish in a fish in a fish appetizer, Sheepshead fish entree, and from the R&D menue, the Grouper fish head. All were outstanding! The El Diablo cocktail was also good.

the restaurant is very pretty - large and loud. Many of the tables have bad wobbles in them. The salad bar rocks!

One of Birmingham's best. Outdoor seating in season. Always creative menu. Worth a visit, make a reservation.

We had a large gathering 16 people. It's a smaller restaurant so accommodations were a little cramped. Service was great. Food excellent. I would recommend everything on the menu except one item. The wagu steak. It was tough, not even close to what I would expect from this caliber of restaurant, I would not recommend it.

Incredible service and incredible food with flavors you can t find anywhere. Go and sit at the chefs table and watch those guys crank out incredible food with care and precision.

A wonderful meal and night to remember. Absolutely delicious Tomato Stack salad and Vegetable Risotto. Fabulous waiter was one of the best ever... Marshall, a fine young man.

I must eat at restaurant in Birmingham. The chef takes the best ingredients and makes them even better. Also try his other restaurant Oven Bird!

Had graduation dinner for my college age daughter - amazing meal, great service, lovely setting. Veal chop was great as were all dishes. Take your time - was a 2.5 hour meal and enjoyed every minute.

Amazing restaurant. Make sure you have a big bank account though. It's not cheap

Do I need to tell you how the tomato salad, a simple menagerie of the freshest vegetables and a bit of bacon, serve as an excellent combination of textures and as a substantial but light start to any meal?

Do I need to impart how the trio of pork - belly, chop, and leg - are an expansive and diverse combination of everything that constitutes Southern cooking, not to mention the first preparation of a chop to open my eyes to the possibility of the cut?

Do I need to point out how Hot and Hot Fish Club and Chris Hastings are among the best the city has to offer?

Probably not.

The Best of Birmingham, have never had a meal that I didn't brag about

Ordered chicken fried steak not tender. Ordered fois Grau. Disappointed. Not what I expected. Generous giving 4 stars.

The manager is an a...hole. Rude employees and below average food. Do not patronize this place. They Suck!!!

We wish they were staying in 5 Points where they belong!

I must admit that the location was known by me when it was a dive bar. However, parties of six are not well received as we were placed in the pool table room. I sat at the crack between the two, four person tables slid together. Food was average at best and very cold. This included the monk fish, lamb and scallops. The duck was at least warm.
Service was below standard. I cannot recommend this James Beard Award Winner 2012 to anyone.

We've been here several times and this place never disappoints. We've never had a bad meal. Never had poor service. Never had a problem making a reservation. If anyone thinks that the prices are too high, then perhaps you should try and find yourself another restaurant, in Birmingham, that has a James Beard award winning chef in charge that also serves nothing but the finest local produce, meats and seafood. We love this place and we're proud that it's in Birmingham.

I was eager to try such a highly recommended restaurant. I was very dissapointed with service, seating and the food quality. Despite a reservation, we were seated at a table that was crammed in the middle of the servers' main walking path. Our party of 6 was seated at a table meant for 4. We were cramped to even set our silverware anywhere after getting appetizers and food. We politely asked to move to another table, but were told no.

Our waiter brought us the wrong wine, but did not offer to take it back, and then informed us that they were actually out of the wine we ordered. The other bottle that was brought was $50 more than the one we ordered. Many of the wines listed were not actually in stock.

I also felt that our food was good, (we all ordered snapper and ahi tuna) but not worth $35 for small portions of unamazing fish.

Overall it was a bad experience. On a positive note, they did have good appetizers and our waiter brought us samples of an oyster soup to try.

Fabulous service and one of the best dinners ever! We arrive at 6:50 for our 7:15 reservation. We sat at the bar and Mason the bartender was welcoming and attentive. At 7:20 we were informed that several tables were at dessert and/or not leaving. We were given a free appetizer at the bar. At 8:00 we were given free drinks at the bar. Finally our table was ready 8:15. The manager, bartender, hostess and our waiter went above and beyond to make sure we were accommodated in every way possible. The tomato salad, the scallops, the surf and turf, the crispy duck and the fried okra were all simply amazing!!! I spent 20+ years in New Orleans and I would say the food at Hot Hot is the same caliber as some of my top 10 favorite places in New Orleans.
This was our first time at Hot Hot Fish Club and what could have been an irritating, disaster of dinner was handled with style and grace. Great job everyone!!!

Love that you can sit at the Chef's counter and chat with the staff and watch them prepare great food! Always a great choice for a date night! Service was quick and friendly and I didn't leave hungry! Chef Hastings always has something new to try when we come. We hope to come back with friends again soon!

Food is still decent. However it is not the same as it used to be....

Fabulous meal with excellent service. Enjoyed watching our meal be prepared.

In 1996 I worked for this place as a Dishwasher and I still remember my Boss Cris and his wife.the food was delicious,
good place to eat,,nice people.
From California.

Expensive but didn't live up to reputation I had heard. Overall medicore.

The food at hot hot fish club is probably a sample of some of the most well executed dishes that I've ever had the opportunity to try. it's kind of unfair to say that because the price point is kind of high, however the quality of food and the perfect service just made for a very good experience. The tomato salad is stupid good.

Excellent as always. The Tomato salad is the best you'll have anywhere. The fish is cooked to perfection and the chicken fried steak was hands down the star of the night. Certainly not what you'd expect for that order.

Service was good although our food took a long time, and my steak was perfectly prepared and delicious albeit half the size I would have expected for the price. I was not impressed with the bone marrow, as I hardly got any and the little I got was smothered over with other items. They ran out of the rabbit item I wanted - I understand that but if you are going to charge super high prices you need to have all of our items available in enough quantities because I would think there is enough profit there to cover food waste. My crawfish soup was merely OK and had no crawfish in it (perhaps it was supposed to be blended?). The small biscuits were super. I would say I enjoyed the food overall. But if you are going to charge way more than most other fine dining restaurants in town the food has to be better than merely good. Be prepared to meet expectations when you charge super high prices. I didn't feel the meal met the expectations created by the prices. Also, in this day and time, you have got to make it easier to make a reservation. We couldn't make it online on a Monday, and they were closed. We left a message about a reservation on a Tuesday, and no one called us. We had to call again an hour after they opened. Then again, the restaurant was packed on a Tuesday night, so perhaps they know what they are doing. I don't see us ever going back, though.

I agree with Dr. Segrest. Everything was amazing except the portions. I don't mind paying for good food either, but come on, bigger portions are a must. No one should ever pay that much for a meal and leave hungry. Bigger portions will earn this restaurant a 5th star from me. P.S. have not been in a while, so if the portions have changed, please let me know, and I'll be back!!

The service: impeccable. Not only did I get help choosing what to order, but my suggested wine pairing was not 30 seconds behind my food. Watching my food get made right in front of my eyes was a major plus. Undeniable these guys are pros and know what they are serving in and out. Wont go anywhere else for seafood in Birmingham. Period.

Incredible food! The best and most different place to eat in Birmingham.

The service was good. Our waiter was knowledgeable and courteous. The drinks were good. The food was okay. My husband and I have been here multiple times but we have never experienced this restaurant the way we did the other night when we brought along another couple.

The reason I give the restaurant one star is the way my party was treated by the chef/manager. We were a mixed group. Let s just say everyone is not welcomed at this establishment if you are of a darker hue. It s 2018. Money is green. Get over yourselves and treat everyone the same. If the chef/manager comes out to greet tables, speak to all guest! He literally walked right past our table to speak to everyone in the dining room. My guest laughed it off but I was so embarrassed and upset. I can t imagine being treated like that for no reason other than because the color of my skin. I will never patronize this establishment again. Anyone for equal rights for all should do the same. Disgusting.

The first time here as in Fall 2012 and it was so memorable that I couldn't wait to try it again. June 2017 I finally get back to Birmingham and tried it a 2nd time, this time with 2 couples to make sure my mouth was not lying to me. O.M.G. Completely wonderful. We reserved the chef's table so we got to see how the magic is done and that was a lot of fun. The food is top notch in every way. It is a little loud because it is so busy but worth every decibel and every penny. Not so sure kids would enjoy the full effects of this menu so may want to have a babysitter keep the kiddos at home with McD's and let the adults get the full effect of the food. The rabbit tamale was better than good ... I mean, wow. And the tomato salad ... just double dog dang. Can't wait to head back to try this one again.

The absolute best food I have ever eaten. Looking forward to going back. The service was great. Lastly, the atmosphere is warm, inviting and elegant.

Overblown and overrated! Might as well go to Red Lobster.

Very good NY Strip Steak but the Tuna that one of our party had was the best we have had anywhere. After dinner coffee is excellent for those who like strong coffee. Thumbs up to the Black Forest dessert. Loved that Chris came by the table and spoke to us for a few minutes. Great place for special occasions.

I live for their Heirloom Tomato Salad, but everything is fabulous, in my opinion! My husband and I are dining there tomorrow night to catch the season's end of this fabulous dish. I order the large entree size, rather than the appetitizer portion, and it is an extremely generous portion. Chris and Idie Hastings are amazing, with all the details of the farm to table concept, and fresh herbs, perfected. Thank you Chris and Idie, for this gem!

Such a fun a corky restaurant! We sat In the bar and service was excellent!I love that they serve martini's in a little shaker served at your table. We ordered the steak and the crab. Both were yummy! We loved the whole experience and will be back soon.

Had the rabbit and it was amazing. Will go back next time in town.

Paul provided poor inattentive service on the patio including getting the drink order wrong and bringing out ice cream desert on a 90+ degree day without utensils with which to consume it and took another 2 minutes to bring utensils = melted. Pretentiously expensive for mundane food. I have had finer fancier food for less at many other restaurants. This place is a joke. I suspect most of the overly laudatory reviews are from people with little to no experience of excellent service and upscale/fine dining. Find somewhere else to go this place is a big turd.

I and three friends went here for dinner recently. The pesto salad was inedible, the soup was too spicy for a normal person's consumption, the wagyu chicken fried steak was undercooked and unacceptably chewy. The scallops were pretty good. The swordfish was only slightly better than what can be found at a generic chain restaurant. The waiter was amazingly bizarre to the point where we questioned whether he was high on drugs. The $50 bottle of wine he chose literally tasted like dirt and sells for $15 at the grocery store. This visit was not up to the standard expected given the reputation and price. I do not plan to go back.

I do not frequent nice restaurants, so maybe my palette has not reached the level of sophistication required to fully enjoy this kind of meal. My food was not bad, but it was not special. Definitely not worth the price paid. My wife has been a couple of other times and enjoyed it. This time it was mediocre. Maybe the menu in the summer is better. The best part was sitting at the chef's counter watching food being prepared. Service was good.

Great food, sit at the food service bar if you can and watch people who truly care about their craft prepare some of the best food in Birmingham! Best seats in the house!

The quality of the food is spectacular. The service is very professional and helpful. There is dress code, so don't go in a hat and flip flops.

The food was very very poor. The service was ok. The price was ridiculous. This is all hype

Best meal since moving to Birmingham. Others are getting more press nowadays, but food, service and vibe weren't to be outdone.

Great service and innovative food of the highest quality. A great experience reccomend highly.

Delicious meal. Beautiful surroundings. Outstanding service.

This was the first place that was recommended to me when I moved to Birmingham. 2 years passed and we finally ate here. Wow, just wow.

I normally dont like okra, but this place can cook okra. Had the rabbit roulade that the chef made on iron chef. So many great flavors.

Dessert was a bit of a let down however, chocolate souffle was just ok.

I expect great food at a place like this. Was not disappointed.

Very unique place to have a fancy whole-course dinner. The atmosphere is very good amd the food is amazing. The employees are just awesome. The owner comes by to ask how everythings going and chat for a few minutes. Will be returning!

Food was good, but not outstanding. Service was ok not great.

My favorite restaurant. The blend of flavors is outstanding.

They spilled hot coffee on my pregnant friends stomach! They bareley appologized, and still charged us for the coffee. Also, gave us the crawfish bisque that tasted like a salt lick...it was horrendous..
I like salty food but this was entirely unpalatable.

You can't go wrong visiting Hot and Hot. The service is great and the food is excellent.

I was invited to eat here with my brother. The food was really good.

We came for the house specialty, the tomato salad and it lived up to its reputation

Great service and good food. Always love stopping in

The food and service were excellent but I have to agree that the I was not pleased with the portion size as well.

The food and service could not be better. Servers knowledge of the menu and wine, above and beyond. I never don't visit when in town.

Service was the best from the time you walk in until you're on your way out . Be prepared if you're having dinner for 2. You're going to spend about 100/150

Great staff and excellent presentation. Appetizer was great. But, my fish entree had absolutely no flavor or seasoning.

american food at this spot - great. got there about three, it wasn't crowded. the bill was decent. this place has many good reviews for a reason.

The customer service was amazing. They are so professional, I liked their hospitality. Besides their service, they also offer delicious food. Special foods include Beet Salad, Elton's Chocolate Souffle, Simple Grilled Fish, Beef Tartare, etc.

I highly recommend. The tuna and gumbo were phenomenal! It is no surprise why Chef Chris Hastings is a James Beard award winner. A must go.