Black Market Bar+Grill (Avondale)

This was a neat little place we stumbled upon. The food was excellent 👌. If you are thinking of going to a chain, you might as well choose this local place instead. The food was much better than any chain at a similar price. Our group had burgers and a appetizer with a variety. The burgers were juicy but not greasy with many different options. Definitely try the seasoned fries. The variety appetizer was also a great size for a 4 person share. Their drinks were excellent and they didn't skimp. The waitress (sorry I'm horrible with names), was so nice and attentive with a spunky personality. Everyone there seemed to be having a great time. 👍 To the rubber duck claw machine. We won one for the Jeep owner in our group. Oh and the bathrooms were super clean. If the bathrooms aren't well maintained, it makes me question the kitchen situation. Great place!

My friend and I were looking for a casual dining experience and was recommended this place by our hotel staff. With a cool, kooky, sports-bar meets '60 sci-fi/goth ambience, the service was spot on and FAST (early Thursday evening) for both drinks and food. Both servings were more than enough in presentation and quantity, making them satisfying value. We'll be back. 👍😎👍

Food was delicious. I had the chicken salad which was fresh and so good. It wasn’t the normal chicken salad. I believe it had some honey in it which made it really tasty. My husband had the hamburger which he said was very good as well. The fries were hot and delicious. There was a school bus of teenagers that had just placed their order but the server communicated to us which was nice. All the servers were amazing getting the orders out and still managed to smile. I would definitely go back and recommend to family in the area.

The location is awesome, walking in the building is nice, the atmosphere and decor inside were interesting. Absolutely love the vibe. We sat ourselves at a high bar table since there was only two of us. We tried the Greek egg rolls for a starter, And OMG, they are delicious, it's like spinach-artichoke dip in an egg roll. Amazing. It went down hill after this. After some time our waitress came and explained she didn't fully submit our order,but she did now and it would be out as quickly as possible... When she brought the food I had to place the appetizer in my lap, as the table was small. And she was just going to let that be ok, so we asked for a box, she brought it and still left the try from the appetizer, so in my lap it went. I ordered Feta erra quesdilla and sweet potato fries.. it was dripping and soggy.. I thought maybe it was mushrooms or beans.. but I saw neither, the taste wasn't it, very salty. The fries were not bad, just fries. My wife ordered the smash mouth tacos and regular fries.. the regular fries were pretty good, the taco.. Nothing really special, I wasn't fond of the sauce, but my wife didn't mind it. We watched our waitress go past us numerous times before we finally had to stop her to ask for our check and a to go box. And we watched as quickly as she walked away, she forgot. The restaurant is an awesome vibe, a few other waitresses actually talked to us and joked and even suggested the egg rolls, so the staff is nice.. but for whatever reason this was not our day. I say give them a try and maybe you'll enjoy it.

Had an amazing date here. The food is PHENOMENAL, the service is top notch, and the cleanliness is through the roof! So many great and fresh menu options. We had the hummus appetizer, you've got to try it! And the lemonade was definitely freshly squeezed 🌹

The food was sooooo good. But the service was even better. We had the drunken pasta and it was packed with flavor.

First time here. The atmosphere was great. We ate inside, but most people ate on the patio. Friendly staff! We didn't order drinks. However, the food was good and serviced hot!

Funky, cute, artsy place with a great menu selection and fantabulous food served up fresh in a unique atmosphere that will leave you wishing and hoping you get to come back for more. I had the pancakes and omelette and it was more than enough food that satisfied my tastebuds and kept me full for a long while on my way to the beach. Definitely a great spot to try out if you’re in the area. I wasn’t disappointed, in fact I was very happy.

Back in the 80s and early 90s, Five Points was the happening place! Unfortunately, a lot has changed since then, but I'm glad Black Market is hanging in there. I remember when it was The Mill years ago. Every time I have been to Black Market, it has been a good experience; great service, good food, and a nice outside patio. Today was no exception. The El Camino appetizer with pimento cheese and Pita bread was really good, and the service was great. Can't beat that!!!

I say this as someone who automatically tips 20%; the reason they have automatic 18% gratuity is because the table service is terrible. I had to keep going up to the bar from my table to have my drink refilled because the waitress was never to be found. My burger was super dry, and the fries were under seasoned. Food took forever to come out. Never coming back here.

So yeah , some friends and I landed here after there was a ridiculously long wait at another nearby establishment. This was a no brainer for me . Why? Bc this place never seems to be overly crowded. Let's Go! This ended up being a great option for us. We were seated almost immediately . Our server was fun and lively. Took our drink orders and shortly after, took our food orders. It took us a little bit to decide what we wanted. Let me just tell you .... The protein plate was perfect!!!! I have zero regrets. The plate consisted of a grilled boneless chicken breast, black beans and rice. You probably also see some over cooked veggies. Might be my only knock on the dish. Nevertheless, this meal was so satisfying and most importantly packed with protein! I also had some steak fries because how could I not?! Right! My friends had nachos and seemed to enjoy them. We also enjoyed the vibe. Although there's some interesting decor all around. I'm pretty sure I'll be back. Food and service were satisfactory from start to finish.

Just stopped in for drinks. Cannot comment on the food. But what up with the bartenders constantly vaping. Smoking at the bar -not incognito but heavy smoke fumes all around the bar. Stepping back to the 70's. Don't need fumes in my face while trying to have a drink.

We had a delightful experience at Black Market today for brunch before the 2:30 matinee at Festival Theater. (And bonus, no wait for a table!) Our waiter Ashton was great and the Bloody Marys were perfect. I got so excited when my food came, I forgot to take a pic but the Benedict Franklin was awesome. Also enjoyed the fun, funky and colorful decor. Highly recommend for a Sunday Brunch or anytime!

Oh my gosh this was so delicious! I'm normally not a brunch person but I got the omelet with potatoes and it was to die for! And I got the waffle and chicken bites.

Black Marker Bar + Grill offers a sophisticated and modern dining experience. The sleek decor sets the stage for an upscale evening, while the menu impresses with a fusion of flavors that elevate traditional bar and grill fare. From artisanal burgers to expertly grilled steaks, each dish is a culinary masterpiece. The craft cocktails showcase a blend of creativity and precision, satisfying even the most discerning palate. The attentive staff adds to the overall charm, providing impeccable service. Black Marker Bar + Grill is a destination for those seeking a refined dining experience with a touch of flair, making it a standout choice in the culinary landscape.

Our waitress, Brittany, was absolutely amazing! She's funny, personable and helped us have the best possible drinks and food!

Great food choices and great location. Server had some great recommendations and suggestions ( which I like ) drinks were on point. A wonderful dinner

I love everything about this place! The food, service, and atmosphere are all top-notch. I love the decor, it's such a beautiful building. The chicken, spinach and feta egg rolls are to die for. They go above and beyond with the service and are super friendly. I can't wait til my next trip here.

I stopped in from TN and had an awesome experience! The whole was welcoming Wow Thank you

I frequent this place, and the service has always been spectacular! Andrew, in specific, in a very attentive and considerate bartender. He will take care of you! The food is always amazing. The atmosphere is great. Highly recommend!

First time I came here I wasn't the biggest fan. However, we came here a couple nights ago we winded up in the area and said why not. The menu is big and is markets well to the millennial as well as the gen Xers. With names like Pickle ricks (fried pickles) on their menu. Honestly the food is hit or miss it really depends on what you get. This time around we got the fried pickles. It was a delicious appetizer, we winded up ordering another round of them they were so good. The batter that they use isn't light at all. It is a thick batter which coats the pickle slices. When they fried the batter does no fall off the pickles but instead it stays stationary. I would have t say come for the appetizers and the drinks, but the rest can stay right where it is.

Great comfy divey-bar. Probably the best nachos I've had in a long long time. Everyone was super friendly- I could hang here all day and wish this could be my local spot.

I came here last night late in the pouring rain, I got a delicious Bloody Mary, some hot bar food and when I got up to leave the bartender said hey aren't you staying at the hotel down the street and I said yeah, she had their security Ryan walk me to the hotel in the pouring rain to keep me safe. This meant a lot to me considering I was out of town and feeling a little defeated after driving around for hours trying to find parking !! So thank you

Absolutely great food with cold beer and ride bartenders. A perfect place for those that enjoy these types of things. Lots of fun!

I've been to black market a few times now and the service here is really good. I ended up getting the chicken strips with fries everything was so hot and fresh the chicken strips were pretty big and were absolutely delicious the fries were also.

This restaurant has poor service from the moment you walk in the door, to when you go to the bar, and then when you get on the phone with them too. I came to order my food (to-go) with my brother, and we sat at the bar and waited for almost 10 minutes to be acknowledged. Finally, when we could get someone's attention, we each ordered two burgers because they were advertised to be only 12.99. I got the Godzilla Burger however which was 15.99. While we were at the bar, we were not given any water or not provided with any services upon our wait. This is would not have been a problem at all with me, because I didn't want anything or expect anything. But after waiting what also felt like forever for my meal, the totals for each looked criminal. They have a required 18% gratuity which is honestly laughable. If I was being brutally honest about these people I would say they were scammers. They brag about their prices on their menus saying they're 12.99 for a burger. No, if you charge a MANDATORY 18% gratuity on online, sit-in, and to-go orders brother you are $16.63 (taxed) for a burger, so stop lying to people or else you're restaurant is going to be covered with 1 star reviews just like this. What exactly are you charging 18% gratuity for if I ordered to-go??? Like I was thinking, these folks must be daft if they think this attracts customers. What service did you provide me with while I waited for my burger for 30 minutes... This may not even be the worst thing about this awful business either. Because I ordered to-go, I didn't check the order until I got home. Once I got home, I realized they had put bacon on the burger that I specifically requested them not to, and the burger was well-done like a hockey puck. Due to religious purposes, I cannot eat pork or anything that touches it either. And regardless of religion unless I am bad all year and it's Christmas, I don't think there should be coal in my burger either. I ended up calling the establishment that night and requesting a refund or store credit, but the only thing they said they could do is have me drive all the way back out there and wait for them to make another burger. This to me just put it over the top and kind of emphasized the awful service that they have. I asked if anything else could be done because it was their mistake and not mine and they told me that nothing could be done and the guy on the phone really didn't care either. He said "yea my manager isn't in today so I cant do anything but he usually comes in (x) day so you can try calling back then and he might be there." I called. He was not there. Tired of playing games, and this and telling everyone I know not to go is all the power I have as a customer so. You want good burgers and service? Go to Foxtrot Whiskey (cheaper), Sam's Deli (even cheaper) maybe even IHOP. No point goin here though, they don't want your service. Theyre called the Evil Bartenders for a reason. TLDR - Restaurant has bad service, astronomical mandatory gratuity on online, togo, and sit-in orders, won't refund bad food or food they got incorrect even for religious reasons.

Great service all around. I ate the lemon pepper and hot honey mustard wings with fried okra. The lemon pepper were good but the hot honey mustard were great.

Carson and Bonnie were absolutely amazing, Bonnie was our server and Carson brought our drinks, both were such friendly faces and amazing to talk to, definitely will be back to see both of them!

Solid. Good selection of beers and delicious eats. Try the Greek egg rolls. The bartender -Matt- was attentive and friendly. The only caveat to this place is that they play metal and rock music- not super loud or crazy- just a heads up for anyone who's not a fan. I'll be adding this to my rotation for when I visit the area.

Fun and laid back environment. Great drinks and great food! Will definitely come back

Britney was AMAZING!!! She was so attentive and funny, and she made excellent recommendations to accommodate our preferences. The food and drinks were also absolutely fantastic

Stopped in for lunch & had ashton as our server! great costumer service & wait time! Definitely will be back!

I always love it here and Andrew is one of my favorites. He's been nothing but great and sweet. The environment is always welcoming, as most people are here every day and he is a great addition to the team since I started coming here years ago.

Andrew and Matt are the best bartenders in Birmingham. Took very good care of us and were very efficient. Will definitely be coming back because of them.

AP was the best waitress, when you come here, ASK FOR AP!!! I got wings and they were good.

I've been to black market @ the Colonade several times w/o a problem. Today i went into the facility @ the Colonade. The TV (every single one in the location) is set on utah vs Washington women's softball tournament. I sat @ the bar ( we were 2 of 5 there)& asked if 1 TV could be changed to the secn for men's college baseball. The Bartender informed me that everyone was watching softball. I had already checked the bar out prior to my request & noted not one person watching any TVs. I repeated my request & she eventually changed the far left corner TV to my requested channel. I dont understand why 15 tvs need to be on the same channel! Its a bar. I will not be back. WTF? It was 6/2 @ 2pm! Bartender's attitude was very entitled, not @ all courteous for service-oriented business in a sports bar- regardless of her binary/gender affiliation!

Loved coming in from out of town to hang at Black Market while in B'Ham. Love the atmosphere there, and our server "AP" was awesome. She is personable, attentive and always smiling. Thank you!

I stayed next door at the Indigo on my trip to Birmingham and my son and I went for lunch on our way out. They asked me for a credit to start a tab even though I told them I was not drinking. The waitress claimed it was their "policy". I noticed other white patrons being seated not being asked for their card. I asked the waitress to explain why this was and I was given a response meant to appease but it definitively did not address the situation. I can safely say I will not be coming back here, if I come back in town, and the only reason I stayed was because my 11 year old was hungry and we were catching a meal before catching a train back home. Food was good which is why they get a star.

This place is awesome! Came in to watch the UGA v. FSU Orange Bowl game and had the best wings and fried okra!! The service was also amazing. Will definitely come back!

Their burger deal is just one that you cant pass up. After going to Jack Brown's relatively recently, I would say that this place is significantly better (and more food). As someone who just loves toppings, their "kitchen sink" option is phenomenal!

Black market is one of my go to places in Birmingham. Whether it be for Sunday brunch, to watch the game, or just for a late night meal with friends. I have never had a bad experience here and the food is always good and consistent. I love their wings and the burgers are good too. I'm always being brave and reading different things so I always order the trashcan burger, which is made differently with every order. During brunch, I love ordering the baby mama breakfast bowl, because like the burger, it's always a unique experience. Black market is definitely a good spot to hang out if you're not into going to chain restaurants to watch the game

Exceptional service was received by our waiter Logan. He was so so good and so so friendly and so so courteous. He checked on us many a time and made sure we were good. He was extremely patient as we could not even make up our minds about what it is that we wanted from off of the menu. I ended up ordering the wings and fries with the wings fried super hard and they were tasty and delightful. Another cool thing about this place is that they also have fried Okra. But the best of the best of the place is that I was able to get some banging coffee, which was so hard to find anywhere. Love this place and all its customer service gory!

Delicious! Ordered the flipadelphia (philly chicken) on a wrap per the servers recommendation and was not disappointed. the steak fries could've used a little something, like more salt or even cajun seasoning, but everything was fresh, sizable and good. I cant wait to try out a burger next.

They only get a star because the food was good but I will not be coming back, my girlfriend and I ordered a wing plate and a pasta plate with 2 Margaritas and was charged 94$ 18% gratuity 50$ for 2 Margaritas that we thought were about 15-17$ on the menu I don't know how they came up with 50$ I asked them did they put double shots or something and they said no and that the policy was gratuity and did not mention that in the beginning, we paid left and got the hell out of there will never be coming back!

I'm really disappointed in how this place has changed over the past few years. I'm actually quite alright with the dive bar feel. I like, as other reviews have stated, the nerdy comic book table tops and the random pop culture offerings on display (on the upper ledge) that surrounds the bar. Once you get past this part, it really has gone down hill. Fast forward, but before we go there, here is an excerpt from my previous review: 'Hard to pass up an appetizer with a touch of everything on it.  We went with The Bad Exampler.  It came with eggrolls, cheese sticks, an empanada, queso & chips, and oh! rings (seriously amazing onion rings!!).  Add some dipping sauces and we were set.  Total appetizer price $11.99.' So, I was here with a friend and we grabbed this app as well as the pimento cheese and pita app. Huge disappointment! The oh! rings were a soggy greasy mess. The cheese sticks were barely lukewarm. The queso was so solidified it was hard to crack the surface with the semi stale chips. The eggrolls came smothered in a sauce that was, for lack of a better word, blah. The only saving grace, the empanada was 'ok'. Now the name 'The Bad Exampler' makes a little more sense ...... this is a bad app. The pimento cheese app was serviceable and we did eat it. Drinks took about 15 minutes to come out, not really sure what was up with that, there weren't that many people in the restaurant. Every interaction with our server was just awkward - not really sure what was up with that either. All in all, this used to be a pretty cool place to hang out ..... I don't see myself returning anytime soon.

Really liked coming to place a lot a couple years ago but this time the service was horrible. We had a group of three and our food took forever. The waitress was never around to fill our drinks and then at the end we were charged an outrageous 18% gratuity. I went to ask the manager and they were like, "We've been doing this for three years now." So because of this the waitress didn't get a tip. She wasn't going to get one anyways because of the terrible service we got from her. So I guess they took my money anyways with the gratuity.

By the time I got here it was only the late night menu available. So I got the cheese sticks & Greek Egg Rolls. The cheesesticks were ok, but the egg rolls were really good. They gave me half of a marinara small serving cup for 6 large cheesesticks but then wanted to charge $1 for an extra that was full.

Went to black market last night with a friend around 8:30 trying to enjoy the nice Saturday evening with drinks out in the town. I never have any complaints on service and the drinks are ALWAYS good. Unfortunately me and my friend got denied entry because she did not have her physical ID on her. Now some states have allowed users to upload their ID's to their apple wallet after verifying. A few bars around downtown accept a virtual ID card as they recognize this is legitimate, this bar does not. This is more so just a warning to others, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR PHYSICAL ID. And black market maybe have your door staff read up about it too :)

Black Market used to be one of my favorite hang outs, but the last 2 times I have been they have placed a hold on mine or my guest's cards and last time they swiped one of our cards twice. I went last night and now there is fraud on my card. That's the final straw for me, while I was willing to overlook the 2 random holds I now have to get a brand new debit card which is not only time consuming but inconvenient all for 2 beers and some burnt chicken fingers.

Solid place, day time service is pretty subpar you can tell the people don't want to be here. Night time is where it's at though great environment! Food is always* great!

The food is excellent but beware our waitress changed our tip from $10 to $19! Our CC contacted us about a higher than normal tip!

Was visiting town yesterday and a friend recommended we come here for a visit. It's 21+ after 9pm & there's a pool table!! Wish I had more time to play a game. For parking, it's street only, but we found a few spots at 7-ish on a Friday night- so don't let that deter you! Service was fast (but gratuity IS already added! Not an issue, just had no idea until a friend pointed it out and I already tripped an additional 20%) Our server was super attentive and they take Apple Pay, which was amazing cause I somehow forgot my credit card? Oops. We got the Greek egg rolls, wings, the Godzilla burger, and chicken tacos with sides of sweet potato fries and fried okra. The Greek egg rolls were different, but delicious! It came with two of em, cut in the middle. The burger was good, but my friend wished it was better seasoned. The wings were medium sized, but only came with one flat-- [wtf]. Taco was delicious and flavorful! The sweet potato fries came with brown sugar (mmm) and the okra was salty (also mmm). Had nice bar/restaurant vibes. I will be back to try the strawberry cheesecake egg rolls, some drinks, and a game of pool.

I spent some time here last night after my birthday dinner. My family, friends and I had the best time! Andrew is THE BEST! He took such good care of our table. He made us drinks that weren't even on the menu per our request. It's a very chill place. Great music. Tvs everywhere you look. Clean bathrooms. I really enjoyed it and will definitely be back!

Delicious!!! We got the bad exampler appetizer to start, that pita bread and hummus is to die for, well everything on that platter is, but the pita! It is so good! So soft yet sturdy enough to scoop the humus, and the flavor! I'm not sure what seasonings are on there but they're absolutely the right ones. We also got the queso burger and the east lake tacos. The chicken in the tacos had no gristle(!!!) which i feel like is a rarity, so that is always a plus, and the burger was cooked to order.

I've gone to Black Market Grill two or three times now and I have had pleasant experiences every time. The food is good depending on what you get. The wings are alright they have been cooked a little too hard before but the burgers are great! I recommend the burger that has the onion ring on it. If you are a ranch person definitely get their ranch! It's delicious! 4/5

Sat at the bar and ordered food. Appetizer sampler was good. Great service, friendly bar staff.

Burger and fried okra were delish! Very kind waiter and manager, both were attentive. And then I unknowingly left my purse. Never occurred to me I'd left it at the restaurant. Days later, my sister gets a call asking if she knew of a missing purse. She drove down and picked it up. They'd done a bit of detective work and found her name and number. I can't believe it was returned to me intact. I'll eat there every time I go to Bham! Just good folk! Thank you so much!

I was sick within 5 hours of eating the chicken sandwich. The service was terrible and they add the 18% tip automatically to your bill. I had to fetch my own ketchup for the table, and we were never offered refills. The icing on the cake was the waitress walking to our table bringing us our check before asking if we needed take out boxes or dessert. I looked up and said uhh.... we want to order bread pudding. Not having to work for your tip = terrible service apparently. The bread pudding was the best part of our entire experience. We will not visit this place again.