Highlands Bar & Grill

The owners have been LYING for three plus years about reopening. Why not be honest with the public? Admit you may never open again because you possibly can’t find the chefs and waiters and support staff to duplicate the excellence you once had, before COVID. But stop the TEASE. Take down your website. Come clean. Promote your other two locations. Stop the fraud.

I have been wanting to dine here for over 25 years but as a fellow chef our off days are always the same (Sunday and Monday) so I never managed to get here. Finally dined here and it did NOT disappoint! Great food, fantastic service and great views. I wish I had been better dressed. We will be back!

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.

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. My main course was Gulf Flounder with new potatoes and haricot vert. I also chose a side of asparagus. The portion of fish was good but again it was cook uneven. Flounder is a thin fish so in my opinion this dish would have been better prepared using a snapper or grouper. My wife tried the duck breast. I sampled hers and the flavor was good but the meat was a little tough. The dessert round was the best by far. I enjoyed the banana ice cream bar while our table also ordered the coconut cake and warm strawberry cobbler. I sampled all three and found them all to be on point with my expectations. My favorite was the coconut cake. Overall a nice dinner is a comfortable atmosphere but at this price point I am not sure it was worth it.

I was super impressed with all the food from start to finish and service was great! The baked grits did not disappoint and the beef shoulder was amazing. The sweet potato pie with ice cream was a nice dessert.

There are so many things I loved about dining here! Impeccable service, agreeable wine selection, excellent oysters with delectable dipping sauces, mixed lettuces salad with slivers of pickled carrots, and the truly inspired deviled eggs. The mushrooms and grilled asparagus sides exploded with flavor. The atmosphere is warm with a great vibe. Two anomalies surprised me. The water was unfiltered and had an off odor, and the Strip steak wasn't hot when it was served. Otherwise the evening was perfect.

Great food and service. This restaurant has been a contender for the James Beard Award multiple times and I see why. We ordered the Crab Claw appetizer, grilled Venison (oh deer), and Pork Belly & Quail. All were fantastic. The Crab had a oil and citrus marinade that worked so well. The Venison was cooked perfectly and not very gamey and the pork belly and quail was amazing.

Ok, I’m in town for a few days and all the locals are like you have to try this place it’s the best restaurant... but then I am from Chicago, one of the biggest foodie towns, so sure I’ll try ... OMG THIS PLACE WAS GOOD. I was shocked to find a restaurant here with that type of selection and service with its prices. I have dined at many Michelin restaurants, and this place deserves one. Stacy helped me out and his recommendations were on point. If you don’t dine here, then your trip to Birmingham isn’t complete.

I so wish Highlands would reopen to the public! You know you can judge a restaurant by how they do the simple things and the best dish I've ever put in my mouth in my 58 years was their heirloom tomato salad! It's been years since I've had it and I can still remember how it tasted. Sliced heirloom tomatoes, a little salt and pepper, and a drizzle of a vinaigrette of some sort. My mouth waters just thinking about it! I've eaten at many James Beard award winning places in my time, all across the US, and I will still always go back to that dish when someone asks me my favorite. Until it reopens (please reopen, please reopen ), I'll continue to eat at Chez FonFon's next door!

If there is a restaurant that is a Birmingham institution among the wealthier crowd, there is literally only one name that locals would bring up, and it is undoubtedly Highlands. Not that there aren't other nice restaurants, but this spot has proven itself over time and is ran by a chef that most Alabamians are quite proud of. Opened in 1982, Highland's is a place that put Birmingham on the map in a positive way at a time when the post industrial iron period was about to wind down and transform the city. Frank formalized his cooking techniques by working in kitchens of San Francisco and France, creating a medley of American Southern and French cuisine that is difficult to find elsewhere. It was not a time when it was common to see a chef from Alabama going to study cooking in Europe, thus the story was already an anomaly. Frank Stitt was trying to pioneer sustainable agriculture and farming well before anybody in Alabama knew what in the world that actually meant or for that matter, cared. One of the signature items is the baked grits that has been around since the restaurant opened. It's a tasty grits preparation and without a doubt, something to try. The pheasant was spectacular, fairly lean and with a crispy delicious skin, served with grits and green beans. Pastries here are created by Dolester Miles, who has been in the job for well over 30 years. The opera cake is absolutely spectacular, gentle and complexly layered. The basque cake is peachy and moist, with a crispy delicious exterior and Chantilly cream. Not only are these likely the best desserts to discover in Alabama, but may be some of the best to be found in America. The attentiveness got derail was clearly evident. As far as service, generally fine, but not particularly attentive. The waitress did not seem in much of a mood to welcome people to the establishment. Many items on the menu were running out by 8:30pm on a Saturday night. Nobody was particularly impressed with the flounder that got substituted for the grouper. And then there are other questions, why would you run out of grits? They know they are always filled to capacity and ingredients to make grits are not immediately perishable. Highland's has by this point in Birmingham's history become a classic. It's evident that most people here have been around for decades working at their jobs and serving the rich crowds of Mountain Brook. It's a place of great food and shows many combinations of ingredients that are nearly impossible to find elsewhere, let alone be executed this well.

Best food and service in Birmingham. Service is fantastic. When you want to impress that's the place to go.

Highlands is not simply going to dinner, it's a dining experience. Will B had given me a heads up that we had reservations here so I did a little investigating. After finding out more about Chef Frank Stitt and his ties to Charlestons Sean Brock, I knew I was in for a memorable meal. I'd say the most memorable dish was that Grilled Pork Belly with watermelon. It was such a unique take on this common southern staple. I couldn't get enough of it. Another favorite was the Stone Ground Baked Grits. The texture of the grit cake was great and the saltiness of the prosciutto paired perfectly with it. For entree's, I got a taste of the Veal and the Grass Fed Ribeye but my entree was the Seafood Medley. I loved the mix of prawns, lobster, and scallops. I expected my seafood dish to be a little lighter than my cohorts veal and steak but I do wish there was a little more on my plate. Mostly I'm being greedy because it was delicious and I wanted more. We finished up with profiteroles which were a different take compared to what I'm used to. While I expected one dark and one white coated pastry, I was pleasantly surprised by the three small rolls stuffed with ice cream and drizzled with a light chocolate sauce. A perfectly sweet ending for the three of us. We sat in the bar area which has a little bit more of a casual vibe but we still felt like we were being served at a fine dining restaurant. Our table was in a high traffic area but our server was so on top of things we quickly forgot about it. Overall it was an excellent dinner.

I've eaten at my fair share of James Beard Award winning restaurants, but Highlands stood out for its total lack of pretension paired with impeccable service and beautifully prepared food. My husband and I booked a last-minute trip to Birmingham and were able to call to snag a reservation for a table in the bar, which was dark, cozy and - frankly - felt more intimate than the dining room. Our waiter was a consummate professional and Pardis Stitt offered true Southern hospitality, warmly greeting diners as if we were all her dear friends. The menu changes frequently, but rest assured that you really can't go wrong. While every dish was delicious, the one must from our meal was their ever-present baked grits. It's always on the menu for good reason: it is pure comfort on a plate with the salty ham and earthy, buttery mushrooms surrounding the fluffy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside grit cake. For a perfect rendition of a classic, the Bois d'Arc Farm salad was another winner - stilton, pears, and bacon, oh my! I thoroughly enjoyed my tile fish that followed while my spouse nearly licked his pork chop plate clean. We were comfortably full, but couldn't resist the classic coconut cake, which was a sweet finish to a memorable meal. Thank you for a warm Alabama welcome, Highlands.

I'm not going to write anything that hasn't been written before. This place is hands down one of the best spots in the country. Pretty much anything you'll order is amazing. The only piece of advice that one could get is save room for dessert. You will not be disappointed.

I made a reservation here weeks in advance because I heard great things about it and it was voted the best restaurant in the country so I wanted to see what all the bus was about. Frank stits definitely knows how to cook. Food Here is what we got: Fried green tomatoes Squash soup Lamb chops Red snapper Peach crisp Cappuccino Everything was cooked very well. It was a very tasty meal. I think we both enjoyed it a lot. Service All of the wait staff were very attentive and excellent. Parking there is street parking and it's free. They also have valet which is a fee. Price a bit on the high side but given the quantity and quality of food I won't complain about it too much. Ambiance The place was very clean had very nice decor and the bathrooms were clean. Seating arrangement was fine tables are a little bit too close together. overall excellent meal I can see why it was voted the best restaurant in the country. I can't say enough great things about it if I was here again I would come back all the time!

I'm in town only for Wednesday night, so I called and was 1) put on the waitlist and 2) told that sitting at the bar would be just as good as eating in the restaurant. We ended up with option #2 and had our dinner there! So, my party of 3 arrived at 5pm and claimed one of the 3 table tops at the bar. I had the venison ($36) and my friends had the steak ($30) and red snapper ($33). We shared the grits ($16) as a starter because we were told that it is a must because it is the ONLY thing on the menu that's long-standing. When our food arrived, we were each disappointed by our meals. In general, the temperature of all of our dishes were all lukewarm. The grit cake was cool and had no flavor. The sauce was good, but other than that, the grit cake was COMPLETELY bland. The venison, the steak, and the baked potato accompanying the the steak were also cold. They had clearly been sitting out for awhile. Both cuts of meat also lacked seasoning. Not even a sprinkle of salt! The only piece of food that was warm was the snapper, but my friend complained that it also lacked seasoning. All in all, we were super disappointed by "the #1 restaurant in the country." It didn't really come close, and it was incredibly expensive for what you can get in the area.

There's a reason why there's a hype surrounding this place - while the food is pricier here, I love that the dining experience here is uniquely unpretentious and inviting. Case in point: I saw Frank Stitt pass by while we were waiting at the bar, and he smiled and said hello. Service/Atmosphere: Most recently, I took my family here and they absolutely loved the dining experience. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable - don't be afraid to ask your server for recommendations here. Food/Drink: We tried a seafood salad and the stoneground baked grits as appetizers. For entrees we had the red snapper, salmon, and steak. It's hard to recommend a particular dish since they change the menu daily, but we thought both meat and fish options were great. Of particular note was a seafood salad we ordered which was colorful, bright, and absolutely delectable. By dessert, we were pretty stuffed, but we shared the apple fritters with ice cream and Ms. Dol Miles' famous coconut cake! Everything was delicious. I definitely hope to be back soon. Tips: - Definitely order a bottle for the table. In most cases, it's actually a better deal if at least 2 people are going to be having a glass :) - Make reservations about a month in advance! - If you can't snag a res, try finding a seat at the bar. It's quite cozy, and would be great if you're a small party. - They actually have great nonalcoholic beverage options if someone in your party is under 21 or doesn't drink. I had a lemonade that was delicious - it really tasted just like a cocktail without the alcohol.

Yum! Excellent dining experience. The food was delicious, and the service was spectacular. The highlight was the mushrooms on the grits. I love mushrooms, and it makes me so happy when mushrooms are done right. These mushrooms were perfectly tender and flavorful, which balanced the light grits. Can't say enough good things about the grits--a must-try if you come. Another must-try is the coconut cake. I was so stuffed from the meal that I could only manage to eat half of the cake at dinner, and the other half made a great breakfast the next morning.

What is there left to say other than Mr Stitt you are the master of fine food. We went here for our anniversary on August 16th and of course it was great. We didn't have reservations but found 2 seats at the bar. Just in case you didn't know..... the bar staff is as great and knowledgeable about the food as the rest of the staff. We started with the stuffed onions which were divine then my hubby ordered the flat iron steak and I got the halibut. What can I say other than incredible! I hope one day I can train with Frank and his staff.... it is my dream to be half as good.

We really enjoyed our dinner here. When we first sat down, we were seated on one side of the bar where there was a group of women were being loud and obnoxious. I asked I'd there was a quieter table and we were immediately moved to other side of bar. So that was good, otherwise I would have been very unhappy. Our waiter, Andrew, was really great. He made recommendations on everything, from our drinks to our dessert. I told him what kind of wines I liked and he recommended a great wine for me. He recommend a blood orange drink for hubby and the orange thing for our friend. All were very good with the blood orange drink being our favorite. We started out with the beef tartine and the crab claws. Both were really good. Crab claws were small but delicious. For dinner I had the gulf cobia because I love fish. The presentation was beautiful and the fish was buttery and delicious. I was very happy with my choice. Hubby got the steak. I tried it and that was also really good. Hubby was disappointed because part of it was very rare and he had ordered medium but he didn't give them a chance to fix it so guess who ate the rare bits ; )? I'm happy to take one for the team. For dessert, we had the lava cake, the strawberry trio, and the meringue cake. We all tried each other's. My favorite was the chocolate lava cake. However, the strawberry cobbler also rocked. I would definitely come back here again but would make reservations early and sit in the dining room not the bar area.

Pork Coppa No wonder this place is jammed up on a weeknight. Staff is very attentive and accommodating. Had to take meal at the bar, and glad I did! Pork Coppa medallions were cooked to perfection, topped with salsa verde and paired with a great medley of eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and onions, over a bed of grits. Hope to be back, but will definitely make reservations in advance! Can't imagine the wait list on weekends.

Probably the best and most notable restaurant in Birmingham which helped put us on the culinary map. Just wish they would reopen after pandemic. Bham's loss. Love it!

One of THE nicest restaurants in Birmingham. An elegant upscale place with maitre de service. A well-curated wine list, food that is on point, and an overall all fabulous dining experience!

For my 28th birthday, we were able to grab reservations for the hottest restaurant in Birmingham (and apparently America?!?). Please note: reservations must be made one month out. This is no joke. Our reservation was for 5:30. Even arriving more than 10 minutes early, they immediately offered us our table. The decor was so beautiful. And, when confirming our reservations, my husband mentioned it was my birthday so we had such a lovely table by a window at the front. Let me start by saying our waiter was phenomenal. I have never experience service like it. He was kind, courteous, knowledgeable, while still having a sense of humor. He made my birthday so special and I am grateful for his care during our experience. Now to the food: we started with grits and the pork rib. Both were honestly our favorite part of the meal. As many have emphasized, get those grits!! For main course, I had the salmon and my husband had the cobia. They were both amazing dishes. But. For winning the award they have, I was expecting more. I have had better salmon. However, we will be visiting again! I want to try more! For dessert, we had peach cobbler with a Chilton County peaches and biscuit crust. It was steaming when it was brought out- and they were so sweet to write "Happy Birthday" on the plate! It was very, very delicious. Especially when topped with ice cream! This is a high dollar night out. With two glasses of wine, two starters, two main entrees and one dessert, our bill was $145. (That was before the tip!) But, I will say it is worth it to experience such an iconic restaurant in our beloved city. Also- I have to mention that a host up front (who never interacted with us) told me happy birthday on our way out of the door. I was highly impressed by this restaurant!!

(4.5 stars) I was very nervous I wouldn't be able to try this place on my weekend visit to Birmingham. I'm doing my typical foodie research a week before I go somewhere and I discover the best restaurant in the country is now in Birmingham. Reservations are of course booked solid, but thankfully, we were able to get a table pretty on a Friday night. Of course there can be a long wait for something at the bar -- where there is food service -- but we came around 9:30 or so and had no trouble sitting right down. I don't know if I would call it the best restaurant around but it's certainly a treat, and given its acclaim, it's really not too expensive of a splurge. The grits are an absolute must to start. A beautiful gritty texture with a wonderful base and mushrooms and prosciutto swimming around to richen it up. This stuff is lick-your-plate-clean kind of good. The mains are wonderful too. We shared this lamb shank in this beautiful stew as well as a grilled fish dish. The fish was less memorable -- hard to make a fish really stand out -- but the lamb was diverse and uniquely comprised. Definitely a spot where pretty much no fish will disappoint. My only slight disappointment was the dessert. We went with the coconut cake which was super tasty but presented as just an average slice of cake. From the best restaurant in the country which was highlighted for its desserts, I was hoping for something a little more elegant or intricate.

No reservation? No worries! If you don't mind eating perhaps a little earlier than is typical you can readily feed yourself at the Most Outstanding Restaurant in America for 2018 (according to the James Beard Foundation). The dining room opens at 5:30 & you might be lucky to book a table a month in advance of your intended meal (so long as you're not looking for a really prime seating time or large party) OR Simply show up at the Highlands excellent & spacious bar at about 4:30, claim some of the certain to be empty chairs (28 at the bar if memory serves), enjoy a well-made cocktail or glass of fine wine, & be the first to sample the evening's fare when the kitchen opens for bar meals at 5:00. The food was everything you'd expect from the best in the country, but perhaps even better, was the minimal 'damage' it did to my wallet! A couple of cocktails, 2 appetizers, main, dessert & an appreciatively generous tip came in at least 20% less than I'd expected to pay. I don't often get to Birmingham, but when I do, you can be sure I'll get to town early enough to grab a seat at the Highlands bar.

We came here for a Thursday night dinner after much hype from the James Beard award. I ordered a couple drinks, their signature old fashioned was great. Other than the dessert and grits, everything else we ordered was fairly disappointing. The service wasn't good, we waited for our waters to be filled multiple times and waited to order for way too long. We got a couple appetizers that were nothing special, but the stone grits were really phenomenal! That was a must have. I ordered a New York strip that was small and served with raw spinach and a delicious onion pancake. The peach cobbler was delicious, coconut cake was bland and tasted like banana bread. Overall, paying $150 for a meal that wasn't anything to write home about is disappointing. It wasn't bad by any means but we wouldn't come back for anything other than grits and dessert!

I grew up in Birmingham, and FINALLY got to experience this award-winning restaurant several weeks ago for my wife's birthday. We had a great experience here, and will definitely come back down the road. Even though the food is good, the best part of this place is the service, in my opinion. The staff really care and take care of you-and are very attentive. They explain all specials and also items on the menu that have a story, which I like. The staff seems to enjoy their jobs and our waiter even had a little humor-which made our night enjoyable. They even wished my wife a happy birthday when we were walking out the door and thanked us for coming. We started out with appetizers, which, to our surprise, were actually the best items we had. We had the grits and also the grilled pork rib with fried green tomatoes. Both were super delicious. The pork rib was perfectly smoked and the sauce underneath the tomatoes had a sweetness to it that was super good. It was the best rib I've ever tasted. And the grits....just get those grits above anything. Trust me. For the entrees, we both ordered fish. My wife had the Salmon and I had the Cobia with the low country rice. Both were very good, but I've honestly had better fish. I did like the unusual smoky flavor to mine with the rice. It was an extra touch. For dessert, we both settled on splitting the Chilton County peach cobbler that had biscuit crust and vanilla ice cream. It was, of course, good, and they wrote Happy Birthday in it for her(again, the service was phenomenal). All in all, a great place with good food and phenomenal service. I will come back. I hope to try some other entrees on the menu(except I will order the grits again-no question). A big thank you to the staff who did such a good job from the time we walked in to the time we left. It was a great experience for a special occasion.

On arrival at The Highlands Bar And Grill in Birmingham Alabama we discovered that it was voted the best restaurant in America by the James Beard awards in 2018. I don't know how you can determine that but it was the best overall food and dining experience that we have had in several years anywhere in the world. I have never had oysters this good anywhere. The pork is another level and the desert was beyond description. I highly recommend this incredible restaurant. Our waiter was as good as it gets and we can't wait to return.

What a great dining experience! I learned about Highlands Bar & Grill through a friend so said it was voted one of the best restaurants in America so of course I needed to see for myself. Fair warning, reservations for this place need to be made well in advance. We did not have a reservation but we arrived late enough that we figured we could just eat in the bar area and we were right. We only had to wait about 5 minutes before a spot opened up for us. Even at 9pm the place was still full. We sat down and ended up orderly a bottle of wine (the list was massive!) but they also had great looking cocktails I would want to try if we went back. We ended up ordering the Yellowfin Tuna Carpaccio and the Stone Ground Baked Grits as starters. We really wanted the Crawfish Pie but that apparently sells out way early in the evening. Even though we didn't get the Crawfish Pie, both of our starters were amazing. The tuna was super fresh and had a great play on flavors and oh my gosh the Grits! I am not one to typically order grits but I am so happy we did! It was probably my favorite thing we had all night and I could've had multiple orders. It wasn't heavy like you would think grits would be and they were so flavorful! For the main course we split the Duck Breast. This was also delicious and they were nice enough to split it for us and it still had the great presentation you would expect if you got it for yourself. The service even at the bar was incredible! Our one bartender who we never got his name unfortunately was great! He was super attentive and helped us with everything on the menu. My favorite moment was when we were deciding what we wanted for dessert, he told us to get the Profiteroles because the chocolate sauce is homemade and people rave about it so much that they try to take a bowl full home with them. He also said the sweet and salty cake was great but what really made it was the caramel sauce so when he brought out the profiteroles, he brought us caramel sauce as well. He also made an awesome espresso martini for me to end the night. Next time I am back, I will for sure want to dine in the main dining area but the bar was a great way to experience one of the best restaurants in the country!

I tried Highlands for my birthday dinner. Since it is the highest rated restaurant in town I had to try it. Service is impeccable. The food on the other hand was just mediocre to me. I had the grits as an appetizer which didn't taste much different than my grits at home. For my entree I had the soft shell crab which was ok. For dessert a chocolate brownie with ice cream and they did put Happy Birthday in chocolate on the dish which was a nice touch but still just an average dessert. Our server was extremely nice and attentive. Maybe in the future I would give them another try but I'm in no hurry.

Why 5 stars? Because this was an epic and memorable experience. --- --- --- I love saving milestone reviews for special occasions, and this occasion was definitely special, so here goes #1700! I asked Will B where he would eat if he had to leave Birmingham forever, but was given one final meal in town before being exiled. He said Highlands, which is kinda weird since he hasn't reviewed it, but that's another conversation for a future quarterly evaluation. As for Highlands, it turns out that he's dead-on - this was a serious culinary experience. I'll go through each item: Stone Ground Baked Grits - 5 stars. I love grits, to begin with, so when you add in mushroom and prosciutto, my love instantly becomes even deeper. Grilled Pork Belly - 5 stars, and 6 if I could. Pork belly, watermelon, red onions, mint coriander and lemon vinaigrette. This is such a bizarre combination of foods but was possibly the most delicious thing of the night. Oysters - 5 stars, but in fairness, oysters are 5 stars just about every time I order them. My oyster palette is not refined enough to notice the difference between really good oysters and amazing oysters, but I was with a couple oyster connoisseurs who insisted that these were life-changing. Grass-Fed Ribeye - 5 stars. As close to a perfect steak as you're gonna get. This also had a sprinkle of mint on top, which was quite a nice touch. Speaking of connoisseurs with advanced palettes, shoutout to Yelp Charleston's Scotty C for noticing the mint after one bite The veggies that accompanied the ribeye - 2 stars. This was the only hiccup of the night. Unfortunately, my veggies and Will B's veggies that came with his veal were very unremarkable. They honestly tasted like they were dumped out of an old can and heated up. I'm certain that they were not actually dumped out of a can, but they definitely were not great. Profiteroles - 5 stars. I've never heard of this dish before, but now I will seek it out in the future. This was a great treat to finish things off. We also had a very helpful server who picked out a great glass of wine for me, a guy who doesn't know much about wine, but does enjoy it. I was told to dress nicely, which was a good move by Will because otherwise, I would have shown up in shorts and a polo, at best. If you're super cool with your casual wear like myself (i.e. you wear pants three times a year) you may want to re-think your wardrobe for Highlands. And one other note, Highlands is delicious, but you will definitely pay for it - some come ready to drop some cheddar, but know that it was all worth it!

For Ten years now, Highlands has been nominated as Outstanding Restaurant in America by the James Beard Foundation. Quite simply, this is one of the best restaurants in America, and it is my favorite dinner spot in Birmingham. Sit at the bar for a glass of champagne, some caviar, and the baked grits for a light supper. Enjoy Dol's coconut cake while sipping an Orange Thing. And certainly, go back time and again for an amazing dinner. Everything is outstanding.

This is my second updated review. It is only fair to raise the rating after our last experience. Previously the service was some of the worst I have ever experienced in any restaurant let alone one of this quality. Andrew renewed my faith in Highlands. A litle rocky to start as we were seated in the bar tonight, and at the front side of the bar it is very congested and loud, and they really shouldn't have dining tables located here. We asked to be moved and were put on the other side of the bar, much better! As I stated Andrew was awesome! He made drink recommendations based on what we told him we liked. From wine for my one friend to the blood orange mimosa style recommendation to my other friend and myself...he was spot on. We started the meal with crab claws that include an amazing ginger dipping sauce. Small claws packed with flavor. Be warned they are cold (not the favorite for one of my friends because of this). We also had the Beef Tartine. Again, Andrew was spot on with this recommendation....amazing. For our meals we selected the Braised Short Rib w/spring vegetables and creamy grits (mine), Gulf Cobia w/mango pineapple relish, cilantro, jalapeno, and lemon honey vinaigrette (one friend) and Prime New York Strip w/paradise farm kale and potato salad. We absolutely did this on purpose (ordered different things) so we could get more mileage out of the menu. All tasted amazing and had their perks. The short rib was possible the most tender meat I had and was complimented perfectly with the horseradish, the Gulf Cobia (hands down my favorite) had the melt in your mouth quality and the pineapple relish was paired perfectly with it, the New York Strip wasn't cooked perfectly and was on the extremely rare side - had good flavor, but surprisingly the potato salad was the hit of this plate. Deserts were sampled as well and were loaded with flavor. Again using our combined genius we ordered three different desserts. To be honest, at this point I was so full it was hard to stomach anything more, but depending on your taste buds and mood anything on the desert menu is a good choice. We had the lava cake, the strawberry trio, and the meringue cake. Really good....perfect....way to end an already great meal. Thanks again out to Andrew for providing the type of service you should get at a restaurant like Highlands.

Alright Bham, this is it. This place will make an ATL gal come back for more! I was in town for Sloss Fest and my friend saw this place on Eater top 50 in the US and said we had to make it work into our plans. She continues to earn the right to choose because...wow. First let me start by saying she did not pay attention to the dress code - whoops. We were "underdressed and overeating" but they sat us no questions asked. I definitely recommend biz casual, no jeans unless dressed up. Otherwise, you'll stick out like we might have haha We started with a lovely glass of Sancerre (I was so happy to see one on the menu!) and ordered oysters to start. Based on our fantastic waiter's recommendation we went outside our usual Blue Point and tried the Johns River and Bass Master. Both delicious although now I'm sure I prefer the meatier variety. We shared the grits because that's what you do (thanks yelp crew). Our main courses were so hard to decide because when our waiter described each dish it's like I could taste it already! He described everything so beautifully and you could tell her appreciated the art of the Chef's mastery of each course. We decided on rabbit two ways and the veal - both were prepared perfectly and fit the waiters description to a T! My mouth is watering as I recall....yum. We were beyond full so no dessert, but that just means I'll save room next time I'm in the Ham!

So so disappointed. My SO wanted to take me out to a snazzy restaurant where we could dress up. He had suggested this and another place. I looked at the menu and was skeptical, but he assured me he called them the week before and they said they had a vegetarian menu. We pull in the parking lot, and they have valet parking (very nice!). We walk inside to our very late reservations. We sit down and right as our waitress comes to bring the menus I say, "can I have the vegetarian menu." She states that they don't have any options, but I can get a veggie plate. So upsetting. My date felt bad the rest of the evening since he had called and they had told him they could. We order an asparagus appetizer that was really good and I try to pick some veggies for my main course. Let me tell you, it's easy to cook meat and make it taste good. It's a lot harder to cook vegetables. I got my veggie plate and nothing about it was special. They literally just cooked everything in butter. My SO enjoyed his food and I had leftovers because unlike Paula Dean, one can only eat so much butter. We ordered the chocolate lava cake for desert and it was heavenly. I had a glass of white wine throughout and my SO had red. We then left to conclude our night. I had such high hopes for this place. Being told all I could eat was a veggie plate when there's a chef there who could whip something up was depressing. It tinged our whole night. I WILL NOT be coming back until they make a more inclusive menu.

Delectable; a beautiful representation of what "upscale" really means. Get ready to mingle with Birmingham elite; classy attire is a must. The ambiance strikes the right notes: white marble bar, French decor, lighting fixtures resembling key downtown architecture....even the water is chilled in a handy ice bucket. The food - oh, wow - the food was truly an experience. Grits prepared as a savory appetizer: the accompanying pieces of prosciutto and sautéed mushrooms provided a salty counterpoint to the creamy and flavorful dish. Freshly shucked oysters and the (3) topping choices felt exotic and smooth. The steak - a delicately balanced sear against the perfect medium-rare......so easy, yet so rarely done so well. The dessert - lemon and pistachio - whoa, I didn't think I could do it, but it was completely worthwhile to eat and enjoy. Go, savor, enjoy!

After a wine night with the ladies downtown, we decided to get a late bite to eat at Highlands. Because it was a Wednesday night at 8:00 PM we had no issues with finding a seat at the bar. We were kindly greeted by several members of the restaurant including their new chef. My friends and I decided to try 3 starters which included the Shrimp Louie, Stone Ground Baked Grits and the Pork Crepinette & Fried Oysters. My favorite was the Shrimp Louie (and sadly I didn't snag a photo). It was a massive slice of avocado with crab meat and perfectly cooked shrimp on top. The grits were pretty outstanding as well! We then were served fresh baked flounder which was out of this world. I loved the ambiance The Highlands had. Dim lighting, clean white linen tablecloths and light music in the background. All around a great first experience!

Highlands is THE place to fine dine in Birmingham. Highlands has landed Birmingham on the food map more then once and there is a reason why. I have been here several time and it never lets me down. This place is classy, romantic, and serves up the best food in town. Being so well known it can be hard to get a reservation, but no worries get there early and pop in at the bar. Bar opens at 4 and dinner service starts at 5. They have full service dining at the bar, and honestly sitting at the bar is more fun to me. The highlands martini is my go to cocktail. Bombay gin, a splash of vermouth, served up with olives. Don't change it, just order it as it comes. It is a classic for a reason. Airy, and delicious for any season. Their gin and tonic is great as well, served with their housemade tonic. Spicy and delightful, and great after a few martinis. If you like seafood, get the Guadalupe Special. Shrimp, oysters, and crab claws. The crab claws alone are the most amazingly, fresh, rich claws I have ever had. They typically have about 6 different kinds of oysters to pick from, shelled fresh to order. My favorite entree I have ever had here was the pompano, served grilled with lump crab meat, and tomatoes. SO fresh and light, perfect for a hot summers day. I could go on and on about the things I have tried and loved here, but this review would go on for days because I have never ordered anything I didn't absolutely love. If you have room for dessert and espresso, go for it. The espresso paired with the Creme brûlée is the most delicious combo. The Creme brûlée is so creamy on the inside and perfectly hard to the spoon on the top. The service is unlike any service I have ever received at a restaurant. Everyone is so polite and full of knowledge about the restaurant and food. Your water glass will never be empty and you will never come back from the restroom without your napkin being perfectly folded. If you are from Birmingham or visiting and have never checked this place out, put it on the top of your list and thank me later.

What can I say about Highlands that hasn't been said? Highlands Bar & Grill is the premier fine dining restaurant in the Magic City. It paved the way for many of my favorite spots here in Birmingham and is still breaking down barriers and putting the city on the food and beverage map. How can I not give Highlands five stars? My experience with Highlands was perfect. We made a reservation for us and some friends out of town, valeted the car, had the perfect seat across from the bar and enjoyed a perfect meal with a great atmosphere and some truly welcoming staff.

Bang for your buck: 9/10 Quality: 10/10 Service: 10/10 Ambiance/Location: 10/10 Overall: 10/10 When I travel, I require one fancy pants meal on the trip. For our trip to Birmingham, Highlands more than satisfied that requirement. It was almost like fate that I showed up at Highlands. I'd just heard about their collab with Hattie B's on the Potluck podcast and had read about their famous grits dish in the book Grits by Erin Byers Murray. With those two nods to the establishment, I knew I had to make myself a reservation. After a full day eating in BHam, Dave and I had saved just enough room for Highlands. We started our meal with the best oysters I'd ever had. Not only were the oysters fresh and flavorful, the accoutrements with which they were served were also very obviously high quality. We also enjoyed the Gulf shrimp cocktail. I just love Gulf shrimp, but these were exceptional! Plump and juicy, they were served with the tangiest cocktail sauce that didn't hide the flavor of the shrimp, but rather truly enhanced it. We made our way to the stone ground baked grits dish, and it was to die for. Absolutely creamy, it just melted in our mouths. I'm a huge grit snob, but I can say these really hit the mark! As we were full, we didn't want to push ourselves, but knew we had to get the coconut cake. If it was good enough for the James Beard Foundation, we knew we couldn't leave without it. Now, I'm not a coconut person, but this cake was sinfully yummy. I think that's how ya know it's good food done right. And of course the service and the ambiance were top notch. We were treated so well from start to finish. And the restaurant feels historic and romantic. I'm surprised Highlands doesn't have higher reviews. I absolutely recommend it and can not wait to go back!

Maybe we had the bar raised too high considering all the hype that Highlands has received. We did have a fine meal here with excellent service, but no better than several other establishments in the area. We both had fish - snapper for my wife and flounder for me. Both fresh and moist. The snapper was grilled and the flounder fried. We also had the soup and shared a side of fingerling potatoes. To get a reservation you can call or go online 31 days in advance. We dined here just to see what it's all about and are glad we did.

It wasn't the restaurant that ruined the experience, but the patrons. Before I even got inside, I was met with snobbish entitled people. I was in jeans and a t-shirt... well, because I wear scrubs all day and I like to be comfortable. Definitely a ruined experience. Cheers!!

I've been staying in the five points area for a few months now. I have enjoyed lots of great food in the area with more John Beard award winning chefs in a small city then I've ever experienced. Friendly employees and unique foods. Highlands bar and grill tops my list so far. The appetizers are wonderful. Bar staff makes excellent drinks. Pros everywhere work here.

Absolutely amazing from start to finish. We enjoyed a delicious bottle of Cade! It went perfectly we all our food choices. Oysters and crab claws....delicious to say the least. They we shared the rib eye. Wonderful. Looking forward to our next visit when we return to Birmingham!

I'm not going to go on and on telling people something they should already know. If you haven't eaten at this place, just get off the internet, get into your car, go there and do it right this second. If you find yourself disappointed, seek counseling. This place is amazing.

The atmosphere and ambience were perfect. I hadn't made reservations but was able to enjoy the full menu from the bar. The duck enter was delicious (maybe a touch salty for my taste). I'd recommend the coconut cake for desert.

Had a delightful experience here. Ordered the crab toast, lamb chops, chocolate cake, and NY Strip. While the lamb was good, I wish I was more adventurous with my entree. The quality of the lamb was excellent, but the dish itself was basic (simple grilled meat, no seasoning, no sauce). My husband's NY strip was tasty. Despite the underwhelming lamb, I'm giving the establishment FIVE stars for the PERFECT SERVICE. A true dining experience with trained waiters and staff constantly serving water and clearing plates. I can't afford to return often ($155 total bill with tip and no drinks), but I will attempt to have a yearly date night with husband here in the future!

Place has potential My buddy Haulinz was having a rough go of it. He was excited about his wife being pregnant with a boy. (Yes biology over feelings). Anyways he announced it in our text thread and we were shocked at the lack of celebration form our friends. I sense jealousy. Anyways the food was great I had some fancy smancy meal that was awesome. Haulinz felt much better after our visit. To Vance's credit he was out of town.

Absolutely loved this dining experience! We made reservations a few weeks in advance & the earliest time available was 8:15. We generally don't eat after 7 pm & were tasting our dessert close to 10 so you definitely need to plan ahead! We planned to arrive early to have a cocktail in the bar & it was enjoyable but I wouldn't have wanted to have my meal there since it was very crowded & loud. We would not have enjoyed spending over $200 on a meal in there. However, our meal in the main dining room was outstanding!! We started with the baked grits then my husband had the Amberjack & I had the Risotto & it was all wonderful! We finished with the chocolate & aged rhum cake & it was easily one of the best desserts I've ever had. My husband said his fish was the best he has had as well. My husband is a bourbon drinker & said he expected them to have higher end or more special things to try. I had The Orange Drink. Patrick was our server & is beyond great at his job! All of the staff we came into contact with was very pleasant. I would ask for Patrick if we return because of some of the reviews about having a bad server. Bad service changes everything especially when you are spending a lot of money! The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is because if the risotto had not been on the menu that day, the only thing I would have eaten was the grits! I don't eat beef, pork or seafood & the mushroom tart, while on the menu,was not available that night. And the mushrooms with the grits & the risotto were so very good!

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. She would disappear for long periods of time and there was more than one occasion that we sat with empty glasses. We watched all the other servers around us and it seemed that only ours was not keeping up. It was disappointing but was not enough to take away from the excellent meal.

We were lucky enough to make our reservation to Highlands for our anniversary a mere two days before they won the James Beard Award and were booked up for weeks! We went at 5:30 on a Friday evening and, like most who have the pleasure of dining here, were not disappointed. We started with cocktails - I got their seasonal cocktail which involved strawberry infused champagne and my husband got a tequila drink made a particularly smoky tequila, the name escapes me now. Our wait staff (we had two fully dedicated waiters) made sure that's what he wanted - it does have a very smoky taste and they made clear they would be happy to provide him another drink should he decide that's what he wanted. We started with oysters and grits. Listen. If you remember nothing else from this review, remember this: ORDER THE GRITS AT HIGHLANDS. There is a reason this dish has been on their menu for decades. Thus the need for Caps Lock. I went with the steak (how could you not?) and was very pleased. My husband's grouper was just as delightful. For dessert we ordered the blueberry cobbler and the sweet and salty chocolate cake, both of which were divine. The main thing I can say about Highlands is that you can tell all who work there really want to be there. The wait staff is professional and committed to your experience. You will pay for your experience - this is an expensive night out. But for a special occasion or celebration, it is absolutely worth it. Oh, and ORDER THE GRITS!

Occasionally, anticipation can taint a dining experience. I've read about Highland for years and when I found I would be in Birmingham, I immediately made reservations. For the most part, this was an enjoyable evening. For a restaurant with this stellar provenance, I suspect I expected more. The corn meal muffins reminded me of a pancake flavor. My waiter proclaimed them addictive and he was right. For an appetizer I tried the grits and they were excellent. A dense, but extremely moist cake was surrounded by a ring of boutique mushrooms, prosciutto and a decadent lemon-butter sauce. Everything was perfect except half of the baked grit cake was cold, the other half was warm. This is a reality I had not expected at a restaurant of this caliber. I could not escape the Sweetbreads entrée. They were prepared very well and served along side grilled carrots, artichokes and baby peppers. All was platted over a unique parsnip purée. I enjoyed this presentation. To complete my dining experience I enjoyed the banana pudding. Topped by a fired merengue with tiny wafer cookies buried deep inside. I liked Highland. I guess I had expected more. Could that be the result of high expectations? Likely. Enjoy Highlands and try to do so without any preconceived notions.

SIMPLY OUTSTANDING ! Not long back I was enjoying a delicious latte at a classy coffee shop on our last full day in Birmingham, AL. I was whinging to the coffee shop owner about bad coffees & meal choices since my wife and I flew in from California late the previous day. The sweet lady said we needed a great dining experience before we left Birmingham and suggested a restaurant called Highlands Bar & Grill.....a high end French restaurant a few miles from our Hyatt Regency hotel. It was so popular she challenged me to get a reservation for that evening. I looked the place up and it's high praise reviews plus 4.8 star rating were off the charts and diners had to reserve a table up to a month in advance. On top of that they served Venison, Quail and a bunch of other stuff I wasn't real familiar with. I texted my wife that this French place might be a great way to experience some Birmingham fine dining. When my wife finished training her staff at 5pm at her company's premises in Vestavia Hills..( the reason for our trip here ) I jumped in our rental car to go pick her up so we could arrive at the Highlands Bar & Grill soon after it commenced serving dinner at 5.30pm. I figured an early arrival might boost our chances of getting a table at no notice. The place was already pretty busy when we strolled through the front entrance to be greeted by Matt who was one of the managers ( the bar opened at 4pm ). I have posted 1000's of reviews & photos of restaurants, cafes, fine coffee shops + other stuff on the top review forums including Yelp & TripAdvisor for many years. I held up my iPhone with my Google Maps review profile showing 230 million photo views world wide. Matt the manager said they were booked out but he had a half table for us in the bar area...voila ! Hey it might have been my cute Aussie accent that scored us a table ! Inside there was a huge jazzy looking central bar dividing 2 large dining areas. We chose a Crab / Shrimp Louie Salad appetizer followed by a Venison, Quail, Pork Spare Rib Mixed Grill for mains and then a Chocolate Mousse Cake + decaf cappuccinos for dessert. We shared all of our courses.....this place wasn't cheap ! I knocked down a couple of Birmingham's own Good People Brewing IPA's as well during dinner. We were waited on by up to 5 different servers including our superstar Tina despite the restaurant being packed to the rafters. Smartly dressed Joseph who was also one of the restaurant managers came to our table to have a chat & suggest fine dining options at places like Canoe in Buckhead for when we arrive in Atlanta, GA the next day. Our meals tasted extraordinary and the plated presentation plus service attention exceeded almost anywhere we have dined. And big kudos to young Margaret for keeping us well hydrated all evening. Beautiful art nouveau framed posters adorned the high walls and the historic appeal of the interior/ exterior of the building added to our enjoyment. When we left to retrieve our rental car in the complimentary valet car park I said to my wife that the Highlands Grill & Bar is probably the best restaurant in Birmingham if not all of Alabama. Our valet attendant overhead me and said that the restaurant had just won the James Beard Award for "Most Outstanding Restaurant In the USA" after being in the finals 10 times. Apparently that is the same as winning an Oscar at the Academy Awards. Needless to say we were very impressed !

Historically, I am stingy with stars. In this case, I would gladly have doubled them. In my half century on this earth, this is one of the best meals I have ever eaten. AND our server Patrick made sure our experience was neither stuffy or pretentious (which could have easily happened given the accolades they have received.) The atmosphere was warm and white tablecloth for sure. I had the Grilled Red Snapper with crushed fingerling potatoes, leeks, Swiss chard with a Meunière sauce. Carrie had the Pork Schnitzel over stone ground cheddar grits, wilted spinach, and Pommery mustard sauce. . We shared the local greens Gratin. Perfection. We split the Vanilla Bean Creme Brûlée and the Chocolate Mousse Cake. Divine. It took five months to get a reservation but it was well worth it. Bravo, Godspeed, and we are booking another table as soon as they open today!

Celebrated a few big special occasions at Highlands this week! Although it was hard to get a reasonably-timed reservation, we were happy to just get in at all. We had the lettuces, grits, rabbit, and scallops, all of which were perfectly made to order. My husband enjoyed his rabbit, and my scallops were perfectly seared and tender to the point of melting in your mouth. The lettuces included pickled beets and the most delicious vinaigrette. The grits are some of the best anything we have ever eaten, and we have even considered going back just for that dish alone. It was a distinct and memorable experience!

This was a great experience. The service was phenomenal, the food good, the music was awesome, parking was great, atmosphere was beautiful and the drinks were good. My only complaint was the food I had did not have any taste, and I verified it with 2 other people at my table and we all agreed that it needed some seasoning. The deserts were really good. Will definitely be going back. This was one of the best dining experiences I have had in a long time.