The Bitter Alibi

The last time I've been here was years ago. I came here with a friend for brunch, we sat outside on the patio and I ordered an avocado toast. It was good and we had a nice time. I would come back to try their other brunch foods. Recently I came with a large group of friends for some late night food on a Saturday night. There was a bunch of seating inside for all of us. I ordered the Black Bean Noods and added ground beef to my bowl. Wait time wasn't bad. After a few moments, a server came by and said that they forgot to add my hard-boiled egg lol. Service was good. I was looking forward to trying what I ordered, especially since I love black bean noodles. And maybe I was a little too excited or had high standards, but my black bean noodles didn't taste like the ones I've had in the past. I was pretty disappointed by it. I liked the pickles in my bowl, I liked the sauce and the consistency of the noodles was chewy just how I like it to be. The pickles added a nice acidity to the overall savory flavor profile. The ground beef was flavorful and added to the overall dish. It was a savory bowl but it lacked umami. When I tasted it, I knew it was missing something flavor-wise as a whole. My bowl was okay, just not spectacular to me. I think I would've been better off ordering the K-pop fries because my friend really liked it and it also had all the ingredients I'd like. For what I ordered, I felt like the price didn't correlate to the quality and taste of the dish. I wouldn't pay that much for what I ordered again. We still had a good time but I wouldn't order this again.

The bartenders were amazing and had great recommendations! The Fun Guy tacos and Creamsicle drink were both better than expected, noting I'm not sure what I was expecting or why 🤔😆 I would def order both again!

Hit up The Bitter Alibi for dinner and it was awesome. No wait, and everything just hit—food, drinks, apps, all of it. The vibe is super chill, great spot to hang, and I’d 100% go back. If you're in Chattanooga, don’t sleep on this place.

Amazing food! Intimate bar atmosphere, but low-key enough for conversation. Perfect for groups with their at the counter orders. Fast service and friendly staff. I went twice during my stay in Chattanooga, had the BA Ramen with the wonton nachos and the BA burger with fries, and everything was incredible. Will be coming back.

Had a Miss Piggy and a Scorch Orange. Both were very tasty. Ambience and service were top notch.

Limited draft beer. Prices were on-par, maybe a bit high. Burger was very good. Extra to add a side of fries. Bartender was friendly and vibes were good.

5 Stars My wife and I have made it a tradition to eat at Bitter Alibi every time we’re in Chattanooga—and for good reason. The first time we discovered it, we actually went back twice during the same trip because the food was just that good. On our most recent visit, we noticed the menu had changed a bit and were a little bummed that our favorite item, the Bimba Bowl, was no longer available. But we decided to try some new things and were not disappointed. The wonton nachos were packed with flavor, I had the burrito which was outstanding, and our daughter loved the grilled chicken tacos. Every single dish was spot-on. Bitter Alibi continues to impress with its creativity, consistency, and quality. Do yourself a favor—if you’re in Chattanooga, this place is a must.

Came here in 2022 before I moved here and had a great experience. Moved here in January and have been back twice already and each time I've been so happy with my experience. Ramen is top notch, pad rhai fries are great. Everyone that works here has been so nice..I bring my friends when they come to visit now because it feels like a staple. 🥰

Food was amazing. Crowded and loud for my taste but over all great experience. Everyone was very friendly and nice.

Really cool place. Food was BOMB. They have 3 levels but the basement was so cool. I can't see enough about how much fun we had here.

Absolutely amazing!! Good ambience and kind servers. LOVED THE BRUSSEL SPROUTS definitely worth a try

Cozy, cool, and moody, this place is a ~vibe~ for any night out! Service is friendly, drinks come out fast, and I didn't try the food, but it looked good from what I could see. I highly recommend the dirty chai w/ oat milk. I was happily sipping on this drink under the colorful lights for about an hour. I'll be back!

Solid dive bar. Food was good. Beer list was awesome. Live karaoke in the upstairs area sounded fun, for those singing at least lol

Went here on a whim late on a Saturday night. When you walk in, you have to go down a spiral staircase to order food/drinks. Service As soon as we made it downstairs, the bartender let us know it was last call for the kitchen in 2 minutes. We quickly glanced through the menu and ordered the Verde Chicken Tacos, Bulgogi Philly, and fries. Though the kitchen was about to close, they still took the time to ensure all the food was cooked to perfection and came out piping hot. Bartenders were friendly and very patient. Food I was surprised to see Bulgogi beef in a bar, but I was pleasantly surprised at how great it tasted. Had a mild spice but a good depth of flavor as it was presented as a Philly cheesesteak, which made sense in this type of setting. From the melted Swiss cheese to the crunch of the bell peppers, the sautéed onions, and the tender beef, you can't go wrong with this option! The Verde Chicken Tacos had plenty of fresh toppings that added to a well put together taco. On the Spicy Piña Margarita, it was not as well balanced as I'm used to, so I would try a different cocktail when I go back. Ambiance We were already greeted by some patrons leaving, and they wished us a good time as we walked into the establishment. The vibe was chill and relaxed. Spiral staircase to go up, one to go down to the basement, and an outdoor seating area that allowed dogs make this a place where everyone feels welcome.

Random gem!! Went to Ruby Falls and were looking for good drinks after and found the Bitter Alibi. Loved it It was super chill. It's a couple levels but we stayed on the area where the bar was Food was surprisingly good for being late at night. Drinks were also super good. Would definitely come again and again!!

Oh yes, give me all the ramen in a bar basement if it's gonna be this good. We were passing through town, staying the night on our way back to New Orleans. I did a Yelp search for vegan options and was happy to see the Bitter Alibi was one of the few places open on the day after New Years. We checked into our hotel and walked for about 10 minutes to find it. Chattanooga is pretty deserted at this time of year, so it was a quiet walk. I would have ubered if I had been alone. Cool little set-up: the kitchen and some seating is in the room where you enter. The sandwich board tells you to order at the bar downstairs. It's a steep but fun walk down a spiral staircase (probably less fun for the staff to bring the food down but our server was a real deal pro at it!) They have several enticing vegan options. I went for the pan-fried dumplings (so tasty) and the extraordinary ramen! I've never had ramen this good outside of a Japanese ramen joint. It's loaded with veggies and noodles (specify the rice noodles if you are vegan) and one of the aforementioned dumplings, which gives it a little extra oomph. It's spicy/salty/unctuous-- all the things you want in a big bowl of ramen on a cold night. They have a full bar and since I didn't do booze over New Year's, I went for Champagne, which I feared might not be the greatest due to there being just one option but it was totally fine enough to order 2 glasses. I appreciated the really friendly/helpful server lady who was tending bar in addition to running food up and down those stairs with aplomb! I'd for sure be a regular customer if I lived in Chattanooga.

I came here during my stay in Chatt. It is right next to my hostel, and I was curious about the vibe of this place as I've seen so many people come in and out. I stopped by for dinner, and as soon as I entered the establishment, I followed the sign to the basement where you order your food, and that's where the seating area was as well away from the bar, the first floor of Bitter Alibi. The service was friendly and fast. I sat down and waited for my dinner to be delivered and watched as the flock of crowds a few minutes after I put in my order. I ordered Bulgogi Philly with a side order of fries. I also ordered a drink, mojito incognito. This place is a vibe; if I ever lived in Chatt, this place would be one of my favorite spots in the city. Cool spot to hang out with your friends for a quick bite and drinks, or come here for a super casual date night.

This is kind of a college bar seeming place. The food is okay but certainly not great and the drinks are a bit less alcoholic than you'd expect for the price. We started out with the K-Pop fries. The fries themselves seem like freezer fries. They come with some different sauces on it, kimchi, bulgogi, and a TON of cilantro. The cilantro I can't eat so that's a big negative for me. The bulgogi was actually good. For the meal I got a bulgogi Philly (I love bulgogi). It was nice. It was smaller than expected, but it still had a lot of bulgogi, cheese, and some onions and peppers which didn't overwhelm it but were a good addition. I got the broccoli as a side. If you are not aware, the broccoli is very spicy. Its actually delicious, but I could barely handle the spice so I wouldn't get it again. If you like spicy food the broccoli is probably a good side choice. My partner got the chicken sandwich and also got a side of broccoli. I also got a little garlic aioli which seemed just like plain mayo so I'd not recommend that. For drinks he got a mojito and I got a whiskey smash. The drinks were fine but if you told me there wasn't alcohol in it I'd believe you. I don't see myself returning, but if I did I'd get the bulgogi Philly again and steer clear of fries.

Ordered first time on uber eats... i have conflicting feelings bc quality was terrible and amazing...? Dumplings: were fried so much and they had no filling. looked nothing like the pictures. didn't bother eating them. uber wouldn't let me refund or i would've. Basement Dweller Burger: straight fire. Cluck if you Buck: really good, but also VERY rich We ordered and paid for the pizza rolls and they never arrived. :/ uber refunded for that

This bar/restaurant/late nite food option came highly recommended from a family member, so we made the trip when we were in town. The wonton nachos are a must have and one of the best appetizers I've ever had, hands down. The crab cream cheese Rangoon's were excellent. Fried rice was okay - left something to be desired. Front entrance leads you to a spiral staircase down to the bar atmosphere dining area, or you can go alongside the building around to the back entrance. Great staff, great food. If you're in town you should try this place out, even if you have to go out of your way a little bit. Still salivating over what items I'll try on my next visit...

We stopped in here after trying a couple of breweries. The drinks were yummy! I had the Dirty Drunken Chai and the Foggy London. Both were awesome and didn't taste like alcohol. We also decided to have a bite to eat. We had the Mama's Dumplin's and Wonton Nachos. Both had a lot of flavor and we really enjoyed it.

This place is one of the best places to eat in Chattanooga! Bar staff is super friendly, food is AMAZING!, and the general vibe is so cozy and communal. We came back here several times throughout our stay in Chatt, and each time were so satisfied with what we ordered.

Yall i'm about to be such a harsh critic over something so silly, so please excuse me and ignore this if you don't care about music, but the music in this place is actually such hot garbage. I would really enjoy sitting outside and eating the very delicious food and drinking a beer if I didn't feel like I was in an Aeropostale dressing room. I hate that the music killed the energy so much for me, but a better playlist would actually make this so much more enjoyable. I could give this a 5 star review over the food, service, drinks, and the cool design inside, but hot dang man, the music is so bad I left early

The place is small and has a dive bar kinda vibe. I was intrigued by the Asian fusion menu but was disappointed. Food was ok and portion was small. My bi bim bap had very little meat and rice as you can see on the picture, and the vegetables tasted a little off. My husband ordered the bulgogi Philly and that was really tasty but he got only half a sandwich. The service was great, but I don't think I'll come back again.

We loved this spot so much make sure you get the nachos they're the best thing I've had this year

This is a really fun place to get a drink and appetizers! The service is good and consistent, bar tenders really pay attention to detail! Well worth the visit!

This little multistory bar on the edge of downtown Chattanooga has a decent selection of draft beers, a "hip" basement with business cards crowding the low ceiling, a pleasant patio and balcony, and so-so food. The "Asian-fusion" food is nice for a snack, but I feel they could do much better to recreate some of the best street foods you'll find in East Asia. All-in-all, nothing here is mind-blowing, but it's a nice, comfortable spot off MLK.

I seriously don't get the hype. First of all walked in to the downstairs entrance and was overcome by a horrible odor had to sit on second floor to get away from. Ordered wonton nachos and peanut noodles. They seriously were both nasty. Literally could not eat. Noodles had absolutely no flavor and nachos only tasted like mayonnaise. Was excited to try this place but yuck would never go back. The place was also very dreary.

I very rarely write reviews, but this place was so abysmal in every way, I had to put this out there. Believe me, rating it with one star is being generous! We were a party of 6 (3 couples) on a Sunday late morning/early afternoon. So, we all crept down a VERY narrow spiral staircase to find ourselves in this dank basement. Again, VERY tight quarters. Order at the bar. Now...here come the part that was truly, gobsmackingly unbelievable and unforgiveable. So, about 15 min. or so in, the first couple gets their food. Another 15 min go by, the second couple gets served. And there's me and my hubby STILL waiting. Another 10 goes by, hubby gets up and asks where our orders were. Waitress: "Oh. I'll go check". Gee, THAT would be nice! By this time, nearly everyone else we were with had finished eating. We're still waiting. FINALLY, almost an hour after ordering, our food comes. So, so NOT worth the wait. I had the ala cart 1 egg, biscuit, and fruit cup. Egg was at best, mediocre. Biscuit was dry and crumbly with nothing offered to top it with. Fruit cup was a few bits of watermelon. To sum up, unless you really enjoy waiting an interminable time for mediocre food, skip this place. Go ONLY if you really love those spots that consider themselves oh, so hip, cutesy and cool, if that's your vibe. Personally, I would not return if I was paid to!

I ordered takeout from the Bitter Alibi, I called in my order and got two Cluck if you bucks, half an order of wonton nachos, and a side of sweet potato fries. They said it would be 20 minutes until it's ready. I got there 30 minutes after calling and one of my chicken sandwiches was missing. They said they would get me another one so I had to wait an extra 20 minutes for the other sandwich. Whenever I got home, I looked at my food and one of my chicken sandwiches was plain. It is supposed to come with lettuce, tomato, and pickles. Both of the chicken filets were burnt to death and tough as leather. This experience as a whole was awful and unacceptable by the kitchen staff to serve food that is un edible. I have been to Bitter Alibi many times and have never had a problem this bad.

Love the atmosphere of this place, good drinks, and friendly staff! The food was decent, but felt like the portion size of some of the other dishes was on the smaller side. It was also hot and cramped inside.

This was a cool lil spot! Had great, strong drinks and a really nice bartender! The food was delicious! The nutty noods were pretty spicy Ramen was delish and the nachos were also good! Would probably come again!

The food! The vibe! Soooo great! I had several of their vegan options and all of them were incredible. The torta was amazing, the dumplings were amazing and the tacos as well. I was the only vegan in my group of 4 and everyone else also loved their food! Highly recommend.

This place has some of the best ramen around. Add that to the entire "dive bar" atmosphere and it's a solid five stars.

This place was cute. My friend and I were killing time before my flight and grabbed a drink here. I really like the ambiance. The bartender was nice when we interacted.

Savannah and Mac are the best! Taco Tuesday is always a hit. Their Margaritas are also delicious.

I've been going to the BA since it opened, but realized I never left an official review. This place has grown a lot. The bottom level is still the same great place it always has always been. Perhaps the best way to describe it is a divey hipster speakeasy-esque feel with low ceilings and a great beer selection. The food here is really good. The Wanton Nachos are my favorite. They even added an outdoor area to the back of the building for seating on nice evenings. The second floor has more of a brunch bistro feel. There's even an outdoor front porch. The people here are great, food is superb, ambiance is chill, and beer selection is curated to perfection. If you haven't been then you're definitely missing out!

Amazing place for brunch. Tucked away downstairs with fun food and drink options! We are locals, but this is a perfect place for travelers, too!

My boyfriend and I had drinks here. They have a vast selection locally owned beer along with several familiar options from other cities. We live in Nashville and they had a couple of beers on tap + in cans available from Nashville. What I can say about Bitter Alibi is that the vibe is solid and chill. We really enjoyed the customer service and the ambiance of where we sat at the bar and chatted with the bartender. It was not a frills type of establishment, but it offers exactly what you want for a good night. They have some Asian fusion inspired dishes you can nosh on, but we had dinner prior to coming here, so this will have to be for another visit. I definitely see this being a repeat visit. It offers the kind of place one could go on a regular basis; almost would best describe it as the neighborhood bar.

Small chill college bar. Right next to UTC. Super cute but super claustrophobic. Practically touched the ceiling with my hands while we went downstairs to grab some beers and i'm 5'4. Food was good, beer was good. We ended up sitting outside on a nice day.

Absolutely amazing underground bar and restaurant. You have to order wanton nachos they're incredible. Great vibes and music 10/10 would recommend

Fair warning: this place does not accept reservations so be prepared to wait for brunch. I had a party of two for brunch on a Sunday at 1pm. There was about a thirty minute wait. A wait with no real waiting area. The old goat is 6'4 so sitting downstairs was not an option. It's a cool vibe down there but a little tight. We sat outside on the patio Atmosphere: Like I said, the downstairs def has a pirate ship vibe... think tight, dark, but for some reason cool. The upstairs decor is... okay. They have a fun mural right when you walk in. And the patio is small. Keep in mind I would say this is more of a watering hole spot. Food: I got the Arnold for brunch with the Irish coffee. Food is a go.... id pass on the 10$ coffee. Nothing fancy or cute. The goat got the basic brunch. Two scrambled, eggs, chorizo sausage, Fruit, and a biscuit. The biscuits are great. The rest was okay. Service: I overheard it was the hostess first day. She was very nice and did all she could to give us a seat we wanted as quick as possible. The waitress was nice and attentive. Parking was easy, street parking Tip: everyone was gone at 2:30, brunch over at three. Get there after 2 for no wait. Get the biscuits!

Food was excellent atmosphere a little strange but very peaceful I would definitely recommend the coffee bean bacon burger

We were referred here by a friend and it was amazing! Food was so good! Would recommend the belly ramen.

I was sold on this place when I entered to them playing some old school jams... Creep - TLC. Easily in love. Cute, trendy spot, with great service. Favorite thing on the menu, chorizo burrito, EASILY. And yes, get it smothered with the gravy. I got it on the side, took one bite...dumped the whole thing on top of my burrito, THAT GOOD. Probably one of the best breakfast burritos I've had. My boyfriend got the spicy hot chocolate french toast, and really enjoyed it. He also got the biscuits and loved them too! We really enjoyed this place, if we find our way back to Chattanooga, we'll be back!

While on a brief day trip to Chattanooga to get away and with much deliberation beforehand, we navigated straight from Atlanta to The Bitter Alibi for brunch, which ended up being lunch since it was already 12:30pm by the time we got there Saturday. The Bitter Alibi is street parking only - not super pricy but a little inconvenient unless you have the parking app or coins on hand. We were seated downstairs, where it was a little darker than the bright upstairs area. However, down the spiral staircase was a cool bar area where I would definitely loved to have grab drinks at night sometime. Our server was nice - left us alone when we needed I ordered a spring spritz cocktail, which was fresh and clean and tasty. I got the Seoul Train, which seemed to be the most popular brunch order on Yelp. It was pretty tasty, although the sambal chili was pretty overwhelming. There were four big spoonfuls lining the dish, when just one would have given it the perfect spicy kick. The Arnold seemed pretty standard. Meat, eggs, toast. Overall, The Bitter Alibi is a solid brunch spot. I definitely want to come back to grab drinks and some dinner one day, though!

Came for brunch with the hubs on the 4th of July. We're not familiar with the area, just in town for that week. We took an uber, so I can't speak for the parking situation. From the look of it, parking is limited to street, unless there's a parking garage nearby. The building has 3 different levels, and we were on the main floor. The main floor is small, but has indoor and outdoor seating. There were only a few diners when we arrived. It didn't feel cramped. The restaurant has a cool, modern vibe. We ordered the following: The Spritzer Bloody Mary (without the bacon) Hummus (with pita and veggies) $6 Salad Schmalad (with tofu) $10 Bibimbap Shop $10 The drinks were good and the food was amazing. I love bibimbap and theirs is pretty close to authentic Korean bibimbap. My husband's salad was full of flavor. Everything was fresh. We were thoroughly satisfied with our choices. The prices were very reasonable, too. The staff was friendly and attentive.

I was looking for a place that served vegan food around 9 pm, when most places are closed. Luckily, this one was open and seemed to have awesome intentionally-vegan options--not just a salad or something that could be made vegan with substitutes, but good, hearty food that was made to be vegan. Huge plus. A sign directed us to the basement entrance - clear signage was super helpful. Upon entry, I immediately loved the atmosphere and the clean, well-designed space. The menu was super easy to find and read, and the chalkboard signage was beautiful. The craft beer collection is excellent. A unique aspect I loved was the huge collection of business cards stuck in the rafters - very cool, a nice personal touch and something to look at while you wait. Our server was super friendly, and it turned out we didn't have to wait long at all. I was shocked at how fast the food came out. I ordered the edamame appetizer, which was deliciously seasoned. I also had the fun guy tacos with ginger slaw on the side. They were absolutely amazing! I love the flavor combinations of each, and I really appreciate when establishments include vegan protein subs in their dishes rather than only veggies, but that's personally as an athlete. Loved this place and would definitely love to come back and try the other vegan options.

I stopped here on my way back home to St Louis from Florida. I mostly picked it because, on a Sunday morning, it was the most interesting place open early. I had the breakfast burrito, which was very filling and quite tasty. I strongly recommend adding the chorizo gravy. I think that basically made the burrito great instead of just okay. The place doesn't have a lot of space and its first come, so I would not recommend coming by with a large group, and I would also recommend getting there early for brunch. The food was good and the place had a pleasant vibe, but I don't think I would stick around if there was much of a wait.

Service was GREAT Ramen - soggy noodle, unseasoned porkbelly Seoul train - too much fries, it be better as a sub Viet coffee - good Dumpling - skin is way too thick to chew Pad fries - good

Great vegetarian options. So thankful. Excellent service and chill environment. Enjoy, you savages.

Yum! Art is great! Food was too. We were going to a concert and needed to eat on the way. Wasn't planned but was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it.

Fun spot, fun menu! The staff obviously works hard. The food is typically very yummy and the prices are pretty fair. The torta burger is great!

Not really my vibe. But.....the food I had was good. Got the Philly cheesesteak, different but had great flavor, fries were good but came out cold. Had a draft beer with goat in the name that was really good and reasonably priced. Wish the portions were a little bigger but great taste and came out quickly

I live next door to this place. the food is great. I've always been happy with their carry out service. I've recently begun stopping in for a drink. The basement bar has a very cool vibe, but if you are over 50, it really doesn't matter how much money you have spent here, or how much you spending, you're old and that is that. You will have to be insistant to get your next drink.

Amazing hidden gem! We stopped here for brunch while hungry and struggling to find a place to eat. Great atmosphere. Extremely helpful and wonderful staff! Seated quickly and food came out quickly. They accommodated our two dogs and even brought them water. Food was amazing. We got the Cumberbatch and the Arnold. Both were amazing. Highlights were the Pablo chicken and the chorizo gravy. Chicken was amazing, crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. Drinks were amazing as well. Recommend the dirty chai. Would recommend this place in a heartbeat!

We live down the street so wanted to love this place, they have upscale bar food, mostly fried, so if you want something decadent while also being hipster and junky (nutrition wise) this is the spot. Their vegan nachos that are made on wontons are addicting, I just can't eat that amount of fat. If you're looking for something fried and fab, give these guys a chance. I unfortunately can't really eat anything here anymore as it's all pretty oil-laden.