The Lumbar

This a great place to have a bit to eat drinks and good times with friends. The food is really good, drinks are tasty and creative, and the atmosphere is nice and relaxing. The location is convenient to downtown and there are other places and activities near. This place is definitely high on my list bring people to and show how great Birmingham is. Oh! The staff was wonderful, very helpful and friendly. Go check it out.

Great burger! Fun atmosphere - I don’t drink so I can’t review their drink, but loved the green chili burger with waffle sweet potato fries. Quick service, attentive staff in a fun area of town. I appreciated their vertebrae references - fitting for a restaurant named “lumbar”

This place is literally a hidden 💎! The wings are amazing and full of flavor! The drinks are great as well! They play good music and the service is fast and the staff members are all friendly as well! This is my second time here and they have yet to disappoint!

Quite a wonderful source of delicious cocktails and creative space. Coming here for the first time impressed me with their themed cocktails(recipes designed in house) as well as the friendly bartenders making them. A great environment for excellent cocktails and chatting with friends, old and new. The Lumbar certainly has earned a spot on my favorite bars in Birmingham.

As I currently sit in this establishment and write this review sitting at the bar. We have been over looked and not attended to for almost 20 min. It’s completely empty and there are three servers and no one has said anything. We were walked past and over looked so many times we just asked for the check to leave. It was really sad. Then we witnessed someone of the other race come to the bar next to us and was greeted within 20 seconds. They have all this lgtbq and equally decor but clearly there is no equality in this establishment.

The atmosphere was a super chill spot I believe it anytime. We had the Heisenmarg 10/10. Our favorite small plates were the Mac n cheese bites. These stayed on my mind for a few days. We also tried the sweet and spicy wings were just as great! Bartender provided great service we definitely will be back !

Really cute place with delicious cocktails and a great vibe. The staff were fabulous and kept us well taken care of. Only areas of improvement are their shareable plate portion sizes and limited board & card game selection. But the food was so good we stayed for dinner! Worth a stop.

The food was delicious! I had the cheese burger & sweet potato fries. Drinks were great. My only complaint was that everyone had to go to the bar to order food or drinks as there was no table service.

I'll definitely be BACK! My wife & I checked out The Lumbar the other night. This was our 1st time dining here. The Lumbar is located on 29th St S. They offer an inventive cocktail menu as well as sandwiches, burgers & snacks. We couldn't resist trying the Taco Hummus featuring house-made black bean hummus with a touch of green chile & house seasoning served with warm pita. This just might be the BEST hummus in Bham! Taco seasonings + hummus = simple culinary genius. The robust seasonings pair very well with the smooth black bean hummus. The LGBT Sandwich featuring crispy lettuce, hatch green chile, applewood smoked bacon & sliced tomatoes layered with aioli on multi-grain toast is phenomenal. The hatch green chile supplies quite the kick without being overpowering. We chose sweet potato fries served with ranch as our side. I loved that the fries are crisp, yet fluffy on the inside. Also, I'd bet money that the delectable ranch is made in house. In addition to a full bar, The Lumbar also serves Birmingham's own Trunk Tea. My wife had The Bee's Knees tea, which is a refreshing lemon, honey tea. I really dig The Lumbar! The atmosphere is relaxed & aesthetically pleasing. Lots of fun themes, trivia nights & happy hour all day Sunday. Friendly service. We had the pleasure of chatting with the owner, Riley, who opened The Lumbar in 2019. I look forward to my next meal & cocktail at The Lumbar. I can see watching football here this fall. I highly recommend checking this hip spot out if you haven't already. Thanks for having our backs, Lumbar! See y'all again soon!

Always a great time at Lumbar. Typically not super crowded at the times I have come but don't let that deter you. Amazing drinks, service, and food. Great for date night or larger groups. Comfy booths and all sorts of science decor to look at and explore. Highly recommend trying out their happy hour for your first time, you won't be disappointed with the quality and prices!

10 out of the 10. Enjoyed the food, drinks, ambiance and service. It's close downtown and nestled between other local restaurants.

I went with friends this week. The food and drinks were good! The bartender chimed in A LOT on our conversations. It was fun at first bc she was obviously friendly (maybe a little bored) but at some point she started overhauling with her own personal stories and experiences. Her co-worker seemed to notice and tried to make conversation with her in an attempt to pull her away ... This was a going away HH for my friends so ideally the conversations could have been just us.

Came here for a drink. It was just okay. The vibes were a little different. Staff was nice enough, but still got a weird vibe about this place as a whole. The patio is nice.

This place is the best! All of the staff is super friendly, the drinks and food are always delicious, and the vibes are incredible! Their burgers are always cooked perfectly, and the fries/tots are seasoned super well. This place is incredibly inviting and a great place for trivia/to grab a drink with friends.

In addition to good food and drinks, the Lumbar has an active social calendar with lots of specials. My favorite time to go is during happy hour, which lasts all day on Sundays. They have $5 margaritas, wings, and more on the menu. I've also been on a Saturday during the Pepper Place Farmers Market and that was a treat as well. The drink specials continue but the star of the show is the burrito! My coworkers raved about and I'm glad I tried it, the aioli and crispy potatoes really set it off. The service was also fast paced since some burritos were prepped right before opening to help get the ball ro In addition to plenty of space for co-working and hanging out, you can also visit during a full moon to enjoy more specials and star gaze using their telescopes.

This casual cocktail bar in the heart of Pepper Place is a Great spot to grab after dinner drinks with colleagues or friends. The cocktails are inventive and delicious! The bartenders are super friendly and super knowledgeable. They're always coming up with something new as the menu changes with new themes popping up regularly.

Laid back atmosphere with a great happy hour, fun rotating themed cocktails, and amazing food! Order at the bar and make a new friend in the process!

The drinks we not good and my drink was half empty when the bartender gave it to me. Shameful.

Very cool aesthetics , enjoyed the games you can play , Burger and Tots were really good and service was good.

When my friends and I went to this bar, we were greeted by the staff immediately. Everyone was kind and friendly, and very patient when serving drinks to us. On this night, there was an event called Full Moon Karaoke where patrons of the bar can order food and drinks and participate in the karaoke night. The bar stays open later, and it's a great time if you love watching your friends sing their favorite songs! I ordered the Taco Hummus, which came with fresh pita and celery sticks. There was music playing, and televisions around the room for added entertainment. Overall, I thoroughly recommend this bar any time anyone asks me for a cool place to grab drinks

Very cute smaller bar that has good food options. They host fun events , such as trivia on Wednesdays, and have themed drinks.

RESTAURANT REVIEW THE SPOT The Lumbar 212 29th St S Birmingham, AL 35233 Hey y'all! I went and tried Lumbar near downtown in Pepperplace. They were out of some stuff which was a disappointment but I was still able to try something from the menu. I really wanted to try the Mac and cheese bites so I'm definitely going to have to go back and update you guys! The atmosphere is nice and they have outdoor seating for my outside peeps! They have happy hour Monday through Friday from 12-5 which is weird because people are just getting off work Food Wings Bacon Cheeseburger Let's talk about it!! The wings were good. The taste almost resembles sesame chicken but more on the sweet side with a hint of spice. The bacon cheeseburger wasn't spectacular but it was good and I would get it again. The presentation wasn't all that as you can see in the pictures but nonetheless it did what needed to be done. Check them out and be sure to let me know what you think! Be sure to tell them #VictheCrit sent you! https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=oHMOxoVT-HmY2ZDJXoAcvA&utm_source=ishare https://goo.gl/maps/b5EmjYrPQTMbvkF79

I liked the Lumbar. We visited on Thursday during afternoon happy hour. We got lucky with a relatively cool evening for August in Birmingham. So we able to sit outside and enjoy drinks and some burgers. The Lumbar has been open since 2018, and it's a relaxing place for a casual evening. The bartenders wer friendly and helpful. I ordered an Old Fashioned and it was on point. For dinner I ordered Bacon Ranch Burger. It is a basic burger, and I thought that it was an above average. It is served on a toasted bun, and topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, and of course bacon. I ordered fries as my side, and they are the shoestring style skinny fries.

Good bar food, amazing staff, and a great vibe. Especially fun on Wednesday trivia night.

Quirky vibe and decor. Very friendly staff. Great happy hour value and tasty bites. Would return.

This rustic/eccentric looking restaurant is nicely located within the Pepper Place plaza. They have a range of seating options for outdoor/street seating, inside table seating and bar area seating. They have nice $5 happy hour drink specials. However, the only food item on the happy hour menu is the chicken wings (which are delicious by the way). If you're looking for a different/unique location to try, I would recommend this restaurant.

The service is ok could be better. You have to order your food at the bars and upon paying you'll receive a number to display on the table you decide to sit. The ambiance is nice. There are many things to occupy yourself with like books, game and countless of odd objects to look at. The food is good. I asked the bartender/server what was their best burger and she said it was the smash burger. The burger was ok, the spicy barbacoa was a bit watery and lacked flavor. It left a lot to be desired. It wasn't spicy at all and that's from someone whose spice limit stops at jalapeños. The food is a bit expensive for what you get. For $17 you'd think there would a better portion side. I do recommend coming during Happy Hour and trying out the wings! They are amazing! I'll come back and try another burger because I do like this place.

Food and service are always fantastic. The free meeting room makes for a great excuse to get out of the office.

This was our 1st time and the service was great! The food was awesome. Try the Veggie Chicken Sandwich!! You will thank me later

A fantastic gem in the cocktail scene of Birmingham! I stopped by here yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed my experience. I had two cocktails one was the clever girl and the other a classic mai tai! Chatting with one of the bartenders who has been there since the opening. Definitely will be back to check out the food and more drinks next day off!

I'm between 3 and 4 stars since we can't do .5's. The Lumbar is a nice bar to chill and get some work done at or meet up with a couple of friends. (Yes, I go to the bar instead of coffee shops to work sometimes.) There's indoor and outdoor seating. Both areas can fit a nice amount of people and you can have your dog if you are sitting outside. They are conveniently located in Pepper Place. They offer food items, a decent selection of beer and have a few fun and quirky cocktails. The staff is attentive and warm. I wouldn't go here for specialty crafted drinks, but I certainly come for everything else.

Love the wings, even though they messed up my first order. And drinks are great as well, they're daily mix wasn't bad at all

The bartender was friendly and helpful. The atmosphere is pretty cool. It's a very chill vibe. Fun upbeat music is pumping through the speaker. The drinks have really catch names. Cool spot to chill

I love this place it is truly a gem!! So I'm not from here but I was in need of a pick me up!! I found this place and instantly feel in love with it. The happy hour specials are great!! Super friendly atmosphere. Only thing they were missing were TVs to watch the Cubs play! But definitely an awesome place. I couldn't even have any food because I began talking to some awesome peoples like Rilee and Brandy who did an awesome job bar tending . I will be recommending this place to anyone who comes to Birmingham. Check out the happy hour food and drink specials!!

For our second GNO 2020 "sess" of the year, my gal pals and I decided to give The Lumbar a try. Glad we did because we had a lot fun!! WARNING!!! The lumbar is located in the Pepper place district so be patient while playing the parking game! Thankfully, I was able to find a parking spot in the adjacent lot across the street. It was really close to 6 pm when most of us arrived so there was only a small window of time to get in on their happy hour special. The manager on duty made sure we got in on the happy hour drink specials to which we really appreciated! (Note: Happy Hour 4-6) A drawback for me was the ordering process . It seemed a bit cumbersome the busier it got; however, the bartenders were working hard to take care of everyone. Once you order at the bar area, your order is brought to you. I really like the atmosphere here! The science themed decor is nothing I've seen before in a restaurant/bar setting. My gal pals and I felt like "mad" scientists by the end of the night! (J/k) Let's talk food! I had the sweet and spicy wings and Tetris tots. The wings were prepared crispy as requested , were the perfect size , great flavor BUT the wings weren't the same temperature throughout- some of the bites I took were cold. The tots were outstanding! They had a hint of Parmesan/served with chile ranch . The wings and tots were a great duo! I was very impressed with the presentation of my food as well as the other dishes we ordered throughout the night. One of my friends did have an issue with her experience. (e.g it involved hair) Unfortunately..... The Lumbar is only a year old but they have a really good thing going . The environment is fun, the service and food is good(room for improvement in some areas) but still decent overall . There are couches , long picnic tables , high top seating , TVs , board games, etc! Great environment to enjoy a fun date night or a GNO!

The best jalapeño gochujang wings! Full moon days are the best time to visit! Full moon specials along with karaoke!

First time at this bar and the drinks were good! Had the shark attack and then an apple cider and both were good. The shark attack was fun since it was part of their "shark week" menu.

Probably the best bar food you can find. Their veggie "chicken" sandwich and sweet potato fries are amazing. The drinks are always great, especially shark week. The bartenders are always super sweet and helpful and the environment is very chill. I always bring my friends here for dinner and drinks.

Cool bar in Pepper Place! Came here on a Saturday morning after working at the market on the advice of a coworker. What a neat bar! We were greeted very happily by the bartender. They had several a.m. cocktails. I opted for the sangria. I am pretty picky about sangria and I loved this one! Also since pepper place is considered an entertainment district, we were provided to go cups! They also had breakfast burritos which we each decided to try. They were delicious! We're all loved them. I highly recommend. We were allowed to sample the beers and I was thrilled to see they offered Cider Boys cider which I really like! Will definitely come back here again. Cool atmosphere, awesome staff, good food and drinks!

My girl got the pimento cheese sandwich and I got the steakhouse burger. Covid out a little damper on the hype, but man we got good flavor. Cheap prices too. Spicy burger and good flavor to the cheegie

A very good bar with an interesting cocktail menu. Great place for groups. Good burgers. It's restaurant week so they've got some good deals. COVID - They're doing a good job. One of the nice parts of being in The Pepper Place entertainment district is they have outdoor space. Good on the compliance points. Sustainability - generally good. Paper straws, glass wear, and minimal plastic.

Stopped by here for a quick after work drink, but the bar tender had called in. There was a gentleman, that I believe was the manager, that made our drinks to the best of his ability. He forewarned us that he didn't know what he was doing, so our first drinks were free. I tried the Heisenburg, which was just ok. I also tried the rigor and reproducibility. It tasted like a play in a tequila sunrise. It wasn't the best I've ever had. I feel as if I can't give an honest drink review, since we had a makeshift bar tender. I had the loaded tater tots that were topped with carne adovada, hatch green chile, and pimento cheese drizzled with house-made green chile ranch. The tots were pretty good. The serving is large enough for 2 people to share. I definitely plan to return when there is a real bartender. Hopefully, the drinks will wow me. Check back for an updated review.

I totally fell in love with The Lumbar! You can request your drink in a glass beaker and coming from a science nerd that was the best part! The drinks were delicious and the food was amazing! My friends and I will definitely go again!

The lumber was very fun when it came to cocktails and the food was delicious . I live going to this place and enjoying different cocktails. I'm looking to go down the list of their cocktail menu but so far I'm stuck on this one cocktail that allow my taste buds to hit the ceiling!!! It was that delicious guys. You should definitely try it. It's their yoda and it's super cute

Awesome place! Great drinks, especially love the happy hour. Will definitely be back!

Delicious food and fun drinks! Love the decor and vibes inside as well. Service is always fabulous.

Decided to come here and try it out since we've been seeing their posts on instagram. Tried out a couple cocktails and some tacos (al pastor, carnitas), and the skirt steak salad. Cocktails were decent, one came in a cool looking chemistry beaker. Food was ok, a tad pricey but tasted pretty good. May come back another time during a more busy hour with more customers.

I received an email about the Alumni Chapter Meet-up being held here. So I am always in the mood to check out a place that I have never tried. Also, when attending another Yelp event, I was able to pass by The Lumbar. My excitement heightened because I am falling more and more in love with this particular area. When I entered, I immediately liked the set up, clean and spacious. We had what I considered the lower level area as it was near the door and you would take a few stairs to get to what may be considered a study room and the bar area. I went where I normally go first, which was the restroom and thank goodness it was clean. A big plus in my book. Since we were with a group, they purchased two items from the food menu and we ordered our own drinks. There was the loaded tots and the frito pie. Both had a great taste with one thing that I really love, cheese. There is a decent list of beers and wine but they also offered cocktails. I asked what would give me the fruity, fruity taste and the bartender suggested the heisenberg. I liked the look and it had an interesting color, like a science experiment. Let's say kudos for the suggestion because I enjoyed it. Not overwhelmingly fruity but just the right balance. I love that the food menu is short. That means to me, that there is a better chance that the focus can be on just those items to make them the best. I will be back so that I can try the green Chile cheeseburger and a few more drinks. Maybe next time, I will take advantage of the outdoor seating area.

With the craziness of Shelter in Place and COVID-19, options are limited for curbside and carry out. The Lumbar has been a relief for us especially if you need a break from cooking lunch or dinner. The food is extremely fresh and the cocktails are great. Not to mention the staff is very friendly and have made all efforts to ensure everything is sanitized per customer. For our food we ordered the mac n cheese bites and the spring rolls. We also ordered cocktails that we were able to walk around the area and drink while waiting on our food. Overall, I am a huge fan of this place and will continue to support them.

The lumbar is a favorite Sunday afternoon spot. The outside seating is perfect on a nice day. A fun bonus is Sunday is all day happy hour. We split the matrix tots which were cover in yummy ranch and full of nerd nostalgia! We got the Barbacoa loaded fries and the jalapeño burger. The food is consistently delicious but portions are a little small for us. The beer selection is great and love the beer taps in the shape of a spine. It will continue to be a top spot.

This place is a disappointment. It looks nice but the drinks are terrible and the staff is worse than the drinks. They were just incredibly rude. The bar tender,who's name I never got but has greenish blue hair, had a smart mouth and crap attitude. The Bridget was pretty tasty but the service left a rancid taste in mouth the burger just couldn't overpower. Also I ordered The Meg as a beverage, it tastes like straight foam water. No flavor what so ever. I recommend you not waste your time nor money in this establishment. It's not worth it. The Meg is the blue one.

I was here for a YP Board Meeting like a week ago. It is a nice sized place with adequate seating for meetings or hanging out with friends. I didn't realize they didn't serve food so I actually didn't try anything while I was here. It's conveniently located in Pepper Place and they had a good playlist going when I was there. I don't have a whole lot to say about this place. I probably need to come back for something non-business related to really be able to bask in the ambiance of this place.

The staff here is excellent. They make you feel right at home and they are knowledgeable about the drinks. Although they were in the middle of a menu change with the drinks they were helpful. They fixed the drinks when it was too tart without complaining and they even did a little trivia with prizes.

Overpriced but cool atmosphere. $8 for this tiny drink. Either way, if hipsters pay for these cocktails more power to these downtown establishments. Not for me.

We were looking for a cool bar to grab a few drinks...The Lumbar was the perfect spot! I like the chemistry theme with flasks and beakers, little element signs to indicate if you ordered food. It was National Margarita Day so my husband had the blue beaker margarita and I had the skinny margarita. They were both well made and potent! They have a very small bar food menu...my husband enjoyed the cheese stuffed green chiles. I was a little disappointed in the Korean Spring Rolls. The owner is very involved and was out serving food. Bartenders were attentive and friendly. It's a definite little "cool" and "hip" place for the college scene. There is a room with a large table for groups and a wall that is a dry erase board...it was occupied by a group of students hanging out and studying. Definitely a nice little find.

Wow!! This place was amazing! So my bf and I were going to Redcat to get some coffee while studying and I saw this place and decided we had to go while we were here. The outside doesn't reveal any of the science inside. We walked in and it was so open and bright! It's nice to be a bar where you can see the people you came with. We looked at menu and were set on getting one appetizer, but there were so many good sounding options that we ended up getting two. We got the grilled cheese and loaded tots (with the meat on the side!). I also ordered a signature drink from their short signature cocktail list. The bartender was very personable and was enjoyable to talk to. He made great recommendations. My drink was awesome- I was thoroughly impressed. We got the food (that came in nice to-go boxes and wow were we blown away. The grilled cheese was awesome and so were the plain tater-tots. Very melt in your mouth. The loaded tots were superb. The pimento cheese and white sauce on it was soooo good. My bf and I were both definitely impressed. We ended up meeting with the owner who was super nice! FYI while it's upstairs, there's a wheelchair elevator inside so handicapped people can also enjoy. This has been added to our list of awesome places to eat/drink at and we will definitely be back!

Clever concept with unique decor and meeting rooms; it seems like it would be a great space for students or working professionals who need a separate space in a public setting, particularly with the whiteboards. Given the science theme of the establishment, I expected there to be more specialty cocktails served in unique glassware. As of my visit last night, there were only 3, all of which were made with clear liquor. I would like to see more variety and, on a chilly Birmingham evening, I would appreciate a drink with a bourbon or whiskey base. They do, however, have a wide variety of beer on tap. Having said that, the tequila drink I ordered was prepared with care and was quite tasty. While I didn't try any, they also have some snack type food (Frito pie, tater tots) and some sandwiches, which is nice to see so early in their game. My biggest concern was the lighting. It was very, very bright, which didn't allow for great ambiance. I see great potential, particularly given their location, but would like to see more cocktail options and less pronounced lighting.

Potential to be a fun watering hole, but time will tell. Likes: location, clean and neat feel as intended laboratory or science class, food available, abundant tap selection, friendly bartenders, TVs & multiple spaces to chill. Dislikes: brightly lit, minimal drink selection on menu and they're all white liquors for some reason, hangman idea is interesting & picnic benches in a bar. I'll likely return to see a more extensive drink menu & support a thriving new city!