Diners' Choice: Innovative restaurants in Alabama

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are fit for foodies in Alabama? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Elevation Bistro

4.8

4.8 (460)

$31 to $50

American

Fort Payne

About the restaurant

Elevation Bistro is an intimate and inviting restaurant located in the heart of Mentone, Alabama. We proudly offer menus of locally and regionally sourced ingredients in a cozy and rustic mountain town atop beautiful Lookout Mountain. Reservations are not required but highly recommended.

Top review

Mark

Dined 5 days ago

Chef Kevin and staff were on their game as usual. Even on a very busy night, our server was attentive and helpful. The pork chop was delicious as always, as was the red snapper.

Epice - Birmingham

4.8

4.8 (57)

$30 and under

Lebanese

Birmingham

About the restaurant

Welcome to Epice, a charming Lebanese Bistro in the heart of the Birmingham. After 11 years of serving Nashville, we have opened our second location in beautiful Birmingham.

Our wonderful lunch sandwiches are wrapped in pita breads baked by Middle Eastern bakers and are served daily. At dinner, we keep the lights low for a great ambiance for a date night or celebration.

The bar serves a gorgeous cocktail program as well as fun wines from all over Europe and the Middle East. Come out and relax!

Top review

Gorman

Dined 5 days ago

Delightful, welcoming service. Absolutely delicious food.

360 Grille - Florence

4.7

4.7 (2559)

$31 to $50

American

Florence

About the restaurant

Located on top of the Renaissance tower, our revolving restaurant offers breathtaking views of Florence. Soak in the sights as you indulge in one of our decadent steaks, fresh salads and more. We provide a sophisticated ambiance, perfect for date night.

Top review

Annette

Dined 3 days ago

Excellent food and atmosphere. Wonderful place to eat.

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Popular dish

Truffle Mashed Potatoes

Popular dish

CRAB CAKE

Experience

Fresh Seasonal Flowers

Rêve

4.6

4.6 (40)

$31 to $50

French

Birmingham

About the restaurant

Step into Rêve—Birmingham’s premiere destination for innovative, ingredient-driven dining. Whether you’re indulging in our seasonal tasting menus or ordering à la carte from refined house classics, every dish is a celebration of flavor, sustainability, and technique. Prime steaks, dry-aged in house, and pristine seafood flown in daily set the stage for an unforgettable experience. Dine inside our intimate dining room or unwind on our cozy outdoor patio. Signature dishes like molasses-glazed duck and our famed foie gras course speak to our commitment to whole-animal usage and culinary storytelling. Perfect for date nights, special occasions, or your next elevated night out. Tasting menus available nightly, with limited patio seating and à la carte offerings always welcome. Reservations are strongly encouraged—your table at Rêve awaits.

Top review

Jennifer

Dined 5 days ago

I can’t begin to describe how lucky we are to have this restaurant in BHAM. First off, it’s located in the Pizitz Building which puts you right in the heart of the city within walking distance to just about anywhere you want to go. The service is superb, the wine is out of this world (I am a huge wine snob), the canapáys are scrumptious, the appetizers are literally to die for, the entree is out of this world, and the desserts are just phenomenal. Every single course tastes beautiful. We went for our anniversary and they pulled out all of the tricks to make a woman smile and feel special. We’ve been to tasting tables and most of them are about the food looking pretty and checking boxes. Chef Jacob’s food is beautiful yet it also tastes like Heaven. Chef Jacob is accessible and will accommodate food restrictions without judgment. Another fabulous thing about this tasting menu is that you don’t have to pair your drinks with food, you can order whatever drink you want AND you don’t have to sit with strangers. They offer private seating. We left stuffed and satisfied. The staff graciously took photos to document our experience and genuinely wanted to treat us like kings and queens. Run, don’t walk to Rêve. It’s the new go to restaurant in BHAM.

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Experience

The Atelier Menu (Six Course)

Experience

The Full Story Menu ( Ten Course)

Experience

à la carte

Sol Y Luna

4.6

4.6 (28)

$30 and under

Mexican

Birmingham

About the restaurant

"Sharing is a Mexican tradition: Life is a continual feast to be shared with our family and friends. Sol y Luna since 1998, carries the flavors of Mexico and embodies the sacred tradition of eating together in a communal celebration of life".

Mexican cuisine is earthy food, full of flavor, mastering the Mexican approach to flavors is simply a matter of understanding a few basics.

Sol y Luna proudly offer 80 different tequilas. Tequila opened our hearts to another Mexico, an enduring ancient place, where 500 years ago, after the European conquest, the spirit, pride and passion of the people continued undiminished.

Top review

murray

Dined on Jun 4, 2025

Sol Y Luna never disappoints disappoint us. We have gone for over 30 years at both locations. Food has something for everyone. Spicey, mild. no meat and a great wine lists. Arrived shortly after opening and sat immediately. Servers very friendly, knowledgeable and prompt. Will be back soon. June 2025 CMB

Founders Pub

4.4

4.4 (114)

$30 and under

Contemporary Southern

Birmingham

About the restaurant

Founder's Pub is The Farm’s exclusive restaurant offering chef-inspired selections throughout the day along with a fully stocked bar of spirits and beverages. Sit back and enjoy the view over the bucolic marble valley while enjoying a signature cocktail and savory cuisine.

Top review

Robert

Dined on Jun 20, 2025

Loved it, try the hush puppies appetizer, excellent. Beautiful views and played a pool game on Gomer Pyle’s (Jim Nabors) pool table made for memorable lunch!

Tom Brown's Restaurant- Huntsville

4.4

4.4 (468)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Huntsville

About the restaurant

Huntsville's Best Steak and Seafood Restaurant.

Tom Brown’s Restaurant specializes in wet aged hand-cut Certified Angus Beef, the freshest seafood flown in, and house-made entrees. We serve only exceptional food with authentic hospitality. On the wetter side, choose from house craft beers, an extensive wine list, and signature hand crafted cocktails.

With two large, covered patios, a spacious dining room, and custom 30 foot long bar, Tom Brown’s has plenty of space to enjoy food, family and friends in a casual, welcoming environment!

We have two private rooms for your special occasions. Please contact us directly to see how we can help make your event memorable.

Top review

Elaine

Dined on May 24, 2025

We had an excellent experience overall. Being honest the food was wonderful, just (for my taste) a tad over-seasoned. I had the steak tips and shrimp. The steak was perfectly medium rare and delicious. The shrimp was a bit too seasoned for me but very good. I am probably picky about peppery seasoning and will ask for less another time. My husband had Tom’s Choice and enjoyed his Birthday dinner very much. Dessert was fabulous and the service from Deidra exceptional, friendly and some of the best we’ve had anywhere.

Culinary Dropout - Birmingham

4.4

4.4 (648)

$30 and under

American

Vestavia Hills

About the restaurant

Culinary Dropout serves classic meals done right. With crowd favorites like our pretzel bites and provolone fondue, 36-hour pork ribs, and our famous fried chicken drizzled with honey you’ll want to taste everything. Thirsty? Wash it all down with an ice-cold craft beer or a killer house-made cocktail. And don't forget to stick around for games and free live music with a laid-back vibe. Culinary Dropout is for anyone who loves damn good food and drinks.

Top review

Robbie

Dined 2 days ago

Food and cocktails were fantastic! I had the Steak Frites, my wife had the salmon, daughter had the spinach and mushroom pizza and son had the fried chicken....we also had crispy Brussels and the salmon dip for apps...errything was wonderful!!

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Popular dish

Crispy Brussels Sprouts

Emmy Squared Pizza - The Summit, Birmingham

4.3

4.3 (125)

$30 and under

Pizzeria

Vestavia Hills

About the restaurant

Serving Detroit-style pizzas and an award-winning burger. Full service bar, local drafts & wine selection.

Top review

BryanVIP

Dined on May 31, 2025

Delicious pizza, salad and brownie dessert. Atmosphere and service was really good. Tooty did a great job serving our family.

Texas de Brazil - Huntsville

4.2

4.2 (4711)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Huntsville

About the restaurant

Texas de Brazil, is a Brazilian steakhouse, or churrascaria, that features endless servings of flame-grilled beef, lamb, pork, chicken, and Brazilian sausage as well as an extravagant salad area with a wide array of seasonal chef-crafted items.

Top review

Danielle

Dined 5 days ago

This was my first time dining and was a bit confused. There is a variety of different meats brought to the tables and you choose if you want to try it. There are cold salad sides, cheeses and breads that you plate yourself. There are hot sides as well. The only down side is the tables are so close together it’s impossible to get to the service bar without going all around. I will definitely eat here again.

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