Highlands Bar Grill - Birmingham

I really hope Highlands reopens to the public soon! You can tell a lot about a restaurant by how well they execute the basics, and the best dish I've ever had in my 58 years was their heirloom tomato salad. It's been years since I last had it, but I can still remember the incredible taste - sliced heirloom tomatoes, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and a light vinaigrette drizzle. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water! Despite dining at many James Beard award-winning restaurants across the US, I always come back to this dish as my favorite. While Highlands is closed, I'll continue to enjoy meals at Chez FonFon's next door. Please reopen soon, Highlands!

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

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.

This restaurant in Birmingham is probably the best and most renowned, helping to establish the city as a culinary destination. I just wish they would reopen after the pandemic. Birmingham's loss, I absolutely love it!

Although I wouldn't necessarily label it as the best restaurant in town, it was definitely a delightful experience and given its reputation, it wasn't overly expensive. The grits were a standout dish, with a deliciously gritty texture complemented by mushrooms and prosciutto. The mains, including a lamb shank stew and grilled fish dish, were also fantastic. While the fish wasn't particularly memorable, the lamb was creatively composed and diverse. Overall, it's a place where you can't really go wrong with any dish. My only slight disappointment was with the dessert. We opted for the coconut cake, which was delicious but presented in a rather simplistic manner. As the restaurant had been acclaimed for its desserts, I was expecting something more elaborate and elegant.