No one likes to have a bad dining experience, so we took the time to find the best restaurants in Montgomery. Here are the best we visited, from inexpensive classic deli fare to fine dining you might expect to only find in larger cities.
Dreamland BBQ
$$ | (334) 239-8228 | WEBSITE
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If this wasn’t your first choice, an Alabama State Trooper may stop you. Dreamland BBQ is one of Alabama’s major barbecue franchises, with its own restaurants and catering business.
Dreamland BBQ rigorously adheres to Southern barbecue ideals, unlike Jim n’ Nicks; they don’t serve beef. The pig and chicken combos are the major attraction, so save room for nachos and wings.
Martin’s
$$-$$$ | (334) 265-1767 | WEBSITE
Since the 1930s, the same family has run Martin’s. They offer an ever-changing menu that reflects the founders’ upbringing on classic home cooking. Meatloaf, catfish, and salmon croquettes are menu mainstays.
The restaurant’s friendly service and relaxing atmosphere make it family-friendly. In 2012, Martin’s won two accolades, including the Montgomery Advertiser Reader’s Choice Award.
Baumhower’s Victory Grille
$$$ | (334) 271-1831 | WEBSITE
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Since former Miami Dolphins player Bob Baumhower opened a restaurant in Alabama in 1981, he’s spread across the Southeast, providing wonderful American classics.
Baumhower’s employs only the freshest, regional ingredients. Steaks, ribs, and burgers abound. On the specialties menu, there are several meals with a football-themed twist that are great for sharing.
Wharf Casual Seafoods
$$ | (334) 676-3200 | WEBSITE
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The Wharf is one of Montgomery’s best seafood restaurants. The menu begins with salads like the Southern Louie (shrimp in a house-made sauce served over romaine lettuce with walnuts and tomatoes) and the seafood gumbo.
Po Boy toppings include grouper, shrimp, oysters, Mahi, crispy chicken, and Fried green tomatoes. To crab cakes, burgers, and tacos sandwiches. Baja shrimp, spicy Wharf shrimp, grouper, and Mediterranean mahi are included.
Asia Bistro & Seafood
$ | (334) 213-3628 | WEBSITE
You can’t go wrong with Asia Bistro and Seafood if you’re craving some real deal Chinese or Asian cuisine. Diners can visit from 11 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. The wontons, egg rolls, dumpling and egg drop, or Thai soups are excellent.
Hot and spicy tofu and Chinese mixed vegetables are two of the vegetarian options. Hunan Beef, Beef and Broccoli, Moo Shu Pork, Tofu Fried or Veggie fried rice, pork Fried rice, Chicken Lo Mein are just some options available. Traditional Chinese meals like Kung Pao, Sesame, Sweet and Sour, and Honey Chicken are a step above the expected.
Sa Za
$$$ | (334) 495-7292 | WEBSITE
Sa Za is Serious Italian Food! No kidding, that’s their tagline and man are they right. The chef’s specialties include egg poached in marinara with garlic sticks, bruschetta of the day, grandma’s eggplant or meatballs, and chopped antipasto salad. Try the Greek meat lovers pizza made with fresh dough and a variety of custom cut meats.
SaZa’s Grandma’s Spaghettini and Meatballs, Chicken Piccata, Five Layer Lasagna, boneless Short Ribs, Chopped Lobster and Shrimp over Angel Hair Pasta with extra virgin olive Oil, and Eggplant Parmigiana are key pasta dishes. Weekday lunch includes half-servings of pasta, sandwiches such veal parmigiana hero, and pizza by the slice.
City Grill
$$$ | (334) 244-0960 | WEBSITE
The City Grill is a high-end restaurant that requests business casual clothes from its patrons, yet its employees are everything from stuffy.
The Tuna Napoleon appetizer features diced sushi-grade tuna, avocado, and miso vinaigrette, and is the restaurant’s most popular item. Although The City Grill is more expensive than comparable local eateries, the superior quality of its food and service more than makes up for the difference.
Cahawba House
$$ | (334) -356-1877 | WEBSITE
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Cahawba House’s lunch menu offers pimento grilled cheese, homemade chicken salad sandwiches on texas toast, and BFGT Sandwich with lettuce, bacon, garlic mayo, and fried green tomatoes.
and chicken strip sandwich. Another favorite is The Big Cahawba Burger, and hand cut fries. If in the mood for salads? Try the market salad with strawberries and goat cheese.
There are also menu favorites like momma’s meatloaf, herb roasted or BBQ chicken, catfish, hamburger steak with gravy. You can also have your choice of sides from smashed potatoes.
Balsamic glazed fried green tomatoes, crazy hull peas, mac n cheese, rice, and broccoli agratin. Top your meal off with fried pecan or apple pie, cinnamon beignets, or even some cinnamon dusted pork rinds.
Sol Restaurante Mexicano & Taqueria
$$ | (334) 593-8250 | WEBSITE
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Open every day from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sol serves up great lunch and dinner specials, including an option to create your own plate, as well as Mexican street cuisine and a sizable bar menu.
There’s a wide variety of Mexican dishes to pick from, including burritos, tacos, enchiladas, tostadas, quesadillas, grilled mushrooms, flautas, stewed beans, beans and rice, guacamole salad, and more. Or, for a great appetizer, sample the guacamole served right at your table.
Elote, a Mexican corn dish, is another popular street meal in Mexico, along with tacos filled with anything from al pastor to carnitas to barbacoa to tripa to asada to chicken to catfish to pork belly and more. Salads, nachos, huevos a la Mexicana or Benito, and vegetarian fajitas are all available.
Kabuki
$$ | (334) 273-8885 | WEBSITE
Kabuki, a hibachi and sushi restaurant, is your best bet for authentic Japanese cuisine in Montgomery. The sushi bar and the hibachi tables both allow diners to observe their meals being prepared right in front of them. During the week, lunch is provided between 11 AM and 3 PM.
Choose your meat or fish preparation style (Teriyaki, Tempura, Katsu, Curry, or Yakitori) and have it served with salad, rice, and a California roll in one of the lunch box specials. You can also get a Maki Choose Two Rolls special or a la carte sushi.
At Kabuki, the dinner hibachi menu is not to be missed. Typical menu accompaniments include soup, salad, vegetables, a shrimp starter, and fried rice; additional proteins may be ordered a la carte.
All kinds of meat and seafood are available, including vegetarian options, as well as tuna, lobster tail, chicken, steak, filet, scallops, and shrimp, as well as unique combinations like the Kabuki Marina (steak, chicken, and shrimp), or the Samurai (filet, shrimp, and scallops). Lunchtime hibachi service is also available.
Tomatinos
$$$ | (334) 264-4241 | WEBSITE
Located in Montgomery’s historic Old Cloverdale neighborhood, Tomatinos is a popular pizza and bakery spot. Old Cloverdale, Montgomery’s largest manicured neighborhood, was constructed in the late 19th and early 20th century and is now one of the most affluent areas in Alabama.
Tomatinos is open for lunch and evening, and serves a broad selection of pizzas, calzones, and sandwiches that may be enjoyed on the premises or taken away if you plan on exploring the area’s rich history.
Filet and Vine
$$ | (334) 262-8463 | WEBSITE
On the daily “hot bar” menu, you can get succulent steaks or marinated chicken along with two sides for less than $15. All the meat is certified silver sterling or blank Angus beef, which makes it some of the best you can get. The bottle shop is next to the restaurant and has more than 12,000 different kinds and vintages.
Capitol Oyster Bar
$$$ | (334) 239-8958 | WEBSITE
This is a great place to spend an afternoon or evening because you can eat outside on the deck and listen to live blues music. In addition to that, it serves some of the freshest seafood in all of Montgomery.
As the name suggests, they are known for serving fresh raw oysters and fried blue crab claws. You can order crab claws, oysters, peeled royal red shrimp and seasoned shrimp, and Alaskan snow crab legs by the pound from the steamer.
Dinner platters like fried shrimp, scallops, catfish, and chicken thighs, or frog legs, oysters, and ribeye served with two sides and hush puppies.
Central
$$$ | (334) 517-1155 | WEBSITE
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Central is in the middle of downtown Montgomery and has some of the most interesting food the city has to offer. The menu has dishes from all over the world, like hickory-crisped duck quarters, honey-whipped goat cheese, and pan-fried trout that has been dusted with cornmeal.
Some of the desserts, like milk chocolate Bavarian cream and banana pudding are from the old world and some are from the new.
Sushi Café
$$$ | (334) 819-7060 | WEBSITE
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Chef Daniel Lee’s goal at Sushi Cafe, which is in the Zelda shopping center, is to impress diners with Japanese food, sushi, and more. Different kinds of sushi rolls are presented in a beautiful way.
Try the Daniel Special roll, which has shrimp tempura, cooked shrimp, scallops, and crab meat, as well as the Dragon Lady roll, the Texas roll, and the Cilantro roll. Also available are Tempura, Teriyaki dinner bowls with salad, miso soup, vegetables, and either fried or steamed rice.
Chappy’s Delli
$$ | (334) 279-1226 | WEBSITE
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Both lunch and dinner are served in a traditional New York diner style. You should try the capital city platter, which comes with steak, eggs, biscuits, and hash browns. Alternately, you might have an omelet made with Conecuh corn with sausage, hash potatoes, and cheese.
All of the breakfast items, including the golden malted waffles, pecan and buttermilk blueberry pancakes, and French toast, are scrumptious. In addition, the egg white delight, breakfast croissant, and Alabama Conecuh sausage wrap are all items that are worthy of a return visit.
Summary
Now that you know where to find the best restaurants in Montgomery, you can be sure your next dining experience will be one to remember.
Hayden has been a digital director for years. He has five years of experience editing and writing about food, restaurant, and recipe review content. At Birch Restaurant, he’s in charge of scouting, showing up unannounced in different restaurants, and writing a thorough food guide!
