We were seated immediately without a reservation on a Sunday morning. The Essential Hash, Avocado Toast with Salmon, Yellow Grits, and Bo Round Hash round were all delicious, and the cappuccino was fantastic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Avocado, The Hash, Breakfast Hash
Tyler James Conway
Excellent food and service. They don't have a large beer selection, and the menu isn't too crazy, but they have enough of a variety to give everyone something to pick from. A lot of the entrees range from about $20 to $35 dollars or so, but the quality does put the menu soundly in that price range.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tess K
Lovely spot with friendly and helpful staff. The food was good with very generous portions. Got there about 5 minutes before they opened for brunch and they seated everyone very quickly. I was expecting quite a wait for food as the restaurant filled quickly but they took drink orders quickly and food came out hot and fresh in no time. Picked up some baked goods next door at the bakery for later. Would recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
TaShundra Robinson
Highly recommend!!! It is very obvious that the leadership in here have shown the staff that they are willing to be in the grind with them. The teamwork was so amazing! My husband and I sat at the bar and Libby constantly wiped down the surfaces. The food was amazing and despite there being a wait, it was well worth it and wasn't too long.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Salmon Benedict
Lori
Went to dinner on a busy Saturday night. Apparently they were down one server, but our server Kevin, who was non stop busy, never let that affect our dining experience. He was amazing, along with the rest of the staff. Not to mention the food was wonderful! I would definitely return to The Essential!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Invernin
A fantastic little hidden gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jill Nadison
Blake was great
Laura Hutchinson
The atmosphere was cozy and hip at the same time. The waiter was highly informed about the menu and the bar options, and he was also wonderfully personable. But the highlights were the cocktails and the food. This is a high-class foodie destination with a manageable pricepoint. For 2 people, at dinner, we had salad, an appetizer, cocktails, 2 entrees, and an espresso for $105, plus tip. It's worth every penny.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
John Hartman
Stopped by here on Valentines day and it was an excellent choice. The food was full of flavor and extremely well prepared. 10 out of 10.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mushroom Rigatoni
MBS Pellegrino
We enjoyed brunch here. They don't take reservations for brunch, although we were able to get a table outside without much of a wait. Food & Bloody Marys were delicious! We had the chicken sandwich, Reuben, and hash. Loved their homemade hot sauce & side of cheese grits. Nice atmosphere inside & outside. Would definitely recommend & can't wait to try their dinner menu.
Great appetizers, especially the beans. The bartender was amazing, too great at suggesting wines & drinks.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lemon Tart
Norman Hill
Hamburger Price is way overpriced to have not received what I specifically asked for .Meat was almost rare, had to put in microwave!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Essential Burger
Amanda Miller
The dining room was pretty loud, hard to have a conversation. Food was good, a little pricey for what you get.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Michael DeMarco
Couldn't have asked for a more unique experience. My kids loved finding all the eclectic little toys that hide around in the upscale atmosphere. I was looking for something that doesn't come in frozen on a truck and couldn't believe the entrees that this place has looking at the menu. The reviews did not deceive us either. The conversation at the bar was fantastic and they actually had 3 chefs in an open kitchen preparing everything. Magnificent. I had the avocado toast and added the salmon, my wife had the essential hash. My kids shared the pancakes with bacon. Thank you very much!Kid-friendliness: Ahh they loved it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Avocado, The Hash
FolaShade Thompkins
I went to The Essential to celebrate my birthday! I had never heard of this restaurant before, but I was grateful they would take my reservation. When my party and I arrived, we had to wait about 15 minutes for our table, which didn't bother us at all. The staff was very kind and attentive to us the entire time. The atmosphere was very beautiful with very seductive lighting and great music! If you like appetizers, I highly recommend the Baked Mozzarella! Overall, I had a great experience, and I look forward to returning in the near future. I highly recommend The Essential for any special occasion, or if you just want to try something new in Birmingham.
We were seated immediately without a reservation on a Sunday morning. The Essential Hash, Avocado Toast with Salmon, Yellow Grits, and Bo Round Hash round were all delicious, and the cappuccino was fantastic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Avocado, The Hash, Breakfast Hash
Excellent food and service. They don't have a large beer selection, and the menu isn't too crazy, but they have enough of a variety to give everyone something to pick from. A lot of the entrees range from about $20 to $35 dollars or so, but the quality does put the menu soundly in that price range.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lovely spot with friendly and helpful staff. The food was good with very generous portions. Got there about 5 minutes before they opened for brunch and they seated everyone very quickly. I was expecting quite a wait for food as the restaurant filled quickly but they took drink orders quickly and food came out hot and fresh in no time. Picked up some baked goods next door at the bakery for later. Would recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Highly recommend!!! It is very obvious that the leadership in here have shown the staff that they are willing to be in the grind with them. The teamwork was so amazing! My husband and I sat at the bar and Libby constantly wiped down the surfaces. The food was amazing and despite there being a wait, it was well worth it and wasn't too long.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Salmon Benedict
Went to dinner on a busy Saturday night. Apparently they were down one server, but our server Kevin, who was non stop busy, never let that affect our dining experience. He was amazing, along with the rest of the staff. Not to mention the food was wonderful! I would definitely return to The Essential!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A fantastic little hidden gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Blake was great
The atmosphere was cozy and hip at the same time. The waiter was highly informed about the menu and the bar options, and he was also wonderfully personable. But the highlights were the cocktails and the food. This is a high-class foodie destination with a manageable pricepoint. For 2 people, at dinner, we had salad, an appetizer, cocktails, 2 entrees, and an espresso for $105, plus tip. It's worth every penny.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stopped by here on Valentines day and it was an excellent choice. The food was full of flavor and extremely well prepared. 10 out of 10.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mushroom Rigatoni
We enjoyed brunch here. They don't take reservations for brunch, although we were able to get a table outside without much of a wait. Food & Bloody Marys were delicious! We had the chicken sandwich, Reuben, and hash. Loved their homemade hot sauce & side of cheese grits. Nice atmosphere inside & outside. Would definitely recommend & can't wait to try their dinner menu.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: The Hash
Restaurantji Recommends
Great appetizers, especially the beans. The bartender was amazing, too great at suggesting wines & drinks.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lemon Tart
Hamburger Price is way overpriced to have not received what I specifically asked for .Meat was almost rare, had to put in microwave!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Essential Burger
The dining room was pretty loud, hard to have a conversation. Food was good, a little pricey for what you get.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Couldn't have asked for a more unique experience. My kids loved finding all the eclectic little toys that hide around in the upscale atmosphere. I was looking for something that doesn't come in frozen on a truck and couldn't believe the entrees that this place has looking at the menu. The reviews did not deceive us either. The conversation at the bar was fantastic and they actually had 3 chefs in an open kitchen preparing everything. Magnificent. I had the avocado toast and added the salmon, my wife had the essential hash. My kids shared the pancakes with bacon. Thank you very much!Kid-friendliness: Ahh they loved it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Avocado, The Hash
I went to The Essential to celebrate my birthday! I had never heard of this restaurant before, but I was grateful they would take my reservation. When my party and I arrived, we had to wait about 15 minutes for our table, which didn't bother us at all. The staff was very kind and attentive to us the entire time. The atmosphere was very beautiful with very seductive lighting and great music! If you like appetizers, I highly recommend the Baked Mozzarella! Overall, I had a great experience, and I look forward to returning in the near future. I highly recommend The Essential for any special occasion, or if you just want to try something new in Birmingham.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5