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Review of The Essential

The Essential: A Trendy Contemporary American Cafe

The Essential is a trendy contemporary American cafe located in the heart of Birmingham, Alabama. This popular restaurant offers a delightful dining experience with its diverse menu, specialty cocktails, and stylish ambiance. Whether you're looking for a casual lunch, a satisfying dinner, or a relaxing weekend brunch, The Essential has you covered.

The menu at The Essential is a true reflection of its "American bistro" concept. With a focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients, the chefs create innovative and flavorful dishes that cater to a variety of tastes. From classic favorites like avocado toast and salmon Benedict to unique creations like the Mushroom Madame, every item on the menu is thoughtfully prepared and beautifully presented.

The Essential is not just about the food; it's also about the experience. The restaurant boasts a modern and inviting atmosphere, with stylish decor and comfortable seating. Whether you choose to dine indoors or enjoy the outdoor patio, you'll be surrounded by a vibrant and energetic ambiance that adds to the overall enjoyment of your meal.

One of the highlights of The Essential is its specialty cocktail menu. The talented mixologists craft a variety of creative and refreshing drinks that perfectly complement the flavors of the food. From handcrafted cocktails to carefully curated wine selections, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

The service at The Essential is top-notch, with friendly and attentive staff who go above and beyond to ensure a memorable dining experience. Whether you're a regular customer or a first-time visitor, you can expect exceptional service that will make you feel welcome and well taken care of.

The Essential is open for lunch and dinner throughout the week, and also offers a delightful weekend brunch. The restaurant is conveniently located on Morris Avenue, making it easily accessible for both locals and visitors alike.

If you're looking for a trendy and contemporary American cafe that offers delicious food, specialty cocktails, and a vibrant atmosphere, look no further than The Essential. It's a must-visit destination for food lovers in Birmingham.

From the business

"American bistro"

Amenities

  • Wheelchair accessible entrance
  • Wheelchair accessible parking lot
  • Wheelchair accessible restroom
  • Wheelchair accessible seating
  • Outdoor seating
  • Curbside pickup
  • Takeout
  • Dine-in

The Essential Reviews - 100

4.6
Quality
5.0
Location
5.0
Price
4.0
Service
4.5
Ana Eusebio

The place is cute, appears very open to diversity. Food was very good. Our server was too pushy, in fact we thought at some point they were going to close, given his constant hovering and asking if we wanted our check, but no, they were not closing. When he was bringing our drinks, he spilled mine on the table and floor, and he did not clean the table.

Malik

Appetizers were good, the dinner options were limited and subpar. My wife and I had pasta, both tasted like something from Applebee's, lacking flavor. With the small entree menu, I feel that the pasta should be homemade. It was at least reasonably priced which is a positive.
Willing to try for brunch if ever back in town as it seems to be a great spot for breakfast. Service was great.

Scott Youngman

When we travel through Birmingham we visit the bar here. Great vibe with good food.

Emily Anthony

Very impressed. Was sat immediately on a Saturday morning and the food is delicious. Super quick too!

Garrett Knox

This place is amazing! Started with a couple of cocktails that were yummy and fresh. We got the Parisian Gnocchi as an appetizer and it was probably the best texture and mouth feel of anything I have ever tried. I might even order a double serving as my meal on my next visit. I got the lamb kabob which was great and my wife got the burger and fries. Everything was way better than I expected. We will 100% be back!

Eric Anderson

Great atmosphere. Profession & attentive servers. The food was fantastic. Highly recommend.

Ethan Gregory

Absolutely incredible! Fantastic brunch experience.

Krys Vrana

If you are a person of color avoid this place at all costs! I showed up 10 min before they opened and was the first person seated on their patio. They proceeded to seat and serve 4 other parties without even acknowledging me. No water, no "we'll be right there ma'am", nothing... They just looked at me and kept serving everyone else. After another 10 minutes I just got up and left. I can't believe in today's woke culture, businesses would still treat people this way. Highly disappointed in The Essential. Shame on you.

In less than an hour they replied, no apology or explanation of why I was ignored for any significant amount of time in the first place. BTW it was definitely more than 4 minutes... surprising though, I got a response faster than their service when I was actually at the place. Avoid them.

dwheeler810

Came here for the first time with co-workers. The food was very good and the waiter was friendly and helpful.

Graham Campbell

My good friend helped me with all of my restaurant recs, except this one. Google takes all the credit and it did an amazing job. I did get to brag to her later that I found this place all on my own, and she was duly impressed.

This is a super cute, bright and airy spot downtown. The food is fancier than I expected but it was a hit with my colleagues and I. I got the shrimp roll, and it was great, but...the roll was quite aggressive and it slightly overpowered the light and wonderful shrimp inside. The fries were great. My boss got the burrata and loves it.

They don't serve diet coke here, which I thought was an odd choice. They serve coke, but it seemed weird given how everyone has jumped on the diet bandwagon. It made me choose water, so that was better in the end actually.

Friend suggested butter croissant ice cream and they were out. We got the strawberry tart as a rec from the waiter and it was really excellent. Would come back for sure. A terrific spot with great food and excellent service.

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