This is my go-to restaurant when in B'Ham - every other month or so. Little Savannah's is owned by a married couple (both chefs) that really care about making great and interesting food and making their customers happy, and you can really tell they enjoy what they are doing. The restaurant has a great, electric/eclectic atmosphere with interesting people. The menu does change and everything I have eaten here has been outstanding. Everything on the menu is fresh, tasty, and stuff you just wouldn't make at home, but love to eat. Great, attentive service. Full bar with lots of wine and special drink options. Lots of fun. I would eat here every night if I could. The owners and staff make you feel special. Very comfortable. Definitely recommend Little Savannah Restaurant.
(5)
Brandon C.
Came to Little Savannah at 915 on a Friday. Apparently it was a late night intrusion. After a cocktail, i was never even offered wine with the meal or a refill on water. Bad service aside, i had pork tenderloin that was delicious, sweet potatoes that were fresh, and greens that were extremely salty. The food was like a meat and three that was very expensive. This place specializes in locally grown foods and has a nice local vibe. It is priced with or above the biggest players in town, but falls short on service and overall experience.
(3)
Christina S.
This is the 2nd time I've been to LS - The first was years ago when they first opened, and it was a very awkward night. For some reason, we've not been motivated to try again until just recently. Maybe it's all the YELP reviews from my bham friends that made me think, "Wait. What am I missing?" I found out: Not much - And it looks like I'm not gonna make any friends on this one .... Sorry folks. I'm hoping it was a bad night all around, and I'm willing to try again. We made reservations and were seated in a fairly (not totally, but fairly) empty restaurant RIGHT next to another couple on, quite possibly, the smallest table ever known to man. It was a 2-top - my ass was wider than the table (and the space between it and the next table over, too) - NO stars. We decided to sit in the bar (shocker!) instead. I LOVE sitting at the bar. And this bar is pretty darned great. While the barstools aren't that comfortable, the vibe IS. The bartender was personable, had a great smile (5 stars) and made me an impressive Ginger Martini (4 stars) in a CUUUUTE little vintage-style glass - add another star just for that, and we are back up to 5 stars on the overall of the bar / bar atmosphere / barTENDER and libation. Then we get to the negative ... the owner sat at the end of the bar talking to (what I hope, for his sake if, perhaps, I were a REAL restaurant critic, was his long lost son) a young couple the ENTIRE time we were there. Never looked up, never acknowledged anyone else, except for a group of guys (regulars?) who walked in to which he quipped, "Find a place at the bar if you can". They're promoting a friendly neighborhood atmosphere, and the owner can't even make his rounds? BIG GOOSE EGG stars. Sorry nice bartender with great smile and awesome mixologist skills, your boss blew it! Then we get to the food. I respect the concept of promoting locally grown produce and local-farm raised meats and such, but the performance of the kitchen to execute successfully and present a nice dish undid the balance that should have come out. We ordered a cheese plate ($15 for four selections) to start. It was not even enough cheese for 2 people to have 2 SMALL bites of each selection. Next was the Little V Course - the salad and chowder: Salad ($7) was good, but at 8:00 they were out of the fixins for the ONLY salad they had on the menu (this is the deep south - watermelon isn't that hard to find). They improvised, brought me some greens and it was good, but a REAL small portion, and rather disappointing. The chowder was tasty and it, on the other hand, was a good portion. On to the Grand V course: We had a Heritage Pork Loin Chop ($22) which, the menu said, was served over "braised" greens and Alecia's Chutney. Liked the chutney, it was sweet and spicy - very nice and differentiating, but those greens were boiled, and boiled for a long time - no braising here, and served a little on the cold side, with a side of Mac & Cheese ($6). The M&C was very unfortunate: cold, no cheese (not "just a little cheese" - NO CHEESE --- the mac was piece-ey all over my plate - there was nothing holding it together), and tasteless. They would have been better off with the blue and orange box. We also got a dinner sized portion of the catfish on the pork chop set up (so, as you can imagine we were doubly disappointed). In a restaurant that promotes itself as serving southern delights we would have expected catfish filets - not chicken nugget style catfish, as well as some good, hearty mac and cheese. Overall assessment is that they have a good concept - I'm into the southern food and farm to table stuff, and they have a great bar scene (hip, cozy, friendly - well, for the most part), the portion sizes are rather small for the price, and the back of the house could have used some help (maybe that of the chef-owner, who was busy with his long lost son at the bar?). I'd prefer to give a 2.5 here, because I just want restaurants to learn from reviews and flourish, but I also want fellow yelp friends to get the real picture. I don't think it's an option here, and I can't in good conscious give them an "A-OK". I was pretty disappointed.
(2)
Keith H.
The food is awesome!! We have visited Little Savannah restaurant several times and have always had a good experience. The food is always great, we love the bar area and the owners and staff are super friendly and provide very good service. You can't go wrong with any dish on their menu! With that said, the fried catfish over blue grits with stewed tomatoes and okra dish they serve for restaurant week is over the top good! Also, the farm to restaurant dinners they serve are also exceptional. We look forward to going back again soon!
(5)
Smapdi B.
A friend and I stopped by for brunch yesterday (on someone else's recommendation), and boy were we disappointed. The menu was tiny, overpriced as hell, and the dish I ordered was so salty it was inedible. Literally inedible. The waiter even sampled it and agreed. The atmosphere was high strung and uncomfortable, and I found the staff patronizing. Nothing about my experience made me want to give it a second chance. Yuck.
A little overpriced for what you get. The food isn't much above average in my opinion. We started with a cup of the She-Crab Soup (pretty small portion for $11.00). I had the pork loin with greens, and mac & cheese and my wife had the Mahi over jambalaya. The atmosphere was good, the place looks cool and everyone was super friendly...but not sure we'll be back.
(3)
Stephanie R.
You want to find this place !! Some people eat to live, while others live to eat. Little Savannah is a place for the latter who are not satisfied by simply eating food but truly enjoy experiencing it. Dined here on Valentines day - night. The menu looked so wonderful, we ordered a "Chef tasting" of the entire menu. Tremendous service, perfect preparation of every single item on the menu, awesome ambiance and everything we had was absolutely delicious. A beautiful dinner.
(5)
Michelle W.
I had such a lovely time and an AMAZING meal at Little Savannah last evening. The food, presentation, and atmosphere were all fantastic, and I felt welcomed and right at home after a long day of business travel. A special nod goes to my bartender Lacey - she was super friendly, open and knowledgeable and I left the restaurant feeling like I'd made a new friend. I need to go back sometime soon to try some more of the delicious cocktails!
(5)
Jeremy E.
Only real positive that I can give this place is the atmosphere, which is really cool. Love the little patio out back. As far as the food goes...it is VERY overpriced, especially for what you get. The thimble sized cocktails, while good, are also way too expensive. In fact, this is one of the most expensive restaurants in Birmingham, and is not even in the same ball park as Highlands, Ocean, etc...where you can actually get really amazing food.
(2)
Cat S.
Southern, farm-to-table, local food. Owners are fun and have a passion for what they do and it shows! The menu is small but always pretty spot on with seasonal produce and consistency. Venue is small although they've expanded for double the seating. Even with high ceilings it is always very loud in there, especially with any group of 6+. Decent service, not super speedy but you will not probably not have a bad meal or experience here. Great date place. Bonus: chef offers cooking classes so check out their calendar of events.
(4)
Cory B.
For being as small as this place is, it sure packs a punch as far as all-around quality. Our waiter, Mitchell, was very knowledgeable of the whole menu and the bartender knew the history of the drinks we ordered. Think I got a 5-min lesson on Sazeracs that I found very interesting. The 90 degree booth straight ahead in the opening room is the best vantage point!
(5)
Wendy C.
Great little restaurant. Outstanding food and great atmosphere. Wait staff are soooo professional. This place reminds me so much of a small restaurant in Leiden I used to go to. Its such a gem of a place. Perfect date night destination. Top shelf cocktails.
(5)
John P.
Over salted and pretty mediocre food for the price. This restaurant seems to be on the decline and has lost its appeal. I think that the quality is lacking and it doesn't seem like the ingredients are at fault. I hope this place improves! It would be a great staple for forest park!
(2)
Julia M.
I went here on a Thursday night with a large group. The cocktails were fantastic and the waitstaff was excellent. Everyone working there was extremely courteous and made sure to check in on us regularly. The food was good... Not great, but good. I had the beef short ribs, which didn't have very much taste. The mashed potatoes were also bland. Other people at the table had the lamb, which looked excellent, and the chicken, which also seemed to go over very well. Also, if I go back, I will be going with a much smaller party. The kitchen had trouble getting all of our food out; it took about half an hour for the first couple of entrees to go out. It was another 20 minutes before everyone else received their food. The same issue happened with dessert, which was surprising since only about four people ordered desserts. I strongly recommend this place for their desserts and drinks, but for dinner, I think you may want to look elsewhere.
(3)
Jay D.
This was a very charming and cool restaurant. My wife and I got there early before out reservation and sat at the bar and had some drinks. The staff was super friendly and the bar tender was on the verge of being a mixologist, he was that good. The owner came by us and talked up an exciting event they are having and made us feel important and welcomed in his place. When we sat down, the menu sounded delicious and all that we ordered was. There were a few points lost for the wait staff taking juuuuuust a little too long to respond to the table. This wasn't a major issue as we were enjoying ourselves so much, but our drink order did take a minute and I found my water glass empty a few times. We got over that quickly when desert came. We will be back and had a fun night.
(4)
Nick A.
I was not impressed by this restaurant. My wife and I rarely go out to eat and when we do we certainly don't spend very much money. We ordered two drinks which were good (about the only good thing we got) I ordered the steak frites and my wife ordered the "appetizer" size shrimp and grits. The steak tasted like roast. Something we could cook at home. It was $30 but only came with 2 small chunks! And 3 potato wedges! Her meal tasted great but again, the portion was insanely small, even for an appetizer. They sat us down in the middle of two tables where other people were sitting. They were so uncomfortably close together we felt as if we couldn't even talk to each other without everyone hearing us. (The restaurant wasn't very full and there were plenty of empty tables all over) We ended up leaving pretty quickly after spending $80 and heading over to J Clyde's where we could get a good meal and a normal priced drink! My wife's name is Savannah and that is why I wanted to take her there. Unfortunately, we will not be going back. We'll just stick to a restaurant where we can get a decent meal (at least feel we have gotten our money's worth!)
(1)
LeeAnn D.
I went there on a Saturday night with a party of 4. There were several large parties that were seated when we arrived. Pros: The food that I had personally was good - when it finally arrived.... THE ENTREES are SMALL... Cons: For this price point, I WOULD NEVER AGAIN choose to go here over somewhere like Hot and Hot or Highlands - Little Savannah is just way out of their league in Birmingham. For starters - it is a hip and trendy neighborhood and they try to stick with that vibe; BUT it is also not the safest of neighborhoods and there isn't a valet... so be prepared to park on the dimly lit streets and walk... The waiter (even though there seemed like there was almost one per table) seemed overwhelmed with our TINY table. We had to ask for bread when every table around us had it quickly brought. I ordered 3 of the $5 sides for my entree - the waiter told me he could do a veggie plate with polenta, etc. IF the kitchen could manage since they were super overwhelmed to which I agreed but noted I didn't really want the fries. My order arrived with 1/2 to 3/4 the amount of food I would have received had the sides been separately plated AND the UNASKED for fries - no polenta - NO presentation... I mention this to the waiter and he AGAIN blames the kitchen... FYI the two large tables had been served for around 30 minutes - the gap between apps and dinner was 45 as well.... THEN the bill comes and they charged me $22 for my veggie plate - ummmmmm I ordered 3: $5 sides; you think you should re--imagine the price for that one? The waiter fixed the bill but noted that "they told me to charge you for a veggie plate" - excuse after excuse - I frankly don't care... you are the server, get it right, you know what I ordered... I live in Birmingham and would have gladly gone back multiple times. I tell you now - save your money - go to Highlands or Hot and Hot and have a great, well-served experience in addition to your wonderful food.
(2)
Daniel F.
Ate here with a group on a stormy Saturday night. Right as we got our food the power went out. Needless to say, our dinner was still excellent and only made the ambiance of the restaurant better. Our service was superb and the food was delicious. Go with the grits. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Jessica P.
I'm with many of the other reviews- I want to like this place because it's locally owned and In a great neighborhood. The fact is- it's way too expensive. At their price point, i would rather go to Highlands Bar and Grill.
(3)
Tracy J.
I consider myself a foodie, frequenting many of Birmingham's independent restaurants and I really WANT to like this restaurant. I hadn't been to Little Savannah in years, so my boyfriend and I decided to do something different for Valentine's. Long story short, the overall experience was a huge disappointment. The choices on the prix fixe menu were not very interesting, and the dishes we ordered (he had beef tartare then snapper and I had oyster chowder then beef) were mediocre at best. Dessert was a "trio," aka a bite of 3 things - a messy tuffle, a sliver of banana bread with chewy, dried banana slices on top (advertised at banana french toast), and a soggy pre-made phyllo cup with marinated strawberries in it (advertised as a champagne strawberry pie). Presentation on all courses was nothing special. In addition, service was terrible - no spoon was brought for my soup for 5 minutes, a knife for my beef had to be "tracked down." Utensils and plates were of cheap grade. Insult to injury, the price was $75/ per person. Waaay overpriced for such fare. Portions were tiny and we actually went to another establishment for dessert after!! Definitely not the kind of meal we had in mind for our romantic night out. We managed to not let the experience ruin our night, but needless to say it will be quite a while before we return.
(2)
Zackery M.
2012 has been good for discovering new and tasty places for food, fun and friends. My most recent discovery was the Spicy Peach Margarita here at Little Savannah. This particular night out was to celebrate the success of dear friend. I had already made up my mind about my drink choice that evening, but another friend shared her Margarita with me and I immediately flagged down our bartender to order my own. Everyone in my group had at least one Spicy Peach Margaritas, so we were all musing and commenting on the taste. It was sweet, with a mild aftertaste of jalapeno. The only thing that could have made it better would have been a stronger bite from the pepper. The sweet overpowered the spicy. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I wanted to order a bowl of peppers to use as chasers. Our bartender, who seemed to be quite a character, told us the mix was made and bottled here in Jefferson County and a local grocery store sales it in JUGS (this is the South). The entire evening was amazing and I'll be back to try the food, but the Spicy Peach Margarita is reason enough to count down until today's happy hour.
(5)
Scott M.
Overall very nice food and experience, though overpriced for what you get (they are roughly at Highlands / Bottega / Dupont prices, fyi). They are getting dinged one star for the girl on the phone giving me bad directions to the restaurant and taking me out of my way nearly one hour, and another for the veggies and garnish to my lamb dish being terribly dry. Service and cocktails were great. Apps good but a little greasy. Valet parking would have been nice. Will we be back? Maybe.
(3)
Alden C.
Friends have made the recipes and the cocktails, but that hardly compares to indulging in the real thing. Little Savannah met and exceed my expectations (which were high, due to numerous recommendations). The decor was spot on. The fine dining in a casual atmosphere - totally up my alley. The fig-cello topped off with cava and pinch of orange bitters? Divine. And this was BEFORE the meal. A cheese plate pairing figs and deliciously moldy cheeses parlayed perfectly into my pecan-encrusted duck that rested delicately on a bed of succotash. Oh my Lord that succotash. I could eat it every day. Expertly seasoned, even a bit spicy (I'm a spicy-phobe so it was just the right amount for me), it blended the best of late summer veggies (OKRA!) and put me right over the edge. Had I not been so full from the cheese plate, my meal and the two Southern 65s, I would have gone for some dessert. But hey, gotta leave something for next time. And, as Julia B said, I could quickly become a regular at this fine establishment who's menu reads, "Please remove coat and tie before dining..." Now that is the way it's done! Sidenote: you can make reservations via the Yelp app, and I highly recommend doing that to ensure you'll be seated. It's super easy and beyond convenient (this was my first Yelp-made reservation and, unsurprisingly, I'm a fan!
(5)
Antony C.
Don't let the casual decor fool you. The food and service are top notch. If nothing else, the clean, white table cloths might be an indication of the service you'll receive. This place is really a hidden gem. I just happened to be in Birmingham during "Restaurant Week". This event allows you to try a range of restaurants at some great prices that won't break the bank. The fixed menu was a deal. I started with a salad that had pears, pecans, carrot and sherry vinaigrette. Great balance of sweet and acidity. For main, I had the Alabama catfish with okra, tomatoes and blue grits. I don't eat a lot of catfish and am not a fan of okra. But, this dish was excellent! The catfish was breaded and fried, which came out light and fluffy. The veggies were a perfect mix of color and texture, as well as delicious. For dessert, I had the Kentucky bourbon glazed butter cake with whipped cream. It was a simple and tasty way to round out a hearty meal. I also opted to go with the libation pairings, which you could choose a wine or beer route. The first course came Conde de Subirats Cava (Spain). The dry bubbly cut some of the acidity from the dressing, but you could really appreciate the fruity overtones brought out by the pears in the salad. The main came with a Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier '09. I thought this was a nice, crisp, fruity wine to accompany the light fanfare. Lastly, Bourbon & Limoncello was served with the dessert. Unfortunately, I think this was a mismatch. I know what they were trying to do here but this drink just wasn't doing it for me. So instead, I ordered a simple amaretto sour. A little bit of tart with a nutty flavor went great with the butter cake. Service was spot on and very friendly from my server (Derek) to the maitre d (Phyllis) to the chef (Clif). I had a great experience here and am dying to go back to try some other things on the menu.
(5)
Donna S.
Where to begin. The last time we had dinner there the quality of the food was fine but WAY overpriced. Decided to give it another try last night. It was a price fix three course meal @ $75 per person. The soup I ordered was fine but the portion size should have been twice what I got. I ordered the snapper for my entree and the two tiny pieces of fingerling potatoes were cold and crunchy and the onions in the dish were raw. I sent it back. Everyone apologized for the errors and the manager said "we are still learning" what?? They have been in business for over 10 years!!! I sat there watching my husband eat while I waited 20 min for a new dish, which was better. Because of the problems I had they should have adjusted the bill and taken off the price of my entree but they did not. Unfortunately the waiter had to pay for the owners mistakes because we subtracted the price of the entree from the tip. My husbands food was fine but he thinks it's way overpriced for the quality of the food you get. This restaurant seriously needs to evaluate the quality of food they are serving and the prices they are charging. If I am going to pay those prices I want the quality of food I would get at Highlands, Bottega, or Hot and Hot. We will not be going back.
(2)
Kat C.
I struggled with rating this place. I've only been here once, and I would go again, but what annoys me about an expensive, five-star restaurant is when I know I can prepare all or some of the meal better than the chefs did. For starters, the cornbread they brought out was dry and made my British dining partner - who'd never had cornbread before - choke. Haha. I can make way better cornbread, and I kinda think that's a southern staple (BTW, LS, Paula Deen, from Big Savannah, has an amazing recipe; just hold off on the stupid comments when you serve it). Anyway, I had the pork shoulder and it was amazing. So, so good - fell apart when the fork touched it. The problem was the damn macaroni and cheese it came with. I, personally, would have served this dish with grits, and I almost asked for a substitution, but I went with the mac and cheese. Bad decision. Macaroni and cheese should be creamy and, most importantly, CHEESY, as the name suggests. I basically got a clump of noodles on the plate. I don't know how you can do macaroni and cheese so poorly. I know cheese is expensive, but this isn't Cracker Barrel and doesn't' have CB prices, so there's no excuse for this macaroni and "cheese" to even exist here. And I LOVE macaroni and cheese so I was highly disappointed. Finally, I had the deconstructed peanut butter pie. I made a total ass of myself on this date because he didn't want dessert and I insisted I wasn't leaving without it. PB is my favorite food. So I get this thing and was totally... underwhelmed. Again, something I can easily do better myself. It's not bad, mind you, it's just... I'm not sure, it's lacking. I think the deconstructed version takes something away, for starters. Don't call it pie, maybe - it was sort of a pudding. PB Pudding. Maybe that would have balanced my expectations. I'll go here again and give it another shot. My date had the beef tenderloin and was very pleased with it, but like I said - he's British, and their food standards are low, haha. Overall, I gave it a four instead of a three because I liked the place and their attitude and the service was amazing, but I'm pretty sure I should open a high-priced restaurant now.
(4)
Mandy C.
Charming atmosphere, wonderful food from appetizer to dessert and great service- You can't get much better! My husband and I dined here for the first time on Friday night. We left amazed that we have been missing out on such a gem. We both loved everything about our meal! I must note that the menu changes constantly so we anticipate being surprisingly overwhelmed with something totally different the time we dine here. Here is what we had that was delicious: started with the Cheese platter which presented 4 tasty cheeses paired with fried walnuts, spiced pear chutney, and a cherry compote. They brought out cornbread muffins in a tin which since neither of us like cornbread we are bad to judge them, however they were warm and moist. I ordered one of the fish specials, I can't remember the name because it was unfamiliar to me. Our server explained that it was a hawaian fish similar to grouper in taste. I enjoyed the fish and especially like it accompaniments that were similar to couscous. The chef came and talked to us. He is very friendly; even brought we a glass of wine that he thought would work well with my meal! My husband had the smoked duck breast that came with an excellent rutabaga puree and collard greens in a bacon jus. We were so impressed with our meal that we did the unusual thing and each got dessert! Actually my husband tricked me, we decided to share a dessert- the banana bread but he also ordered the trio of creme brulee because that is my favorite dessert and I must admit I was happy he did! We are not huge fans of sweets but both selections were AMAZING! The grilled banana bread was topped with caramelized banana slices,warm dark chocolate ganache, and sprinkled with fried walnuts. The trio of creme brulee was some of the best I have ever had...the plate included small servings of Cappuccino, Cinnamon, and Peppermint Stick flavored brulee with two sambuca cookies (which tasted somewhat like a scone to me). The Peppermint stick one was my favorite. I recommenced giving this cozy, local restaurant a try if you like inventive meals full of flavor! Great service too. My only complaint was that the alcohol was over priced- a single absolut on the rocks was $9.50. But other than that our meal was worth every penny...total came to $124 before tip for appetizer, two entrees, two desserts and three drinks.
(5)
David A.
My wife and I ate at Little Savannah on a Saturday evening as an early Valentine's Day celebration. The restaurant is nice, and the service was excellent. The quarters were a little cramped, as we were seated very close to other couples and parties. Not a big deal except when one of your neighbors is one of those people who thinks everyone within 30 feet needs to hear everything coming out of his mouth. I ordered a shrimp appetizer that was pretty good, although it tasted a little vinegary. It was also kind of sparse for the price. My wife ordered a beef and potatoes entree that was fairly hearty. I ordered the Smoked Maple Leaf Duck Breast. It was very good, but there were only a few bites of the duck breast, and the overall portion size was really REALLY small. I know this isn't the Cheesecake Factory where I'm going to be served enough food for 5 people and sent on my way to Type 2 Diabetes, but for $30 a plate I would like a bigger entree than an anorexic model would eat for dinner. We ordered a dessert trio, and this was generous and the source of most of our nourishment for the evening. It came with a mint creme brulee, three chocolate truffles, and an apple/cranberry crisp with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. While the food and service were good, there are much better places to dine in this high end price range in Birmingham. I found myself wishing we had gone to Hot and Hot or Ocean for this special occasion. The only reason I'm giving it such a low score is due to the overpricing (in my opinion).
(2)
Julia B.
With a raise in salary, I could quickly become a regular at Little Savannah. The ambiance is fabulous, like you're being whisked away to an unknown spot in Birmingham (though the place was hoppin' at 8pm Friday night). The mixologist was super friendly and knowledgeable; he definitely has a passion for his craft (more than a bottle opener). The cheese plate ($15) was delicious, but could have been more generous. I thought it would be plenty to share for two people, but was a bit disappointed with the portion. The duck was out of this world. The duck was perfectly cooked (comfortably pink in the center with crisp outside), and the summer succotash had a tinge of flavorful jalapeno. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Caleigh R.
so sad and disappointed :( if you really want to know, ask. but on this particular night, I'm not even sure I should have given them 1 star :(
(1)
Ayon J. R.
The food is fine, but feels overpriced. However, I cant say enough good things about the service staff. Also, this quite little place has its own charm.
(3)
Andy L.
Little Savannah is a quaint store front restaurant on a busy street in suburban Birmingham. Paintings of farm animals line the walls (there is a definite fascination here with cows, in particular) and the ambiance is casual. The owners are serious about using and promoting local ingredients, and are hosting dinners with a local farmer/supplier each week during this summer season. We like the concept but found the execution in the kitchen short of expectations. We tried the Heirloom Tomato Salad ($12), which was a smattering of quartered tomatoes sprinkled with goat cheese and dressed in oil and balsamic vinegar. Goat cheese and nicely seasoned tomatoes are always a pleasant combination, but there was nothing about this salad to distinguish it from one that you might make at home. Chicken Livers ($11) were whole livers sauteed and presented simply with onions. They had a nice sweetness but, again, nothing special. Rosemary Marinated Pork chop ($25) was a bit dry, but had a nice caramelization to the outside crust. It was flavorful and the blue grits on the plate helped offset some of the dryness. The braised collard greens on the plate were cooked with pickled beets, which we found to be an astringent and unpleasant combination. If the preparation had been explained on the menu, I would have asked for a different vegetable. Grilled Redfish ($29) was prepared well enough, but presented over a horribly ice cold combination of vegetables (corn, peas, tomatoes, basil, onions and cucumbers) with an overwhelming cucumber flavor in the dish. No one at the table found this hot/cold cucumbery combination enjoyable. Veal ($30) was served over grits with rattle snake beans and a lemon-caper beurre blanc sauce. The sauteed veal was thin and tender but bland, and it really did not have anything in common with the other elements on the plate. The grits did not enhance or compliment the meat and the beans were overcooked. We ordered a bottle of 2008 La Spinetta Barbera d'Asti, Ca di Pian ($54; about $17 retail) which was a pleasant, early maturing wine that finally showed a bit of fruit after sitting open on the table for a half hour or so. Had it been spectacular, it still would not have made up for the unusually high markup in price. Service was fine, although our waitress seemed to be missing some of the southern charm that we have become used to in the city. We really wanted to like Little Savannah from the minute that we walked in the door. Unfortunately, the menu needs a lot more thought, the kitchen needs some inspiration and the service could use some leadership.
(2)
Merry Michael S.
i am writing this review strictly based on service and libations. the third friday of the month forest park brings out the community with specials and sales at all of the businesses. little savannah has $5 cocktails so the hubs & i met some friends for happy hour after work. i ordered the queen's colony - it is the best drink i have had in quite a while. made with gin, fresh grapefruit, honey/basil syrup, and black pepper - it is not too sweet and the black pepper gives it a bite at the end. the bartender knew her stuff and the staff was extremely friendly, making us feel right at home. everything that came out of the kitchen smelled yummy and if we did not already have dinner plans we definitely would have sampled it. we will be back for sure!
(4)
Chris S.
What an introduction to southern cuisine! It was late, I was hungry, and I was tired of traveling. My mom actually suggested this place so that is where I met her. Showing up it was pretty much dead only one or two other tables in the entire place but yet it still seemed upbeat and a fun place to be. It took quite a long time before a waitress came to get our drink orders or give us menus, as a result they gave us free drinks for the rest of the night. A piece of great customer service and a sign of a high quality restaurant. We ordered our appetizers, we started with fried Okra and a quail stuffed with fois gras. The okra was simply stunning, instead of the bite sized nuggets normally served these were the entire vegetable which really brought out its natural flavor and was quite good. The quail which was the special of the night was full of flavor and seasoned quite well. For my entree was beef medallions which were cooked quite well, I regret not writing this review sooner as many of details have been lost but oh well. All in all an expensive meal but well worth the cost for quality ingredients and a inventive and talented chef.
(5)
Zach G.
Made a reservation here on valentines day last year for dinner. We got there and had to wait maybe 5 minutes at the bar while they fixed a table up for us. We always remember our waiter, Dallas, apologized for making us wait and gave us our first round of drinks for free. We only waited 5-6 minutes! The food could've been garbage but it wouldn't have mattered to us because we were already digging the experience. But of course, the food was good! I don't remember being blown away by what I ordered or anything but it was definitely tasty. It should also be known that I am not a food snob and I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to food. But, my girlfriend has a more "sophisticated" approach to food and she thought it was fantastic. Since it was a holiday it was really busy, and our food maybe took a little longer than usual to arrive but we didn't notice because we were enjoying our free drinks and talking. The chef then gave us some other soup or something for free since we had to wait. Given we are easy to please and not usually big spenders (nor do we appear to be), the fact that they went the extra mile meant a lot to us and made our V-day memorable. We felt like celebrities.
(5)
Hoa N.
I am way overdue for a review on this place. I came here on my previous visit to the south last Christmas. I really enjoyed the spicy peach margarita. very creative and freshly made, a true representation of what the south is, sweet and spicy. The bartender really knows how to mix her drinks. Hopefully to try out their food on my next visit to Birmingham.
(5)
Kyle A.
I gave Little Savannah another chance with their Community Table series this summer. My experience there was completely different from the first and the service was excellent. LS is now the comeback restaurant of the year for me!
(4)
Monica H.
My father took my husband and I to eat at this restaurant while we were visiting Birmingham. Living in NY for 18 years, I can rightfully claim that I have eaten in some of the best restaurants in the world. I am not easily impressed nor was I looking to be. I thought we would get a nice casual meal. Boy was I wrong! From the moment I looked at the cocktails I knew we would be in for a very special dinner. EVERYTHING was delicious, inventive and top notch. I had the skirt steak which was cooked just right so that the meat was tender and not tough. My husband's duck was cooked to perfection and the dessert sampler at the end hit the spot. It was not cheap but worth every penny.
(5)
Drew W.
Best Cocktails in town. (I've never tried the food though)
(5)
Sara P.
My husband and I were visiting Birmingham for the weekend with our dear friends and we found Little Savannah by looking on Yelp. We were hopeful based on the reviews, but our expectations were far exceeded. The back patio was a great place to sit. Must haves: hummingbird cocktail, spicy peach margarita, fried okra, duck special, and all of the desserts. We recommend saving room for the dessert trio. Our waiter was so attentive and accommodating, and he helped make it an overall outstanding experience. We will definitely be back!
(5)
paige m.
Little Savannah is a farm to table restaurant. We had a fabulous and creative meal here. The food and service were great. Wish I could eat there tonight.
(5)
Erika S.
The weather was great, the experience was not. I've been wanting to go to Little Savannah for months now. Since Birmingham has very few "Sunday Brunch" options, we thought we would give it a shot. Upon entering we were quickly seated at the outdoor patio. The restaurant was 3/4 empty & the tables were bare. The overall decor seemed very eclectic, but very warm. After being seated we patiently waited for about 10+ minutes before I finally asked someone for a menu. Someone eventually handed us menus & a cold basket of biscuits. When we were greeted by a server she was more of a order taker, then a "server." I glanced at the mimosas on another table, but they were so pale & watered down, I passed. Since there no drinks listed we all settled on water. We ordered the most appealing things on the menu: crabcakes on a bed of spinach with a poached egg, "pigs in a blanket" & chicken strips with shoestring fries. The crabcake was quite tasty, but the bed of spinach was very salty, & the "poached hard" egg I requested was runny. The pigs in a blanket had an nice french toast batter, but the sausages left something to be desired. The chicken & fries were overcooked and didn't fair well. After semi finishing our food, we waited for 10-15 minutes before the server finally checked in with us & eventually gave us our check. Overall not a pleasant experience, but I think it has the potential to be good.
(2)
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Address :3811 Clairmont Ave S
Birmingham, AL, 35222
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Intimate Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Tim B.
This is my go-to restaurant when in B'Ham - every other month or so. Little Savannah's is owned by a married couple (both chefs) that really care about making great and interesting food and making their customers happy, and you can really tell they enjoy what they are doing. The restaurant has a great, electric/eclectic atmosphere with interesting people. The menu does change and everything I have eaten here has been outstanding. Everything on the menu is fresh, tasty, and stuff you just wouldn't make at home, but love to eat. Great, attentive service. Full bar with lots of wine and special drink options. Lots of fun. I would eat here every night if I could. The owners and staff make you feel special. Very comfortable. Definitely recommend Little Savannah Restaurant.
(5)Brandon C.
Came to Little Savannah at 915 on a Friday. Apparently it was a late night intrusion. After a cocktail, i was never even offered wine with the meal or a refill on water. Bad service aside, i had pork tenderloin that was delicious, sweet potatoes that were fresh, and greens that were extremely salty. The food was like a meat and three that was very expensive. This place specializes in locally grown foods and has a nice local vibe. It is priced with or above the biggest players in town, but falls short on service and overall experience.
(3)Christina S.
This is the 2nd time I've been to LS - The first was years ago when they first opened, and it was a very awkward night. For some reason, we've not been motivated to try again until just recently. Maybe it's all the YELP reviews from my bham friends that made me think, "Wait. What am I missing?" I found out: Not much - And it looks like I'm not gonna make any friends on this one .... Sorry folks. I'm hoping it was a bad night all around, and I'm willing to try again. We made reservations and were seated in a fairly (not totally, but fairly) empty restaurant RIGHT next to another couple on, quite possibly, the smallest table ever known to man. It was a 2-top - my ass was wider than the table (and the space between it and the next table over, too) - NO stars. We decided to sit in the bar (shocker!) instead. I LOVE sitting at the bar. And this bar is pretty darned great. While the barstools aren't that comfortable, the vibe IS. The bartender was personable, had a great smile (5 stars) and made me an impressive Ginger Martini (4 stars) in a CUUUUTE little vintage-style glass - add another star just for that, and we are back up to 5 stars on the overall of the bar / bar atmosphere / barTENDER and libation. Then we get to the negative ... the owner sat at the end of the bar talking to (what I hope, for his sake if, perhaps, I were a REAL restaurant critic, was his long lost son) a young couple the ENTIRE time we were there. Never looked up, never acknowledged anyone else, except for a group of guys (regulars?) who walked in to which he quipped, "Find a place at the bar if you can". They're promoting a friendly neighborhood atmosphere, and the owner can't even make his rounds? BIG GOOSE EGG stars. Sorry nice bartender with great smile and awesome mixologist skills, your boss blew it! Then we get to the food. I respect the concept of promoting locally grown produce and local-farm raised meats and such, but the performance of the kitchen to execute successfully and present a nice dish undid the balance that should have come out. We ordered a cheese plate ($15 for four selections) to start. It was not even enough cheese for 2 people to have 2 SMALL bites of each selection. Next was the Little V Course - the salad and chowder: Salad ($7) was good, but at 8:00 they were out of the fixins for the ONLY salad they had on the menu (this is the deep south - watermelon isn't that hard to find). They improvised, brought me some greens and it was good, but a REAL small portion, and rather disappointing. The chowder was tasty and it, on the other hand, was a good portion. On to the Grand V course: We had a Heritage Pork Loin Chop ($22) which, the menu said, was served over "braised" greens and Alecia's Chutney. Liked the chutney, it was sweet and spicy - very nice and differentiating, but those greens were boiled, and boiled for a long time - no braising here, and served a little on the cold side, with a side of Mac & Cheese ($6). The M&C was very unfortunate: cold, no cheese (not "just a little cheese" - NO CHEESE --- the mac was piece-ey all over my plate - there was nothing holding it together), and tasteless. They would have been better off with the blue and orange box. We also got a dinner sized portion of the catfish on the pork chop set up (so, as you can imagine we were doubly disappointed). In a restaurant that promotes itself as serving southern delights we would have expected catfish filets - not chicken nugget style catfish, as well as some good, hearty mac and cheese. Overall assessment is that they have a good concept - I'm into the southern food and farm to table stuff, and they have a great bar scene (hip, cozy, friendly - well, for the most part), the portion sizes are rather small for the price, and the back of the house could have used some help (maybe that of the chef-owner, who was busy with his long lost son at the bar?). I'd prefer to give a 2.5 here, because I just want restaurants to learn from reviews and flourish, but I also want fellow yelp friends to get the real picture. I don't think it's an option here, and I can't in good conscious give them an "A-OK". I was pretty disappointed.
(2)Keith H.
The food is awesome!! We have visited Little Savannah restaurant several times and have always had a good experience. The food is always great, we love the bar area and the owners and staff are super friendly and provide very good service. You can't go wrong with any dish on their menu! With that said, the fried catfish over blue grits with stewed tomatoes and okra dish they serve for restaurant week is over the top good! Also, the farm to restaurant dinners they serve are also exceptional. We look forward to going back again soon!
(5)Smapdi B.
A friend and I stopped by for brunch yesterday (on someone else's recommendation), and boy were we disappointed. The menu was tiny, overpriced as hell, and the dish I ordered was so salty it was inedible. Literally inedible. The waiter even sampled it and agreed. The atmosphere was high strung and uncomfortable, and I found the staff patronizing. Nothing about my experience made me want to give it a second chance. Yuck.
(1)Michael P.
I have been hearing about Little Savannah from LS enthusiasts for years, and tonight I finally had a chance to check it out. With family in town wanting to go out for a good meal, I had an excuse to go. We had a 5:30 reservation, and they were still getting ready for dinner. The menus weren't printed, and the corn bread was still in the oven. We all found the wine menu confusing, so we opted to order mixed drinks. I guess I could have pulled out my phone and Googled the options, but I don't like using the phone when I am at a restaurant. My father ordered the Chef's Purple Mustard Greens salad to start, with rasish, spring onion, strawberries and goat cheese. He said it was very good. For the entrée, we ordered the Diver-Speared Red Snapper and Alabama Shrimp, which had crawfish étouffée and red jasmine rice, the Smoked Heritage Pork Loin with White cheddar and bacon macaroni, ham hock braised Kale, and Tomato Chutney, and the Traditional Bolognese. I tried the crawfish étouffée and thought it was good. The Bolognese was quite good. I had ordered the pork loin dish. The braised Kale was the best part of the dish; very, very good. I think the macaroni was okay, but a bit bland for using white cheddar I thought. The Pork loin was solid, but not awesome. I give the whole dish 4 stars based purely on the Kale. Three stars without it. My parents were very impressed with the red snapper dish and the Bolognese. Over all, it was an enjoyable, if pricy, meal.
(4)Cooper V.
A little overpriced for what you get. The food isn't much above average in my opinion. We started with a cup of the She-Crab Soup (pretty small portion for $11.00). I had the pork loin with greens, and mac & cheese and my wife had the Mahi over jambalaya. The atmosphere was good, the place looks cool and everyone was super friendly...but not sure we'll be back.
(3)Stephanie R.
You want to find this place !! Some people eat to live, while others live to eat. Little Savannah is a place for the latter who are not satisfied by simply eating food but truly enjoy experiencing it. Dined here on Valentines day - night. The menu looked so wonderful, we ordered a "Chef tasting" of the entire menu. Tremendous service, perfect preparation of every single item on the menu, awesome ambiance and everything we had was absolutely delicious. A beautiful dinner.
(5)Michelle W.
I had such a lovely time and an AMAZING meal at Little Savannah last evening. The food, presentation, and atmosphere were all fantastic, and I felt welcomed and right at home after a long day of business travel. A special nod goes to my bartender Lacey - she was super friendly, open and knowledgeable and I left the restaurant feeling like I'd made a new friend. I need to go back sometime soon to try some more of the delicious cocktails!
(5)Jeremy E.
Only real positive that I can give this place is the atmosphere, which is really cool. Love the little patio out back. As far as the food goes...it is VERY overpriced, especially for what you get. The thimble sized cocktails, while good, are also way too expensive. In fact, this is one of the most expensive restaurants in Birmingham, and is not even in the same ball park as Highlands, Ocean, etc...where you can actually get really amazing food.
(2)Cat S.
Southern, farm-to-table, local food. Owners are fun and have a passion for what they do and it shows! The menu is small but always pretty spot on with seasonal produce and consistency. Venue is small although they've expanded for double the seating. Even with high ceilings it is always very loud in there, especially with any group of 6+. Decent service, not super speedy but you will not probably not have a bad meal or experience here. Great date place. Bonus: chef offers cooking classes so check out their calendar of events.
(4)Cory B.
For being as small as this place is, it sure packs a punch as far as all-around quality. Our waiter, Mitchell, was very knowledgeable of the whole menu and the bartender knew the history of the drinks we ordered. Think I got a 5-min lesson on Sazeracs that I found very interesting. The 90 degree booth straight ahead in the opening room is the best vantage point!
(5)Wendy C.
Great little restaurant. Outstanding food and great atmosphere. Wait staff are soooo professional. This place reminds me so much of a small restaurant in Leiden I used to go to. Its such a gem of a place. Perfect date night destination. Top shelf cocktails.
(5)John P.
Over salted and pretty mediocre food for the price. This restaurant seems to be on the decline and has lost its appeal. I think that the quality is lacking and it doesn't seem like the ingredients are at fault. I hope this place improves! It would be a great staple for forest park!
(2)Julia M.
I went here on a Thursday night with a large group. The cocktails were fantastic and the waitstaff was excellent. Everyone working there was extremely courteous and made sure to check in on us regularly. The food was good... Not great, but good. I had the beef short ribs, which didn't have very much taste. The mashed potatoes were also bland. Other people at the table had the lamb, which looked excellent, and the chicken, which also seemed to go over very well. Also, if I go back, I will be going with a much smaller party. The kitchen had trouble getting all of our food out; it took about half an hour for the first couple of entrees to go out. It was another 20 minutes before everyone else received their food. The same issue happened with dessert, which was surprising since only about four people ordered desserts. I strongly recommend this place for their desserts and drinks, but for dinner, I think you may want to look elsewhere.
(3)Jay D.
This was a very charming and cool restaurant. My wife and I got there early before out reservation and sat at the bar and had some drinks. The staff was super friendly and the bar tender was on the verge of being a mixologist, he was that good. The owner came by us and talked up an exciting event they are having and made us feel important and welcomed in his place. When we sat down, the menu sounded delicious and all that we ordered was. There were a few points lost for the wait staff taking juuuuuust a little too long to respond to the table. This wasn't a major issue as we were enjoying ourselves so much, but our drink order did take a minute and I found my water glass empty a few times. We got over that quickly when desert came. We will be back and had a fun night.
(4)Nick A.
I was not impressed by this restaurant. My wife and I rarely go out to eat and when we do we certainly don't spend very much money. We ordered two drinks which were good (about the only good thing we got) I ordered the steak frites and my wife ordered the "appetizer" size shrimp and grits. The steak tasted like roast. Something we could cook at home. It was $30 but only came with 2 small chunks! And 3 potato wedges! Her meal tasted great but again, the portion was insanely small, even for an appetizer. They sat us down in the middle of two tables where other people were sitting. They were so uncomfortably close together we felt as if we couldn't even talk to each other without everyone hearing us. (The restaurant wasn't very full and there were plenty of empty tables all over) We ended up leaving pretty quickly after spending $80 and heading over to J Clyde's where we could get a good meal and a normal priced drink! My wife's name is Savannah and that is why I wanted to take her there. Unfortunately, we will not be going back. We'll just stick to a restaurant where we can get a decent meal (at least feel we have gotten our money's worth!)
(1)LeeAnn D.
I went there on a Saturday night with a party of 4. There were several large parties that were seated when we arrived. Pros: The food that I had personally was good - when it finally arrived.... THE ENTREES are SMALL... Cons: For this price point, I WOULD NEVER AGAIN choose to go here over somewhere like Hot and Hot or Highlands - Little Savannah is just way out of their league in Birmingham. For starters - it is a hip and trendy neighborhood and they try to stick with that vibe; BUT it is also not the safest of neighborhoods and there isn't a valet... so be prepared to park on the dimly lit streets and walk... The waiter (even though there seemed like there was almost one per table) seemed overwhelmed with our TINY table. We had to ask for bread when every table around us had it quickly brought. I ordered 3 of the $5 sides for my entree - the waiter told me he could do a veggie plate with polenta, etc. IF the kitchen could manage since they were super overwhelmed to which I agreed but noted I didn't really want the fries. My order arrived with 1/2 to 3/4 the amount of food I would have received had the sides been separately plated AND the UNASKED for fries - no polenta - NO presentation... I mention this to the waiter and he AGAIN blames the kitchen... FYI the two large tables had been served for around 30 minutes - the gap between apps and dinner was 45 as well.... THEN the bill comes and they charged me $22 for my veggie plate - ummmmmm I ordered 3: $5 sides; you think you should re--imagine the price for that one? The waiter fixed the bill but noted that "they told me to charge you for a veggie plate" - excuse after excuse - I frankly don't care... you are the server, get it right, you know what I ordered... I live in Birmingham and would have gladly gone back multiple times. I tell you now - save your money - go to Highlands or Hot and Hot and have a great, well-served experience in addition to your wonderful food.
(2)Daniel F.
Ate here with a group on a stormy Saturday night. Right as we got our food the power went out. Needless to say, our dinner was still excellent and only made the ambiance of the restaurant better. Our service was superb and the food was delicious. Go with the grits. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Jessica P.
I'm with many of the other reviews- I want to like this place because it's locally owned and In a great neighborhood. The fact is- it's way too expensive. At their price point, i would rather go to Highlands Bar and Grill.
(3)Tracy J.
I consider myself a foodie, frequenting many of Birmingham's independent restaurants and I really WANT to like this restaurant. I hadn't been to Little Savannah in years, so my boyfriend and I decided to do something different for Valentine's. Long story short, the overall experience was a huge disappointment. The choices on the prix fixe menu were not very interesting, and the dishes we ordered (he had beef tartare then snapper and I had oyster chowder then beef) were mediocre at best. Dessert was a "trio," aka a bite of 3 things - a messy tuffle, a sliver of banana bread with chewy, dried banana slices on top (advertised at banana french toast), and a soggy pre-made phyllo cup with marinated strawberries in it (advertised as a champagne strawberry pie). Presentation on all courses was nothing special. In addition, service was terrible - no spoon was brought for my soup for 5 minutes, a knife for my beef had to be "tracked down." Utensils and plates were of cheap grade. Insult to injury, the price was $75/ per person. Waaay overpriced for such fare. Portions were tiny and we actually went to another establishment for dessert after!! Definitely not the kind of meal we had in mind for our romantic night out. We managed to not let the experience ruin our night, but needless to say it will be quite a while before we return.
(2)Zackery M.
2012 has been good for discovering new and tasty places for food, fun and friends. My most recent discovery was the Spicy Peach Margarita here at Little Savannah. This particular night out was to celebrate the success of dear friend. I had already made up my mind about my drink choice that evening, but another friend shared her Margarita with me and I immediately flagged down our bartender to order my own. Everyone in my group had at least one Spicy Peach Margaritas, so we were all musing and commenting on the taste. It was sweet, with a mild aftertaste of jalapeno. The only thing that could have made it better would have been a stronger bite from the pepper. The sweet overpowered the spicy. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I wanted to order a bowl of peppers to use as chasers. Our bartender, who seemed to be quite a character, told us the mix was made and bottled here in Jefferson County and a local grocery store sales it in JUGS (this is the South). The entire evening was amazing and I'll be back to try the food, but the Spicy Peach Margarita is reason enough to count down until today's happy hour.
(5)Scott M.
Overall very nice food and experience, though overpriced for what you get (they are roughly at Highlands / Bottega / Dupont prices, fyi). They are getting dinged one star for the girl on the phone giving me bad directions to the restaurant and taking me out of my way nearly one hour, and another for the veggies and garnish to my lamb dish being terribly dry. Service and cocktails were great. Apps good but a little greasy. Valet parking would have been nice. Will we be back? Maybe.
(3)Alden C.
Friends have made the recipes and the cocktails, but that hardly compares to indulging in the real thing. Little Savannah met and exceed my expectations (which were high, due to numerous recommendations). The decor was spot on. The fine dining in a casual atmosphere - totally up my alley. The fig-cello topped off with cava and pinch of orange bitters? Divine. And this was BEFORE the meal. A cheese plate pairing figs and deliciously moldy cheeses parlayed perfectly into my pecan-encrusted duck that rested delicately on a bed of succotash. Oh my Lord that succotash. I could eat it every day. Expertly seasoned, even a bit spicy (I'm a spicy-phobe so it was just the right amount for me), it blended the best of late summer veggies (OKRA!) and put me right over the edge. Had I not been so full from the cheese plate, my meal and the two Southern 65s, I would have gone for some dessert. But hey, gotta leave something for next time. And, as Julia B said, I could quickly become a regular at this fine establishment who's menu reads, "Please remove coat and tie before dining..." Now that is the way it's done! Sidenote: you can make reservations via the Yelp app, and I highly recommend doing that to ensure you'll be seated. It's super easy and beyond convenient (this was my first Yelp-made reservation and, unsurprisingly, I'm a fan!
(5)Antony C.
Don't let the casual decor fool you. The food and service are top notch. If nothing else, the clean, white table cloths might be an indication of the service you'll receive. This place is really a hidden gem. I just happened to be in Birmingham during "Restaurant Week". This event allows you to try a range of restaurants at some great prices that won't break the bank. The fixed menu was a deal. I started with a salad that had pears, pecans, carrot and sherry vinaigrette. Great balance of sweet and acidity. For main, I had the Alabama catfish with okra, tomatoes and blue grits. I don't eat a lot of catfish and am not a fan of okra. But, this dish was excellent! The catfish was breaded and fried, which came out light and fluffy. The veggies were a perfect mix of color and texture, as well as delicious. For dessert, I had the Kentucky bourbon glazed butter cake with whipped cream. It was a simple and tasty way to round out a hearty meal. I also opted to go with the libation pairings, which you could choose a wine or beer route. The first course came Conde de Subirats Cava (Spain). The dry bubbly cut some of the acidity from the dressing, but you could really appreciate the fruity overtones brought out by the pears in the salad. The main came with a Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier '09. I thought this was a nice, crisp, fruity wine to accompany the light fanfare. Lastly, Bourbon & Limoncello was served with the dessert. Unfortunately, I think this was a mismatch. I know what they were trying to do here but this drink just wasn't doing it for me. So instead, I ordered a simple amaretto sour. A little bit of tart with a nutty flavor went great with the butter cake. Service was spot on and very friendly from my server (Derek) to the maitre d (Phyllis) to the chef (Clif). I had a great experience here and am dying to go back to try some other things on the menu.
(5)Donna S.
Where to begin. The last time we had dinner there the quality of the food was fine but WAY overpriced. Decided to give it another try last night. It was a price fix three course meal @ $75 per person. The soup I ordered was fine but the portion size should have been twice what I got. I ordered the snapper for my entree and the two tiny pieces of fingerling potatoes were cold and crunchy and the onions in the dish were raw. I sent it back. Everyone apologized for the errors and the manager said "we are still learning" what?? They have been in business for over 10 years!!! I sat there watching my husband eat while I waited 20 min for a new dish, which was better. Because of the problems I had they should have adjusted the bill and taken off the price of my entree but they did not. Unfortunately the waiter had to pay for the owners mistakes because we subtracted the price of the entree from the tip. My husbands food was fine but he thinks it's way overpriced for the quality of the food you get. This restaurant seriously needs to evaluate the quality of food they are serving and the prices they are charging. If I am going to pay those prices I want the quality of food I would get at Highlands, Bottega, or Hot and Hot. We will not be going back.
(2)Kat C.
I struggled with rating this place. I've only been here once, and I would go again, but what annoys me about an expensive, five-star restaurant is when I know I can prepare all or some of the meal better than the chefs did. For starters, the cornbread they brought out was dry and made my British dining partner - who'd never had cornbread before - choke. Haha. I can make way better cornbread, and I kinda think that's a southern staple (BTW, LS, Paula Deen, from Big Savannah, has an amazing recipe; just hold off on the stupid comments when you serve it). Anyway, I had the pork shoulder and it was amazing. So, so good - fell apart when the fork touched it. The problem was the damn macaroni and cheese it came with. I, personally, would have served this dish with grits, and I almost asked for a substitution, but I went with the mac and cheese. Bad decision. Macaroni and cheese should be creamy and, most importantly, CHEESY, as the name suggests. I basically got a clump of noodles on the plate. I don't know how you can do macaroni and cheese so poorly. I know cheese is expensive, but this isn't Cracker Barrel and doesn't' have CB prices, so there's no excuse for this macaroni and "cheese" to even exist here. And I LOVE macaroni and cheese so I was highly disappointed. Finally, I had the deconstructed peanut butter pie. I made a total ass of myself on this date because he didn't want dessert and I insisted I wasn't leaving without it. PB is my favorite food. So I get this thing and was totally... underwhelmed. Again, something I can easily do better myself. It's not bad, mind you, it's just... I'm not sure, it's lacking. I think the deconstructed version takes something away, for starters. Don't call it pie, maybe - it was sort of a pudding. PB Pudding. Maybe that would have balanced my expectations. I'll go here again and give it another shot. My date had the beef tenderloin and was very pleased with it, but like I said - he's British, and their food standards are low, haha. Overall, I gave it a four instead of a three because I liked the place and their attitude and the service was amazing, but I'm pretty sure I should open a high-priced restaurant now.
(4)Mandy C.
Charming atmosphere, wonderful food from appetizer to dessert and great service- You can't get much better! My husband and I dined here for the first time on Friday night. We left amazed that we have been missing out on such a gem. We both loved everything about our meal! I must note that the menu changes constantly so we anticipate being surprisingly overwhelmed with something totally different the time we dine here. Here is what we had that was delicious: started with the Cheese platter which presented 4 tasty cheeses paired with fried walnuts, spiced pear chutney, and a cherry compote. They brought out cornbread muffins in a tin which since neither of us like cornbread we are bad to judge them, however they were warm and moist. I ordered one of the fish specials, I can't remember the name because it was unfamiliar to me. Our server explained that it was a hawaian fish similar to grouper in taste. I enjoyed the fish and especially like it accompaniments that were similar to couscous. The chef came and talked to us. He is very friendly; even brought we a glass of wine that he thought would work well with my meal! My husband had the smoked duck breast that came with an excellent rutabaga puree and collard greens in a bacon jus. We were so impressed with our meal that we did the unusual thing and each got dessert! Actually my husband tricked me, we decided to share a dessert- the banana bread but he also ordered the trio of creme brulee because that is my favorite dessert and I must admit I was happy he did! We are not huge fans of sweets but both selections were AMAZING! The grilled banana bread was topped with caramelized banana slices,warm dark chocolate ganache, and sprinkled with fried walnuts. The trio of creme brulee was some of the best I have ever had...the plate included small servings of Cappuccino, Cinnamon, and Peppermint Stick flavored brulee with two sambuca cookies (which tasted somewhat like a scone to me). The Peppermint stick one was my favorite. I recommenced giving this cozy, local restaurant a try if you like inventive meals full of flavor! Great service too. My only complaint was that the alcohol was over priced- a single absolut on the rocks was $9.50. But other than that our meal was worth every penny...total came to $124 before tip for appetizer, two entrees, two desserts and three drinks.
(5)David A.
My wife and I ate at Little Savannah on a Saturday evening as an early Valentine's Day celebration. The restaurant is nice, and the service was excellent. The quarters were a little cramped, as we were seated very close to other couples and parties. Not a big deal except when one of your neighbors is one of those people who thinks everyone within 30 feet needs to hear everything coming out of his mouth. I ordered a shrimp appetizer that was pretty good, although it tasted a little vinegary. It was also kind of sparse for the price. My wife ordered a beef and potatoes entree that was fairly hearty. I ordered the Smoked Maple Leaf Duck Breast. It was very good, but there were only a few bites of the duck breast, and the overall portion size was really REALLY small. I know this isn't the Cheesecake Factory where I'm going to be served enough food for 5 people and sent on my way to Type 2 Diabetes, but for $30 a plate I would like a bigger entree than an anorexic model would eat for dinner. We ordered a dessert trio, and this was generous and the source of most of our nourishment for the evening. It came with a mint creme brulee, three chocolate truffles, and an apple/cranberry crisp with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. While the food and service were good, there are much better places to dine in this high end price range in Birmingham. I found myself wishing we had gone to Hot and Hot or Ocean for this special occasion. The only reason I'm giving it such a low score is due to the overpricing (in my opinion).
(2)Julia B.
With a raise in salary, I could quickly become a regular at Little Savannah. The ambiance is fabulous, like you're being whisked away to an unknown spot in Birmingham (though the place was hoppin' at 8pm Friday night). The mixologist was super friendly and knowledgeable; he definitely has a passion for his craft (more than a bottle opener). The cheese plate ($15) was delicious, but could have been more generous. I thought it would be plenty to share for two people, but was a bit disappointed with the portion. The duck was out of this world. The duck was perfectly cooked (comfortably pink in the center with crisp outside), and the summer succotash had a tinge of flavorful jalapeno. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Caleigh R.
so sad and disappointed :( if you really want to know, ask. but on this particular night, I'm not even sure I should have given them 1 star :(
(1)Ayon J. R.
The food is fine, but feels overpriced. However, I cant say enough good things about the service staff. Also, this quite little place has its own charm.
(3)Andy L.
Little Savannah is a quaint store front restaurant on a busy street in suburban Birmingham. Paintings of farm animals line the walls (there is a definite fascination here with cows, in particular) and the ambiance is casual. The owners are serious about using and promoting local ingredients, and are hosting dinners with a local farmer/supplier each week during this summer season. We like the concept but found the execution in the kitchen short of expectations. We tried the Heirloom Tomato Salad ($12), which was a smattering of quartered tomatoes sprinkled with goat cheese and dressed in oil and balsamic vinegar. Goat cheese and nicely seasoned tomatoes are always a pleasant combination, but there was nothing about this salad to distinguish it from one that you might make at home. Chicken Livers ($11) were whole livers sauteed and presented simply with onions. They had a nice sweetness but, again, nothing special. Rosemary Marinated Pork chop ($25) was a bit dry, but had a nice caramelization to the outside crust. It was flavorful and the blue grits on the plate helped offset some of the dryness. The braised collard greens on the plate were cooked with pickled beets, which we found to be an astringent and unpleasant combination. If the preparation had been explained on the menu, I would have asked for a different vegetable. Grilled Redfish ($29) was prepared well enough, but presented over a horribly ice cold combination of vegetables (corn, peas, tomatoes, basil, onions and cucumbers) with an overwhelming cucumber flavor in the dish. No one at the table found this hot/cold cucumbery combination enjoyable. Veal ($30) was served over grits with rattle snake beans and a lemon-caper beurre blanc sauce. The sauteed veal was thin and tender but bland, and it really did not have anything in common with the other elements on the plate. The grits did not enhance or compliment the meat and the beans were overcooked. We ordered a bottle of 2008 La Spinetta Barbera d'Asti, Ca di Pian ($54; about $17 retail) which was a pleasant, early maturing wine that finally showed a bit of fruit after sitting open on the table for a half hour or so. Had it been spectacular, it still would not have made up for the unusually high markup in price. Service was fine, although our waitress seemed to be missing some of the southern charm that we have become used to in the city. We really wanted to like Little Savannah from the minute that we walked in the door. Unfortunately, the menu needs a lot more thought, the kitchen needs some inspiration and the service could use some leadership.
(2)Merry Michael S.
i am writing this review strictly based on service and libations. the third friday of the month forest park brings out the community with specials and sales at all of the businesses. little savannah has $5 cocktails so the hubs & i met some friends for happy hour after work. i ordered the queen's colony - it is the best drink i have had in quite a while. made with gin, fresh grapefruit, honey/basil syrup, and black pepper - it is not too sweet and the black pepper gives it a bite at the end. the bartender knew her stuff and the staff was extremely friendly, making us feel right at home. everything that came out of the kitchen smelled yummy and if we did not already have dinner plans we definitely would have sampled it. we will be back for sure!
(4)Chris S.
What an introduction to southern cuisine! It was late, I was hungry, and I was tired of traveling. My mom actually suggested this place so that is where I met her. Showing up it was pretty much dead only one or two other tables in the entire place but yet it still seemed upbeat and a fun place to be. It took quite a long time before a waitress came to get our drink orders or give us menus, as a result they gave us free drinks for the rest of the night. A piece of great customer service and a sign of a high quality restaurant. We ordered our appetizers, we started with fried Okra and a quail stuffed with fois gras. The okra was simply stunning, instead of the bite sized nuggets normally served these were the entire vegetable which really brought out its natural flavor and was quite good. The quail which was the special of the night was full of flavor and seasoned quite well. For my entree was beef medallions which were cooked quite well, I regret not writing this review sooner as many of details have been lost but oh well. All in all an expensive meal but well worth the cost for quality ingredients and a inventive and talented chef.
(5)Zach G.
Made a reservation here on valentines day last year for dinner. We got there and had to wait maybe 5 minutes at the bar while they fixed a table up for us. We always remember our waiter, Dallas, apologized for making us wait and gave us our first round of drinks for free. We only waited 5-6 minutes! The food could've been garbage but it wouldn't have mattered to us because we were already digging the experience. But of course, the food was good! I don't remember being blown away by what I ordered or anything but it was definitely tasty. It should also be known that I am not a food snob and I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to food. But, my girlfriend has a more "sophisticated" approach to food and she thought it was fantastic. Since it was a holiday it was really busy, and our food maybe took a little longer than usual to arrive but we didn't notice because we were enjoying our free drinks and talking. The chef then gave us some other soup or something for free since we had to wait. Given we are easy to please and not usually big spenders (nor do we appear to be), the fact that they went the extra mile meant a lot to us and made our V-day memorable. We felt like celebrities.
(5)Hoa N.
I am way overdue for a review on this place. I came here on my previous visit to the south last Christmas. I really enjoyed the spicy peach margarita. very creative and freshly made, a true representation of what the south is, sweet and spicy. The bartender really knows how to mix her drinks. Hopefully to try out their food on my next visit to Birmingham.
(5)Kyle A.
I gave Little Savannah another chance with their Community Table series this summer. My experience there was completely different from the first and the service was excellent. LS is now the comeback restaurant of the year for me!
(4)Monica H.
My father took my husband and I to eat at this restaurant while we were visiting Birmingham. Living in NY for 18 years, I can rightfully claim that I have eaten in some of the best restaurants in the world. I am not easily impressed nor was I looking to be. I thought we would get a nice casual meal. Boy was I wrong! From the moment I looked at the cocktails I knew we would be in for a very special dinner. EVERYTHING was delicious, inventive and top notch. I had the skirt steak which was cooked just right so that the meat was tender and not tough. My husband's duck was cooked to perfection and the dessert sampler at the end hit the spot. It was not cheap but worth every penny.
(5)Drew W.
Best Cocktails in town. (I've never tried the food though)
(5)Sara P.
My husband and I were visiting Birmingham for the weekend with our dear friends and we found Little Savannah by looking on Yelp. We were hopeful based on the reviews, but our expectations were far exceeded. The back patio was a great place to sit. Must haves: hummingbird cocktail, spicy peach margarita, fried okra, duck special, and all of the desserts. We recommend saving room for the dessert trio. Our waiter was so attentive and accommodating, and he helped make it an overall outstanding experience. We will definitely be back!
(5)paige m.
Little Savannah is a farm to table restaurant. We had a fabulous and creative meal here. The food and service were great. Wish I could eat there tonight.
(5)Erika S.
The weather was great, the experience was not. I've been wanting to go to Little Savannah for months now. Since Birmingham has very few "Sunday Brunch" options, we thought we would give it a shot. Upon entering we were quickly seated at the outdoor patio. The restaurant was 3/4 empty & the tables were bare. The overall decor seemed very eclectic, but very warm. After being seated we patiently waited for about 10+ minutes before I finally asked someone for a menu. Someone eventually handed us menus & a cold basket of biscuits. When we were greeted by a server she was more of a order taker, then a "server." I glanced at the mimosas on another table, but they were so pale & watered down, I passed. Since there no drinks listed we all settled on water. We ordered the most appealing things on the menu: crabcakes on a bed of spinach with a poached egg, "pigs in a blanket" & chicken strips with shoestring fries. The crabcake was quite tasty, but the bed of spinach was very salty, & the "poached hard" egg I requested was runny. The pigs in a blanket had an nice french toast batter, but the sausages left something to be desired. The chicken & fries were overcooked and didn't fair well. After semi finishing our food, we waited for 10-15 minutes before the server finally checked in with us & eventually gave us our check. Overall not a pleasant experience, but I think it has the potential to be good.
(2)