Bottle & Bone

Burgers were awesome. So were vegies and salad and wine! Great for before and after show at BJCC.

We we’re excited when the place opened up and have been trying to find an excuse to come, especially because they are a butcher too. We ordered 3 appetizers and 2 beers. The boudin was terrible. I love boudin when it is done correctly. The sausage balls were bland and the bacon flight was under cooked. How do you mess up bacon? Well as far as the boudin went I knew I wasn’t going to eat another bite. If this was a normal restaurant I would have sent it back. This isn’t a normal restaurant though. You order and pay at the counter before getting your food. So I thought that if they give me two beers which is less than the cost of the appetizer I will be satisfied. I got eye rolls and told they didn’t have the beer I wanted when in fact they did. She finally coughed up the two beers but I was made to feel bad for not liking the bad food. Not a pleasurable experience at all. We won’t be back.

What a great spot! Where do you find a fantastic deli, butcher shop, craft beer and wine store in Birmingham? Right here. I’ve had a couple of the sandwiches here and they do not disappoint, great sides. And the bacon brownie, I mean COME ON!

Came here for lunch one day. The menu was limited but we were still able to find what we wanted. The food was very good. Their meats are, of course, well seasoned and well cooked. Their bacon flight is a fun appetizer and so delicious too. The price for our meal was little steep for a hot dog and burger (even if it is a good one). But the price isn’t bad enough to keep me away permanently — just limit my availability. The décor is cool and minimal, but the seats in the restaurant are horribly uncomfortable. So much so that the seats are more likely to keep me away than the price.
I haven’t purchased any of their meats to cook at home simply because I have a butcher closer to home with more affordable prices.
This is definitely a place to try if you’re willing to splurge a little on meats. I just might recommend getting your food to-​go.

I really like the place. I do. The food for the restaurant is solid, the service is always top notch.
If you’re looking for a place to go out to eat, I highly recommend it. I desperately wish however,
they would step up and provide this community with local, farm raised, grass-​fed and finished beef. I would literally spend thousands annually here if they did. I hate driving to the burbs to a whole foods to get some national brand grass fed beef.

We have been wanting to try this place out and finally got around to it this week… and I am sooo glad that we did! We got there for happy hour (which is from 5 – 7 on weekdays) and were given a warm, friendly greeting by the staff. The happy hour offer $ 3 craft beers on draft and $ 5 bacon flights. We started looking at the wine selection before we ordered, and were told that you could buy any bottle (which were priced as they would be in retail stores) and drink it there with no corkage fee! This makes a huge difference in what you will spend, since most restaurants have about a 50% markup. The two bottles that we tried were great (and only about $ 14 a piece!) The waitress was incredibly friendly and attentive, and showed us to a table outside. We started with the happy hour bason flight, which was delicious! After looking at the menu, we decided to stay for dinner. My partner had the burger, which was perfectly cooked and tasted great. I had the braised pork torta… and it was delicious as well. We both had the roasted potato salad, and were both impressed with it too. I definitely can not wait to go back soon… if even just to grab a bottle of wine and relax. Very highly recommended!

Went here with friends sat outside great place. Tried the bacon flight delicious who doesn’t like bacon and beer go and try their specials have fun

All aspects that were endearing about this place have vanished. I came for a late lunch today and was greeted with disappointment after disappointment. Gone is all but a few feet of the centerline ‘high bar’ seating; replaced with difficult to navigate through, uncomfortable and cheap looking 4-​top tables. Gone is the convenient entry from the parking lot side; replaced with a locked door and tiny decal indicating one needs to use the ‘front’ door. Gone are the enthusiastic and knowledgable staff; replaced with kind hearted folks who don’t know a thing about what they are serving. Gone is the meat case stocked with freshly prepped and inventive cuts; replaced with bare shelves and dry-​looking, over-​priced generic hunks of meat (no labels). Gone is the window to the butcher room; taped over with butcher paper and making that formerly delightful corner very dark and ominous. And, most tragically, gone is the fantastic food. I came with a hankering for a Beef on Weck. Their current, very limited, menu only offers a Beef on Yeast… Which sounded like a suitable substitute. I wish I hadn’t wasted my $ 12 (9.95 + tax and tip). Out came a sandwich that looks like wet dog food served on a burned bun. Gone is the arugula, replaced with shredded, wilted iceberg. Gone is the melt in your mouth meat hunks in flavorful broth; replaced with chewy, sinewy brisket in a gel for flavorless congealed fat. Gone is the delightful roll; replaced with some ‘yeast’ bun that is barely recognizable it is so torched. Gone is the horseradish aioli; replaced with plain ol’ mayo. I’ll spare you the additional complaints… b*tch, b*tch, moan-​moan. What a sad outcome to a great concept for a restaurant. This marks my last visit here.

I’m torn on my rating. I so wish there were half stars. But, alas, there are not.
I’ve been 3 times but only once when there wasn’t an event there. For the events, the food was awesome. The sandwiches were tasty and the beer selection plentiful. However, going there on a random Friday night was a different story. They only had one beer on draft, making their ‘draft options’ wall look oh so sad. I had the ham and cheese sandwich, and, while the flavors were good, the bread was hard as a rock. My husband had their duck special, which I tried. It was kind of flavorless.
Positives from the night were the beloved bacon flight and the service. The staff was nice enough to move a table outside for us upon request.
Because of the great food I’ve had here on event nights, I will go back. However, they’ve got to step up their every day game.

The food was awesome, service was quick. Beer was yummy and the recommendation was spot on.

This place is the epitome of the struggling to be relevant food scene in Birmingham. It so wants to be a legitimate concept like exists in many other cultured and diverse cities but just falls so incredibly flat. It’s about as «Meh» an experience as you can imagine. I don’t care what Zagat has to say about the scene in Bham, this is just more evidence that their drift towards total irrelevance is completely justified and I don’t have to feel bad that I stopped paying attention to Zagat back in like 2006.
Maybe the butcher side of things has more credibility so this isn’t a review of that just the restaurant side execution.
I grabbed two sandwiches to go for us to share so we could get a taste of a couple things since this place has had so much fanfare. The Beef on Weck was absolutely nothing special at all. There was basically no au jus and barely any horseradish sauce at all. And, no salt on the bun? What is that all about? Far from authentic and for a butcher shop the meat was pretty skimpy – but more on that in a minute.
I get that artisanal sandwich shops are not going to load up a sandwich with ½ pound of meat a la another butcher shop in town high up on a ridge that pumps out some sturdy sandwiches. I get that the products at an artisan shop is going to cost more. I’ve got no problem paying $ 10+ for a sandwich but it should be worthy of it. I’m posting. A picture of the BLT and you can decide for yourself what a joke this is. I’m pretty sure it speaks for itself. If the bacon were somehow made of gold or incredibly special other than it being «your own in house» bacon I could see justifying only using basically a slice and a half for an entire sandwich, but the bacon itself wasn’t even all that great.
Clearly there aren’t that many people who care or know any different or they’re just benefiting from location and tourist/​convention traffic but this place wouldn’t survive a week in a city that had any real expectations for their food.
Sorry, I won’t bother to give it another shot

We arrived around 7:30 on a Monday night and the place was packed. You wait in line and order and the counter, take a # and they bring you the food. The employee taking our order was somewhat overwhelmed with how busy they were and he said it was 50% busier than a normal Monday night. They were out of a few things because of that.
The food: We ordered a bacon flight, which included 6 or 7 different types of bacon, including their own house cured bacon. They didn’t give us a description of what we were eating, which would have been nice. There was an awesome variety of flavor.
I ordered their hamburger, which comes with a side of potato chips, salad or potato salad. I requested my hamburger be cooked medium but it came out well done. It was also a pretty small patty, which was disappointing.

First time I ate here, I was disappointed but after my 2^nd experience I realized I had ordered the wrong thing!
This time I settled for the beef on weck sandwich with a side of greens and cornbread. The brisket was tender and fantastic. There was no vinegar or hot sauce provided for the greens, but when I asked for some they gave me some kind of house-​made hot sauce that was pretty good.
For dessert I had a Baking Bandit’s brownie and a glass of red wine. Being able to purchase a bottle and then split it at the table is a great way to bypass the $ 8 per glass price. Our table split a $ 12 bottle of wine and the price was more affordable!

Driving through Alabama for work, I wanted to stop in Birmingham since I’ve never been before. I actually referred to Unilocal for suggestions for good southern food and this was top of the list.
I got here during brunch hours, which was unexpected but turned out to be absolutely in my favor.
I ordered the pork belly on a bed of collards with cheese grits. Everything was super delicious and I would definitely come back for other meals. Highly recommend!

I’m going to have to go another time before I really make my decision on bottle and bone, but here’s my first impression. We went on a Friday night for my birthday. Parking was hellacious, but that isn’t their fault. The lady who took our order was incredibly awkward and slightly rude. Then, they forgot to get my husband’s beer so he had to wait in line again because they wouldn’t acknowledge him. Over half of the tables in the place were reserved and so seating was difficult. There was a party in the side room, and the women inside were insufferable, but it isn’t the establishment’s fault.
Now, on to the food. I got the beef on weck, but after getting it realized I was allergic to one of the seeds on the bread so I traded for the boudin burger with my husband. It was nice, but kind of mushy and it could have been on the grill for maybe a minute longer to remedy that. The beef on weck was very fatty and chewy, although a friend who had the same thing did not have this problem. It was probably just a not so great cut of beef.
The best thing was the bacon flight. I think we will try that and the charcuterie next time. I think they are still having some hiccups, so I will give them another shot.

Summary: Inventive, solid charcuterie/​cheese snacks and beer/​wine pairings that are a bit overpriced for what you get
Atmosphere: The restaurant is right in the heart of the new «Uptown» near the new Westin and BJCC. As others have said it’s big, cold and not particularly warm. I suspect this is because they have to keep the space cool for the meat and the wall of beers that they also sell. The upside is that the space seems very clean, with a mix of high-​table/​stool seating and small table seating. You order and get a table number in a holder and someone brings you your food/​drink. This makes the whole experience a bit cold and less intimate.
Food (I’m vegetarian): I got the kimchi pimento cheese sandwich, cheese flight, and wine flight (~$ 40 excluding tip). The cheese sandwich was one of the better pimento cheese dishes I’ve had. The cheese was well balanced and while they call it a kimchi, it was more like a relish that really gave a nice vinegar-​y bite and crunch. The toasted bread was perfect for this sandwich, although it was cold once I got it. The arugula inside was perfect as well. The cheese flight came with a blue cheese, a goat’s milk cheese, a sheep’s milk cheese, and a pecorino (I think) which all came on a cheese board with bits of honey brittle and a homemade tomato jam. A side of saltine crackers came with it. It was a great cheese plate. The wines were ok, 2 reds (red blend, pinot noir i think) and 2 whites (pinot gris and reisling). Food rating: 4 stars. Price: 2.5 stars.
Overall: The food is star at this place, with a real charcuterie vibe. But, don’t come here for a substantial meal. I thought I ordered a lot, but after eating it all, it felt like a snack. $ 40 for a snack is simply too much and I feel like I’ve been bamboozled out of my money only because it’s next to the convention center where business people probably come and lay down a ton of money. The atmosphere was meh. I don’t think I’d come back again.

The great service is the reason for my 5 stars. I ordered the charcuterie, and when I had questions, the chef came out personally and talked to me.
The meal itself was more of a sampler platter of various meats than an actual dish.
If you’re looking for lean meat like deli cold cuts, you should pass on ordering this. The meat on the plate is high fat content, and while I’m the kind of person that cuts off the fat on my steaks, the fat in this meat is smooth and flavorful. The chicken liver moose was also better than expected.
Never tried their wine, but they have a decent selection. They butcher their own meat here too, giving the assurance the meat is top shelf.
I paid about 25.00 after tip. Not a cheap meal, but if you’re looking for something different and unique, keep this place in mind.

I have a confession to make. One day after attending a special Unilocal tasting event at Bottle & Bone, I came back to order more of the ridiculously delicious food and to purchase more wine for a holiday party. The shop boasts a laid back atmosphere and a clean minimal décor theme that pairs well with the fresh cuts of meats hanging in the viewing window of «butcher stadium». It also has cool and clever metal hanging signs that declare this brew or wine pairs well with an artistic representation of various animals (pig, chicken, etc.).
Presently, I’m thinking of any reason to drop by to order the Beef on Weck sandwich and to have a glass of wine. It literally melts in your mouth and leaves you craving more. My personal favorites include the following: Smoked Chicken Salad sandwich (made with Dr. Pepper-​brined Chicken and served on Honey White Bread), Kimchi Pimento Cheese Sandwich (made with in house Pimento Cheese, Korean Pickled vegetables, Arugula and served on honey white bread), and the Beef on Weck Sandwich (made of Roasted Brisket, Brown Sauce, Crème Fraîche and served on a Caraway Bun).
Bottle & Bone has plenty of craft beers and wines available for every budget range. In addition, the shop also serves yummy Baking Bandits baked goods, has a «meating» room that can host private events, hosts weekly one hour beer and wine tastings (Monday through Friday at 4:30 p.m.), and can accommodate special orders for any beer, wine, or meat in two business days. Do your taste buds a favor and drop by soon for some great service from the extremely knowledgeable and courteous staff, food, brews, and wine. To be perfectly honest, I’m likely on my way for another taste as you read this review!

It’s obvious when you spend more than a few seconds inside Bottle & Bone that real heart and soul has been put into this place. The décor might be sterile, but honestly that’s ideal for a butcher shop! The realness is in the meat cases — beautiful cuts of beef and pork that had me doing a double take — «What IS that?» I’ve never seen such beautiful chorizo and I can’t wait to go back and buy some. I also look forward to what cured meat they will offer in the future — as of now, the charcuterie section of their case is a little on the slim side, though admittedly I might be a little spoiled by other fancy deli departments. They are also working on their beer selection, but have quite a few local brews in cans and a few on tap (including Trim Tab and Straight to Ale!).
Now, for the food — these are quality sandwiches. My dude tried some of the kimchi pimento cheese and even as a person who dislikes peppers and unusually textured things, he absolutely loved it. The beef on weck is every bit the hype it might seem from other reviews — truly makes me wonder what demigod’s altar I need to pray at to cook a brisket like this. All of these sandwiches are heavy, nap-​inducing concoctions, and nothing in this store is vegetarian friendly (in case the hanging meat portions in the window didn’t give that away). I had extremely high hopes for this place when the idea was initially being hatched but I can honestly say those expectations have been met. If you make only one visit to Uptown, it undoubtedly must be Bottle and Bone.

As soon as I saw the bacon flight on the menu I knew I would love this place. The only reason that they got 4 stars instead of 5 is because they didn’t have a spicy bacon option (ex. big bad breakfast spicy bacon.) They said they were working on it so if that happens then I’ll update to a 5!
I was too excited about the bacon to order anything else but my boyfriend got the smoked chicken salad sandwich and said it was fantastic. I think they butter and lightly toast the bread so he really appreciated the attention to detail.
The atmosphere is great, I would say its perfect for groups, a casual date night, or lunch. We will def be back with some friends and get all 4 flights (Bacon, cheese, beer & wine)