Oscars at the Museum

NOTE: This review is for the Sunday Brunch Buffet & Concert that occurs the first Sunday of each month.
We were literally going to Waffle House on Sunday morning when, in a moment of boredom, I hopped on Unilocal and this little gem popped up! Lucky for us, it was the first Sunday of the month and we were only five minutes away. Thank you, Unilocal!
*What is it?
Brunch food buffet and a live band at the restaurant inside the Birmingham Museum of Art.
*How much is it?
$ 30/​person– this includes all buffet fare, one free alcoholic drink (champagne, mimosa, bloody mary, beer, etc.), in addition to water, juice, coffee, tea, soda, etc.
*What kind of food?
EVERYTHING! There are three tables:
TABLE 1– omelette station, prime rib, coca cola based ham, waffles and bacon
TABLE 2– green salad, fruit medley, Mediterranean orzo salad, salmon, cream cheese, bagels, scones, muffins, Thai Shrimp Salad, roasted root vegetables, green beans, Shrimp n’ grits, yeast rolls, chicken n’ dumplings, and some other times I’ve forgotten.
TABLE 3 (dessert table!) — Cheesecake, chocolate cheesecake, raspberry cheesecake, Italian Lemon cake, Strawberry Shortcake, Pecan pie, pumpkin pie, apple tart, apple pie, ice cream, and a number of other delicious, albeit ambiguous dessert offerings.
*What kind of music?
I think it varies, but we had a smooth jazz quintet going, and they were fabulous!
As with any buffet, some things were fabulous, and some not so much so. However, there is something for everybody here, and well worth the price!
I highly recommend it!

Oscars is a great idea — restaurant in a museum. How very European. Oscars is perfect for taking a break from the exhibits. You don’t have to rush through the experience. The menu is simple and short, but the food is really good. I ordered the chicken fingers — very crispy. The fries are really, really good. They offer a lot of local products, and have a small selection of drinks. If you’re going to spend the day at the Birmingham Museum, I recommend planning to eat here.

Not a bad place for one time experience! Otherwise the selection and service is not bad, but the price is too much for $ 30 per person for the once a month brunch! If you arrive before 12pm cst, them no alcohol! Enjoy!

Always good. You pay a premium to be at the museum but worth every dollar in my opinion. The atmosphere is a little stuffy but who cares– go enjoy a beautiful space and great food!

They have a GREAT Sunday brunch once a month– live music, meat carving station, omelets, fruit, breads, salads, shrimp and grits, and lots of desserts! Wait staff is personable and attentive. I look forward to returning.

A Sunday brunch with live music at the museum?! Sign me up! I brought my friend to celebrate her last week as a bachelorette – wild ladies, aren’t we?! We came in around 1:45 and were the last to dine. It was a nice crowd of people – families and friends, all in great spirits.
The buffet option was great. I agree with Meliya B – that shrimp salad was very good! I’ll have to check out the Bloody Mary’s another time ;) There was a lot of food and I wanted a small taste of it all. They had a nice size table with lunch type food, another table with breakfast food, and of course the dessert table. The staff were very friendly and helpful and we had a delightful time.
I didn’t realize that since we’re patrons of the museum, we get a 10% off perk! However… it’s a big pricey. It is great quality and lots of food, but I think next time I go, I’ll make sure it’s much earlier so we can eat a little here and there, enjoy a drink and the music, and then have some more to eat! I can’t wait to take my hubby next time!

I took a friend to lunch for her birthday, and Oscar’s was her choice. It was not our first visit, and we’ve never been disappointed. When we arrived at 11:30am the crowd was sparse but by the time we left most of the tables were full and an event had been seated next to the windows. Despite the crowd, service was attentive and gracious.
We both had the Croque Madame sandwiches with sweet potato fries. The presentation was lovely, the flavor delightful. We had talking to do and we were never rushed. It’s not a quick lunch spot, but it’s worth it if you don’t have a tight schedule. We did not have time to stroll around the museum afterwards, but if you can, do. The Birmingham Museum of Art is a gem, and free.

Excellent lunch! Wait staff was very nice and attentive, and the food was excellent. I had the chicken salad which came out great. It had capers and olives, with a citrus-​y dressing on the side. The chicken breast was cooked perfectly; nice and juicy.
Overall, this is an excellent place to stop for lunch, especially since you can walk around the museum for free! I’ll be back.

On the first Sunday of every month, they have a brunch buffet. Food varies from fried chicken to seasoned salmon to waffles to made to order omelettes to breakfast pastries to three different types of cake. The set up is very nicely done, as so much food can be overwhelming. The wait staff is attentive, although they have an abundant amount of customers. After brunching, you can walk around the museum — free of cost, which is a good idea, considering you’ve just eaten so much. Dress code isn’t specified, but it’s best to go in business casual to be on the safe side. You can make reservations online at the museum website. Try to get there as early as possible since it’s always busy. For $ 28/​person, this is a deal! Def a good way to start your Sunday!

I have a vague family connection to this restaurant. My second cousin’s fiancée is an assistant chef here. I went out to dinner with this lovely foodie couple and realized that I had to try this place before I left town! Luckily I had an afternoon flight so I had just enough time to grab lunch here the day I was leaving.
We arrived a few minutes before opening so had a chance to take a look at the amazing Renaissance art collection the museum has amassed the last few years as well as a current exhibition of Victorian locket eye art; which is about as odd as it sounds.
The restaurant itself is airy and comfortable. Set up in a large open area with views of an outdoor sculpture and fountain garden. Made for some striking photos for Unilocal btw,
We received complimentary hummus and pita chips. Hummus always makes me happy and it was clear the chips were made in house.
I had asked what Chris’ favorite dish here was. I love asking this question and hope for total honestly.
He told me the knuckle sandwich, featuring sauteed lobster claws and knuckle meat, local tomatoes, shaved red onion, grilled scallions and field greens with house-​made tarragon mayo on focaccia bread. So of course I ordered this. This is not a ladies who lunch sandwich. It is a wonderful messy feast of lobster meat with dressing on bread soaked in the mayo. I had a visceral moment with a simple perfect bite. You know what I mean — the balance of each ingredient combined that captures everything the chef meant to say in one mouthful. The freshness of the tomato with the savory mayo, tender lobster, and buttery soft focaccia brought tears to my eyes. No seriously you know how that one bite can bring tears to your eyes? It really did.
I had a chance to talk about the localvore philosophy with both the server and the assistant chef and was glad to hear that most of the fresh ingredients were provided by a northern Alabama farm. It doesn’t mean every single ingredient is available all the time but it does mean that the ingredients are fresh and come from a farm that genuinely cares how their food is grown. You really can taste the difference though I know a lot of people would be cynical about that.
I look forward to hearing about (and tasting!) some of the fresh ideas they have in store for the restaurant.
I wish I’d had more time to savor the experience and try a dessert but I had to run. I have heard their monthly brunch buffet is crazy good. I’ll have to remember that the next time I’m in town.