Ragtime Cafe

I had the opportunity to have lunch with my wife today, she and her co-​worker suggested I grab take out from Ragtime. Never a bad choice. so I agreed. I called in the order waited 15 minutes or so and went to pick it up. Apparently take-​out at Ragtime is BIG business. I called at 11:00 on the dot/​opening time and I was one of several patrons waiting for a pick up orders upon my arrival. The in house operation was pretty hopping as well around 11.15 this afternoon the patio was rapidly approaching capacity and the dining area was a few parties away from standing room only.
The young woman behind the bar never stopped moving the entire time I was there. She handled a constantly ringing phone, take-​out patrons, diners eating at the bar as well as I imagine one could manage that number of people at one time. It was impressive to watch. I glanced around a small bar area and noticed roughly 12 – 14 taps with offerings of Guinness, Abita, Cahaba Brewing and various other plus a full bar with daily specials. The bar has always enjoyed a steady group of regulars and it’s easy to see why with the caliber of service I witnessed today.
On to the food. My wife had the Ragtime Wedge minus onion and an order of regular wings with bleu cheese. The wedge ranked up there with the best wedge salads she’s had with blue cheese crumbles and bacon. I managed to steal one wing when she wasn’t looking. The wings were steaming hot, crispy, aptly sauced large buffalo wings. She ordered regular which is medium /​a little mild for my taste but with very good flavor… top 10 wings in Birmingham caliber with in house made chunky bleu cheese dressing.
My wife’s co-​worker had the Mediterranean salad– this was our first meeting so I didn’t ask for a bite. I kind of wanted to though… it looked great… lots of chopped chicken, olives, onions, feta, penne pasta and a house vinaigrette. She said it was wonderful.
At the recommendation of the ever moving bartender who took my order over the phone I opted for the Pimento Cheese Burger. Do you remember when you could order a burger cooked the way you want? Yea that’s still happening at Ragtime. I happily ordered the burger medium and expected well done. What I received was far beyond my expectations. The burger was cooked perfectly the thick hand pattied burger was blanketed in thick crisp bacon and topped with griddled golden delicious pimento cheese. This was the best burger I’ve had in quite some time. I may dream about that burger tonight. It was that good.
I haven’t dined at Ragtime in some time. I usually grabbing something from there on occasion. I’m now rating this establishment as a take-​out place as I’ve utilized it. There is no comparison. All of the food was freshly prepared. All of the orders were correct. I ordered extra bleu cheese for my wife’s wings and guess what it was in there. There is a reason the parking lots is always packed and they generate so much take-​out business. I hereby rescind my prior review for a review commensurate with the quality and service I received. I defy you to find a better take-​out operation in town offering this level of quality and diversity in its menu, while providing friendly, efficient and prompt service.

Seafood mixed with bar food. Ragtime is a small restaurant in a strip mall type location that has a menu that is too varied to work well. They kinda sorta present a New Orleans style menu but they are really all over the place. Quiche, Mediterranean, BBQ Burgers and so forth. The food would almost certainly be better if they committed to a single theme. Not that the food is bad. It isn’t. Some of the choices are quite good. My thought is they could be much better with a single signature approach. Cocktail bar off to the side as you enter but really too small to host a large gathering during a busy time of day, like after work. Tables outside, thus the «Café» part of the name. Ragtime is a café like 7 – 11 food is uh… food. You won’t be disappointed if your expectations are modest. One thing that for me kills Ragtime as doable choice for food or drinks. The noise. I’ve never been in an establishment this loud that a rock concert wasn’t taking place. It really is mind numbing. If you want to be heard 1^st your table you will be yelling if the place is busy. I guess the small space and dynamics of the room is the main problem but if you get there before the rush but are there through it you will leave with your ears ringing. Could be the best food on earth and I still wouldn’t want to spend any time there. If you are close by, it’s not a peak hour time of the day for restaurants and you don’t expect Hot and Hot caliber food Ragtime could work for you. Just avoid like Ebola for lunch unless you enjoy eating underneath a jet engine and screaming at your party. Peace.

Great sportsfan atmosphere but REALLY loud on a Friday night. Food was alright — 20 min wait was typical — fast service with a smile.

First time here and a nice surprise, had the club… The pineapple was a nice twist on this staple sandwich for lunch. I had only planned on eating half but it was just too good to stop
Friendly staff, reasonable service time for lunch.
Will be returning to try other things on the menu, a coworker that recommended this place had a fish sandwich. He really enjoyed the flavor and freshness.

This place was walking distance to our hotel and since ALABAMA doesn’t have Über and cabs are impossible this Washington e best option for myself, my wife and our friends. Beer was good. Ordered appetizers, pretzels and chicken fingers. They were tasty. We enjoyed the atmosphere most of all.

Great food, this place would be more popular if not for all the 60 year old white guys who take up space at the bar and on the patio & all argue with each other about sports, politics & religion.

This is not a food review… I have been in there twice but haven’t tried the food. It smells great in there. The second visit was about a year ago. I wanted to place an order to go. I walked in and looked at the menu and asked the waitress about the cut of beef in the special of the day. She hollered my question back to the kitchen and I got a snide remark from back because I had not heard of the cut of beef. Okay. Smart a**. I started to leave but really wanted to try the food. The restaurant was completely empty except for the packed bar. I’m talking about standing room only! The waitress on the restaurant side directed me to the bar to place the order to go. What? You want me to wade through all those people to the bar and hope to get the bartenders attention to get food to go? I’m not a prude but at this point in my life I am not interested in hanging out in the typical pick up bar full of young/​wannabe young people trying to impress each other. If that’s your thing… great. Perhaps they should have an alternative way to order food to go that is convenient for the customer. I went to the bar but they were too busy so I left. I am sure the food good but making your restaurant an accommodating establishment is important too. Its called service. The waitress had no customers at all so why couldn’t she assist me? To the ego in the kitchen… bite me!

Mediocre food, nice staff, slow service. Waited until I’d eaten an appetizer and my side item to tell me they didn’t have my entrée item. Nice people but not worth it overall. Big disappointment.

This last minute dinner destination was courtesy of my aunt not being able to decide what she was really craving. I had noticed this place multiple times on my way to work and it was almost always packed. I decided on the blue cheese burger while my aunt chose the chicken alfredo. My burger: cooked to a perfect medium rare but not anything spectacular. On the other hand my aunt’s pasta was absolutely perfect. It was honestly the best I’ve ever had. I would definitely still recommend this place and give props for the wide range of choices, atmosphere, and service.

Long wait to be seated, the food was worth it. Ordered baked oysters ragtime, wedge salad, shrimp po boy. Taste buds were delighted. I forget what husband ordered, it must have been good since his plate was clean.

Unbelievable food!!! We’re are from Denver Colorado where they claim to have good food but you can’t get a real Rib Eye sandwich like this!!!
The grilled shrimp with cilantro lime butter and mild wings were amazing!!!
They have the best ranch in most of the states we’ve sampled and we are ranch connoisseurs!!!
The drink specials are welcomed with a lovely Long Island that was delicious and a steal at 5.00 on Fridays!

Speechless. As a world traveler and a foodie, I am blown away that this goldmine is in Alabama. I would have paid $ 100 for the entrée I got (blackened grouper with shrimp and crab topping). It cost FAR less than that… I’m here on biz, and there’s way more people here than I have seen at any of the local bars. The Long Island tea is unbelievably delicious and potent too. In a major city this would be a reservation only hotspot… in Alabama, it’s like an oasis that turns out to be a water park.

Rainy Saturday lunch. Located in a small strip mall. Indoor and outdoor seating. Seated promptly by a very friendly hostess. Drink order taken while seated. Promptly greeted by server. Ordered Fried Mozzarella as appetizer. More like cheese logs. Very good. Kid had Buffalo Chicken sandwich (reason we’re here) and it was a hit. 8.5÷10 per his scale. Wifey had Cheddar Bacon Chicken sandwich with Pasta salad. Sandwich was awesome with no added condiments. Pasta Salad was a meal in itself. Whole table shared, awesome! I had the Blackened Burger. It was good. Nothing special, but fresh and tasty cooked to order. Got crowded right at lunch hour. We will definitely be back.

Great place to grab a quick lunch.
I was rushing to get back to work, so I sat at the bar and ordered to go. This place is moderately full at lunch, with a crowd that feels like regulars. The bartender was really nice and took my order quickly.
I ended up getting the quiche and it came with fruit and a pasta salad. The quiche was nice and filling. I wasn’t that big a fan of the pasta salad and ended up not eating it. I liked the variety of fruit they give you.
Overall I think this is a great place to grab a bite to eat. It has a small town feel about it that is nice.

I really enjoyed Ragtime Café.
It’s a cozy nook!
Very popular on Friday nights-​the servers seem to know the regulars by name.
Good family spot, but get there early if you plan on bringing a group larger than 2 – 3.
The long island iced tea is hands down the best in town! this might actually be the first time I’ve had one in about a year, but please believe, I’ll be back looking for another round. Even though my drink was so amazingly good, my meal was not that outstanding (which is why I withheld a star). I ordered the steak burger… wrong menu item! Its never good to settle for something else that you’d rather have. Nonetheless, I had back up with my husbands yummy cajun pasta (kinda salty after while though), and the showstopper… buffalo chicken fingers on the appetizer menu. Next time, I’ll be good with a bowl of those and a side of fries– true american dish!
Priced just right and a casual night out.
you’re welcome & enjoy!
don’t worry, be HAPPY!

Either I’m getting older or this is the strongest long island I’ve ever had!
Oh wait, I’m here to review my experience… so let’s jump in! A unique little spot that I definitely recommend you give a shot.
To start, very crowded on Friday evening around 7 (as to be expected) but it wasn’t a turn off at all. You can smell the seafood in the air as soon as you walk in (not a bad thing at all). The restaurant is split into a bar side (stays open an hour or so later than the kitchen) and a restaurant side. We were seated in about 5 mins, so no worries here.
We started with an appetizer of Buffalo-​Style Chicken Fingers which were Huge, Hot and Amazing! Very good starter… be sure to get some bleu cheese or ranch to compliment. Friday is also apparently «pick any special» night (see my photo) so my wife and I both had $ 5 long islands… refer to my opening tagline for commentary on this.
I ordered the cajun chicken pasta while wifey had some variety of burger. The cajun chicken pasta had amazing cajun flavor and really packed a good flavor punch. Only thing is all that flavor makes it a borderline sodium-​bomb, ready to explode at your next annual! A little turned off by this but if dialed down a tad… excellent dish! The burger (that I took a bite of) was a good burger, but nothing to make it a stand-​out, must-​have burger!
All in all, very good dinner and we’ll definitely return to try some other items off the fairly diverse menu!

Nice surprise dining at Ragtime Café tonight! Love the patio dining with fans keeping it cool. Super friendly clientele and servers. Food was exactly what you would expect and beyond. After all, it is a strip mall! Excellent job on the grilled grouper. Truly could not ask for better value and the service extended to our dog; unparalleled! We will return with puppy in tow.

Ragtime Café is one of my favorite place to go have a good meal. The food is fresh and you can tell that they take a lot of pride in what they serve.
I had cheese logs as an app, fried chicken tenders as main dish, and fries for my side. Every thing came out fast and I had no problem with anything.
I will definitely be back to Ragtime and hope that you go too!

Ragtime Café is a great neighborhood restaurant whether it is for a quick lunch or a relaxing afternoon or evening on the patio with friends (also the patio is dog-​friendly). There is a wide selection on the menu, and the daily lunch specials are always good (country fried steak and chicken pot pie are two of my favorites!). Homemade quiche is also usually available at lunch. On the sandwich board, I would recommend the buffalo chicken sandwich, the muffaletta, and the shrimp po-​boy. The fries are seasoned crinkle-​cut and very good, but the pasta salad is also a good choice for a side. On the entrée side, I like either the Cajun chicken or shrimp pasta. Salads are humongous! If you have a sweet tooth, the homemade strawberry cake or key lime pie are excellent choices when they are available.

Love to eat here! This is a go-​to place for the hubby and I when we want take out. It is always busy for lunch and dinner; full of regulars. Small bar; patio open in warm months for outdoor dining!
Everything that we have ever ordered has never disappointed. But my absolute favorite item on the menu is the grilled buffalo chicken fingers and the Grilled Chicken & Artichoke pizza. The salads are also really good– I reccomend the chopped oriental.
But unfortunately closed on Sundays.