Helen

I have three words to say about Helen; amazing, amazing, and amazing. The atmosphere, food, friendliness, everything was spectacular. I would like to comment about one item. I heard one person say she didn't like celery, anothe said she didn't like blue cheese, and a third didn't like either. But all three said they love the celery blue cheese salad. It was indescribably fantastic.

If you want to go to the "fancy place" to eat in Birmingham, you go to Helen. Sure there's other nice restaurants, but Helen is an establishment. Lunch is actually very reasonably priced. 2 people can share 2 appetizers each and have an amazing lunch for around $50. The ribs are great, as are the slaw and brussel sprouts. With a full bar and an extensive wine selection it's also just a great place to grab drinks.

Helen was highly recommended by local friends and they weren't wrong. I went for dinner last night with 2 friends and we easily had the best meal I've eaten in a long time. Starting with the rustic chic atmosphere and friendly, professional staff, everything about the evening was perfect. The cocktail menu offered some interesting artisan cocktails with fun names, which were all expertly. As for the food...We started with the biscuits which were warm, freshly baked, flaky, buttery and served with the most delicious whipped butter. Then we had the corn " ribs " - grilled panels of fresh corn on the cob with a delicious creamy sauce and a bit of heat. We chose the short rib with white BBQ sauce which could have easily fed 6 people, but was so perfectly smoked, fall off the bone tender, the 3 of us did a good job polishing off more than half of it. Accompanying the meat were smashed roasted potatoes that were out of this world. Crispy, crunchy exteriors and super smooth, pillowy and soft inside. For dessert, the dark chocolate mousse was rich and satisfying. Chocolate crunch and flaked salt added texture and flavor. The one disappointment was the tomato tart appetizer. It wasn't bas by any means, but just not the caliber of the rest of the meal. But the tart aside, the meal was absolutely flawless. Generous portions of delicious Southern food. Author of The Fresh Eggs Daily Cookbook

It seems that Helen might just be a bit overhyped. We like to base our dining enjoyment on three things: 1. Ambiance 2.Service 3. Food. Ambiance- Helen has an inviting historic urban façade; however, upon entry, the interior falls short of capturing the same charm. Linear seating did not lend itself to the coziness we expected. Service- Our waiter was excellent and charmed our table of 5. He had great suggestions and was personable and attentive. The wait staff at the front made it apparent to mention the 7 o’clock table as we entered just a few minutes late (we did call). Appetizers- The Biscuits were a negligible contribution to dinner. The Mushrooms on the mushroom toast were sloppily thrown in bits and pieces on the non-evident toast below. Next were the two salads. Spring greens were thrown on a plate with a few apple slices. Lamb chops are more like lame chops. The taste was as poor as the presentation, charred on the outside, and bland overall. The quarter chicken was stacked nicely and looked pretty but very greasy and bland. To end on a high note, the last two dishes were not too bad. The duck (pictured) was juicy and tender and presented very well, and the fish was palatable.

I finally went to HELEN'S!!! I wanted to go because I saw a picture where they cut the steak like the do the tomahawk at Fleming's, lol(I love that). I did not have a reservation so I arrived early before they opened hoping to get a table, and by the grace of God I did, thank you Kristine, she was very helpful and kind. The restaurant is beautiful and the atmosphere is peaceful even after it was crowded, and the service was good. My server, Kim, was knowledgeable but trying to rush us the entire time. We ordered the warm angel biscuits, sweet corn ribs, grilled lamb porterhouse chops(2), and I had the 22 oz 35 day dry aged bear creek farm ribeye(bone-in). Every bit of it was DIVINE!!! Nothing needed additional seasoning or sauce. I did try the warm banana pudding(very thin pudding with no bananas or taste and only the meringue was warm), which was given as a courtesy by DanieI, who has the most charismatic personality and kind as they come, THANK YOU, because of an issue with my server, and I did not like it. I have eaten ribeye steak at every restaurant in birmingham, and Perry's and now Helen's are my top two. I will return to also try the short rib and more... ALL IN ALL, HELEN'S IS AN EXCEPTIONAL DINING EXPERIENCE. Don't take my word, try it for yourself.

This was our first time at Helen and we weren’t sure what to expect. The restaurant itself is rustic and I loved the vibes. We were a few minutes late to our reservation, called to let them know and they were flexible. Oysters 10/10, probably the best I’ve ever had! I had a green salad which was simple, but delicious… the ranch bacon!! Loved it. My husband ordered the grouper, which we both loved the cook of the fish but weren’t too thrilled with the sauce. It just seemed a little heavy. I had the dry-aged Kansas City strip. We both liked the steak but did feel that it was priced a little high for what we received. Our Yukon gold potatoes were maybe heavy on the oil or a little overdone to our liking but I loved the dill, crème fraîche sauce that accompanied. And finally the chocolate mousse tart was awesome! I would say the appetizer, dessert and the hospitality made it for me. Overall, worth trying!