<p>I will be at UA next weekend for the Uday and Alabama-Arkansas game, which I am very excited for. I was wondering what are the best/favorite places to eat in T-town. Thanks for your help!</p>
<p>My D and I recommend the Cypress Inn. We shared their sampler platter and the yummy peanut butter pie.</p>
<p>Buffalo Phils on the strip…you’ll get the “feel” of the campus…lots of kids eat there. If you like Sushi there is a place on the strip called Bento…again another student hang out.</p>
<p>Bento Japanese…the Bento’s Chicken is yummy</p>
<p>Full Moon BBQ…everything good, including desserts</p>
<p>Wings U …wings, specialty pizzas</p>
<p>Iguana Grill…Mexican</p>
<p>Mellow Mushroom…specialty pizzas</p>
<p>DePalma’s…Italian</p>
<p>Nicks in the Sticks (really called, Nick’s Filet House)…everything good…and the drink, the Nicodemus is its specialty)</p>
<p>I texted D for her top choices and she replied -
Big Daddy’s
El Ricon
CRIMSON CAFE - her all caps, not mine. . .
Pita pit</p>
<p>Son and I hope to try Cypress Inn next week when we will be there for one night- depends on what you want and what type of atmosphere- doubt Cypress Inn has alot of students there</p>
<p>Depalma’s is excellent Italian, Mellow Mushroom for pizza, Mugshots for burgers, Buffalo Phils for chicken and wings type food, Iguana grill for what passes as Mexican food down here (still miss the good, authentic stuff from back home), and if you could swing it, I hear City Cafe is amazing. Still haven’t been there though.</p>
<p>Waysider for breakfast (15th st & Greensboro ave)</p>
<p>Mugshots for lunch (Univ blvd & Greensboro ave)</p>
<p>Cypress Inn or Chuck’s Fish for dinner (Rice Mine Rd / or Greensboro near Univ Blvd)</p>
<p>If you’ll be in town for more than a day then the Bear Trap is pretty good for lunch. It’s behind and on top of Buffalo Phil’s. I’d sit outside on the deck if the weather is decent. </p>
<p>A trip to Dreamland or Archibalds (my favorite) for some ribs isn’t a bad idea either. This may be heresy but I prefer the Northport Dreamland location to the original. Same ribs and sauce but a much better selection of side dishes or other menu items. Usually easier to get a seat as well.</p>
<p>For the best food, I’d go to Depalma’s, Wintzell’s, Bento or Ruan Thai. Dreamland and Archibald’s have good, not great BBQ (Admittedly, I’m used to Arthur Bryant’s & Gates Barbeque, so I’m a bit of a BBQ snob) but they’re worth a visit anyhow. </p>
<p>My favorite restaurant in Tuscaloosa is probably Nick’s Filet House (known as Nick’s in the Sticks due to its rather out-of-the-way location) for some truly awesome, if a bit simple steaks at great prices. (Literally, it’s a 30+ dollar steak for $15 including the tip.) Good drinks & sides as well.</p>
<p>BTW, not to hate on Crimson Cafe, but its food is average to mediocre, and its service is perhaps the slowest in T-Town (a dubious honor, yeah). Similarly, Buffalo Phil’s food isn’t particularly good at all, but it takes Dining Dollars.</p>
<p>If you have time for a full lunch, I’d definitely recommend Ruan Thai. The food’s more authentic (and, to be blunt, better) than the chain across the street, and the prices are pretty good as well. (Lunch is around $10, dinner for $15ish)</p>
<p>I love Dreamland BBQ. I would pick it over Full Moon if you want BBQ.</p>
<p>D & I have been to Cypress Inn. Lovely overlooking the Black Warrior River, but not “on campus” so I don’t know if I’d recommend that for a first visit, although their shrimp & grits were pretty good :)</p>
<p>D prefers the Northport Dreamland; we’ve all been to the Blue Moon; their chocolate pie was yummo!</p>
<p>I think D’s favorite off campus non-chain restaurant is Mugshots. </p>
<p>I am dying, dying! to get to Nick’s in the Sticks. Still haven’t been. I will by move out day this Spring though.</p>
<p>My daughter recommends Rammer Jammer for breakfast. I still love Waysider. Mugshots downtown is good, so is Chuck’s Fish (more expensive) and Wintzell on the river has GREAT seafood, reasonable price, good view, casual. Cypress Inn is always a favorite for a nice meal. Taco Casa for fast Mexican food.</p>
<p>I’ll add another vote for Nicks in the Sticks.</p>
<p>RobD, sorry to tell your D, but Mugshots is a chain restaurant.</p>
<p>Lately, the Cypress Inn has been advertising a $10 Sunday dinner for college students, which gives me a good reason to go eat there sometime.</p>
<p>AFAIK, I’ve only eaten at one non-chain restaurant in Tuscaloosa, and that is Bottomfeeder’s, which I really liked. A lot of the good food in Tuscaloosa is from local/regional chains. Baumhower’s Restaurant (formerly Baumhower’s Wings) is good, as is Mellow Mushroom. When my family visits Tuscaloosa, we eat at O’Charley’s, which is definitely a chain restaurant, but really good.</p>
<p>If you are eating lunch on campus, I’d recommend eating at the Bryant Sports Grill (the Athletic Dining Hall) instead of Lakeside or Fresh Foods, especially since you are going to the Alabama-Arkansas game. It is sports-themed and was featured on ESPN.</p>
<p>If you are just looking to grab a quick bite to eat, the Arby’s right off campus on University Boulevard is UA-themed.</p>
<p>Places I haven’t seen mentioned: Swen (Chinese), Ichiban (Sushi/Japanese for much cheaper than the Bentos, Hokkaidos and Kobes), Rama Jama’s (burger and sandwiches, right by the stadium), Kozy’s (a local secret - fine dining), and 15th St Diner (meat&three).</p>
<p>You can find reviews, menus, contact info for all these places on Yelp or Urban Spoon.</p>
<p>If you are into cupcakes…Gigi’s has opened in Midtown Village. Be prepared the lines are long and they sellout quickly but if you like cupcakes they are worth the wait. D has been there at least 4 times a week since they opened and when she is unable to go she send the boyfriend to bring them back to the house for her and her sisters! They’re addicted! I would suggest trying Scarlet’s Red Velvet, Wedding Cake or Midnight Magic. The flavors rotate by day and they are closed on Sunday.</p>
<p>*Chuck’s Fish *</p>
<p>Very good, but pricey…really more for a special night out. </p>
<p>El Rincon …ok Mexican…but cheap happy hour margaritas…$3…including flavors!</p>
<p>Happy hour starts like at 2 pm…lol</p>
<p>We’ve gotten there at 1:50 pm to get lunch prices for ordering, and then ordered drinks once it got to be 2 pm. Such a deal. </p>
<p>Speaking of the Black Warrior River…</p>
<p>We were in T-town recently and new apts or condos are going to be built on the south shore (Bama side) of the river. Right along the RiverWalk…great location…not far at all from the new Outdoor Amphitheater. H and I were like…OMG…if those are condos, we want to buy one… The RiverWalk is beautiful and I can see that T-town has plans to further develop the area to make it a “destination stop” for visitors and locals.</p>
<p>As a reminder…Nick’s Filet House (Nicks in the Sticks) does NOT have a sign, so it’s easy to drive past and then realize.</p>
<p>If you order a Nicodemus…only order one…because you can’t taste the alchohol…but it has Bacardi 151 in it. such a deal…only $4!</p>
<p>5 Guys for great burgers</p>
<p>Yogurt Mountain (aka YoMo) for self-serve frozen yogurt and toppings (pay by the ounce).</p>
<p>Really like Iguana Grill (Mexican) for atmosphere, cool decor, and good food.</p>
<p>Longhorn Steakhouse is better in T-town than it is where I live.</p>
<p>T-town could really use a…</p>
<p>Steak and Shake (a Midwest chain that is in Alabama, just not in T-town
Cheddars (a Texas chain that is awesome, good food, and super good prices)
Bed, Bath and Beyond ( I know, not food, but still…the town needs one!)
Krogers…if there is one, I haven’t found it.</p>
<p>I think we all need to bombard the mayor’s office with requests…LOL</p>
<p>More recommendations for eating…</p>
<p>FIG (stands for Food is Good)…great breakfasts, lunches and dinners. And, has food to go. </p>
<p>Great steak salad…O’Charleys…yes, it’s a chain…but it has the best steak salad and the best rolls. </p>
<p>T-town also has the typical chains like…</p>
<p>Olive Garden
Red Lobster
Cracker Barrel
Ruby Tuesday (altho that may be in Northshore)</p>
<p>I got a Groupon for Fig the other day and it looked really good-great prices!!</p>